A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A PEDLER AND A Popish Priest, In a very Hot Discourse full of Mirth, Truth, Wit, Folly and plain Dealing.

By JOHN TAYLOR the Water-Poet.

TRACT I.

Reviv'd, Review'd and Reprinted.

LONDON, Printed for, and Sold by, Henry Hills in Black-Fryers, near the Waterside, 1699.

[depiction of two men in a boat]
[...]

To the Worshipful, the Eight Rulers, Assistants and others the Members of the Company of Water­men.

JOHN TAYLOR, the Water Poet, who was the Author of this Tract, was long since a Member of Your Company; and, for his singular Loyalty to his Royal Master King CHALES the First, honour'd with his Badg; and like­wise made a Yeoman of the Guard.

His Conversation was honest and diverting; his Brain was so Fruitful, that it overflow'd with pleasant thoughts and Witty conceits: Who ever Reads his Works, may easily discover he was no Plagiary; bor­row'd from none; but all his Writ­ings [Page]were purely Original; touch­ing always on such Subjects, which none had ever attempted; Altho' he wanted the Imbellishments of Learn­ing, yet he had so great a Stock of Natural Parts, That Ben. Johnson, in that Age, (the best Judg without doubt) Esteem'd and Valu'd him, as one of his Sons.

In his own Writings, we find him mention Sevenscore several Tracts, publish'd by him: Tho' in the Vo­lume which passes for his Works, there is but Sixty three; many of them coming to my Hands which are not inserted in that Volume. I have Industriously labour'd to pro­cure the Remainder; and chose to Publish them Singly, and Gradually, and presume to Dedicate them to You, who claim the greatest Title to them. I shall not attempt to give [Page]Encomiums; 'tis sufficient the Works praise the Author. By this Means, even the poorest may easily obtain so admirable a Collection; and not feel the want of their Mony. (For 'tis pity any thing of his should be buried in Oblivion) I chose to pu­blish this Dialogue first, between the Pedler and a Popish Priest; to shew his Stedfastness in the Protestant Re­ligion; which all his time he la­bour'd, both by his Exemplary Life and Pen, to Testify: For, when the Civil Wars had reduc'd him to great Necessities, his Body full of Infirmities, and loaded with Years; yet still he continu'd with his Pen, to assert his Loyalty to his Prince, and his firm principles of Religion, and Zeal towards his God. If this may find Acceptance, and Appro­bation [Page]from Your Worships; 'Twill give me encouragment to present You with the Remainder and Sub­scribe my self,

Your Worships, most Humble Servant Henry Hills.
'TWas Taylor's Custom when he Journey took,
To make a Bill, and place before his Book.
His Benefactors all subscrib'd unto it,
And John with willing mind did still pursue it.
Now, tho' John Taylor's dead, if you think fit,
That I revive those Works John Taylor writ,
'Tis in Your powers to make him Live again,
Approve m'attempt, 'twill recompence my pain:
I'll try my Skill to raise him from the Dead,
And Weekly Print You, what Your Poet said.
Bacchus was always thought the Poets friend,
Ben. Johnson's Rhimes did often Sack commend;
Nay, tho' great Ben. much Learning had acquir'd,
Yet he writ best, when with good Wine inspir'd;
But, Taylor's Genius, by Nature only taught,
Was with such rich Conceit and Fancy fraught;
That Bacchus now to Neptune must submit,
Wine makes Men Witty, but Water full of Wit.
I'll say no more, all his Works plainly show it,
He well deserv'd the Name of Water-Poet.
I hope my Labours may encourag'd be,
Whilst I, like him, thus beg Your Courtesy.

THE PREFACE.

A Romish Priest and Poland Ped­ler met,
And in a sad Discourse they both are set.
He that will know what Talk they us'd, he may
Read o'er the Book, and then know what they say.
Written in manner of a Dialogue, By JOHN TAYLOR.

A DIALOGUE Between a PEDLER and a ROMISH PRIEST.

A Poland Pedler went upon a day,
Unto a Romish Priest to learn to pray;
The Priest said, Pedler get thee to the Cloi­ster
And learn the Ave and the Pater Noster.
Pe.
Now good Sir John (quoth he) what talk is that,
I hear you speak, but God in Heaven knows what.
Priest.
It is that Worthy Holy Latin Letter
Doth please the Lord well, and our Lady better.
Ped.
Now good Sir John, I know not what they be,
The Latin Tongue is Heathen Greek to me.
Priest.
Pedler, if thou to me wilt but repair,
Within one Month I'll teach thee Latin Prayer.
And tho' thou understand not what thou sayest,
Thou shalt speak pretty Latin when thou prayest.
Pedler.
To pray so Sir, is only but in saying,
In Words, not Sence, a Prating, not a Praying;
Shall I that am a Man of perfect Age,
Talk like a witless Parret in a Cage?
Priest.
[Page 2]
A Parret can but Prattle for her part,
But towards God hath neither mind or Heart.
Ped.
Then seeng I have Head and Heart to pray,
Shall not my Heart know what my Tongue doth say?
For when my Tongue talks, if my Heart miscarry,
How quickly I may marr your Ave Mary?
And I Sir having many things to seek,
How shou'd I speed, not knowing what I speak?
Pr.
God understands all Tongues, and knows, and he
The thoughts and Secrets of the Heart doth see.
Ped.
Then if I think one thing and speak another,
I wrong my self, and Christ, and his blest Mother;
For when I Pray they would my Pack repair,
Your Ave Mary is a fruitless Prayer.
Pri.
The Latin prayers are but general Heads,
For our Reliefs in all our Wants and Needs:
The Latin serves us as a Liturgie,
As curious Arts direct Chirurgery,
And in that Language Mass is said and sung,
For private things pray in thy Mother Tongue
Ped.
Then I must have a Tongue, Sir John, for either,
One for the Mother, and one for the Father.
Pr.
Thinkst thou the Mother doth not know such small things?
Christ is her Son, man, and he tells her all things.
Ped.
But where did that blest Virgin learn her Latin,
For in Her days was neither Mass nor Mattin,
Nor yet one Priest that Latin then could speak,
For holy Words were Hebrew then or Greek,
She never was at Rome, nor kiss'd Popes Feet,
How came She by the Mass fain would I weet.
Pri.
Pedler, if you believe the Legendary,
The Mass is older far then Christ or Mary,
[Page 3]
For all the Patriarchs both more and less,
And great Melchisedeck himself said Mass.
Pe.
But good sir Priest, spake all these Fathers Latin?
And said they Mass in golden Copes or Sattin?
Could they speak Latin long e'er Latin grew?
(For without Latin no Mass can be true)
And you that would inforce us to this task,
Me thinks 'tis like a May-game or a Masque.
Pri.
Well Pedler thou art too too curious,
Thy purblind Zeal fervent, but furious,
I rather would a hundred Monks direct,
Then such an Puritan of thy mad sect;
This thou must know, this cannot be deni'd,
Rome govern'd all when Christ was Crucifi'd.
Rome, Heathen then, but afterwards Converred.
And grew so honest, and so holy-hearted,
That now our Emperour is turn'd t' a Pope,
Whose Holiness (as you have heard I hope,
Hath made a Law that all the World must pray
In Latin Language to the Lord each day;
He's Christs full Vicar, and I'll boldy say,
That what he doth command we must obey;
He bids us pray in Latin, and even so
We must do, whe're we understand or no.
He hath full power to confound or save,
And who dares then but do as he will have?
Ped.
This purpose to some purpose puts me back,
And hath more Points then Pins are in my Pack,
What ever power you give unto your Pope,
He cannot make a Man an Ape, I hope,
And if he be full Vicar to our Lord,
Shou'd not His words and Christs keep one accord.
Pri.
[Page 4]
Doubtless they do, and never are contrary, In Pater-noster, Creed, or Ave-mary.
Ped.
But Christs Disciples when they made their mo­tion,
Unto their Master, how to make devotion,
As I have done to you (sir John) to day;
I pray you in what Tongue bade he them Pray?
Christ did not one word Latin to them speak,
Their talk was then all Siriack, Hebrew, Greek.
He bid all Nations pray after one manner,
But bid not all take Latin for their Banner.
Your Latin is but one of the Translations,
Why should it then exclude all other Nations;
And on my Soul, sir John, if I do say
In mine own Mother Tongue when I doe Pray,
Lord help me, Lord forgive me all my sins,
Yea (why not) Lord supply my Pack and Pins;
And every thing whereof I stand in need,
(For this depends upon our daily bread)
I hope in God that I shall speed as well,
As if in Latin I my wants did tell.
And since some Tongues have more antiquity
then Latin, were it not iniquity,
To force all People to Pray like the Pope?
No good, sir John, you'l not say so I hope.
Pr.
Well Pedler, one thing I would fain make plain;
Return we to our Lady back again,
And if thou hadst as much capacity
As roving Wit, with great audacity,
The Case is clear, that Virgin Mary meek,
Could all and every Tongue and Language speak.
Hast thou not heard, man, how the Holy Ghost,
Came down like Cloven Tongues at Pentecost,
[Page 5]
And fill'd the House where all the Twelve were ready,
And one Tongue truly lighted on our Lady?
And think not that I talk of Toys and Dreams,
Ask but the Reverend Jesuites of Rhemes,
And what they write of this but wisely Note.
Ped.
In faith (sir John) it is not worth a Groat;
Will I believe't think you, because they say it.
Pr.
Nay but they prov't as no Man can deny it;
Saith not the Text that when the Lord ascended,
Unto the Twelve he earnestly commanded,
That from Jerusalem they should not go,
Until the Comforter did come, Act. 1 and so
They all conjoyned with one joynt consent,
And to an upper Room together went,
Where Mary was and other whole Six score,
That with the Twelve did daily God adore.
Then (says the Text) when Pentecost was come,
They were together then both all and some,
And all were filled with the Holy Ghost.
Ped.
Now good sir Priest you count without your Host;
I see well that your Rhemish Jesuites Tongues,
Hath clove the Text even to the very Lungs.
That (ALL) for which you reckon up Six score,
Is here meant only of the Twelve, no more;
Nor Mary is not named there as than,
What need we then believe it, holy Man.
On with your Spectacles (sir John) and read,
And credit this as one point of your Creed,
The Holy Ghost did fall upon no more,
Then he was promised unto before:
Now he was only promist to the Twelve,
Look on the Text, I pray, and judge your selve;
[Page 6]
Speak Man, and be not silent, I am sorry,
To see you ignorant of such a story;
For shame let not a Pedler with his Pack,
Put you with all your Sophistry to wrack.
For as the Stories in themselves are divers,
Flowing and falling into sundry Rivers,
In divers Chapters so they stand divided,
the 1. & 2. chap.
So that the Case may clearly be decided;
For when those Six-score were at first convened,
There was another mystery then meaned;
To wit, Mathias free Election,
And so Saint Peter gave direction,
That all those Six-score then should bear Record,
Of their proceedings then before the Lord:
The choosing of a Pastour was in hand,
Which without Churches, knowledg cannot stand,
And so Mathias, (by the power of Heaven)
By lot was took as one with the Eleven.
Then (says the Text) all these together were,
What all these were doth very plain appear,
To be the Twelve in the last Verse before,
And not make Leap Year of eleven verse more.
To draw all back to that Hundred and twenty,
Indeed this way we should have Tongues in plenty,
They differ in Twelve verses, the Text says,
Besides the time is different full Ten days,
The first upon the day the Lord ascended,
The other when the Holy Ghost descended.
Such glazen arguments will bide no Hammer,
For they are but bad Logick and worse Grammer;
As for the Holy Ghost 'tis verifi'd,
His coming down unto no Law is ti'd:
[Page 7]
Sometimes invisible, and sometimes seen,
As diversly at divers times hath been.
Few needs to see his coming with their Eyes,
His works are Witnesses which may suffice;
And so St. Paul this gist found privately,
By Ananias hand assuredly.
Acts 9.
And so Sir John, to shew you all my Pack,
And let you see my Breast as well as Back;
I wonder ye consider not the end,
Why God the Holy Ghost in Tongues did send:
Know ye not Women are forbidden Preaching,
Know ye not Tongues were only given for Teaching;
Women (at home) have hardly leave to speak,
But they take leave, and often silence break;
Their Husbands must permit their Tongues to walk,
And therefore, in Gods House, they may not talk:
And then, Sir John, what worship do you win
Unto our Lady, when you bring her in
As a Companion with the whole Six score,
Who gat the wholy Ghost and she no more;
And where the Pope hath made her Queen of Heaven,
You make her here like one of the Eleven:
In this her dignity doth seem to fall,
You thrust her to the Kitching from the Hall.
And this is also one of your rare Themes,
Held by your reverend Jesuits of Rhemes,
That Latin came not with the Holy Ghost,
When as the Tongues came down at Pentecost.
Now if it came not then, I pray express
How came it by that perfect Holiness,
That in it only, and no other Tongue,
Both Mass and Mattins must be said and Sung?
[Page 8]
Your last refuge will be unto the Pope,
So knit up all together in a Rope.
Pri.
Wert thou at Rome, and half these words didst speak,
Pedler, it were enough thy Neck to break;
But here [...] live, and talk and prate secure,
And undervalue that blest Virgin pure,
Yeelding no honour, or no Adoration
To her, or to her days of Celebration.
(Go but to Spain, and shew thy vile condition,
Thou shall be tortur'd in the Inquisition.)
Her Miracles of small worth you esteem,
Her merits at low value you misdeem,
Her sacred Reliques you condemn, despise,
And all her attributes you much misprise:
Thou say'st with Six score I do make her share,
Your selves with her your course Wives do compare,
Shame and Confusion doth to all belong,
Who dare the best, most blest of creatures wrong.
Pedl.
Indeed (Sir John) you come upon me now,
With somthing which my Faith doth disallow.
I pray you to consider but a little,
You give her many a Title and a Tittle,
For which you have no Warrant in the Word,
And yet pursue us both with Fire and Sword,
As Heretiques for doing not as ye do,
Yet, what the Word bids, and no more that we do;
Think you that any Man can be so mad,
As to hold Christ his Saviour, and so bad,
As to hold Mary for his Saviours Mother,
And not to love her far above all other,
Above all Creatures, she was full of Grace,
And sure in Glory she hath suprem place
[Page 9]
And eminence, all other Souls transcending
In joy and bliss, that never shall have ending.
The Holy Ghost inspir'd her beyond measure,
She was possest with Heaven and Earths whole treasure,
And grant she could speak Latin, and all Tongues,
Yet Mass or Mattins to her not belongs.
Of all that mortal were she was the best,
And her immortal Soul is now most blest.
Her memorable Honour to preserve,
Her days of Celebration we observe,
The Feast of her Anuntiation,
Her clear and pure Purification,
The Church (in reverence) hath ordain'd these days,
On which we should send up our Prayers and Praise,
To our good God, whose mercy was so great,
To leave his glorious and immortal Seat,
And to the Blessed Virgins Womb he came,
And took on him our filthy Sin and Shame;
And on these days we pray that we may be,
The Virgins followers in Humility,
That our true meekness, and our lowliness,
May raise us to Eternal blessedness;
We hold it the sure way to our Salvation,
To follow her in Holy imitation;
Through heavenly influence her excellence,
Must be admir'd with love and reverence,
And those that dare compare most sawcily,
Their Wives or Mothers with her sanctity,
Are sawcy Knaves in Pride and Ignorance,
Or Atheists, fit to lead the Hang-man's dance;
We love her then, though we believe not in her,
Nor (by will-worship) do we think to win her;
[Page 10]
We hold her blessed for Christs flesh conceiving,
But far more blessed for Christs Faith receiving:
She was his Mother, so's the Church his Wife,
Which was to him much dearer then his Life;
Now if that one could fall at odds with th' other,
He would respect his Wife before his mother;
For who so once to him a Wife doth take,
Must Father, Mother, Friends and Kin forsake.
And this is every Spouses carriage,
But most in this Spiritual Marriage:
As Mary's mother of Christs humane life,
She's but the Daughter of his heavenly Wife;
By which Church only, faith doth me perswade,
Of Christ blest body she's a member made;
Whereby these glorious Titles she hath won,
Made, Mother, Wife, Child, Sister to her Son.
All this Sir John I do but briefly say,
To let you see you play us much foul play.
Pri.
Well Pedler, tho' that Pack about thou bear,
Th'art some Apostate Monk or Fryer I fear,
Of Luthers love, or Calvins cursed crew,
And sent abroad such business to brew,
Disguised like the Person of some Pedler.
Ped.
No faith (Sir John) I am not such a medler,
Nor have I mind or means so high to mount,
A little I can Read or cast Account;
My wits are weak to utter Rime or Reason,
I know not what you call your Kerrieleison.
So help me God (Sir John) I know no better,
Nor in your Latin can I read a Letter:
For Latin is a Language admirable,
And my poor Friends and Parents were unable
[Page 11]
To purchase one scrap of it, for my share,
And sure without it I can sell my ware;
And though I have no Latin, yet I can
Ask what I want of either God or Man,
In mine own mother Tongue, I know and see,
How simple Souls by you abused be;
And how your doctrin half our Prayers would carry,
From Christ our Saviour to the Virgin Mary.
I also do perceive how you do frame,
Strange innovations to that heavenly Dame,
Ascribing her that honour, which to none
Is due, but only unto God alone:
Of which she takes small notice, nor will she
For it at any time your helper be.
Pri.
Read but the Legend, Pedler, and there view
Her miracles, approve her honour due,
For which the Pope in Latin doth prefer,
That Mass and Mattins must be said to her.
Read, and Consider, and believe it well,
Or else thou art at least half way in Hell.
Ped.
Sure Hell is not within the Popes Commission,
Though Purgatory, and the Inquisition,
Are things which he himself of late created,
Yet of small worth, by wise Men they are rated;
I answer as I oft before have said,
I Love, and Reverence that blest Mother Maid,
But I believe in God, and when I pray,
Christ help me (when my Soul or Corps do stray)
And so what e'er I either have or want,
I neither Pray to he or to she Saint;
And as for Tongues, I have but one, no more,
And wot ye well, although I had Six score,
[Page 12]
I would conform my self to Paul's commanding,
Pray with my Tongue, Pray with my understanding.
Think you the twelve, when they receiv'd the tongues,
Talkt, and knew not whereto their talk belongs,
Yielding a sound, not knowing what they said,
Idle in Preaching, Idler when they Pray'd?
No each of them knew well what he did say,
And why not we (Sir John) as well as they?
For since each Man hath one Tongue at command,
Shall Men speak Tongues they do not understand?
Alas good sir, had I been train'd at School,
As I am but a silly simple Fool,
A hundred Questions more I might have mov'd,
But here I cease for fear to be reproved,
For these few doubts I learn'd in sundry places,
Me thinks such Men as you should clear all Cases.
Pri.
Now Pedler, I confess thou puts me to it;
But one thing I will tell thee, if thou'lt do it;
If to our Prior thou'lt with me go back,
Perhaps he will buy all that's in thy pack,
And teach thee better how to Pray then any,
For such a holy Man there are not many,
Be here to Morrow Between six and seven,
And thou wilt find thy self half ways in Heaven.
Ped.
Content Sir John, but there is one thing more,
I must have your opinion in before,
Suppose the holy Prior have no leasure,
To talk of every purpose at our pleasure,
Your Book which is the Golden Legend nam'd,
(Wherein as many Lies as Lines are fram'd)
And, on my conscience, I do think that you,
Do know the most on't to be most untrue;
[Page 13]
And therefore tell me Sir before you go,
Whether your selves believe it, yea or no?
Pri.
Yes verily we do believe it all,
And hold it holy and authentical.
Ped.
Then I'll repeat a tale or two in Prose,
Which few wise Men believe as I suppose.

IN the 45, and 46, Leaf of the aforesaid Book, I have read, that in the Reign of King William the Conqueror, the Danes had a purpose to War against England; to prevent which, King William sent Helli­seus the Abbot of Ramsey Embassadour into Denmark, who having ended his Embassy, as he return'd home­ward, he was on the Sea dangerously distrest with an impetuous and terrible Tempest, so that the Master of the Ship, and all the Marriners did yeild themselves as lost Men: In which extremity they all prayed de­voutly to our Lady for help, and suddenly there ap­peared walking on the Water a Reverend personage in the form or likeness of a Bishop, who called the Abbot Hellizeus to him, and told him, that our Lady had heard their prayers, and that she had sent him to deliver them from the Storm, and that it was her plea­sure to have the day of her Conception kept holy year­ly for ever on the eight day of December; which the Abbot promised to do, and presently the Angel vani­shed away, the Tempest ceased, the Abbot arrived safely in England, and reported what he had heard, seen, and suffered; and lastly the Feast was command­ed to be kept on the 8, day of December accordingly.

Also in the same Book and Leaf is related, that a Cousin german of a King of Hungary, who raigned [Page 14]I know not when, whose names were I know not what, did marry with a Lady (I know not who) at a place I know not where, did, I know not why, forsake his Wife, I know not wherefore, to serve our Lady I know not how; for the story lies thus, that he was a devout and daily invocator to the blessed Virgin, and (being new­ly married) the same day of the marriage the Bride­groom staid alone in the Church, remembring that he had not that day done his accustomed Orisons, where­fore he sent his new Bride home, and himself stayed in the Church to perform his devotion; where presently our Lady appeared to him, and taxed him with unkind­ness, in that he would leave her and betake himself to another, but if he would forsake his Wife, and follow her in a devout Life and Conversation, then she pro­mised to give him the Kingdom of Heaven, where­upon it is said, he presently forsook his Wife, and ever after was a true servant to our Lady.

What think you now (Sir John) is this good stuff?
It edifies me, much like Blindman buff;
Is't not a shame, that you these things dare do,
To wrong poor People and our Lady to?
You have no starting hole, nor no excuse
To cover or to colour your abuse;
But by your leave, I'll tell a tale or twain
In Prose, and fall into our Verse again.

In the 88 Leaf I did read of another nameless Lady, that dreamed she was before the Shrine of our Lady on Candlemas day; she then (as she dream'd) had a burning Candle in her Hand, which Candle she was three times commanded to offer to the Image of the Virgin, which she not doing, the Angel strove with her for it, and [Page 15]brake it in the midst; at which the Lady awaked, and found half a Candle in her Hand, which she ever af­ter kept as a holy Relique, and with the touch of it did many Miracles, and cured a great number of di­seases only with the very touch of the said Candle.

There was a Thief whom they call'd a Knight, that had long time us'd to Rob upon the High-way, by which accursed Gentleman-like Trade, he was grown very Rich, and kept tall Fellows to attend him, who were as arrant Thieves as himself; amongst them there was one perform'd or served the office of his Chamber­lain, that was a Devil in the shape of a Man. It fell out so they Rob'd a Holy-man, who desired he might speak with the chief or Master Thief; which being granted, the Holy-man requests that he might see all the Ser­vants together; whereupon they were called: then said the Holy-man, here are not all, and then they missed the Chamberlain, and called him, who was no sooner come into the said Blessed-mans presence, but he cryed out, saying, I am a Devil in this humane form, who have followed this Knight a long time to destroy him for his bad Life, but I could never have any power over him to hurt him, because he did daily, with great devotion, oftentimes salute the blessed Virgin Mary, with Ave Maria. Leaf, 105.

In the 217 Leaf there is a tale of a Monk, that was a great Letcher, who by accident was Drunk and Drownd in a River which he fell into, and the Devils came busily about his Carkass to carry it to Hell; but because the said Monk had used constantly to pray to our Lady, she then appeared her self, and commanded the Devils to depart, and then she gave the Soul of the [Page 16]Monk into his dead Body again, and ever after he had a care to live honestly.

In the same 217 Leaf there is a Relation of a Knt. that had spent all his substance wastfully in riot, and being desperate in his wants, he would have sold his Wife to the Devil for a great sum of Mony; but the Bargain being made, and the good Gentlewoman to be delivered to the Friend, our Lady appeared to her, and laid her in a sleep, taking upon her self the shape of the sleeping Gentlewoman; which when the Knight would have delivered, the Devil began to Roar and Howl, and trembling said, that the Knight had decei­ved him, in bringing the Mother of God to him in­stead of his Wife; and with that the Devil fled away, and the Knight with repentance took his Wife again; and in conclusion our Lady gave them wealth, so that ever after they lived together lovingly.

In the 220 Leaf it is said, that as the Body of the blessed Virgin was carried towards her grave or burial, a Jew in despightful manner laid both his Hands on the Bier, and violently would have overthrown it, when presently his Hands sundred from his Arms, and clave fast to the Bier; at which the Jew roar'd, cryed out and repented, and St. Peter commanded him to kiss the Bier, whereby he was presently recovered, and had his Hands restor'd to his Arms again.

In the 218 Leaf it is related, that in the City of Barrges, Anno 226, the Christians being at Mass on an Easter-day, a Jews Child came amongst them at the Mass and received the Sacra­ment of the Altar: And after all the Ceremony and Service was ended, the Young Jew returned, [Page 17]and his Father demanded of him where he had been; he answered, that he had been at Mass amongst the Christians; at which the Old Jews was so enraged, that he took his Son and threw him into a Hot Fiery Furnace; but our Lady suddenly appeared unto the Boy in the Furnace, and by Her power did preserve him from the fury of the Heat, so that he came forth, not having so much as the hair of his Head touched or Scorched with Burning. Whereupon the People took the Old Jew and cast him into the Furnace, and pre­sently he was consumed.

Also it is said, that the House that the blessed Virgin dwelt in at Bethlehem was remov'd by heavenly Angels, and carried thro the Air many thousand Miles over Sea and Land, to the Country of Dalmatia, where it did remain for a certain time, and then it was again removed to Lorretto in Italy, where it remains to this day, being a Holy place, much visited by Pilgrims, and (by vertue of it) many Miracles are wrought daily.

And thus the Book you brag of, far excels
The Lies of Jews, Turks, Moors, and Infidels;
And sure the Heathen hearing of these Lies,
The Christian Religion dispise;
He that will one day guerdon good and bad,
T'whose word we must not dare a bate or add,
Against those he will draw his vengful Sword,
That mingle fables with his sacred Word.
Pri
Thy blinded Zeal my very heart doth grieve,
Thou understandst not what thou shouldst believe,
Thinkst thou so many grave and learned Men,
Have liv'd and dy'd in blear-ey'd errours Den,
[Page 18]
Dost think all Popes, all Cardinals, are Lyers,
Abbots, most zealous Monks, most holy Fryers?
Dost think all these for many a hundred Year,
Did not profess and know the truth sincere?
These Men maintain'd the Church in glorious state,
'Till Luther and curst Calvin 'gan to prate.
Ped.
Like as a Squirril skips from Tree to Tree,
Even (so Sir John) you from the matter flee;
Our talk was Latin, and our Lady first,
And you to other Arguments out burst.
I tell you, I that Virgin love and honour,
Altho my prayers do not wait upon her,
Nor do I hold her Reliques of such price,
To raise Souls to the heavenly Paradice:
You, her suppos'd apparel do adore,
Hair-lace and Slippers (which she never wore)
Her Comb, her Girdle, and her Gown of Silk,
Her Apron, and the Pot that held her Milk,
Her Cloak, her Hankerchief, her Hood, her Hair,
To these you mumble many a Latin prayer;
And therefore I defy you, and in sadness,
I hold such holiness a kind of madness:
And so (Sir John) we two will make an end,
And each of us about his business wend;
Yet e'er we part I would fall to again,
And of the Latin speak a word or twain;
There was but one Tongue at the birth of Abel.
And many at the building up of Babel;
A wicked work, which God would have confounded,
But when Christ came, all Tongues again resounded,
To build his Church by his Apostles teaching,
Which was in Praying sure as well as Preaching;
[Page 19]
For Prayer is the full and true perfection
Of Holy service (saving your correction)
Then if our Lord to mine own Tongue be ready,
What need I then with Latin move our Lady,
Or if to both my Prayers must be in,
I pray sir tell with which should I begin,
And to pray joyntly to them both as one,
Your Latin Prayers then are quickly gone;
For Pater Noster never will accord
With her, nor Ave Mary with our Lord.
If I have him, what need I seek another,
Or will he nothing do without his Mother?
And this (Sir Priest) was much in Question,
Disputed long, with deep digestion,
Whether the Ave Mary should be said
To God, or to our Lady when they pray'd:
With which, Saint Andrews University,
Was puzled with a strange diversity,
And sat so long they cooled all their Kale,
At last the Master Cook heard of the Tale,
And like a mad Man ran among the Clergy,
Crying with many a Domine me asperge,
To give the Pater Noster to the Father,
And Avies to our Lady altogether;
And every Man may think (that wise or grave is,)
She's more then satisfi'd with Creeds and Aves;
At which the Clergy (fearing more confusion)
Were all contented with the Cooks conclusion.
Pri.
Pedlar, this tale is of thee Coyned new;
Ped.
Sir John, I'll leese my Pack if't be not true:
Again all learned Monkes and Fryers have read,
How Christ himself taught us of his own Head,
[Page 20]
That every Soul that is with sin opprest,
Should come to him, and he would give them rest:
Come all to me (said he) not to another,
Come all to me (said he) not to my Mother.
And if I do as our good Lord commanded,
I know our Lady will no ways withstand it.
And so if I should say my Prayers in Latin,
Unto the Lord at Even-song or Mattin,
And never understand what I were saying,
Think you the Lord would take it for true Praying?
No sure, he will not, for I truly know,
My Tongue and Heart must both together go.
And here upon I'll tell you what befel,
To learned Clerks, that Latin well could spell,
With whom by chance I lodged at an Inn,
Whereas an old Wife on her Wheel did spin,
And towards Evening she fell to and Pray'd,
But neither they or I knew what she said;
One said she Canted, others said she Mumbled,
And still strange language from her Lips she Fumbled,
Round run her Wheel, and round her Tongue did run,
She Mumbled, and she Slaver'd, and she Spun;
What think you now (Sir John) of this old Hussie.
Where was her Heart when as she was so busie.
At last (said one) Dame wot you what you say?
No, not (quoth she) but well I wot I Pray.
You Pray (quoth he) and know not what I grant,
Alas how can you be so ignorant?
The Woman, musing little at the motion,
Said, Ignorance is Mother of Devotion.
If Ignorance be Mother, then (said he)
Sure Darkness must her only Daughter be.
[Page 21]
Pray'd you, (quoth I) when all the time you Span?
What matters that, quoth she, God's a good Man,
And knows what I speak in the Latin Tongue,
Either at Mattins or at Even-song.
Alas, good Sir, was not this Wife abus'd,
Whose Soul and Senses all were so confus'd?
You know these unknown Tongues can profit no Man,
And one Tongue is enough for any Woman;
But when we Pray in true sincerity,
As God commands in Spirit and verity,
The Heart sends up the Tongue as Messenger
Unto the Lord, a pleasant Passenger.
Pri.
But Pedler, here's a pretty little Book,
Wherein if thou wilt spare the time to look,
Set forth by a good Catholick Divine,
Which out of doubt will settle thy Ingine;
With it thy conscience will be better fram'd,
The Gag of the new Gospel it is nam'd:
He clearly proves by Zachary's example,
When he did sacrifice within the Temple,
And all the People pray'd and stood without,
They knew not then what Tongue he spake no doubt;
Ergo the Mass may be both said and sung,
In othet Language then our Mother Tongue.
Ped.
Sir John, I see your holy Catholick,
Upon the Text hath put a pretty trick;
Did Zachary speak in a Latin stile,
When all the People staid withour the while?
He was a Jew sure, and knew Hebrew well,
And spake no Latin for ought you can tell;
For if the People heard not what he said,
Could they or you know in what Tongue he Pray'd!
[Page 22]
Since understanding cometh by the Ear,
He cannot understand that doth not hear.
Prove is, that Zachary spoke Latin, then
I'll siy all Monks and Fryers are honest men.
Because a learned Priest may pray in Latin,
And mumble o're his Even-song, Mass, and Muttin,
Ergo a Pedlar to the Lord may Pray,
And know no sillable that he doth say;
So when you put me to your Pater Noster,
I ask an Egg when I would have an Oyster.
And seeing thus our Faith doth disagree,
That neither I with you, nor you with me
Can be united with one mind and heart,
I think it best we take our leaves and part.
I'll pray that God, in grace and mercy, would
Bring all his Straying Flock into his Fold.
FINIS.

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