Show bunyan warrant for sale the announcement of the impending sale of the original warrant on which john bunyan was arrested years ago and clapped into bedford lail for a crop headed vagabond has evoked many expressions of fer vent hope from english bibliophiles that the document will not be allowed to cross the atlantic interest in bunyan relics Is very keen among collectors and it is sure to fetch a big price three years ago a first edition of the pilgrim s ress published at thirty six cents fetched 8 but when the warrant was first offered tor sale at rotheby s years ago in some inexplicable way it eluded the of some of the keenest eyes among european antiquaries perhaps this was due to the way it was catalogued among a tot of valuable old manuscripts the entry relating to it reading bunyan letter to the constables of bedford relative to the imprison ment of john bunyan for preaching autograph signature and seals march 4 1674 the only man who recognized inq value was the late W G thorpe mhd tells the story in his still lite of the inner temple by lying low and saying nothing he managed to buy the document on the fateful day of the sale for a few sovereigns great waa the dismay of the rich collectors agathi ered at the auction when mr thorpe explained to them what a treasure they had allowed to slip through their fingers in the warrant bunyan s name ap pears twice the first time spelled bunnyon and the second bunnyon it Is signed by thirteen justices of the peace six of them baronets and seven esquires and little they could have dreamed that in their ordering the arrest of the said towne lynker as he Is styled in the warrant the were doing the only thing in thel hands that would preserve kneir names from complete oblivion |