was gathered sentinels were posted
to give the alarm if a stranger drew near. The minister in disguise was
introduced through the garden and the back yard. In some houses there
were trap doors through which, in case of danger, he might descend.
Where Nonconformists lived next door to each other, the walls were often
broken open, and secret passages were made from dwelling to dwelling. No
psalm was sung; and many contrivances were used to prevent the voice
of the preacher, in his moments of fervour, from being heard beyond the
walls. Yet, with all this care, it was often found impossible to elude
the vigilance of informers. In the suburbs of London, especially, the
law was enforced with the utmost rigour. Several opulent gentlemen were
accused of holding conventicles. Their houses were strictly searched,
and distresses were levied to the amount of many thousands of pounds.
The fiercer and bolder sectaries, thus driven from the shelter of roofs,
met in the open air, and determined to repel force by force. A Middlesex
justice who had learned that a nightly prayer meeting was held in a
gravel pit about two miles from London, took with him a strong body of
constables, broke in upon the assembly, and seized the preacher. But
the congregation, which consisted of about two hundred men, soon rescued
their pastor and put the magistrate and his officers to flight. [472]
This, however, was no ordinary occurrence. In general the Puritan spirit
seemed to be more effectually cowed at this conjuncture than at any
moment before or since. The Tory pamphleteers boasted that not one
fanatic dared to move tongue or pen in defence of his religious
opinions. Dissenting ministers, however blameless in life, however
eminent for learning and abilities, could not venture to walk the
streets for fear of outrages, which were not only not repressed, but
encouraged, by those whose duty it was to preserve the peace. Some
divines of great fame were in prison. Among these was Richard Baxter.
Others, who had, during a quarter of a century, borne up against
oppression, now lost heart, and quitted the kingdom. Among these was
John Howe. Great numbers of persons who had been accustomed to frequent
conventicles repaired to the parish churches. It was remarked that the
schismatics who had been terrified into this show of conformity might
easily be distinguished by the difficulty which they had in finding out
the collect, and by the awkward manner in which they