'Imperial Constabulary' or 'Black Magic'?

Or is ICBM just short for
"I see shit!" – no less nor more?
For as without an aesthetick
is 'just' as mediocritick
alone, another blanken'd script:

"For money b’ing the common scale
Of things by measure, weight, and tale,
In all th’ affairs of Church and State,
’Tis both the balance and the weight."

– Hudibras, ca 1660

"As the Devil is the Spiritual Prince of Darkness, so is the Constable the Secular, who governs the night with as great authority as his colleague, but far more imperiously."

– Hudibras' translator, ca 1805

[imperious: arrogant, haughty and domineering – Mid-16th century. < H. Potter's Grammatoire: Imperiosus! < L.: imperium (see empire)]

Our brethren of new england use choice malefactors to excuse, and hang the guiltless in their stead, of whom the churches have less need; as lately ‘t happen’d: in a town there liv’d a cobler, and but one, that out of doctrine could cut use, and mend men’s lives as well as shoes, this precious brother having slain, in time of peace, an indian, (not out of malice, but mere zeal, because he was an infidel,) the mighty Tottipottymoy sent to our elders an envoy, complaining sorely of the breach of league held forth by brother patch against the articles in force between both churches, his and ours for which he crav’d the saints to render into his hands or hang th’ offender but they maturely having weigh’d, they had no more but him o’ th’ trade, (a man that serv’d them in a double capacity, to teach and cobble,) resolv’d to spare him; yet, to do the indian Hoghgan Moghgan too impartial justice, in his stead did hang an old weaver, that was bed-rid. Then wherefore way not you be skipp’d, and in your room another whipp’d? for all philosophers, but the sceptick, hold whipping may be sympathetick.

[...]

This tells us plainly what they thought, that oaths and swearing go for nought, and that by them th’ were only meant to serve for an expedient. What was the public faith found out for, but to slur men of what they fought for the public faith, which ev’ry one is bound t’ observe, yet kept by none; and if that go for nothing, why should private faith have such a tye? Oaths were not purpos’d more than law, to keep the good and just in awe, but too, confine the bad and sinful, like moral cattle, in a pinfold. A saint’s of th’ heav’nly realm a peer; and as no peer is bound to swear, but on the gospel of his honour, of which he may dispose as owner, it follows, though the thing be forgery, and false th’ affirm, it is no perjury, but a mere ceremony, and a breach of nothing, but a form of speech; and goes for no more when ’tis took, than mere saluting of the book.

[...]

Quoth Ralpho, honour’s but a word to swear by only in a lord: in other men ’tis but a huff, to vapour with instead of proof; that, like a wen, looks big and swells, is senseless, and just nothing else. let it (quoth he) be what it will, it has the world’s opinion still. but as men are not wise that run the slightest hazard they may shun, there may a medium be found out to clear to all the world the doubt; and that is, if a man may do’t, by proxy whipt, or substitute.

[...]

That saints may claim a dispensation to swear and forswear, on occasion, i doubt not but it will appear with pregnant light: the point is clear. oaths are but words, and words but wind; too feeble implements to bind; and hold with deeds proportion so as shadows to a substance do.

– Ralpho

– see Troth and Betrothed: supply and demand in sexual matters:

An oath's but promise to the futures,
(not curse nor spell – they're only wagers).
But Troth relinquish't all around,
as to relig'n on any ground,
for magick tricks win all hands down.

note on diacritically accentuated spaces: the moral idiogrammaticity of accidence: 'Thar', 'Their' or 'They're' or 'yonder'? is no mere accident

There our error or ere thar they're, they are their own ere are they owned. E'er our err? That thar 's where they are, s' y'all ways nought ought 're wise, we's elfs kin, we asel's can alter weighs hear: Ne'er fear yon der a'comin near here – feat aft are feat by foot a'fore feet. Besides, ain' ten a' se'in drawl just a slough-down s'venderjovial lilt with impositive scales (like hogs to a trough) o'er the traditional nort takoodan will "Hömpity Dömpity grot höda fell, ya"?

– Antigram, Imp's Cleric