ELIZABETH BUNYAN, but unavailingly; and he was obliged to dash all her hopes to the ground by informing her that they could do nothing for her husband, his "release - ment" being committed to the Judges at the next assizes. Footsore and heartsore, though still hopeful, the young wife retraced her way, and returned, with an account of her fruitless journey, to John, who was in his prison, awaiting the final disposition of his liberty. Many anxious hours passed in the little cell in which he was confined in that old gaol at Bedford, for the time was drawing near for the Judges to sit ; and John immediately set to work to write several fair copies of a petitionwhich Elizabeth was to present to them. It was Midsummer when the two Judges-Sir MatthewHale and Judge Twisden-arrived in the town of Bedford. They formed a strange contrast. Sir Matthew was gentle and kind-hearted, a man of humility, integrity, and prayer; precisely the one towards whom those in distress would be irresistibly led, for aid and sympathy. Early arrested in a course of wickedness, he had thrown himself at the foot of the Cross, and could therefore understand and respond to the cry of God's saints. Judge Twisden, on the contrary, was a cross-grained, loud- spoken man ; coarse and unfeeling, he had never been known to do a good deed throughout his legal career. Fortunately for her, Elizabeth first appealed to 20
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=