, 1675. On the 14th of the following May
the supple and time-serving Barlow, after long and eager waiting for a
mitre, was elected to the see of Lincoln vacated by the death of Bishop
Fuller, and consecrated on the 27th of June. Barlow, a man of very
dubious churchmanship, who had succeeded in keeping his university
appointments undisturbed all through the Commonwealth, and who was yet
among the first with effusive loyalty to welcome the restoration of
monarchy, had been Owen's tutor at Oxford, and continued to maintain
friendly relations with him. As bishop of the diocese to which
Bedfordshire then, and long after, belonged, Barlow had the power, by the
then existing law, of releasing a prisoner for nonconformity on a bond
given by two persons that he would conform within half a year. A friend
of Bunyan's, probably Ichabod Chauncey, obtained a letter from Owen to
the bishop requesting him to employ this prerogative in Bunyan's behalf.
Barlow with hollow complaisance expressed his particular kindness for Dr.
Owen, and his desire to deny him nothing he could legally grant. He
would even strain a point to serve him. But he had only just been made a
bishop, and what was asked was a new thing to him. He desired a little
time to consider of it. If he could do it, Owen might be assured of his
readiness to oblige him. A second application at the end of a fortnight
found this readiness much cooled. It was true that on inquiry he found
he might do it; but the times were critical, and he had many enemies. It
would be safer for him not to take the initiative. Let them apply to the
Lord Chancellor, and get him to issue an order for him to release Bunyan
on the customary bond. Then he would do what Owen asked. It was vain to
tell Barlow that the way he suggested was chargeable, and Bunyan poor.
Vain also to remind him that there was no point to be strained. He had
satisfied himself that he might do the thing legally. It was hoped he
would remember his promise. But the bishop would not budge from the
position he had taken up. They had his ultimatum; with that they must be
content. If Bunyan was to be liberated, his friends must accept Barlow's
terms. "This at last was done, and the poor man was released. But
little thanks to the bishop."

This short six months' imprisonment assumes additional importance from
the probability, first suggested by Dr. Brown, which the recovery of its
date renders almost a certainty, t