Family of Love

Summary

A Continental religious sect known as the Haus der Liebe or the

Family of Love which started ca. 1540. Its members embraced the
teachings and the writings of Hendrik Niclaes ("H. N.")(1502?80 ),
also known as Henry Nicholas (Nicolas/Nicklaes), a Dutch
spiritualist. They were more commonly referred to as Familists in
England.

Niclaes was a prosperous merchant by profession who travelled

widely. Niclaes' works were strongly influences by the Radical
Reformation, including the earlier medieval sect, the Brethren of
the Free Spirit, and Rhenish mysticism. There are some common
shared threads of Anabaptist influences in his writings. Some have
considered the Familists as a possible branch of Anabaptism.

A prominent student, and follower of Niclaes was Hendrik Jansen

Barrefelt, a.k.a. Hiel. Barrefelt developed a somewhat similar
philosophy to Niclaes, and would developed his own following.
Another well known earlier prophet of the period was David Joris
who held similar views. Niclaes found many converts in what is
modern France, Germany, the Low Countries, as well as in
England.

The primary spiritual goal for the Familists was the reaching of
that state of the ultimate form of perfect love with God revealed
through the Family of Love, and the works of "N. H.". That state
of perfection as attained in Christ would guarantee its
membership the salvation that neither the Church, nor what the
Scriptures could not offer. The Spirit was superior to the
Scriptures in authority according to the Familists.

Unfortunately, "N. H" was often rather flowery in his use of

language which often led to different or variant interpretations of
his works especially in translation. This led to various Familist
subgroups following slightly different interpretations, and
practices.

Some commonly held themes include: "All things come by nature".

The gifts of the earth came from God's bounty or nature, so
everything should be shared as communal property, or everything
belongs to everyone in common.

Some critics of the period alleged that Familists practiced

adultery, and wife swapping. There is little independent authority
for these assertions which were probably used to discredit the
sect.

Familists were also charged with practicing the perfectionist

theology known as Antinomianism, being in a natural state of
Grace without Sin for the true believer. The Laws of Moses and
Man no longer held any validity for those who attained this state
of perfection according to the believers. Antinomians were
deemed to be immoral and without any religious virtue by its
critics as being a nonbiblical, or having a Scriptural framework.

For the Familist, true enlightenment was only possible by

possessing the true inner dwelling spirit of God revealing himself.
The Spirit of God dwelling in a true Believer made all things
possible. A state of perfection with God was possible here on
earth by living your life as Christ. The life of Christ was the model
for perfection not His death and resurrection. Only those who
followed the Familists' being of love would receive true salvation
according to "N. H."

The Bible was sometimes referred to as an ABC to Christianity.

Familists attached little spiritual importance to external forms of
worship. Prayer was not emphasized. Community meetings of the
faithful believers were usually held in secret from the general
public.

As a group, the Familists practiced a form of Nicodemism, or

concealing their true beliefs while outwardly conforming to the
existing societal norms of the area. If questions about their
"suspected" Familist beliefs, they would embrace the outward
religious teachings of the community norm, and deny their true
beliefs. Rejection or denials of their own beliefs to escape the
punishment of the local authorities was considered necessary for
the greater good to maintain their own community.

Familists hoped to convert new enlightened members to their

faith, but they lacked the zeal to openly spread their message
beyond a small portion of society. Familists also suffered from a
general tenet of Niclaes to be rather circumspect in dealing with
those in their community outside of the Faith. This dual edged
sword which tended to limit their effective conversions outside of
their own immediate family or relatives.

Familists as a community were considered rather literate for the

period. There was a rather high literacy rate for the period.
Reading the works of Niclaes was a basic requirement for the
faithful. This tended to limit the potential audience of new
believers to those who could read, and also read to others. This is
what often set the Familists apart in their local communities as
being more literate, and better educated for the period. It was
not uncommon for local Familists that might occupy positions of
trust, or authority within their local communities based on their
education.

Literary itself could become a weapon against the status quo, and
"right thinking" itself. Familists held strict relationships within
their own community. Their was a form of hierarchy with the
Elders who represented their spiritual and community elders, or
leaders.

English Familists
Unlike their Continental cousins, English Familists seems to have
developed along slightly different lines. Familist activities in
England may date from the early 1550's. There are references to a
certain individual Christopher Vittels, a former English joiner, and
a sometime itinerant preacher, and a early disciple of Henry
Nicholas of Delph (Holland). Vittels is reported to have been
active active in England ca. 1555. Vittels has often been referred
to by some as the first English Familists. Vittels was also an early
translator of Nicaels works into English. There was a local
tradition that Niclaes may have visited England on two different
occasions during his own lifetime. Good hard evidence is still
lacking here.

Familists influence may have initially spread into England through

its coastal seaport communities by foreign workers, or merchants
from Antwerp, Holland during the reign of Queen Mary I. During
the reign of King Henry VIII Continental "nonconformists" were
actively hunted down, and removed from English soil, or were
buried in it. England had a proactive business policy for skilled
Dutch craftsmen working in England. Special dispensations were
made for Dutch churches by the Church of England, and the
Crown. of Continental religious dissidents,especially in its port
communities. England had a preactive policy. These had been
the same access points for the Anabaptist and others continental
sects.

Familists activities in Guildford may date from the 1560's.

Cambridge and the area around Belsham were also early centers
of Familists activity. Surrey and Ely were Familist strongholds.
Wisbech on the the Isle of Ely was a known Familists haven. There
is a Confession from Surrey dated 1561 which is one of the
earliest written document of the Family of Love in England.

English Familists suffered from its share of zealot puritan critics.

From 157080, men such as: John Knewstub, John Rogers and
William Wilkinson undertook a sacred mission against the
Familists. Knewstub became well known as a Familists hunter of
the first waters often with governmental assistance.

English translations of the works of Nicaels became readily

available in London in the 1570's. By 1580, a Proclamation was
issued by Queen Elizabeth condemning the Familists, and their
writings. A concerted effort by the Crown had been undertaken to
eliminate the Familists from East Anglia, and the areas around
Greater London. How skillful the governments' efforts were is a
matter of conjecture considering the nature of the Familists
society, and there ability to fade into the local English society.

The term Familists may confer a broader scope than initially

thought. An small early sect known as the Family of the Mount
shared many similar values with the Familists. About 1610, an
obscure religious sect was started at Grindleton, Yorkshire. The
group exhibited Familist leanings, and has been described as the
Grindleton Familists. The sect continued into the 1660's.

English Familists communities may have been tolerated better in

English than their Continental counterparts. The ability of
Familists to remain anonymous within their own local
communities has been called into question by some scholars.
Dissident religious practices may not have attracted the level of
curiosity at the local community levels as had been formerly
thought. Toleration or simply a lack of public interest of what
your neighbor did or did not do may have been the norm in many
rural areas. There is some evidence to suggest that known
Familists held positions of public trust and authority in their local
communities for their education.

Maybe only numbering in the hundreds at their height in England,

there appears to have been Familists' at the Court of Elizabeth I,
James I, and Charles I. These must have been people of position,
and learning, who were valued for their opinions and loyalty to
the Crown against what must have been outcries from those of
other religious persuasions at Court, especially among the
puritans.

The Reverend James Pordage, a curate in Reading ca. 1645, was

known for his Familists and Behmenists interests. Pordage
established a Familists community near his Bradfield parish about
1647. In 1654, he was ousted from his parish. He was reinstated in
1660, only to be removed again in 1662.

Familists were never a major political force due to their small

numbers in England, but their contributions may be more than
previously realized. George Fox, the Quaker leader, indicated
Familists conversions to Quakerism after 1660. Their influence on
Quakerism after 1660 may be noted.

Our current perceptions of this group may be too coloured by

their critics rhetoric and negative writings of the period. English
Familists may have continued into the eighteenth century
England, or longer. More scholarship should cast more light on this
elusive group.

Many of the Familists held views were common threads in other

dissident groups such as the: Grindletonians, Ranters, Adamites,
and even the early Quakers. English Familists provided a source of
continental themes which influenced other dissident groups in
England.

A SELECT FAMILIST BIBLIOGRAPHY

Primary Sources

[Anon.] An Apologie for the Service of Love, and the that own it,
commonly called, the Family of Love (1656)
[Anon.] A Brief Rehersall of the Beleef of the goodwilling in
England which are named the Family of Love (1575); [STC
10681.5]

[Anon.] The Confession and Declaration of Robert Sharp Clerke,

and other of that secte, Termed the Familie of Love, at Pawles
Crosse in London the xii of June: An. 1575 (1575)

[Anon.] A Description of the Sect called the Family of Love, with

their Common Place of Residence (1641)

[Anon.] A Discovery of the Adhominable Delusions of the Family

of Love (1622); [STC 10682]

Anon.] A Discovery of the Adhominable Delusions of those, who

call themselves the Family of Love (1622)

[Anon.] A Discovery of 29 Sects Here in London (1641)

[Anon.] Displaying of a Horrible Sect of Grosse and Wicked

Heretiques (1578)

[Anon.] A Supplication of the Family of Love ... (1606); [STC

10683]

[Anon.] Temporis filia veritas (1589)

A[insworth], H[enry], 15711622? An epistle sent vnto tuuo

Daughters of VVarwick from N. H., the Oldest Father of the
Family of Love with a Refutation of the Errors that are therein,
by H.A. (1608); [EEb, 16411700; 1732:20] [STC (2nd ed.) 18553]

Baillie, Robert,[15991662], Anabaptism, the tvre fovntaine of

independency, Brownisme, Antimony, Familisome, and the most
of the other errours, which for the time due trouble the Church
of England, ... (1647); [EEb, 16411700 ; 1626:44] [Wing B452A]

Bateman, Stephen,The Good Book of the Leaden Goddes (1577);

[STC 1583]

Becon, Thomas. A Brief Rehersall of the Beleef of the

Goodwilling in England, which are named, the Famelie of
Love(1575)

______. [Another ed.] (1656)

Elidad, pseud, A Good and Fruitfull Exhortation vnto the Famelie

of Love [1574?;] [STC 7573]

Hallywell, H.,An Account of Familism (1673)

Jessop, Edmund. A Discovery of the Errors of the English

Anabaptists (1623); [STC 14520]

______, A Brief Discovery of the Blasphermous Doctrine of

Familisme, first Conceived and Brought forth into the World by
one HENRY NICOLAS About an Hundred Years ago (1645)

Knewstub, John, A Confutation of Monstrous and Horrible

Heresies Taught by H. N[iclas], and Embraced of a number of,
who call Themselves the Family of Love (1579); [STC 15040]

Middleton, Thomas, The Famelie of Loue. Acted by the Children

of his Maiesties Reuels (1608); [STC 17879]

______, [Another ed.] (1840) In The Works of Thomas Middleton.

II, Dyce, A. (ed.)

Niclaes, Hendrik, [1502?80?] A New Balade or Songe, of the

Lambes feast [n.p.1574] [STC 18559]

______, Cantica; Certen of the Songs of NH [1574?;] [STC 18549]

______, Comoedia. A Work in Ryme, Contayning an Enterlude of

Myndes, Wistessing the Mans Fall from God. Set forth by HN a. by
him newly amended. Tr. out of basealmayse [1574?] [STC 18550]
______, Dicta NH. Documentall Sentences; Eauen as Thosesame
were spoken fourth by NH. Tr. out of basealmayse [by C. Vitell]
[1574?] [STC 18551]

______, Epistolae HN. The Principall Espitles of HN. (Tr. out of

Basealmayse) [1574?;] [STC 18552]

______, Epistle of sent unto two Daughters of Warwick from H.N.

[1609?;]

______, Epistola XI. NH. Correctio a. Exhortation out of Heartie

Loue, to a Pluckinge vnder the Obedience of the Loue, and to
Repentaunce for Their Sinnes, ... Tr. out of Basealmayse by C.
Vitell. [1574?;] [STC (2nd ed.) 18554]

______, Euangelium regni [English ed.] A Joyful Message of the

Kingdom. Setforth by NH. Tr. out of basealmayse [by C. Vittel]
[1575?;] [STC 18556]

______, Exhortatio I. The First Exhortation of NH. to his

Children, and to the Famelye of Loue. By him newly perused
[1574?;] [STC 18557]

______, The first Epistle of NH. A CryingVoyce. [1574?;;] [STC

18555]

______,The Prophetie of the Spitit of Loue. Tr. out of the base

almyse [by C. Vitell] (1574); [STC 118560]

______, Proverbia H.N. The Prouerbes of NH. Tr. out of base

almayse [by C. Vitell] Set forth by NH[1574;] [STC 18561]

______, A Publishing of the Peace Upon earth. Tr. out of base

almayse [by C. Vitell] [1574;] [STC 18562]

______, Revelatio Dei, the Reuelation of God a. his great

Propheatie. Set forth by NH [1575?;] [STC 18563]

______, Terra pacis. A True Testification of the Spiritual Lande

of Peace. Set foorth by NH [1575?;] [STC 18564]

______, Three Groundlie Refreines [1574?;]

______, All the Letters of the A.B.C. in ryme (1575)

______, A Benedictie or Blessinge to be Saide over the Table

(1575)

______, Howle and Weepe for the Day of the Lorde is in Hande
(1575)

______,Introductio. An introduction to the Holy Vnderstanding of

the Glasse of Righteousnesse. Settforth by NH. [1575?;] [STC
18558]

Rogers, John, A Displaying of a Horrible Secte of Grosse and

Heretiques Naming Themselves the Family of Love (1578); [STC
21181]

______, [Another ed.] (1579); [STC 21182]

______, The Hisplaying of an horrible secte of Grosse and wicked

heretiques, naming themselves the Family of Love ( 2nd
ed.;1579)

______, An Answere vnto a Wicked Libel Made to Christ[pher]

Vitel one of the chiefe Eng. elders of the pretended Family of
Love (1579); [STC 21180]

Rutherford, Samuel, A Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist (1648)

[Seale, Robert]. An apology for the service of love [1656;]

[Tudor, Mary]. By the Queen. A Proclamation Against the

Sectaries of the Family of Love (1580); [STC 8125]

Wilkins, David.Concilia Magnae Britanniae et Hiberniae (1737)

Wilkinson, William, A Confutation of Certaine Articles Delivered
unto the Familye of Love (1579); [STC 25665]

Secondary Sources

Acheson, R.J., "Familism" In Radical Puritans in England, 1550

1650 (1990)

Bainton, R.H., David Joris (1937)

Baker, D., "Schism, Heresy and Religious Protest", Studies in

Church History 9,1972

Barclay, R., The Inner Life of the Religious Societies of the

Commonwealth (1876)

Burns, N.T., Christian Mortalism from Tyndale to Milton (1972)

Dickens, A.C., The English Reformation (1964)

Dietz Moss, J., Godded with God: Hendrick Nicaels and his Family
of Love (1981)

Dorsten, J.A. van, "Garter Knights and Familists", Journal of

European Studies, 4,1974

Ebel, J.G., "The Family of Love: Sources of its History in England",

Huntington Library Quarterly, 30,196667

Halley, J.E., "Heresy, Orthodoxy, and the Politics of Religious

Discourse: the case of the English Family of Love",
Representations, 15,1986

Hamilton, A., The Family of Love (1981)

Hayes, W.T., "John Everard and the Familist tradition", In The

Origins of AngloAmerican Radicalism, Jacobs, Margaret and
James (eds.) (1984)

______, "The Peaceful Apocalypse: Familism and Literacy in

Sixteenth Century England", Sixteenth Century Journal 17,1986

Heal, F., "The Family of Love and the Diocese of Ely", Studies in
Church History 9,1972

Hessels, J.H., Henrick Niclaes (1869)

Hitchcock, H., "A Confession of the Family of Love 1580", Bulletin

of the Institute for Historical Research 43,1970

Hyland, S.G.K., A Century of Persecution (1920)

Johnson, W.C., "The Family of Love in Stuart literature: a

chronology of namecrossed lovers", Journal of Medieval and
Renaissance Studies 7,1977

Jones, R.M., Studies in Mystical Religion (1923)

Kerr, W.N., Henry Nicholas and the Familists. A study of the

influence of continental mysticism on England to 1660,
(Unpublished) Ph.D.(thesis), University of Edinburgh (1955)

Kirsop, W.,"The Family of Love in France", Journal of Religious

Studies 2,19645

Lynnewood, F.M., "The Family of Love in England: Conforming

Millenarians", Sixteenth Century Journal 3,1972

Marsh, C.W., The Family of Love in English Society: 15501630,

Ph.D.(thesis), Cambridge University (1992)

______, The Family of Love in English Society: 15501630 (1994)

______, "A Gracelesse and Audacious Companie? The Family of

Love in the Parish of Balsham, 15501630", In Voluntary religion
Sheils, W.J., and Wood, D., (eds.), Studies in Church History
23,1986
______, "Appendix: the membership of the Family of Love", In The
Family of Love in English Society: 15501630 (1994)

______, "Piety and persuasion in Elizabethan England: the Church

of England meets the Family of Love", In England's Long
Reformation, 15001800, Tyacke, N. (ed.) (1998)

Martin, J.W., "Elizabethan Familists and other Separatists in the

Guildford Area", Bulletin of the British Institute for Historical
Research 51,1978

______, "Elizabethan Familists and English Separatist", InReligious

Radicals in Tudor England (1989)

______, "The Elizabethan Familists as Perceived by their

Contemporaries", In Religious Radicals in Tudor England (1989)

Martin, L.F., "The Family of Love in England Conforming

Millenarians", Sixteenth Century Journal 3,1973

Moss, J.D., "Godded with God": Hendrik Niclaes and his Family of
Love (1981)

______, "Additional Light on the Family of Love", Bulletin of the

British Institute for Historical Research 47,1974

______, "The Family of Love and English Critics", Sixteenth

Century Journal 6,1975

______, "Variations on a Theme: the Family of Love in

Renaissance England", Renaissance Quarterly 31,1978

Nippold, F., "Heinrich Niclaes und das Haus der Liebe", Zeitschrift
fr die historische Theologie 36,1862

______, "David Joris von Delft", Zeitschrift fr die Historische

Theologie 33,1863

Payne, E.A., "The Familists", The Chronicle 26,1953

PenrhysEvans, N.A., The Family of Love in England, 15501650,

(Unpublished) MA(thesis), University of Kent (1971)

Smith, N., Perfection proclaimed: Language and Literature in

English Radical Religion, 164060 (1989)

Thomas, A.C., "The Family of Love, or the Familists, a Study in

Church History", Haverford College Studies 12,1893

Verwey, H. de la Fontaine., "De Gescriften van Hendrik Niclaes",

Het Boek 26,194042

______, The Family of Love, Querendo 6,1976

Williams, G.H., "Spiritualism and Rigorism among the

Netherlanders and Lower Germans, 1540/15431568, Chap. 19; 1.
Netherlandish Spiritualism: Henry Niclaes and the Familists", In
The Radical Reformation (1962)

Wright, T., Elizabeth and her Times (1838)

Yates, F., The Rosicrucian Enlightenment (1972)

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