Barrowe and Greenwood were indicted at the Old Bailey, in 1593, for publishing seditious books, but from the examination preserved in the Egerton papers,[444] it appears that the specific accusations against them related simply to religious opinions. By a refinement of cruelty these poor men were conveyed to Tyburn in the death-cart--to receive a delusive respite under the gallows-tree--to be brought back again to Newgate--and when they had thought that the bitterness of death was past, to be a second time dragged to the place of execution, to return no more. This extraordinary proceeding, which at first looks like a piece of intentional barbarity, receives its explanation from a contemporary letter in the State Paper Office. [Sidenote: 1609.] "The Parliament is to end this week. * * * There was a bill preferred against the Barrowists and Brownists, making it felony to maintain any opinions against the ecclesiastical government, [which by the bishops' means did pass the Upper House, but found so captious by the Nether House, as it was thought it would never have passed in any sort, for that it was thought all the Puritans would have been drawn within the compass thereof. Yet by the earnest labouring of those that sought to satisfy the bishops' humours,] it is passed to this effect: That whosoever shall be an obstinate recusant, refusing to come to any church, and do deny the Queen to have any power or authority in ecclesiastical causes, and do, by writing or otherwise, publish the same, and be a keeper of conventicles also, being convicted, he shall abjure the realm within three months, and lose all his goods and lands; if he return without leave it shall be felony. Thus have they minced it, as is thought, so as it will not reach to any man that shall deserve favour in a concurrence of so many faults and actions. The week before, upon the late conventicle you wrote of last, Barrowe and Goodman,[445] with some others, were indicted, arraigned, and condemned upon the statute of writing and publishing seditious books, and should have been executed, but as they were ready to be trussed up were reprieved, but the day after, the Court House had shewn their dislike of this bill, were early in the morning hanged. It is said 'their reprieval proceeded of [a supplication made to the Lord Treasurer, complaining that in a land where no Papist was touched for religion by death, their blood (concurring in opinion touching faith with that which was professed in the realm) should be first shed. Desiring, therefore, conference to be removed from their errors by reason, or else for satisfaction of the world, touching their opinions, which was communicated by him to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who, notwithstanding, was very peremptory, so as the Lord Treasurer gave him and the Bishop of Worcester some round taxing words, and used some speech to the Queen, but was not seconded by any, which hath made him more remiss, as is thought.