First Edition of "The Bloudy Tenant" Discovered

A rare 1644 First Edition of Roger Williams, The Bloudy Tenent, has been discovered in the collection of the Rhode Island Historical Society according to a report in today’s Providence Journal. The book sets out Williams’ theories of religious liberty and freedom of conscience. It speaks of the need for a sturdy fence separating the sacred and the secular, and calls for an end to people being persecuted for their religious beliefs. Williams was banished from Massachusetts for his radical views. Karen Eberhart, the Historical Society’s Library Director, said that the newly discovered volume is in good shape because it was printed on paper made from cotton, rather than wood.