prevarication

Evasion of the truth.

Prevarication became the order of the day in his government while truth was a stranger in those halls.

The trumpet—vvill it ſound? the curtain riſe? And ſhow th' auguſt tribunal of the ſkies, / VVhere no prevarication ſhall avail, / VVhere eloquence and artifice ſhall fail, […]

Deviation from what is right or correct.

A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.

The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution.

A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it.

If it shall appeare, that they haue forfeited their Faith, or wronged their Client by preuarication.