ENVY. My Lord, this man, notwithstanding his plausible name, is
one of the vilest men in our country. He neither regardeth prince
nor people, law nor custom; but doth all that he can to possess all
men with certain of his disloyal notions, which he in the general
calls principles of faith and holiness. And, in particular, I
heard him once myself affirm that Christianity and the customs of
our town of Vanity were diametrically opposite, and could not be
reconciled. By which saying, my Lord, he doth at once not only
condemn all our laudable doings, but us in the doing of them.
JUDGE. Then did the Judge say to him, Hast thou any more to say?
ENVY. My Lord, I could say much more, only I would not be tedious
to the court. Yet, if need be, when the other gentlemen have given
in their evidence, rather than anything shall be wanting that will
despatch him, I will enlarge my testimony against him. So he was
bid to stand by. Then they called Superstition, and bid him look
upon the prisoner. They also asked, what he could say for their
lord the king against him. Then they sware him; so he began.
{231} SUPER. My Lord, I have no great acquaintance with this man,
nor do I desire to have further knowledge of him; however, this I
know, that he is a very pestilent fellow, from some discourse that,
the other day, I had with him in this town; for then, talking with
him, I heard him say, that our religion was naught, and such by
which a man could by no means please God. Which sayings of his, my
Lord, your Lordship very well knows, what necessarily thence will
follow, to wit, that we do still worship in vain, are yet in our
sins, and finally shall be damned; and this is that which I have
to say.
{232} Then was Pickthank sworn, and bid say what he knew, in behalf
of their lord the king, against the prisoner at the bar.