122 LIVES OF-THE PURITANS. following protestation :-" If what I am accused of be true, even that I have been accessary to a vile imposture, with a design to impose on mankind, let me be registered to my perpetual infamy, not only for a notorious deceiver, but such an hypocrite as never trod on the earth before. Yea, Lord ! for to Thee I direct my speech, who knoweth all things, if I have confederated more or less, with Somers, Darling, or any others ; if ever I set my eye upon them before they were possessed, then let me not only be made a laughing-stock, and a by-word to all men, but raze my name also out of the book of life, and let me have my portion with hypocrites. "* While Mr. Darrell was suffering in close prison in the Gatehouse, the productions of his pen were spread through the kingdom. His books found their way to the two universities, particularly Cambridge, where many of them were purchased by the learned collegians. This presently roused the attention of the ecclesiastical governors ; when the bookseller was convened before Dr. Jegon; the vi.ce- chancellor, as will appear from the following letter, addressed " To the right Rev. Father in God, the Lord Bishop of London :"-h " Right reverend, my very good lord, my duty most humbly premised. May it please you to be advertised, that certain books of Darrell's, in two volumes, the one " A Detection of the shameful, lying Discoverie," - &c. the other " A true Narration of the strange Vexation," &c, have been sold underhand, by a taylor, since Christmas last, to the number of sixty books, as the party before me bath confessed. To whom he hath sold them in particular, be will not confess : whereupon I have bound him here, with surety, to be forth coming until I know your lordship's pleasure, thinking it my duty to signify the same, knowing that Darrell lath been censured for a dissembler, and supposing that such books come not out with allowance and privilege. The examination I send here inclosed. 4 JEGON, Vice-chancellor of the " University of Cambridge," What further prosecution the poor man underwent, or when Mr. Darrell was released from his cruel imprisonment, it is very difficult to ascertain. Strype's Whitgift, p. 495. 7 Baker's MS. Collec. vol. mil. p. IL
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