Page:Petty 1660 Reflections.djvu/59

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not more desire I should be found guilty then innocent; For as to other things, I suppose, that though my Judges should have no fear of God before their Eyes; Nor no honour nor common honesty; Yet they will be afraid to commit horrible and palpable injustice, to gratifie a few (who in a small time may not be able to gratifie them again: But who shall rather be the first, that will accuse them, even for what they shall do unrighteously towards me) Nor will they much endanger themselves to vindicate Sir Hierom from being an ambitious, rash, and inconsiderate Knight-adventurer. I could never fancy but three causes of my trouble.

One was Reason of State, viz. to pull me down by oppressing, and to cripple my very naturall power for the future, by defaming me: and perhaps they did even this (if I may so say without vanity) in order, and as a small beginning, to pull down the Government it self; and to punish me in particular for a general evil whereof I was not guilty, and which the Parliament had pardoned in those that were; The which having been effectually done, I ought not since to have been troubled.