Miscellaneous works of George Wither

So; I do now begin to be prefer'd;
And from an Owl within an Iviebush,
Advanced am, to be a Newgate-Bird,
As fast incaged, as my foes need wish.
My Feathers have so pluckt already been
That, no more I can lose now, but my skin,
And when that's torn away, I may presume
My Flesh and Bones, in short time, will consume.

II

I was restrain'd before, but, not so strait
Was my Restraint, nor in so close a place;
I had my load, but not such overweight,
Nor seem'd I, so exposed to disgrace.
My Friends were overcharg'd with me before,
And will, this way, be now oppressed more:
For, that whereof my Judges me condemn,
Falls not so much on me, as upon them.

III

But, is this Newgate, whereof so afraid
Offenders are? Is this the dismall place,

Wherein, before I came, I heard it said
There's nothing, but grief, horrour, aud disgrace?
I find it otherwise; and, doubtless, either
It is bely'd; or, they who are sent hither,
Within themselves, when to this house they come,
Bring that, which makes it seem so troublesome.

IV

I no worse here, then where I was before
Accommodated am: for, though confin'd
From somethings, which concern my Body more
Then formerly, it hath inlarg'd my mind.
Here, by degrees, with what the world most fears
(With Tormeuts, and their Executioners)
I may be so acquainted, if I please,
That, things which threaten pain, shall bring me ease.

V

Here, I can see the bottom of that Pit
Which gapes to swallow me: here, I can view
What some, who have more prospect, see not yet,
Nor will, till they their fears cannot eschew.
Here, I find Objects to prepare me for
That, which my Fesh and Blood, doth most abhor;
And, am assur'd, that, to what place soe're
I, hence am sent, that GOD, will meet me there.

VI

Though here, my outward-being, seems no better,
But, in appearance dayly worse to grow,
My Inward comforts and my hopes are greater,
And, will be greatest when they make least show.
Although my Oyl and Meal doth not increase
Since I came hither, 'tis no whit the less:

Yea, though I am at more charge every day,
Then did of late, a weeks expence defray.

VII

For that cost, they supplied have, to whom
My life, it seems, is dearer, then to me;
And, they ingaged for me are become;
LORD! whence proceeds this kindness, but from thee?
So is it, that, I now can hardly tell
Whether, my Friends, to save me, shew more zeal
Or they more malice, who have sought of late
To ruine both my Person, and Estate.

VIII

I find already, by what I have noted,
My best Expressions will concealed be.
My Verses (as the Devil Scripture quoted)
Produc'd by Scrapps, to disadvantage me.
I see my self oppos'd by no small odds,
Frown'd on, by mighty men, and mortal Gods
Who sit so high, that they nor feel, nor know
What things are suff'red, by poor-men below.

IX

Not onely Railing Foes, on evety side,
But my Acquaintance also, and meer Strangers,
Unjustly, me defame, Jeer, and deride;
Threats follow me behind, before, lie dangers.
Yet to no mortal for support I send,
Nor make complaints by Letter, or by Friend;
Nor will, except to them, to whom belongs
The Judging of my Actious, and my wrongs.

X

My soul, these things consider well, and whence
They do proceed: consider why, likewise;
Who, puts into thy heart, this confidence;
Who, by unknown hands, each dayes want supplies;
Who, comforts doth augment as griefs increase;
Who, cloathes and feeds thee in this Wilderness,
And, when Terrestrial ayds, are quite bereaven
Rains on thee, Quailes and Manna down from heaven.

XI

Mark, how this Realm is here Epitomiz'd,
As to a Blest, and Reprobate condition:
How Mercies, and how Judgements are despis'd,
By most men, at the brinck of their perdition;
How few, be wrought upon, in either place,
By Threatnings, or by promises of Grace.
How many, laugh, sing, swear, curse and Blaspheme
Even when, Hell, ready seems to swallow them.

XII

Here, thou shalt see, that meer Stupidity
And gracelesness, transporteth many a man
To out-face Death, with less Timidity
Then some with all their Moral Vertues can:
Here, thou shalt learn, that if thy Prosecutions,
Thy zeal, thy Courage and thy Resolutions
Spring onely, from a Natural Estate,
Thou, with all these, mayst be a Reprobate.

XIII

Let therefore, these Experiments, with awe
Be enteraain'd; and, if henceforth God should

(As he perhaps will) common helps withdraw,
Let them quite go, and catch on him fast hold.
For, if thou then despaire, or shalt distrust
His Love, who never was to thee unjust,
This, will then prove to be a carnal-boast,
And, thou, with all thy vain hopes wilt be lost.

XIV

Since also, thou dost feel thy heart more prone,
By smiles and favours, to be drawn aside,
Then by harsh usage, to be wrought upon,
Let thy weak'st Bulwarks be most fortifi'd,
Lest, they, who have not strength enough to win
The Fort by force, by Stratagems get in;
And, thou then ruin'd, be past all repair,
As many are, by those, who speak them fair.

XV

That Spirit, try, which thy Resolves begets;
For, other while, as resolute are they
Who are possessed but with Ranting-Fits,
As any, in whom Passion bears no sway.
Contempt of Torment, sometimes springs from Madness,
Stoutness, from Anger, or despairing-sadness:
Martyrs, and men, of Reprobated sence,
Bear suff'rings, with small outward difference.

XVI

Search thou thy heart, therefore, with prudent care,
That, Malice, Pride, nor Vengeance lurk therein:
That Love of GOD, and all mankinde be there,
Linckt with a detestation of all Sin;
And, if thou find it so, be not afraid
What e're against thee shall be done or said:

For, Resolutions built upon that Rock,
Will, of all raging Stormes, endure the Shock.

XVII

Though Princes in their Supream Councils blame thee,
And such as are prophane, FANNATICK call thee;
They shall not able be, to fright or shame thee,
By any consequent which may befall thee:
And, if so prudently thou guide, thy Pen
That, when it strikes at faults, it spares the men,
The Wise will from the Fools, themselves devide,
And, every Just-mans Vote, be on thy side.

XVIII

Though so it alwayes proves not, do not grieve
Nor vex thereat: for, what GOD calls thee to,
To put in Execution thou shalt live,
In spight of all this froward world can do;
And future times, will laugh to scorn the storms
And Mountains, rais'd by Gyants, against worms
When they shall see, (which they will see at last)
The Towers of Babel on their Builders cast.

XIX

Make Jesus Christ, to be the sole Foundation,
Of thy Affection, of thy Hope and Trust,
Of thy Belief, of thy Sanctification,
Of all thy Musings, and of all thou dost:
For, nothing Justifies, but, doth Condemn,
That is not, In, for, from, and by him,
Without respect to any Interest,
Except, what, with his Glory, may consist.

[XX]

LORD, thou hast, by renewing, in some measure
My much depraved Will, inclined me,
In all things, to submit to thy good pleasure,
Let what's defective, now, made perfect be,
That, known it may be to this Generation,
Man may attain to such a Resignation,
That, he shall more delight, thy will to do,
Then, that, which his own will, provokes him to.

XXI

Prais'd be thy Blessed Name, who, as thou didst
For Joseph (when he was in Prison bound)
For me, in my Imprisonment provid'st,
And, by thy servants, every where art found:
Be with me, as to be thou hast begun,
Until my Generation Work is done,
And, when that's finish'd, for which I was born,
Let me with Joy, into thine Arms return.

University of Virginia Library

George Wither, His first Meditation, upon his Commitment to Newgate, Aug. 22. For his Poem called Vox Vulgi, neither Published nor Finished.

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