out any more ado, he leapt at the Throat of the miſerable helpleſs Lamb, and tore him immediately to pieces.
The Moral of the Two Fables above.
REFLEXION.
Pride and Cruelty never want a Pretence to do Miſchief. The Plea of Not Guilty goes for Nothing againſt Power: For Accuſing is Proving, where Malice and Force are Joyn'd in the Proſecution.
When Innocence is to be oppreſs'd by Might, Arguments are fooliſh things; nay, the very Merits, Virtues, and good Offices of the Perſon accus'd, are improv'd to his Condemnation: As the Induſtry and Watchfulneſs of the Cock here, in the calling of People out of their Beds to work when 'tis time to riſe, is turn'd upon him as a Crime. Nay, ſuch is the Confidence of a ſpightful Cruelty, that People ſhall be charg'd (rather than fail) with things utterly impoſſible, and wholly foreign to the Matter in queſtion. The Lamb it ſelf ſhall be made malicious. And what is this now, but the lively Image of a perverſe Reaſon of State, ſet up in oppoſition to Truth and Juſtice; but under the Auguſt Name and Pretence, however of Both? As Loyalty, for the purpoſe, ſhall be call'd Rebellion, and the Exerciſe of the moſt Neceſſary Powers of Government, ſhall paſs for Tyranny and Oppreſſion. Decency of Religious Worſhip ſhall be made Superſtition; Tenderneſs of Conſcience ſhall be call'd Phanaticiſm, Singularity and Faction; and the very Articles of the Chriſtian Faith ſhall be condemn'd for Hereſie. Villanies have not the ſame Countenance, when there are Great Intereſts, Potent Mediations, Preſents, Friends, Advocates, Plauſible COlours, and Flouriſhes of Wit, and Rhetorique, Interpos'd betwixt the Sight and the Object. There are ways of Deceiving the Eyes, as well as of Blinding them; ſo that the Cauſe of the Innocent muſt be Remitted at laſt to the Great and Final Deciſion, where there is no longer any Place for Paſſion, Partiality, Corruption, or Error. But as to the Buſineſs of This World, when the Cocks and the Lambs lie at the Mercy of Cats and Wolves, they muſt never expect better Quarter; eſpecially where the Hearts Blood of the One, is the Nouriſhment and Entertainment of the Other.
Fab. IV.
A Frog and a Mouſe.
THere fell out of a Bloody Quarrel once betwixt the Frogs and the Mice, about the Sovereignty of the Fenns; and whilſt Two of their Champions were Diſputing it at Swords Point, Down comes a Kite Powdering upon them in the Interim, and Gobbles up both together, to Part the Fray.
