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of a leaf in it, and I will assure your Lordship, it made my hair stand an end to see the horrid curses contained therein; it is composed of such horrid blasphemy, that I would not be obliged to read it through for all the world's wealth, for the blasphemy contained is very great;' 'for,' said he, 'it was impossible for any man to write such a horrible blasphemous book, in assuming the place of God upon him,' 'for,' said he, 'it is so cunningly contrived, that it confounds all reason in man; therefore, my Lord, it is my opinion they ought to be cut off, both root and branch; with several other words to the same effect.' Then Lodowick Muggleton's counsel began to plead, but pleaded like a man that is either afraid to offend the judges, or like a very weak lawyer, for he pleaded no more than this: My Lord, the book Mr. Muggleton stands indicted upon, was written before the act of grace came forth, therefore if Mr. Muggleton has offended, he hopes the act of grace will favor him.' Whereupon the Lord Chief Justice Rainsford then sharply took him up, and said, That person that had the impudence to write such a blasphemous book as this was, did not want subtillity to antidate it.' Whereupon one Garrat stood up, and said, That Mr. Muggleton did own the writing of the book when he was before the Lord Mayor, in Guildhall.' Then,' replied the Lord Chief Justice, That the acknowledging the book before the Lord Mayor, was a sufficient testimony against him, and a publication of the book since the act of grace.' Then stood up Judge Atkins, and said,

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'Ile did not conceive that by owning the book before the Lord Mayor was a publication, since the Act.; for,' said he, would you have the man to have told a lie.' My Lord,' said Garratt, it was a long time before he would confess it:' Why,' said Judge Atkins, We have no law to make a man accuse himself; can you make it appear,' said he, that Mr. Muggleton has writ these books since the Act of Grace, or has he made sale of any since the Act of Grace, or has he offended the law ---to which Mr. Garratt said No.' 'Then,' said Judge Atkins, Gentlemen of the Jury, you see there is no proof against Mr. Muggleton, either of his writing or making sale of any of these books since the Act of Grace; therefore I do not understand how he can be denied the benefit of it, since we have no law for it.' Why,' said the Lord Chief Justice, in a great passion, 'If we have no law for it, I make it law,' and down he sits; and it was expected, Mr. Muggleton's counsel would have pleaded, but whether the Lord Chief Justice's passion prevented him or not, I do not know, but further he pleaded not, which made the Chief Justice very much reflect on Mr. Muggleton, and, in a jeering way, said to his counsel, Rise up, and plead for your client;' but he made no word of answer, which the adverse party made some advantage of, and the Lord Chief Justice stood up, and said, • Gentlemen of the Jury, here is a cause before you so notoriously wicked, that, I thank God, I never heard the like before; it is a cause so odious and so blasphemous, that you see his own counsel is ashamed

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ashamed to plead in the vindication of so notorious a villain as this is, that could foment such horrid blasphemies as these are, and publish them: Pray,' said the Lord Chief Justice, how many of these books did you find in his house; they made answer, ‘they had about a porter's load.' How many may that be in number,' said he; 'they carried about three or four hundred: What,' said he, all of one volume,' they said 'no; there was about six of the volume; as for the rest, they were what was contained in that book, but in smaller volumes.' 'Then,' said the Lord Chief Justice, it shews his subtillity had contrived them in several potions suitable to their constitutions; they, whose stomachs were large enough to digest the whole venom might have it, and them whose stomachs were little and crazy, his cunning had contrived potions of it for their distempers. And now, Gentlemen of the Jury, although we have no proof of his selling any of these books, for it is to be believed those that bought them were of his own gang, and they will not appear against him; therefore we must by circumstances, for what should one person do with so many books of one sort, unless it were to make sale of them; therefore, Gentlemen of the Jury, I would have you narrowly sift the witnesses before you determine, and consider it was through a pretended zeal our late king was put to death, and who knows what design this villain had both in church and government and therefore, Gentlemen, if you do not bring him in guilty, yourselves will be sharers in his curst apostacy. The jury receiving this unheard-of charge, went out of court, and after. B

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half an hour's consultation amongst themselves, they returned; when it was demanded by the Clerk of the Peace, whether they were agreed in their verdict,'--they answered, they were;' who shall speak for you,' was then asked; they said, the foreman; then,' said the Clerk of the Peace, 'is Lodowick Muggleton guilty of writing these books for which he stands Indicted, or not guilty,' the foreman said, 'Guilty;' but the words came from him with so discomposed a countenance, that his very looks shewed his conscience had accused him with unjust doing; the Lord Chief Justice having now his desired ends of the Jury, began in the most abusive, basest' way, that ever a Judge did to a prisoner, which is as follows:

Thou impudent rogue, sirriah! thou villain, which art a rogue so great, that I want words bad enough to call you, a villainous rogue, composed of such impudence, that you see he has got a set of them, and makes them call themselves Muggletonians, after his cursed name; such a pack of villany I thought could not be invented by a rogue; yet how impudently the impostor stands; I am sorry our laws are so much unprovided that there is not a punishment severe enough to punish this rogue, according to the villainy of his crimes, but little did the contrivers of the law think that ever such blasphemy should be spread abroad in the world, and by so ill-looking a fellow as this; I would forgive the greatest rogue that should rob me of all I have, the greatest murderer in the whole world, sooner than I would forgive this villain, who is a murderer of souls.' Upon the Lord Cheif Justice

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ending his speech, Judge Atkins left the Bench, and when he came down stairs, he shook his head and said, things are not fairly carried on here,' and spoke it in the hearing of several people, as well as myself. Then Lord Chief Justice Montague stood up and said, ‘As for what my Lord Chief Justice said, I like it very well, for he has shewn his love and zeal to God, and his loyalty to his King; his zeal to God in endeaveuring to crush this rogue, in his blasphemous pretences, who made it his business to draw away as many sols as he could after him by his damnable doctrine; I am sorry there has been occasion to publish his villainy by reading his blasphemous books in open court, for fear the venom should infect some of the hearers; but I hope God will direct them otherways, and as for the Stationers Company they ought to be remembered for their diligience, in searching after such cursed delusions as this impudent villain has broached abroad to deceive the peple, so likewise the Jury ought to be applauded for bringing in so just and pious a verdict; for he had rather forgive the greatest rogue, or greatest thief or murderer than this villain, this both thief and murderer to poor souls.' The Judge hereupon gave the Jury thanks for their verdict, and in a short time arose and departed the Court, leaving the Common Serjeant Jefferies to pronounce the sentence against him, when, with a disdainful countenance, looked upon the prisoner, and with words so abusively scurrilous, that it is a shame for a government to have such magistrates, as shall hereafter who said, You rogue, that stands here; you impudent rascal, sirrah! that

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