W. SMYTFL 45 occasions, April 5, 1593, he was convened before the Dean of. Westminster, Mr. Dale, Mr. Barnes, and Mr. Young, when he underwent an examination, of which the following particulars are preserved :-He said he had been in prison about two months, committed by Dr. Stanhope and others, on suspicion of being privy to the matters concerning the coffin, (referring, no doubt, to the coffin of Mr. Roger Rippon,) carried to Mr. Young's door. He said also that he had been examined first before Mr. Young and Mr. Townsend ; next before the Bishop of London and others and lastlybefore the LordChief Justice andJudge Anderson, but never, to his knowledge, was indicted. He confessed that he had been at an assembly, in the house of Mr. Lees, near Smithfield ; but when he was asked whether he be- longed to that church, ofwhich Mr. Johnson was pastor, he refused to answer. Also, when it was demanded whether he had ever any of Barrow's, Greenwood's,or Penry's books in his possession, he again refused to answer. He acknow- ledged that he came up to London to confer with,. Mr. .Johnson, Mr. Greenwood, and others; and that he attended the assembly in Lees's house, on purpose to hear and see their orders in church matters. He refused the oath ex (lido ' and when he was asked whether he would go to the parish church, he refused to be bound, but was desirous to have a conference.. Great numbers of Brownists were now confined in the different prisons in and about London, many of whose names, and their crimes, with their cruel usage, are now beforeme. The twoprincipal crimes with which they were charged by their enemies, were, their having seen or possessed certain books supposed to have been published by Barrow, Greenwood, or Penry ; and their having joined the congregation of Brownists, which, to avoid the persecution of the bishops, assembled in private houses, in the fields, and in woods. For these sig- nificant offences, they were stigmatized as rebels, and com- mitted to filthy prisons, where many of them died, and others, after a miserable imprisonment of four or five years, were banished from the country. Mr. Smyth wasprobably of this munber.+ Baker's MS. Collec. vol. vv. p. 111, 112. + Ibid. p. 59-117.
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