tained in a lesser Compass, viz. in the Alphabet. Truth Aristotle is not blamed for mistaking sometimes, but Aristotelians for maintaining those mistakes. They should acknowledge the good they have from him, and leave him when he is in the wrong. There never breathed that Person to whom Mankind was more beholden.

2. The way to find out the Truth is by others' mistakings; for if I was to go to such a Place, and one had gone before me on the Right-hand, and he was out; another had gone on the Left-hand, and he was out; this would direct me to keep the middle way, that peradventure would bring me to the place I desired to go.

3. In troubled Water you can scarce see your Face, or see it very little, till the Water be quiet and stand still. So in troubled times you can see little Truth; when times are quiet and settled, then Truth appears.

TRIA

CXLIII

Trial

RIALS are by one of these three ways; by Confession; or by Demurrer, that is, confessing the Fact, but denying it to be that, wherewith a Man is charged; for Example, denying it to be Treason, if a Man be charged with Treason; or by a Jury.

2. Ordalium was a Trial; and was either by going over nine red-hot Plough Shares, as in the Case of Queen Emma, accused for lying with the Bishop of Winchester, over which she being

Trial led blindfold, and having passed all her Irons, asked when she should come to her Trial; or 'twas by taking a red-hot Coulter in a Man's hand, and carrying it so many Steps, and then casting it from him. As soon as this was done, the Hands or the Feet were to be bound up, and certain Charms to be said, and a day or two after to be opened if the parts were whole, the Party was judged to be Innocent; and so on the contrary.

3. The Rack is used no where as in England : In other Countries 'tis used in Judicature, when there is a Semiplena probatio, a half Proof against a Man; then to see if they can make it full, they rack him if he will not confess. But here in England they take a Man and rack him, I do not know why, nor when; not in time of Judicature, but when some body bids.

4. Some Men before they come to their Trial, are cozened to Confess upon Examination. Upon this Trick, they are made to believe some body has confessed before them; and then they think it a piece of Honour to be clear and ingenuous, and that destroys them. CXLIV

TH

University

HE best Argument why Oxford should have precedence of Cambridge, is the Act of Parliament, by which Oxford is made a Body, made what it is, and Cambridge is made what it is; and in the Act it takes place. Besides, Oxford has the best Monuments to show.

2. 'Twas well said of one, hearing of a His- Unitory Lecture to be founded in the University: versity Would to God, says he, they would erect a Lecture of Discretion there; this would do more Good there a hundred times.

3. He that comes from the University to govern the State, before he is acquainted with the Men and Manners of the Place, does just as if he should come into the presence Chamber all Dirty, with his Boots on, his riding Coat, and his hat all daubed. They may serve him well enough in the Way, but when he comes to Court, he must conform to the Place.

CXLV

Vows

QUES

UESTION. Suppose a Man find by his own Inclination he has no mind to marry, may he not then vow Chastity? Answer. If he does, what a fine thing hath he done! 'tis as if a Man did not love Cheese, and then he would vow to God Almighty never to eat Cheese. He that vows can mean no more in sense than this; to do his utmost endeavour to keep his Vow.

CXLVI

Usury

THE Jews were forbidden to take Use one of another, but they were not forbidden to take it of other Nations. That being so, I see

Usury no reason, why I may not as well take Use for my Money as Rent for my House. 'Tis a vain thing to say, Money begets not Money; for that no doubt it does.

2. Would it not look oddly to a Stranger that should come into this Land, and hear in our Pulpits Usury preached against, and yet the Law allow it? Many Men use it; perhaps some Churchmen themselves. No Bishop nor Ecclesiastical Judge, that pretends power to punish other Faults, dares punish, or at least does punish, any man for doing it.

TH

:

CXLVII

Pious Uses

HE ground of the Ordinary's taking part of a Man's Estate, who died without a Will, to Pious Uses, was this; to give it some body to pray, that his Soul might be delivered out of Purgatory now the pious Uses come into his own Pocket. 'Twas well expressed by John O Powls in the Play, who acted the Priest: one that was to be hanged, being brought to the Ladder, would fain have given something to the Poor; he feels for his Purse, (which John O Powls had picked out of his Pocket before,) missing it, cries out, he had lost his Purse now he intended to have given something to the Poor: John O Powls bid him be pacified, for the Poor had it already.

War

CXLVIII

D°

War

not under-value an Enemy by whom you have been worsted. When our Countrymen came home from fighting with the Saracens, and were beaten by them, they pictured them with huge, big, terrible Faces (as you still see the sign of the Saracen's Head is), when in truth they were like other Men. But this they

did to save their own Credits.

2. Martial-Law in general, means nothing but the Martial-Law of this, or that Place: with us to be used in Fervore Belli, in the Face of the Enemy, not in time of Peace; then they can take away neither Limb nor Life. The Commanders need not complain for want of it, because our Ancestors have done gallant things without it.

3. Question. Whether may Subjects take up Arms against their Prince? Answer. Conceive it thus: Here lies a Shilling betwixt you and me; Ten Pence of the Shilling is yours, Two Pence is mine by agreement: I am as much King of my Two Pence, as you of your Ten Pence. If you therefore go about to take away my Two Pence, I will defend it, for there you and I are equal, both Princes.

4. Or thus; two supreme Powers meet: one says to the other, give me your Land; if you will not, I will take it from you; the other, because he thinks himself too weak to resist him,