mens sake that they might haue a place correspondent to their natures he drew the platforme of this world Wherein these principall things concurred first his purpose next his wisedome thirdly his goodnesse fourthly his power fiftly his generall prouidence sixtly his particular predestination To returne backe towards the first which is his purpose or intent There is the map of all the world and of euery thing to be done there throughly contriued in his minde before the beginning of his worke Then his wisedome goodnesse and power animated him to go forwards and to prouide for the building of his new place of plantation or world for as then there wanted a mediate or second instrument to worke vpon Wherefore he was driuen to create all of nothing that is without any second meanes without the assistance or aduise of any other In this creation he vsed the helpe of his word onely that was his omnipoteÌ„t selfe whom the naturall Philosophers otherwise termed the first mouer or supreme cause of all things There was no power in his Angels for they were but creatures themselues hauing their motions by his very motion In the power of his onely will and motion it consisted to create the essence of the materiall substance of the world And so he made heauen and earth and by vertue of his Spirit he breathed life forme or motion into them and into all the creatures thereof so that all things were in the compasse of sixe daies enlightened replenished supported and sustained by the motion of his powerful spirit yea all things the firmament the planets starres meteours elements and all other creatures whatsoeuer were vnited with such a perfect vnion that they make vp a perfect globe map or booke of his neuerenough-admired nature And which is most miraculous to mans capacity euer since that he moued them they continually moue one another by different motions do effect all things in this world eyther for generation preseruation or destruction according to his supreme direction Some moue one another by necessary or fatall motions Some by voluntarie motions some by casuall motions some by naturall motions eyther slow or swift What good things come to passe we are to attribute to himselfe who is the first mouer of all these motions But what euill things come to passe we must ascribe to the second motions which are voluntary and vncompelled by him I say we are to ascribe euill things to second causes that we detract not from his omnipotence in making him the immediate cause or in affirming that they proceeded without his consent For as goodnesse comes from his wil so euill cannot come against his will but by his sufferance and permission it comes from secondarie motions LINEAMENT III. The Spirit of Detraction conuicted for measuring Gods prouidence by their owne humane prouidence THose naturallists doe greatly erre which measure the diuine prouideÌ„ce by their own humane prouidence or rather by their wanton affections Little doe they thinke that their naturall computation of time causeth this vnnatural imputation for with God all times be one and a thousand yeares in his sight are but as yesterday With him who is the beginning and end of all things there is no time past nor time to come in respect of his foresight by reason that his foresight is his present sight so as he beholdeth at once at one instant which instant with him is alwaies and eternall not onely all things which euer happened or euer shall happen but also euery particular thing as then presently done and looketh so earnestly so cleerely vpon it as though his eye were fixed intentiuely on that thing and on nothing else The reason is because there is no distinct differences of time in the eternitie seeing that at one looke he seeth all the world ouer And his intent to doe a thing and his doing of a thing is all one and the selfesame in respect of his eternall knowledge though it be otherwise in respect of mans naturall knowledge Let this suffice for Gods generall foresight or purpose of all things which we call his Prouidence that extends vniuersally to all the world and to all the creatures thereof Now it remaines that I discourse somewhat of Predestination which is not a thing seuered from his Prouidence but onely that noble part thereof which belongs to his noblest creature vnder the coâ—e of heauen for whose sake he created all the world making him his Deputie or Bayliffe to vse the same for his glory and not to abuse the same for his owne luxuriousnesse LINEAMENT IIII. 1 The Authors censure of Predestination 2 That all second causes doe worke their effects according to the first causes direction which is God 3 How God endowed some with free will through grace to enable them vnto faith 4 The Spirit of Detraction conuâ—cted for imputing the cause of mens damnation to Gods decree GOod and euill were certainly predestinated vnto vs in our seuerall estates euer since the beginning of the world by our Creatour not according to any euill deserts or vertuous motiues of ours but onely according to his owne free pleasure according to the absolute counsell of his owne soueraigne will and according to the vniuersall power which his omnipotence hath ouer the workmanship of his hands Neither yet constraines he any of his second causes to commit good or euill by any forcible operation or necessitie of nature but by disposing vnto effects sutable to their seuerall conditions Whereby both good and euill actions shall flow out of the said second causes according to their owne dispositions euen as a voluntary quality proceeds from a voluntary cause and a casuall quality from a casuall cause His omnipotent Maiesty I say as the first mouer the first cause is the immediate mouer and cause of all effects whatsoeuer the second cause brings forth and also the cause of all their inclinations Euen as Deliberation which is the chiefest act of our vnderstanding in the knowledge of good and euill and the Gospell of Christ are the mediate and secondary causes in the first act of the conuersion of our humane willes now passiue towards the will of God being the first and supreme cause of our deliberation of this Gospell and of our willes and euen as these two causes the second depending on the first must ioyne together before that we can resolue on any good or euill word thought or deed so the Planets Meteors or other natural creatures of God in respect of him being second causes caÌ„not produce any effect whatsoeuer good or euill for our benefit or harme without his supreme direction Both causes worke naturally in this world when both conioyne in a naturall effect against a naturall creature And yet sometimes it pleaseth his soueraign Maiestie to wound nature without any such second or natural causes which gulfe because it is perillous to saile through I will modestly content my selfe by the shore or on this side of that great
of time by reason that the excesse and abundance of heauenly ioyes drownes all the memory of time like as a man that is spectator of a Comedy with the extremity of delight thinkes three houres no longer then one houre The ioies of heauen are infinite and cannot be circumscribed by time There dwels the great Ichouah who is Alpha and Omega the beginning and last who will teach vs to measure time after another manner after a metaphysicall manner This moued the Angell to sweare that there should be no more time This moued the Psalmist to say A thousand yeares in thy sight are but as yesterday Go too then yee Astrologicall Scribes leaue off your curious computations the time will come like Platees wonderfull yeare wherein man-kinde shall neede none of your Almanackes But in the meane time yee complaine and this complaint will last as long as your Almanacks that there be other Chronographers or rather temporizers beside your selues I graunt that there be two sorts of temporizing companions which abuse the naturall quality of pretious time the one an hypocrite which vnder the humble habite of a Lambe for luere sake deceiues his deerest friend an intelligeneer the disciple of Machiauel a Iew that loues no man but for aduantage that detracts from him who hath best befriended him in his neede an A theist a dissembler a neutrall that with the winde and time changeth his Religion Amicus omnium amicus nullorum euery mans friend and no mans friend a busie medler in other mens causes a Polypragmon an Apparitor that like a Iudaes or Simoniake liues by extortion by the price of bloud by enquiring from time to time after the sinnes of the people The other temporizer is a Philosophicall dunce this yeare a Thomist the next yeare a Scoâ—ist an earnest plodder of supernaturall reasons Obstipo capite infigens lumine terram With downe-bent head and eyes vpon the ground an obseruer of the least minute in horologie and one that would faine intrude himselfe into the Lords priuy Counsell The former kinde of Temporizers inhabite in publique places about Princes Palaces and like false Achithophels long to manage matters of policy The latter as people addicted to more melancholy retire themselues to monasticall habitations where they meditate on their curious problemes grinding the world as it were into Oaten-meale in the Winde-mill of their braines And now to re-iterate Curiosity the primary cause of Detraction begotten by Originall corruption our incorrigible natures being let at random left arbitrary to doe what seemes good in our owne eyes tandem Custode romoto without Orbilites our tutors crabbed countenance without checkes or correction encourage vs to waxe lawlesse and licentious libertines worse then the busie-headed French at whose dissolute carriage and audacious Detraction I was much amazed when in euery towne and village I heard them scot-free reuile and raile at their chiefe Magistrates with taikatiue Curiosity scanning their honest deedes From whom euen as we borrow new-fangled dresses and courtly-complements so doe we like curious Apes receiue their poysonous Adder of Detraction We see motes in other mens eyes but perceiue not beames in our owne eyes We note acutely with Argus sight one sinister acte perpetrated by another but will not discerne our owne great and grosse crrours though all others discouer them as easily as huge rockes or notorious shelfes Our owne transgressions we compare to mole-hils our neighbors to the Alpes or Pirenaean mountains The reason is because our muddy minds shoote altogether outward and winde not inwardly into themselues according to the Poet Tecum habita nóris quam sit tibi curta supellex Dwell with thy selfe and thou shalt know How that thy store at home is low Next we wander vp and down through our frailty in the Maze or Labyrinth of vnstedfastnesse betwixt God and his enemies the pompes of this world and carnall pleasures God seekes to winne vs by inspiring men to write bookes for our conuersions by sending zealous Preachers into sundry quarters of the world as loude trumpets to awake vs out of sinne and prâ—uarication and likewise to liue in louc and charity one with another Our inconstancy defaceth all with forgetfulnesse we returne to our olde vomite and chuse with foolish Gryllus to retaine still the shapes of effeminate Epicures and Swine rather then to be metamorphosed into mens formes with the rest of Vlisses his companions Wee are carried about in the voluble spheares of our owne waucring imaginations To day we praise a man to morrow we dispraise him To day we pray to God for grace to morrow we blaspheme his power with wordes of disgrace To day our soules are calme and temperate to morrow ouer-clouded with vnruly passions Nay more we alter our opinions in one moment of an houre Romae Tybur amo ventosus Tybure Romam At Rome I long olde Tyburs Towne to see And there I long againe in Rome to be Ouer-cloyed in townes by reason of the vnwholesomnes and stricknes of the aire we long to liue in the delectable counâ—rey free from those inconueniences which annoy the townes But presently tired in the countrey for want of pleasant company we retire and returne backe againe into the towne where with doubts of some infectious sickenesse with disgust and discontentment to see daily factions seedes of dissention and other dislikes common to company we wish our selues againe in the countrey How soddenly doe our imaginations chop and change How in the twinckling of an eye wee suppose our selues at London at Oxford at home from home Yea in a short time we imagine our selues safely arriued at the East Indies for spice in Barbary for sugar in China for silkes in France for wines and salts and all these Merchandizes bought brought home and sold away in as small a space as a man might repeat ouer the Lords prayer O fickle men how are your braines and mindes thus intoxicated One while yee looke as amiable as if yee had swallowed vp a hare another while fleering as if yee had swallowed vp a gull one while heauenly another while earthly one while deuoute another while Detracting not one day in one moode or minde but as the winde wauering both in words and thoughts The last impediment which the first Mans transgression subiected vs vnto is a kinde of dulnesse or negligence with which we are so besotted that we cannot open our eyes to behold what armes our Sauiour Christ left vs not onely able to encounter this spirit of Detraction but also the Arch spirit of all vitious spirits By Baptisme with future repentance he washed vs from originall corruption By shedding his innocent bloud he ransomed our soules from hell onely in recompence he expects thankfull minds of vs with continuall exercise of prayers with often communicating his mysticall Body in reuerence loue and charity one with another after that moralizing manner which St. Paul himselfe quotes downe to the quite
hath two principall instruments the Hand and the tongue 2 Their apish trickes 3 Their monstrous effects 4 A briefe dehortation from Detraction EVen as wise Philosophers by signes and effects doe finde out naturall causes by properties they found out essences and by leading sparres doe ayme at leaden mines so must we by some externall operations apprehend the instrumentall meanes by which the froathy spirit of Detraction manageth whole rablements of wrangling and â—angling actions And these are two the Hand the Tongue with the hand Sathan procures a man to wriâ—e infamous libels inuectiues Satyres and disgracefull letters and times not inferiour to the Popes thundring Bulles against his powerful Makers name or at least wise against his honest neighbours fame yea though he be an hundred miles distant from him with such violent and insupportable fury that one knowes not which is more dreadfull the pike oâ— the pen. Such a one might well be called a Calamoboas that is the lusty or lofty Crier with the pen as Antipater in Plutarch termed Carneades the libeller Some other times a dumbe spirit possesseth our outlawed out-casts so that with dumbe shewes winking eyes wry mouthes bended browes pointed fingers touch of feeâ—e and other apish trickes they tempt the patience of the godliest man Which beast-like vsage a moderne Poet thus painteth out Me digitis monstant subsannant dentibus omnes Hic aures Asini fingit ille canem With fingers point with grinning teeth they flout me One Asses eares he dogs tongue makes about me The other and common instrument of The spirit of Detraction is the Tongue which being ill ordered and Tutourlesse may bee termed a leprous sinne a contagious sinne spreading farre and neere the hyperbolical deuises of the Diuell by the mouth of the detracting spirit towards the credulous eares of mortall men Wherein it is a thing remarkeable and worthy of graphicall obseruation to see how this small member can worke such turbulent tumults throughout all the circuit of mans little world The repercussion of it stirres the gall enflameth the blood netries the heart and musters together all the mutinous powers of the body in reuenge of the other opposite spirit But when all comes to all Truth is great and must preuaile In cold bloud men of vnderstanding will grow to this conclusion that the tongue endamageth three soules the absent whom it backe-biteth the present person which is attentiue and the Detractor himselfe which bloweth the dust and it reuerteth backe vnto his owne eyes Euill words corrupt good manners and also bewray the motions of the heart for euen as the tree of the fielde is knowne by his fruit so is the thought of mans heart knowne by his words Where is Charity Where is Taciturnity While the tongue becomes the Diuels Trumpeter to sound out his malicious words of defiance O imprudent age O carelesse folke which suffer themselues to be allured by hellish Nighting-galles Fistula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit auceps The Fowler lures melodiously While he takes birds deceitfully In regard of which circumstances Let thy words be few for as a dreame comes by the multitude of businesse so the voyce of a foole is in the multitude of wordes And lâ—t those golden sayings of the Apostle be firmely imprinted within the closet of thine heart Gâ—â—ue not quoth he the holy spirit of God by whom thou art sealed vnto the day of redemption Let all but ernesse anger and euill speaking be put away with all maliciousnesse LINEAMENT IX 1 The Authors censure of certaine English Pamphleters and Ballad writers with an inuocation to my L. of Canterbury for a reformation not onely of these abuses in writing but also of other enormuus committed against the Church-Canâ—ts 2 A Description of good and euill writers 3 That there is a mixt morall kind of writing seruing as the lesser â—ight for the conuersion of the naturall man HErein I cannot chuse but somwhat touch the apish spleene of certain English Pamphleters who to gaine themselues windy applauses and popular praises among Sathans posterity like vnto Erostratus who fired Dianaes famous Temple at Ephe sus to the intent he might be spoken of in after ages do publish daily the puffed leauen of their phantasies which the Poet otherwise calles Ingenij caprisicum The wilde Fig-tree of their greene wittes or as we vulgarly say their wilde seed Oates These bastard Bookes begotten in an euill houre vpon the effeminate aspect of Venus and Mars I could wish to be suddenly suppressed as Monsters opposite to the sacred spirit of Regeneration And for this purpose I humbly inuocate on you my iudicious Lord Great Britaines Metropolitane intreating your further vigilancy in rooting out those vaine Vines which according to the nature of ill weedes will in time ouer-grow your pruned plants But who am I that dare admonish the Ambrose of our age who with your heauenly food of Ambrosia Manna and Nectar doe nourish the soules of our Christian Church prouiding milke for their young ones medicine for their sicke and meate for their strong Right reuerend Lord I know it is presumption in me to discourse with so great and graue a Personage Yet notwithstanding because our English Adage taught me this vncontrouled rule spare to speake and spare to speede I will not spare to enforme your Grace what wicked weedes doe ouer-top the graine of my natiue soile Beside those rotten rootes of writing the neglect of your Constitutions and experimented Orders whereby our Commissaries must not call to question the sincerer sort of people vpon bare and naked fame for euery slight and slanderous imputation whereby they are forbidden to prouounce definitiue sentence without the aduice of discreet Aduocates whereby our Proctors are charged not to frame their libelles without the opinions and hands of Aduocates and whereby their wrangling noyse in Court is stinted I say the contempts of these and other your Canonicall commaundements by your meaner Officials which now in your first Visitation may more acutely be espied are the principall causes that they of the layer and lower sort become more carelesse in their carriage more addicted vnto Detraction For surely there is nothing in this spacious Round or Vniuerse of nature which more resisteth the execution of lawes then the ordinary heape of friuolous and froward suites then the disobedience and breach of ciuill customes in men of higher note These and many other enormious crimes enuring the popular ranke to peremptory and pecuish thoughts deedes and speeches your prouidence may expell for a time if not quite extinguish and extirpe Your fame eternized through your euer-shining bookes through your neuer-spotted actions may worke some miracles in the conuersion of our Detractors Yea your noble Name illustrious ABBOT a Name I confesse somewhat ominous among the aduerse side the admirers of auncient Abbeyes I say your very Name etymologized from that Abba of Adoption the sounding voyce
causes First he might be forsworne in vsuall communication Quia benig nior sententia in rebus generalibus seu dubijs praeferenda est A milde interpretation is to be preferred in generall or doubtfull matters Secondly it is an vsuall word in our passion choller for one to say to another thou art a Vilaine a Rogue or a Varlet c. These or the like words will not maintaine an Action For Boni Iudicis est lites dirimere It is the part of a good Iudge to take away strife and causes of strife But if one speakes to another that he is forsworne or periured in such a case for such words the Action is good because that it appeares by these words that hee hath forsworne himselfe in iudiciall proceedings Sir Christopher Wray Lord Chiefe Iustice said that although slaunders and false imputations are to be repressed for that many times à verbis ad verbera perueÌ„tum est from words men come to blowes yet he said that the Iudges haue resolued that Actions for scandals must not be maintained by any strained construction or argument nor must they extend any fauour for their support Seeing they abound in these daies more then in times past and the intemperance together with mens malice encreaseth Et malicijs hominum est obuiandum They must meete and preuent mens malice Besides in our Law Bookes Actions for scandalles are very rare And those which are reported are for words of eminent slander and of great importance This moued the Court of the Kings Bench to denie a Procedendo to haue an Action of slaunder for calling one a whore tried in London For the Defendant had remoued it thence by an Habeas Corpus into that Court. And it was affirmed by the whole Court of the Kings Bench that a custome to maintaine actions for such brabling speeches is against law Licet consuetudo sit magnae authoritatis nunquam tamen praeiudicat manifestae veritati Although that custome be of great authoritie notwithstanding it doth neuer preiudice manifest truth To say that a man is detected for periury in any Court is not actionable for an honest man may be detected but not conuicted And euery man which hath a Bill of periury against him exhibited is detected 37. Eliz. inter Weauer Plaintiffe Cariden defendant To report that a man hath killed his wife and she aliue the Defendant may therefore demurre and no action lies But it is otherwise if she be dead 39. Eliz. in commune Banco inter Snag arm Plantiffe Gee Atturney de mesme le Court Defend So one Allen hauing spokeÌ„ these words of Eaton Plaintiffe He is a brabler and a quarreller for he gaue his champion counsell to make a deed of gift of his goods to kill me and then to sly out of the countrey but God preserued me Vpon great deliberation and aduise it was adiudged that in this case the words were not actionable for the purpose and intent of a man without an act is not punishable by law Ubi non est lex ibi non est transgressio quo ad mundum Where there is no law there is no transgression in the sight of the world And although that for such a Conspiracy a man may be punished in the Court of Starre Chamber that comes to passe by the absolute power of that Court and not by the ordinary course of law In euery Action vpon the case for slaunderous words two things are requisite first that the person which is scandalized be certaine Secondly that the scandall be apparant by the words themselues And therefore if any one saith without any precedent communication that one of the seruants of I. S. he hauing diuerse is a notorious felon or Traitour there for the vncertainty of the person no action lies and an innuendo an iteration or repetition of words cannot make him certaine As he is sick of the pockes the French pockes this innuendo and iterating of the same wordes makes not the proper office which it ought for it contends to extend the generall words being the Pockes to the French Pockes by an imagination of an intent which is not apparant by any precedent words whereto the iteration might be referred And the words themselues must be construed in mitiore sensu in the milder sense To conclude 42. Eliz. en Bank le Roy entre Iohn Iames Pl. Alexander Rutlech Def. it was so resolued that the office of an innuendo a reiterating is to containe and designe the person himselfe or the very word which was certainly named before and in effect was in place of a praedict the aforesaid thing or the aboue named person But a reiterating or repeating cannot make a person certaine which was vncertaine before for it would be an inconuenience if actions were maintained by an imagination of an intent which appeareth not by the words vpon which the Action is founded but all is vncertaine and subiect to deceiueable coniecture The Iudge must note the very words of Detraction whether they be Adictiues or Substantiues for sometimes Adiectiues will maintaine actions and somtimes not They are actionable first when the Adiectiue presumeth an act committed Secondly when they scandalize any in his office function or trade whereby he gets his liuing As if one saith that such a man is a perâ—ured knaue there it behooues an Act to haue bene committed otherwise he could not be termed periured So if a man saith of an Officer or Iudge that he is a corrupt Officer or Iudge an action lies for both causes First because it implies an Act done Secondly it is slaunderous vnto him in respect of his Office But if one calles another a sedicious fellow a theeuish knaue there no action lies because the words import not that he hath commited sedition or felony but they are Adiectiues which import an inclination thereto Likewise though the former words of a mans speech were actionable vttered alone yet if there follow after a subsequ nâ— explanation of the said words by the Defendant without delay or interlocution they be not actionable for the latter words extenuate and qualifie the former and also expound the speakers meaning as thou art a theefe for thou hast stollen my Apples or Hops out of my orchard which latter words mitigate the proper sence of this word theefe which of it selfe though generally spoken would maintaine a brabling action And it is the office of Iudges vpon consideration of all the words to collect the true hope and intention of him that speaks them without partiality or fauour Per Popham chiese Iustice totam curiam 44. Eliz. en Bank le Roy. Brittridge case LINEAMENT XV. Obseruations concerning detracting Libels giuen in the Star-chamber and collected out of Sir Edward Cookes Reports IN the case of L. P. in the Star-chamber Paschae 3. Regis Iacobi against whom the Kings Atturney proceeded on his owne confession Ore tenus for the composing and publishing of a
bemones himselfe The Canon dispatcheth all his forcible coniurations like volees of Canon shot vntill at length the soule by the bush shewes it selfe sometimes gliding with fire sometimes miserably groaning Assoone as the Canon required the spirit to declare who he was Poole suddenly in a diuellish shape and with a counterfeit roaring leapt out of the bush saying to the Canon Thou hast no right in this soule it is mine and with that runnes to the very bounds of the circle as if he were about to assault the Coniurer who on the other side fought lustily with his exorcismes and liberally besprinkled him with holy water But heere fell out a pretty iest As the Coniurer busied himselfe in this manner the Diuell exclaimed that he cared not a rush for all his charmes for thou hast dealt with a wench quoth he thou art mine which words though Poole spake but in merriment yet it seemed that he hit the naile on the head by reason that the Coniurer toucht with that saying hastened out of hand into the center of the circle and whispered I know not what confession into the other Priests eares But Poole ouerheard the Priest enjoyning him penance namely to repeate ouer three Pater nosters Which accomplished the Canon more fiercely and furiously returnes towards the meeres of the circle and voluntarily dares and defies the Diuell who now faining himselfe fearefull fled backe saying Thou hast beguiled me if I had bene wise I had not forewarned thee Then after the departure of the Diuell began a conference betwixt the Canon the soule The Canon coniures him vpon paine of damnation to tell him what he is who readily answeres him that he is a Christian mans soule After these and the like speeches the soule seeing him very in quisitiue and least he should smell out the deceit craued pardon for that night with promise that he would returne the next night after vnto him Thus the Canon and the soule for a few nights communed together the summe grew to this passe The Coniurer asking whether there were any meanes for his deliuerance froÌ„ torments the soule answered that he might be deliuered from torments if the ill gotteÌ„ money which he left behinde him were restored backe What said the Canon if this money were dispursed by good men and conuerted by them to godly vses yea that would auaile me quoth the soule Here the Coniurer exhilarated with ioy demanded how much the summe amounted vnto The soule answered that the summe was great and verie profitable for him that it was so He named the place but farre distant thence where the treasure lay hid vnder ground withall he prescribed to what vses the said money should be employed first that there honest men vndertake a pilgrimage one to S. Peters Church in Rome the other to S. Iames of Compostella in Galicia the third to Trâ—uires to kisse our Sauiours combe there Then his will was that a great number of Psalmes Masses and Dirges be celebrated in certaine monasteries pro salute animae for his soules health The ouerplus which remained the Coniurer should defray as he thought good Now all the Canons mind was occupied about the treasure and the dispose thereof All his thoughts ranne vpon this vnexpected prey he talked of no other subiect in discouse In all companies at ordinaries he promised magnificent rewards to Monasteries and spake of no base matters at all He went into the place found the signes yet durst he not digge for the treasure because the soule had giuen him a knot in a rush to vndo that it might redound to his great perill if he touched the treasure before so many Masses were accomplished Already many of the wiser sort smelt out the iest Insomuch that sundry of the Canons friends admonished him in secrete to take heede lest the world might conceiue sinisterly of his worth which had beene generally reputed before for a very wise man Neuerthelesse the Canon continued resolute in his beliefe hoped as true as his Creed to see the matter sort out well to his liking Which imagination so throughly possessed the mans mind that beside sights and spirits he dreamed of nothing he spake of nothing The habit of his mind appeared in his face which became so pale so extenuated so directed that a man would take him for a Ghost and not a man He wanted but little of being out of his wits Poole and his sonne in law in their compassion towards the poore foole inuented this slight to put him from his conceits They counterfeited an Epistle with rare letters drawne and that not in common paper but in a Goldsmithes leafe with golden characters The contents whereof were these Faunus dudum captiuus nunc liber Fauno liberatori suo optimo salutem Non est amice cur te diutius in hoc negotio maceres Respexit Deus piam animi tui voluntatem illus merito me liberauit à supplicijs Ego nunc foeliciter ago inter Angelos Te manet locus apud D. Augustinum qui proximus est Apostolorum choro Vbiveneris ad nos agam tibi gratias coram Interim cura vt valeas suauiter Dat. è coelo Empiraeo sub sigillo annulâ— mei Which to English is this Faunus of late a prisoner now free to Faunus his best Redeemer greeting There is no cause my friend why thou shouldest pine away thy selfe any longer God hath respected the good will of thy minde and by the merits thereof hath ridde me from torments I liue now in happinesse among the Angels Thy place is here readie at S. Augustines which is next to the Apostles quire When thou shalt come vnto vs I will thanke thee present In the meane time haue a care to liue pleasantly Dated out of the Emperiall heauen vnder the seale of my ring This letter was priuily laid vpon the Altar as the Canon was celebrating the Masse Now he caries with him abroad this letter and boasts of it as a sacred thing beleeues more certainly that it was transported vnto him from heauen by an Angell LINâ—AMENT XII 1 That the Diuels common drist is spiritually to vndermine the will of man 2 That his scope and force is cousenage and deceit IT is a foule shame for vs reformed Christians that we stop not our eares with Vlysses from these cousening Sirenes whose chiefe drift shift and scope is to make a prey of our vnderstanding and to draw vs a whorehunting after strange Gods which haue eares and heare not eyes and see not mouthes and speake not and which are to be found in no other place but where the Sophistical Chymistes dig the Philosophers stone the Elâ—xir of life Certainly the heathen will rise vp against vs at the day of iudgement and implead to be saued before vs for all our Baptisme holy rites vnlesse we seale vp our lips betimes from vttering any idle positions contrary to Gods Glory in the behalfe of these enchanting hypocrites For we derogate
vpon him and he shall curse thee to thy face Whereto though God answered Lo he is in thine hand yet we must not take that saying literally but parable-wise or according to the Hebrew maner of speech He is in thine hand that is he is in the case as thou wouldest haue him my hand shall plague him according to thy demaund Likewise we must vnderstand that the holy Ghost here as in other places of the Scripture inserteth such familiar conserence as is fitting for mans capacity and for the vsage of that language When his Maiestie is disposed really to plague offendors coÌ„monly he employeth his owne Angels which S. Iohn in the Reuelation plainly manifesteth in these words I saw another signe in heauen great and maruellous seuen Angels hauing the last seuen plagues for by them is fulfilled the wrath of God And againe I heard a great voyce going out of the Temple saying to the seuen Angels Go your waies powre out the seuen golden vials of the wrath of God vpon the earth His owne Angell God sent to destroy Sodome and Gomorra to plague the Israclites when Dauid caused the people to be numbred and to ouerthrow Senacheribs army His owne Angell he sent to smite ambitious Herode so that he was eaten vp of wormes To conclude this is a golden rule and worthy to be engrauen in Cedar that Good men neuer detract from the Lord or from their neighbours To the Lord they ascribe al glory all causes all effects To Caesar they ascribe what is Caesars and honour to whom honour belongeth Notwithstanding any naturall notions or idle imaginations imprinted in their braines by the Spirit of Detraction good men will quickly breake through such brittle cobwebs and will pierce quite through such imaginations with their intellectuall iudgements as the beames of the Sunne pierce and passe through the thickest clouds inwardly building on this fort of faith that the Diuels force himselfe being spirituall and oftentimes a prisoner is not really reuelling but spiritually roguing or restrained euen according to the pleasure of the Great Iehouah in whose power alone it consisteth to bruise his head and to bring vs safely out of his tempting snares LINEAMENT XVI The Spirit of Detraction punished by the immediate power of God proued by examples out of the Scripture EVen as the Spirit of Detraction with all other sinful spirits as the spirit of pride the spirit of gluttony the spirit of hatred and such others by the contagious craft of the diuellish serpent like an infectious leprosie possessed all soules since the first transgression of our foreparents our Sauiour only excepted for in Adam we all liued so likewise did this serpent first detract and depraue the Lords glory in heauen when he arrogated to himselfe his immensiue power And afterwards when he seduced Eue to disobey her Creator touching the forbidden fruit saying vnto her ye shall not die the death And also when he made her beleeue that she should be as wise as God At the building of Babell they desperately detracted in distrusting Gods prouidence in fearing another Deluge and in saying Let vs build vs a tower whose top may reach vnto heauen least peâ—aduenture we be scatterd abroad vpon the face of the earht Corah Dathan and Abiram were swallowed vp of the earth because they murmured against God and spake against his seruant Moses Miriam the sister of Moses was stricken by the Lord with leprosie because she spake against her brother and against his authority which he had from God The men which Moses sent to search the land of Canaan and which when they came againe made all the people to murmur against him and brought vp a slander vpon the land euen those men that did bring that slaunder vpon it as though it had bene euill died in a great plague before the Lord None of the Israelites which came out of Aegypt except Caleb liued to enioy the land of promise because they murmured against their Redeemer who brought them out of seruitude and tempted his patient spirit therefore they perished in the wildernesse Saul despayring of Gods mercy and for that the Lord vouchsafed not to answere him by dreams nor vrim nor yet by Prophets sought to the cousening witch of Endor who against her will like to Baalam and Caiphas prophesied the truth by a supposed Samuel that the spirit of God had quite abandoned him that the next day after he should be slaine by the Philistines The Israelites discomfited the Sâ—rians and killed one hundred thousand of them in one day according to the speech of the Prophet that was sent to the King of Israel with this message Thus saith the Lord because the Sirians haue said The Lord is God of the mountains and not God of the valleyes therefore will I deliuer this great multitude into thy hands and you shall know that I am the Lord. Ahaziah King of Iuda being sicke sent messengers to Baalzebub the God of Ekron concerning his discase and his recouery But Elias out of the Angels mouth resolued him saying Is it because there is no God in Israel that you goe to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron Wherefore thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not come downe from the bed on which thou art gone vp but thou shalt die the death Amaziah Priest of Bethel bad the Prophet Amos prophesie no more at Bethel because it was the kings Chappel and the kings Court Wherefore and for that he controlled the Lords messenger thus said the Lord Thy wife shall be an harlot in the Citie and thy sonnes and daughters shall fall by the sword and thy land shall be diuided by line and thou shalt die in a polluted land Beares came out of the forrest and tare in peeces two and fortie children which mocked Elisha the Prophet and reuiled him with his bald head Senacherib king of Assyria warring with Hezekias king of Iuda sent a blasphemous embassage vnto him signifying that the Lord could no more saue Ierusalem from his victorious hand then the counterfeit Gods or Idols of other nations which he destroyed But the word of the Lord came to Esay the Prophet against Senacherib in this manner Whom hast thou railed on and blasphemed against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted vp thine eyes on high Euen against the Holy one of Israel Because thou ragest against me and thy tumult is come vp into mine eares therefore will I put my hooke into thy nosthrils and my bridle in thy lips and will bring thee backe againe the same way thou camest So the Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the campe one hundred threescore and fiue thousand men in one night And Senacherib himselfe at his returne home was slaine by two of his sonnes One Hananiab in the time of Zedekiah king of Iuda prophesied falsely among the Iewes at Ierusalem eyther of vaine glory for
and decree of goodnesse So that the cause of mens reprobation proceeded not from the ordinance of Gods will but from their owne willes by Gods sufferance In a word it is not good to be ouerbusie with this eternall purpose of God for it is the marke of a Reprobate to intrude himselfe ouerboldly into the secrets of his Maker Let vs then modestly content our selues with the Apostles Counsell I say through the grace that is giuen vnto me to euery one that is among you that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to be vnderstood but that he vnderstand according to sobriety Let vs like infants content our selues with milke pap and such tender meate as serue fittest to nourish our tender constitutions And let vs not couet or rather wantonly long after any foode of a stronger quality able to ouercome our weake natures lest we be confounded For they that gaze too long vpon the Sunne beames will become blinded with the glory or maiestie thereof We must not prie into Gods secrets but pray vnto Gods Sonne our all-sufficient Sauiour For do not we strictly censure him that enters vncalled into a Great Mans chamber vpbrayding him as an vnmannerly sawcy Iacke What auaileth it me to enquire whether another man be in the state of saluation or damnation while my selfe haue more neede to prie into mine owne state to liue Mosse tenus propria within mine owne lot and for my further knowledge Quà m sit mihicurta suppellex like a snaile to shoote into mine owne home Is not he vnwise that rogues abroad for strange and curious newes leauing his owne house vnsetled and as a prey to his mortall enemy God giue me the grace to muse meditate with my selfe from day to day whether my selfe am in the state of saluation or no and to do my best endeuour to please God whereby I may become one of his elected number leauing off such fâ—iuolous questions foolish inquisitioÌ„s For although that the number of the Elect and Râ—probate be certainly knowne in the eternall purpose of God yet considering the causes of saluation and damnation to be incertaine variable and voluble in mine owne conscience I am driuen to submit my selfe with feare and trembling to Gods mercy hoping for the one and fearing the other lest his number of the elect in respect of me be not certaine For I finde by experience that sometimes being penitent and pensiue for my sinnes I am in the state of saluation and that some other times seduced by Sathan the world or the flesh I am in a most doubtfull and desperate estate which I pray God to suspend and turne to the best for my Redeemers sake that became a sacrifice for my sinnes With this hope or faith I was fed euer since my baptisme that being thought worthy of so great a grace and of many moe blessings besides I may beleeue build vpon it that I am elected Therefore I will not faint like a coward but glory that I am a Christian protesting to continue faithfull as one sometime gloried that he was borne a man and not a beast a Protestant and not a Papist Thus farre haue I aduentured to wade in the depth of Predestination Free-will and Election Whereupon as on a most sure foundation I establish this Proposition that promotion comes neither from the East nor from the West nor from any where else then from the first Cause for he alone putteth downe one and setteth vp another and that no calamitie nor crosse can chance without the same first cause the God of endlesse glory power strength wisedome mercy and bountie whose name be blessed and praised for euer and euer world without end Amen LINEAMENT VII 1 The causes why God ordained thunder and lightning 2 The naturall nutriments of lightning 3 Why thunder and lightning be most dangerous in Winter 4 Where they worke their operations more â—â—hemently 5 An admonition to build low WE must leaue vnto nature her peculiar office because she effects nothing without the predestinate counsell of the eternall Mouer The Winters durt the Sommers dust the ayrie clouds all of them spring from natures motion The ayrie Regions are moued and thereupon stormy blasts of winde arise The vapours turne and tosse then duskie clouds appeare At last both winds and clouds carried about in the wheele of violence ingender tempests thunders and lightnings All which though they issue from naturall causes yet we must note them as tokens sent from the Author of nature who being bound to no causes is himselfe the originall cause of all causes Like as the partie-coloured Rainebow prognosticates the diuine league indented betwixt his supreme Maiestie and sinfull men euen so let vs iudge that thunders be volees of Canon shot to rouze vs vp from our drowsie defiled dreames To this end it lightens that besides our sence of seeing our other affrighted sences may solicite the sluggish Queene to saue her selfe and her snaily house before the generall day of doome Doe out your candles away with your oyles remoue your Lard take away the nutrimeÌ„t of lightnings lest they ouerthrow your weaker lights yea and extinguish your chiefe delight the light of your bodies the image of euerlasting light Omne simile nutrit sibi simile Euery like nourisheth his like no maruell then if lightnings endowed with an vnctuous substance approach naturally to oyle tallow bacon grosse bodies and to hot moistned wares Thunder is most dangerous in Winter according to those vulgar rythmes A foule Winters thunder A faire Sommers wonder Because the Ruler of nature at that vnseasonable time is disposed to make his Deity manifest to miscreant Atheists who limit such Meteory signes onely to the Spring and Autumne and also because his Maiestie meanes to awake his rebellious children out of the Lethean Lethargie of carnall voluptuousnesse The places where oftnest thunders strike and lightenings flash be high trees high houses high hilles not onely because they are neerest to the Region of the ayre where fiery exhalations doe alwaies wrastle and warre with congealed vapours as euery Agent workes most fiercely vpon his neerest matter but likewise because the Lord would haue vs humble our selues before him by such terrible admonitions which the Satyriste also toucheth Ignouisse putas quia cum tonat oeius Ilex Sulphure discutitur sacro quà m tuque domusque Thinkest thou that God hath quite forgiuen thee Because thou seest the highest oaken tree Sooner then thee or thy faire house defa'st With thunder claps and sacred sulphurs blast And as a more ancient Poet in more liuely colours paints out the extremitie of meteores against the loftiest seates Uentis agitatur ingens Pinus celsae grauiore casu Decidunt turres feriuntque summos Fulgura montes The hugest Pine with winde is shaken downe The highest tower is soonest ouerthrowne The loftiest mount with lightning is o'rblowne In respect of which
times within the same quarter of the yeare that she dyed I know very well quoth she I cannot liue till the first of March Another time being as I remember not aboue three weekes before her death descending downe from her chamber where then she had beene at prayers shee came smiling vnto me with these words Husband I bring you good tidings you shall be rid of me and you shall haue another wife for I am fully assured that I shall dye very shortly and that before the first of March And I thanke God I am prepared let him send when hee will Which words of hers being by me accepted in iest shee replyed as if shee had seene a vision or felt some extraordinary motion in her spirit you thinke I speake in iest but marke the end Neyther did the Lord I speake it to his glory send this glorious alarme vnto mee without an implicite or mysticall premonition for about two Moneths before or thereabouts as farre as I remember in a dreame I saw the very like accident Mee thought I was at a Knight my brothers house and there lying vpon my bed I imagined to haue seene and heard vpon the sodaine in the night time a most terrible lightning and thunder in such wise that I made full account the whole house had beene burnt or cast downe and therefore to saue my life with much adoe I hastned out of doores where I supposed to haue beheld the inner part of the house terribly flaming with fire and presently after I might see one conueying out of doores a Chest whereupon I bewailed that a blacke Truncke of mine stored with money was left behind consumed with the flame This dreame I related to my said Brother being at my house about three weekes before the accident wished him in my brotherly loue to looke somwhat more warily to his house least night fires might endanger him by reason of the height of his house the same not inferiour for height to any house which I haue seene and likewise by reason of the partitions being timber-worke Neuerthelesse for all this I aduise not the Reader to embrace this dreame of mine for an infallible president because that dreames sort our commonly according to the diet temperate or intemperate sparing or gluttonous which men vse And yet I beleeue God seldome vseth to inflict any notable accident vpon a charitable Christian that mortifies his body with competent fasting and moderates his soule with contemplation of heauenly mysteries vvithout some secret prodrome or fore-running glimpse of his powerfull purpose Nor doe I aduise my Reader to surmise that I conceiue ouer credulously or superstitiously of Morphâ—us or Phobetor the Poeticall Gods of dreames as necessarie causes of notorious effects For my sentence is none otherwise of dreames then of Comets and Eclipses vvhich likewise are not the causes of remarkable euents but onely such signes and tokens are as smoake at the top of a chimney or as an Iuie bush put forth at a vintrie the one prognosticating fire within the other the sale of wine Thus it pleased the glorious Lord of lightnings to extend his miraculous mercy towards me and perhaps to leaue me as a firebrand taken out of the burning or as Ezechiels signe for a testimonie of his lightning glory to hardned hearts This is the second miracle whereby as a virbius or Rediuiuâ—s I acknowledge my selfe twise restored from death to life within the compasse of seauen yeares euen about the selfe same season of the yeare when our Sauiour Christ became flesh for the saluation of flesh The first time of my deliuerance vvas vpon a Christmas day 1602. This latter time on the third of Ianuarie 1608. and both vpon a Tuesday In Fraunce betwixt Tremblado and Marena a passage of two leagues ouer it was my chance on a Christmas day to be stricken into the surging Sea vvith the boistrous force of a cruell tempest where I had no sooner falne and cried to the Lord for helpe but sodainely beyond all expectation I found an Oare betweene my hands to defend or rather deferre my life And to this houre I cannot deuise where-hence the said Oare should chance vnto me In this dolefull sort I floated almost a quarter of an houre very often tossed and ouerturned with the furious rowling of the stormie waues vntill it pleased God at length of his exceeding bounty in that rough tempestuous weather when the proudest ship became humbled as the weakest reed to direct the course of that small Barke from whence I fell towards mee and to guide the Marriners hands as a man would say against winde and weather against Oares and Sailes for the haling me vp in a manner dead and ready to forsake the Oare So that I may boldly say that I haue beene miraculously preserued both from fire and water Sic coniurati veniunt ad classica venti So windes coniur'd descended to our sailes And if it were lawfull for me to apply those Meeters in the Psalter destinated to our Sauiour Christs resurrection I would sound out with ioyfull cheere Thus from aboue the Lord sent downe to fetch me from belowe And pluckâ— me out of waters great which would me ouerflowe I would also with Ionas the Prophet exhibite my submissiue petition vnto the Lord my Sauiour Thou didst cast me downe into the deepe into the midst of the sea and the floods compassed me about all thy billowes and waues passed ouer mec And I said I am cast away out of thy sight yet will I looke againe towards thine holy Temple Here I could lay downe how his omnipotent Maiestie respected me in all my trauailes both by land and water Twise I passed the Pyrenaean Mountaines betwixt Fraunce and Spaine and that in the dead of Winter Twise I trauailed ouer the Alpes I escaped the Banditi in Italy robberies in Hungary and in other forraine Countries All which deliuerances Per varios casus per toâ— discrimina râ—rum Through diuers straights through dangers infinite Ordinarie and extraordinarie I ascribe to no other destenie or fortune then to the great Redeemer of the world the mighite Lord strong mercifull gracious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne From whom I confesse this last lightning Tragedie to be sent as a preparatiue for me and others In like manner I confesse it was profitable for my soules health that God after this dreadfull fashion rouzed me vp out of my Tent of securitie For indeed I liued almost as carelesse as Sardanapalus bewitched with worldly ease but now I thanke my gracious Lord mine eyes begin to open my soule begins to see her faults God giue mee grace to perseuer in this acknowledgement and to ascribe the glorie vnto him alone LINEAMENT XIIII 1 The spirit of Detraction connicted for censuring the Lords secret iudgements 2 The Authors imperfections acknowledged 3 His meditation on his late
time of Luthers death 3 A note deliuered by the Authour touching the Diuels reall power Lineament VIII 1 That true miracles were but lent by the Lord to the Primitiue Church for confirmation of the Gospell which accompanied the said miracles 2 How in their stead false miracles crept into the Church with the Antichrist in the time of the great Apostasie 3 The Diuels Synode for employments of his hellish spirits 4 The Authours digression shewing that the Diuels shape was not reall but delusiue to deceiue the eye-sight 5 How men by his spirituall insinuations becâ—me his agents here on earth 6 The Diuels craft to continue men in their Detractions Lineament IX 1 What is the craft of our common Wizards 2 That Souldiours and men of courage haue beene daunted with disguâ—sed Angels 3 Examples of ordinary Witchcraft Sorceries and Coniurations Lineament X. An example translated out of Monsieur du Chesne his pourtait de la sante declaring how one Monsieur Poena a Phisition of Paris coniared two spirits out of a possessed mans body Lineament XI An excellent example of Conâ—uration translated out of Erasmus his Exorcisines fit to be obserued of our superstitious Detractors Lineament XII 1 That the Diuels common drâ—ft is spiritually to vndermine the will of man 2 That his scope and force is cousenage and deceit Lineament XIII Apborismes collected out of the first Fathers of the Primitiue Church concerning the Diuels power Lineament XIIII 1 The Authours Dehortation from such vaine detracting studies 2 The knowledge of Astrologie stinted and censured Lineament XV. 1 That the Authours meaning is not to denie the Diuels reall subsistence 2 His charitable application of the statute against Witchcraft made Anno primo Iacobi 3 That he onely denieth his reall power and his palpable force ouer any of Gods creatures 4 The vanity and fondnesse of Wizards 5 That the hand of God plagued Iob and other creatures of his 6 That good men neuer detract from Gods glory Lineament XVI The Spirit of Detraction punished by the immediate power of God proued by examples out of the Scripture The sixt Circle Lineament I. 1 THe spirit of Detractions pleas and allegations on the behalfe of his humouring and soothing men in their vanities 2 The said spirit sharply rebuked for his Equiuocation and dissimulation 3 The Authours purpose in this subsequent Circle Lineament II. 1 How the Spirit of Detraction goeth about to ouerthrow Predestination in attributing our misfortunes immediately to the Planets thunders lightnings or other naturall creatures where the Author excuseth himselfe for writing of such deepe mysteries 2 How God made the second causes and all other things in this world for mans sake Lineament III. The Spirit of Detraction conuâ—cted for measuring Gods prouidence by their owne humane prouidence Lineament IIII. 1 The Authors censure of Predestination 2 That all second causes doe worke their effects according to the first causes direction which is God 3 How God endowed some with free-will through grace to enable them vnto faith 4 The Spirit of Detraction conâ—â—cted for imputing the cause of mens damnation to Gods decree Lineament V. That God is not the Authour of Temptation but an Actor therein Lineament VI. 1 How God predestinated some to be saued 2 Why all men were not elected 3 That mens owne wils by Gods sufferance occasion their reprobation and harme 4 The Authors sentence concerning himselfe whether he be one of the elect 5 That Good and Euill cannot come without Gods consent Lineament VII 1 The causes why God ordained thunder and lightning 2 The naturall nutriments of lightning 3 Why thunder and lightning be most dangerous in Winter 4 Where they worke their operations more vehemently 5 An admonâ—tion to build low Lineament VIII 1 How God sends thunder and lightning eyther for his glory for mens triall or for their punishment 2 Examples as well moderne as auncient offorcible thunders and lightning Lineament IX 1 That they detract from the glorious Maiestie of God which attribute his thunders lightnings and other meteorly signes to the Diuell or his adherents 2 Proofes out of the word of God that God alone sendeth forth such terrible signe Lineament X. 1 Probable proofes out of Ciuill pollicy that God is iealoâ—s of his glory and glorious signes and therefore not probable that he would lend his reall power to the Diuell 2 Examples of worldly states which could not endure vsurpers of their transitory titles and prerogatiues 3 That God hates Coniurers Witches Antichristians and other Detractors and vsurpers worse then Atheists or ignorant Iâ—fidels Lineament XI 1 Wherefore God diuerteth his naturall creatures against mankinde 2 That all crosses misfortunes proceed only from God 3 That in any wise we must not delay repentance 4 An obiection against sodaine death by the spirit of Detraction out of the Letany with a confutation thereof Lineament XII 1 That we must not iudge by mens misfortunes or sodaine death that they be forsaken of God 2 Charitable censures which a good Christian may yeeld touching those that die sodainly 3 The Spirit of Detraction conuicted for censuring ouer-cruelly of the Authors wife who was sticken dead with lightning the third of Ianuary 1603. where her commendation and assumption are moralized Lineament XIII 1 The Authours gratulation for his late fortunate deliuerance 2 His description of the lightning tragedy the third day of Ianuary 1608. at what time God â—ooke away his wife 3 His description of other crosses at the very same time 4 How God fore-shewed by mysteries the said crosses before they hapned vnto the Authour wherein his censure of Dreames is interlaced 5 His description of his miraculous escape out of the Sea wherein he fell by force of a cruell tempest on a Christmasse day 1602. Lineament XIIII 1 The spirit of Detraction conuicted for censuring the Lords secret iudgements 2 The Authours imperfections acknowledged 3 His meditation on his late crosses Lineament XV. The Authours gratulatorie Prayer vnto the Lord for the aboue-said wonderous effects Lineament XVI 1 The Conclusion of this present Circle consecrated by the Authour to his Wiues memorie 2 The Application of her memorable death 3 The Authours Apologie against the Spirit of Detraction on the behalfe of this present Circle where his Wiues memorie is saluted with a Christian farewell The seauenth Circle Lincament I. 1 THat the spirit of Detraction can neuer annoy vs while the Maiestie of Iustice shines vpon vs. 2 The Authours supplication to the Lord Chancellour of England the Lord President of Wales and to all other his Maiesties Iudges of Record within this Monarchy of Great Britaine for the exâ—â—rping out of notorious blasphemies 3 The Spirit of Detractions craft in molesting his Maiesties inferiour Officers 4 His diabolicall craft in wronging of priuate persons 5 The Authours Conclusion to the aboue-said Lords for reformation of the said abuses Lineament II. 1 That after Controulement Instruction is necessarie for them that be possessed with