(John), author of the Pilgrim's Progress, was born at Elftow, near Bedford, in 1628. He was the son of a tinker; and, in the early part of his life, was a great reprobate, and a folder in the parliament army: but being at length deeply struck with a sense of his guilt, he laid aside his profligate courses, became remarkable for his sobriety, and applied himself to obtain some degree of learning. About the year 1655, he was admitted a member of a Baptist congregation at Bedford, and was soon after chosen their preacher: but, in 1660, being taken up, and tried for presuming to preach, he was cruelly sentenced to perpetual banishment; and in the mean time committed to jail, where necessity obliged him to learn to make long-tagged thread-laces for his support: to add to his distresses, he had a wife and several children, among whom was a daughter who was blind. In this unjust and cruel confinement he was detained twelve years and a half, and during that time wrote many of his tracts; but he was at length discharged, by the humane interposition of Dr Barlow. When king James's declaration for liberty of conscience was published, he was chosen pastor of a congregation at Bedford. He at length died of the fever at London, on the 31st of August 1688, aged 60. He also wrote an allegory, called The Holy War. His Pilgrim's Progress has been translated into most European languages; and his works have been collected together, and printed in two volumes folio.