Mixt contemplations in better times by Thomas Fuller ...

XLIX. Can good come from Ignorance.

KIng Iames was no lesse dextrous at, then desirous of the Discovery of such, who belyed the father of Lies, and falsely pretended themselves possest with a Devil.

Now a Maid dissembled such a pos∣session, and for the better colour thereof, when the first verses of the Gospel of Saint Iohn were read in her hearing, she would fall into strange fits of fuming and foaming, to the amazement of the Beholders.

But when the King caused one of his Chaplains to read the same in the Ori∣ginal; the same Maid (possessed, it seems, with an English devil, who un∣derstood not a word of Greek) was tame and quiet▪ without any Impressi∣on upon her.

I know a factious parish, wherein if he Minister in his Pulpit had but na∣med

the word KINGDOM, the people would have bin ready to have petition∣ed against him for a Malignant. But as for REALME, the same in French, he might safely use it in his Sermons as oft as he pleased. Ignorance which gene∣rally inflameth, somtimes by good hap, abateth mens malice.

The best is, that now one may without danger, use either word, seeing England was a Kingdome a thousand yeares ago, and may be one (if the world last so long) a thousand years hereafter.