Pride and Cruelty never want a Pretence to do Mischief. The Plea of _Not
Guilty_ goes for Nothing against Power: For Accusing is Proving, where
Malice and Force are Joyn’d in the Prosecution.
When Innocence is to be oppress’d by Might, Arguments are foolish things;
nay the very Merits, Virtues, and good Offices of the Person accus’d, are
Emprov’d to his Condemnation: As the Industry and Watchfulness of the
_Cock_ here, in the calling of People out of their Beds to work when ’tis
time to rise, is turn’d upon him as a Crime. Nay, such is the Confidence
of a spightful Cruelty, that People shall be charg’d (rather then fail)
with things utterly impossible, and wholly foreign to the Matter in
question. The _Lamb_ it self shall be made malicious. And what is this
now, but the lively Image of a perverse Reason of State, set up in
opposition to Truth and Justice; but under the August Name and Pretence,
however of Both? As Loyalty, for the purpose, shall be call’d Rebellion,
and the Exercise of the most necessary Powers of Government, shall pass
for Tyranny and oppression. Decency of Religious Worship shall be made
Superstition; Tenderness of Conscience shall be call’d Phanaticism,
Singularity and Faction; and the very Articles of the Christian Faith
shall be condemn’d for Heresie. Villanies have not the same Countenance,
when there are Great Interests, Potent Meditations, Presents, Friends,
Advocates, Plausible Colours, and Flourishes of Wit, and Rhetorique,
Interpos’d betwixt the Sight and the Object. There are ways of
_Deceiving_ the Eyes, as well as of _Blinding_ them; so that the Cause of
the Innocent must be Remitted at last to that Great and Final Decision,
where there is no longer any Place for Passion, Partiality, Corruption,
or Error. But as to the Business of this World, when the _Cocks_ and the
_Lambs_ lie at the Mercy of _Cats_ and _Wolves_, they must never expect
better Quarter; especially where the Hearts Blood of the One, is the
Nourishment and Entertainment of the Other.