A declaration of the ten holy co[m]maundementes of almighty God written Exo. 20. Deu.…A declaration of the ten holy co[m]maundementes of allmygthye God wroten Exo. 20. Deu.…

This law extendeth against those that by any false means contend in judgment to over come a right cause / or molest an honest person with slanders / and lies. or such as feign untrue accusation / and crimes against any man. Who is not only damned by this law of God / but also by the law of man. For when an ungodly / and malicious person is suffered to lye and speak what he listeth unpunished / there is nothing more pernicious in the world to make debate and to break charity. therefore not only God's laws requireth the slanderer to be punished with the same pain that is dew for the offence that falsely he hath accused his brother of / Deut. 19. Matth. 7. Luc. 6. But also by the law of the 12. tables in Rome. August. de Civit. libr. 21. cap. 11. Instit. lib. 4. Tit. 18. libr. Pandect. de ijs qui infamiam irrogant, slanderers be not unpunished. likewise those that secretly intend dissension / or debate between persons / and bearers of tales / that they them selves have feigned out of there own malicious interpreting of a thing done to a god purpose / or the words spoken to an honest end / contrary to the true meaning of them. Against such speaketh. S. Aug. de civit. lib. 19. cap. 6. qui ponit in judicio debet ⟨p. CXCIX⟩poenam similem sustinere, quamuis sint uera, quia occulta manifestanda non sunt. that is to say he that propoundeth the thing he cannot prove / though it be true / he should suffer the like pain him self / for things secret should not be opened. Understand that if the matter appertain unto God / charity / the governors of the commune wealth / or unto the commune wealth it self: then should the isle charitable be opened / if it cannot be secretly remedied. Deut. 13.

This law extendithe against those that by ony false meanes contend in iudgment to ouer com a right cause / or molest an honest persone with slaunders / and lyes. or souche as fayne vntrew accusatione / and crymes agaynst ony man. Who is not onlie damnyd by this law of God / but also by the law of man. For when an vngodlie / and malicious person is suffryd to lye and speake what he lystythe vnpunyshyd / there is nothyng more pernitious in the worold to make debate and to breake cherite. therefore not onlie Godes lawes requirythe the slaunderer to be punyshyd with the same payne that is dew for the offence that falselye he hathe accusyd his brother of /