erilous; who cannot seem ingenious under the
charge of so highly trespassing upon decency, disclaiming wisdom,
wounding the ears of others, and their own consciences. Seem
ingenious, I say; for seldom those persons really are such, or are
capable to discover any wit in a wise and manly way. 'Tis not the
excellency of their fancies, which in themselves are usually sorry
and insipid enough, but the uncouthness of their presumption; not
their extraordinary wit, but their prodigious rashness, which is to
be admired. They are gazed on, as the doers of bold tricks, who
dare perform that which no sober man will attempt: they do indeed
rather deserve themselves to be laughed at, than their conceits.
For what can be more ridiculous than we do make ourselves, when we
thus fiddle and fool with our own souls; when, to make vain people
merry, we incense God's earnest displeasure; when, to raise a fit of
present laughter, we expose ourselves to endless wailing and woe;
when, to be reckoned wits, we prove ourselves stark wild? Surely to
this case we may accommodate that of a truly great wit, King
Solomon: "I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doeth
it?"

2. All injurious, abusive, scurrilous jesting, which causelessly or
needlessly tendeth to the disgrace, damage, vexation, or prejudice
in any kind of our neighbour (provoking his displeasure, grating on
his modesty, stirring passion in him), is also prohibited. When
men, to raise an admiration of their wit, to please themselves, or
gratify the humours of other men, do expose their neighbour to scorn
and contempt, making ignominious reflections upon his person and his
actions, taunting his real imperfections, or fastening imaginary
ones upon him, they transgress their duty, and abuse their wits;
'tis not urbanity, or genuine facetiousness, but uncivil rudeness or
vile malignity. To do thus, as it is the office of mean and base
spirits (unfit for any worthy or weighty employments), so it is full
of inhumanity, of iniquity, of indecency and folly. For the
weaknesses of men, of what kind soever (natural or moral, in quality
or in act), considering whence they spring, and how much we are all
subject to them, and do need excuse for them, do in equity challenge
compassion to be had of them; not complacency to be taken in them,
or mirth drawn from them; they, in respect to common humanity,
should rather be studiously connived at, an