OBSERVATIONS ON A LIBEL. 413 



Racket out of a window pass to his execution ; said 

 she to herself, &quot; It was foretold that in the latter 

 &quot; days there should come those that have deceived 

 &quot; many ; but in faith thou hast deceived but few.&quot; 



But it is manifest untruth which the libeller 

 setteth down, that there hath been no punishment 

 done upon those which in any of the forcsaid kinds 

 have broken the laws; and disturbed the Church and 

 state ; and that the edge of the law hath been only 

 turned upon the pretended catholics : for the ex 

 amples are very many, where, according to the 

 nature and degree of the offence, the correction of 

 such offenders hath not been neglected. 



These be the great confusions whereof he hath 

 accused our Church, which I refer to the judgment 

 of an indifferent and understanding person, how true 

 they be : my meaning is not to blanch or excuse 

 any fault of our Church ; nor on the other side 

 to enter into commemoration, how flourishing it is in 

 great and learned divines, or painful and excellent 

 preachers ; let men have the reproof of that which 

 is amiss, and God the glory of that which is good. 

 And so much for the first branch. 



In the second branch, he maketh great musters 

 and shews of the strength and multitude of the 

 enemies of this state ; declaring in what evil terms 

 and correspondence we stand with foreign states, 

 and how desolate and destitute we are of friends and 

 confederates ; doubting belike, how he should be 

 able to prove and justify his assertion touching the 

 present miseries, and therefore endeavouring at the 



