F. JOHNSON. 99 Mr. Jnhnson, having lain in close confinement fourteen months, wrote a letter toLord Treasurer Burleigh, entreating his compassionate influence to procure for him and his fellow-prisoners, a friendly conference, that their real sentiments might be known, and that all impartial men might judge whether they deserved such hard treatment. In this letter, he observes, " That his brother George had been confined eleven months in the Clink.. And," says he, " when our poor old father applied to Justice Young, for us to have the liberty of the prison, he and the Dean of -Westminster, would have sent him to prison, had not Justice Barnes interposed and prevented them.-We are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. We suffer these things only for refusing to have communion with the antichristian prelacy ; and for labouring, in a holy and peaceable manner, to obey the Lord Jesus Christ in his ministry and worship, as prescribed in his last Testament, and sealed with his ownprecious blood. If we err in these things, prisons and the gallows are no fit means to convince and persuade our consciences : but rather a quiet and godly conference, or a discussion of the matter by writing, before equal and impartial judges. This we have often sued for, but could never yet obtain. We now, therefore, in a humble manner, solicit your lordship to procure this for us. Not that we doubt the truth of our cause. We are fully persuaded of this from the word of God, and are ready, by the grace of God, to seal it with our own blood. But we desire it, that the truth being discovered and made manifest, the false offices, callings, livings, and possessions of the prelacy, might be converted to her majesty's use, as were not long since the livings of the abbots, monks, and friars in these dominions ; and that by these means the gospel of Christ may have free course, and the peace of . the church be promoted." In the conclusion, he subscribes himself, " pastor of that poor distressed church, and still a close prisoner for the gospel of Jesus Christ. "+ Inclosed in this letter, Mr. Johnson sent a paper to the treasurer, signifying, that, for his writings, he was in no Mr. George Johnson, member of the Brownist congregation, late schoolmaster in St. Nicholas-lane, London, born atRichmond in Yorkshire, was convened, April 2, 1593, before the high commission, when he underwent an examination, but refused to take the oath. lie had at that time bsen some weeks a prisoner in Newgate, and had already undergone several examinations before the Bishop of Lundon and others.-Baker's 1VS. Collec. vol. xv. p. 107. + Strypo's Annals, vol. iv. p. 113-136,
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