Miscellaneous works of George Wither

At BLEDONHAM, among malitious Clowns
A Shepherd kept a Flock upon the Downs;
Belov'd as well, till there he did reside,
As any of his Rank, 'twixt Thame and Tweede.
Not many in this Isle, were better known;
He manag'd few Affairs, except his own:
He was a Friend to all men, save to those
Whose Vices made them his malignant Foes;

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And never was his Enmity extended
Unto their persons, with whom he contended.
Him, their Companions, men of honour made,
And he by honest means, possession had
Of such a fair Estate, that many more
Suppos'd him to be rich, then thought him poor:
For, he had Fields and Groves, Flocks, Herds and Corn,
Enough to keep him, both from want and scorn.

But, that Wheel turning, which doth now and then
O'erthrow great Kings as well as Common men,
It, with a quick whirl, on a luckless day,
So swept his Crops, Goods, Flocks and Herds away,
That he of all, was well-near quite bereft,
And had but one good Ewe, and two Lambs left,
Which ev'ry day at his own Table fed,
And ev'ry night, lodg'd in, or near his bed.

As soon as this Disaster was begun,
Another forthwith follow'd thereupon.
A petty Nimrod (as with an intent
To hunt some Beasts of prey, which did frequent
The Fields where these Lambs fed) attended on
By those, who, where a Mischief may be done,
Take most delight, did often, with his Hounds,
So much disturb their quiet in those grounds,
That having thereby much affrighted been,
The Lambs became unproveable and lean.
The Ewe alone, still undismay'd, held out,
And being fat, well flesh'd, and very stout,
Preserv'd her own, till an uncivil rout
Of neighb'ring Churls, with Cur-Dogs pull'd the Fleeces
From off their backs, and tore them into pieces.

What these Lines mean, but few of those who read them,
Can know, save they who felt the wrongs, or did them:

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For, they were acted with more barbarousness
Then we can by this Parable express;
Ev'n by that Spirit, which did first engage
These Nations into that unhappy rage
Which is not yet allay'd; and will hold on
Whilst they are cherish'd, by whom 'twas begun.

When this befel, the Shepherd was from home,
To stop another mischief like to come;
And hearing his poor Flock was worride so,
A deep sigh fetcht; yet, since their wool might grow,
And, Time, encrease their number to a greater,
(In hope things might succeed hereafter better)
Some Consolation for a while receiv'd:
But, thereof also, quickly was bereav'd:
For, not alone decreas'd his cattle be
From very many hundreds unto three,
In perishing estate; but seized now
Are those Possessions too, from whence might grow
Subsistence and increase: and (which is worse)
Not on him singly, falls this heavy curse,
But they whose Prosecutions made him poor,
Will make a hundred thousands Beggers more;
Whose Poverty may those Oppressions adde,
Whereby that number double will be made.

By these Mishaps, this Pastor in one year
(And less) is made a poor Philosopher;
Who now doth bear about him all his stock,
And to themselves, is forc'd to leave his Flock,
Expecting nothing henceforth but Oppressions
From those, who have usurped his Possessions:
For, they who on his Livelyhood now seize,
Successours are to those old Druides,
And to those Flamins and Arch-Flamins, here,
Who Prelates of the Pagan-Friesthood were;

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And, probably, will be to him and those
Who serve his GOD, unreconciled Foes;
Because they do pretend themselves to be
Prelated above others in degree,
As Supreme Priests and Pastors unto PAN,
The Prince of Shepherds, and both GOD and MAN.

On that accompt, those superstitious things,
And Heath'nish Ceremonious Trinketings,
Which in the worship of false gods were us'd
By them, are without warrant introduc'd
Into the Christian Church, as sanctifide;
And to maintain that Carnal Pomp and Pride
Which these affect, they claim, and take, and hold
What's due to Him, as due to them of old.
This, under colour of a Deodand
They challenge; and, therein, a Royal hand
Supports them yet, because he knows them not:
But, when such information he hath got,
Whereby they may to him be truly known,
'Tis hop'd that each man will enjoy his own:
In which hope, many thousands now undone,
Take up their Cross, and patiently walk on.

This Shepherd (not deluded by their folly)
Who heed a Ravens croaking from the Holly,
Or such like Auguries: foresaw by whom
And why, those things which now befal, are come.
He therefore, when they came, stood undismay'd,
And looking up to Heaven, thus meekly said:

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