Samuel Fuller in Amsterdam

The first reference to Samuel Fuller in The Netherlands places him in Amsterdam. The first English Separatist church in The Netherlands had been formed in Amsterdam in the 1590s; it was known as the “Ancient Brethren.” This church was regularly joined by other English dissidents and, of particular interest to the future of Plymouth Colony, they were joined by a group from Scrooby, England, in 1608. The Ancient Brethren was a contentious church and the Scrooby group decided to emigrate to leave them – and Amsterdam – and set up their community and church in the Dutch city of Leiden. This was done in 1609. In 1612, a book as published in London called The prophane [profane] schism of the Brownists, written by four members of the Ancient Brethren who had withdrawn from the church. The authors were Christopher Lawne, John Fowler, Clement Saunders and Robert Bulward. In the book, they discuss the goings on of one member of the Ancient Brethren, one Daniel Studley, who was known for assaulting women, including his own stepdaughter. There is a passage in the book that reads: “But if any would further know what this Daniel Studley is, let them ask Samuel Fuller, a Deacon of Master Robinson’s Church; and desire to see a copy of the letter which Daniel Studley sent unto him.” There is a further reference to Studley and Fuller: “Daniel Studley is so apt in reproach that he runs upon the Letter: making, as it were, an Alphabet of slander having it so perfect as his A B C. For trial hereof, see how he grinds his teeth against Samuel Fuller, a Deacon of Master Robinson’s Company; whom, with his friends, he describes as being ‘ignorant idiots, noddy Nabalites, dogged Dogs, fairfaced Pharisees, shameless Shemites, malicious Macchiavellians.”

From The prophane schism of the Brownists, 1612, as quoted in The story of the Pilgrim Fathers by Edward Arber. London: Ward & Downey, Ltd., 1897, pp. 122-124.

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