It is incredible to consider what a deal of hurt is done, and mischief many times wrought insensibly and unobservedly; when a wicked wit and wide conscience welds the sword of Authority. For it is easy to a man so mounted, by Legal sleights, and pretence of deeper reach to compass his own ends, either for promotion of iniquity, or oppression of innocency. For the latter; there is some truth in that Hyperbolical speech of a great Moralist. Let any man present me, saith he, with the most excellent and blameless action, I will oppose it with so vicious and bad intentions, all which shall carry a face of likelihood. What may he do then, who besides the habitual malice of his own heart, and wit at will, hath power & a pretended mystery of government, to plague a man with in this kind? Especially sith he knows himself backed with that principle in policy. It is not safe so to reverse transactions of State, though tainted perhaps with some manifest impressions of miscarriage ⟨p. 3⟩& error. Woe therefore to those empoisoned stirrups, by which so many such servants rise aloft and climb so high; I mean bribery, simony, flattery, temporizing, base insinuations, and such vile means. But I hope this Gangreu of going into Offices, Benefices, and high rooms by corruption, is not unhappily crept into this famous and flourishing State; which if it should, it will eat so far into the hearts and sinews of the State, that no wit of man can foresee, into what baseness and degenerations this noble Kingdom would fall in the next age: It would be the cause that many vines, olive-trees, and fig trees should wither away in obscurity, and brambles brave it abroad in the world, wallow and tumble themselves in the pleasures, splendour, and glory of the times. But let such alone, this is their day: When they have blustered a while like mighty and boisterous winds, they breath out into naught. Their breath is in their nostrils, stop but their nose, and they are dead. Their big words are but as a vain foam, &c. If they be not humbled in their place, and repent, and turn the edge of their sword the right way, there is a day coming upon them, wherein they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
It is incredible to consider what a deale of hurt is done, and mischiefe many times wrought insensibly and unobservedly; when a wicked wit and wide conscience welds the sword of Authority. For it is easie to a man so mounted, by Legall sleights, and pretence of deeper reach to compasse his owne ends, either for promotion of iniquity, or oppression of innocency. For the latter; there is some truth in that Hyperbolicall speech of a great Moralist. Let any man present me, saith hee, with the most excellent and blamelesse action, I will oppose it with so vicious and bad intentions, all which shall carry a face of likelihood. What may he do then, who besides the habituall malice of his owne heart, and wit at will, hath power & a pretended mystery of government, to plague a man with in this kind? Especially sith he knowes himselfe backt with that principle in pollicy. It is not safe so to reverse transactions of State, though tainted perhaps with some manifest impressions of miscarriage ⟨p. 3⟩& errour. Woe therefore to those empoysoned stirrops, by which so many such servants rise aloft and climbe so high; I meane bribery, simony, flattery, temporizing, base insinuations, and such vile meanes. But I hope this Gangreu of going into Offices, Benefices, and high roomes by corruption, is not unhappily crept into this famous and florishing State; which if it should, it will eate so farre into the hearts and sinewes of the State, that no wit of man can foresee, into what basenesse and degenerations this noble Kingdome would fall in the next age: It would be the cause that many vines, olive-trees, and sigtrees should wither away in obscurity, and brambles brave it abroad in the world, wallow and tumble themselves in the pleasures, splendour, and glory of the times. But let such alone, this is their day: When they have blustered a while like mighty and boisterous winds, they breath out into naught. Their breath is in their nostrils, stop but their nose, and they are dead. Their big words are but as a vaine foame, &c. If they be not humbled in their place, and repent, and turne the edge of their sword the right way, there is a day comming upon them, wherein they shall eate the fruit of their owne way, and be filled with their owne devices.
