344 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. for some time. At length,, he was brought to a second examination at Bishopsthorp, when the archbishop opened the-business by affirming, that Mr. Wilson had been guilty of the most wilful disobedience, and malicious contempt. His lordship used very opprobrious language, as if he had been arraigned for treason or rebellion, exulting, at the same time, in his own favourable dealing with him. Also he declared that before Mr. Wilson should be discharged, he should confess both in open court, and publicly in the church, how greatly he had offended; to which Mr. Wilson made the following reply : W. My lord, I hope you will find it more difficult to prove me guilty of' those odious crimes which you say I am guilty of, than to charge me with them. And as to your favour, when I find it, I shall acknowledge it. Hitherto I have felt nothing but extremity, bringing my ,ministry into open disgrace, and my person intopublic reproach. A. You see the stubbornness of this felloW. I purposed to have discharged him, the second day of his imprison.. ment, and would have done it, if he had sued for it. And though he hath now been a week in prison, the pride of his heart would not let him oncesue for his liberty. W. It was neither my pride, nor mystubbornness, as you uncharitably misrepresent, and slanderously magnify against me; but my ignorance of the prisoner's duty, that I did not sue to your grace for liberty. A. We shall never make an end, if we babble with him thus. Will you yield to the conditions ?. W. My lord, I beseech you consider those conditions with impartiality, and, I hope, your grace will not urge me. My imprisonment will greatly injure my, ministry, and bring reproach upon my person ; but to do open penance before the people, will beworse than all. Therefore, I beseech your lordshipnot to rewardone evil, by inflicting another which is much greater. A. These are only your imaginations. Tell us plainly : Will you subscribe the bond ? ' W. My lord, I must take all the care in my power to preserve my ministry from the contempt of the wicked. And seeing how much harm it would be likely to do to the church of God, I cannot in any wise subscribe unto it. The conditions here referred to, and afterwards often mentioned, were, that he should confess before the archbishop, and publicly in the church where he had preached, the great offence he had committed, and enter into a bond to fulfil the same.
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