_Probabilism_ (Vol. iii., p. 61.).--Probabilism, so far as it means the principle of reasoning or acting upon the opinion of eminent teachers or writers, was the principle of the Pythagoreans, whose _ipse dixit_, speaking of their master, is proverbial; and of Aristotle, in his Topics. But probabilism, in its strict sense, I presume, means the doctrine so common among the Jesuits, 200 years ago, and so well stated by Pascal, that it is lawful to act upon an opinion expressed by a single writer of weight, though contrary to one's own opinion, and entirely overbalanced, either in weight or numbers, by the opinion of other writers. Jeremy Taylor, in his _Ductor Dubitantium_, tells us that this doctrine, though very prevalent, was quite modern; and that the old Casuists, according to the plain suggestions of common sense, held directly the contrary, namely, that the less probable opinion must give way to the more probable. All this may be no answer to the deeper research, perhaps, of your enquirer,--but it may possibly be interesting to general readers, as well as the following refined and ingenious sophism which was used in its support:--They said that all agreed that you could not be wrong in using the more probable, best supported, {123} opinion of the two. Now, let that in the particular case in question be A, and the less probable B. But the doctrine that you may lawfully take the less probable in general is the more probable doctrine; meaning at that time the doctrine of the greater number of authorities: therefore they said, even upon your principles it is lawful to take B. C. B. _Old Hewson the Cobbler_ (Vol. iii., pp. 11. 73.).--The most satisfactory account of "old Hewson" is the following, extracted from _The Loyal Martyrology, by William Winstanley_, small 8vo. 1665, (p. 123.):-- "John Hewson, who, from a cobbler, rose by degrees to be a colonel, and though a person of no parts either in body or mind, yet made by Cromwell one of his pageant lords. He was a fellow fit for any mischief, and capable of nothing else; a sordid lump of ignorance and impiety, and therefore the more fit to share in Cromwell's designs, and to act in that horrid murther of his Majesty. Upon the turn of the times, he ran away for fear of Squire Dun [the common hangman], and (by report) is since dead, and buried at Amsterdam." In the collection of songs entitled _The Rump_, 1666, may be found two ballads relative to Hewson, viz., "A Hymne to the Gentle Craft; or Hewson's Lamentation. To the tune of the Blind Beggar:" "Listen a while to what I shall say Of a blind cobbler that's gone astray Out of the parliament's high way, Good people pity the blind." "The Cobbler's Last Will and Testament; or the Lord Hewson's translation:" "To Christians all, I greeting send, That they may learn their souls to amend By viewing, of my _cobbler's end_."