Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Saddington, John
SADDINGTON, JOHN (1634?–1679), Muggletonian, was born at Arnesby, Leicestershire, about 1634, and was engaged in London in the sugar trade. He was among the earliest adherents to the system of John Reeve (1608–1658) [q. v.] and Lodowicke Muggleton [q. v.], and hence was known as the ‘eldest son’ of their movement. He was a tall, handsome man, and an intelligent writer; his strenuous support in 1671 was of essential service to Muggleton's cause. He died in London on 11 Sept. 1679. Two only of his pieces have been printed: 1. ‘A Prospective Glass for Saints and Sinners,’ 1673, 4to; reprinted, Deal, 1823, 8vo. 2. ‘The Articles of True Faith,’ written in 1675, but not printed till 1830, 8vo. Of his unprinted pieces in the Muggletonian archives, the most important is ‘The Wormes Conquest,’ a poem of 1677, on the trial of Muggleton, who is the ‘worme.’
[Saddington's printed and manuscript writings; Muggleton's Acts and Letters; Ancient and Modern Muggletonians (Transactions of Liverpool Lit. and Phil. Soc. 4 April 1870); Smith's Bibliotheca Anti-Quakeriana, 1873, pp. 321 sq.]