"I would desire you to move the Lord Chancellor in the case, and,
upon his order, I will do it." To which it was replied, "this method
would be chargeable, and the man was poor, not able to expend so
much money; and, being satisfied he could do it legally, it was hoped
his Lordship would remember his promise, there being no straining
a point in the case. But he would do it upon no other terms, which
at last was done, and the poor man released." And for this we are
told that "Mr. Bunyan returned him his unfeigned thanks, and often
remembered him in his prayers, as, next to God, his deliverer."' The
whole of this story, so far as it relates to Bunyan, is not only
improbable, but utterly impossible. Bunyan was never excommunicated, and
he was certainly released from prison two or three years previous
to Dr. Barlow becoming a bishop. The critical times to which
he alludes, refer doubtless to the Popish plot, which took place
in 1678, Bunyan having been released in 1672. The probability is,
that Dr. Owen did about 1678 apply to the bishop of Lincoln for the
release of some poor prisoner under sentence of excommunication,
it being his province to release such prisoners upon their making
peace with the Church. If this person was a friend of Bunyan's,
his prayers for the bishop, and acknowledgments for this act of
kindness, are readily accounted for. That Barlow had nothing to
do with Bunyan's release is now perfectly clear; because all, even
the minutest particulars relative to it, have been discovered. This
is a very romantic history, and necessarily leads us back to the
battle of Worcester. At this battle, the republicans were numerous,
well disciplined, and led by experienced officers; the royal army
was completely routed, and its leaders, who survived the battle,
were subject to the severest privations. Charles found refuge
at Boscobel House, and, disguised as a woodcutter, was hid in an
oak. His adventures and hair-breadth escapes fill a volume:--the