University of Virginia Library

Superstitions

Now Superstitions fly blow all things, Crawl
Like Magots on a fat sheeps taile: and sprawle.
Temples they build, its well; but Didicate
Unto Christ, Saviour, Angells, Saints, in State,
To Michael, Mary, Peter Andrew, James
To Stephen, Paul, John Baptist, other names
In honour of Male Martyres: to Sabine
To Adrian, Crispinian and Crispine.
Off Females too, as to Saint Sapience
Saint Maure, Saint Joan, Saint Sophy, (pritty sense)
And these they Consecrate with Litany
Mass Psalms, and Holy Oyle, and Names apply.
And did it in the Name of th'trinity.
And stow them do with Altars Consecrate
Tables, and Candle Sticks Church-Chests and Plate
Golden, and Silver Cups, and Sacred Vests
And other things they lay up in these Chests.
They Stow them also do with Crosses gay,
To fright the Divell: Reliques here they lay.
And Images of Christ of Angells, Saints
Ore lay'd with Gold, and Silver: Some in Paints.
All to be worshipt, and adored herein.
Some Abraham have his Isaack offering.
Some have the Gospell painted, on the walls
Some have th'Six Universall Synod all,
Rich gifts, they did adorn them with: the Gloves
Of Gayfry Duke of Aquitain, whence moves
Greate glory, all Stuck ore with Unions
And other Costly Gems, and Pretious Stones.
King Pipin hung up in Saint Denyse by
The golden Cross o're the great Altar, high.
And Luitprand did didicate unto
Saint Peters Alter, Sword, Belt, Jewells so.
Pillars they had of Marble Some, but loe
Eutyce Six Cry and Pillars did bestow
Saint Peter on, in Gregory Terse his time,
And now how gloriously doth Peter Shine?
They now made brazen Grate works hedging in
The Table where none come, expeld for Sin.
Kings Crowns adornd with Gems are lodged here.
Pope Adrian did in Mary's Church up rear
Rich golden Dolphins brave through sevrall Crowns.
Gregry the third set with six Dolphins brown
A Silver Crown; and a gold Coronet
With a bright Cross in Genese's Church up set.
Gregry the Second made a Pulpet all
Of Marble in Jerusalem Church-hall.
Before Church Images they Candles light
And Frankincense do burn. Strang gods a might!
Their Temples too Cities of Refuge are.
None may be halled thence that do repare
Under their shadow upon lesser pain
Than Excommunication to sustain
Nicetas sat here in a Throne in state
While Constantine was Excommunicate.
The Fonts for Baptism in Churches stand
Which Consecrated are by Priests at hand
And here they do baptize both babes and men,
With Water, Oyle, and salt. Godfathers then
Did give them Gifts. And Deusdedit Pope
Two Wooden Dishes both alike set ope
Adornd with Gold and Gems gave to two boyes
In token that he did the same baptize.
They now baptize their Clocks and Bells and hung
Papers by sign posts Storms to void and shun.
The Supper of the Lord they solemnize
In Gold, and Silver vessells set likewise
Upon a Wooden Table. Hence its said
By Winofride, the former dayes displaid
All Golden Priests but wooden Cups: but we
Now Golden Cups but wooden Priests do see.
The supper was administred in Vests,
All White but Charles his Priest's in purple dresst[.]
The English usd a Cruse and Dish of horn
At Sacrament, till Adrian did forewarn
And lay his Charge upon them not to have
Horn Cups, and Chargers in such Service grave
The French did Infants to this Table bring.
Hence Charles the Great's appointment up did spring,
That Priests have ever by, the Eucharist
For Babes and Sick folk; 'fore death them off twist.
They Pray and massify, for quick and dead:
And Pray as at Consecrated places shed.
And over graves: they go to Rome to pray.
Cast ashes on their heads: Face Eastward lay.
Processioning with Prayers Pope Leo usd
When tumbld from his Saddle he was bruisd
Constantinople Siegd by Saracens
Was Circuited about on friday then.
The Virgin Maries Image held on high
They Calld upon, with such Idolatry.
Thou Holy Bearer of our God, who hast
So oft deliverd us, to free us hast
From foes unto thy Son. And if thou wilt
Not have us drown thy Image, we have built,
Here in the Sea: drown them within the Sea.
And Quickly then the foes did fly a way.
Now Boniface affirmd, it Capitall
To wed a Godsons mother (Judgd ye all)
Monasteries, and Nunneries abound:
Wherein most monstrous wickedness is found.
Yet this Moguntine Boniface, did bring
From England such to preach the Gospell King.
Lisba did preach at Bishoffsheim the word:
Tecla at Kizing on the Mogus ford:
Chunild, and Chunitrade, and Beragyth
And Valdopurge shackld all in his with
Did preach the word Contrary to Saint Paul
Who will not have a woman preach at all.
But yet these Swarms of Abbies: Lubber-looms,
Or Hives of drones, sing such bewitching tunes,
Nobles Dance after them, as Leo who
Crept in Cassina goose pen: many go
To others. Nay these Fiddles make kings Crowns
Skip from their heads for them to dwell with Clowns.
In a King of West Saxons; Offa Easts,
Kenred, Ethelbald, Offa Kings possest
Of th'Mercian Kingdoms: glory and another
King Kenred, Celulfe, Egbert, too whose Cover
Was the Northumber Crown, all Englands Kings,
Their Crowns for Monkish Cawls did Chang. Strange things!
Rachis King of the Longbard did the same,
And Charloman King Pipins brother came
From's Royall Scepter like imployment bright
To roost in such a bird Cage, black as night.
His Royall Queen-like Spouse became a Nun:
And so King Ina's Queen Ethelberg run
Into the Nunnery at Barking neer
To London, and the Abbass died there.
But to return (for of this sort no more)
This Boniface, who by his terrour sore
Did in Bavaria set the Pope's black brands,
Upon an hundred thousand persons hands
Brought German Grists unto his Water mill
Of Masses, Purgatorie, Prayres that fill
Saints ears (or Satans rather), Prayrs for th'Dead,
Of Relicks Superst[it]ions, black and red.
Did thus assert, although the Pope be found
His, and the Folks Salvation slighting, Crownd
With works remiss and vain, a Dumb dog bee
So that he lead by troops doe down, wee see,
Innumerable people unto hell
In Everlasting Plagues and scourgings t'dwell,
Whereby he wounds himselfe, and all men more.
No mortall may presume with Checks his Cure.
For he is judge of all, and judgd of none
May be, said he, What doctrine hath this Don?
By these, and such like things, as these, we finde
Patience is saddld that her Grace is Shrinde.