INTERESTING DISCOVERY.

Evening Star, Issue 7403, 24 December 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

INTERESTING DISCOVERY.

Mr G. W. Thorpe, of the Temple, writes to ' The Times' to announce an interesting discovery namely, the finding of the warrant for Bunyan's imprisonment. It appears that the document came into the hands of Ichabod Chauncy (a son of Charles Chauncy, president of Harvard College), who was among the ministers ejected for Nonconformity in 1662. He settled at Bristol as a physician, sparing time to give valuable help to the harassed Dissenters. He was styled their " Attorney-General," and as such prosecuted and exiled, with forfeit of lands and goods, in 1680". The warrant, with otiier papers, subsequently passed into the hands of his grandson, Dr Charles Chauncy, by whose family they have now been sold. The movers of the warrant, Mr Thorpe says, would be Sir W. Beecher (an M. P. for the borough), Sir George Blundell, and Dr Poster (Chancellor of Lincoln)—three of the Magistrates connected with the first imprisonment—bitter barassers of Dissenters. All three had distrained for fines; and Poster, as Commissary of the Archdeaconry Court, had in the year 1668-69 alone inflicted 1,400 of these fineß. They collected a strong Bench—Sir John Napier (M.P. for the county), six baronets, and seven minor luminaries—and under their hands and seals was issued the following warrant: — To the Constables of Bedford and to every of them. Whereas information and ompl&int is made unto us that (notwithstanding the Kings Majties late Act of most graoious goodwill and free pardon to all his subjects for past misdemeanJ Napier ours that by his said clcmcntie and indulgent guard and favour they might bee moved and ioduced for the time to como more carefully to W Beecher observe his Highness lawes and Statutes and to continue in theire

loyal I and due obedleno to his Majtie) Yett one John Bunnyan of Q B'.undell ye said Towno tynker hath divers times within one month last past in contempt of his Majtie good Lawes preached or teached at a Oonvi nticle Hum. Modcux Meeting or Assembly under color or ptence of exeroiso of Religion In other manner than according to the Liturgie or prao iss of the Church of England Will Franklin These are therefore in bis Majties name to command you forthwith to apprehend and bring tho Body of the said John Bunnyon before us or any John Ventris of usorothor his Majties Justice of Peace within the said County to answer the premisses and further to do and rrceave as to Lawc and Justice ebali appcrtaino And hereof you are not to faile Given under our bandes and seales this ffourth day of March in the seven and twontioth yearo of tho Raigno of our most gracious Soveraigno Lord King Charles tbo Second Ao que Dnejuxta gr 1674 Will SrßNOoa

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