Then proclamation was made, that they that had aught to say for
their lord the king against the prisoner at the bar, should
forthwith appear and give in their evidence. So there came in
three witnesses, to wit, Envy, Superstition, and Pickthank. They
were then asked if they knew the prisoner at the bar; and what
they had to say for their lord the king against him.
Then stood forth Envy, and said to this effect: My Lord, I have
known this man a long time, and will attest upon my oath before
this honourable bench that he is --
Judge. Hold! Give him his oath. (So they sware him.) Then he
said --
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.
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