Whoever therefore gives heed to flying tales, and
thrusts himself into the herd of those who spread them, is either
strangely injudicious, or very malignantly disposed. If he want not
judgment, he cannot but know that when he complieth with popular
fame, it is mere chance that he doth not slander, or rather it is
odds that he shall do so; he consequently showeth himself to be
indifferent whether he doeth it or no, or rather that he doth
incline to do it; whence, not caring to be otherwise, or loving to
be a slanderer, he in effect and just esteem is such; having at
least a slanderous heart and inclination. He that puts it to the
venture whether he lieth or no, doth eo ipso lie morally, as
declaring no care or love of truth. "Thou shalt not," saith the
Law, "follow a multitude to do evil;" and with like reason we should
not follow the multitude in speaking evil of our neighbour.

5. Another slanderous course is, to build censures and reproaches
upon slender conjectures, or uncertain suspicions (those [Greek],
evil surmises, which St. Paul condemneth). Of these occasion can
never be wanting to them who seek them, or are ready to embrace
them; no innocence, no wisdom can anywise prevent them; and if they
may be admitted as grounds of defamation, no man's good name can be
secure. But he that upon such accounts dareth to asperse his
neighbour is in moral computation no less a slanderer than if he did
the like out of pure invention, or without any ground at all: for
doubtful and false in this case differ little; to devise, and to
divine, in matters of this nature, do import near the same. He that
will judge or speak ill of others, ought to be well assured of what
he thinks or says; he that asserteth that which he doth not know to
be true, doth as well lie as he that affirmeth that which he knoweth
to be false; for he deceiveth the hearers, begetting in them an
opinion that he is assured of what he affirms; especially in dealing
with the concernments of others, whose right and repute justice doth
oblige us to beware of infringing, charity should dispose us to
regard and tender as our own. It is not every possibility, every
seeming, every faint show or glimmering appearance, which sufficeth
to ground bad opinion or reproachful discourse concerning our
brother: the matter should be clear, notorious and palpable, before
we admit a disadvantageous conceit into our head, a distasteful