The Indictment of John Purser, Containing Thomas Cannon's Ancient and Modern Pederasty Investigated and Exemplify'd

London Be it Remembred That Sir Dudley Ryder Knight Attorney General of our present Sovereign Lord the King who for our said present Sovereign Lord the King in this behalf prosecuteth in his proper person Cometh here into the Court of our said present Sovereign Lord the King before the King himself at Westminster on Wednesday next after fifteen days from the Feast Day of Easter in this same Term and for our said present Sovereign Lord the King giveth the Court here to understand and be Informed that John Purser late of London Printer being a person of a Wicked and Depraved Mind and Disposition and most unlawfully wickedly and Impiously devising Contriving and Intending to Disperse Publish and Propagate most Wicked Lewd and Obscene Notions and Principles and by that means (as far as in him the said John Purser lay) to Vitiate and Corrupt the Morals of all the Subjects of our said present Sovereign Lord the King and to Debauch Poison and Infect the Minds of all the Youth of this Kingdom and to Raise Excite and Create in the Minds of all the said Youth most Shocking and Abominable Ideas and Sentiments beneath the Dignity of Humane Nature and thereby to bring them into a State of Wickedness Lewdness and Brutality and more Especially into the Love and Practice of that unnatural detestable and odious crime of Sodomy upon the Twenty third Day of January in the twenty third year of the Reign of our said present Sovereign Lord George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth with force and arms at London aforesaid (that is to say) at the Parish of Saint Bridget otherwise Brides within the Ward of Farringdon without in London aforesaid a Certain Wicked Lewd Nasty Filthy Bawdy Impious and Obscene Libel Intituled Antient and Modern Pederasty Investigated and Exemplify'd did most unlawfully wickedly deliberately and advisedly print and publish and did cause and procure to be printed and published in which said Libel are Contained (amongst other things) divers wicked lewd nasty filthy bawdy impious and obscene matters (that is to say) in one part thereof According to the Tenour following (to wit):¹

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Among the many Unspeakable Benefits which redound to the World from the Christian Religion, no one makes a more conspicuous Figure than the Demolition of Pederasty. That celebrated Passion, Seal'd by Sensualists, espoused by Philosophers, enshrin'd by Kings, is now exploded with one Accord and Disown'd by the meanest Beggar. Wherefore since Fashion discountenances, Law punishes, God forbids, the Detested Love, we may sure discuss it with Freedom, and the most philosophical Exactness; we may present it in it's studied Attitudes, and the lively colouring, with which the Master-hands of the Ancients have so pompously overspread it, free from Apprehension of exciting in any Breast so preposterous, and Severe-treated an Inclination.

What Charm then held so many Sages and Emperors, clear Heads and hale Hearts? Inform me, what was that which like a chrystal expanded Lake drew all Mankind to bathe entranc'd in Joys, too mighty every one for our poor Utterance? Not the Flavour of forbidden Fruit: Every Dabbler knows by his Classics, that it was pursu'd and prais'd with the Heighth of Liberty. Was it the Perfection of a gradually lessening Shape? or, you in turn demand, was it the Firmness, yet Delicacy of Masculine Limbs? Hush; the Beauty-engrossing Sex will over-hear us. In Time, was it the more equally close Pressure, a certain Part afforded? Let the Adepts in the Abominable Practice pronounce. With wond'rous Boast curst Pederasts advance, that Boy-love ever was the top Refinement of most enlighten'd Ages; or, never in Supreme Degree prevail'd where liberal Knowledge had not fix'd his Seat, and banish'd crampsoul Prejudice. When polish'd Greece bow'd her once laurell'd Head to all-subduing Rome, frequent Journeys to...