offence, by a justice of peace be recorded, and sent to jail three months, or pay £5; and for the second offence, six months, or pay £10; and for the third time, being convicted by a jury, shall be banished to some of the American plantations, except New England or Virginia, for seven years, or pay £100; and in case such person return, or make his escape, he is to be adjudged a felon, and suffer death without benefit of clergy." It was a great hardship attending this act, that it gave a justice the power to convict a person without jury; for if the convicted person was innocent, there was no relief to be obtained, the justice being judge and jury. This unreasonable and anti-scriptural act, commenced operation July 1st, 1664, and its effects were soon visible in a famine of God's word, crowded prisons, enormous fines, banished worthies, frequent litigations, hosts of spies, and multiplied perjuries. No benefit was derived from this act, except by hireling informers, who infested every part of the land, and fattened on the miseries of their best country men. A human device so contrary to the spirit of the gospel and the law of heaven, could not extinguish the ardent zeal of Mr. Heywood, nor drive him from the path of duty: he was in labours more abundant. "We have had," he says, "every Lord's day that I have been at home, a considerable number with me to keep the sabbath, and hitherto we have been in safety, without disturbance. Yesterday, Aug. 21st, we had a most agreeable day. My manner is, to spend the time as we are wont to do in public ordinances, only we are longer in the duty of prayer, wherein I usually spend an hour in the morning, in confession and petition, and an hour in the afternoon, in the pleasant duty of thanksgiving, wherein the Lord hath wonderfully enlarged * souls. But I fear my opponents will be his enemies for following that which is good, though he do conform." Mr. H.'s people having the opportunity of hearing the gospel at home, and his preaching at his house on the Lord's day being attended with much danger, he was the more willing to embrace opportunities of preaching and hearing at distant places. His narrative therefore abounds with the relation of many sabbath-day journies about this time, among which are the following: "Because I could not peaceably go to my own chapel to hear Mr. Hoole, I went Nov. 5. to hear Mr. Crossley at Bramhope, who by the good providence of God still continues in his public work without conforming. I heard him in the morning, but at noon Mr. Dinely, the gentleman of the place, moved that I should preach in the afternoon. I told him I was willing, if Mr. Crossley was content, and if it might not prejudice the people. They unanimously desired it, and referred the consequences to God's providence. I considered it as a call from God, and ventured to preach. The Lord was graciously seen in giving me unwonted liberty of speech and spirit, both in prayer and preaching; and affected the hearts of his people: blessed be God.-Again, I went to spend a sabbath at Bramhope, and heard a Mr. Ord, a north country minister, who had lately been imprisoned at York for preaching in a church in that city, but was released at the end of three weeks, upon a flaw in the significabit. It was a precious sabbath to me. The day after we took the advantage of a public fast: a great congregation came from all parts. The Lord helped me to * Bramhope-hall, the residence of this worthy gentleman, was a common asylum for poor nonconformist ministers during their sufferings. The worship of God was maintained in this place till the death of Mr. Dineley, in 1689, in the 83rd year of his age. carry on the work of the day, after Mr. C. had made an expository beginning. The service continued from eleven till half-past three o'clock. Blessed, blessed be our gracious God for that precious and unexpected opportunity." The dangers to which Mr. H. was constantly exposed by his repeated excommunications, and the warrants that had been issued for his apprehension, made him desirous to use every lawful means to obtain absolution; or if that could not be granted, to be able to attend public preaching without fear of disturbance. On this latter subject he says: "Because I have a great desire to wait on God in public ordinances, though it be but to hear the minister at Coley, I have therefore sent to a friend at York to consult with some proctor, whether I may not, according to the bishop's laws, go and hear a sermon in public, though I be excommunicated, as they call it? The answer I have received is this: Dr. Hitch, Dean of York, saith, that an excommunicated person is not allowed to be present at prayers or sermon; yet it being usual for such to hear sermons without disturbance, he wonders that any churchwarden should be so ignorant or malicious as to hinder any from hearing the word. He said he would not deliver his judgment under his hand for £100.' I have, saith my informant, searched the canons, and consulted with several ministers about the case, and their opinion is, that there is no law prohibiting any person, either heathen or Christian, from hearing the word preached. This is the answer, which smells of Babel, and is strangely confused. It is not allowed for such a one to hear, and yet there is no law, canon, or statute prohibiting it: surely where there is no law, there is no transgression; but this is like all the rest of their rules, they make laws as they list." In the beginning of the year 1665, Mr. H. visited his native place, and the people of the neighbourhood were very importunate to enjoy his services. He preached every night in the week, besides keeping a fast, and his usual work on the Lord's day; "I was induced to it," he saith, "partly, because it is my native place, where my relations are resident; partly, because their public administrations are unprofitable and discouraging; partly, because I took this as a token for future good; and likewise, because I knew not that I should ever appear amongst them again." Mr. Beswick, minister of Ratcliffe, near Bury, made bitter complaints to the justices, that Mr. H. came over to Bolton parish, and preached and prayed among great numbers of people, which he called conventicles; but the justices, wiser and more tolerant than he, put him off. Afterwards he went to a privy sessions at Bolton, and made a similar complaint; but Mr. Hulton, of Hulton-park, a justice of the peace, told him he did not know what a conventicle was, and that what he had informed against was not one, and thus gave him a rebuke for his information. It had been well for England, and more consistent with her boasted humanity, if all justices in those perplexing times, had acted in the same manner. Early in the summer Mr. H. resolved to visit his friends in the south, but came not to the determination till he had fervently implored the divine direction and blessing. "After long deliberation," he says, "I determined on a journey into the south, and observed a private fast to beg God's leave and presence. He gave us a gracious token for good, and a satisfying return of prayer afterwards; so that in about six weeks time, I despatched that journey and returned home in safety, having visited several friends at Cambridge, Dedham in Essex, London, Coventry, Lancashire, and elsewhere. Oh for a thankful heart!" Having experienced many mercies, and enjoyed much comfort in his journey, he set apart the 12th of July as a day of thanksgiving, on which occasion he was honoured with the company of several christian friends, and the presence of God. After his return he renewed his accustomed labours as he had opportunity. The first Lord's day he spent in his own house with a few of his beloved people, at which time, he says, "I found extraordinary enlargement in prayer and praise, but especially in wrestling with God for mercy on behalf of the nation. There were eleven or twelve besides my family; and O what floods of tears were poured forth! We were in safety, without fear, all day; though I have since heard that the constable and churchwarden were met near my house; but the Lord surprisingly turned them another way." About this time, Mr. H. was in constant danger of being apprehended, but was remarkably preserved from the malicious designs of men. Among other instances, he records the following: "Yesterday, Aug. 19th, the pursuivants took up several persons at or about Halifax, and are taking up others to-day, to carry them to York, before the Duke, on what account is not known. Several were afraid for me, but blessed be God, we have enjoyed this Lord's day peaceably and profitably, and with a considerable number of people. Sept. 17th, the constable and two men came to my house, while I was at prayer, and searched it, when it so happened, that contrary to what was generally the case, there were not more than four persons besides the family. The rest of the day was spent in prayer and praise. Nov. 5th. While I was engaged at Penistone, conducting the monthly fast at that place for the plague in |