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 oath before this honorable
bench, that he is--

_Judge._ Hold--give him his oath.

So they sware him. Then he said, 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 doeth 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.

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 at the
bar. They also asked, what he could say for their lord the king against
him. Then they sware him; so he began:

_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 I had with him, the
other day, 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 saying of his, my lord, your lordship very well knows
what necessarily thence will follow, to wit, that we still do worship in
vain, are yet in our sins, and finally shall be damned: and this is that
which I have to say.

Then was Pickthank sworn, and bid say what he knew in behalf of their
lord the king against the prisoner at the bar.

_Pick._ My lord, and you gentlemen all, this fellow I have known of a
long time, and have heard him speak things that ought not to be spoken;
for he