weight, and what with his slight of hand to boot, he beguiled,
sometimes a little, and sometimes more, most that he had to deal
with: Besides, those that use this naughty trade, are either such
as blind men with a shew of Religion, or by hectoring the buyer out
by words. I must confess Mr. Badman was not so arch at the first;
{111a} that is, to do it by shew of Religion; for now he began to
grow threadbare, (though some of his brethren are arch enough this
way, yea and of his sisters too, for I told you at first that there
was a great many of them, and of them good:) but for hectoring, for
swearing, for lying, if these things would make weight and measure,
they should not be wanting to Mr. Badmans Customers.

Atten. Then it seem he kept good Weights, and a bad Ballance; well
that was better than that both should be bad.

Wise. Not at all. There lay the depth of his deceit: {111b} For
if any at any time found fault, that he used them hardly, and that
they wanted their weight of things; he would reply: Why did you
not see them weighed? will you not believe your own eyes: If you
question my weights, pray carry them whether you will, I will
maintain them to be good and just. The same he would say of his
scales. So he blinded all, by his Ballance.

Atten. This is cunning indeed: but as you say, there must be also
something done or said, to blind therewith, and this I perceive Mr.
Badman had.

Wise. Yes. He had many ways to blind, but he was never clever at
it, by making a shew of Religion, (though he cheated his wife
therewith:) for he was, especially by those that dwelt near him,