University of Virginia Library

PROSOPOPOEIA BRITANNICA.

The Contents of the first Lection.

The Contents of the second Lection.

The GENIUS, (whom observe I pray, with heed)
With raised eyes, did thus againe, proceed:
How faine would I find words and exhortations,
Whichmight, not now, be lost upon these Nations?
But, cause them to consider, and discerne
Those things, which their well-being may concerne?
That, all well meant endeavours for their good,
Might not be still neglected, or withstood;
And, future ages, wonder, what dire Fate,
This Generation did infatuate?
My breath, hath hitherto, been chiefly spent,
The Kings approaching ruine to prevent:
By skrewing thoughts into him which may wake him
From slumber; and, for peace, industrious make him.
Now I will also, somewhat, say to them,
Who stand, in prime relation, unto him;
That, if his heart GOD change not, neither he
May them destroy, nor they destructive be
Unto themselves. And, what, to that good end,
I shall advise, is this: Dear friends, attend.
Let those high Courts, by whom the Pow'r-supreme,
Is exercised in the name of him
Who now is laid aside; let those adventer
No longer, to wheele round, without a Center:
But, fix on somewhat, whereon to be steddie,
Before all catch the Staggers, and grow giddie.
Let that be rectifi'd, which now, disturbs
Their nat'rall motions, in their sev'rall Orbs;
Lest if the Nations clash, they thereby crack
The wheeles of Government, and make them break
Against each other, when there will be here,
To mend them, no well-skill'd State-Ingineere.
Reduce your wand'ring lights; let ev'ry star
Within your Firmament keep his owne sphere;
Lest, if above their Circles they aspire,
Like Phaeton, they set the world on fire;
Or aid those Comets, which already glare
Prodigiously, to breed combustions here,
Whose mischeivous effects, you may in vaine
Attempt, perhaps, hereafter, to restraine.
Till to the snuffe they blaze; or, till they shall
To quench their thirstings, all your blood exhale.
This mischeife to prevent, let ev'ry wit,
And ev'ry Pow'r subordinate, submit
To that, which is supreme; ev'n unto that,
Which for the present, is predominate,
For publike-safety: And let that abide
On Principles, which neither may divide
Or, wound it selfe; lest on it selfe, it draw
Contempt, from them, who, thereof stood in awe;
And, that contempt so weaken them at length,
That they, with losse of honour, lose their strength:
For, yon have felt, (as well as heard it told)
What of Divisions, hath been said of old.
Your present postures give occasion may
To some, of doubting, whom they should obey;
How far forth, their obedience must extend;
How long they shall uncertainly attend,
The hatching of that Government, which must
Continue fixt; and, whereto they may trust.
Which questionings, and doubtings (though good reason
Hath made them in these Islands, now, in season)
Enfeeble much your Pow'r; and do beget,
(Though seemingly the people do submit)
Ill consequences, which will still be worse,
Untill you settle on some certaine course:
Especially, if they suspect that pow'r,
Intendeth not their benefit, but your.
Delay not, therefore, that which they expect:
And, till a settlement may take effect,
(Or, till they better know, what doth pertaine
To your new curb, and also to your reine)
With kindnesse mannage them, and condescend
To what, may for their satisfaction tend
In all just seeming Rights; till they may see,
That, by your pow'r, their peace preserv'd shall bee.
And then, if your Authority to own,
They shall refuse; so make your courage known,
That, none may dare blaspheme, or scandalize
Those needful Pow'rs, and lawful Dignities,
Which are above their Censures; least you farther
Their Plots, who have no hope, but in disorder;
Since, better it becomes, Wisemen to dye
In Order, then, to live in Mutiny.
Mark, those among you, who, whilst they pretend
Your Power, and your Proceedings, to befriend,
Impair them, underhand, by driving on
Designs, destructive to what should be done.
So many Marks, upon them do appear,
Declaring to what Party they adhere,
That, well they may be known: And, they to whom
These are discover'd, find what will become
Of You, and your Affaires, unless, you shall
With speed (and wisely) them, in question call.
Your greatest Foes, &, they who most may wrong you,
Are some, who, daily Counsel take among you;
Your Adversaries, as the Prophet said,
Are men of your own Houses, who have plaid
The parts of seeming Friends. Of these, therefore,
Take heed, and seek to cast them out of doore
Before they cast you out: Whirh, were they stronger,
Deferred would not be one minute longer.
When you have purg'd your House (until which day
All will be spoke in vain, that I shall say)
Take my advice (for it is genuine,
And, that, whereto your Genius doth incline)
First, to Debate, and, then, to Question, bring
The Government, and what concerns the King;
Which, being prudently resolv'd upon,
Will save you twenty labours, in that One:
And, make, (if you perform, as is profest)
An easie passing thorough all the rest.
In your Debates, discover not that spleen
Or Virulency, wherein, may be seen,
A purpose, nor to give, nor take content;
But, so contest, that, when ye shall assent,
There may, on you, be seen the fewer scars
Of your unhappy and uncivil Wars;
And, that it may appeare, your strife hath bin,
Not, that your Will, but, that the Truth may win.
Yet, lest, whilst you are forced to contest,
You may destroy the noblest Interest
By dull Indifferency, or want of zeal;
Look to the safety of the Common-weal,
As to your chiefe Allegiance: For, a King
Who makes a claim, although the claimed thing,
Be due, yet, if he so exacteth it,
As, that, it publike danger may beget,
Becomes a Traytor to the Royall Trust,
In him repos'd; and, merits to be thrust
Besides the Throne, if, therein, he persist,
To prosecute his private Interest.
When, ye are certain, what should be prefer'd,
From prosecuting it, be not deter'd;
Or, from a stout ingagement, in that Cause,
Whereto, you are obliged by the Laws
Of GOD, and Nature: For, a work begun
With Courage, is as good, as half way done.
Let not the foolish feares, or superstition
Of earebor'd slaves (the Foot-stools of Ambition)
Who Idolize, and deifie their Kings,
As more then mortal, and unbounded things;
Let not these fright: But, well examine you
What, to the People; what, to them, is due,
That, so, your Friends, who see your prudency,
May be preserved from Apostacy.
Consider, wisely, how with him, you deale,
Who, of these Vessels, was esteem'd, erewhile,
Both Master, and Chief owner; that, nor he
Nor you, may ruin'd, or dishonour'd be,
By any practise, which may not befit
Your Wisdom, or your Justice, to permit,
Force not each other into such a Streight,
As, that, there may from thence, be no retreit;
Or, means left, for th'one Party to prevent
The others fall, although he should repent.
But, as, indeed, you hitherto have done,
Him, as the Publike Father look upon.
And, though his Parasites, have him inrag'd
By causless Jealousies, and far ingag'd
Against your Lives, and Freedomes; yet, assay
To shew him, all the Mercy, that you may.
Ulysses did spontaneously assent
To be inchanted, that, he might prevent
The Syrens Charms; and, you, without just blame
Have done, (and may, yet do to him) the same
Who hath already, been by their inchanting
So charm'd, that, very little now is wanting
Of his, and your destruction. By his own,
And others faults, distemper'd he was grown;
And thereby hath indangered, no less
His own Safe-being, then the Common-Peace;
And, while destructive Courses he shall take,
You, are oblig'd to stop, and pull him back;
Though, his Seducers, grow inrag'd thereby,
And, terme you Traytors, for your loyalty.
Yea, you may still restraine him, and thereto
Add more, if need require it should be so;
Till GOD, by his especial grace, hath brought him,
To shun the Course, which, evil Counsel taught him;
Or, left him so, that, wilfully he shall
Without your fault, by his own Projects, fall.
I will not counsel, that, ought lesse you do
Then Salus Populi constraines you to;
For, though the Sheepish Rout, more think upon
Things present, then on what is past and gone;
And, seem to have alreadie, so forgot
Late grievances, as if they thought it not
So great a plague, to be inslav'd for aye,
As present weights to bear, though but one day:
Yea, though the most part, of the Common rabble,
So sottish are, and so irrationable,
That, out of fear, lest others should enslave them,
They would inslave themselves, & those that save them:
Yet, must not those, on whom the Land relies,
Benummed grow with such stupidities:
For, 'tis a Symptome of a Sottish Nation,
To grow respectless of self-preservation;
Or, fear to practise, what agrees with reason,
Because it hath been falsly called Treason,
By Parasites, and Priests; who, that a King
Might make them something, made him any thing,
Which he desir'd to be; and, hence did rise
Abhominable Court-Idolatries.
Yea, hence it was, that men first grew afraid
To think (untill of late) what may be said,
And must be relolutely done, before
GOD, will, these Isles, to their lost Peace restore.
A Realm, that fears to call her Trustee, to
Accompt, for ought mis-done, or left to do;
Is like those Children, who do fear the shows,
Which they themselves set up to scare the Crows:
And, they, who think you have no rightfull power
To curb his furie, who, might you devour;
May think, as well, they should not put a clog,
Or hang a chain, upon a Shepherds dog,
Although, he daily bites, and kills the sheep,
Which he was, only, bred, and fed, to keep.
In warlike manner, with his Standard rear'd,
The King, against you, in the Field appear'd;
And, gave you (as it were) a Summons thither,
That, he, and you, might plead your Rights together,
By way of Combate; which your Common-Laws
Allow of, for the triall of that Cause,
Whereof there's doubtfull proof; And, wherein none
Knows how to judge aright, but, GOD, alone.
This Tryal, both did stand to: By this Tryal,
The King, was overcome, without denial;
And did submit. What, had you then to do?
But, what you would your selves, be done unto,
When your Desires, were made a Rule, whereby
Another, might, Square out his Charity?
Men, do not use to hunt a Beast of prey,
To take him, and, then, let him go away.
They, who have caught a Lyon, you would blame
If they dis-mist him (though he seemed tame)
Unchain'd, and without keepers; since, that Creature
Is known, of so untamable a Nature,
That he will ravine, as he did before,
If, to himself, you leave him anie more.
Kings, who without controul, the Scepter swaid,
As tamelesse are, as Lyons that have preyd:
Which, howsoever, you shall use, or feed them,
Will soon grow dangerous, unlesse you heed them;
You, therefore, must not give them leave to seize,
On ought, at will; no, not so much as Fleas,
Lest, some Prerogative, they thereon found:
But, you must circle them within a Bound;
And, Laws, and Counsellors provide, whereby
You may their Wills, and Judgements, rectifie:
And, then, when they by generall consents,
So furnish'd be, they may be Instruments
Of Honor, Peace, and Plenty. And, take this
From me, who know best, what, most fitting is
For this Isles constitution; That th'increase
Of Wealth, and Honor; Settlement of Peace,
And Freedom from Oppressions, (whatsoe're
Some dream) shall never be enjoyed here,
In any Government, so perfectly,
As, by a regulated Monarchy.
Shall I advise you to a Treaty, than?
No: Tis not now, as when the War began.
Before the Tryall, your Trustees, did well
To treat for Peace; because, they could not tell
What might succeed; and, thought it safer, far,
To take some wrong, then seek redresse by War.
But, now, for them to Treat, were to admit
That, GOD, had past no Tryall for them, yet.
And, those, who thereto would perswade them, now,
I shall not for their wisest Friends allow,
If friends: For that, not only of their prizes
Defeats the Conquerors, but, equalizes
Them, likewise with the Conquer'd; and makes void,
What, should by right of Conquest, be injoyd.
When he whose ancient Birth-right was quite lost,
Hath by expence of labour, time, and cost,
A lawfull repossession of it sought,
And, at the Law, his suit to Tryall brought;
Obtained a Verdict, Judgement, Execution,
And, full possession without Diminution:
What, for a Friend, I pray were such a one?
Who should perswade this man, when all were done,
To wave his lawfull right, so dearly bought,
To treat with him, who his undoing sought?
And, uncompel'd, refer unto debate,
What, he should leave, or take, of that Estate?
And, what were that man but, a Groll, at best,
Who, re-adventur'd, thus, his Interest?
Nor honester, nor wiser, much, are they
Who, now, into a Treaty would betray
The Parliament. For what hath it been done,
If they must Treat, again, for what is won?
Why, did they make good meaning men to fight
And lose their lives, to win for them, a Right,
Which they must get by Treaty? Why, is he
A Prisoner, if a King as yet, he be
That's capable of Treating? Or, of more
Then you shall seem obliged to restore,
In meer humanity? Or, by that band,
Whereby, as Christians, you obliged stand,
Upon his true Repentance? And, upon
Security, like fault, shall not be done?
But if no Treaty be allow'd, how then
Shall you, and he, be reconcil'd agen?
By such a Course, as will be generous;
And, for our Genius to advise; Ev'n thus:
Like honorable Victors, offer him
Terms honorable, if he merit them,
By true Repentance (For, it will be more
Then can be justly offer'd him before)
Lest, you, at last, may be requited ill,
If Power, he get, before he change his Will.
When, you perceive, that, GOD in him hath wrought
That mind, whereto you wish he should be brought,
Give him Conditions, freely, such as may
Full well become a King, whom, to obey,
Acknowledg, and submit to, 'twill beseem
Those Nations, who, a good repute esteem.
Give him, that Kingly-Liberty, which will
Confine him, from all power of doing ill;
And, him enable, too, for every thing,
Pertaining to the Office of a King:
Which, to declare; and, to consider how
It shall secured be, I, leave to you;
Whom they concern, and, who know how, to make
Your own Conditions, if, good heed you take.
But many are suppos'd to be inclin'd
To some new Government, by them design'd
In whose erection, and establishment,
They could receive a great deal more content
Then in well regulating, what they had:
And, some of these, it may be, are so mad,
(And so incharitable) as, in heart
To pray, that GOD would rather, quite, depart
Both from this King, and all his Generation,
Then, frustrate them of their vain Expectation.
If, there be any such, far, be you from
Their evill mind; Let not their secret come
Into your Souls: And though GOD should permit
His wilfullnesse, a little longer, yet;
Pronounce your Judgements, warily, on him,
Lest, in his Person, you, your selves condemn.
And, since, 'tis possible, that, from your sin,
His Failings, and your Plagues, might first begin,
(As, once did, from the Peoples, an offence
In David, which brought on a pestilence)
Consider, 'twill make easie your own Doom,
If, toward him, affected you become,
As Children ought to be, whose Father hath
Attempted their destruction, in his wrath.
Yea, carefull be, you do not so imploy
Yeur pow'r, to cure the Head, that, you destroy
Both Head and Body; and, to ease the pains
Of Head-ache, that, you knock not out your Brains.
That, Limb, which may be cur'd, cut not away:
Those Vessells, which with water, clense ye may
Purge not with Fire; For, GOD, shall give an end
By his own Pow'r, to what, you cannot mend;
And, neither he, nor you, shall rise to stand,
But, by advancing Justice, in the Land.
Excuse me, if ('twixt what concernes the King,
And these Republikes) with some staggering,
I seem to Counsell you; One while perswading,
That, you oppose with stoutnesse, his invading
Your Freedoms, and Proprieties; Then, streight
Plead (as it were) that, Grace obtain he might;
Herein, I say, excuse me: For, it fares
With me, as with King David, in his Wars,
With Absolom; Against whom, to prevail,
He was content; yet did his death bewail.
Loth was he, by a Foe, to be out-braved;
Griev'd was he, that, a Son might not be saved;
And, him, who he had sent to overthrow him,
He did beseech, that, Mercy, he would show him.
The same I do for him: Oh, let him have it
If he be qualified to receive it:
But, if he still persist, as he begun,
Then, do, as GOD shall move you; I, have done.
Done, as concerning him: But, much I find,
Concerning, you, and others, yet, behind;
Which must be spoken, for the Reformation,
And, Welfare, of this present Generation;
Or, else, (if otherwise it shall succeed)
That Future-Ages may take better heed.
For, know, unlesse ye speedily begin
To change the present Posture, you are in;
That, you, who, at this day have Pow'r to give
Conditions, to your King; shall, to receive
Conditions, verie glad, ere long become:
Yea, and to buy them, also, with a sum.
That, this may be prevented, break the snare,
Wherewith, at this time, you ensnarled are.
When, you have anie thing to act, which may
Encrease the Publike suffrance, by delay;
Consume not precious howrs, like those who dally,
In their Affairs, with Can we? May we? Shall we?
Till they, whom you obliged are to cherish:
Through want of Justice, and Subsistence, perish.
Or, else, till they, who, yet, are knit together,
So fall away, from you, and from each other;
That, what you might effect, this present day,
Hereafter, you nor can, nor shall, nor may.
For, think not, that, the Generalitie,
Can long continue in prosperitie,
Whilst, you neglect particulars: Or, that
You can accomplish, what is aimed at,
If you, leave off, to act by rules of Reason,
Or, linger out, your works beyond their season.
Take, likewise, heed, that, when ye shall propose
The way of Peace, lest, there may be of those,
Amongst you, who, desire, that course should find,
Obstructions, whereunto, they seem inclin'd,
Or, who, for secret ends, occasions give,
That, their demands, deniall may receive;
For, GOD, so hateth double heartednesse,
That, he will favour no such practises.
Then, he as needfull, if you shall exceed
Set-bounds, by some inevitable need,
Compelling it; that, when the streight is past,
Your selves into a Legall course, you cast:
For, while a Town is burning, that, you see
May, then, be done; which, after, may not be.
Do, as you would be done to: Give not those
Who are your Friends, occasion to be Foes:
As you would be forgiven, those forgive,
In whom, a true Repentance you perceive:
Not all Offenders; for, sure, no offence
Is pardonable without penitence,
Since, Mercie deigned to Impenitents
Is crueltie, to wronged Innocents.
Reward, as well as punish: For, by that
You cherish Virtue; Fortifie the State,
And, shall gain more, then by the pence you spare,
Though, many, of this Thrift, unheedfull are.
Against all Enemies, make your defence
By prudence, joyn'd with Dove-like Innocence,
Keep firm to your first principles; For, he
That standeth fixt; though weak he seems to be
Gets strength; and will by standing still, out-go
That man, who alwaies wanders to, and fro.
Be constant then; Affect vain hopes no more:
Do Justice, and shew mercy to the poor.
Respect not Persons; but, judge every cause
According to right Conscience, and the Laws;
Remembring GOD, all men, to judgement brings,
Whether they sit with Commoners, or Kings.
Know, he marks all mens walkings; and, beleeve
Such measure, as ye mete, ye shall receive;
So, as ye answer, poor mens prayers, now,
So, GOD shall answer, and so prosper you.
Make good, the Gifts and Favours you bestow;
As well, in deed, be righteous, as in show:
Break not, your promises to any one
(Especially, to men, for you undone)
And, do not let your left-hand, them deprive,
Of that, which, with your right-hand, you did give:
Nor them repay with scandals, and neglect
Who have deserved, not your least respect:
For, privie to such practises, I am
Both, to the grief of many, and your shame.
When, any one of those free Commoners,
Whom you do represent, traduc'd appears,
Within your Houses, where, he cannot make
Reply thereto: (And, whereof he must take
No notice, when thereof he shall be told)
Let his Traducers sharply be controld.
Or, calld upon, to prove what they have said:
That, Innocencie may not be betrayd,
By Impudent Detractors; yea, and do
That, wrong, as priviledged thereunto.
For, what is more Injurious, then disgrace
Inflicted, in so eminent a place?
In presence of the Kingdom, as it were,
And, whereby, ere a man can be beware,
He may be wrong'd, and wounded mortally,
And, never know, by whom, or how, or why.
Let none aspire, to be a Grandee, thought,
Till he his Greatnesse, worthily hath bought
By prudent Honestie; Tri'd Faithfullnesse,
And such like Grandeur, nay, let none possesse
Repute by these, one minute longer then,
The Publike Rights, and those of private-men,
Are, thereby, not infring'd: For 'tis a wrong
To all men, unto whom there doth belong
Equality, to bring in such a Cheat
Among you, as a Lesser, and a Great,
Or, make Estates, or Titles passe for more
Then Cyphers do, within the Counsel-dore.
And, doubtlesse, he unworthily, there, sits
Whom, false opinion of his Fellows wits
Inslaves in Judgement: and, whose Ignorance
Deceived by a smooth-tongu'd Arrogance,
Them, doth advance, to an undue esteem;
And (which the more absurd doth make it seem)
Superiority, ascribes unto them
For that, in which, at home, their wives out-do them.
It is a shame, to hear it should be said,
(Yet, said it is, and done, as well as said)
That if this man, or that; If He, or He,
To make the Motion, can procured be;
Or, in the Cause, to speak: Or, but to heed
The same with favour, it will surely speed:
And, that, if it concerns, or may displease
But, any one, that is a Friend to these
Great Hogen Mogens; then the Suitor loses
His cost, and labour, what means e're he uses.
Yea, though he hath two hundred friends, among
Your Members, who, cry shame upon the wrong.
Nay, be not angry that I tell you so,
For, he that speaks it, speaks what he doth know,
'Tis I, (this Islands Genius who doth see,
What all your works, and inclinations be)
Who saith it: And, for him, your Conscience too,
Shall witnesse, true, what he hath said you do.
And, I beseech you, to consider, whether
This, were the end of calling you together.
The Shiers, and Burrough, by whom they were chose
For Deputies did verily suppose,
By their great words at home, their cloaths, and faces,
That, these, much better, would have fill'd their places;
And, not have proved such, of whom, they may
(As you abusively of Taylors say)
Aver, that nine of them, makes but One man:
For, twice so manie, hardly, make way can
By one Grandee, somtimes, and not be thrust
From executing, faithfully, his trust:
And, therefore, you must speedilie provide
That this abuse, be fully rectifi'd.
I know, there be among you, those, who burn
With zeal to Justice; and who trulie mourn,
For those who suffer, (and, that GOD wil keep
These safe; and make them sing, when others weep)
I know, with what compassion, they pass by
Their daily Suitors, who upon them cry:
And with what yerning bowels, they bewail,
That they for due relief, cannot prevail:
I know, with what vexations they are pained,
When Publike Prayers cannot be obtained:
I know their Love, their Patience, and their care,
With what great strivings, exerciz'd they are:
What diligence they practise, in their Calling,
To keep the House, which they are in, from falling,
Whilst, manie seeming-Labourers among them,
By false-work, or by undermining, wrong them,
And, GOD, I know, will them reward at last
Though for a while, a bitter cup they taste.
But, there are others, slyly shuffled in
Among you, who both shame and grief have been
To you, and to your friends: Therefore, lest these
By sitting neer you, bring you that disease
Which hath polluted them; And, lest thereby
They bring, not only, lasting infamy
Upon this Parliament, but likewise break it;
And, by that Rupture, an occasion make it
Of Ruine (without hope of Reparation)
To all, the rights and Freedomes of this Nation:
And, that, if these things happen, you that are
Excusable, the better may prepare,
Against the Mischiefs threatned; I am bold
To tell you, what misdoings I behold,
What dangers I may fear, what scandals grow,
By former failings; and, what wise men know
Will follow: whereof since, it is but need,
That more be said, wherewith, I thus proceed.
With grief, I speak it, (and, I speak the same
Not to asperse, but to prevent the blame
And mischief, that may follow) you, have lost
Your power, your honour, and your selves almost;
And (though, undoubtedly, you do perceive it)
Proceed, as if you meant not to believe it;
Or, were asleep: But, I intend to wake you;
Or, speak those words, which will to peeces shake you.
Oh hear, hear, hear! and, let not wholsome words
Be spent in vain: Nay, let not fire and Swords,
Dearth, Pestilence, and Blood, speak, every day,
In dreadfull Dialects, that rouze they may
Your sleepie Spirits; yet, seem, still, unheard,
Or passed over, without due regard,
Till, you be trod to dirt, in your own Gore;
Or, in the Grave, where you can hear no more.
For Love, for Shame, for Fear; for some respect,
Awake, in time, out of your dull neglect
Of Publike-Safety; and, from dreaming on,
In private projects, till you are undone.
Hark! how, the Beames of your own Houses cry
Against you! hark! hark! how the souls that lye
In those Oppressions, which you should redresse,
Roare out, and groan for sorrow, in distresse;
Hark! how your Consciences (though, you contemn,
Their clamours, and in secret smother them)
Call out, to tell you, what sad dooms attend
Your present being, or your latter end,
If you awake not, quickly, to prevent
The shames and mischiefs which are imminent.
Now, I perceive you are awake: for, Lo,
You angry seem, that I have rub'd you so.
But, ere you shew your wrath, a little, pause;
About you look: see, if there be not cause
Of this my seeming boldness. Come, arise,
Wipe out the Rheume, and spedom, from your eyes.
Walk forth into the Hall at Westminster;
Take special notice, what, is talked there.
Walk to the City, then, and those you meet
At Church, or on the Change, or in the Street,
Or at the Taverne, and in all those places,
Mark well; and, what is said to your disgraces.
Mark, how they sleight you, and, how few there are
Who, can with patience, either speak or heare
A word in your defence: And, having weigh'd
What you shall find, excuse, what I have said.
Whence, do their many Imprecations come,
And many Cursed Speakings? Flow, they from
No cause at all? No question, if they do,
Their Curses, and their Imprecations, too,
Will fall upon themselves. If, from just cause
They do proceed; Look, lest, it vengeance drawes.
For, GOD, will judg between you. If, both give
Occasion of offence, both shall receive
The recompence deserv'd; and, you, and they,
If you repent not, shall be swept away.
To Error, therefore, do not Fury add:
With him, that seeks to cure you, be not mad:
But, in your selves, examine patiently
What is amiss, and, then, what remedy
You may apply. And, I will seek to charm
The People, that, meane while, they do no harm.
Consider, what vast sums have bin brought in;
How issu'd out, and wasted, they have bin;
How partially, your payments, have been made;
How little, this man; how much, that man had;
How, you to some, make full, and speedie pay,
When others, who, deserve as well as they,
Must turn Informers, ere they can be paid;
And, peradventure, when they long have plaid
That hateful part, with loss of time and cost,
Shall add more damages, to what they lost,
By losing former friends, and getting foes:
Which, all their lifetime, they shall never lose.
Herewith, somtime, let it be thought upon,
How many of your friends have been undone
By Votes, and Orders, made for their relief,
Which did but more increase their cost and grief,
By making them, from year to year, attend,
For that, which in one week might have an end;
By suffering, your own Warrants, to be slighted:
Your own Authority, to be despited;
And, to the loss of labour, time, and cost,
One Order, by another to be crost,
And, that, to be, by Ordinance made voyd,
Which, by your Gifts, they seiz'd, possest, enjoy'd:
Yea, and, not without recompence alone,
But, without seeming sense, that wrong was done:
As if it were no matter, so you made
A shew of recompence, though none they had:
Or, as if whatsoere you pleas'd to do,
Must passe for Justice, though it be not so.
GODS WILL, essentiall Justice is indeed:
But, that yours is so, 'tis not my Creed.
When others have transgrest, do not injoyne
The guiltlesse Common-wealth, to pay a Fine,
To recompence those Parties, which were grieved;
For, that will hardly, Justice be believed.
When hungry suitors, ask for fish, or bread,
With stones, or scorpions, let them not be fed;
Nor make them wait, ere you an answer give,
As if each Person, had three lives, to live;
Or, had been borne, no other thing to do,
But, wait on you, and loose their labour too.
Draw not more suitors, to you in one yeare;
Then you are able, in twice six, to heare;
Lest, you displease them, whom ye may content,
And cause a mischiefe, which ye might prevent.
But take wise Jethro's Counsell, for the ease,
Both of our selves, & those whom you should please.
Yea, tire not out your selves, and others too,
By taking on you more then you can do.
Lest, when attendance, much expence and trouble,
Hath made the losse, and suffrance more then double,
They grow impatient; and you come to tast
The fruit of their impatiencie at last.
Give Order, how to cure those imperfections,
Which have been, heretofore, in your Elections,
Lest, Members may among you be emploid,
By whom the Publike-Body, be destroid.
Let not the Father, there beget the sonne,
Though, this in Bodies Naturall, be done:
Let none among you, be admitted in,
By Marriage, or, being near of kin:
Or, (to the Kingdomes just dissatisfaction)
For being of this Sect, or of that Faction;
As, if among you, some to purchase, meant
Inheritances in the Parliament:
And, others aim'd by Parties, to endeavour
The keeping up Divisions, there, for ever.
Let it be so no more, if you can Order,
That, such an injurie proceed no further;
But, let the Burroughs, and the Shires be free
To make their choice, (as they inclin'd shall bee)
According to their customes, till it may
Be better done, by some new lawfull way:
That, when for Trust-breach, any blamed are,
Their chusers, in that blame, a part may beare;
If they hereafter, for their private ends,
For fear, or love, shall chuse their Foes, or Friends;
Their Land-Lords, Kinsmen, Lawyers; or, whom ever
They shall not think, will faithfully endeavour,
To serve his GOD, the People, and the King,
With single heart, in ev'ry lawfull thing.
Consider, how in giving a reward,
The person, more then merit, you regard.
How often that hath been for private ends,
Procur'd; and, with relation unto friends.
How Offices, and Places are bestowne;
How, some have two or three; and others, none,
Who better merit four, if there were any
Who could be capable of halfe so many:
And, would ye well observ'd, that this is done,
As if ye fear'd, as if ye car'd for none;
Nor, how, the people, who upon you cry
For bread, observe your partiality,
In giving that to one, who hath no need,
Which would a thousand Starvelings, cloath and feed.
Refuse no just complaints; that, men may see
You sensible of their oppressions bee:
Yet, to your selves assume not any cause,
Which is determinable by the Lawes,
In other Courts; unlesse they prove corrupt;
Or, till some difficulty interrupt
The course of Justice there: And, so provide,
To try in course, what is before you tri'd,
That you undo not, e're their cause have end,
Those, who with Proofes, and Counsell, must attend.
The sad Petition, which the poore man brings,
Sleight not, nor make them but meere pocketings,
Till they are quite worne out, or quite forgot,
Unlesse purchance your store supplies you not
With tinder for Tobacco; and, so brings
To memorie againe, such triviall things.
More mind your promises, of doing right
To grieved men, when you thereto have might,
And, let them see, that your devoiur you do,
As far, as God enables you thereto.
Consider how you Legacies bestow
Before you pay those debts, which yet ye owe;
Ev'n debts, for which the Publike Faith doth lie
At Pawne; and, is dishonoured thereby:
Debts, for which, your poore Creditors have laine
In prison, till, their Freedomes to obtaine,
They sold their Freeholds, when they had no more
To live on; and, had sold their goods before.
Debts, which they lent you in your greatest feare;
And borrowed for you, when distrest you were.
Yea, Debts, which they who lent, then lent you too
Their lives, the publike services to do;
And, could have lost them, with more joy then they
Now live to see, by seeing of this day.
How easily, to some do you afford,
Beliefe to the ravaile, on their bare word!
When, in the selfe-same case you are not moved,
To do the like for others, who have proved
What they aver'd by vouchers; no, not when
It hath been prov'd, by Oathes of honest men.
Consider, how, to some you do allow
Their dues with interest, who well enough
May respite it; and, yet the same deny
To him, who felt extreame necessity
By loosing part; by lending of the rest;
By borrowing more, for you, on interest,
Now four years due; and, which before he shall
In likelihood, be paid; will eat up all.
And, let it be consider'd, if it may,
What tis, to take his liberty away,
To fine him; to permit that through the land,
He for conspiracie, defam'd should stand;
And, suffer much more by their impudence
Who misinform'd you, of his innocence,
And all for nought, but, for informing you
What, he was told; what, he beleev'd was true;
What, he produc'd his author for, with proofe
Of Part, and circumstances too enough,
To make all probable; yea, more, for what
His Covenant, oblig'd him to relate;
And, what his first Relator did aver,
And will do, still, in each particular.
Should I propose, here, as considerable,
So many things, to you as I were able,
I should as tedious in the same become,
As, many times, Committees, are to some.
Ile therefore sum up all, in wishing you
Of those things which you know, to make reveiw,
And see, if these come short, in any thing,
Of those, who heretofore misled the King;
Or, if their falshoods, or misinformations,
Were greater causes, of his aberrations;
Or, more dishonour to his Government;
Then, these have been unto this Parliament,
Whose Pride, Ambition, Malice, Arrogance,
Whose Avarice, Selfe-love, and Ignorance,
Whose Insolence, or Cowardice, of late,
Have caus'd so manie to abhominate
Them, and their courses; and nigh turned all,
Ev'n all things both Divine, and Temporall,
Into a Chaos. 'Tis not, as is deemed,
(And, as perhaps, it hath to many seemed)
'Tis not the City, which hath lately made
Those tumults, and those uproars you have had.
'Tis not the Army, whence your mutinies,
New plots, and new divisions, do arise;
And, whereby, mischiefs daily do encrease
To cause a new adjournment of your Peace;
The Parl'aments dishonour; separations
Between the late united British Nations;
And, (if it may be possible) to bring
The people of both Kingdomes, and the King,
Into a further hatred, of each other.
It is not your Dissenting-parties: neither,
Those whom ye call Malignants; who were able
So weak to make you; so dishonourable;
And, in so bad a plight, as you are in,
If your own Members, had not faulty been:
Nor had your City, or the Army moved,
In any course, which might not be approved,
If they had felt no influence upon them,
From higher Pow'rs, which thereunto had won them,
Nor had so many men, right well-affected,
(And by whose purse, and pow'r, you were protected)
Been drawne into misactings, and mistakings,
(Which falsly are misconstrued forsakings,
Of their first love) but, that the policies
Of some among you, drew before their eyes
Those mists; and practised those juggling sleights,
Which kept the safest course, out of their sights.
And, what that was, or what that yet, may bee,
Few, have discover'd, by ought I can see:
But, were it knowne, you could not rectifie
Those things among you, which are now awry,
Till you reform your selves; for, well ye know,
Foul springs above, make filthy streams below.
But, why should I complaine of you so much?
Alas! you were at first, begotten such;
The Fathers of your being, in this Nation,
Were an unsound, corrupted Generation;
And, did begin a Representative,
As like themselves, as ever, man alive
Begot a child: with members, crooked, lame,
Blind, deaf, and dumb, into the world you came,
And, such, they have continu'd ever since:
Theirs therefore is the Fault; theirs the offence.
You that are lawfull Members, have enough
Been plagu'd, and troubled with such rotten stuffe:
And, rather should be pitied and aided,
In helping you, to purge them, then upbraided,
With their defects. I therefore, have appear'd,
That, you, of those obstructions, may be clear'd
Which interrupt; and, that, whilst there is time,
You may regain your honour, lost by them:
That, I might likewise, help bring back unto you
The peoples hearts, and make them firme unto you,
By shewing them their errors, and, how, they
To late lost happinesse, may find their way:
And, having found it, how they may persever,
By GOD's assistance, in good waies, for ever.
My purpose therefore, in what followes now,
Is joyntly, to prefer to them and you,
Some things considerable, that may lend
Assistance unto that, which I intend.
If, good effects this takes, your cares, and fears,
Are likely to be shortned manie years:
For, know, GODS promises, and threats, are all
Contingencies, and but conditionall:
If you continue mad, the plagues will last:
If you repent, they quickly will be past:
Let ev'ry one contribute thereunto
A true endeavour, his owne part to do:
In what I'm born for, I will do my best:
And, when that's done, GOD, shall perform the rest.
The restauration of this Parliament,
To their due reputation; to prevent
The bondage of the People; and to bring
All things to right, betwixt you, and your King,
Is that, wherein, I have with good intention,
Imploid, long time, the best of my invention;
Yet, there appears no likelihood to me,
Of saving any one, of all the three,
From hazzard, or from plagues, that linger shall,
But, by a reconciling of them all.
And, I conceive it will deserve more thank,
To play the Artist, then the Mountebank;
Who leaves the course, that's naturall, and sure;
To raise his credit by a desp'rate cure.
He, that, by way of Chymistry would act,
And, her Three Principles hope to compact
Into one Body; ere he compasse shall
His end, must first prepare each Minerall
Secundum Artem, taking that away,
Which hinder their incorporation may;
And, adding that, which doth unite their natures:
So, he that would his Trinity of creatures
Make up again, in one, must do the same,
And, now, about that royall work I am;
Which, if I keep a rightly tempred fire,
Will bring forth that production I desire.
With Salt of true sinceritie, and reason,
Your hearts, and understandings, I would season;
With Sulphur of true Magnanimity,
Or Courage; with the perfect Mercury
Of Christian Prudence, I will temperate,
And, so essentially incorporate
These, throughout all your Faculties, that none
Should hinder that, which I am driving on;
And, therefore, have projected a conclusion
Wherein, I'le first begin with an Infusion;
Oh, lend me but some water from your eyes,
Wherewith to make it; and it shall suffice.
Lamemt, Lement your errors, and begin
To see, what great distractions you are in.
Of those Precipitations, take more heed,
Whereto you now are hasting on with speed;
Observe how busily in selfe-destroying,
And, raising works, against a free enjoying
Of your owne Peace you are. Consider on
Your purposes; and that which you have done;
And mark, if either those things you pursue,
Or, yet intend, are like to profit you,
Whilst ev'ry man, (though better be profest)
Aimes, but at his owne single interest.
By most among you, that is least intended,
Which he in outward seeming, hath befriended.
By making show, of things that should be done,
For publike profit, you so carry on,
Your private interest, that verie few
The generall advantages pursue:
Yea, King, Priest, People, Commoner and Peere,
So wilfully, to their own claimes adhere,
That, they will much indanger alltogether;
And, prove like fire, and fewell to each other,
If, God, prevent not, by a selfe-denying;
And, by a more considerate complying.
Give heed to those Predictions, which foretold
Upon good grounds, what, now, yee do behold
To be fullfil'd; and, which, behold ye may
To be fullfiling on you, ev'rie day;
And, think not, though you them, or him disdaine
Who spake them, that, they were foretold in vaine.
Mark how all Parties, and all Factions, run
Those courses, wherein, others were undone,
Whom they impeached, and condemned, too,
But some few months before, for doing so.
Remember, and consider, since this War
Did first begin, how many changes are
To be observ'd: How inconsiderable
The meanes, and Persons were, who did enable
Your weakned Parties; and oft gave them life
When they were stooping, almost, past releef;
And think it possible, there may befall
Another change, when you seem sure of all;
Because, you neither credit what is told;
Nor heedfull are, of that which you behold.
Remember and consider, what faire hopes
(When an assurance, almost, crown'd their tops,)
Have unto nothing vanish'd: what brave showes
Of Martiall fortitude, against your foes;
Of zealous faithfulnesse unto the State,
And piety to God, have fail'd of late;
And left benighted, an ascending Fame
Before 'twas noone, within a cloud of shame.
And think how possible, it may be, yet,
To see new stormes, before the sun be set:
For, that which hath been, you againe may see,
As long, as in the selfesame round you bee.
Remember, and consider, in what fear,
You have been in, what things then vowed were;
What Holinesse, you seemed to pretend;
What cause, you then protested to befriend;
What warnings, and what caveats have been given,
By judgements, mercies; yea, by men, and heaven:
What private, and what publike fasting daies,
What times of giving solemne thanks, and praise,
Have celebrated been, without that fruit
Which either with Humility, may suit,
Or, with true Gratitude: and when you see
How full of filthinesse, your best workes bee,
Think, what your worst may prove; and, what event
Will follow them, unlesse you shall repent.
When, these things you have thought upon, then mind
Whereto, your promises, have you design'd,
What fearfull Imprecations, you have made;
What wonderfull protections, you have had;
What witnesses there are, of what you do;
What forraign foes; what foes domestick too,
Expect advantage: And, such things, as these
VVhen you have thought on, with due seriousnesse,
Think, also, what may thereupon redound,
If, falshood in your hearts, be likewise found;
And, when you have provoked GOD, and men,
What plagues, and horrors, will surprize you then.
Remember, and consider, with what lyings,
What perjuries, what falshoods and complyings
With wicked men and meanes, you have assaid
To perfect those designes, which you have laid;
How, ev'rie Faction, takes delight to jeer
At their own shame, and, to relate and heare
With merriment, each others wickednesse,
And, what the scurrill Pamphleters expresse,
To their reproach, when they should rather mourne,
Then impudently laugh themselves to scorne:
Beleeve it, till Authority prescribes
A mulct for liers (chiefly lying Scribes)
And take more notice of that sleighted sin,
Which one prime cause of all your strifes have bin,
Peace will not settle; for, when one warr's done,
Another, by a lie, may be begun.
Weigh, and consider, of what Tyrannies,
Of what prophanenesse, of what blasphemies,
Of how much malice, and of what black crimes,
You have been guilty, (ev'n in these sad times)
On either side. And, when you well have thought
On these things; think likewise, how much you ought
To grieve, and to repent, that, God might spare
Those thteatned judgements, which deserved are;
For, 'tis meere madnesse, to expect his grace,
Or look for Peace, so long, as in the face
Of men, and Angells, you persist in evills,
As if you thought, there were nor GOD, nor Devills.
Think, and consider, with a serious thought,
To what a giddie posture all is brought:
In what confusion, your affaires you see,
In what amazements, now, the wisest bee;
In what a feare, the valiant, and the strong,
Now are, or will be, ere it shall be long;
How manifold, your sub-divisions are;
What symptomes of destruction do appeare;
How impudently still, you palliate
The falshooes of those Members of the State,
And, of those Agents, who abuse their trust;
How all things, out of order, they do thrust,
Through want of Justice; how, they daily sad
Mens hearts; & how, when they have made them mad,
They punish them, because, they could not use
Those wits, which their oppressions made them lose.
Mark, and consider, with what shamelesnesse,
Your Holy Flatt'rers, do bepaint and dresse
Their Patrons in the Parliament, as tho
It were not possible they should misdo:
How others, make the Army, at the least,
S. Michael, and his Angells; how, the rest,
So impudently do extoll the King,
As if he were a Saint in ev'rie thing.
And, needed no repentance, for ought done,
In former time, or since this Warre begun:
And, while such daubings are, consider you,
If penitence be likely to ensue,
Or wilfulnesse; and therewith mind I pray,
Which of the two are Traytors, either they
Who, mind a misled King, or Parl'ament,
Of those things which destruction may prevent;
Or, they, who fawne, and flatter them to hell,
By calling evill doings, doing well:
They, who by Justice would uphold the Throne;
Or, they, who praise men for what pulls it downe.
When these things are consider'd, then to mend
What is amisse, your best endeavours bend.
Let all those carnall policies, by which
The world your understandings doth bewitch,
Be laid aside: let those designes wherein
'Tis evidently seen, that you have been
Without successe; be quite by you abjur'd:
Yea, since experience often hath assur'd
That, those effects, which you have had thereby,
Did still exasperate, and multiply
Your fears, and griefs; mind, what experience showes,
And, trust no more, such broken reeds as those.
To no Dissenting-party be unjust;
Nor falsifie so much, the Common-trust,
As by your private mutuall promises,
To barter for your owne advantages;
Or, in your Treaties, at the publike cost,
To seek our selves, till you, and all is lost:
But, still in your proceedings, let pure Truth
Preserved be, both in your heart and mouth;
So, God, who marketh, what you act and say,
Will help to guide you, out of your dark way;
Advance that Kingdome, whereto you pretend;
And, make your greatest enemie, your friend:
Yea, make among you, Truth, and Peace prevaile
Though King and Parliament, your hopes may faile.
Eschew Hypocrisie; take heed of Pride,
And, of what thing soever may divide
The people, th'Army, or the Parliament;
And them into those new Divisions rent,
Which at this present are of many feared;
And, for which, Engines are in secret reared.
But, chiefly at this time, think not in vaine,
On that State-Principle, Divide, and Reigne.
For, at this Juncture, thereupon depends
Your welfare; and your Adversaries ends.
Whatever, therefore, shall be now advis'd
By others, let not this note be despis'd;
Take heed of an Adjournmint, till you see
The Kingdomes in a better posture bee;
Lest, when you are divided from each other,
You lose the meanes to meet againe together,
By some contrivance; and, by somewhat done,
Which at this present day you think not on.
Though all are much to blame, let all provide
Their best expedients, to amend, or hide
Those failings in each other, which will spread
No further, by their being covered.
Forgive, (as much as may be) one another;
That love may knit your scatter'd force together:
Lest, on a sudden, some prevailing pow'r,
Not yet appearing, all at once devour.
Let neither Parliament, nor People spare
To keep themselves in armes, as yet they are:
For, though the burden, greivous may be thought,
Your safety will not be so dearly bought,
As your destruction may. Let now, likewise
All Pow'rs, all Councells, and Authorities,
Use ev'ry prudent way, and means, whereby
The people may not feare a Tyranny;
Nor feel a present weight, which may appeare
A greater Burthen, then the thing they seare.
But, use of all cautions, to impose it so,
That, such as lay it, may help bear it too;
So, shall the people know, 'tis laid on them,
For their owne safety; and, but for a time.
And, that, the threefold Cable be not broke,
Which holds your Anchor, let all care be tooke;
That, City, Shires, and Army, yeeld and give
(As to their Bulworke, and Preservative,
Next under GOD) unto this Parl'ament
Respect, obedience, and each complement
Of duty, which may re-enable them,
To vindicate their honour, and esteem,
From those obliquities, now thereon throwne
By others, and some Members of it owne:
Yea, though some part thereof, hath been to blame,
(As all Terrestrialls are) know; that, their shame
And suffrings, will be yours; know, that the fault
Is your, that many of their Members halt:
Know, that, their Foes, who seek to aggravate
Their crimes to you, have done it out of hate
To them, and you; and, not with an intent,
That you should lesse be greev'd, or they repent:
But, that, you should be mad, and make them roome,
Into their places back againe to come,
And double your Oppressions: which, the while
With tears they pity, like the Crocodile.
Yea, know; that, if you in this storme, forsake
This Vessell, (though it bruized be, and leake)
Your Fortunes, will be therewith shipwrackt found,
If that sink, you shall certainly be drown'd.
For, in this torne, and ancient Vessell lies
That, which must free you from the slaveries
You have been in; and, keep you likewise, free
From those, in which, you are afraid to bee.
Herein, are all your stores, for war and peace,
Of safety, honour; and, of Trades encrease:
And, therefore joyne with courage; use your pow'rs,
Wit, wealth, and, ev'ry facultie of yours,
To stop the leakes, which it hath lately sprung,
To keep it tite, and make it faire and strong.
Oh, all you, who have therein fraught, or share,
Whether, ye Masters, Captains, Pilots are,
Cape-Masters, Souldiers, Sailers, Passengers,
Or, (as all some way are) Adventurers;
Consider, I beseech you, what a losse
There would befall, if some new storme should tosse
This Vessell on the Rocks: Or, if there should
Some Traytors, in her Cabines, or her hold,
Lie closely, unsuspected, or unseen,
And blow up all her Decks, and Magazeene,
By some concealed traine; or, spring a Leake
About the keel, whilst you unwisely seek,
(With quarrelling) for vailes, or private shares,
Amongst the desperatest Mutineers.
The slaves, your pris'ners, and amongst the rest,
Your Malecontents, it may be, will suggest
That, your Commanders, and your Pilots may
Make prizes of you; and, take all away
By Arbitrary Pow'r: For there are some
Who (hoping, if you jealous will become,
It would effect their ends) have whisperings,
Among their other mischiefe-breeding things,
To this effect; that, if you make them strong,
They will improve that strength, unto your wrong,
And, faile your trust. But, dreame not; think not so,
Nor, erre you, from your duties, though they do.
What change in them soever, might be wrought;
What e're they do, yet do you what you ought.
Keep to your Principles, though they may range;
Saile by the same Card; though the winds do change;
And, that you may not fear what will ensue,
Look back, a little, and things past review.
When, lately, by an Arbitrary might
You were opprest, and in so great a straight,
That you perceiv'd no meanes your selves to free,
From your oppressions; nor ought like to bee,
Whereby, to scape from thrall you should be able;
(Without attempts, then deemed treasonable)
Loe then, ev'n at that time; and, when your King
A double Chaine on you, assay'd to bring,
And thought, together in one teame to yoke,
His Oxen, and his Asses; then GOD broke
The Royall snare: and, wonderfully wrought.
For your deliverance, to passe he brought
By what was never call'd to that intent;
By what, which never more to call he meant;
Ev'n by a Parlament: to which he gave
A pow'r to be, whilst being it would have;
With Priviledges, which by Pow'r divine,
Were made destructive, to his owne designe:
For, lawfull pow'r it got, and just occasion,
To arme against a tyrannous invasion;
And, your estates, and freedomes were defended
By that, which for a mischiefe, was intended.
So, if this Parl'ament degenerate
From what it should be, and from what of late,
You thought it was; and, shall imploy that pow'r
Which was from you receiv'd; and which is your,
To raise themselves, upon a publike wrong;
GOD, them will break, when they appear most strong;
Cause those, whom they depend on, to deceive them;
Of all their expectations, quite bereave them;
And by some lawfull way, which yet appears
To no mans eye, preserve you from your fears.
For, ev'ry tyrannizing pow'r shall clash
Against each other, and to peices dash,
All those, and their designes, who shall comply
With any instruments of Tyranny;
That passage may be made, to raise up that
Which is the strength and honour of a State.
If yet, your former doubtings be not past,
But that th'aspersions, which on them are cast,
Whom GOD for your deliverers hath chose,
Hath shooke you from your confidence in those;
Or if defects, which may be found in them,
Do either urge, or tempt you to contemne
Such instruments; and in your hearts to say,
Can these men save us? Mindfull be, I pray,
What persons, to your aid, GOD, first did call;
By what sleight meanes he hath effected all
Your conquests. Yea, by what contrary things
His works, he, often to perfection brings.
Consider how this Army was despis'd
And scorned, when it was first modelliz'd:
How, likely, were they, whom you first did gather
To be your guard, to be your ruine, rather
Then to defend you? how, did they protest,
And rage, when they against their wills were prest?
With how much weaknesse was that work begun?
And, yet, thereby what wonders hath God done?
How, hath he added unto your prevailings,
By them, though they their errors had and failings?
How, hath he humbled you by their great pride,
Whose seeming vertues you have glorifi'd?
That, you may see a pow'r so excellent,
Knowes how to work with any instrument:
That, you may find there are some things despis'd,
VVhich have deserved, better to be priz'd;
That you may learne in weake meanes, not to feare;
Nor trust too much, in those that mighty are;
That, you may know, if your owne waies be streight,
You may be safe, though others go not right;
And, though you will not know it; they who live
By faith, the truth of these things do perceive;
And, would in GOD, find out a pleace to dwell,
Though, there were neither heav'n, earth nor hell.
Their credit must be kept, their pow'r obey'd,
On whom your trust, and Guardianship is laid;
And from that duty, none can be excus'd,
Though some among them, have that trust abus'd:
For, as he is a man, that hath a soule,
Although his body, he with Ulcers fowle,
Maim'd, blind and deafe; and, may from you thereby,
Claime all the duties of your charity:
So, though the Body Representative,
May wounds, and many blemishes receive;
Yet, therein, is the soule of Government:
And, therefore, all you whom they represent,
Obedience owe thereto, in ev'ry thing;
Excepting an obedience that may bring
Those publike hazzards, which are so apparent,
That in themselves, they bring a sealed Warrant
Of disobligement: And, in those things too,
So must you then proceed, in what ye do,
That your owne consciences may truly say,
Obedience, onely, made you disobey:
And, that, the world may see, by your proceed,
That GOD, and Justice, hath approv'd the deed.
Though crack'd, your Bulwork be, and faulty grown;
This is no time, to sleight, or pull it downe:
But, to repaire it rather, lest you leave
Your selves unguarded, and a blow receive.
This is no time to shake the Reputation
Of those, who are your onely preservation;
But, rather, to uphold it, by removing
The scandalous; by cherishing, approving,
And strength'ning those, among them, by whose wit,
And honesty, they have a being yet.
Informe them better, who are much abus'd,
(By false opinions, into them infus'd)
And, thereupon your Supreme Court defame;
As doing, arbitrarily, the same,
Which, was denied lawfull in the King:
For, they should know, that ev'n the selfe-same thing
May be both just, and unjust: He, doth take
Unlawfully, your goods, a prize to make,
To satisfie his lust, or, to destroy
Those Freedomes, and those Rights, you should injoy:
They, take a portion, from you, orderly,
(And thereto forced by necessity)
To save your priviledges; and, prevent
The losse of all, by that, which he hath spent.
Their actions, are not bounded, in that Law,
Whereby, men out of Parl'ament should draw
The Line of their proceedings; But, by that
Which is the first foundation of a State:
By that Supreme Law, whereby pow'r they had,
To make or change the Lawes, alreadie made;
And, for the Publike-safety, to provide:
By that Law, they must act; and, are not ti'd
To any other, when, necessity
Shall, for the weale of your Community,
The contrary require: For, otherwise,
They meet in vaine, about those remedies,
Which are desir'd; and, do but time employ
To marre the benefit they would enjoy;
And, strengthen Tyrants, in their usurpations
Upon the Rights and Freedomes, of the Nations.
Let no man therefore say, when they shall vary
From former Lawes, their Acts are arbitrary,
Injuriously; since, your experience sees,
That strong necessity, at sometimes frees,
Ev'n private persons from adhering to,
The Letter of the Law, in what they do.
The mannaging of Publike Interests,
In th'Agents reputation, much consists.
'Tis Reputation, makes a Kingdome strong,
And rich; and keeps it from affronts, and wrong.
'Tis that which maketh Lawes: For, neither wit
Nor humane Pow'r, are able to beget
That Priviledge; because, if Pow'r should make them
A greater Pow'r, by right of Pow'r, would break them.
If Wit, and Reason, would a lawe devise,
There are so many, seeming to be wise,
That they would make such over-long debates,
And work so variously, in sev'rall pates,
That, if to make a Law, some should agree,
By others, it should straight repealed bee.
And, if more Settlement, were not obtain'd,
By Reputation, then, there can be gain'd
By Pow'r, and Wit, or, Reason; you, would never
Agree; but, fight, or else, debate for ever.
Take therefore, of their good repute, a care,
On whose repute, your Safeties builded are:
For, when that once is lost; it proveth not
A Jewell, which may easily be got;
Nor, is there any precious stone, yet knowne
That gives a fairer lustre to a Crowne.
With Reputation may a single man
Do more sometime, them twenty thousands can.
A Cities uproars, sooner it restraines,
Then all their Scarlet Gownes, and Golden Chains:
And dares make stand, the peoples rage to stay,
When Wit, and Wealth and Titles run away:
Yea, calmes them sooner; and scapes better too,
Then honesty, and innocency do.
I know not any thing that can so soone,
Bring universall Discords into tune:
Nor, know I ought, that's in it self so vaine,
And empty, which doth so much pow'r obtaine
In humane actions; and, there is not now,
A Nation, whom it more concernes then you,
(Consid'ring, what your present postures are)
To keep your Senates reputation cleare.
For, should I shew your postures in a glasse,
No Puppet-play, that ere devised was
Came neere it; neither did you ever see
An Antick like that shew, which there would bee:
Such fruitlesse hopes, such fears, such mimick actions,
Such turnings, windings, sidings, such distractions,
Were never represented, on the Stage
Of anie Common-wealth, in anie Age.
There you should view a thousand contradictions,
A thousand fancies, fooleries, and fictions,
Repeated, personated, sworne, beleeved;
And, men, accordingly, made glad or greeved;
And, acting that in their false joy, and sorrow,
Which they must backward act againe to morrow.
From Ireland, this man bringeth heavy newes;
From Scotland, that man little better shewes;
One tells what Plots, are in the City laid:
Another, of the Army, what is said.
A third with an affrighted look, doth bring
A tale of some designement, with the King,
By Scots, and by Malignants; and, then stands
As if he had new purchas'd Bishops Lands.
A fourth is much dismayed by some tales
Of risings in the Counties, and in Wales;
As if he fear'd a sudden separation
From somewhat, which he holds by Sequestration.
A fifth hath heard from Holland, or from France,
He knowes not what, yet fall, into a trance,
As if his conscience knew of somwhat done,
Which he then wisht, had never been begun.
Another shewes, another way, his folly,
And looks as sadly, and as melancholy,
As if he were surprized with a dread
Of losing some great place, or, of his head.
And, at the turning of the wind or tide,
Upon some pleasing newes on t'other side,
Starts up as they do, when a Piper plaies,
Who, have been bitten by Tarantula's
You, would not, thus, with ev'ry novell noise
Be fill'd with Panick fears, and gannick joyes;
Or, moved be, with ought, which others did,
If you, your owne affaires, would better heed.
This, would not be, were men imploid about
Internall things, as on those things without;
Nor would they be so giddily affrighted,
With things abroad, if things at home be righted.
He, that his way, with sobernesse doth go,
Dreads not the furious marching of a foe.
He, who takes care to keep his conscience clear,
Shakes not, when evill tidings he doth hear.
He, that endeavours warrantable things,
Fears not the pow'r of Senators or Kings;
Nor, should you ever need to feare a jot
What by the Welch, or Irish, French, or Scot
Could be design'd or done; or, what the King
With all his party, to effect could bring;
Nor, what an open, or a secret foe,
By pow'r, or by his policy, could do,
Either within these Ilands, or abroad,
If you repose true confidence in GOD;
And, give him, but sincere, and contrite hearts
To joyn, with him, in acting of your parts:
No, though your slips, and Ignorances were
As many, and as great, as now they are.
Let all the sev'rall Nations of these Iles,
Who liv'd in love, and Amity, ere whiles,
Unite againe, and seek each others peace;
That, their encreasing strifes, and plagues may cease.
Let, our Welch-Britans, (who their actions square
By those things, which they but suspect, or heare)
Recover, so much, of their humane reason,
As teaches them, a difference 'twixt Treason,
And Lawes of Nature; that it may make place,
To bring them nearer; to the law of Grace.
That, so, they may not, still, beleeve, and doe,
Both by implicite Faith, and reason, too:
For, when they truly know what doth belong
Unto themselves, and, their owne right and wrong,
They, will the sooner, be informed, then,
What duties doe belong to other men;
And, grow more wise, by this Epitomie
Of Lawes divine, and true morality;
Do, as yee would be done to, then, all they
Who pore upon their Law books ev'ry day;
And, would be thought experienced, in all
Lawes Cannon, Civill, and Municipall.
If this advice they follow, they shall dwell
In safety on their hills, and live as well
Among their vallies and their Glins, in Wales,
As on the fruitful'st Southerne Downes, and Dales.
Then let them practise it; and not call to them,
A wasting desolation, to undo them.
Let them not woo, uncivill civill wars,
To clime up to their Mountaines, Rocks and skars:
For, if they find them rich, they'l leave them poore;
If needy, they will make them need the more;
They bring, the worst, into a worse estate;
And crash the Bones, where they can suck no fat.
Let your Scotch-Britans, so insist upon
Their interest, that, nothing may be done,
Against their Brethrens rights; and, so preserve
Their Leauges, that willfully, they do not swerve
From any Branch thereof; and let them so
Observe the Covenant, as men that know
The letter of it, or, a circumstance,
Is not to be pursued to th'advance,
Of any sense or practise, which may lame
The essence, and intentions of the same.
For, if they make the letter to extend,
Beyond the true intentions, and the end
Of what was covenanted; and, so weaken
That interest for which the same was taken,
They are deceivers, and worse hypocrites
Then were of old, the cunning Gibeonites.
Let, therefore, that stout Nation well advise
Among themselves, wherein the diffrence lies
Betwixt the Kingdoms; lest, perhaps, it drawes
A mischief on both Nations, without cause;
And, bring on those ingagements, which may lose
The love, the peace, the honour, and those dues
Which now are claim'd; &, make them lose their blood,
And Countrey too, as far as it is good.
Let them not think, that their accommodation,
The profit, or advantage of one Nation,
Prefer'd should be, in any thing at all,
Before these Islands weal in generall.
Let them seek nothing, but what Iustice may
Allow them; lest she take both that away,
On which they seiz'd; and, therewith, all the rest,
Which, formerly was lawfully possest.
For, Justice more secures, and more enriches
Then policy, although that more bewitches:
And, neither wealth, nor honour, can be lost,
By honesty; though sometime she be crost.
That Nation have done well, to think upon
The bringing of the King back to his Throne;
If from right Principles the motion came:
But, on them it would bring perpetuall shame,
If they recall'd him, without penitence
Of those faults, for which they first drove him thence.
For, that they quarrell'd with him first, none doubt;
And, they were with the last, who pull'd him out.
That people is too wise, to call him home,
Ere he shall truly penitent become;
And by some satisfying expiations,
Hath perfectly secured both the Nations:
For, if he bring the same heart back, they know,
He will, as soon as he shall able grow,
Avenge himself on them, as upon those,
Who were the first, from whom his troubles rose.
Let them not give their friends just cause to lay
That to their charge, which Foes of them do say,
Their Brethrens portion, let them not envy;
Or, look upon it with an evill eye;
Nor, let our English haughtily, despise
Their Northerne Brethrens kind compliances;
Or, sleight their friendship; or, (puft up with pride)
Their want of superfluities, deride:
But, by how much more GOD, hath seem'd to blesse,
Their Clymate, with a greater fruitfulnesse,
So much the more, respectively, let them
Be carefull, that they no way do contemn
Their Lot; lest GOD, for that ingratitude
Justly permit some other to intrude
On their inheritance; and, make them glad
To seek worse habitations, then they had.
Yea, let both Nations strive with all their mights,
To fortifie each other in their Rights;
And be assur'd, that which of them soever
Shall first to break ther late sworn League endeavour,
Shall both be ruin'd; and, if both make void
Their solemn Vowes, then both shall be destroy'd.
Let both remember well, that Covenant,
Which they have sworn; and, how much yet they want
Of perfecting their Vowes to God, and Man;
That they may keep them better, if they can.
Know; you have entred into leauge together,
Not to insnare, but to secure each other:
And, that your Treaties, were not to get more
From one or t'other, then they had before,
But, that, thereby, they stronger might be made,
Against him, who, did all their rights invade.
Know, that your Covenant was not contrived,
That Christian liberty should be deprived:
Or make that for a Jus divinum go,
Which neither was, nor can be proved so.
Or, to compell men to renounce, admit;
Or, to accord, as those, or these, thought fit;
(Or, as the best reformed Churches had it)
Ought further then GODS word authentick made it.
It is not possible that any Nation
Should make a vow, upon consideration,
To pin their Faith upon anothers sleeve;
Things to professe, which they cannot beleeve;
To practise, what their consciences abhor,
And what they find, no lawfull warrant for;
But, sure their meaning was, men should assay
To get the truths perfection if they may,
Till otherwise, they find it; to adhere
To those as truths, which truths to them appeare;
That, from compulsion, all men should be free,
Where doubtings are, till they decided be;
And, that, your vow injoyned none to do,
More, then their pow'r, and place, oblig'd him too.
Let both remember, that, they vowed have
The Person of the King, from harme to save;
His honour to preserve (and what belongs
To him, of right) from violence, and wrongs:
But, this remember, too, that, when you made
This vow, you likewise, resolutions had,
That, therein, his protection should extend,
No further, then you thereby might defend
The Kingdomes priveledges, and maintaine
Those rights, which to the people appertaine:
For, els, you shall betray your greatest trust,
And, prove but hypocritically just.
Remember, you have vowed to endeavour
To bring to publike triall, whomsoever
You shall discover, either to divide
The Kingdomes, or, to make the people side
In factions; and, that, you have vow'd to strive
(As you are able) that, they may receive
Due punishment: And, mark, if you have bin
As faithfull, as you promised therein.
Halt not 'twixt two opinions, as ye do;
If Baal be to be serv'd, let it be so.
Either, you have a pow'r, or you have none:
If none; why act yee, still, as ye have done?
Either your King, or you, deserveth blame:
If you have traitors been, repent the same;
Acknowledge it; submit, implore for grace;
And let him take againe, his pow'r and place.
If he, as much demerit, as you say;
Do not your trust, and your owne lives betray;
But, quit your selves like men, and do your best
To vindicate their cause, who are opprest.
If both be faulty, then, let both amend;
Lest, both be quite destroyed in the end.
If, you have drove the naile unto the head,
There clinch it; let no more be done, or said:
For, why should this brave Island be destroid,
That in the mean time, some should be imploid
Thereby to raise themselves? and, to prepare
Well-feather'd nests, perhaps, some otherwhere?
Those evill Counsellers, which late appear'd
To be about the King, may now be fear'd
To be among your selves; and, they of whom
The King, was made most fearfull to become,
Have now compli'd with him; and, justly may
King, People, Scotch, and English, if they weigh
What hath been done, shake hands, and well agree;
For, they are all, as like, as like can be.
Come, come, repent together, and forgive;
For there's no other means, in peace to live;
And, when you are forgiving, let all share
A part of Mercy, who repentant are.
Let, our seduced Irish, who, among
The rest, are yet involved in the throng
Of murth'rous Rebells; but have guiltlesse bin
Of their inhumane, and loud crying sin,
Find some Gate open, whereby they might gaine
An entrance, your forgivenesse to obtaine;
(Upon repentance, and on evidence,
Produced, differencing their offence:)
For, some of them assisted, to their might,
Their brethren, in their terrified flight,
Against destroiers; and in secret stood
Betwixt them, and the seekers of their blood.
Some of them, then, so far forth as they durst,
Releev'd them in their hunger, and their thirst;
Cover'd their nakednesse; and them convei'd
(From those, by whom they should have been betraid)
To Townes, and Ports, wherein they might avoid
That rage, whereby they had been els destroid.
If these, withdraw themselves, and back recede
From them whose hands in blood were deeply di'd;
Receive them unto mercy; that, you may
By justice, therewith mixed, take away
That Kingdomes guilt; and, put a difference
Betwixt the smaller, and the great offence,
That, they, whom other men did hurry on,
Against their wills, to be with them undone,
May find a passage out of that distresse
Which they are in, by others wickednesse;
And, that repentance, may not be without
A comfortable hope of some good fruit,
To ev'ry sinner, when he shall endeavour
A reformation, at what time soever.
By this course, you shall make the freer passe,
For your owne selves, unto the Throne of grace:
By this course, you shall greatly weaken those
Who, are your willfull unrepentant foes;
And, strengthen much their hands, who have been true
To GOD, unto their Countrey, and to you.
It may be, too, fullfil'd shall be, thereby,
That antient well knowne Irish Prophecy,
By which, unto that Nation, 'twas foretold,
That, there would come a time, wherein they should
Weepe ore your English Graves: For some, no doubt,
Already, tears of pitty have powr'd out;
Ev'n when they saw the cruell butcheries
Of guiltlesse Englishmen, before their eies?
And, now, shall ore their Graves, for their offence
Shed tears again, through heartie penitence.
Let those dissenting Parties, and those Factions
Which, long have multiplied your Distractions,
Leave of those many names of separations,
Of scorn, and disesteem, which in these Nations
Do now abound, and wherewith you provoke
Each other; and, whereby the peace is broke,
And malice nourished: for they prolong
Your discords, by a still renewing wrong.
Let, not all those, who term'd, of late, have been
Malignants, find that name, still set between
Themselves, and others, when they have assaid
To make amends, and their redemption paid.
For, by that Bar, you keep the Breach unclosed
'Twixt them, whose quarrells might els be composed.
For such of them, as only were misled
In judgement, have not thereby forfeited
Their honestie; as all those men have done
Who wilfully, and knowingly went on.
Nor, halfe so much as those, who have compli'd
With both sides; or, been false to either side.
Yet, trust them not with pow'r, till you have tri'd
Their truth; and, till your Peace is fortifi'd.
Let Innocents, defend their reputations,
As freely, as Knaves make their accusations.
Good turnes vouchsafe, to honest men sometime,
As willingly, as you do mischieve them:
For, to undo a man, you soone give ear;
Have tongues to speak, and leisure time to hear,
Within an houres warning; but, before
You heare him for his good, a yeare, and more,
Yea, sometimes three, four, five, consumed be,
Yet neither end, nor hope of end, hath he.
Let those who for your service, fit are knowne,
Both by abilities, and courage showne;
Those, who for you, their lives have hazarded;
Contributed, and lent their childrens bread;
For your sakes, brought themselves, and families
From plenty, to extreme necessities,
(Through want of that respect, which you should show them,
Till you have means to pay them what you owe them.
Let those, not like old shoes, be hurled by,
As if they were not worth your memory,
Or fit for nothing; when malignant Jacks,
Who laugh, and jeere at you behind your backs,
Can fill so manie places; and grow rich,
Whilst better men, lie starving in a ditch.
If spent your Treasure be, then let them share
In your Imployments, till you abier are
To pay them what is due; So, you shall ease them:
So, you, with hope of better, shall well please them:
So, you, in life, and health, may then sustaine,
Till you have need of honest men againe:
For, when their Countrey wants help, these, are they
Who will not faile her, though them faile she may.
Take these last words among you, where they fall;
And, as occasion, make them usefull shall:
For, your confusion so confoundeth me,
That want of method, may accused be
Where all is well intended; and, where nought
Is more, then may be profitably taught,
Let those among you, who desire to plead
For Christian Libertie, take serious heed
They make not passages, which may let in
Licentiousnesse, and Liberty of sin.
Let them not seek to ratifie Devotion,
To nothing but an incorporall notion;
Lest, if no place for shaddowes, they allow,
They never come their substances to know:
Lest, if too far away, from Formes they fly,
They fall into some fowle deformity;
Or lest, when they think purest light to see,
They blinded by an over-weening bee.
And you, who think, that by a Law-Divine
There is, one outward forme of Discipline,
To be observ'd of all men; and, but one
That can be lawfull; which, by you alone,
Is now in practise: somewhat bear I pray,
With such, as cannot yet, approve your way
To be infallible; or, give consent
To make essentiall, what's different.
When you possesse the Wheat, brawl not for Darnell,
Fight not for shells, when you enjoy the Kernell.
If to the true Foundation they adhere,
Against their buildings, be not too severe;
For, if the Structures they erect thereon,
Be Gold, and Silver, they have wisely done:
If Straw, and Stubble, theirs will be the losse;
The Fiery-triall, will consume the drosse;
And, they themselves, (though from perdition free)
Will in themselves, enough afflicted bee.
With love and kindnesse, seek to bring them in,
Who, by misse-teaching have deluded been:
With patience, and long-suffring wait upon
Your Brethren, as on you, your GOD hath done;
And, if their errors be but imperfections,
And not of malice, let your good affections
Be exercis'd thereby; and, then perchance
Your Charity, shall cure their ignorance,
And, sooner win them, then your indignation,
Severitie, or bitter provocation.
Compulsion often formes an Hypocrite,
But never makes the will, or heart upright:
And he, that would not vaine conclusions try,
The consciences of men to rectifie,
Must act, by somwhat which is more divine,
Then torments, or a Formall Discipline.
Speak not in Tempests, when you would reforme;
GOD, oftner comes in Calmes, then in a Storme.
Ill words, corrupt good manners; and, there flowes
From jeerings, brawlings, from your brawlings blowes;
And, many times, the woundings of your swords,
Break not the peace, so much as bitter words.
Provide therefore, as wisely as you may
To take provoking speeches quite away;
Especially among those, who pretend
The Cause of God, and goodnesse to befriend:
For, they, who cannot their sharp tongues restraine,
Professe, and talk of Piety, in vaine.
Yea, they, who are Truths Champions with their tongues,
And want true love, have done the greatest wrongs.
Let not your Supreme City over-swell
That Mediocrity, which heeded well,
Would more secure her safety, more enlarge
Her honour, and diminish more her charge.
Though she be great, let her not seeke to awe
Those, who, to her, and all the rest give law.
Though she be rich, let her not trust unto
Her riches; lest at last, they her undo.
Though she be strong, let her not boast therein;
For, some, by their owne strength, have ruin'd bin.
Though she be wise, let her not think to fool
Her Tutors, and to set them new to school:
But, let her motions, be in her owne sphere,
According as her owne occasions are;
Let her advance her tradings, without wrong
To priviledges, which to all belong:
Endeavour, by continuall watchfulnesse,
Both how, she may prevent, and how suppresse
Sedition, routs, and tumults: for these be
The bane of Cities: and I do foresee,
(Unlesse, prevented; by good takeing heed)
That then a mischiefe, may to you proceed,
Whereby, you more may suffer, in one hour,
Then in an whole yeare, by a Martiall pow'r.
Returne to your first love, and be not jealous
Of those, who mean you well, or over-zealous
In prosecuting, or beleeving, all,
Which your pretended Lovers counsell shall.
Contribute that proportion of due aid,
For, publike safety, which on you is laid,
According to the Portion of the blessing,
Which is thereby, preserv'd, in your possessing.
With praiers, and obedience, them assist,
Who stand up for the common Interest,
And take good heed, lest those who shall pretend
Your benefit, may drive some other end;
And, overthrow the common peace, and you,
By those proceedings, which they now pursue.
You have done well, and bravely; loose not then
Your thanks, and your deserved praise, agen.
You, of the Souldiery; Men of the Sword,
Receive you Orders too, and take a word
Of good advice: for much it will concerne
The publike weal, that you your duties learne.
Neglect not discipline, thereto adhere;
And, therein, alwaies rather be severe
Then too remisse: for, when an Army shall
Into disorder and confusion fall;
Destruction to it selfe, it will become:
And, of all enemies, most perilsome
To publike safety. And, 'tis better far
(Whether it be in time of peace, or war)
To suffer, by obedience to good order;
Then due redresse, by mutinie, to further.
Remember, that, you were not arm'd or paid,
To do your own work, but for publike aid:
And, that, you to your Officers are bound,
No further, then while faithfull they are found
To those, who have intrusted them; and, that
If they oppresse, ther's meanes to regulate
What is amisse; and, pow'r that may restrain
Their insolencies, if you shall complain.
Think not your selvs their creatures, as some name you:
For such an attribute doth much defame you.
There is in them no power of creation,
By dignity, by place, or by Relation,
Whereby they any creatures can produce,
But sonnes, and daughters, or fleas, wormes, and lice:
And these, are (properly) but generated,
Or, els, by their corruption propagated.
Delay not publike peace, by private hate;
Each others noble actions emulate,
Out-vie, but them envie not; neither crosse
Each other, to your countries further losse.
Upon your foes, ther's honour to be got
Sufficient, with your friends then, quarrell not.
Seek not, to be aveng'd, for that offence,
Upon the publike, which your innocence
By private hands hath suffred; measure not
Your merit, by the conquests, you have got;
But, by that worth, which truely is your owne,
And, in your heart lies, to the world unknowne.
Judge not of worth, by actions, and events,
(Which fame, it may be, falsly represents)
But, by those Principles, and reall worth
Whereby the heart is rouz'd and carried forth
To noble undertakings: Fame that's won
By having gain'd the lot of leading on
Your English Mastives, (on whose side befell
A victorie, whose author none can tell)
Is but of small esteem; for, when confusion
Hath brought their skirmishes unto conclusion,
He, many times, who merited but shame,
Of all that victorie, shall beare the name;
And, then, opinion ev'ry day doth add
Advantages, till he at last is made
So arrogant, that he begins to dream
Himselfe to be, what, some have fanci'd him;
And, so to act, that they whom he deceiv'd;
Shall soone find, what of him should be beleev'd.
Be none of these, for, you have lately seen,
How, such false fires extinguished have been;
And, when with glory, to ascend they think,
How, quickly, they descend, in smoke, and stink.
Fall not from that, which you have well begun;
But, persevere, untill the work be done.
An instrument, you are, but nor the tongue,
Nor eye, to whom, direction doth belong:
Therefore assume it not; but keep them free
By true obedience, who your keepers be.
And be assur'd, that, if you shall comply
With any to advance a tyranny
Of any kind; or, up to raise, thereby,
Licentiousnesse instead of Liberty:
GOD will let loose a spirit; which will soone
Un-nerve your Powers; make it night at noone;
Destroy you with a fillip, all together;
Puffe you away, like th'atoms of a feather.
And you, who (if you arrogate it not
Unworthily) are Stewards, for the Lot
Of GOD's Anointed; heare a word or two,
To mind ye, what ye know ye ought to do.
You see, to what confusion all is brought
By those men who themselves have onely sought:
And, what destruction will succeed thereon,
If in divided paths you still go on.
You know, what meanes, and what advantages
You have, to keep out, or to fetch in peace:
And, I acknowledge some of you have walked
The way of peace, as well as thereof talked:
And, trumpet-like, have rais'd your voices high,
To wake these Nations from their Lethargie.
Let all doe so; and joyntly undertake
To helpe repaire the Breach they holpe to make;
And not contend for that which neither was,
Nor is, nor ever can be brought to passe.
Make not those things infallible to be,
In which so many millions disagree:
Make not those things Essentialls to appeare,
Which in themselves but Circumstantialls are:
And, beare with them (since they the woe must bide)
Who give offences that you may be tri'd.
Your Temporalities, claime by your Law,
To be your due; and labour not to draw
Conclusions for your selves, from inferences,
Which make not warrantable your pretences:
For, all your claimes, by Ceremoniall dues,
Or Customes, appertaining to the Jewes,
Availe you nothing; but enfeeble rather,
Those Arguments, which from their Rights you gather.
You may as well reduce them back againe
To Sacrifices, and to entertaine
All other services, now obsolete,
As, get some things, which you have hope to get;
And, whereto you the People would injoyne
By humane Law, as due by Law divine:
Which, what they are; and how from doubts to clear them,
You shall be told, when you are fit to hear them.
From bitter words, and sharp invectives cease;
Invoke for grace, and then provoke to peace.
From all your Pulpits banish all partaking
In Factions; and in weak'ning or strong making
This or that Party: and, pull not in, all
Those things, which into controversie fall,
(Or into question) within cognizance
Of your owne jurisdiction, to advance
Your int'rest: For, all things that can be thought,
May, by that rule within your pow'r be brought:
And, by that meanes, you may recover more
Then hath been, here usurped heretofore.
Preach Faith, Repentance, Charity, and what
May true belief, and good life propagate.
Be humble, keep more closely to your charge;
And ramble not about so much at large,
To fetch in fleeces, out of others flocks,
But, be contented with your proper stocks;
Lest, as befell of late, and heretofore,
Instead of greater gaine, your losse be more.
I more might add; but, you already know it,
Oh therefore, in your practise, also, show it.
You, hear, what I have said, ye British Nations,
To further the desired reparations
Of these distracted Kingdomes; and to bring
Your King to you, and you unto your King,
If you, and he, the curing will abide;
And, for that Blessing, now grow qualifi'd:
Or, if not both, that one of you, at least
With Peace and safetie may againe be blest:
And live to praise GOD, that you forth are brought
From that snare, wherewith wilfulnesse is caught.
I have not here deceiv'd you with faire showes
From old Records, whose credit no man knowes.
From temporarie Acts, worme-eaten found;
(Of which, none knowes the reason, or the ground)
I bring not Presidents, that do belong
To things in Fact, which whether right or wrong,
Were thereby done, there is no certaintie.
You see, I use no kind of Sophistrie;
Nor do attempt, conclusions here to draw
From cheating quirks, or quiddities of Law:
From abstruse Principles, Authorities,
Unknowne; or, wherein little credit lies:
From ought, too Magisteriall for the season;
From fraudfull, or adulterated reason;
But meerly, from such grounds, and such positions,
As yeeld results, without all just suspitions.
From nature, common practice, and those things,
Whose cleare light meanes of apprehension brings
To most capacities; and, (which may best
Improve them) they, in language are exprest
So plainely; that all those throughout the Land,
(Ev'n Children) that can read, may understand.
And since, men wand'ring in a wood by night,
When they shall through a Glade, behold some light,
Take thereby courage, to walk chearly on,
In hope, their feares, and toyles, are nearely gone;
Ile from a Cloud, flash out a little gleame
Of Lightning; and, disclose a little beame,
Whereby on you a glimmering, shall be cast,
Of what you may attaine to, at the last:
For, I will shew you, by what Pedigree
That Government, to you deriv'd shall bee
Which will, at last, these British Islands blesse
With inward Peace, and outward happinesse.
It was of late, a briefe Presage of his,
Who, oft, hath truth foretold: And, it is this.
This being said, my FANCY rose, and drew
A Curtaine; wherewith quite beyond my view,
This apparition vanish'd. And, I took
My pen, to put in writing, what was spoke,
And publish it to others, that it may
Prevent (if possible) your evill day:
For, till amendment, or destruction come,
The Beasts would preach, should men continue dumb:
Yea, what their Genius, now to them doth speake
If they should sleight it, stones would silence breake,
To rouze them from their slumbers; or, to tell
Succeeding-Ages, how and why they fell.
When all was vanish'd, and, I left alone,
Intending, what was willed to be done,
A feare surpriz'd me; and, a shuddring took me,
Which with a long continuing trembling strook me;
And my weak heart began to be afraid,
To doe what I resolv'd; and, thus it said.
This reconfirm'd my Spirit; and I found
My heart with fearlesse courage, to abound.
With resolutions, I was fortifi'd;
And, throwing all my owne affaires aside,
Which most concernd me; I, to write begun
What I had heard: and, now, the worke is done,
My Conscience is discharg'd; my heart is eas'd;
And, therein come what will, I shall be pleas'd.