That Bunyan's imprisonment was unjust, he must have felt keenly. But before his arrest, in earnest, believing prayer, he had put the whole matter into the hands of God, and he knew that his enemies could not keep him in prison a day, or even an hour, longer than they were allowed to do by his Lord and Master. It would be only seven weeks until the court would be in session. There was, he felt sure, no serious charge that could be brought against him. If he could get a fair hearing, might he not hope to be set at liberty?
But a few of his friends felt they could not take his imprisonment so quietly, so after collecting among themselves what they thought would be a sufficient sum of money to be accepted as bail for his appearance on the day of his trial, they went to a young magistrate at Elstow, thinking that by stating the case fairly they might be able to obtain an order for his release. But the magistrate had not been in office long, and though at first he seemed kind and friendly, he would not accept bail, thinking, perhaps, that by doing so he might give offense to an older magistrate who had sent Bunyan to prison.
It must have been a very real disappointment, but strength and grace to take it patiently were given to the much-tried servant of the Lord. Soon after Bunyan wrote, "Verily, I did meet my God sweetly, comforting me and satisfying me that it was His will and mind that for the present I should be there."
When his trial took place he might have been set at liberty if he could or would have promised to not preach. But feeling sure that God had called him to preach the gospel, he could make no such promise, saying as he did, "If they would let me out of prison today, I should, God helping me, be preaching the gospel again tomorrow."
The judges, angry at his refusal, again sent him to prison, warning him that if, within a given time, he did not give the required promise, he might be banished from the kingdom or even sentenced to death.
His faithful wife Elizabeth, rising from the sick bed on which she had lain ever since the shock of her husband's arrest had brought on a severe illness, made her way to London, a very serious journey in those days. She even presented her husband's petition before the House of Lords, believing that if those in high places only knew the facts of the case he would be set at liberty.
Sir Matthew Hale spoke to her kindly and even showed the petition to one or two others of the peers who sat near him, but in the end he returned it to her, saying that they could do nothing and that her husband must await the next meeting of the court. Sad, weary and almost brokenhearted, the poor wife turned her steps homeward.
During the first two years of Bunyan's imprisonment he was allowed more freedom than most prisoners usually are. A warm friendship seems to have grown up between the head jailer and the prisoner, whom he not only respected, but even loved. Through his kindness Bunyan was sometimes allowed to visit his family and, now and then, even to spend the night at home.
On one such occasion, to the great surprise of his wife, he got up and dressed himself soon after midnight, saying that he must return to prison. His friend, the head jailer, was not pleased at being disturbed at such an early hour, but quite unknown to either himself or Bunyan, it had been whispered abroad that too great liberty was allowed to prisoners in Bedford jail, and a special messenger was sent to observe and report. This messenger arrived very early in the morning and asked, "Are all the prisoners safe?"
"Yes, all safe."
"Is John Bunyan in his cell?" "Yes."
Grateful for his own narrow escape from trouble, the jailer said to Bunyan that he knew when to come back much better than he could have told him.