The arraignment of slander periury blasphemy, and other malicious sinnes shewing sundry examples of Gods iudgements against the ofenders. As well by the testimony of the Scriptures, and of the fathers of the primatiue church as likewise out of the reportes of Sir Edward Dier, Sir Edward Cooke, and other famous lawiers of this kingdome. Published by Sir William Vaughan knight.

LINEAMENT. II.

1 That Licentiousnes is the cause of Detractions, defamations, periuries, and blasphemies.

2 That Tauernes are the causes of licentiousnes; wherby the Au∣thour t••keth an occasion to admon••sh Magistrates of their duety in this importent case.

WHen I sit silently musing with my selfe, what might be the reason that Detracti∣ons, * 1.1 defamations, periuries, and idle spee∣ches become now-a-dayes more rife then in former times, I protest vnto thee, O in∣genuous Reader, that my soule is sore disquieted within me. The zeale of Gods glory, which these Titans, Ence∣lades, and their monstrous factions goe about to batter by their beastly behauiours, doth sollicite this soule of mine to soldiourize in this exigent vnder the Archan∣gels banner, coniuring and conuicting the Detractours of

our time, the deprauers of pretious time; whose tongues and voyces declining from their soules reasonable facul∣ties, from the spirituall similitude of the Deitie, and per∣uerted by the iudgement of the iust Iehouah into bruitish sounds, they are metamorphozed with Gryllus and the rest of Vlisses his companions into grinning dogs, grun∣ting Hogges, grumbling Foxes, into squeaking apish Squaules, and into bellowing Bulles of Basan. Because that when they knew their God, they gaue him not that honour, that thankefull honour, that obedience, that du∣tifull obedience, with trembling reuerence, as was con∣uenient for so great a Maiesty, so great a Sauiour, so great a Law-giuer: And because that when they were enlightned with the fire of his spirit, according to the quality of their bodies, that could not receiue a greater quantitie of his grace, by reason of their gluttonous af∣fections and earthly affectations; because, I say, they did not watch, fast, and pray in meekenesse and mildenesse of minde, for their crying and cruell sinnes: therefore hath that Righteous One deliuered them ouer to their owne naturall dispose, to Sathan, to sinne, to beastiall behaui∣ours, to diuersities of Detractions, and to al the contraries or aduersaries of the knowledge of Goodnesse. In regard of all these Detractions, contempts, inconueniences and abuses, I wil not spare to display out in colours the prime cause of such abhominations, which in very deed is none other then Licentiousnesse. This is that vnbridled vice, which beginning in youth, growes vp to an habite in olde age; which being once rooted in, cannot with all Hercules his labours bee remoued out. A Captaine may sooner conquer the strongest Fort in Hungaria then conquer this wanton affection. What then, Experience, the graund and graue mother of worldly wisedome, art thou put to thy nonplus with all thy trauels, with all thy trials? Hast thou no stratageme in store, no witty engine to expell this giddy headed gallant? Alas, the worldes

Oracle is sodainly dumbe. But though heauen and earth doe passe away, Truth is great, and must preuaile, Truth is great, and will not quaile. Me thinkes, I heere a voyce descending downe from the heauenly places:

(Nec vox hominem sonat, ô Dea certè, (Nor is this voice humane, a goddesse sure thou art.)

Take away (cries the truth) the cause, and take away * 1.2 the effect; Get thee (quoth she) an exquisite map of all this Iland, and view whether there be not ten Tauernes for one Church, ten diuels for one Saint, ten tospots for one temperate. These pa••try Cottages be they, which minister matter and fewell to the fire of licentiousnesse. Here, breede conspiracies, combinations, common con∣iurations, detractions, defamations. Heere, a man shall meete at all times, day or night, yea, in the dawning, twi∣light, and midnight with drunken dissolutes, who for maintenance of their trade will be content to sell oathes at a prodigall rate. If you want meanes to vent and blaze out false newes, blasphemous newes, runnagate reports, slaunderous reports, tending to their Gods dishonour, or to their neighbours disgrace: heere, you shall find ma∣ny mercenaries ready to be prest at your commaund. Thus doe these alehouse knights, knights of the post, or posting knaues attend on the Spirit of Detraction, in∣tending to set their tongues and soules to sale, to sweare and forsweare whatsoeuer the Diuell or his adherentes will enioyne them, not onely against their neighbours name and fame, against their rights and liuelyhoode, but also against their deerest liues, which, as Tenants at will, they hold of God himselfe. Thus like drunken men doe these blasphemous wretches reele too and fro, as the Psalmist speakes, thus doe they stagger, and are at their wits end, not knowing the waies of the Lord, but inclining themselues that way where the staffe falles, where haplesse hazard leads them: so vncertaine are our detractours in their thoughts, words, and workes, euen

in their decrepite age, being then through their disso∣lutenesse become crazed, without eyther head or foote, without hope of remorce, without hope of mercie. Heretosore (as we reade in Chronicles) a King of this land was same to stoppe and stint his Danes, that they might not exceed a prescribed measure in their drinking. The like laudable custome did our present King im∣pose by consent of his Parliament vpon our lourdanes, or disguised trauellers, which resorted to tauernes, namely, that they should not drinke aboue a quart at a meale, nor stay aboue an houre in these infamous houses. But, as those lawes, which concerne many, are common∣ly neglected of many: so notwithstanding his Maiesties wholesome lawes, people now adaies through licenti∣ousnesse hauing almost gotten a habite of disobedience, few or none aduenture to execute the same. Or if per∣haps any one more forward then the rest fearing the shipwracke of his conscience, for waxing slouthfull in his charge against these Centaurs, or for winking at such enormities of these his Countries Cyclops, should chance to extend the rod of his authoritie in suppressing them; presently Sathan suggesteth some of his darlings, detra∣cting Barretours, to countenance these lewde liuers; and rather then faile, he subornes them to molest those zealous magistrates by hooke or by crooke to the Starre Chamber, or to some other principall Court two or three hundred miles off, for trifling matters not worth the spea∣king: and all to the entent, to terrifie and tire them with tedious trauelling too and fro; so that few officers dare put in execution what the law requireth them, being loth to hazard their goods and persons in so wearisome a iourney, in so cumbersome a suite. These, these bul∣beggars (I say) be the onely obstacles, that Iustice is not executed against the malefactors of our countrey. Herehence it comes to passe that Iustices of milde and moderate spirits do swallow downe many a bit of bitter

iniuries, rather then they will aduenture their fortunes in law vpon such vile vermine.

Yet notwithstanding these crosses, which ouerthwart your honest purposes, it behoues you (my Masters) whom his Maiestic or his Chauncellor hath commissio∣ned by Iethroes counsell as Rulers ouer hundreds, ouer fif∣ties, to lay aside your panicke feares, to looke vnto your places, and not to preferre your priuate weale before the publike, in intending so neerely the temporall goods of blind fortune, whereof the Eye of iustice in reuenge of your remissenesse and periuries will sodainly bereaue you with a heauier scourge. For this cause I could wish, that this golden saying were firmely ingrauen in your thoughts: Qui non impedit facinus, cum possit, faci∣nori consentit. He that hinders not a sinne, when he may hinder it, consents vnto the sinne. For no doubt, but this saying is alreadie verified in many of vs, whom God forgiue; specially, when we spare Gods enemies, of what nature soeuer they be, eyther for indulgence, importu∣nate friendship, or for feare of the Diuell, or of his detra∣cting followers. Therefore be ye stout as Lyons, fighting the Lords battailes. The cause is the Lords, the iudge∣ment is the Lords: and the Lord will be with you in the cause and iudgement. Now shew your selues whose * 1.3 champions ye are; and with your vnpartiall hands sub∣scribe to pull and put downe these licentious Brothelries, downe with these Tauernes, downe with these Semina∣ries of corruption, downe with the cause, and downe with the effects, if ye haue any sparke of Gods Spirit shi∣ning in you. The prodigious effects hatched and fostered in these drunken Cottages (as I said before) is licentious∣nesse, the diabolicall dame of detractions, periuries, blas∣phemies, and of a number of other base brats.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1
• * 1.2

  2
• * 1.3

  2. Chron. cap. 19.