THE FAITHFUL HELPMATE. " He desires to live peaceably," answered Eliza- beth," " and to follow his calling, that his family may be maintained ; and moreover, my Lord," she continued, sadly, " I have four small children that cannot help themselves, one of which is blind, and we have nothing to live upon but the charity of good people." " Hast thou four children ?" asked Judge Hale, in some surprise ; " thou art but a young woman to have four children." " My Lord, I am but mother-in-law to them, having not been married to him full two years." Hale, " looking very soberly," said pityingly, " Alas, poor woman ! " but Judge Twisden told her she made poverty her cloak ; adding, he understood that Bunyan was maintained better by running up and down preaching than by following his calling. " What is his calling?" inquired Sir Matthew ; when some of those that stood near answered, " A tinker, my Lord." " Yes," said Elizabeth, somewhat bitterly, " and because he is a tinker, and a poor man, therefore he is despised, and cannot have justice." " I tell thee, woman," said Hale, mildly, " seeing it is so, that theyhave taken what thyhusband spake for a conviction, thou must either apply thyself to the King, or sue out his pardon, or get a writ of error." This gentle reply " chafed " Chester, and seeming to be " very much offended," he interposed, " My Lord, he will preach, and do what he lists." 25
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