294 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. both at the wedding, and witnessed the whole proceeding, went to the bishop, and assured him, that he was faultless in those things charged against him. But his lordship remained inflexible, and would not release him without such bonds for his good behaviour and future appearance, as the prisoner was unable to procure. Mr. Benison, in his letter to the queen and council, concludes in the fol- lowing moving language : 4 " Thus I continue," says he, " separated from my wife before 1 had been married two weeks, to the great trouble of her friends and relations, and to the staggering of the patient obedience of my wife. For since my imprisonment, his lordship has been endeavouring to separate us, whom God, in the open presence of his people, has joined together. Wherefbre, I most humbly beseech your godly honours, for the everlasting love of God, and for the pity you take upon. God's true protestants and his poor people, to be a means that my pitiful cry maybe heard, and my just cause with some credit be cleared, to the honour of God and her majesty, whom for ever I esteem more than all the bishop's blessings or bitter cursings : and that I, being now half dead, may recover again to get a poor living with the little learning which God has given me, to his glory, to the discharge ofsome part of my duty, and to the profit of my country. This was Mr. Benison's impartial statement of his own case ; upon the reception of which, the lords of the council were so moved, that they sent the bishop the follow- ing letter : t " Hampton-court, November 14, 1584. " Whereas, Barnaby Benison, minister, has given us to " understand, the great hinderance he has received by your " hard dealing with him, and his long imprisonment, for " which if he should bring his action against you of false "imprisonment, he would b.y law recover damages, which " would touch your lordship's credit. We have, therefore, " thought fit to require your lordship to use some consi- " deration towards him, in giving him a reasonable sum of " money to repay the wrong you have done unto him, " and to supply the hinderance he hath incurred by your " hard dealings with him. Therefore, praying your " lordship to deal with the poor man, that he may have " occasion to turn his complaint into a good report unto MS. Register, p. 591. + Ibid. p. 589.
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