contemtible

Upon this necessarily followeth, that base men with sevill wits undertake it, who thinke it inough if they can be rewarded of the Printer: and so as Epaminandas is said with the honor of his vertue to have made an Office, by his execising it, which before was contemtible, to become highly respected {144}: so these men no more but setting their names to it, by their own disgracefulnesse, disgrace the most gracefull Poesie.

Defence of Poesie 1992

Faithfully and Carefully discharge their Duty to the Miserable in their Flock, little bits, scraps and shreds of their Discourses should be tackt together to make them contemtible, when there shall be no notice of all the Necessary, Seasonable, and

"More Wonders of the Invisible World," by Robert Calef, 1700 ; from Narratives of the Witchcraft Cases, 1648-1706 1693