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CAMPO-MUSAE, OR THE FIELD-MUSINGS OF Captain GEORGE VVITHER, touch­ing his Military Ingagement for the KING ann PARLIAMENT, THE Justnesse of the same, and the present di­stractions of these Islands.

DEUS dabit his quoque finem.

LONDON, Printed by R. Austin. 1643.

To the ENGLISH.

AM not I now in England? Is not this
The Thames? Is not that London? Sure it is.
Me thinks that vast, and ancient structure, there,
Looks just like Pauls, and that like Westminster.
Loe, yon is High-gate, you is Hamsted-mill.
There Bansted-downes, there Kent, there Shooters-hill;
This doubtlesse is that Countrey: but why then,
Are here now living so few English-men?
Are all those English-men which now I see?
All true-bred English-men? the Devill they be.
Indeed I finde there are a few among them;
And, for their sakes, I will not so much wrong them
To say, that Land hath none, within whose veines,
The blood of our old Worthies, yet, remaines.
But, out of question, if the greatest part
Were not a mungrell brood, and without heart,
They could not lie so tamely in their beds,
And see what Plagues their Countrey over-spreads;
Yea, seem content, to be inslav'd to slaves,
And, carry guilt, and curses to their graves.
Perhaps they are asleep. Ho! Englishmen!
Awake, and be your selves, yet, once agen.
Heark, how the Trumpet sounds! heark how the Drum
Beats up, and calls in English, Come, Come, Come!
Heark! how the ghosts, of your poore Brethren, slaine
And massacred in Ireland, doe complaine!
And call for vengeance! heark! how loud they cry,
And threaten, if you passe their murthers by!
Heark; how the countrey, round about you, mournes!
See, in how many parts, it flames, and burnes!
Marke; what a delolation, in one yeare,
Is broken in among us! and, how neare
Our just and everlasting ruine drawes
If we become no warmer in this Cause!
And, that, your cooled zeale, may re-inflame,
Take up these Papers, and new light the same.

To his EXCELLENCE the Earle of ESSEX, Lord Generall of the Army raised for defence of the KING, Parliament, and Kingdome.

SIR,

UNtill my Troupe was disabled, I served faithfully with my SWORD, under your Command (an eye-witnesse of your noble Patience, Constancy and Va­lour) and shall againe when my Troupe is recruted: In the meane time, being ingaged thereto (by that emble­maticall device which I beare in my Cornet) I have endeavoured to be serviceable with my PEN, that I might imploy every faculty which God hath given me for the King and Parliament, to whom I am obliged by a double duty: and (I hope) not impertinently to the glory of the Almighty; who, when most honourable teachers are not regarded, sends men to learn of Pis­mires and despicable creatures; and, who for that cause, is now pleased to make use of such a Vanity as I am: and (it may be) shall by this Engine, more strengthen your Army, then a full Regiment of horse.

I have not here prefixed your Name, or tendred this to your perusall, meerly for a private advantage: for, what can I hope to obtain, who am but Terrae filius, a child of contempt? and, whose best endeavours have beene hitherto, in outward respects, (for upon other [Page] considerations, I have no reason to complaine) rather mischievous, then profitable unto him.

Neither presume I to add any thing hereby to your Honour (that being farre above the dificiency needing such meane Additions) but, I being yet within the list of your Army, it seems reasonable, that some Account should be given of the time spent during my absence from it: and I, having no better fruit ripe, thus, to present this, held it the duty, SIR, of

Your EXCELLENCIES most humble Servant, Geo. Wither.

CAMPO-MUSAE, OR, The FIELD-MUSINGS of Captaine GEORGE WITHER.

The Contents.

A Question presuppos'd, the Muse
Replyeth, and her freedome shewes:
Tels with what heart, with what intent,
This Warre her POET under-went.
Averros that Reason and the Lawes
Will justifie him in his Cause:
The publike woe, she doth expresse;
Lamenteth, and implores redresse:
Fights Combats with Delusive-Reason,
Her Partie to acquit from Treason;
Their hearts, incourageth to doe,
What, GOD, and Nature, calls them to.
And many matters, here, and there,
Inserteth, which we touch not here.
Then, mentioneth a Voice of PEACE
That she hath heard; and, there doth cease;
Intending, ere She will proceed,
To make some proofe, how this may speed.
YES; now I'le write againe, and neither care
Though nor Apollo aid me, nor the NINE:
Nor whether Mars or Mercury appeare
Crosse; or in Sextile, Quadrine, or in Trine.
Nor carefull am I, whether HEE, or SHEE,
Be pleased or displeased with my Muse:
For, none to sooth or vexe, my Musings be:
But, now I write, because I cannot chuse.
[Page 2] To answer each man curious expectation
Who asks why thus I said, why this I do;
Is not the scope of my determination,
Though somewhat here conduces thereunto.
The Sword hath had his turne, and now the Pen
Advanced is to play her part agen.
The naked SVVORD and PEN my Cornet beares;
Pro REGE, LEGE, GREGE thereupon
To be my Motto for the Field, it weares;
And shewes for whom this Warfare we begun.
But, Rymes and Reason growing out of date,
And Pens (lesse modest now then heretofore)
Such lies and railings have divulg'd of late,
That I once thought to touch my Pen no more.
Besides (with griefe) I have observ'd, in those
Whose judgements have most need of Reformation,
That there is left no pow'r in Verse or Prose,
To make them wise, or move to reformation.
For Wisedomes Charmes, and Reasons best conclusions,
Beget but Furies, and inlarge Confusions
Yet since my musings when I shall be dead,
(And lie unactive in a loanly roome)
May peradventure to good use be read,
By men reserv'd for better times to come:
And, since it will not onely be an ease
To mine owne heart my numerous thoughts to vent,
But also may some honest Readers please,
Ev'n in these times of gen'rall discontent.
Yea, lest malignant censures passed on
My late ingagement for the publike peace,
Should (if I silent to my grave had gone)
Have caused false-opinion to increase,
My Per I re-assum'd, in hope, to shew
My practice never prov'd my words untrue.
My Pen I re-assum'd; and (full of matter)
Sate downe to write: but, ere I ought exprest,
[Page 3] The Trumpet sounding, all my thoughts did scatter.
And gave me, since that houre, but little rest.
Destructive times, distractive muzings yeeld,
Expect not therefore method now of me,
But such, as fits Minerva in the Field,
Where Interruptions and Confusions be.
Like or dislike, I somwhat now shall say,
Which must be heard; and heard to purpose too:
At least in gaining heed, or making way
For what (if need require) is yet to do.
When sin and self-conceit befools the wise,
They must be taught, by those, whom they despise.
For, let not these Field-muzings be suppos'd
The fruitlesse flashings of a Giddie-wit,
Because in measur'd-words they are compos'd,
Which many judge for serious works unfit:
Nor let them counted be a sleight invention,
Though, souldier-like, blunt complements I use,
That I may draw those fools to give attention,
Who will not els, perhaps, regard my Muse.
He that hath matter, which concerns the King,
Comes not, and ringles at the doore, with feare;
But knocks, untill he makes the Pallace ring,
And spurns it open, if they will not heare:
Ev'n so do I; and think I have done well
To make my language like the tale I tell.
If I shall mention what some would not hear,
The fault's not mine: for, if men madly do,
I am a thing, which, once in twenty year,
Shall seem, to be a kind of mad man too.
And though, mean-while, my Calling I pursue,
(Seeming to heed the times as they do me)
Yet, I am alwayes mindfull of my kue,
And act my part when I my turne shall see.
One while I chide; somtimes faire words I give,
To praise men into what I sain would have them:
[Page 4] And, when those Favours I misplac'd perceive,
I call them back, and am asham'd I gave them.
When thus I faile, my Fancie prompts me then;
But, now, another Spirit guides my Pen.
I will not blame the Times, though bad they be,
Nor to the jeering world bemoane my Lot:
For, to these dayes my God appointed me,
And guards me so, that mischiefe hurts me not.
My Birth I had in blest ELIZA'S reigne:
To JAMES, I blaz'd the sins of wanton Peace,
For those rewards which Truth will ever gaine,
Where Nobles rise by Pieties decrease.
To CHARLES, I shew'd what Plagues were draw­ing neare,
And, saw them come, ere I beleefe could gaine.
And, when they came, I saw the chiefest care
Was, how each Foole his Bable might obtaine.
For, warnings are on wilfull sinners lost,
Till honour, pleasure, life and soule it cost.
SIN not repented, (but augmented rather)
The Violl, poured forth, began to spread:
The spreading mischiefe still more strength did gather,
And, every day new Plagues the poison bred.
Divisions then arose, which did increase,
And, into Sub-divisions branch about,
Which overthrew the Pillars of our Peace,
And, drove good Order, Law, and Iustice out.
These Evils; with my Pen, I long withstood,
And, bold reproofes in Tyrants faces threw:
But, when I saw my Pen could doe no good,
With other Patriots my Sword I drew:
For, who that weares a Sword needs feare to draw,
To save the King, the People, and the Law?
I drew it not in rage, or private hate,
Or to incroach on Prince or Peoples-right,
Or to recrute a ruined estate;
But, that both Prince and People, guard it might.
[Page 5] I was not arm'd to violate the Crowne,
Or please the fancies of a fickle braine,
To set one up, and pull another downe,
Or Schisme, or Superstition to maintaine:
But, fought our Fathers honour to defend;
Our Mother, from his jealous rage to save;
To bring their base abusers to that end,
Which Traiterous-flatterers deserve to have:
And, he that armes himselfe, to this intent,
Shall ne're be shamed, though he may be shent.
I therefore boldly marched to the Field,
Not unresolv'd, or stagg'ring in the Cause.
I made my Pray'rs my shot, Firm-faith my shield;
My Breast-works are Good-Conscience, and the Laws.
I stood not off, when I was called on,
To mark what Peeros or Commons led the way;
To thinke I might be made, or quite undone,
Or whether side was like to get the day.
But, of the Publike Ruine was my feare;
Or, of those Plagues for which the Sword makes roome;
And, of the barbarousnesse, which every where
Is like to follow, where his followers come.
And could have wish'd it had as easie bin
To drive out mischiefes, as to let them in.
The cure propos'd, though very sharp it be,
And threatens losse of members, and of blood;
Before it was adventur'd on by me,
Appeared needfull for the Common-good.
According to my Fortune, and my Place,
I therefore further'd it; not discontent,
Though others had the publike thank and grace,
For that, which I in private did invent.
Where I then liv'd, I was the first of those
Who did contribute to my Countries aid;
And (though it may be censur'd by her Foes
An evill signe) I joy to heare it said
[Page 6] That, in those parts, I was the first of all,
To whom, a totall Plunder did befall.
And sure it was for good it so befell:
For, he that is inrowled for the Wars
Shall never prosecute that Calling well
If he intangled be with other Cares.
Affaires of Peace effeminate the minde:
A Barne well filled, and a House well fraught,
Are not with ease, for povertie resign'd,
Till they from us, or we from them, are caught.
For, who those things can willingly forsake,
Of which, he feeles, he may have daily need?
Who can in wants and wounds, himselfe betake,
That may at home, with ease, on plenties feed?
Or, who can fight, that's clog'd with Carts and Ploughs,
Books, Houshold stuffe, Teems, Oxen, Sheep and Cows?
Such things as these did ne're affect me much,
But for their sakes, of whom I must have care:
Nor did their losse my heart so nearly touch,
As their neglects, who thereof Causers were:
For, if my Counsels had been duly heeded,
And my Presages timely been beleev'd,
The Rage of War had not so far proceeded,
As me to Rob, and others to have griev'd:
Yea, had the Castle (to my care committed,
Without supply of mony, meat, or Men,
Save my halfe Troope) been well and timely fitted
With what was needfull, and long sought, ere then,
I should not sure, from thence, have called bin,
To let the Kingdomes foes come safely in.
Nor to their dammage, or their detriment,
Who me to that command had freely chose,
Had I unto another place been sent,
Exposing them, unarmed, to their foes:
Nor (when a Ground work I had also laid,
Which had, not onely, probably secur'd
[Page 7] Those parts, from that whereof they were afraid,
But, also, to the bordering Shires assur'd
Good likelihoods of safety) should my Care
And Propositions have been quite neglected,
By those, to whom they first proposed were;
If they, the Cause, or Me, had well affected:
Nor had so ill (thereby) our Party sped,
Nor had our Foes, by that means, gather'd head.
Nay, if an Envie of the place I had,
Or, some designe of theirs who brake their Trust,
Had not the way for my removall made
To let in mischiefe, at a nick so just,
So many had not mustred been, so soon,
(Of my Malignant Neighbours in that Shire)
To force my House; my Goods to seize upon,
And, shew such malice, and such fury, there.
Nor had I met affronts, in other kinds,
As I have done; but that, among us, be
Some, that do walk our wayes, with other minds,
VVith other hopes, and purposes, then we:
But, let them take their course, my Course is weigh'd;
And, VVords nor Deeds, shall make my heart afraid.
VVhat I resolv'd on, hath had firme foundations,
Not laid in sands, nor built upon with sticks,
Nor garnished with vaine imaginations,
Or kept repair'd with fallacies and tricks.
I was not frighted by the Proclamations,
Penn'd by abusers of the Royall-Name:
Nor startled by those tedious Declarations,
VVhich with more Wit then Truth, full fraughted came.
I knew how Lawyers and Divines had cheated
The VVorld, ere then; and when the holy-Text,
Or Lawes, were misappli'd or misrepeated,
Or, with false Comments, wrested, or perplext.
And, falshood moves not me, although it brings
The Votes of Doctors, and the threats of Kings.
[Page 8] My heart, the storms of danger did not shake,
Faire promises (which have so many caught)
On me, the least impression could not make,
Though where I serve, I scarce worth heed am thought.
Nor was I moved much to see, that some
(VVho Stars appear'd) in their first Love did faile:
Because I knew the time was fully come,
VVhich tries our firmnesse by the Dragons-taile.
Nor start I at their Censures, who have said,
That, what I counsel'd, I have left undone;
That, from my owne Predictions I have straid,
And made them erre, if they amisse have gone.
For, they that have mistaken Truth-Divine,
And, wrest Gods VVord, may soone misconstrue mine.
To say in Words, that so, or so, I meant,
I thought not halfe so pow'rfull as to show
By active proofs the truth of my intent,
And teach by Deeds, which way men ought to go.
When therefore that great COUNSELL call'd for aid,
(VVith whom the King-ship alwayes doth reside,
In whose Commands, the Kings are best obey'd,
From whom, the King cannot himselfe divide)
To serve the King and Parliament, I came
So loyally, that, if it Treason be,
I will not ask a pardon for the same:
Nor thank him for it, who shall give it me:
But laugh at him, who should that Trifle bring,
Disdaine to live; and die, and be a King.
For, no man honours; no man loveth more
The Soveraigne-Person, then I did, and do.
For him, I therefore feared, before,
VVhat Ill-advisers now have brought him to.
I told him when he was but newly crown'd,
(As plainly as my Warrant gave me leave)
Those things, which He, and We, too true have found;
Yet, still, misinformations Him deceive.
[Page 9] Yea, though the stile of Rebell now I beare,
My Prayers for him, have hefore the LORD
Stood eighteen years; and, yet before him are,
(To testifie my love) upon
Brit. Re­memb. Cant. 1.
Record,
And all his Captains, Arms and Armies too
Secure him not, as those my Prayers doe.
That which I pray'd for then, and pray for yet,
I fight for now: Because, I held this, ever,
That, whatsoe're to pray for should be fit,
For that, we are obliged to endeavour.
I know, that by Allegiance, I am bound
To what essentially thereto pertaines;
Not to bare Complements, or to the sound,
Which of that Duty, lying flattry faignes;
Much lesse, to those which totally destroyes
This Virtues essence; and, whereby, the King
Our loyaltie against himselfe employes,
And to destruction, his owne House may bring.
Such mischeeves, therefore, that I might prevent,
I fided, for Him, with his Parliament.
Thereby to serve two Masters I assaid,
Till I by their Divisions was undone:
And saw three Kingdomes by some Acts ill plaid,
In danger, to be neither two nor one.
I sided not, but as a Stander-by,
Who hath two friends at ods, and loving either,
Feares that in one, the losse of both may lye,
And (in those two) of all his joyes together.
If either I oppose, I doe it more
To save then wound: and to prevent that blow
Which, he that gave it, in his heart had bore,
If through that other, we had let it goe.
And, he that thinks his dutie doth him wrong,
May finde a Friend, but shall not keep him long.
I moved not thus far, but by Command
Of Soveraigne-Pow'r, whereto if it be Treason
[Page 10] To yeeld Obedience, we must understand,
They Trayters are, who walk by Law and Reason.
The Soveraigne-Person may command that thing
For which, the Soveraigne-Pow'r, if I shall doe it,
Me to the Gallowes for my paines, may bring,
And, hang me, with my Pardon, when I show it.
Because, when Soveraigne-Pow'r doth ought command,
Therein, the Soveraigne-Person is contain'd
So fully, that by Law, no deed can stand
In opposition thereunto, maintain'd.
And, he by whom this Truth is not beleev'd,
Is taught by Fooles, or else by Knaves deceiv'd.
Nor King nor Parliament doe I affect
For private ends: nor did they e're bestow
On me, the least appearance of respect
More then what they to all men use to show:
Nor can I hope that what I doe or write
(Till men grow better) an effect shall bring
Sufficient to defend me from despight
Though favour'd, both by Parliament and King:
How then, or by what bait have I beene caught
That I for Balams wages have been said
To contradict the
Brit. Re­memb.
Messages I brought?
And, from my owne good Counsels to have straid?
Or who can say, whose tongue it shall become,
That, my Allegiance, I have swerved from?
As elsewhere I have writ, so write I here,
No hand against the King: that is, no hand
We should against his Royall-Person reare,
Though he injoyn'd a tyrannous command.
Nor should a private-man, or private-pow'r
Take armes against him, though he should intend
Them, in their innocencie to devoure,
Not, meerly, their owne persons to defend.
For, should each petty member of a State,
Be armed at his pleasure, for Offence,
[Page 11] Their breaches of the peace, would ruinate
Themselves, the whole Republicke, and the Prince.
And, should a King from violence, not be free,
Till God shall strike; none so unsafe as he.
Yet, when by wicked Counsellers misled,
A King, shall his whole Kingdome so oppresse,
That, he, therewith appears indangered;
Me thinks, it were a Tenent reasonlesse,
To say, there were not in a Parliament
Such, as is our (or if no such we had)
No power in his Liege-people to prevent
The hazard of a consequence, so bad:
Or, that they might not lay upon their King
A charitable, and restraining-hand,
To stop him from pursuing that rash thing,
Which might undoe himself, and all the Land:
Or, that there were not nat'rally a right
In Them, against his will, for Him, to fight.
When by the fawnings of some cunning-whore,
A nat'rall-Father shall be so misled,
As that he beats his children out of doore,
And, causelesse drives their mother from his bed,
Beleeving they are bastards, she unchaste;
And, fir'd with jealousies, attempteth further,
To burne his house, to lay his dwellings waste,
And, with his family, himself to murther:
As, then, that Family, with an intent,
Him, from his ill-advisers, to withdraw,
(And his, and their destruction, to prevent)
May lay restraining hands, by Natures law,
On such a father, and yet therein be
Preserv'd from breach of houshold-duties, free.
So, when the Father of our Countrey, shall
By Flatteries, be drawn to such a course,
As may produce his owne and kingdomes fall,
Vnlesse we intervene, by timely force;
[Page 12] And, when, so loyally, the same is done,
That, to our utmost powers, we still assay
Not how to save his life, and rights, alone,
But, how his honour, too, preserve we may:
The Laws of God, of Nature, and of Reason,
Will, doubtlesse, warrant it, in their despight
Who brand it with Rebellion, and with Treason;
By shamefull Termes, from lawfull deeds, to fright;
Else, cut-throat Parasites, are onely they
Whom for the truest Liege-men, count we may.
That, we have thus ingenuously proceeded,
Nor waging war, nor our distrusts revealing,
Till our affaires those actions highly needed,
(And, made each Grievance fully ripe for telling)
Our consciences assure us; though the slanders
Of our Opposers, have our Truths beli'd,
And led the people through those dark Maeanders,
Which our faire dealings, and their frauds, may hide.
And, therefore, should the King, by wilfull stay
Among that crue, miscarry in the fight,
(Which to prevent, we still shall watch and pray)
Upon our heads, the blame should not alight;
For, who that woes the Plague, hath health assur'd?
Or, who can save, what will not be secur'd?
I came (as I professe) with single heart,
To stay the mischiefe, which I saw begun;
And, entred, with my Sword, to act that part,
Which, without blame, I knew not how to shun.
For, when God calls for blood, and will not heare
Our pray'rs, untill (his Justice to appease)
Those Beasts among us sacrificed are,
Whose life prolong'd, prolongeth our disease;
'Tis time we should observe, that we, like Saul,
Those Hockes, and those Amalakites, have spar'd,
Whose preservation may become our Fall;
If his commands, no better we regard.
[Page 13] 'Tis time, thought I, that in the gap we stand,
To stop the breach, that else will drown the land,
The Red-Horse then appear'd; and thereupon
That Rider forth advanc'd, at whose command
Those bloody executions must be done,
Which both defile, and purge a sinfull Land.
A mixed multitude made up our Traine,
Which God, for divers ends together brought;
Some, to avenge his cause; some, to be slaine;
Some, that Repentance in them might be wrought.
Our Army being rais'd, the Trumpet sounds;
The Colours are display'd, the Drums doe beat:
To make a passage, thorow blood and wounds.
For Iustice, Truth, and Peace, we forward set:
And, whilst we marcht, my heart, with thoughts con­fus'd,
Was over-fill'd; and thus I sadly mus'd.
Those dreadfull Tragedies, must I, O LORD!
Must I, not onely now survive to see;
Which were so long time fear'd, and so abhorr'd?
But live, in them, an Actor too, to be?
Is that abused Peace which we injoy'd,
So many yeeres (whilst ev'ry other State
Was plagu'd with war, and some nigh quite destroy'd)
In these our Islands, now, growne out of date?
Have we prolong'd Repentance, till the Flame
Which from the neighb'ring Countries did appeare
(Like Beacons, giving warning of the same)
Spreads, and devoures, with no lesse fury, here?
And is the time now come, in which this Nation
Must pledge them, in thy cup of indignation?
Who did so much as dreame, some yeeres agoe,
To see the Devil so, prevailing here,
To conjure up to ev'ry man, a Foe,
Among those Friends, that in his bosome were?
Who thought, to see so many brothers rage
Against each other? Fathers without griefe,
[Page 14] To ruinate the Pillars of their age?
[...]o many sonnes, to seeke their fathers life?
Who could have, then, beleeved this; that, friends,
Familiars, neighbours, kinsmen, mothers, daughters,
Should have, so madly, sought each others ends?
And mention, without teares, their wounds & slaughters?
And, finde this hellish poyson, to be shed
Almost in ev'ry village, house, and bed?
Who did suspect, that men who dote on wealth,
And make a God of Pleasure and of Ease?
Esteeming highly, safety, limbs, and health;
Should madly foole away their part of these?
And side, and quarrell so, about those things
Which most of them, regarded not a whit?
For, what their duties were to God, or Kings,
Or Common-Wealth, it troubled not their wit.
Nor doth it now, if their discourse and life,
May shew what Conscience of such things they make:
And, from this observation, I, with griefe,
Infallibly, may this Conclusion take;
That nothing else, this mischiefe did begin,
But, universall ripenesse of our sin.
How could there else, so soone, so many be
So hardned in the cruelties of war?
And, multitudes so forward, as we see,
For Rob'ries, Rapes and Murthers, as they are?
Who did a while agoe, suspect he had
Acquaintance, neighbours, houshold servants too,
So wicked, so malicious, and so bad,
To put in act, what now we see them doe?
War hath occasion given, to disclose
What ev'ry man affects. And, ev'ry one,
Is opportunity he gaineth, shewes
What things his heart is truly set upon.
Oh! if Wars entrance with such guilt begins,
Before it ends, how great will be our sins?
[Page 15] Observe, and credit this which now I say,
(Though I perhaps not worth regard may seeme)
Lest you repent it else another day,
And, finde too late, my words were worth esteeme.
If Peace we seeke not, and pursue it too,
Before there be too great an obduration,
Ere long, so hardned men in sin will grow,
That on his neighbour, none will have compassion,
But, ev'ry one, according to his powre,
Shall onely labour his owne Will to gaine;
And shall corrupt each other, and devoure:
Till wealth, nor wit, nor honesty remaine.
Nor ought, but such a raskall Generation,
As merits Gods, and good mens execration.
How happy had we been, if we had fear'd
Before these feares had ceaz'd us? and how blest?
Had we with penitence those warnings heard
Which notice gave, of this unwelcome ghuest?
But, now the Breach is made; the Floods break in,
And, we with miseries, are overslowne.
We shall be losers, though the day we win.
When spoiles we take, the losse will be our owne.
Because, from forraigne foes, we fear'd no harme,
God, for our sins, hath rais'd us foes at home.
Our selves, against our selves, we strongly arme;
And slaught'rers, of each other, are become.
An universall Ruine is begun;
And, he that was most rich, is most undone.
Behold, the Plough, by whom we are all fed,
Is throwne into the ditch: Our Herds decay:
Our Shepheards and our Husbandmen, are fled:
Artificers, may shut up shop, and play.
The Labourer, must either starve, or sight;
The Gownman, must a Swordman, learne to be;
Nor Magistrate, nor Lawes, can doe us right;
The Creditor, and Debtor, may agree.
[Page 16] The Glutton, must be glad of homely fare;
The Drunkard, must drink water, or be drie;
Old lowsie rags, Pride, must be fain to weare;
Our idle Dames, in vaine, for bread shall crie.
And, they who late, in finest linnen lay,
Shall scarce have leave, to lodge in straw, and hay.
How are our goodly buildings overthrowne!
How are our pleasant arbours hackt, and hew'd!
How bare and rude, are those neat places growne,
Where fruitfull Orchards, and fair Groves, we view'd!
Through Walks and Fields, which I have visited
With peacefull Mates, and free from fear of harmes;
Yea, there, where oft Fair-Ladies I have led,
I now lead on, a Troupe of men in Armes.
In Medowes, where our sports were wont to be,
(And, where we playing wantonly have laine)
Men sprawling in their blood, we now doe see;
Grim postures, of the dying, and the slaine.
And where sweet musique hath refresht the eare,
Sad groanes, of ghosts departing, now we heare.
In ev'rie Field, in ev'rie Lane, and Street,
In ev'rie House, (almost in ev'rie place)
With Cries, and Teares, and Loud-complaints we meet:
And, each one thinks his own, the saddest case.
But, what are private Losses, while we view
Three famous Kingdoms, wofully expos'd
To miserable Ruine, and so few,
Lament that plague, wherewith we are inclos'd?
My self, and my estate, I shall contemne,
Till we, in freedome, sing our Syon-Songs;
Till we have peace, in our Ierusalem;
And Church, and State, have what to them belongs.
For, what to these, are Oxen, Sheep, and Kine?
Or, any losse, that is but your, or mine?
But how should we have Peace, or Consolation?
Whence can it come? whilst, each of us neglects
[Page 17] The meanes, of such a blessed expectation?
And from bad Causes, looks for good effects?
Who yet repents? who, all alone, bewailes
His private sins? Or, since this Tempest rose,
Hath taken down, one furle of his proud failes,
That we the publike Vessell might not lose?
Few of us, yet, have truely laid aside
Our Self-conceit, our Envies, or our Spleene,
Our Avarice, our Wilfulnesse, or Pride,
And doubtlesse, whilst among us, these are seene,
In vaine, we hope, our miseries will cease;
In vaine, we, look for Comfort, Truth, or Peace.
Give me, Oh God! give me those moving teares,
Those deep-fet sighes, and those prevailing groanes,
Which may have powre to pierce through all the Spheres,
And fetch downe Pitie, for distressed-ones.
Give me enough for one, that would deplore
The sins of three great Nations; and, lament
For his own share, a little world-full more,
Which he, too long, deferred to repent.
Give me those Teares that acceptable be;
Such, as on Syons evil day were shed;
Such, as in bottles are preserv'd by thee;
Such, as were dropt, when Lazarus was dead;
Such, as if Teares might so much virtue have,
May three great Kingdoms, from destruction save.
Help us to that Peace-Offring, whence, may fume
Into thy nostrils, that sweet-smelling savour,
Whereby, thy Majestie may re-assume
These Kingdoms, once again, into thy favour.
With holy Charmes, thou hast delighted bin;
For, when in mournfull Elegies, to thee
The Son of Iesse did bewaile his sin,
From all his guilt, thy grace did set him free.
Why may not, then, to me, for whose example
Thy Spirit hath his piety recorded,
[Page 18] (Having within my heart, thy Inner-Temple)
Compos'd a Song, like mercie be afforded?
In hope it shall, to thee, O Gracious-God!
My Spirit, groaneth forth this mournfull Ode.
ALas! how darkesome be!
How gloomy, and how dim!
Thy Privic-lodgings, LORD, in me,
Which, Ioy was wont to trim?
What Ghosts are they that haunt,
The Chambers of my breast!
And, when I sleep, or comfort want,
Will give my heart no rest?
Me thinks, the sound of grones,
Are ever in mine eare.
Deepe-graves, Deaths-heads, and Charnel-bones
Before me, still appear.
And, when a sleep I fall,
In hope to finde some ease,
My dreames, to me, are worst of all,
And fright me, more then these.
Ah me! why was I borne
So late? or why soone?
To see so bright, so cleare a Morne,
So black an Afternoone?
What in my youth I fear'd,
What was long since foretold,
And, oft with scornes, and sleightings heard,
Fulfild, I now behold.
The Queene of Europes Iles,
The Princesse of her Lands,
(Late happy, in thy loving smiles)
Now, neer to ruine stands.
For, by their Crying-sins,
Prince, Peers, and People too,
Have brought their feet into those Gins,
Which no man can undoe.
[Page 19] Our Cunningst-wits have tride
To help untwist the Snare;
But, when they thought the cords would slide,
They more insnarled were:
And, since it is not words,
That can our Peace restore,
We now betake us to our Swords,
And make the mischief more.
How great is our distresse!
How grievous is our sin!
That eve'ry thing doth more increase
The Plague, that we are in!
There is yet, LORD, in thee,
A meanes of ease and aid,
Whereby, we sav'd from that might be,
Whereof, we are afraid.
O God! thy helpe command;
(For humane helpes are vaine)
And, in compassion to this Land,
Returne thou, once again.
And, if so much regard,
May to my suit be showne,
Let me behold this Tempest clear'd,
Before my Sun go down.
O LORD! return with mercy to these Lands;
Give not thy Glory over to the Foe.
Leave not thy Churches, in their bloodie hands,
Who seek, in this, thy Kingdoms overthrow.
Returne, before our Spoilers, hand have laid
On ev'rie pleasant, ev'ry pretious thing:
Before the Lyons on thy Lambs have preyd;
Before they shall thy Flocks to ruine bring.
Before our habitations do appeare
Like heaps of Rubbish, or the ploughed earth:
Before our pleasant fields, and gardens, are
Like Fornace-Fels; or, Highlands in the North.
[Page 20] And, e're our palaces, late neat and trim,
Are made the walks, and haunts, of Zim and Iim.
Once more! once more, oh GOD! in mercie heare
These miserable Pleas, of whose neare fall,
Their neighb'ring Foes in expectation are,
And, to behold it; on each other call.
Thy foes they are, oh LORD! as well as our;
Oh! give not therefore, way to their despight.
Let not their malice, nor our sins, have powre,
Upon our Tombes, to build up their delight.
Though they Divide, permit them not to Raigne;
But, let our Head, and Bodie, so accord,
That we, the stronger, may be knit againe,
And, in their bosome, sheath our angrie Sword:
For, our blest reconcilement, further shall
Thy Churches triumphs; and, their Babels, fall.
Their date is neare, if I aright have hit,
The meaning of that Number, which by thee
Was left, to trie the strength of everie wit,
Which longs the fall of Antichrist, to see.
To Them, I turn my speech; and thus dare say,
His Friends and Helpers are now moving on,
The cunningst plot, that they have left to play;
And, when that's past, their game will quite be done.
Some SAINTS, their policie will so beguile,
That, they to their Design shall furth'rance bring:
Yea, they shall help it forward, for a while,
Who favour not the Persons, nor the Thing.
But lest your hearts may faile, through long delay,
Give ear, and heed, what, now, my Muse will say.
That yeer, in which ROMES long-liv'd Empeire
Shall from the day, wherein it was at height,
Sum up, M, D, C, L, X, V, and I,
In order, as these Letters here I write:
That Yeare, that Day, that Houre, will be the date
Of her continuance; preserving neither
[Page 21] Top, Root, or Branch of that accursed State,
Nor Head, nor Bodie, Limb, Horne, Claw, or Feather,
For, here are all the Numerals of ROME
In order, as they are in valuation;
Which cannot make a lesse, or greater sum,
Without Disorder, Want, or Iteration.
Nor can she longer stand, or sooner fall,
If I mistake not Him, who governs all.
By Number, Weight, and Measure, worketh He,
Allotting to each thing the Bound, and Season,
Which may both correspond with his Decree,
And, somewhat, also, suit, with Humane-Reason.
In AEgypt, thus, a certain time of stay
Was to the seed of Iacob, there assign'd;
Thus likewise, to a fore-appointed day,
The raigne of Baltashazar was confin'd.
Thus, from the time of Daniels supplication,
Till CHRIST should come, the time foretold appears
To be, a pre-ordained limitation,
Untill the date, of Seventie weekes of yeares.
And, thus ROMES declination may, no doubt,
Be numbring, till her NVMERALS are out.
Two famous Numbers, are in them contain'd;
The first, declares that length of time, wherein
The Devil was, by Powre-Divine, restrain'd
From setting up, the Misterie of Sin.
The later, is the Number of the BEAST;
Which, when the LET was taken quite away,
(Whereby he was a thousand yeeres supprest)
Doth number out his Kingdom, to a day.
It is the number of the NAME, or Powre,
Ev'n of a MAN (of that mysterious-Man)
By whom Sin-mysticall is to this houre,
Continu'd; and, by whom, it first began.
And, he that can begin the thousandth yeare,
Shall finde the Number of the BEAST, is neare.
[Page 22] To search out that, it seemes not hard to me,
Since I believe, that when of her chiefe sin
ROME to be guiltie, did first prove to be,
Her Declinations did then first begin.
And, sure, of all her sins, the greatest Crime
Was crucifying of the LORD of life;
And, in unjustly persecuting them,
Who tendred Saving-Truth, to their beliefe:
Then, therefore, I presume ROMES fall begun,
And that GOD, measur'd, weigh'd, and numbred hath
How many backward Rounds her wheele should run,
When she had gain'd her glorioust height on earth:
Thus, in those NUMERALS, which are her owne,
(And all she hath) her Fate was written downe.
To bring this worke to passe, there is a Let
To be remov'd, of no meane consequence:
The op'ning of it cannot, well, as yet
Be borne, among us, without much offence;
And, warrant I have none to make my heart
So bold, as to disclose it: neither may it
With wisdome be revealed, till that Part
Be furnished with Actors, fit to play it.
And of this Mysterie, perhaps, the Key
Must be delivered by some Abler-one,
Who shall have power to doe, as well as say,
What, GOD, hath fore-appointed shall be done.
They first must take the Works, without the Walls,
And then, the great Malignant-Citie falls.
Then, with exceeding infamie, and scornes,
The BEAST, which yet so dreadfull seems to some,
Shall lose his Heads, and moult away his Hornes,
And, to the world, a laughing stocke become.
Then, many things, that have been long conceal'd,
(And which, to blinde the carnall Readers eye,
In seven darke Mysteries, were closely seal'd)
To ev'ry faithfull soule shall open lye,
[Page 23] That Kingdome, which the Iew did long agoe
Mould out, according to his erring braine,
And whereof, many zealous Christians too,
Unwarrantable fancies, dreame, or faine,
That Kingdome, whereof, yet, but types we heare,
Shall to the world, essentially appeare.
Be patient, therefore, you that are opprest▪
This Generation shall not passe away,
Till some, behold the downfall of that Beast,
Which, yet, among us, with his Taile doth play.
Then will the LAMBE of God begin to take
The Kingdome to himselfe: And ev'ry King
That on his rights, doth usurpations make,
To judgement, and to ruine, he shall bring.
No Kingling, then, assume the boldnesse shall,
Blasphemously (for know it is no lesse)
To stile himselfe The King-Catholicall,
As if Earths universall Globe were his:
For, though another hath usurp'd thereon,
That Title, doth belong to CHRIST, alone.
And, tis no marvell, if the Potentates,
And Princes of this world, shall now combine,
By policie, to strengthen their estates;
And, with the Beast, and Gog, and Magog, joyne;
No marvaile, if enraged they appeare,
Through jealousies and doubts, of losing that,
By which, their pride and lusts, maintained were,
And, which, base Feare, and Flattery first begat:
For, all those Kingdomes, and those Emperies,
Througout the world, which their beginning tooke'
By humane wit, fraud, force, or tyrannies,
Shall passe away, and vanish into smoake.
An Armie, whereof yet there's little hope,
Shall wrest the Scepter both from Turke and Pope.
Religion, and meere showes of Pietie,
Have been so long the masks for base designes:
[Page 24] The great Vice-gerents of the Deitie,
Have made such Polititians of Divines;
And these together have so fool'd and cheated
The consciences of people well inclin'd,
That, of all Freedomes we are nigh defeated,
Belonging to the Body and the Minde.
Yea, GOD they so have mock'd; and on his Throne
And his Prerogative, so farre incroach'd,
That of his honour he is jealous growne,
And, will no longer, be by them reproach'd:
But, to the SAINTS, their liberties restore,
And, give those Kings their Portions with the Whore.
D'ye startle at it? as if I had spoke
High-Treason? or, as if what now I say,
Without a Warrant, I had undertooke
To certifie? Perhaps, you thinke, I may.
Know, therefore, that, I had this information
Not from a private Spirit; but, from his
Known, and unquestionable Revelation,
Which, to the world, long since, revealed this.
Those Kings, which, to the LAMBE their crowns resign;
And shall (the BEAST opposing) be content
To raigne, according to the Discipline
Which CHRIST commands, shall keep their Government:
The rest shall weep, and waile, and curse their birth,
With wicked Kings, and Merchants of the earth.
CHRIST, and his Law, shall then beare all the sway,
By Governments, resembling that, perchance,
For which the Iewes GODS Yoke did cast away,
The King-ship, of the Gentiles to advance.
And, as GODS people, foolishly did crave
In stead of his milde Scepter, to obtaine
That Heathenish-Monarchy, which doth inslave
And seek, by Arbitrary-Power, to raigne:
So, shall all people, then, desire to leave
Their Ethnick-Chaines, and, with his holy-Nation,
[Page 25] CHRIST'S Precepts, and his Discipline receive,
And, be partakers too of their Salvation.
And, when this glorious Kingdome shall begin,
The Fulnesse of the Gentiles, enters in.
God, hath so long deferred the possession
Of that great Blisse; because, our worldlinesse,
Hypocrisie, and discord, keepes the Blessing,
From ripening into such a Happinesse.
Some, in unrighteousnesse, the Truth retaine,
And, make the same thereby, the lesse believ'd.
Some, by an Outward-holinesse doe gaine
The meanes to have their Heresies receiv'd.
While some pursue the Antichrist, without them,
An Antichrist, ariseth up within them;
Which, if they looke not warily about them,
New worke for Reformation, will begin them!
But, GOD will finish what he pre-ordain'd,
When Penitence and Sin, their heights have gain'd,
Oh! that I could expresse what glorious sights,
My soule hath glimpses of, by contemplation,
And to what brave and unbelieved heights,
They screw me, by an unperceiv'd gradation!
That blessed Kingdome, which, by faith I see,
And know shall come; me thinks doth now appeare
Described by a Patterne unto me,
As if it painted, in dim Landskip, were:
And, my unbounded soule runs rambling over
So many objects, that, if she should give
Account, of ev'ry thing she can discover,
I should relate, what few would yet believe;
And give to fooles occasion, one time more,
To scoffe me; as they have done, heretofore.
Whilst thus I muz'd, behold, the foe came on,
And to possesse the bord'ring hills began;
My Colonell, experienc'd Midleton,
A valiant Scot, that day led up the Van.
[Page 26] A Troupe that flankt him on the left I led:
The Word was ordred forth; the souldier shouted;
Our martiall musick them incouraged,
And, each from other, feares of danger flouted.
Our forces joyn'd in clouds of fiery smoke;
Whence many whizzing thunder-bolts were shot:
Our glittering swords, like flashing lightnings, stroke
Each others eyes, and bloody showres begot;
Enough, whereby our courage might be tried;
And, yet, with no great losse, on either side.
For, lest, while of (each part) the Forlorne-hopes
Together strove, our Side might seek to take
A narrow-passe (which might have made some stops,
To their great hazzard, in retreating back)
They wheel'd about, as if to gain some ground
Of more advantage: so, before the place
We rightly knew, or their intention found,
Instead of a Re-charge, we gave them chase:
Which being finish'd, and my warmed blood
Grown colder, by our Adversaries flight,
Another Foe, which long my peace withstood,
A Challenge brought me, for another Fight:
And, in the dark, when that dayes march was done,
A second furious battell we begun.
A strong Brigade, was mustred up together,
And many cunning Engines forth were brought,
Which doubtlesse, had I come unarmed thither,
Had gained him the Victory, he sought.
To undermine me, he, at first, perplext
My heart, with many deep and subtill questions:
To win that fortresse, he assayed, next,
By strong perswasions, and untrue suggestions.
Then, with confused througs of dangers, feares,
And, other such like Instruments as those,
By violence to storme it, he prepares;
And, force prevailing not, his craft he showes:
[Page 27] Which, taking like effect, he beat the Drum,
And to a Parlie we began to come.
His Generall was that Deluding-Reason,
Which hath so much befoold this Generation,
Defaming Loyaltie with termes of treason,
And seeking Truths, and true mens defamation.
This is that Grand-Impostresse, which hath had
The power of late, our Clergie to misguide,
To blinde the King, to make the Nobles mad,
And lead the Common-people quite a side.
This is the Mountebancke that cheats the Land,
With Romish-Drugs, and fills our heads with toyes,
That buildeth Forts, and Churches in the Sand,
And faire and fitme foundations, oft destroyes.
And this is she that men so blinde doth make,
The shadow, for the substance, to mistake.
She thus began: Within thy Soveraignes Land
How darest thou, bold Traitor to appeare
Without his Approbation, or Command,
With that thy Troope, of armed Rebels, there?
Hast thou not heard those Royall Proclamations,
Which threaten those who thus themselves aray?
Hast thou not read those learned Declarations,
That shew thee how thy Leaders goe astay?
Hast thou not heard the reverend Prelates preach,
That all the Kings Commands must be obeyd?
Hast thou not heard approved Doctors teach,
That, all we have must at their feet be laid?
And, that a Mortall cloathd with Majestie,
Is little lower then the Deitie?
Thy service and obedience to the King,
Even God himselfe injoynes: why dost thou then
Assistance to his Adversaries bring,
And rather disobey thy GOD, then men?
Nay, thou thy selfe hast that Allegiance taught,
Which now thou violat'st, and couldst foretell
[Page 28] What mischieves would upon their heads be brought;
Who should against their Soveraigne-Prince rebell.
Yet now, behold, thou neither having awe
Of thine owne Conscience, or the royall right,
Of GODS commands, or of the Kingdomes Law,
Dost arme thy selfe, against all these, to fight;
And, by pretences for the publike good,
Defil'st the Kingdome, and thy selfe with blood.
An Arbitrary-government you blame,
And to the Lawes, your Actions seeme to tie;
Yet, by your Ordinances, doe the same
Which to the King, unjustly you deny.
You, for the Subjects liberty contend,
Yet into Prisons, freemen you have throwne.
To ease them of Taxations, you pretend;
Yet make them greater then were ever knowne.
You take from whom you please, and what you list;
And no man is assured of his owne,
Or dares to contradict, much lesse resist.
Yea, lately, you so insolent are growne,
That, not the People, onely, you undoe,
But, many wayes, abuse your Soveraigne too
To make him rich, faire promises you made;
But, so far off have been from adding more,
That you have taken from him what he had,
And, rendred him lesse able then before.
To cherish Virtue, or to punish Vice,
Or to protect the wrongd, or to relieve
The needie soule; you neither offices,
Nor Armes, nor Rents, to his disposure give,
Gods glory, and Religious puritie,
Sincerity to affect, you make a show;
But, thereof, we have small security,
Whilst pious Monuments you overthrow.
And whilst, you favour, cherish, and protect
The Schismaticks of every Giddie-Sect.
[Page 29] The King denyeth nothing he may grant,
But voweth and protesteth, to maintain,
The true Religion of the Protestant;
And, lets the Subjects dues, to them remain.
Of him you foster causelesse jealousies;
For, to the people, or the Parliament,
He hath intended no such injuries,
As you, seducers causelessely invent,
He aymeth at the reall preservation
Of Rights, Laws, Customes, and of all that's due
To Church, or Common-weale; for which this Nation
A publike, or just private claim can shew;
And, that, which to preserve, he doth assay,
You, Rebels, seeke to change, or take away.
He stands oblig'd, the Kingdome to protect;
But, you his Towns, Arms, Forts aand Ships doe ceaze,
Whereby his Office wants a prime effect:
And, you against him, arme your selves with these.
The people you seduce, and you invent
Devices cunningly to drive away
The Lords and Commons from the Parliament,
That your own pleasures there, enact you may,
The Kings best friends for traitors you pursue:
By Sequestrations you have made them poore:
Nay he himselfe misjudged is of you,
At least, a fav'rer of the Scarlet-Whoore.
And he that was to be your glory borne,
Is now become an object of your scorne.
How can you therefore safely live or die
In such a Cause? How can you, without feare,
Be actors in that bloody Tragedie?
Whereto, thus blindely, you advancing are?
How, will you to your GOD? how, to your King?
How, to this wronged Kingdome, answer make?
When by their power they shall that vengeance bring,
Which will be due, for what you undertake.
[Page 30] Thus far she rav'd; and, further as I think
She had proceeded: But, I having ey'd
My Troopers (and perceiving some, to shrink
At her last words) I rein'd my horse aside
To cheer my Troap; then, wheel'd a little back,
And, to confute those falshoods, thus I spake.
Trait'resse to Reason, that high heav'n-born -Queen,
Whom ev'ry earthly Monarch should obey;
Thou who the Cause of all those Plagues hast been
Which overflow this Island, at this day:
How long wilt thou persist, with shows of truth
To colour falshood? and, from thy delusions,
Draw forth (to cozen heedlesse age and youth)
Inconsequents, and frivolous conclusions?
In vain thou seek'st with words to terrifie
From what, with good advisement, is begun.
With honour, we have hope to live, and dye,
What ever can by thee be said, or done,
And, in our just resolves will settle fast,
In spight of all the Sophistry thou hast.
Imprudent Amazon, why com'st thou arm'd
With Potguns, and with Kexes to invade,
A Skonce that's triple fortifi'd, and charm'd,
By Spels, which to secure it, Reason made?
Beleevest thou, Lyes, Fallacies and Shows
Chew'd into paper-pellets, can affright
Ought else but Regiments of Daws and Crows?
Or, things that come to feed, but not to fight?
When to my face, thou falsly dar'st accuse
My Conscience, which none knows but GOD and I,
And wouldst my own belief thereof abuse,
Behind my back, how wilt thou me belye?
My Writings too, in favour of thy Cause,
Thou understandest, as thou dost the Laws.
Their Author is in being, so am I;
The Laws true sense is that which they shall give;
[Page 31] And, I am he that best can testifie
The meaning of my Poems, whilst I live.
I have not swerv'd essentially from ought
(If well my words, and deeds be understood)
Which I have either counselled or taught,
Pertayning to the King or Common-good.
And though thy friends report that I rebell,
And Balam-like, against my knowledge too,
(When I had both foretold, and counsel'd well
What would befall, and what men ought to do)
I shall occasions finde, my self to clear
Of all, whereof I guilty may appear.
The factions of our Clergie I foresaw,
The progresse of their factions I foretold,
Which way the one our Sovereigns heart should draw,
Which way the other, tempt the people should;
And, thereupon my soul (as well it might)
Fearing such mischiefs as from thence do spring,
According to the measure of her light,
Did counsell both the People and the King.
The King proceeded as his Prophets taught,
(For their despight made void my good intent)
The other faction of the Clergy, sought
To work upon the peoples discontent:
And, had not then a miracle been done,
It had, long since, Rebellion here begun.
For, had not GOD beyond all hopes of our,
When plotted mischiefs were to ripenesse come,
Vouchsafed us a Parliamentall power,
The sin, which I most fear'd, to keep us from?
My wit perceives not how the people rage
(Provoked so, as then it would have bin)
Should means have found that fury to asswage,
Which would have brought a true Rebellion in.
Nay, to such heights was discontentment rays'd,
That, if this present timely Parliament
[Page 32] (which never can sufficiently be prais'd)
Had not enabled been, as well as sent
By GOD himselfe, a wondrous worke to doe,
They had ere this, been slaves and rebels too.
But having by meer providence procur'd
The priviledge for their continuation,
To be by an Enacted-Law securd,
Till they saw cause to give it limitation;
Such courage thereby tooke they, and such hope,
Their good indeavours should not be undone.
As heretofore (through want of time and scope
To perfect things which they had well begun)
That, they had qualifi'd the fiery zeale,
which might have kindled a rebellious flame;
And armed lawfully this Common-weale,
To make a just defence, as her became:
For, tis her safety, that secures the King:
And her distruction, will his ruine bring.
We are not come, our Soveraign to oppose,
But for him, we thus armed now appear,
By Warrant, and Authority from those,
Who to confer it, well enabled were:
Even by that Supreme-Councell, whence doe come
All acts that most concerne the publike-Weale;
The second Senate, from whose finall doom,
We cannot to another Judge appeale:
When that commands, the Kings commands they be,
More binding, then his personall Injunction.
In their contempt, dishonoured is he,
And disobed in his noblest function.
In his, we but his Person disobey;
In their, his Powre, and Office we gain-say.
We heare indeed, some time, a Proclamation
Injoyning that, or else forbidding this:
But how, I pray shall we have information,
Whose will and pleasure, and whose deed it is?
[Page 33] The Person of the King we seldom see;
His Court is now a place uncertain grown:
With him, no lawfull Counsellors hath he;
How then, of us, can his true mind be known?
Since in his Name, anothers Will may come,
We neither knowing whence, nor yet from whom?
The Court of Parliament appears to all,
To have therein, the Royall Power, and Name:
It keeps the Place, whereto the King did call,
And virtually abideth still the same.
That Order, Ordinance, and that Commission,
Which issues forth from them, to us appears
To be their act and deed, without suspition
And we obey it as the Kings, and theirs:
Why, therefore, should we be reproach'd, and blam'd,
Because, we are not rather guided by
A printed sheet, wherein the King is nam'd,
To draw us, our known duty to deny?
By telling us, a trayt`erous part we play,
Unlesse, our King and Country we betray?
Me thinks, it were a motive somewhat odd,
That those few lines, which ill-advice might draw,
Beginning thus, CHARLES by the grace of GOD,
Should more obliege, then equity and Law.
Yet, this is our condition; and, unlesse
We will suspect our eye-sight, and our hearing;
And say we are in state of happinesse,
When universall ruine we are fearing;
Or, else, believe (or say and swear we do,
Though false it be) what ere our foes perswade;
And will be Infidels, and Asses too,
Or such tame Fools, as they of some have made,
We must be censur'd in our noblest action,
To have unjust designes, and side with faction.
Unlesse with Rehoboams Cavaleers,
We will bring aid and counsell to oppresse:
[Page 34] Unlesse, we will not think that all our Fears,
Are without reall ground, and reasonlesse:
Unlesse, we will beleeve Achitophel;
The Parasites of Ioash, Iudahs King;
The Priests of Ahab, Baal, and Iezabel,
Which to Idolatry this Land would bring;
Unlesse, our selves meer slaves we will repute;
Unlesse, we will against all right and Reason,
GODS Epithetes, to Princes attribute;
Or, falsly, say, our Loyalty is Treason,
Or, do, as Fools and Traytors have appointed,
We fight (forsooth) against the Lords anointed.
Yea, then it must be told me, I rebell;
That, I resist my Sovereign and the Laws;
That Balaam-like the truth I could fore-tell,
And know the right, yet aid an evill cause.
But, what am I? Thou sayst, the Parliament
(Though shows of other purposes it carry)
In practice doth approve that Government,
Which in the King, they say, is Arbitrary;
Which is untrue. For, Arbitrary Sway
Is that which governs by the Will of ONE:
But, when their Ordinances we obey,
To Reason we submit, agreed upon
By many, chosen out to that intent,
Both by our own, and by the Kings consent.
What ever then that Counsell shall ordain,
Is in effect the Pleasure of the King,
And our united; whereof to complain,
It were a causlesse, and a foolish thing.
And, though we may have grievances thereby
We cannot call them injuries, by reason
'Twas to prevent a lasting misery,
By making us to suffer, for a season,
The Parliament abridgeth no mans right,
Takes no mans Liberty or goods away
[Page 35] To favour some, and others to despight:
Or, that themselves therewith enrich they may;
But, seize it for the Publike; and from those,
Who, to the publike harm, thereof dispose.
Perhaps, unruly Souldiers, and some too
Who them command, will practise, now and then,
Harsh violence, as Devils use to do,
Who, at these times, come forth in shape of men.
But, from such insolencies I am free
And ev'ry way so cleer; that though our Foes
Of
To the value of above 1000. l.
all I had have quite despoyled me:
And, though I was authorized by those
Who pow'r might give my losses to redresse
On them who robbed me; I have not sought
Without compassion, or with greedinesse,
To mend my Fortunes, as, I heare tis thought;
But, only taken, what the present need
Requir'd; my self, and Family to Feed.
Yea, save when we from home had marched far,
And thither, where, perforce, we did endure
The hard, and strong necessities of war,
Through want of means, things needfull to procure?
We nothing took without a recompence,
Nor (to my knowledge) either then, or there,
But, with good words, and, without violence;
And, nought but what did need, & them might spare,
Nor did I, or, my Troopers, leave unpaid
Our Quarters any where, whilst we had pay,
And, since our entertainments were delaid,
They have my word for payment, when I may.
And, By thus taking, Souldiers grieve men lesse
In times of War, then Courtiers did in Peace,
We take not, as Monopolizers do,
And, begger Many; to enrich but One:
Nor take we from, both poor, and wealthy, too,
As Tyrants, that our pleasure might be done,
[Page 36] Nor as the damn'd-self damming Gavalleer,
Who for his lust, and to the Kingdoms harm,
From good and bad, from friend and so, doth teare,
What ever may be reached with his arme,
The Parliament (a Body representing
The Kingdome) takes from none; but of her own
Takes part, for furtherance, or for preventing
Of good or evill, either fear'd or known:
And, if this be unjust, or lawlesse taking,
It is not by a Law of Reasons making.
For, as the Body-naturall may take
From hands or feet, or any other part,
To wrap about the head when it shall ake;
Or, warm to keep the stomack, or the heart,
When life is else in danger: right so, may
The Body-politike, without reproof,
From any of her Members, take away.
For it own preservation, or behoof,
Yea, doubtlesse, if a man his goods may spend,
His body to redeem; or, give consent
Some Blood to lose, or Member, to this end,
That he the losse of life might so prevent;
Much more may that Great-Bodie do the same,
Without the brand of injury, or blame.
The taxes, which our Parliament impose,
Are not to grieve the people: but to aid,
And strengthen them against the powre of those,
By whom uneasie burthens have been laid.
If they be greater now, then heretofore,
It is because necessities are greater:
And, now require, we should bestow the more,
To make, hereafter, our assurance better.
And pittie were it, but he should be father
To none but slaves, or to a generation
Who should not dare old rotten rags to gather
Without a Patent, and a Proclamation,
[Page 37] Who for his Country, thinks his goods too much;
Or, would his life in this adventure grutch.
As for their loyall offers to the King,
They ready were; and are as ready still,
Their wealth, and power, and all they have to bring
To serve him, if his part he shall fulfill.
They would be loth his treasure to increase,
To purchase instruments, wherewith to slay them;
Or, raise an Army, to disturb their peace;
Or, to corrupt their Captains, to betray them.
They should be loth to give him Rents and Lands,
Buffoones, and men unworthy to advance;
That they might weaken us, and arm his hands,
To make us Subjects A la mod de FRANCE.
But, for his Guard, and for the publike-peace,
Our Goods, our Lives, and all we have is his.
If his Revenues, in their hands they stay,
It is not without reason (as is thought)
But, to secure his Crown, and to defray
The charge of War, which he on us hath brought.
If they, from his disposure, now withdraw
Some things, by Him, dispos'd of heretofore,
It is because their right it is by Law;
And, ought to be neglected so no more.
When things permitted out of good respects,
Are challenged as customary rights;
And, when good meanings bring forth ill effects,
Tis time to take more need of oversights;
And, that, by having erred heretofore,
We may not be undone for evermore.
Ships, Forts. and Arms belong unto the Prince,
Not for himself, but for the publike use:
They therefore keeping them for his defence,
(And for the Kingdoms good) what needs excuse?
Or, if they ceazed on them, with intent
To prepossesse them, that they might in time.
[Page 38] Their foes inhumane purposes prevent;
It was no fault, or, else, a veniall Crime.
They made their Ordinances not for Laws,
But, for the present need, to be in force;
Lest Law-proceedings being at a pause.
The mischiefs (over-great) grow daily worse,
And, none denyes the Parliament, this powre
But, they who seek their freedoms to devoure,
Though Libellous Detractors, and that Rabble,
Whom thy deluding Sophistries deceive,
Pretend their purpose is dishonourable,
And, of his dues, our Sovereign to bereave;
Your sland'rous Allegations are untrue,
And rais'd by those who hate the Parliament;
Because, a Reformation they pursue;
And that, which may their purposes prevent.
Far is it, either from their thought, or our
The King, of his just profits to defeat;
Or to deprive him of that Kingly powre
Whose want may make his honour incompleat,
By taking, or by clipping (to his wrong)
Those Rights, which to his Office do belong.
When ought they take, it is to take away
That mischief, which may take him from his Throne.
When they deny, it is not to gainsay,
But, that his lawfull pleasute may be done.
When they disarm him, tis but that his foes
Might not with his own weapons him destroy.
When they his Rents with-hold, it is that those
Should not his wealth to his own losse employ.
Have they restrain'd his power? they did it not
To limit him; but, that his Parasites,
Should not to his dishonour. him beset;
And, make that Pander to their appetites,
Till by their wicked practices, first, We
Are to their wils inslaved; and, than He.
[Page 39] The worst condition they would bring him to,
Is onely this; that, if he or his Sonne,
By ill advisement, would themselves undoe,
No innocent should thereby be undone.
Nor they, if during life, Manasseth-like,
They could repent. This brave Prerogative,
This Priviledge, for him, and his, we seek;
That, nothing of his Throne might him deprive.
We labour, that it gloriously might stand,
By Righteousnesse upheld: and, that his Line
May bear the Royall-Seepter in this Land,
As long as either Sun, or Moon shall shine,
By being made, true Homagers to Him,
That wears the universall Diadem.
They would not have him, or his child, hereafter,
Suppose that an advantage can be had,
By bringing to his bed King Pharaohs daughter;
Or, any with whom, GOD, the Banes forbad.
We would not have him, Rehoboam-like,
Advance his Throne by tyrannous oppression:
Or (led by foolish Counsell) Shadows seek
Till he had lost the Substance in possession.
They would not have him set up golden-Calves,
With Ieroboam; and suppose to save
By policy, and serving GOD, by halves,
That Kingdom, which to him, he freely gave,
Till he, like him, hath made the people sin,
And, brought our Endlesse-desolation in.
They would not have him, Ahab-like, misled
By wicked female Counsels; or, by those
Dissembling Priests and Prophets, who have bred
That Plague, which now this Island, overgrows.
Nor would they that (with King Iehosaphat)
Some fruitlesse complements, or causlesse fears,
Should draw him, to become confederate,
With such as are profest Idolaters:
[Page 40] Much lesse by those that are unwarrantable,
And, such as flatterie alone, imputes.
We wish he may be great, but not (with some)
So great, as from a lawfull King, to swell
Into a Tyrant; and by that meanes come
To gain a principality in hell.
We wish him rich; but, not by tricks, that may
Inrich Projectors more: and, lastly prove
A cheat, procuring him, another way,
A greater dammage in his peoples love:
But, of these things, we wish him so possest,
That they may make him happie, and us blest,
The Parliament would so our Kings enable,
If they, by their advisement, would proceed,
As that, hereafter, no dishonourable,
Unsafe, or unfit courses they should need.
We blush (and are asham'd, as well as griev'd)
That they of whom, we, Justice should obtain,
(When injuries from others we receive,)
Give cause of greater sufferings to complain.
We thinke, what ere seducing Prelates say,
They should have consciences as well as we:
And, may have soules, which will, another day,
Made subject to the Common Judgement be.
And, we would have them none of those, that shall
Cry to the Mountains, down on them to fall.
We would not have them, to our daily sorrow,
And their dishonor, wrong'd, by such, as they,
Who keepe them still so needie as to borrow:
And never in condition to repay.
We would not have them live, and die in debt,
(as usually they doe) without regard,
Whose wants, and whose complaynings they forget:
And whose deserts they leave without reward:
Or, need to be incumbred with so many
Oppressing Officers (who from us teare
[Page 41] But, that like David, he should purge his Court
From impudent offenders; and from all
Those practices, which are of ill report;
And chiefly those, which will for vengeance call:
That so his Kingdom might be safe in GOD,
From Traytors here at home: and foes abroad.
They would not have his Minions rob his Name
Of all that honour which thereto belongs;
And, in requitall, make him bear the blame
Of their loud-crying cruelties and wrongs,
They would not have each honourable Place,
Fild up, in stead of Princes with such groomes,
As to this Kingdomes, and our Kings disgrace,
Late fild, and yet defild those noble Rooms.
Fellowes, of whom the publike fame records
No merit; unlesse merit be in roring,
In being trusty Panders to their Lords;
In gaming, drinking, quarreling, or whoring.
For, by these virtues, from a trencher-man,
A Princes Minion, riseth, now and than.
They would not at the sacred Counsell-board,
That, Lust, and Pride. and Avarice should sit
Arrayed, and intiled like a Lord,
That hath nor credit, honesty, nor wit.
Or, such a Ruffian, as (when suiters, there,
In humble wise their grievances prefer)
Shall swear, GOD damne me, I will nothing heare,
That is inform'd against an Officer.
Or such, as with notorious impudence,
Shall taunt imperiously, or tartly blame
A man, that is of well known innocence,
When they themselves do merit publike shame;
Because in publike view, and without aw,
They violate divine, and humane Law.
We would preserve our Sovereigns honourable:
Not by a blast of ayry Attributes;
[Page 42] A shilling for themselves, for him, a penny;
Yet, Raven-like, still, hungry Carions are)
If their estates were setled once aright,
And, managed by men that are upright.
Then, should our Princes never need to send
Theit Privy-Seals, to borrow for their use;
And, when they came where nothing was to lend,
Be much displeased at a just excuse.
Nor should they need to seek, as oft they do,
By petty Loans, a generall supply;
And (which ill suits with borrowing) threaten too,
If we their expectation shall deny:
Nor take such other courses, as of late
Have been devis'd; and, which are baser, farre,
Then our Collections at the Church-yard-gate;
Yea, baser then our Countrey Help-Ales are:
And, which a generous mind would scarce admit,
Whilst he had rags to wear, or pulse to eat.
For, who can mention, without Indignation,
Those Rascall Projects, wherewith some pretended
His Majesties Revenues augmentation;
As when, the Sope, and Pins, they him befriended:
Or, when they raysed Fines, by Proclamation,
From Labourers, and Beggers Cottages;
Or, from their new-invented-Corporation,
Salt, Mault, and I Coals, with such like things as these:
Or, if I erre not, some, from baser things,
To rayse the Kings Revenue, made a show,
Ev'n from old Rags, from Guts for Fiddle-strings.
And, if these Projects had not been enow,
I think, ere this, there had been some device,
To raise a profit out of Nits and Lice.
We scorn, this Kingdom, or our King should be
Dishonour'd by such beggarly inventions:
To make him rich, a nobler way have we,
When he shall please to like of our intentions.
[Page 43] And, whatsoere thy sland'rous tongue hath said,
Wee, seek our Soveraignes welfare; and, with him
No guilefull, or disloyall Parts have plaid,
To wrong the Scepter, or the Diadem.
Nor have we raced any Monument
Of Christian-Piety; the Crosse except,
That we might those Idolatries prevent,
Which in, among us, by that Relique crept.
And, down (for ought I know) the Crosse was took,
As justly, as the brazen Snake was broke.
For, though, when Christianity began,
And Iewes, and Gentiles, mentioned with scorn,
Christ-crucifi'd, unto the Christian-man,
That badge was then with approbation worn,
Because, it witnes'd them, no whit asham'd
Of Him, in whom they did professe belief,
Though doom'd he was, unto a death defam'd,
And suffer'd as a murtherer, or theef:
Yet, since the Popelings have a trick devis'd,
To lift it up, above the civill use,
And, for a Saint, the same hath canoniz'd,
And, stain'd it, by idolatrous abuse,
We have rejected it, as, now, become
A wanton Token from the whore of Rome.
That Sects, or Schismes, we favour, I deny;
For, Law, and true Religion we befriend,
Against their fury and Idolatry,
Whom you have arm'd, injustice to defend.
We to be regulated are content,
(Not, by the fancies of one private braine,
Or, by a few, that came ere they were sent)
By those, to whom such matters appertaine.
Some Lawyers have the sense of Law estrang'd
From what it was: some, Priests, and Prelates too,
Both Doctrines and Church-Discipline have chang'd,
From that which was establish'd long agoe;
[Page 44] That, therefore, we might in the truth abide,
We by the Fountaines would have all things tride▪
Though of her Members, faultie some appeare,
The Parliaments maine purpose is upright:
And, while preserved their Foundations are,
The Righteous cannot lose their labours quite.
Although the Kings intentions may be good,
(As I still hope they be) yet, most of those
That give him counsell, now, are men of blood;
And, such as dutie bindes us to oppose.
T were no discretion to commit my Sword
To him, who straight would give it to my foe.
Nor were it wisely done, to take his word,
Who knowes not, what he shall have powre to doe.
For, oft, from Reason, other men estrange us;
And, other while, our own corruptions change us,
Thou saist, the King hath vowed, and protests,
Our Lawes, and our Religion to defend.
We ask no more, unlesse, as in the breasts
Of private men they are, he shall intend:
Or, shall conceive, that he the Law doth carie
Within himselfe: For, that doth plainly show
The government he seeks, is Arbitrarie;
Which, humbly we denie to be his due.
I say the Law now armes me. He sayes no;
And, calls me traitor, for what I have done.
The Parliament affirmes I faile to doe
My dutie, if another course I run:
And how the King in Law more skil'd can grow
Then they that made it, I would gladly know.
It were a fancie, to affirme he gained
A knowledge of our Lawes by Revelation,
Or that he studied them: then, he obtained
His notions of them, by meere information,
And who are his informers, now, but those,
That, are the chiefe transgressors of the Law?
[Page 45] They, who essentially the same oppose?
Who, from it, their obedience quite withdraw?
They, whose delinquencie had made them feare?
[...]o let the Lawes true powre, or sense be knowne?
Because, if their true vigour should appeare,
These, and their Structures, would be overthrowne.
Yes, they from whom, he learn'd his chiefest skill,
Are they, who tell him, Law is, What he will.
If thou shalt say, his Informations are
From those, that in our Lawes most skilfull be,
And, men unblam'd; admitting, such they were,
Though that is nor beleev'd, nor knowne of me)
This, I am certaine of, my undertaking
Was, by no such meane counsell undergone;
Nor by a warrant of that private making,
But, by a stronger; by a publike one:
Ev'n by that Senate; whence our Law doth spring:
By that great Court, which is, by all, confest
Chiefe-Counsell, to the Kingdome, and the King:
The Ladie and Commandresse of the rest:
By those, from whom the Lawes that binde this nation,
Receive both being, and interpretation.
Should I the judgement of that Court despise
For their, whom yet, I neither heard, nor saw?
Because a few, did other waies advise,
More blam'd for arrogance, then fam'd for Law?
And, is it not of dangerous consequence,
That, to his rev'rend Parliaments disgrace,
The King, in doubtfull points, should leave their sense,
For judgements, which from private spirits passe?
For, if a private spirit vouch'd may be
Against that Court, for Him: why may it not
Against Him, be as well a vouch'd for me,
If to contend, I powre enough had got?
Grant this and every man as well may hope
To damne a Generall-Councell, as the Pope.
[Page 46] Grant this, and none can doubt the Kings intent
The Protestant-Religion to maintaine,
And all the Freedomes of the Parliament;
For, they are in his Bosome, and his Braine.
And what he will, yea, sometime, what his Groome
Shall make him to beleeve, or understand,
(Though all his dictates be receiv'd from Rome)
Is then, the Law and Gospel of the Land.
Most Prelates, and most Iudges were the Creatures
Of Princes, and their Minions; therefore, these
Make for them (as their Vassals, and their Debters)
Religion, and the Lawes, ev'n when they please.
And, hence our strifes, and all divisions spring,
Twixt GOD, and us, the People, and the King.
We would not bar our Sov'raignes, any powre
Which fortifies, or dignifies the Crowne:
Nor lose one lawfull Priviledge that's our,
When we are well inform'd what is our owne.
The People, did first make both Lawes and Kings:
And, for their owne securitie, did make them.
Then, he that shall repute them, to be things
Ordain'd for other ends, doth much mistake them.
Now, for themselves, if Lawes and Kings they made,
The makers had been madmen, to intend
They should a meaning, or a Powre, have had
To make them uselesse to their chiefest End,
And give Prerogatives, or meanings to them,
That, should, in stead of saving, helpe undoe them.
True Reason, therefore, warrants me to say,
That, when we see the Law a sense doth give,
Which taketh any publike right away;
Or stretcheth so the Kings Prerogative,
As that the Kingdome is opprest thereby,
Or, of the publike safety brought in feare;
Or, doubtfull of approaching tyrannie;
Or, liable to mischiefes may appeare;
[Page 47] That sense of Law is false; usurped be
All such Prerogatives: And, nor by time,
Or frequent presidents, oblig'd are we
To let our Freedomes, be infring'd by them:
But, we should claime, and take, what proveth our,
As oft, as GOD shall give us means and powre.
Though some Historians, and the flattring Pen
Have stil'd the Norman, CONQVEROR; nor he,
Nor any one before him, or since then,
Can say, that we a conquer'd Nation be.
For, by a Composition, and on termes
Becomming Free-men, we remain'd possest
Of Liberty; and WILLIAM threw downe armes,
Accepting of that share we valued least.
And, had we not as well by Oath, as Word,
Been reinvested in our Native-right,
That, which we lost unjustly, by the Sword,
At all times, by the Sword, attempt we might
To re-possesse, when GOD makes warrantable,
That enterprize, by making of us able.
For, this, I partly fight: not with the King;
But, with those Miscreants who seek our harme:
And, his abused Name, and Person, bring
Vnwarie people, by faire showes, to charme.
And, ere they shall accomplish their intent
By slaving Him, their projects to be friend;
Or by dishon'ring of the Parliament;
My life time, in this Quarrell, I will spend.
Or, if I must unhappily survive
To see our English-Honour overthrowne,
I will not (if I may avoid it) live
To be a slave, where I did freedome owne.
Nor willingly, in any Land remaine,
In which a Tyrant (call'd a King) shall raigne.
This Quarrell, above thirtie yeares before
The Sword was drawne, I fought in, with my Pen,
[Page 48] Till I by Tyrannie was made so poore,
As that they thought, I ne're should rise agen.
Without an Armie, or a Parliament
To side withall; without one able friend;
Without reward; without encouragement,
To further that which I did well intend:
Nay, strugling through much envie and despight,
That Warfare I continue to this houre:
And in this warfare, am resolv'd to fight,
Whilst I to hold a Sword or Pen, have powre,
Till I have compast, what, in hope, I have;
Or, brought my tired bodie to the Grave.
For, peradventure, we are growne so bad,
So false to GOD, so false in ev'rie thing,
Both to our selves, and others; and have had
So many Mercies, whence, no fruits doe spring,
That, God will give this present Generation,
To be what most deserve and some desire;
Ev'n to be slaves to that Abomination,
With which their lives are doomed to expire.
If so, then am I called to this fight,
But, onely, that my dutie might be done:
And in this manner, have been mov'd to write,
That, for our sin, excuse we may have none,
And, GOD's great worke, which he will bring about,
Shall be delayd, till this vile Race be out.
Then, shall the age to come, pick up, and gather
These droppings of my Pen, which now they scorne;
And, wonder, men esteemed them no rather:
And pittie those afflictions I have borne.
Then, they shall scan each page, and ev'rie Line,
And, finde rak'd up, among my Vanities,
Expressions, which will show, that Sparks divine
Of Heavenly-Fire, in earthly Cinders lies.
Then, they shall come to understand and know,
That many future things I did behold,
[Page 49] Beside that one, which is acknowledg'd, now,
To be fulfilled, as it was foretold.
But, MVSE, thou art almost without the LIST:
Returne againe to thy Antagonist.
Thou chargest us, Delusion, with such things
As no way correspond with our intentions,
And, proofe whereof, no creature living brings:
For, they indeed are meerly thy inventions.
The goods of none we ceaze, or sequestrate,
Because, they to the King, are faithfull friends:
But, for their faithlesnesse unto the State,
And, serving Him, to base and evill ends.
Nor of our Soveraigne, censure we amisse:
But them we rightly judge, that him misguide:
For, in his actions, that which evill is,
To them pertaines, who draw his heart aside.
In publike Acts, The King can doe no Wrong,
Because, unto his Counsell they belong.
The King can doe no wrong, as he is King:
For, GOD ordained, and man did intend,
Him, not to hurt, or plagues on them to bring,
But, for their good, and good men to defend.
The King, as King, can doe no wrong; because
He can doe nothing but, what he may doe
According to divine, and humane Lawes:
And, what the publike-peace invites him to.
The King can doe no wrong: because, what ere
He doth as King, is never duely done,
But, by some publike Vote, or Officer,
Or, they consenting, if he act alone.
For, all he doth, whence any wrong proceeds,
Are not his Royall but, his private deeds.
The King can doe no wrong: For, if there be
Injustice done; his Officers are they
Who doe it: and, by Law they onely be
Accomptable. And, therein, praise I may
[Page 50] The wisdome of our Lawes; for, had there been
By them, provided Legall Punishment
For Kings; no man would be a King, I ween,
But he, that could not such a Lot prevent.
For, were it so; then, if Court-Parasites
Corrupt young Kings, and draw them to command
That sin, whereto their ill-advice invites,
Kings, at the Barre, for their Offence might stand:
And they might free themselves, from ev'ry thing
Which they mis-doe: and lay it on the King.
And, who would be their Officers, if Kings
Were liable to Legall punishment
In person (as a Subject) for the things
Mis-done, by their commandment, or assent:
For, if they shall be Tyrants, or such Princes,
As make but little conscience of their way,
Whom will they not accuse of those Offences,
To free themselves from suffring, if they may?
And, then, though they accuse men innocent,
Who would not think a King should be beleev'd
Before his Vassall? and appeare content
He, thereby, should from suffering, be repreev'd?
Yea, great absurdities from thence might flow,
If Law conceiv'd, the King a wrong might doe.
The King can doe no wrong: and, therefore, those
Who shall his personall commands obey,
In ought which doth his Legall Will oppose,
Should beare, alone, that paine the Law doth lay:
Because, the Law of nothing else takes heed,
But only of those things that it commands,
Or, of those evils which it doth forbid:
And, for no private will, or pleasure stands.
The King can doe no wrong: For, it destroyes
The Essence of a King: and doth deprive
Of ev'ry Priviledge which he enjoyes
By virtue of a Kings Prerogative.
[Page 51] And, from Allegiance frees in ev'ry thing,
Which he commands, beseeming not a King,
For, unto Kings, is our Allegiance sworne,
Not unto Tyrants, who shall fondly dreame
That Kingdomes have been made, and Subjects borne,
For nothing else, but to be slaves to them.
Yet, here mistake me not: we are not (tho
They tyrannize) from all Allegiance free:
But, onely, from an Obligation to
Obedience, in those things that lawlesse be.
We, to their legall wills and pleasures, ever
Must yeeld submission; and, with due respects,
In ev'rie act of Loyaltie persever:
And, leave to GOD, their personall defects.
For, well enough great mischiefes it prevents,
When Law takes hold, of all their Instruments.
What can a King to harme the publike, doe
In his owne person? If by Law we may
Lay hold on those, that counsell him unto
A wrong? and those whom he shall mis-employ?
If in the lawfull-powre, a RIGHT there be;
And, therewith, STRENGTH enough to seize on Them:
He hurts us not. And, if too weake are we,
What get we, though the Law might punish Him?
Then, as his Person by our Law, is freed
From ev'rie violence (except from that
Which may restraine his Person from a deed
Destructive to his Person, or the State)
So be it ever free. And, blest be those,
That, serve him, with true service where he goes.
We, no man charge with treasons, none we blame,
That guiltlesse is of his imputed crime,
And free from just suspitions of the same;
As will be rendred manifest, in time.
The King from all aspersions cleare would we,
Which without publike dammage might be hid,
[Page 52] Though, to himself, those things assum'd hath he,
Which (as a King) we know, he never did.
What earthly wisdome can a means devise
His honour to preserve, against his will?
Or, do him right, that hearkens unto lies?
Yet, this, we, to our pow'r, endeavour still.
And, free we are, from being justly blam'd,
For having, wilfully, the King defam'd.
We none seduce, but, labour, how we may
Prevent seducements; by right informations;
And, those effects, to change, or take away,
Which may arise from lying Declarations.
By us, no Member of the Parliament
Was driven thence: But, for their private ends,
Vnworthily, some from that service went,
Which ev'ry worthy Member stil attends.
Some, to the King repair'd, in hope, to get
A Title: Some, because they had mis-done:
Some wanted honesty, some wanted wit;
Some went, because their Mistresses were gone
Some fled for company; and, some did fly,
(If I am not deceiv'd) they knew not why.
Thus much I know; that He, who led them forth,
And They, who follow'd Him, in hope to finde
A Cloud, to hide their project, in the North;
Did leave us, nor so sottish, nor so blind,
But that we found their aimes; and soon perceiv'd,
What tales, they meant, the people should believe;
What hooks they baited, and what webs they weav'd,
The (soone-misguided) people to deceive.
And, he that will, may know, that, neither They
Who follow'd, neither He, that went before,
Knew reason, why he should depart away.
For, here he might have stayed, honour'd more,
More safe, more fear'd, more lov'd, more happy here,
Then they, or we, by their departure were.
[Page 53] Could any, but meer impudence, averre
That nothing, of our due, the King denies?
When they who chief in our Oppressions are,
Are, at this day, most favour'd in his eyes?
Can we have hope our safeties to enjoy,
When they are still his Counsell, who intend
Our lawfull Rights, and Freedoms, to destroy?
And, thither all their force and cunning bend?
Is true Religion like to be maintain'd?
While they, who innovated every day,
(And, have their old Affections, yet retain'd)
Are kept in hope, their former parts to play?
Or, can we think, the Popish Generation
Are arm'd, for our Religions preservation?
Can we have in us, either heart, or braines,
If we believe this? when to mind we call
How great a multitude of souls complains,
Which in the Irish-Massacre did fall?
If we propose before our ears, and eyes,
The horrid murthers of our brethren, there,
Their fears, their sad destractions, and their cries,
When, by their Butchers, they surprised were.
How terrible it was, when they beheld
Their bloudy neighboure, rudely rushing in,
And, saw, perhaps, their dear companions kild,
By those, with whom they had familiar bin:
Yea, saw, before they doubted, cause of feare,
A murth'rer, or a mischief, ev'ry-where.
If we remember, that the mazed Father,
And, trembling mother, in the winter-night,
Were forc'd, in hast, without their cloaths, to gather
Their children up, and, with them, take their flight
Through fields, and boggs, and woods, with naked feet,
Lesse fearing thirst, and hunger, frost, and snow,
Then with those cursed Edomites to meet,
Who neither manhood, nor compassion know.
[Page 54] If we consider, why they first began
Their hellish Tragedie; how great a flood
In ev'ry Irish Town, and Village, ran
Of harmlesse Protestant and English blood;
How, in their tortures, and their fears, they joy'd;
And what great numbers they had soon destroy'd.
If we consider this, and that a Nation
So bloudy-minded, and professing too
A worship, which is our Abomination,
Should by His Majesty be favour'd so,
That after all their mischiefe, all their spoile
And cruelties, committed in that Land,
They should be called over to this Ile,
To kisse (with good respect) the Royall-hand,
Can we, these things consid'ring, symptomes finde,
That, ought, for us, but mischiefe, is intended,
To soule and body? Can we have a minde
So sottish, as to hope to be befriended
In our Religion, by the Kings protection?
While such, as these, have place in his affection?
Maintaineth he our Lawes, as he hath sworn,
VVhen he maintains Law-breakers, in despight
Of common equity? And, as in scorn
Of Justice, at the root of Law doth smite?
Or, doth he keep his Oath, though he alone
Allowes of Lawes enacted heretofore?
If he to us denies, as he hath done,
VVhat might secure the common safety more?
Or, hath he done his duty, in denying
His, and the Kingdomes Counsell, to embrace?
Or, in imprudent, and unjust complying
VVith Parasites, to his, and their disgrace?
Or, valuing men of Rascall Reputations,
Before the wisest of three noble Nations?
No change in Church or Commonwealth we crave,
But, what Gods Word, and Reason shall allow.
[Page 55] That, we are bound to seek, and ought to have;
And what that is, hereafter you shall know.
Our Churchmens honour we envied not;
But, could, what they enjoyed, have allow'd,
Had it been rightly us'd, and fairly got.
But, they have long been lazie, false, and proud.
And, I foretold them many years agoe,
The course they took, in hope thereby to stand,
Should cause their fall. And, if it now be so;
It is the work of God Almighties hand:
And, since it proves, their honour did them hurt,
I am content, to see it, in the durt.
The King is not obliged to uphold
Their outward pomp; when his great Counsell shall
Inform, that if the same abide it should,
It may become the ruining of all.
Him, doth his Oath, or Place, ingage, to cherish
A rotten Member? though by doing so,
The whole Republike may grow sick, and perish?
Or Piety receive her overthrow?
Or, should we fancie, that the Law intended,
This Realmes whole Body, should not be believ'd?
When they complain'd of that which them offended?
And told, which way, they best might be reliev'd?
Or, can he think, his Oath he broken had,
When they shall him acquit, for whom 'twas made?
When, on the Prelates, Law did first confirme
Their Dignities; the common-people thought
They came from God: so wisely they could charme,
To compasse, for themselves, the things they sought.
And, ev'ry age brought forth a man or two,
Whose knowledge and whose piety made way
For them, who came, another work, to do;
And, whose first founder, now, discern we may.
Then, since we now discover them, to be
Not Christs Apostles, as we, once beleev'd,
[Page 56] But, Engines for the Papall Monarchie,
And, hypocrites, by whom we were deceiv'd:
VVhy should we now suppose we do them wrong,
To take away what they have kept too long.
VVhy should we think it sacriledge, or sin?
To take both wealth and dignities away
From those, to whom they never due have bin?
From such, as would the Cause of CHRIST betray?
VVhy should his Jewels by his Foes be worn?
VVhy on his bread should Droans and Robbers feed?
To cloath a wolf, why should a sheep be shorn?
Or they be spar'd, whose fall is fore-decreed?
Let them learn true humility of CHRIST,
And, studie how in Spirit to be poore;
Their earthly honours will not then be mist:
Their want of wealth will be a want no more:
And, they shall honour GOD, and blesse the day,
In which he took their needlesse trash away.
It is my grief, that I am forc'd to bring
Those Reasons of defence which may appear
Reflecting on the houour of the King,
VVhich keep I would from all aspersions clear.
But, his dear Favourites have blended so
His Acts with their designes, and their, with his:
That, we their malice cannot fully show,
VVithout some touch, on what he doth amisse.
And, that consider'd, makes their fault the greater;
And, Him (though their ill-service he approve)
To them, for, what they claime, the lesse their debter;
Because, his Honour they but little love:
For (till these times) though Courtiers plaid the k [...]
They sav'd their Honours, who, them sought to sa [...]
But, whatsoever, by the Parliament,
Or, by my PEN, he seemeth to have lost
In point of Honour; if he shall assent
To that, which will be nothing to his cost,
[Page 57] But, rather, for his profit; let the same
Be, at my hands requir'd; unlesse I shall
Finde out, not onely means, whereby his Name
Shall publikely stand faire, and clear from all
Dishonourable staines; but, also shew
How his, may, all his Predecessors glory
Out-shine: and, leave to times that shall ensue,
An everlasting honourable Story.
Which, to believe, me thinks, he should be mov'd,
Since, all I yet fore-told him, true hath prov'd.
GODS will be done; within whose pow'rfull hands
The hearts of Princes are; and, let us wait
With patience, till, for us, his Grace commands
That aid, which makes things crooked to be straight.
Meane-while, we must not those just means neglect,
VVhich to the publike safety may pertaine:
Nor cease from doing good, though an effect,
Not purpos'd, make him causlesly complaine.
Our Cause we must expostulate; that, We
May, to the world, approve our innocence:
And, that he may, thereby, informed be,
How little cause we give of just offence.
And, to that end, to what I said before,
In our defence, Ile add a little more.
Though others may be fool'd with Protestations,
And, words or oaths; which, peradventure, none
Did vow, or make, but he, whose Declarations
Have, lately, for the Kings, among us gone.
The Parliament hath many piercing eyes,
That in the dark, descry their foes devices:
And, by discov'ring of their Treacheries,
Ere they come forth, destroyes those Cockatrices.
When mischiefs are, by Providence, fore-seen,
And, then prevented: they that would have done them,
Make Friends, and Fools, believe they had not been,
Because, they were destroid ere they begun them,
[Page 58] Yet, some, who saw not where the Foxes went,
Can finde where they have haunted, by their scent.
What things the King hath sworne, I doe not heare;
But, should he sweare ten times, and ten times over,
There were no cause to dread, what yet we feare,
Me, of that feare, his Oathes could not recover:
For, though I should beleeve, that he thought true
What he had sworne: yet, what should me assure
That he his owne Designes should still pursue?
Or, that unchanged he shall still endure?
And, though his heart bide fixt, how can I know
That, he shall still have powre to doe me right?
Since they, who seeke his Kingdomes overthrow,
Alreadie, are Commanders of his might?
And, so prevailing, that, in him, I see
Nor Will, nor Powre, his owne true friend to be?
Though others can beyond beleefe, beleeve,
And, hope beyond all hope; I cannot, yet,
In Reasonable things, permission give
Vnto my Fancie, to befoole my Wit.
In flights-divine, my Contemplation flies,
Without restraint: But, in all humane things,
My Vnderstanding, still, my Iudgement ties
To Reasons principles; or clips her wings.
What ever, therefore, other doe, or say;
What ever sounds, or showes, I see, or heare;
Each weightie-matter, by it selfe, I weigh,
With ev'rie circumstance, that may appeare:
[And, when that all things I have throughly prov'd,
I silent am, or speak, as I am mov'd.
So did I in this Cause, before I dar'd
Resolve upon the course, that I have took.
And, ere I hither came, came so prepar'd,
That, nothing to affright me, can be spoke.
Though all, for whose defence, I hither come,
Should use me worse then yet my foes have done,
[Page 59] (As, I already have been us'd by some)
I would not leave the path I have begun;
But, meerly for the justnesse of the Cause,
And conscience sake, perform my best endeavour,
To vindicate Religion, and the Lawes:
And, in this duty to my death, persever;
That, I may live to see our Freedome sav'd:
Or, bravely die, before I am inslav'd.
For, though some, wilfully; and, weakly, some
Object unto us, that in Primitive,
And purer ages, Christians did not come
With Fire and Sword, the Law of Faith to give:
Nor seek by force of armes, to make defence
Against those Tyrants, in whose lands they taught;
(Much lesse, came arm'd, against their native Prince)
To settle that Religion which they brought.
This argument of their is but a cheat,
To cozen Innocencie, with a show
That's empty: For, the difference is great
Betwixt their Cause, and that, we mannage now
VVhich, I should make more plainly to appeare,
But, that, too tedious, for this place, it were.
They had no Party, to defend their cause;
They came to preach, where Freedomes they had none:
They were not armed by their Countries Lawes:
And, greatest good, by suffring, might be done.
To Russia, or to Turkie, should I goe
Our Faith to publish there; the likeliest way
To settle it, would, then, be sufferance, too:
And, meekly, on the block, my head to lay.
Must therefore, we permit the Whore of Rome,
To send her Bastards, and her Fornicators?
(Whom Law forbids within our coasts to come)
To teach her Baudrie to our sons and daughters?
And, make the Kings, and Princes, of these Nations,
Drunk with the Feces of her Fornications?
[Page 60] Because, the Martyrs suffred, by that State,
Whose settled way of Worship, they gainsaid?
Must, downe to those, who come to innovate
Our settled Truth; this Kingdomes neck be laid?
Shall we be able an account to render,
For our neglect; now we in danger see,
(Of Romish-Slaverie) our Faiths-Defender,
If we endeavour not to set him free?
Shall we sit still, and whine, when Law, and Reason
Cries out All-arme? untill we be, indeed,
Traitors; by fearing Loyaltie is Treason?
And bring both Plagues and Curses on our Seed?
Doe as you please, my way to me is knowne;
And, I will walk it, though I walke alone.
For, that without a partiall inclination
(To either side) the right I might disclose,
It was, and is my full determination,
To set aside respect of friends or foes.
And, let me be, by both of them abhorr'd,
If I now utter, or have uttred ought,
For private ends; or, what shall not accord,
In ev'ry sentence, with a loyall thought.
To keep me from Delusion, I have pray'd;
I have look'd up, above me, to discover
What notions, may be downe to me convayd;
Of those things which above our heads, doe hover.
And, downe below me, I have cast mine eyes,
To mark what fogs may up from hell arise.
About me I have look'd, on either side,
On disagreeing, and agreeing actions:
The manners, and the speeches I have tride,
Of most Professions all Degrees, and Factions.
And, from them all have made for my directions,
(And for my informations, in this Cause)
A chaine of Observations, and Collections;
From whence, my Iudgement, her conclusions drawes.
[Page 61] Behind me, I have look'd, to take a view,
Of what was done, or suffred, heretofore:
VVhat did on this, what did on that ensue:
What makes a Curse, or Blessing, lesse, or more.
And, I have look'd before me, too; and see
Events of things, that shall hereafter be.
I have consider'd what I had foreseen
In that great Plague, which this Kings Reigne began:
VVhat I fore-told him; what fulfil'd hath been;
VVhat courses He, and His, since that time ran.
I have consider'd, why I did prefer
That hearty-prayer, for Him, which yet stands
As registred, in my Remembrancer;
And hath been published, through all his Lands.
I have consider'd, well, what kinde of men
Were then his Counsellors; and, who are now;
What Parliaments, and Promises, were then
Made void: and, what effects, from thence did flow.
How fast, injurious Projects were incretst;
How cruelly, the people were opprest.
I have well weigh'd, what persons were prefer'd
In Church and Common-wealth; and, with what sleight
Acceptance (if not with a disregard)
All honest services they did requite.
Their Proclamations, did from yeare to yeare,
Proclaime to me, much more then they intended
I should have known. And, though I silent were,
I could have told in what they should have ended.
The Life, and sudden Death, of Buckingham;
The Voyages of Rochel, and of Ree;
And other things, whereto I privieam,
VVere true Prognostications unto me;
And, to my understanding, more foretold,
Then all the Constellations did unfold.
And, though I live among the Countrey-Clowns,
(As one, who scarcely knew, or heeded ought)
[Page 62] The Spanish-Fleet that perish'd on the Downes,
I heard of; and, to minde it some what brought.
Sometimes, I have intelligence from Rome;
And, know what in the Conclave hath beene done.
I have observed other men, to come
On businesse thence, as well as Senior Con.
I know Archbishop Laud; and he knows me,
The worse for him, by many hundred pounds;
For which, I recompenced looke to be,
When he, againe, at Lambeth walks his Rounds.
And, I, from these, though they suppose not so,
Some Reasons drew, for that, which now I doe.
I heard, of what, within their Cabinet,
The Machiavilian-Counsellers debate;
And, informations, other while, did get,
Of ill-presaging secresies of State.
The German-horse, that should have trotted hither;
Prodigious Straffords projects, deeds, and triall,
With other Characters, speld all together,
Have showne me Truths, that can have no deniall.
And, when my heart had rightly pondred these,
Weigh'd, what they are, with whom we have to doe;
Their words, their hopes, their lives, their practices,
What things they seek, whom they belong unto,
With such like notes, as these; me thinks, they be
All blinde men, who perceive not, what I see.
And, when I had with these considerations,
Consider'd too, for what a worthlesse Crew,
The suits and cries of two most loyall Nations,
Have wanted those effects which are their due:
That He, who for the Sheep, his life should give,
Can give them to the Wolves, and see them slaine:
That He, who should our grievances releeve,
Can adde unto our torment, and our paine:
That He, because we feare his Dogs will bite,
(And, for that reason, pray they may be ty'd)
[Page 63] Can therefore, let them loose, and take delight
To see them kill, whom they have terrifide:
These things considered, me thinks, we wrong
The Humane-nature, to be tame so long.
When I perceived our deare Countries Father,
So peremptorily affect his will,
That, he would hazard three brave Kingdomes, rather,
Then his unlawfull pleasure, not fulfill;
And, when I saw the Devils, who inspire
This wilfulnesse into him, ceaze the goods
Of his best subjects; their faire houses fire;
Deflowre their Virgins; shed their Old-mens bloods;
Betray their nearest Kinsmen, slay their Brothers;
Deprive the blamelesse Infants of their lives;
Enslave their Fathers, kill their frighted Mothers:
Abuse their Daughters, and defile their Wives:
It griev'd me, that this Iland should afford
One man, who for this Quarrell drew no sword.
But, since I have consider'd, that, from ROME,
These Plagues, these mischiefes, these unhappy warres,
And all, our present miseries, did come,
With our unequall'd Irish-Massacres:
And, that (beside the many thousands here)
Well nigh, two hundred thousand Protestants,
Were slaine, and rooted thence, within one yeare,
By those, to whom the King high favours grants:
And, since tis (not improbably) beleev'd,
They called are to be our Butchers too:
(If we permit our selves to be deceiv'd,
Till they can compasse what they meane to doe)
Me thinks, we have not beene so tame, as mad,
To have so slow a hand, as we have had.
And, lastly, since I weigh'd, that, not alone
A plot is laid three Kingdomes to undoe,
But also, in their spoile, to have undone,
All other true Reformed-Churches too:
[Page 64] That, Gods own glorie, and the servitude
Of Christian soules, is in this Cause concern'd;
From thence (whatever, other will conclude)
I, these Conclusions, with good Warrant, learn'd:
That, those whom in this Warfare we resist,
Are neither worse, nor better, but, those Bands,
And those Confederates of ANTICHRIST,
Which are to be his Champions, in these Lands.
And, that, whoever fighteth on their side,
When this is known, hath GOD, & CHRIST deni'd.
I see, as plainly as I see the Sun,
He draweth neare, that, on the
Rev. 19. 11.
white horse rides.
The long-expected Battell is begun:
The BEAST, to muster up his Kings, provides:
With him, will all his Edomites conspire;
The seed of Hagar, and the sonnes of Lot:
Philistia, Gebal, Moab, Ammon, Tyre,
And, all that with his Marke, themselves bespot.
Those brave white-Regiments, me thinks, I see,
That, on the LORD of LORDS, & KING of KINGS,
Attending in triumphant habits be;
And, which, with him, against our foes he brings.
Me thinks, I hear his
Rev. 19. 17.
Angel call the Crowes,
To eat the Kings, and Captains of our foes.
If this be so; as, with a heart unfain'd
I do believe it is: how brave a lot
Have we? that were, before all worlds, ordain'd,
To be, for souldiers, to the LAMB, begot?
With what high courage should we march along
Against this Foe? That, being Conquerours,
We may, with Angels, sing a Triumph-Song,
And, crowned sit, among Celestiall Powers?
Why should we be afraid to speak, or write,
What may, from this curst Army, fetch our King?
Why should we feare, to perish in that Fight,
Which will through Death, to Life immortall bring?
[Page 65] Or, why should any, now, this work delay?
Or, doubt the truth of that, which here I say?
I beg no grace from King, or Parliament,
If an Impostor I shall prove to be:
Or, if men find not, by the Consequent,
That, GOD hath spoken to this Land, by me:
And, that the maine of all my Musings were
Inspir'd by Him; though, often, he permit
My foolishnesse, among them, to appeare,
That, nothing be ascribed to my Wit.
Excuse I crave not, but a just correction,
Or, Approbation, as my words may merit.
If an ill-spirit hath been my direction,
What thereunto pertains, let me inherit.
And, if the truth be spoken, do not grieve me,
VVithout a cause; but, hearken, and believe me.
Suppose not (my deare Countrimen) that here
I have been over-bold, although you see
A bitternesse doth in my lines appear:
For, in this Cause, great things concerned be:
It doth concern our children, and our wives.
The publike safetie, and the publike good;
The honour of our Nation, and our lives,
The just avengement of our brethrens blood:
The freedome of our persons, and estates;
The honour, and the safetie of our King:
Our present being, and our future fates,
And, almost, ev'ry other precious thing:
Yea, it concerns our souls: and, more then so,
It highly doth concern GODS glory too.
Now then, for conscience, or, for shame, begin.
To call to minde the duties that ye owe:
Let what appears without, be found within;
That, by your actions, we your hearts may know.
For your own sakes (if not for GODS, and our)
Be zealous in the cause you undertake:
[Page 66] Lest you, ere long, have neither means, nor pow'r,
Your peace with GOD, or Them, or Vs, to make.
For, both to GOD, and man, above all creatures,
The most abhorred, are those hypocrites,
Who can comply with disagreeing natures,
Yet, false to all, but to their appetites.
Take, therefore, counsell from a souldiers Pen:
And (while you may) be warn'd, be wise, be men.
Asham'd (if not a little mad) I am,
To see so many, in this cause, so cold,
So false, so faint, so cowardly and tame,
That can, in other causes, be so bold.
And (not without affliction) this, I say:
Should this good cause miscarrie, all our foes
Are not more guilty of it, then are they,
Who give it, unperceiv'd, and secret blowes.
None do it so much dammage; none so wrong us,
As they, who seem to be our faithfull friends;
They, who at meat, and counsell, sit among us;
And, serve the publike; for their private ends.
Our Scaene of bloud, ere this, had els been done:
And, peradventure, never been begun.
In ev'ry Village, Town and Corporation,
Let all, that are true Protestants profest,
Let ev'ry Canton, Province, Tribe, and Nation,
Which doth against the Romish-Whore protest,
A timely League, with one another make;
Vnite themselves by firme Associations;
And, by a sacred Covenant, courses take
Both for their joynt, and sev'rall preservations.
And, to be sure, they make a firm defence
Against their foes fierce furie, and despight;
Let them be cloth'd, with Love, and Innocence,
Arm'd, with that armour, wherewith Christians fight;
And, be prepared, alwayes, to resist
The Body, and the Limbs, of ANTICHRIST.
[Page 67] Feare not the furie of your present Foes,
For, by treir mixture, you discover may
They are but part of that great STATVES toes,
Whose Feet were made of Iron, and of Clay.
If they receive but one good knock, or twaine,
The Clay, and Iron, will divided be:
The Protestant will be himselfe againe:
For, Light and Darknesse never can agree.
Though horn'd, but like the LAMB, they yet appeare,
(Pretending to be arm'd for innocence)
Their Voices doe discover what they are;
And, that the DRAGONS Creature is their Prince.
Oh therefore, as you love your preservation,
Give eare, ye Britans, to this Proclamation.
CHARLES by the grace of GOD, the Sovraigne King,
Of England, Scotland, Ireland, and of France,
Intending in his heart no other thing,
But, how his Regall powre he might advance,
In that pursuit, a little straying from
His faithfull Parliament, through ill advice,
Was by an ambuscado, sent from ROME,
Surprized lately, in a traiterous wise:
And (whereof all good subjects should have sense)
Imprison'd lyes; where both his eyes and eares,
So poysned are, by false intelligence,
That, nothing he, now, truly sees, or heares.
As by those Actions, which his name doe beare,
It may, and will apparently appeare.
Moreover, they have in despight of Law,
Advanc'd a Popish Army (by some showes
Of what they purpose not) and, daily draw
The Protestants, each other to oppose:
And, have so fairly cov'red their intention,
That, what they could not, by themselves, have wrought,
We may assist them in, till past prevention
Their Plot, and our destruction shall be brought.
[Page 68] Come therefore, Oh all ye! that are profest
The sonnes of Reformation! Come away,
From giving your assistance to the BEAST;
Lest, in his Judgement, you be swept away.
On paine of ruine, Come; and helpe to bring
Our Sov'raigne home: And so, God save the King.
Let him, that would a Christian man appeare,
His drowzie soule awake, and rouze his Faith.
Let him, that hath an eare to heare, give eare
To that, which through my Trunk, the Spirit saith:
And, cursed let him be, till he repent
(His wilfulnesse) that, when he heares this Muse,
And feeles his heart, inclining to assent,
(To what is true) her counsell shall refuse.
Accursed let him be, on like condition,
That through a Selfe-conceit, or thorow Pride,
Shall blast these usefull Musings, with suspition
Of ill intents; or, my just hopes deride:
Or, by his envie, malice, or neglect,
Deprive them, of their purposed effect.
Accursed let those Townes, and Cities be,
Which willing entertainment did afford
To our Pursuers; and, were glad to see
Their Armies with them, both at Bed, and Boord.
The curse of Meroz, and those execrations,
Which to her base Inhabitants befell,
Alight on their Malignant-habitations;
And, that of Succoth, and of Penuel:
Till they with shame and sorrow, shall repent
Their falshood to themselves, and to their friends:
Their falshood to the King and Parliament:
And, help to bring those Traitors to their ends.
And let all Places, which have done their best
Against those Rebels; be, for ever, blest.
And (if my Sentence, which is here recorded
May passe for good) let ev'ry one of those
[Page 69] That hath for any services, beene Lorded,
Wherein, their GOD, or Country they oppose,
We are his false Badge of Honour, ev'rie where,
With infamie, with beggerie, and scorne;
With terrible vexations, and with feare,
Till his un worthie Name away be worne:
Or, till, by some apparent penitence,
By GOD, a pardon shall to him be given:
And, then, let all his folly and offence,
Remitted be on earth, as 'tis in heaven.
And, so let all the rest, by my consent,
Like mercy finde, as soone as they repent.
For, we are all transgressors: he that's best
Is bad, and but a Brier, or a Thorne.
He, that among us hath transgressed least,
Deserves more plagues, then he that's worst hath borne.
He, that hath much offended, hath perchance,
Not out of wilfulnesse, offensive bin:
But, through temptation, or through ignorance;
For which, true penitence may mercie win.
Yea, some, perhaps, who most of all offend,
Were left to their corruptions, for our crimes:
And, when we shall our wicked lives amend,
They shall repent, and we have better times.
Yet, still, most blessed be those men, and places,
Who from this Battell, have not turn'd their faces.
For ever blessed, and renown'd, for ever,
Let Glo'ster be; that, being far from aid,
Did in her firmnesse, gloriously persever,
When round her Wals, the King his armie laid.
For ever, let the towne of Manchester
Be blest and famous; that, with slender Guard,
Without a neighboring-second (and well neare
Without all helpes) her dangers all outdar'd:
And, by GOD's aid, alone, did trample downe
The powre, and pride of Darbies armed son:
[Page 72] Yea, where the Popish-Faction, strongst was growne,
Prevail'd, in spight of all that spight had done:
And, hopefull bides, that He, who did befriend
Her paines, thus far, will blesse it to the end.
And, far above them all, renown'd, and blessed
Let London be, who for the preservation
Of three great Kingdomes, wofully distressed,
Hath acted things begetting admiration.
For ever, let her Bountie, and her Zeale,
Her Constancie, her Counsels, and her Pray'rs,
Her Valour also for the Commonweale,
When we were almost sunk into despaires:
Let all these, be remembred, to her glory:
And, let her high deservings by the same,
Be so recorded in some well writ Story,
That, all great Cities may envy her fame.
And, so to honour her, let us agree,
That, all her praises, to GOD's praise, may be.
Let all those Worthies also, that have done,
Or, suffred bravely, for the Common-good,
In this great Cause (untill Times round is run)
Be blest and honour'd, in their Names, and Blood.
Let valiant Essex, Warwicke, Manchester,
Stout Fairfax, Wallor, Roberts, Brooke, and Gray,
(Who forward for the publike safety were)
Be crowned with a never-dying Bay.
So crown'd be Skippon, Mericke, Stapleton,
With Hampden, Massy, Bruerton, and Gel:
The English and the Scottish Middleton,
My noble, and my valiant Colonel.
And, let nor malice, time, nor death, be able,
To make them lesse then good, and honourable.
Remembred be, with an heroick fame,
Balfore, and Ramsey, Cromwel, and D' Albere,
The Meldroms, and he chiefly of that Name,
Whose worth did in relieving Hul appeare.
[Page 71] Let mention'd be with honourable-men,
Much daring Luke, and Hazelrig the bold:
Aldridge, Browne, Barcley, Holborne, Harvie, Ven,
Brooke, Norton, Springer, Morly, More, and Gold.
To all of these, whose worth shall reall be.
Let reall honours be: and, be it so,
To all of good desert, unknowne to me;
Of whom there are, I hope, some thousands moe,
Whose memorie, shall never be forgot:
Though, here, to name them, I remember not.
And if among these Names a Name be found
To any man pertaining, who is knowne
In his affection to this Cause, unsound;
Or, who intendeth falshood, yet, unshowne:
Let that mans mention, and his naming, here,
Instead of hon'ring him, a meanes become
To make his infamie the more appeare;
Or, his ill purposes divert him from:
And, draw him, so sincerely to endeavour
The publike safetie; that my ignorance
Of his first failing, may, now, make him, ever,
Industriously the Rightfull-cause advance;
And, thank his providence, who, from mine eare,
Those failings kept, whereof, some others heare.
Let them, that shall hereafter counted be
Most honourable persons, never more
Be they, who shew the longest Pedigree,
From Kings, and Conquerors, as heretofore:
But, such as are most worthy: and, next them,
Their Off-spring, who were Patrons for this Cause.
And let them share more honour and esteem.
Then he that his descent, from Princes drawes,
For, if it may enoble, to be borne
Of those, who out of avarice, or pride,
From others, wrongfully, their lands have torne:
How much more, ought they to be dignifide,
[Page 72] That, from the loines of [...],
Whose Swords, their Country [...]
And, to make full my blessing: [...],
Be ev'ry Member of the Parliament,
Which hath not been unwillingly oppressed,
With burthens, our undoing to prevent.
Blest, be their constancy, and blest their paines,
With safety credit, and with consolations,
And, with all blessednesse which appertaines,
To make them happy, through all Generations.
And, blessed be the KING, with such a heart,
And, such a resolution, to retire
To us in love: that he may have a part
In all that blisse, which we our selves desire.
And, that from these our troubles, I may raise
A Trophie, to his honour, and GODS praise.
Before, my tongue had finish'd this defence,
To warrant my ingagement: that DELUSION
Which had so hotly charg'd me, sneaked thence,
And, staid not, to give eare to my conclusion.
Her forces vanished, (and she with them)
Consisting, chiefly, of their Sophistries
Who had been prest out of that Academ,
In which, the Magazine of mischief lies.
It was, first, founded for a Court of Knowledge,
(A schoole of duties, mora'l and divine)
And, to that end, had a goodly Colledge,
To nurse up youth, by prudent Discipline:
But 'twas, of late, a nest of Birds unclean;
And, is now made the Wolves, and Lions den.
My Foe departing, I began to sleight
His Trenches, and the Forts which he had rear'd:
Those Engines, likewise, I demolish'd quite,
That make young souldiers of their force afeard:
And, was at leisure, then, my selfe to please,
With other thoughts; and, thither to retreat,
[Page 73] Where I might be refresht, and take mine ease,
With such provisions, as my men could get.
My Quarter was the Field: my Tent and Bed,
A well-made Barley-cocke: the Canopie
And Curtains, which, to cover me, were spread,
No meaner then the starre-bespangled skie.
GOD set the Watch; the Guard, he also kept,
And, without harm, or feare, I safely slept.
Next morne, before the dawning of the day,
My heart awoke; and, warm'd with GODS protection,
(And with his love) did praise him, and, assay
To meet him, with reciprocall affection.
My purpose he accepted, and descended
To imp the wings, that mount my contemplation.
And, kindly, raised, strengthned, and befriended
My soule, by sweet, and usefull meditation:
With musings on things present, on things past,
And things to come, he exercis'd my thought.
Some, of his mercies, gave my soule a taste;
Of sin, and judgement, some, the relish brought.
By some, I did my private duties learn;
And, some, the Publike-safetie, did concern.
One RAY, forth darting from his pow'r divine,
(Whose way of working cannot well be told)
Infus'd into my heart, a high DESIGNE,
Which, with good liking, now, I might unfold.
But hark! the Trumpet calls me to the field:
My horses, are already at the doore.
Place to the Sword, my Pen, againe, must yeeld:
At better leasure, I may tell you more.
To what, I further purpose to declare,
This, for an Introduction, is prepar'd:
And, if I finde, you so well temper'd are,
That, more (with hope of profit) may be heard;
I'le tell you Newes, which yet, is but a Dreame,
And, VOX PACIFICA, shall be my Theame.
[Page 74] A VOICE, not of a Vaine Pacification,
Form'd out of Ecchoes, or uncertaine sounds:
But, of a PEACE, of whose blest confirmation,
There shall be likely Hopes, and reall Grounds.
A VOICE, in somewhat, imitating his,
Who (to prepare the great MESSIAH'S way)
Became a Crier in the Wildernesse;
And, to beget Repentance, will assay.
A VOICE, that shall prepare the way of Peace.
A PEACE, that shall with Righteousnesse, embrace:
And, by their sweet embracements, more encrease
The Peace of Conscience, and the Peace of Grace.
A PEACE, which, if my hopes effect I can,
Shall reconcile us, both to GOD, and MAN.
A PEACE, not closing up a festring sore,
To ease, but for a while, the present smart:
And, making afterward, the torments more,
By spreading mortall Gangreves, to the heart.
A PEACE, that by a true-love-knot, shall knit
Three NATIONS, with such nearnesse, into ONE,
That, nothing shall have powre to loosen it,
But, wilfull sinne, impenitently done.
A PEACE, which to the People, and the King,
Shall (if not hindred by some Crying-sin)
Truth, honour, wealth, powre, rest, and safety bring:
And, keepe us everlastingly therein.
This PEACE I seek; this Peace, that GOD may send,
My soule doth pray; and so these MUSINGS end.
Sic dixit, qui sic cogitavit:
Et, praedicando quod putavit,
Haud multum neccat, si peccavit.

All the Glorie be to GOD.

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