But, notwithstanding all these humble petitions, the public preachers, it seems, prevailed so much with Cromwell, that he could not resolve to put a stop to the intended execution; for five of these ministers, whom I find named thus, Caryl, Manton, Nye, Griffith, and Reynolds, came on the 24th of December, by order from the parliament, (as it was said,) to Nayler, to speak with him concerning the things for which he was detained; and would not permit either friend or other to be present in the room. A certain impartial or neutral person desired it earnestly, but it was denied him; but coming into the prison, after the conference, he asked Nayler what had been the issue of it, who told him, that he told those ministers, that he saw they had an intent to make him suffer, (though innocent,) as an evil-doer; and therefore had denied any to be present that might be indifferent judges betwixt them and him; and that therefore he should not say any thing, unless what passed was written down, and a copy thereof given him to keep, or left with the jailer, signed by them. This was by them consented to, and so they propounded several questions unto him, and took his answers in writing. He further told, that they asked him if he was sorry for those blasphemies that he was guilty of, and whether he did recant and renounce the same; to which his answer was, ‘What blasphemies, name them?’ but they not being able to instance in any particular, he continued, ‘Would you have me recant and renounce, you know not what?’ Then they asked him whether he did believe there was a Jesus Christ? to which he answered, he did believe there was, and that Jesus had taken up his dwelling in his heart and spirit, and for the testimony of Him he now suffered. Then one of the preachers said, ‘But I believe in a Jesus that never was in any man’s heart:’ to which Nayler returned, he knew no such Christ, for the Christ he witnessed filled heaven and earth, and dwelt in the hearts of the believers. Next they demanded of him why he suffered those women to worship and adore him? to which he replied, ‘Bowing to the creature I deny; but if they beheld the power of Christ, wherever it is, and bow to it, he had nothing by which he might resist that, or gainsay it;’[15] and withal said to the ministers, ‘Have you thus long professed the Scriptures, and do you now stumble at what they hold forth?’ Whereupon they desiring one instance of Scripture wherein such a practice was held forth, he answered, ‘What think you of the Shunamite’s falling down at the feet of Elisha and bowing before him? As also divers others in Scripture spoken of, as of Abigail to David, and that of Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel:’ upon which they pausing awhile, said at length, ‘That was but a civil act or acknowledgement:’ to which he returned, ‘So you might interpret the act of those women also, if your eye were not evil, seeing the outward action is one and the same:’ and he perceiving that they were seeking