Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A31729
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The Character of an informer wherein his mischeivous nature, and leud practises are detected.
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1675
(1675)
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Wing C2011; ESTC R35810
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3,313
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7
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THE CHARACTER OF An Informer WHEREIN His Mischeivous Nature and Leud Practises are Detected HONI SOIT QVI MAL P PENâ—E LONDON Printed for T. P. 1675. A Schismaticall Pamphlett THE CHARACTER OF An Informer AN Informer I mean of the baser sort whose Picture only is here intended to be drawn Is one of the Devils Nut hooks A Priviledg'd Trapan or a Common Barretor under pretence of Authority A Petty-fogging Catterpillar that scandalizes the Law by making it accessary to his Rapines and Oppressions A new Trapp for the Tongue that Lime-twigs all that come near him and puts most that he converses with on the Tenter-hooks of an Indictment for nothing A mischeivous Vermin bred out of the Corruption of the Body Politique that feeds like Toads only on Poysons and sucks the peccant Humours so long like a Horse-leach till he burst with Venome or is forc'd to disgorge by the Emetick quality of a Halter He makes good the old Maxime Summum Jus Summa Injuria and cuts Justice's Ballance to peeces with her own Sword He talkes all Law and never troubles his head with Equity or Religion unless it be only to suppress them and having no Conscience himself is resolved to be a Plague to all those that dare own they have any He never opens his Mouth but you shall see it Lyn'd with some old dormant Piece of Pâ—ultâ—n whom he Reads meerly as Conjurers do Scripture to do mischief with it You would think him bred a Glaâ—â—er he is so apt to pick Quarrels or some broken Mercâ—ant that his flung his Soul over-board to make himself every way a Compleat Bankrupâ— He will Court a man to beat him that he may worry him next Sessions for the Battery and dropp dangerous words on purpose to Prosecute you for Concealing them Presentments Citations Warrants Convictions Seazures c. are his vniversal Language and he is better acquainted with the Form of an Indictment than his Pater Noster for he never name God but when he Swears by Him His Revenue consists in Aâ—tions Popular and his whole Imployment is to go a Fishing with Peâ—al Statutâ— he thinks by that to take store of fat Gudgeâ—ns but at last catches only a Frogg For his malitioâ—s Project like Chymical Attempts of Transmuting Mettalls seldome answer the trouble and Charge and his mighty Incomes of Peâ—alâ—ies can but just purchase Ale enough to make him dâ—unk and afterwards he is forc'd to run on Tick at a Freinds for Coffee to make him Sober if he may be said ever to be so whose Hair-brain'd Skull is perpetually Hurrycan'd with Malice and in Child bed throws till t is Delivered of some New-minted Villiaâ—y There is nothing in Nature so base and Contempâ—able as one of his Quality a Bâ—m-Bailey is a worthy Gentleman to him and the Apparator scorns his Company more then a Phanatique does a Parsoâ—â— the Boyes stare on him as a Monster Big bellied Women are ready to Miscarry at the sight of him and People generally avoid his Converse as they would do the Pestilence and indeed they have reason for he is one of Gods more greivous Judgements Squire Ketoâ— himselfe would not endure the Scâ—nâ—al of drinking a Pot with him were he not in certain hopes of a future Advantage by him A Popish Fire-ball Flinger is not more Hateâ— in the City theâ— he only the Justices Câ—â—â—â—e and H … call Câ—zeâ—r because he brings the most Gâ—ists to his Mâ—â—l and warrants him a Trade The Wise Atheâ—iâ—â—s we read Banish a Coffin-maker out oâ— their City because the cause of his Mirth was others sadness what would they have done with such a Setting-dogg who like a Beast of Prey lives wholly on mischief and can neither eat not drink without some Law be violated so that if ever he say any Prayers they are only that Men may daily encrease their Crimes and Act more unlawful things that his Gains may rise proportionably For though like a Cunning Archer he seem to make the Publique Service the Mark of his aim yet he squints aside at his own Ends which are the true Butt all the Arrows of his Prosecutions are shot at He pretends himself a Zealot for the Law And the Churches chief Scavinger But is in truth a prostituted Varlet and for all him Episcopacy mâ—ght lye in the Kennel and Acts of Parliament though never so just and necessary stop Mustard pots If he did not hope to get a Spill by them And for Two-pence Advance from either Geneva or Rome I 'le undertake the same Fellow would burn the Commâ—â— Prayer and tear Mâ—gâ—â— Chartâ— to pieces if he have not done it alreadâ— Whatever boasts therefore he makes of his Loyalty or Orthodoxness those that wear any Eyes about them will judge so bâ—â— a Man can scarce make the best Subject and that we are like to have a Glorious Reformation when open Prophâ—â—eness is Imploped to Correct supposed Heâ—eâ—ies A good Cause is undoubtedly Scanâ—aliz'd by such vâ—lâ— Instruments and could not but Bluâ—h to see those Prosecute Persons for Ceremonial Nonconformâ—â—â—es who are themselves so much unconformable to all the Fundamental Laws of Religion and Morality Do's it not sound excellently to hear one of these Promooting Hectors Cry out Dâ—nâ— me before I have done He make all these Phâ—nâ—tiqâ—e Sons of Wâ—oores come to our Church and serve the Lord God gâ—llantly Is not this think you A fit Agent to proselyte Dissenters A rare Saints-Bell to Ring all into the Organs Yet examine his Pedigree and you must confess him discended of an ancient Stock being the Son of Abaddon or a natural By-blow of Belsebubs whom without breach of Charity we may Conclude to be the first Founder of this Order of Informants since the Scripture reckons amongst his Titles That of Accuser of the Brethren Nor is he less nobly Allied For Hâ—nnan and Judaâ—â— were his two Elder Brothers and Free of the same Trade though both Hang'd Which serves only as an Omen of what at least he deserves though the times should prove so unjust as not to give it him His Younger Years were but an Apprentiship in Debauchery and having by Lust and Riot consumed his Patrimony or what he could Câ—eâ—t others of he now Imagines to Retreive a Fortune by Spâ—râ—iâ—g and wasting those that have been either more Pious or Industrious He has broke oftner than a Town-Gallant has been Clapt and followed more Tricks than a Country Mercer usurps Trades But all failing The Devil in pure pitty wisht him to this New Imploy and furnisht him with a prodigious Stock of Wickedness to set up with yet being unwilling to Trust him without Security he freely made a Mâ—rgage of his Sâ—ul and Swears he has Cheated the Subtle Feind becauâ—e it was Forfeited long before He is now as eager after his Prey as a half-starv'd Cormorant and cares not though he Ruine half a Nation to supply his own prodigalities Being so perfectly Mercenary That he would accuse his own Father if he did but know him of Treason and burn his Mother for a Witch to get Six-peâ—â—e He values an Oâ—th no more than a Gamester and swallows Perjuries as fast and as easily as a Juggler does Pins and Daggers He Ferrets a Convâ—ticle just as a Poll cat does Rabbets in their Burroughs and the Rich men there skulke down in their Pews when they see him come in dreading him more than a Partridge does a Hawke or a City Crack a Marshal's Man I never before knew the meaning of that Latine Proverbe Lupus in Fabula but now I Guess the English to be An INFORMER in a Meeting-house for sure the sight of him is enough to make a Teacher hoarse most of the Day he spends peraâ—e in blind Ale-houses and little Sallies to discover who hath the Impudence to serve God And before Night he is sure to be in the Crown-Office A Jâ—stice of Peace can never be at quiet for him and the honest Constable looks upâ—â— him as his Evil Genius that is perpetually haunting and Egging him on to Mischief Yet though he be thus troublesome to others he is still his own greatest Enemy for whilst he Designs harm to others it redownds to himself And Good-men like Cammomile grows the better perhaps the more numerous and faster for his treading them down He being only as a black grounâ— to set of the lusture of their Merits since often tims whilst Malice seeks to wound it cures those against whom t is Level'd and destroys it self like the Glass that Reverberating the Serpents Poyson Kiâ—â—'d her with her own weapon Just as he gets his Money he spends it For as he takes Wages to Fight against God so he lays it out again in the Service of the Devil Consuming in Bawdy houses what he gets by Surprizing Meeting-houses So that his Rapines not being able to supply his prodigal Debaucheries and his Hellish Designs being blasted by Heaven He is either forced at last to cast Anchor in a Goal or else is Mowed down as a Noxious Weed by the Syth of Justice To which deserved Fâ—te I leave c. I leave him if in the mean time his guilty Conscience hitherto smothereâ— do not before Revive and Condemn him And he himself save the Haâ—gman a Labour by preventing Him Dabit Deuâ— His quoque Finem