An invective against the most wicked [and] detestable vice of swearing, newly co[m]piledAn inuectyue agenst the moost wicked [and] detestable vyce of swearing, newly co[m]piled

The Prophet doth not here bewail them, that have their bodies slain with sword, or with any other kind of violence, but he lamenteth the to much wretched and dā nable state of such as are slain in ⟨image 10⟩their souls with the multitude of since (for what so ever the sword is unto the body, even the very same is sin unto the soul (as it manifestly appeareth by his words that follow. For he calleth them adulterers, and a company of wicked transgressors. They bend their tongues like bows,¹ saith he, to shout ou•e lies. As for the trueth, they may nothing away with all in the world. For they go from one wickedness unto another, & hold nothing of god. They are so false and crafty, tha• every one had need to keep himself from another. No man may safely trust his own brother, for one brother undermineth another, and one neighbour beguileth another,² yea one dissembleth with another, and they deal with no trueth, They have practised their tongues to speak lies, & have taken great pains to do mischief. ⟨p. ix⟩They have set their stool in the middest of deceit, and for very dissembling falsehood they will not know the Lord. Their tongues are like sharp arrows to speak deceit. With their mouth they speak peaceably to their neighbour, but privily they lay wait for him.

The Prophet dothe not here bewayle them, that haue theyr bodyes slayne wyth swearde, or with ony other kynde of violence, but he lamenteth the to muche wretched and dā nable state of suche as are slayne in ⟨image 10⟩theyr soules withe the multitude of synnes (for what so euer the sweard is vnto the body, euen the very same is synne vnto the soule (as it manifestly appeareth by his wordes that followe. For he calleth them adulterers, and a company of wycked trāsgres•ours. They bend theyr tonges lyke bowes,¹