to Judge Hales, who very mildly received it at her hand, telling her that he would do her and me the best good he could, but he feared, he said, he could do none. The next day again, lest they should, through the multitude of business, forget me, we did throw another petition into the coach to Judge Twisdon; who, and yet, said I, I hope you will not say that either Paul or Christ was such as did deny magistracy, and so sinned against God in slighting the ordinance. Sir, said I, the law hath provided two ways of obeying the one to do that which I in my conscience do believe that I am bound to do actively; and where I cannot obey actively, there I am will-when he had seen it, snapt her up and angrily ing to lie down and to suffer what they shall do unto me. At this he sat still and said no more; which when he had done, I did thank him for his civil and meck discoursing with me; and so we parted. Oh that we might meet in heaven!* Farewell. J. B. Here followeth a Discourse between my Wife and the Judges, with others, touching my Deliverance at the Assizes following; the which I took from her own mouih. AFTER that I had received this sentence of banishing or hanging from them, and after the former admonition touching the determination of justices if I did not recant, just when the time drew nigh in which I should have abjured or have done worse, (as Mr. Cobb told me,) came the time in which the king was to be crowned. Now at the coronation of a king there is usually a releasement of divers prisoners by virtue of his coronation; in which privilege also I should have had my share, but that they took me for a convicted person, and therefore, unless I sued out a pardon, (as they called it,) I could have no benefit thereby notwithstanding; yet forasmuch as the coronation proclamation did give liberty from the day the king was crowned to that day twelvemonth to sue them out, therefore, though they would not let me out of prison as they let out thousands, yet they could not meddle with me as touching the execution of their sentence, because of the liberty offered for the suing out of pardons. Whereupon I continued in prison till the next assizes, which are called midsummer assizes, being then kept in August, 1661. Now at that assizes, because I would not leave any possible means unattempted that might be lawful, I did, by my wife, present a petition to the judges three times that I might be heard, and that they would impartially take my case into consideration. The first time my wife went she presented it Happy would it be for Christians in general, and for the interest of religion also, if ceremonials and non-essentials had no tendency to disunite them as brethren and servants of the same loving Saviour; for in the kingdom of glory above there will be no party told her that I was a convicted person, and could not be released unless I would promise to preach no more, &c. Well, after this she yet again presented another to Judge Hales as he sat on the bench, who, as it seemed, was willing to give her audience; only Justice Chester, being present, stept up and said that I was convicted in the court, and that I was a hot-spirited fellow, or words to that purpose, whereat he waived it and did not meddle therewith. But yet my wife, being encouraged by the high sheriff, did venture once more into their presence, (as the poor widow did to the unjust judge,) to try what she could do with them for my liberty before they went forth of the town. The place where she went to them was to the Swan Chamber, where the two judges and many justices and gentry of the country were in company together. She then, coming into the chamber, with a bashful face and a trembling heart began her errand to them in this manner: Woman. My lord, (directing herself to Judge Hales,) I make bold to come once again to your lordship to know what may be done to my husband. Judge Hales. To whom he said, Woman, I told thee before I could do thee no good, because they have taken that for a conviction which thy husband spoke at the sessions; and unless there be something done to undo that, I can do thee no good. Woman. My lord, said she, he is kept unlawfully in prison; they clapped him up before there was any proclamation against the meetings; the indictment also is false; besides, they never asked him whether he was guilty or no; neither did he confess the indictment. One of the Justices. Then one of the justices that stood by, whom she knew not, said, My lord, he was lawfully convicted. Woman. It is false, said she; for when they said to him, Do you confess the indictment? he said only this, that he had been at several spirit, no parting string, but the hearts and voices of the celestial assembly will emulate each other in the very sweetest and loudest notes to redeeming grace and dying love! |