A godly friendship: Thomas Gataker and William Bradshaw

Adding to the scholarship on early modern friendships, this article examines the friendship between the puritan preacher Thomas Gataker and the nonconformist cleric William Bradshaw. Despite their divergent careers and their distinct roles in puritan historiography, Gataker and Bradshaw shared an enduring affection and common concerns, with both men writing on the nature of magistracy, the international Protestant community, and the promotion of unity within the godly community. Outliving Bradshaw by thirty-six years, Gataker eventually turned to print to memorialize their friendship and to address wrongs inflicted on Bradshaw and his reputation. Gataker’s interventions included polemical pieces in the 1640s and a notable contribution to seventeenth-century biography or life writing. As in other early modern friendships, Gataker acted from a deep affection and a desire to protect his friend’s legacy, yet inseparable from these motives was his intent to edify the godly.