The life and death of Mr. Tho. Wilson, minister of Maidstone, in the county…

CHAP. X. His fresh prosecution by the Arch-Bishop, as also a strange providence.

But for all this present favour, the Arch-Bishop had not done with Mr. Wilson, or in March following, he was again and fresh prosecuted by him. Upon an Holy-day in that Month he met at the Personage house, (of which one Mr. Butcher an eminently pious person had a part, of whom di• not my Relation to him forbid me, I could speak much,) after his Sermon in public with several friends, to repeat the Sermon, and seek God by prayer. After the exercises were done (in a Room peculiar to Master Butcher) one knocked at the poor, to which Mrs. Wilson was going, but suddenly started back, fearing a Messenger was come to apprehend her Husband; but the Messenger soon entered into the Room, where Mr. Wilson and his friends were, and putting off his hat, enquired which was Mr. Wilson, pretending some private business with him. Though Mr. Wilson was there in his Gown, having newly Preached and Prayed, and thereby easily to be distinguished from others, yet God so ordered it, that the Messenger observed ⟨p. 18⟩served him not. Soon after the Messenger came into the Room. Mr. Wilson stepped behind some of his friends, and Mr. Butcher wisely stepped forward, and told the Messenger, that the Room in which they were was his, and that he should look for Mr. Wilson in his own Rooms; upon this he quickly withdrew into the Hall, another Room; in the interim Mr. Wilson went up the Stairs into his Study, and lay close there till night, and then escaped to Mr. George Halls at the Park is Maidstone. The Pursuivant looking about in vain, on second thoughts returns back into the Parlour, into which he first entered, and missing one whom he had seen there before enquires for him, chargeth all there present that they had conveyed Mr. Wilson away, and they must find him out; he also produced his Warrant, under the hands of many privy Counsellors, whereof the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London were two, to attach the body of Thomas Wilson, Rector of Otham, and bring him before them.