THE COMPLAINT OF TIME Against the tumultuous and Re­bellious Scots.

Sharpely inveighing against them (as most justly they deserve) this yeare, 1639.

By W. S.

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LONDON Printed by B. A. and T. F. for Richard Harper in Smithfield, at the Bible and Harpe. 1639.

The Grounds and Reasons of Times Com­plaint against the Rebellious Scots.

THis Land (God be thanked) is blest in the happy Government of a most gracious King, against whom in despight of Mercy divers aff [...]onts have lately beene offerd by the Rebellions Scots, who under pretence of Religion would ouerthrow the Hierarchy of the Church, pulling downe the house of God, and building Babels of their owne invention, and man'd with this furious zeale, they have raised great forces, and stand ready armed in the Field to resist the head of the Church in his Dominions our most gracious King CHARLES; Time therefore hearing how these bold Attempts un­der the Title of Covenanters bad acted many outrages, entrencht vpon the Kings So­veraigne power, and have hitherto neglected and slighted his Royall authority; therefore in this complaint of Time some reasons are laid downe. For the Chronicles of this Land due witnesse that Rebels have beene alwayes overthrowne in their designes, and at last met with a deserved Death. Thus Mortimer who rebelled against King Edward the se­cond, and violently tooke away his Queene, was afterwards himselfe taken and behea­ded. Also those rude mechannicke Rebels that were led under the conduct of Watt Tiler, Tom Miller, and Iack Strae made a great tumultuous vproare in Kent and Essex, untill Sir William Walworth than Lord Mayor of London did with his Dagger stabbe Iacke Straw in Smith-field, whereupon the Dagger was set in the Armes of London. The rebellion for Perkin Warbek was soone disanimated, and the Imposture discovered, and so likewise Iack Cade and his associates were soone confounded and overthrowne, and punished according to their Deserts. And thus Rebellion is like that Ignis fatuus or that phantastick apparition of fire, which running under hedges doth affright Country­people, but having blazed a while, it is soone dissipated and extinguished. The Scots therefore cannot promise to themselves any better fortune than their rebellious Prede­cessours, who were soone scatter'd and confounded, and their leaders received condigne punishment. If therefore any precise Humorist that accounts himselfe a transcendant Protestant, and a Goliah in Religion▪ when indeed he is an Hypocriticall Puritane, if any such doe thinke the complaint of Time against the Scots is too Satyricall▪ I would have him know, that the Rebellion of the Scots as it is haynous in its owne nature, and deserves a sharpe vindication and revenge, so it also hath cast an aspersion vpon Time, for both the City and Country doe find fault, that it is a very hard, dangerous and doubtfull Time. And some in regard of this unnaturall Rebellion say, Time declines and growes worse, and that many discentions, Divisions and Rebellions shall happen in the old Age of Time, unto all which accusations Time doth make answere with one old ancient Verse▪

Conscia mens recti famae mendacia ridat.
The Conscience that is cleere from spot or stayne,
Laughs at the false reports of flying Fame.
Time did not cause the Scots rebellious factions,
Which breaking forth in Time, Time blames their Actions.

THE COMPLAINT OF Time against the tumultuous and rebellious SCOTS. Anno Dom. 1639.

AGe now hath silver'd ore the haires of Time,
And as I am growne old, so I decline
In native goodnes, else what frantick moode
Could make the Scots so prodigall of their blood
To staine their honour by the Imputation
Of tempting their King to high Indignation
By being Sonnes of tumult and of thunder?
Time grieves for them, and shooke with holy wonder
Admires what Genius leades them on to be
Revolters against sacred Majestie,
Why they had best attempt if they thinke good
To prove themselves of the Gygantick brood
Pelion on Ossa hurling up againe,
So to invade the high Olimpian name
Of love; for whether wont their boldnesse presse?
Vnlesse the just Revenger send redresse.
Time needs not heere from his owne height descend
As to make answere to what they pretend
In frivolous objections, for what pretence
Can heaven allow them for their bold offence?
[Page] What have they made such a strange Scrutiny
That none but they have found Divinity?
Or have they fanci'd to themselves abstractions
Of Angels zeale set forth in divelish actions?
Will they allow unto the King of Heaven
No Ceremonies which are duly given
Vnto his Majesty, but will bluntly fall
Without Ceremony to rebellion all,
Must they needs teare the Miter from the head
Of Bishops; what Antipathy is bred
Within that Land which doth on England border
That they should seeke equality of disorder?
Which alwayes tends to ruine, Nature makes
In all her workes a resemblance of Estates,
The peacefull Bees have Kings, the Waspes have none,
They onely buzze, and sting, and so are gone;
Most perfect Creatures have the truest sence
Of Soveraignty and true obedience;
The Hierarchy of Angels still doe cry
All prayse and honour be to God on high
Whom they obey, and government on Earth
From Heaven had originall and birth.
And would the Scots thinke by their furious rage.
To turne the world into a golden Age
As in the Infancy of Time? Yet then
Saturne did raigne, and was obey'd by men,
Then Iupiter the ancient world sway'd
Whose Soveraignty was generally obey'd;
And Time that measures out the workes of nature
From the first being of a formed Creature
To thee not being, was at first created
By the King of Heaven, and my power is dated
[Page] And whatsoever is his great Decree
I must therein obey his Majesty.
But since the Giants warres I was not tooke
With greater feare, nor with more horrour strooke
Then when lowd Fame did bring unto my Eares
The Scots attempt; I drown'd my cheekes with teares
And wisht that I my Patent might resigne
Before the world should say that aged Time
Had thus produc'd by the seeds of dissention
An armed brood of men sprung from contention
That in despight of mercy will proceed
To court their ruine, and desire to bleed.
Is there a Plurisie, and an excesse
In Spirituall matters that must find redresse
By such a cruell salve? or doth the Sword
More mercy then is vsuall now afford?
And not cut off ill members, will it spare
Those who in deepe affronts engaged are
Against their Soveraigne? who did wooe them long
By mercy which was powerfull and strong
To conquer good minds, but when his Grace found
That Balme of mercy could not cure the wound,
Then our dread Soveraigne mindfull of his cause,
Went downe against those that did flight his lawes
Arm'd with his Iustice full of powerfull dread
For Kings have Iron hands, though feete of Lead.
Now heaven protect him, Time on aged knees
Prayes that these waspes which scorne the obedient Bees
Though they are gathered into mighty swarmes
Yet may bee all compell'd by force of Arm [...]s
To yeeld their stubborne neckes, let Angels drive
These waspes away out of the Churches Hive.
[Page] Who bring no honey, but have often stung
Their Mother with contentions from them sprung.
Time hath spoke liberally, but now hee'le stay
No correct himselfe, for some perhaps will say
That the Scots beare an earnest great affection
Vnto my Daughter Truth, by whose direction
In her defence this furious course they take
For Love of Truth through danger way doth make,
But they doe erre herein, for my deere childe
And Daughter Truth's by nature soft and milde.
CHRIST was all Truth, yet when hee came to wooe
The world to Goodnesse, and the way to shew
Vnto all Truth the holy Angels then
Sang Peace on Earth, and Goodwill unto men.
Can therefore tumult, and the thundring Drum
Speake in a language that may well become
The wooers of faire Truth? Or else transported
Doe they imagine Truth can thus bee courted?
Me thinkes I see the Angels hide their faces
And blush in angry zeale, for their disgraces
No thinke the Scots should thinke faire Truth to winne
From her most just Defendor, and her King.
Me thinkes I see sad Truth kneele downe and speake
Her wrongs against them who her Lawes doe breake,
Shee pleads for Mercy and doth plead againe
And with her Oratory doth enflame
The Kings most Royall brest, then having got
His Gracious favour, shee tels him the Scot
With many shewes of holinesse doth wooe her,
Pretends much inward zealous love unto her
But yet doth mocke her with a smooth pretence
Of Love to colour over his offence;
[Page] And then shee wishes shee may never know
Heaven if Truth did bid them thus to goe
In huddle into Armes, for Truth sayes shee
Loves and obeyes your Sacred Majestie;
And all my Precepts say that Kings appeare
Like Gods on Earth and his vice-Regents heere;
Then why should they the Truth and you abuse
And fasten upon Truth a false excuse?
No 'tis their Pollicie that doth extend
To use my Name to a prodigious end,
And with the veyle of Truth to hide and shrowd
Their proud Ambition which walkes in a cloud
And like a Piller of fire guides them on
Into a Wildernesse of Rebellion.
Thus would my Daughter Truth make her complaint
'Gainst the tumultuous Scots that doe so vant
In crying up her name, when heaven knowes
That Truth was never tooke with feyned showes.
Bee dumbe night-Ravens then, and doe not croake
To piece up the alleageance you have broke
With faire pretences, for old Time doth know
You have entrencht on Soveraignty, and doe grow
Gyants in your opinion, being so given
To furious zeale that you would invade Heaven,
Pluck Iupiter out of his Seate, and all
Of you would then be Gods in generall.
And yet they are but shadowes you pretend
While in substantiall matters you offend
By fallacie joyning God and King together,
And yet will shew obedience unto neither;
There you devide the cause by your affection
And distinguish of a limited subjection.
[Page] Even Nature doth instruct that you should be
Subject unto the power of Majestie,
And all the workes of nature seeme to speake
Hee is a Rebell doth alleagiance breake.
Then trust not to your selves, though you are strong,
For Heaven will vindicate all Rebellion,
And Truth doth say of old, No warres can bee
Happie attempted against Soveraigntie.
How dare you still persist; Time bids pull downe
Your baffling Flags, and on your knees fall downe,
And for your Colours let your blushing cheeke
Display them, while you doe for mercy seeke;
If not, then Time doth bid you know bold Scots,
Your Vrne is turn'd, and Fate hath shooke your lots,
You have betray'd your selves, up English then
And shew your courage against those contemne
Heaven in their King, O let not his great cause
Suffer while they [...] his power and Lawes.
FINIS.

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