. LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. X15 what his crime was and was told that he was thus dealt with only to secure thegovernment in evil times, and that they had a list of many suspected persons whom theymust do the' like with." The same process was repeated thrice in the course of a few months. On one of these occasions, Dec. 11th, he was told that the main object was to restrain him from writing. On the 28th of.February following, a few days after the acces- sion of James, he was committed to prison by a warrant from the infamous Chief Justice Jefferies, for his .Paraphrase on the New Testament, then just published, which was denominated a scanda- lous and seditious book against the government. On the 18th of. May, his counsel, on account of his illness, moved that his trial might be postponed. "I will not, give him a minute's time more; to save his life," was the answer of the chief justice. On the 30th, he came,to his trial in Guildhall. Eminent counsel had been employed in his behalf byhis friends. But the arbitrary and brutal chief justice would allow no argument to be made in his defense. One after another, ofthose who attempted to speak, was interrupted and overborne by the violence of the bench. The coarsest and most rabid abuse was heaped on the prisoner. At last, Baxter himself offered to speak. "My 'lord," said he, " I think I can clearlyanswer all that is laid to my charge, andI shall do it briefly. The sum is contained in these few papers, to which I %hall add a little by testimony." But not a word would'the judge hear; and the witnesses, who had been cited in behalf of the prisoner, were prevented from testifying. At length Jefferies summed up the cause, in the same style in which he had conducted it. "Does your lordship think," said Baxter, " that any jury will pretend to pass a verdict upon me, on such a trial ? " " I'll warrant you, Mr. Baxter," was the reply; "don't trouble yourself about that." 'The jury immediately laid their heads together, and found him guilty. He was fined five hundred marks, condemned to lie in prison till he paid it, and bound to his good behavior for seven years.* Nearly two years afterwards, James, having found that the es- tablished clergy would not stand by their favorite doctrine of obe- dience, undertook once more to court the dissenters. Many who were imprisoned were set at liberty. Among these, was Baxter. His fine was remitted ; but he was . still under bonds for his good behavior, it being expressly stipulated that he might continue to re- side in. London. He was released November 24, 1686. Soon afterwards the kitlg, pursuing his mad project, published a * An account ofthis trial is given in Calamy's Life of Baxter, and is copied, With some authentic additions, by Orme. Baxter's own Narrative terminates just before the date of hisarrest..
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