BALSOM. 81 - parliament's cause, and the principles on which lie acted, he was committed with this charge, ""Keep this man safe, but use himwell." Mr. Balsom, after remaining in a state of confinement for some time, was at length, by an express order, next carried to Oxford, and committed prisoner to the castle. Here he set up a public lecture, preached twice every day, and was nu- merously attended, not only by the prisoners and soldiers, but by courtiers and townsmen. After having been once or twice prohibited, he said, " If you be weary of me, I do not wish to trouble you any longer you may turn me out of doors when you please. But while I havea tongue to speak, and people to hear, I will not hold my peace." At length, by an exchange of prisoners, he was released. And having obtained his liberty, he was sent for by the Earl of Essex ; when he became chaplain in his army, and continued with him during his command. Mr. Balsom afterwards settled at Berwick, where he was statedly employed in his beloved work of preaching. In this situation he had the strong affections of the people, the smiles of God upon his labours, and the satisfaction of seeing the work. of the Lord prosper in his hands. His labours were made extensively useful ; but having occasion, after some time, to visit his own neighbourhood, he never returned. For, to the great anguish of his affectionate people, he was taken ill and died, in the year 1647.* This zealous and faithful servant of God, a short time before his death, wrote a letter to a friend in London, giving him some account of the transactions in the north ; and because the sight of it will be gratifying to every inquisitive reader, it will be proper to be inserted. It is dated May 21, 1646, and is as follows :t " My dear friend, " Yours was not a' little welcome to me, nor am I put to it to send you a requital. The news here is so good, that I can hardly hold my pen for joy. The king's coming to the Scotch army in all probability will prove one of our greatest mercies since the wars began. And never did I hear of any christians carrying themselves so boldly and faithfully in reproving their prince, so humbly before their God, so innocently towards their brethren, so desirously of a settled and well-grounded peace, as the Scots now do. They labour with much earnestness for the king's conversiou ; Clark's Lives annexed to his Martyrologie, p. 179-182. -1* Edwards's Gangrcena, part iii. p. 73, 74. VOL. III. 6
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