in 1717 lewis established "the scourge, in vindication of the church of england", a periodical sheet that appeared every monday. it abused dissenters, latitudinarians, and catholics. on 15 july 1717 lewis denounced benjamin hoadly from the text, "who is this uncircumcised philistine that he should defie the armes of the living god?" six weeks later he launched an attack on scottish presbyterianism with the words "every beast loveth his like". the paper was presented by the grand jury of westminster as the work of a libeller and an embroiler of the nation, and lewis, who absconded, was ordered to stand his trial for sedition at the court of king's bench. in the meantime there appeared "the scourge scourged, or a short account of the life of the author of the scourge", vilifying lewis and his "weekly excrement".