Civitate Dei. So liable are the best and most innocent sort of men
to be calumniously accused in this manner.

Another practice (worthily bearing the guilt of slander) is, aiding
and being accessory thereto, by anywise furthering, cherishing,
abetting it. He that by crafty significations of ill-will doth
prompt the slanderer to vent his poison; he that by a willing
audience and attention doth readily suck it up, or who greedily
swalloweth it down by credulous approbation and assent; he that
pleasingly relisheth and smacketh at it, or expresseth a delightful
complacence therein: as he is a partner in the fact, so he is a
sharer in the guilt. There are not only slanderous throats, but
slanderous ears also; not only wicked inventions, which engender and
brood lies, but wicked assents, which hatch and foster them. Not
only the spiteful mother that conceiveth such spurious brats, but
the midwife that helpeth to bring them forth, the nurse that feedeth
them, the guardian that traineth them up to maturity, and setteth
them forth to live in the world; as they do really contribute to
their subsistence, so deservedly they partake in the blame due to
them, and must be responsible for the mischief they do. For indeed
were it not for such free entertainers, such nourishers, such
encouragers of them, slanderers commonly would die in the womb, or
prove still-born, or presently entering into the cold air, would
expire, or for want of nourishment soon would starve. It is such
friends and patrons of them who are the causes that they are so
rife; they it is who set ill-natured, base, and designing people
upon devising, searching after, and picking up malicious and idle
stories. Were it not for such customers, the trade of calumniating
would fall. Many pursue it merely out of servility and flattery, to
tickle the ears, to soothe the humour, to gratify the malignant