The Armies Letany.
SInce that no wise man dares to say,
Put the Army if they list they may
Save us or bring us to decay:
Therefore let's pray.
From any Souldier whose intent
Is to ore-awe the Parliament,
And with his pay won't be content.
Libera nos.
From Sutlers wives with faces tallow,
Who with their Trulls the Army follow,
From a Commander in chiefe, whose wit is shallow.
Libera nos.
From a Souldier that sweares, yet dares not fight,
But would plunder London if he might,
From meeting a partie late in the night.
Libera nos.
From a Trooper that's mounted on a leane jade,
And of cutting throats has learnt the trade;
From digging with a sword instead of a Spade.
Libera nos.
Frim bed-cord Match and priming Powder,
From hearing the Drum speak louder and louder,
From him that growes poor, and yet waxeth prouder.
Libera nos.
From underminings and counterminings,
From Souldiers groanes and womens whinings,
From
Booker and
Lillies false divinings.
Libera nos.
From Morter Pieces, and Hand Granadoes,
From Blockings up, and Barracadoes,
From discontented Reformadoes.
Libera nos.
[Page] From Southwark-men, who are but Treachours,
From Countrey Fooles, and City Lechers,
From Sheriffs, Bailiffs, and Counter-catchers,
Libera nos.
From buying of our peace with money,
From a false-hearted knave, whose words are honey,
From a Whores temptations who hath a hot—
Libera nos.
From
Harunies Pamphlets, and his fine Stories
Of Asses, Mules, and Dromedaries,
From Presbyterian Consistories,
Libera nos.
From a Buffe-coat blade that needs will preach,
From the doctrine the Anabaptists teach,
From a Committee-man, or any such horse-leach,
Libera nos.
From good pretences, and bad intentions,
From hopes of plunder, and base inventions,
From
Peters, when his dreames he mentions,
Libera nos.
From being perswaded out of our lives,
Our coine, goods, children, and our wives,
By those who for our ruine strives,
Libera nos.
From a Winters Plague, and Summers Warre,
From sleeping till we ruin'd are,
From those that do delight to jarre,
Libera nos.
From those that now like Princes sing,
Making themselves, but marre the King,
From an Independent point, and a Presbyters sting,
Libera nos.
From laying claime to more then is ours,
From riding on the backs of the higher Powers,
[Page] From a brother that laughs and a sister that lowres,
Libera nos.
From an Agitator that stormes and frets,
And goodly Monsters each day begets,
From a Scotch mist that devillishly wets.
Libera nos.
From the Parliaments Climactricall yeare,
From the Sectaries hopes and the Cities feare,
From being forc'd against our consciences to sweare.
Libera nos.
From
1649.
49. and
1652. If the world last so long.
52.And those Ills we then are like to view,
From old errours that are reviv'd anew
Libera nos.
From a begging Scholler, or small beere Poet,
Who can scarce write sense yet the world must know it,
From him thats scabby and glories to show it.
Libera nos.
From setling all things by the sword,
From those that hate our Soveraigne Lord
Let England say with one accord,
Libera nos Domine.
THat it may please thy omnipotence,
Father of all excellence,
All jarres and strifes to banish hence.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee our Sir
Thomas
May now at length fulfill his promise
In setling the King, who long hath been from us.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee the Army may
Consider what a preposterous way
It is to impeach thus every day.
Quaesumus te.
[Page] That it may please thee to let them see
How hard those Propositions be
Were lately showne His Majestie.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee, they may not rejoyce,
Nor yet with pride lift up their voice.
But to maintaine the truth make choice.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee as hitherto
They have done, what thou bidst them to do,
They the same temper still may show.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee, we desire,
The Citizens may never tire
To doe what the Army doth require.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee, they may invent
New waies against the moneyes spent
They are to have, more may be lent.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee with mild cheare
They may bow downe their backs to beare,
They will be wiser sure next yeare.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee untill then,
My Lord Mayor and the Aldermen,
May re-inforce their Charter agen.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee for to blesse
The Southwarkians with happinesse,
For that they gave the Army accesse.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee all Flesh-flies,
With
L
[...]ke
[...] beards egregious lies,
[Page] May be abhorr'd by all that's wise.
Quaefumus te.
That it may please thee the Army may
No longer let the Tub-men pray
Extempore, and what they list to say.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee they may declare
Those Round-heads, whose deeds are not square,
To be amongst them unworthy are.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee since 'tis in them
For to dispose the Diadem,
With it they
Charles his browes may hem.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee, they may vie
With those that would have Anarchie,
And surely settle Monarchie.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee, the Army knowing
To what a height things now are growing,
May stop those floods that in are flowing.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee to perswade the Scot
To be contented with his owne lot,
For he must lose the footing he got.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee, the good the Army intend
Us, in the receiving may not offend,
And so at once have birth and end.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee the bloods of those
Who some yeares past their lives did lose,
'Twixt us and God mai'nt interpose.
Quaesumus te.
[Page] That it may please thee we may thinke on
Our present dire confusion,
Caus'd by the Devills delusion.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee shew the King
Thy strange and wondrous managing
Doth make for him in every thing.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee the world may see
Thy justice great and good to bee,
And what's the end of treacherie.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee now at last,
The King may in his Throne be plac't,
And those that hate him downe be cast.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee to let him be
Assured that Aristocracie
Will ever cause confederacie.
Quaesumus te.
That it may please thee he so may raigne,
And his Sonnes when the Crowne they gaine,
England may ever in peace remaine.
Quaesumus te.
So shall we be as once we were,
The Almighties love, the Nations feare,
And then we in each street shall heare
Benedicamus Domino.
FINIS.