"inferior clergy." The Bishop showed in the
management of his diocese the moderation, tact, and charity which had
made him a successful Warden. He brought back into the Church of
England, or into loyalty to that Church, many ministers who had been
ejected from their livings for non-compliance with the Act of
Uniformity: his success in this good work was due to his "soft
interpretation of the terms of conformity." They needed softening; no
part of Macaulay's 'History of England' is more striking and instructive
than his account in chapter ii. of the sufferings of the Puritans and
Nonconformists of all descriptions. "It was made a crime to attend a
dissenting place of worship. A new and most unreasonable test was
imposed on divines who had been deprived of their benefices for
Nonconformity; and all who refused to take that test were prohibited
from coming within five miles of any town which was governed by a
corporation, of any town which was represented in Parliament, or of any
town where they had themselves resided as ministers. The magistrates by
whom these vigorous statutes were to be enforced, were in general men
inflamed by party spirit, and by remembrances of wrongs suffered in the
time of the Commonwealth. The jails were therefore soon crowded with
dissenters, and among the sufferers were some of whose genius and virtue
any Christian society might well be proud."

It is probable that Chester jail was less crowded than other jails in
England, and that dissenters were allowed to come within five miles of
Chester, even to the Bishop's palace.

Wilkins, like many "moderate" men, had convictions, and was ready to
make sacrifices in their defence. Not only in his diocese, but in the
House of Lords, he pleaded for a lenient treatment of dissenters. In
reference to the second Conventicle Act, Wilkins gained for himself, in
the view of all right-minded men, especial honour. He argued earnestly
against the Bill in the Upper House. Even when the king desired him to
be silent, he replied "That he thought it an ill thing, both in
conscience and policy, and therefore as an Englishman and a Bishop, he
was bound to oppose it." Being still further requested by Charles not to
go to the House while the Bill was pending, his answer was "That by the
law and constitution of England, and by his Majesty's favour, he had a
right to debate and vote: and he was neither afraid nor ashamed to own
his opinion in this matter, and to act pursua