432 The LIFE bf the Y out, through fome other occafrons, that Dr. Bate, and I did fail them-and could not come : But it was known at Wefrninfler that we were appointed to be there Whereupon two Juftices of Peace were procured from the di!tant parts of the Town, one from Weßrninffer, and one fromCierkenwel, to come with clre Parlia. ments Serjeant at Arms, to Apprehendus ! They carnein the Evening, when pare of the Company were gone, ( there were only a few of their Kindred there, be. fides two or three Minifters to pray.) : They came upon them into the Room where the Gentlewoman lay ready to die, and drew the Curtains, and took Come of their Names, but miffingof their Prey , returned difappointed ! What a joy would it havebeen to them that reproached us as Presbyterian fedrtions Schifina. ticks, to have found but fach an occafion as praying with a dying Woman, to have raid us upin Prifon! Yet that fame Week, there was publifhed a witty malicious Invettive againft the filenced Minifters, in which it was affirmed , that Dr. Bates' and 1 were at Mr. Beat's Houfe fuch a day keeping a Conventicle ! But the Lyn had fo much extraordinary modefty, as within aday or two to print a fecond Edr- tion, in which thefewords (fo eafily to be difproved ) were left out. Such Eyes wereevery where then upon us. 424. Many holy excellent Minifters were about thefe times laid in the Jails in many Counties, for private Meetings to preach and pray f and Come for venturing to preach publickly in Churches which hadno Minifters : (for fomany were caft out, that all their Placescouldnot prefently be fupplyed ). In Cbefloire Mr. Cook of Cbefler was imprifoned, who not long before had lainlong a Prifoner in Southwark (by Lambert's Fa&ion) for Delivering up Chefter to Sir George Booth for the Reno- ring of the King. In Somerfetfhire were imprifoned Mr. Norman ofBridgwater," Mr. Allen of Tarnton, and others.: In Dorfetfhire were imprifonedMr. Francis Bamp- feld, Mr. Peter Ince, (taken at a private Meeting in Shafr,bury) Mr. Sacheverilln and divers others : In Dorcheffer Jail they preached to the People of the Town who came to them, every day once, and on the Lord's Day twice ; till at daft theJay- for was corre&ed, and an Order made againft Jaylors' letting fn People into the Priions to hear. The ref} at last were releafed upon tome Bonds given for their good Behaviour, but Mr. Francia Bampfield abode in the CommonJail feveral year although he was all alongagainf tieParliaments War. His Brother,Mr.T.Bampfiedd, wasa Member of many Parliaments,and Speakerof the Parliamentin RichardCrom- well's time, which the Army-broke: He was Recorder of Exeter ; and though he fequeftred Recorder, had Satisfa&ion from the City for his Place, yet he (fucceed- ing,him in time of Cramwell's Úfurpation) reftored to the Poor of theCity all that he had received in that place, and perfwaded Minifters to re- * Saralee, atas, Francis ha, fiore " all that they received from Sequeftrations in time of the t'ng falt'n into the Opinion for LJfurpation, becaufe it was not Law that gave it them ( Though he SaturdaySabbath, ge. their l ink relves jü#i- they had but their Bread while the y preached which was hard- find for ly rebored). He waschofen by the Gentlemenof the, Welt to carry their Remonftrance to encourage General Monk when he. carne in! He is a Man of molt exemplary Sincerity and Confcientioufnefs : He ne- er took the Covenant, nor anyother Oath in his Life, till he was a Member of the Parliament that brought in the King, and then he was put upon taking the Oath of Supremacy, which I had much ado (being my dear and much valued Friend) to perfwade him to, fofearful was he of Oaths, or any thing that was doubtful and like to fin : Yet bath this prudent holy Man been laid in Jail as well as his Brother, becaufe (having a worthyMiniter, Mr. Philips, in his Houle) he would fedopen his Doors, andmeet freely for preaching and prayer in his Houfe, forbidding none : But though he and his Brother were the likeft Men I knew in England fuccefsfallÿ to have perfwaded thefe that are contrary minded, that it is unlawful for a Parliamentto take up Armsto defend themfelves, or punifh Manu- fa&ores, againft the Will and Word of the King, yet this would not keep either of them out of Prifon : And fo their endeavours for that work were item againft their wills. 4 424. It is worthy the mentioning how God's Prange Judgments about this time, were turned by the Devil to his own advantage. Molt certainly abundance. of real Prodigiesand marvellous Worksof Godwere done, which freely he did not caufe in vain ! But the over -fervent fpirits ofTome Fanaticks (Fifth-Monarchy- men) caufed them prefently to take them up boldly with the Commentaryof their own Applications, and too haltily venting Mattersof CommonReport beforethey were tried, they publifhed at feveral times three Volumes of the Hiftoryof thefe' Prodigies, in which there weredivers leffer Matters magnified, and Tome things which
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