Cicely Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cicely Johnson
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|---|---|
| Died | after 1636/7 |
| Nationality | Kingdom of England |
| Subject | Religious conversion |
| Literary movement | Follower of Richard Farnham and John Bull |
| Notable works | Fanatical Reveries |
Cicely Johnson was an English woman who lived a long time ago in a town called Colchester. She wrote about her religious journey, and her writings were found many years later. She wrote them around the year 1636 or 1637. Her story helps us understand life and beliefs from that time.
About Cicely Johnson
We don't know exactly when or where Cicely Johnson was born. We also don't know her original family name. But we do know she could read, which meant she had a good education for her time.
She moved to Colchester with her husband, Thomas. His job is not fully clear, but he was skilled enough to have people learning from him. Cicely and Thomas had four children. Their names were recorded when they were baptized in local churches in Colchester.
Her Religious Journey
Cicely was very interested in religious leaders, called preachers. She followed people like Francis Liddell and Richard Maden. Later, she followed a preacher named John Knowles. He was very popular.
John Knowles encouraged Cicely to write down her religious experiences. Cicely also followed two other men, Richard Farnham and John Bull. These men were later arrested for their beliefs.
Her Writings Discovered
Cicely and her husband were asked questions by the authorities. This was because they had communicated with John Bull. John Bull claimed to be a prophet.
Around 1636 or 1637, Cicely wrote about her religious journey. This writing didn't have a title at first. Later, it was called "Fanatical Reveries" by others.
Her account was found hundreds of years later. It was discovered in the John Rylands University Library in Manchester. It was found along with a similar story by another woman named Rose Thurgood. We don't know any more details about Cicely Johnson's life after this time.
Cicely's writing was copied by someone named "E.A." This might have been Elizabeth Addington, who was another follower. Her writings were kept safe by the Gurney family for many years. They were bought by the library in 1936. It took a while before experts realized how important her writings were.
