414 LIVES OF TB PURITANS. Chester, When twelve charges were exhibited against him and, in the end, he was deprived of his ministry ; and one Colecloth, a minister of immoral character, was sent to take possessionof the living. Afterwards, by the favour and influence of several persons of quality, he was again restored. In theyear 1586, our divine, being in London,was again apprehended by one of Whitgift's pursuivants, and carried before his grace at Lambeth ; who, for refusing the oath to accuse himself as before, committed him to the White-lion rison, where he was treated with the utmost barbarity. We shall give the account in his own words. " In the month of May," says he, " I was in London ; and was sorely vexed by the archbishop's pursuivants, who appro., headed me, and took me to Lambeth., At Lambeth, I was shamefully reviled and abused by the archbishop and those about him, as if I had been the vilest rebel against my prince andcountry. He then committed me to the keeper of the prison in Southwark, who, by the archbishop's strict charge, so loaded me with irons, confined me in close prison, and deprived me of necessary food, that in about five weeks, I was nearly dead." Such were the unfeeling and inhuman proceedings of this persecuting arch-prelate. While in this deplorable condition, Mr-Wigginton wrote to a certain nobleman, soliciting him to use his utmost endeavours to obtain his deliverance from such cruel usage. In this letter, dated from the White-lion, June 1, 1586 he expressed himself as follows :--" I desire " you to make known my lamentable case to her majesty's " honourable privy council, or to her majesty herself, that " the cause of my imprisonment may be examined, and " that I may be delivered from this hard usage. For I " desire justice, and not mercy, being conscious of my own " innocency. My old adversary, the archbishop, bath " treated me more like a Turk, or a dog, than a man, or a " minister of Jesus Christ. I heartily commend you to " God. GILES WIGG1NTON.". He further proceeds in this account of himself, and says, "At length, my life being in so great danger, I was removed to another prison in London. And some time after this, I was, brought again to Lambeth ; when, for refusing to answer as before, after much slanderous, usage, the arch bishop suspended me from preaching in, his province, MS. Register, p. 769.
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