the life of john bunyan-第13部分

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hour　before　him　to　escape　if　he　had　been　so　minded；　but　he　was

resolved　〃not　to　go　away。〃　　He　calmly　waited　for　the　time　fixed　for

the　brethren　to　assemble；　and　then；　without　hurry　or　any　show　of

alarm；　he　opened　the　meeting　in　the　usual　manner；　with　prayer　for

God's　blessing。　　He　had　given　out　his　text；　the　brethren　had　just

opened　their　Bibles　and　Bunyan　was　beginning　to　preach；　when　the

arrival　of　the　constable　with　the　warrant　put　an　end　to　the

exercise。　　Bunyan　requested　to　be　allowed　to　say　a　few　parting

words　of　encouragement　to　the　terrified　flock。　　This　was　granted；

and　he　comforted　the　little　company　with　the　reflection　that　it　was

a　mercy　to　suffer　in　so　good　a　cause；　and　that　it　was　better　to　be

the　persecuted　than　the　persecutors；　better　to　suffer　as　Christians

than　as　thieves　or　murderers。　　The　constable　and　the　justice's

servant　soon　growing　weary　of　listening　to　Bunyan's　exhortations；

interrupted　him　and　〃would　not　be　quiet　till　they　had　him　away〃

from　the　house。



The　justice　who　had　issued　the　warrant；　Mr。　Wingate；　not　being　at

home　that　day；　a　friend　of　Bunyan's　residing　on　the　spot　offered　to

house　him　for　the　night；　undertaking　that　he　should　be　forthcoming

the　next　day。　　The　following　morning　this　friend　took　him　to　the

constable's　house；　and　they　then　proceeded　together　to　Mr。

Wingate's。　　A　few　inquiries　showed　the　magistrate　that　he　had

entirely　mistaken　the　character　of　the　Samsell　meeting　and　its

object。　　Instead　of　a　gathering　of　〃Fifth　Monarchy　men；〃　or　other

turbulent　fanatics　as　he　had　supposed；　for　the　disturbance　of　the

public　peace；　he　learnt　from　the　constable　that　they　were　only　a

few　peaceable；　harmless　people；　met　together　〃to　preach　and　hear

the　word；〃　without　any　political　meaning。　　Wingate　was　now　at　a

nonplus；　and　〃could　not　well　tell　what　to　say。〃　　For　the　credit　of

his　magisterial　character；　however；　he　must　do　something　to　show

that　he　had　not　made　a　mistake　in　issuing　the　warrant。　　So　he　asked

Bunyan　what　business　he　had　there；　and　why　it　was　not　enough　for

him　to　follow　his　own　calling　instead　of　breaking　the　law　by

preaching。　　Bunyan　replied　that　his　only　object　in　coming　there　was

to　exhort　his　hearers　for　their　souls'　sake　to　forsake　their　sinful

courses　and　close　in　with　Christ；　and　this　he　could　do　and　follow

his　calling　as　well。　　Wingate；　now　feeling　himself　in　the　wrong；

lost　his　temper；　and　declared　angrily　that　he　would　〃break　the　neck

of　these　unlawful　meetings；〃　and　that　Bunyan　must　find　securities

for　his　good　behaviour　or　go　to　gaol。　　There　was　no　difficulty　in

obtaining　the　security。　　Bail　was　at　once　forthcoming。　　The　real

difficulty　lay　with　Bunyan　himself。　　No　bond　was　strong　enough　to

keep　him　from　preaching。　　If　his　friends　gave　them；　their　bonds

would　be　forfeited；　for　he　〃would　not　leave　speaking　the　word　of

God。〃　　Wingate　told　him　that　this　being　so；　he　must　be　sent　to　gaol

to　be　tried　at　the　next　Quarter　Sessions；　and　left　the　room　to　make

out　his　mittimus。　　While　the　committal　was　preparing；　one　whom

Bunyan　bitterly　styles　〃an　old　enemy　to　the　truth；〃　Dr。　Lindall；

Vicar　of　Harlington；　Wingate's　father…in…law；　came　in　and　began

〃taunting　at　him　with　many　reviling　terms；〃　demanding　what　right　he

had　to　preach　and　meddle　with　that　for　which　he　had　no　warrant；

charging　him　with　making　long　prayers　to　devour　widows　houses；　and

likening　him　to　〃one　Alexander　the　Coppersmith　he　had　read　of；〃

〃aiming；　'tis　like；〃　says　Bunyan；　〃at　me　because　I　was　a　tinker。〃

The　mittimus　was　now　made　out；　and　Bunyan　in　the　constable's　charge

was　on　his　way　to　Bedford；　when　he　was　met　by　two　of　his　friends；

who　begged　the　constable　to　wait　a　little　while　that　they　might　use

their　interest　with　the　magistrate　to　get　Bunyan　released。　　After　a

somewhat　lengthened　interview　with　Wingate；　they　returned　with　the

message　that　if　Bunyan　would　wait　on　the　magistrate　and　〃say

certain　words〃　to　him；　he　might　go　free。　　To　satisfy　his　friends；

Bunyan　returned　with　them；　though　not　with　any　expectation　that　the

engagement　proposed　to　him　would　be　such　as　he　could　lawfully　take。

〃If　the　words　were　such　as　he　could　say　with　a　good　conscience　he

would　say　them；　or　else　he　would　not。〃



After　all　this　coming　and　going；　by　the　time　Bunyan　and　his　friends

got　back　to　Harlington　House；　night　had　come　on。　　As　he　entered　the

hall；　one；　he　tells　us；　came　out　of　an　inner　room　with　a　lighted

candle　in　his　hand；　whom　Bunyan　recognized　as　one　William　Foster；　a

lawyer　of　Bedford；　Wingate's　brother…in…law；　afterwards　a　fierce

persecutor　of　the　Nonconformists　of　the　district。　　With　a　simulated

affection；　〃as　if　he　would　have　leapt　on　my　neck　and　kissed　me；〃

which　put　Bunyan　on　his　guard；　as　he　had　ever　known　him　for　〃a

close　opposer　of　the　ways　of　God；〃　he　adopted　the　tone　of　one　who

had　Bunyan's　interest　at　heart；　and　begged　him　as　a　friend　to　yield

a　little　from　his　stubbornness。　　His　brother…in…law；　he　said；　was

very　loath　to　send　him　to　gaol。　　All　he　had　to　do　was　only　to

promise　that　he　would　not　call　people　together；　and　he　should　be

set　at　liberty　and　might　go　back　to　his　home。　　Such　meetings　were

plainly　unlawful　and　must　be　stopped。　　Bunyan　had　better　follow　his

calling　and　leave　off　preaching；　especially　on　week…days；　which

made　other　people　neglect　their　calling　too。　　God　commanded　men　to

work　six　days　and　serve　Him　on　the　seventh。　　It　was　vain　for　Bunyan

to　reply　that　he　never　summoned　people　to　hear　him；　but　that　if

they　came　he　could　not　but　use　the　best　of　his　skill　and　wisdom　to

counsel　them　for　their　soul's　salvation；　that　he　could　preach　and

the　people　could　come　to　hear　without　neglecting　their　callings；

and　that　men　were　bound　to　look　out　for　their　souls'　welfare　on

week…days　as　well　as　Sundays。　　Neither　could　convince　the　other。

Bunyan's　stubbornness　was　not　a　little　provoking　to　Foster；　and　was

equally　disappointing　to　Wingate。　　They　both　evidently　wished　to

dismiss　the　case；　and　intentionally　provided　a　loophole　for

Bunyan's　escape。　　The　promise　put　into　his　mouth　…　〃that　he　would

not　call　the　people　together〃　…　was　purposely　devised　to　meet　his

scrupulous　conscience。　　But　even　if　he　could　keep　the　promise　in

the　letter；　Bunyan　knew　that　he　was　fully　purposed　to　violate　its

spirit。　　He　was　the　last　man　to　forfeit　self…respect　by　playing

fast　and　loose　with　his　conscience。　　All　evasion　was　foreign　to　his

nature。　　The　long　interview　came　to　an　end　at　last。　　Once　again

Wingate　and　Foster　endeavoured　to　break　down　Bunyan's　resolution；

but　when　they　saw　he　was　〃at　a　point；　and　would　not　be　moved　or

persuaded；〃　the　mittimus　was　again　put　into　the　constable's　hands；

and　he　and　his　prisoner　were　started　on　the　walk　to　Bedford　gaol。

It　was　dark；　as　we　have　seen；　when　this　protracted　interview　began。

It　must　have　now　been　deep　in　the　night。　　Bunyan　gives　no　hint

whether　the　walk　was　taken　in　the　dark　or　in　the　daylight。　　There

was　however　no　need　for　haste。　　Bedford　was　thirteen　miles　away；

and　the　constable　would　probably　wait　till　the　morning　to　set　out

for　the　prison　which　was　to　be　Bunyan's　home　for　twelve　long　years；

to　which　he　went　carrying；　he　says；　the　〃peace　of　God　along　with

me；　and　His　comfort　in　my　poor　soul。〃







CHAPTER　V。







A　long…standing　tradition　has　identified　Bunyan's　place　of

imprisonment　with　a　little　corporation　lock…up…house；　some　fourteen

feet　square；　picturesquely　perched　on　one　of　the　mid…piers　of　the

many…arched　mediaeval　bridge　which；　previously　to　1765；　spanned　the

Ouse　at　Bedford；　and　as　Mr。　Froude　has　said；　has　〃furnished　a

subject　for　pictures；〃　both　of　pen　and　pencil；　〃which　if　correct

would　be　extremely　affecting。〃　　Unfortunately；　however；　for　the

lovers　of　the　sensational；　these　pictures　are　not　〃correct；〃　but

are　based　on　a　false　assumption　which　grew　up　out　of　a　desire　to

heap　contumely　on　Bunyan's　enemies　by　exaggerating　the　severity　of

his　protracted；　but　by　no　means　harsh　imprisonment。　　Being　arrested

by　the　warrant　of　a　county　magistrate　for　a　county　offence；

Bunyan's　place　of　incarceration　was　naturally　the　county　gaol。

There　he　undoubtedly　passed　the　twelve　years　of　his　captivity；　and

there　the　royal　warrant　for　his　release　found　him　〃a　prisoner　in

the　common　gaol　for　our　county　of　Bedford。〃　　But　though　far

different　from　the　pictures　which　writers；　desirous　of　exhibiting

the　sufferings　of　the　Puritan　confessor　in　the　most　telling　form；

have　drawn　…　if　not　〃a　damp　and　dreary　cell〃　into　which　〃a　narrow

chink　admits　a　few　scanty　rays　of　light　to　render　visible　the

prisoner；　pale　and　emaciated；　seated　on　the　humid　earth；　pursuing

his　daily　task　to　earn　the　morsel　which　prolongs　his　existence　and

his　confinement　together；〃　…　〃the　common　gaol〃　of　Bedford　must　have

been　a　sufficiently　strait　and　unwholesome　abode；　especially　for

one；　like　the　travelling　tinker；　accustomed　to　spend　the　greater

part　of　his　days　in　the　open…air　in　unrestricted　freedom。　　Prisons

in　those　days；　and　indeed　long　afterwards；　were；　at　their　best；

foul；　dark；　miserable　places。　　A　century　later　Howard　found　Bedford

gaol；　though　better　than　some；　in　what　would　now　be　justly　deemed　a

disgraceful　condition。　　One　who　visited　Bunyan　during　his

confinement　speaks　of　it　as　〃an　uncomfortable　and　close　prison。〃

Bunyan　however　himself；　in　the　narrative　of　his　imprisonment；　makes

no　complaint　of　it；　nor　do　we　hear　of　his　health　having　in　any　way

suffered　from　the　conditions　of　his　confinement；　as　was　the　case

with　not　a　few　of　his　fellow…sufferers　for　the　sake　of　religion　in

other　English　gaols；　some　of　them　even　unto　death。　　Bad　as　it　must

have　been　to　be　a　prisoner；　as　far　as　his　own　testimony　goes；　there

is　no　evidence　that　his　imprisonment；　though　varying　in　its

strictness　with　his　various　gaolers；　was　aggravated　by　any　special

severity；　and；　as　Mr。　Froude　has　said；　〃it　is　unlikely　that　at　any

time　he　was　made　to　suffer　any　greater　hardships　t