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,