long series of statutes and suspended all penal laws against
Nonconformists of every sort. These lately political Pariahs now held
the balance of power. The future fortunes of England depended mainly on
the course they would adopt. James was resolved to convert the House of
Commons from a free deliberative assembly into a body subservient to his
wishes, and ready to give parliamentary sanction to any edict he might
issue. To obtain this end the electors must be manipulated. Leaving the
county constituencies to be dealt with by the lords-lieutenants, half of
whom preferred dismissal to carrying out the odious service peremptorily
demanded of them, James's next concern was to "regulate" the
Corporations. In those days of narrowly restricted franchise, the
municipalities virtually returned the town members. To obtain an
obedient parliament, he must secure a roll of electors pledged to return
the royal nominees. A committee of seven privy councillors, all Roman
Catholics but the infamous Jeffreys, presided over the business, with
local sub-committees scattered over the country to carry out the details.
Bedford was dealt with in its turn. Under James's policy of courting the
Puritans, the leading Dissenters were the first persons to be approached.
Two are specially named, a Mr. Margetts, formerly Judge-Advocate-General
of the Army under General Monk, and John Bunyan. It is no matter of
surprise that Bunyan, who had been so severe a sufferer under the old
penal statutes, should desire their abrogation, and express his readiness
to "steer his friends and followers" to support candidates who would
pledge themselves to vote for their repeal. But no further would he go.
The Bedford Corporation was "regulated," which means that nearly the
whole of its members were removed and others substituted by royal order.
Of these new members some six or seven were leading persons of Bunyan's
congregation. But, with all his ardent desire for religious liberty,
Bunyan was too keen-witted not to see through James's policy, and too
honest to give it any direct insidious support. "In vain is the net
spread in the sight of any bird." He clearly saw that it was not for any
love of the Dissenters that they were so suddenly delivered from their
persecutions, and placed on a kind of equality with the Church. The
king's object was the establishment of Popery. To this the Church was
the chief obstacle. That must be undermined and subverted