THE CHARACTER OF Sr. Arthur Haslerig THE CHURCH-THIEF.  By. F. B. Gent. 
— Minor extat sacrilegus, qui  
Radat inaurati femur Herculis, & faciem ipsam  
Neptuni, qui bracteolam de Castore ducat.  Juvenal. Satyr. 13. 
THE Royal beams of his late Mjesties' favour had no sooner began to disperse their rays on this ungrateful wretch, but he entered into a Compact with the Devil, and shook hands with Rebellion, Religion was his pretence of discontent, though he was of all, but truly of none; his Cruelties in the time of his lawless liberty are more numerous than my Pen can express; he was one of Julian the Apostates Disciples, for he robbed the Church of its Revenues, and took away all Benevolencies and Contributions to Schools of learning, to the end that Children might not be instructed in any good literature, exagerating his saeriledge with scornful jests, saying, that he furthered our Salvation by making us poor, seeing it was written, Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Certainly he & C.B. the late Dean of Wells were near allied, for I find a great sympathy in their affections, both Church-Robbers and Uncoverers of God's House to build their own, not a corner in that Sacred place of Worship went unsearched Herod-like, breaking up of Sepulchers and searching the Dormitories of the dead for hidden Treasure, the Lead, Iron Bars, Glass Pewes, nay, Pulpits were sold by these vermin, as if Paganism had entered in among us, and Christianity were taking its farewell; he in those unhappy times, and all such addle brain Church Projectors were with Child, teeming with their own sacrilegious Bastard-brats or false conceptions how to Usurp the Laws of God and Man, and to rob God most colourably. I find him at Bristol giving order to his Myrmydons to rob the Cathedral there, the Ornament of that City, of which the Mayor having timely notice, immediately went to him with the rest of his Brethren to desire him to spare that Place; at whose earnest Request he promised them not to deface it: But mark, this sacrilegious thief and liar at that very time he gave private order and directions for plundering and defacing that Cathedral, and before the Mayor went from him one of his cropeared Amsterdammers came to him and told him that the work was done, (meaning that the Church was defaced and plundered) at which words this villainous Rogue and Mocker of God rose out of his Chair and held up his hands using this Expression, Even the Lord be thanked; as if the Lord were to be thanked for sacrilege, expressly forbid in his Holy Writ: he was a dissembler and a liar, a Monster of men, and the son of Cruelty; he tore out and rend in pieces the bowels of his Mother the Church; he was at Court Treacherous; in the Field a Coward; a Sycophant to his Friend; and a Hot-brained Coxcomb in Council; he was a Day-bed for the Devil to slumber on, and his malice sucked up the greatest part of his own Venom, wherewith he empoisoned himself, his greatest study was to contemn Obedience and practice Treason, his Rebellion, Church-robbing and other his cruelties made him challenge his own Damnation by the way of purchase; he was a great lover of Church-Plate and Surplases, for he always gave 'em fair quarter at his own house; he ruined more Families in the time of his Tyranny, than ever his generation was or will be worth; he was a Moth to the Church, a Canker to every man's Estate that he seized on, and a Moule to the poor Colliers of Newcastle, who will curse his memory; the very bowels of the Earth could not escape or satiate his plunderage and covevetousness, nothing as he thought could put a stop to his careering appetite, in being a second Oliver, till he was Garrisoned in the Tower, the end of all his Projects, where had he lived a little longer, 'tis possible Dun might have dubbed him one of the Knights of the Halter; but he is gone to his place where I leave him with Zacharies flying roll of curses 20 cubits long and 10 cubits broad, Zach. 5. 2, 3. Expressly sent after the Thief to apprehend him. Thus have I given you a taste of this unsatiable sacrilegious Wretch, till an abler and more knowing Pen shall enlarge his Character with his Crimes.