79 



pears, from the reiterated Introduftion of this fubjeft, under the latter 

 prince, that he was very folicitous to controul the prevalence of ru- 

 mour, and check the current of popular opinion ; and he is an in- 

 ftance, to fliow the vanity of fuch precautions. He was dethroned, 

 by a fuccefsful ufurper, who, in fome particulars, availed himfelf, in 

 his artful progrefs to royalty, of the credulity of the people, and of the 

 circulation of popular rumours, " tending to make difcord between the 

 king and the nobility,"* falfe and pretended prophecies, with intent to 

 difturb the peace, are alfo prohibited, by the law of England, and ren- 

 dered more penal, than the mere circulation of rumours, becaufe they 

 are more deUberate in their nature, and more dangerous in their ten- 

 dency, being obvioufly calculated and meant, to difturb the public peace, 

 to raife a fpirit of fedition and oppolltioa to the laws and goverment, 

 through the medium of enthufiaftic hope, or the terrific operation of 

 imaginary fear. Such falfe and pretended prophecies were fubjefted to 

 capital puniihment, by a ftatute of Edward the Sixth; this, however, 

 was repealed, in the reign of Mary, his fucceffor ; and now, by a law 

 paffed in the reign of Eli%abeth,\ the punifliment, for the firft offence, 

 is the fine of loo/. ; and for the fecond, forfeiture of all goods and 

 chattels, nnd imprifonment during life. But laws and regulations of this 

 kind are ineffeftually oppofed, to the natural bias of popular credulity, 

 and the flrong prevalence of popular rumour. They may, perhaps, 

 delay the paroxyfms of credulous enthufiafm ; but, then, thefe paroxyfms 

 will be more fudden, more violent, and more deftruftivc, when at lafl 

 they do break out, and prevail. 



It is remarked by medical writers, with refpeft to the plague ; that, 

 in proportion, as the intervals of time between its appearances are great, 



fo 



* He circulated apiong the vulgar, rumours impeaching the king's legitimacy. 



I 



Jth Eliz. Cap. 15. In 1621, " James itt, by reiterated proclamations, forbid 

 «' the difcourfing of ftate affairs. Such proclamations, if they had any effed, ferved 

 " rather to inflame the curiofity of the pubUc, and in every company, or fociety, the 

 " late tranfaaions became the fubjeft of argument and debate," Hume, V. 6, C. 49. 



