The times | ||
5
THE TIMES DISPLAYED IN SIX SESTIADS.
THE FIRST SESTIAD
The Argument
An Independent and a PresbyterTheir severall Tenents, each do here prefer;
And while they, pro and con do argue, we
May judge of both, and which most erreth see.
INDEPENDENT
And have we spent our bloods to gain no more
We are as wretched as we were before
When as the Lordly Prelates, ruld the Land
Making Gods Truth, to stoop to your command
O thou immortall Rector when shall we
Be as we ought, and have our conscience free
From mens Injunctions,
PRESBYTER,
“See mans nature is
“Never contented, though he be in blisse,
“He would have yet more joy, why knowst thou not,
Or hath thy shallow memory forgot,
What great immunities are purchased
Since the great, little Prelate, lost his head
6
Who ruld, Charls onely called Soveraign;
Is not the throat of Inovation cut
Are not our Enemies, in pinfolds shut;
Are not those Courts, that rackt the Commons purses
“Receiving oft, their silver, with their curses
Abolisht, is not that same fatall court
Star Chamber cald, where fix Lords could extort
What they would from the Commons, now put down
And in the stead mercy and Justice shown,
Are not all envious suckers,
Independent
He, whose this
My utter enemy, I ween it is,
As the ill boding Scrilch-owl I do hate
Thy speeches, tell me art thou Consecrate,
An Elder, whom I may dechipher thus
Hodie Clericus, cras Laious:
Thee and thy tenents I abhor and hate
As errors, do all mischiefe properate
Perhaps thou art an Expectant, such there be
Who waite Election, in the Presbytery
I hold the Rule, of your Archi-synagogie
To be a cruell, Rigorous Tyrannie
Your high Sanhedrim, by which you undertake
Your Fellow Commoners, meer slaves to make
Your great Assembly is above all power
And what you please, you turn, and change each houre
So that Ide rather chuse, a slave to be
And vassaild, to the Bishops Hierchie
Then unto you subjected, pray whence rose
Your Reformation, but from Knox, and those
Seditious ones Melvill and Lisley, and
Peter Carmichael, who once did stand
In open opposition gainst all Law
In ordine ad Spiritualia.
7
O Thou deluded, that art enemie
To God, doth not the sacred verity
Confirm, and eke command the Church should be
Guided by a Judicious Presbyterie
Thy Allegations are most false and naught,
Such as the Feind into thy mind hath brought:
Thou art a Libertine, and wouldst have none
To govern thee, but thy false heart alone
Woe be to England, hadst thou thy desire
Whose thoughts are swords, whose actions are fire
To ruin thine opposers, praised be
To the Almighties Sacred Maiestie
Our prudent Parliament, do now proceed
To settle
Independent.
What they have decreed
Theil finde when they have setled it most sure
Tis built on sand, and cannot long indure.
Presbyter.
Well go thy wayes, let Sathan and his crue
The utmost of your wicked ends persue,
God will preserve his Church, and maugre all
Will have his own will to be principall
After so long obscurity, he now
Is pleasd unto his servants light to shew,
The true light of his face, the government,
He gave to his Apostles, with intent
They and the true Church, ever should observe
Which having purchasd, grant Lord, mere swerve
There-from, but us and ours imbrace it may
Untill the last, and dreadfull Judgement day.
The end of the first Sestiad.
8
The Second Sestyad.
The Argument
An Anabaptist and a Brownist hereUnmask themselves, and make the filth appear,
The while the one contendeth for himself
Averring he ought not baptize his elfe
Till hees of age, the other worse deluded
Saith, God hath England from the Church exculded.
Anabaptist.
After so long a night, of woe and sorrow
Behold a fair, and delicious morrow
After so many years, when we opprest
Were fin'd imprisoned, and could never rest
For the Beasts Image, the hated Bishops (now)
We openly, and without, dread avow
Our tenents, dipping maids, and wives each day
Their naturall concupicence to allay,
And although some we drown, those drowned so
Doe but by water unto heaven go,
And—
Brow.
Ile not beleeve the Church of England is:
A true Church, making my assurance this,
When Bishops and their government did stand
And Popery was used in the Land
By singing, cringing, worshipping of tables
Christning of bells, with many other Fables,
9
They seem those errors, for to disavow
Instead thereof the English Parlament,
Set up a worser, fiercer Government.
The spawn of Bishops, now must rule, I gather
The wandring issue, of a misled Father
For the Presbyterie, the wise can tel
We justly may with Bishops paralel,
From them their Power's deriv'd.
Anabaptist,
All hail to thee
Dear Brother of our NONCONFORMITIE;
Both thee and I, like Sampsons Foxes do
Burn up Gods vineyard, work the Church much wo,
Why then are we estranged each from other,
Let mee imbrace thee, in my arms my Brother.
Brownist.
Stay good, my friend, and know twixt thee & me
There is a very vast Antipathie,
I do not hold that Beasts from death shal rise
At the last day, nor yet in any wise
Can I beleeve, that ere the Damned shall
After some torments be released all,
And plac'd in heavenly joys, for so you hold.
Anabap.
Why then my Friend thou hast the worst on's told
By manifest , that they may proved bee,
Thou now recitedst, as an heresie,
And this assure thy self, who ere is not
Of our Society, shal have his lot
Amongst the Damned, evermore to dwel,
Wailing his error, in the lowest Hel.
Brownist.
Rashly concluded, thus each Sect doth say
He that treads not their paths, errs from the way.
The end of the second Sestiad.
10
The third Sestyad.
The Argument
One of the Family of LoveWith an Antinomian meets
And divers questions they do move
Not parting without threats.
Familist.
Amor omnia vincit, 'twas that which mov'd
God for to come on earth, because he lov'd
The sons of men, tis love that all creates
Tis love that men and creatures propogates
Did men but know the sweet society
We do enjoy are of loves family
They would reject their burthensome Estate
And make themselves with us Incorporate,
How many Queenes, and princesses of might
To be made one of us, have tane delight,
As Messalina, Cleopatra, She
Romes vulgar honour as a Dietie
Lais and Thais, O Ime ravished
To think upon the pleasant Lectures read
To us, when we in full Assembly met,
The sisters on the brothers laps being set
Nothing but love our harmelesse souls desire
With love, each of our hearts is set on fire
This love we cherish, by all wayes we may
For tis not good our loves should ought decay
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Eringoes tatoes, and such toyish fare,
And this we do, to preserve love in us
For sine Cerere & Bacho, friget Venus.
Anti.
My eares are blister'd; O what have I heard
And art thou not thou beast at all afeard
Of Hell, or thinkst thou the Almighty sleeps
Why he a bedrole of thy basenesse keeps
And will take vengeance on thee that dost make
Religion cloak thy evills.
Familist.
Dost thou take
In hand sin to reprove, whose sins are such
That of thy blasphemies, there cant too much
Be spoken, thou deniest, the Law was given
To be mans Rule, although the Lord from heaven
Girt in bright flames, with awfull Majesty
The while the Trumpet founded from on hie
Denounced Death, to him the same should break
And yet you dare with boldnesse for to speak
And to divulge, you from the Law are freed
And you of nought but faith do stand in need.
In hand sin to reprove, whose sins are such
That of thy blasphemies, there cant too much
Be spoken, thou deniest, the Law was given
To be mans Rule, although the Lord from heaven
Girt in bright flames, with awfull Majesty
The while the Trumpet founded from on hie
Denounced Death, to him the same should break
And yet you dare with boldnesse for to speak
And to divulge, you from the Law are freed
And you of nought but faith do stand in need.
Again, you teach, averring impiously
Your sins are pardond, ere committed be
Why then it seems Christ Jesus, to no end
his heavenly pater noster did commend
To his Disciples, bidding them desire
Forgivenesse of their sins, as the just hire
Of their forgiving others, some there be
Of your sweet Sect, that do unanimously
Conclude there is no strict necessity
Of our receiving that holy mistery
Of our salvation (why are we tyed thus)
Say they to shaddows, when Christ dwells in us
Already, why on pictures must we feed
When we possesse the substance.
Your sins are pardond, ere committed be
Why then it seems Christ Jesus, to no end
his heavenly pater noster did commend
To his Disciples, bidding them desire
Forgivenesse of their sins, as the just hire
Of their forgiving others, some there be
Of your sweet Sect, that do unanimously
Conclude there is no strict necessity
Of our receiving that holy mistery
Of our salvation (why are we tyed thus)
Say they to shaddows, when Christ dwells in us
Already, why on pictures must we feed
When we possesse the substance.
12
Twere indeed
A greivous crime in me, for to confer
With one whose wayes, are so Irregular,
Untie those bonds, do chain thy soul and be
No more pertaker, of loves familie
And were it not, that I have hope thou maist
Converted be, ere thou of death do taste
I would discover thee,
Familist.
And I but that
I would not people draw to wonder at
Thy self and me, I would unto thy wo
First bang thee soundly, and then let thee go.
The end of the third Sestyad.
13
The fourth Sestyad.
The Argument
A Libertine and an ArminianEach make known, your fond opinion;
And by the stories, which they tell
We may Judge both, are fit for hell.
Libertine.
Give me the Joyes on Earth, and tell not me
Of after hopes, future felicitie
I tire to think on, the time present I
Will spend in mirth, and pleasant jollitie
Sit round my hearts, our heads with Ivie crownd
Let quaffe Lyeus, and the healths go round
And singing pearls, unto Ceres, we
Unto the Harpe, will foot it lustily
While here I live, Ile spend my time in mirth
Time is no more, when I am gone from earth
This night Ile clip a beauty, would tempt Jove
Equall to Juno, or the Queen of Love
Away with this same fond Philosophie
That tells, the soul lives to Eternitie
Away with such vain fancies when we fall
The soul dyes with the body, &c.
[_]
It hath been foretold by the Prophets and Apostles that such men the latter dayes shall afford, and our own age hath verified, their speech unto us, and even for the main question of the Resurrection whereat
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15
Theres no man shall,
Perswade me, but man has, an Innate will
Power of himself, to commit good or ill,
I've set before thee, fire, and water, chuse,
Saith God, ev'n which thou wils, which plainly shews
Mans power's of himself, to take or leave,
To take the good, or else the ill receive;
POPE PIUS, had a vision on a day
As after Dinner on his couch he lay
A glorious Angel did before him stand
Bearing a graven Schedule in his hand
On the right side, was in a figure placd
The heaven of heavens with the Almighty gracd,
While all his glorious angels standing round
Loud Allelujaes, to the THRONE, resound:
On the left hand was ORCUS plac'd where sate
Grim Pluto, placed in a throne of state,
Foshiond of burning brasse, the Damned Crew
Howling in flames, their forepast Acts did rew,
Just in the midst, betwixt both these there stood
A man wel shapt, and of proportion good,
Before whom hung a tablet, in which words
Of letter Capital, this sense affords;
Behold, o man, before thee two ways lie,
The one to joy, tother to miserie
Doth lead; chuse which thou wilt, therefore tis sure
Man may his sorrow, or his blisse procure
By his own inclination; Ergo, I
Will in this my opinion Live, and Die.
THE AUTHOR.
Ah do not so, trust not to thine own strength,
For fear it plunge thee in Abisse at length.
The end of the fourth Sestyad.
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The fifth Sestyad.
The Argument.
A Papist as on Pilgrimage he wentMeets with a true beleeving Protestant,
Twixt whom there divers propositions bee
As bout the Masse and Popes Supremacy,
Til in the end, they both agree as one,
And do extol the true Religion.
Papist.
Holy Saint Christopher be thou my guide
And ayd my speed, that I by eventide
May arive safely at Saint Francis shrine,
That holy Francis that by ayd divine
Conversing in the solitary wood
Making wild fruits and water be his food,
O be propitius.
Protestant,
See it is my chance
To meet with one wil give me cause to advance
Gods truth above the unwritten veritie,
Worshipful Pilgrim, all hail to thee
That wrapt in errors dost thy journey take
Bare footed, while the sirly thorny brake
Often draws blood.
Papist.
By Saint Sebastian
I now have met a SOLIFIDIAN;
Why thou deluded, how long wilt thou bee
Unto the holy Church an enemie,
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Dye as an Heretick, excommunicate
By Christs Vicegerent.
Protestant.
My good-pilgrim hold,
Enough and each too much, thou now hast told
Ime not deluded, but with setled faith
I tye my selfe, to what the Scripture faith
Which in no place mentions the papall throne,
That Septred Kings, must yeeld subjection
To mytred Bishops, that false power do vaunt
That Christum simulant, & contra christum pugnat
Nor do I weigh, how me, the Pope shall handle
No though, he curse me, with bel book and candle.
Papist.
The ayres infected, O that I had now
Some holy water, for to crosse my brow
O fire I blasphemy have heard thou soul
Who art infected so, with errours foul,
Tis hard to cure thee.
Protest.
Nor do I desire
Thou shouldst as my Physitian gaine thy hyre
Which will be more, then all the world affords
My precious soul,
Papist.
Although to bandy words
With thee an Heritick, were fond and Vaine
Yet so I see, that learn'd Ile not abstain
But I wil converse a while, know then that Rome
Is the most ancient Church (where martyrdome)
Diverse Apostles did receive, and there
By Christs appointment, is S. Peters chair
Where Christs Vice-gerent, Peters seat doth fill
And what he doth Comand, even Christ doth wil
He cannot erre in ought, for on this stone
Christ builds his Church (all opposition)
Shall not prevail against him, every state
Al Kings on Earth to him subordinate;
He to the glorious sun I may compare,
Kings to the Moon, who of his lustre share.
18
I hear too much, although tis truth Rome was
Once cald the mother Church, but truth did passe
From Rome, drove thence by erring fallacies,
By groundless fables, superstitious lies,
When Gods love was relinquisht, and instead
Thereof, was mans traditions honored.
Nor is the Pope to sit in Christ his throne,
For Christ himself doth rule his Church alone;
Nor can we find by what our Savior said
(To Peter) that on him alone he laid
A charge to rule his Church, but when he spake
To Peter, he did the rest his Partners make,
And not on Peter, but upon his faith
Christ builds his Church, when on this rock he saith
Ile build my Church, and whereas you compare
The Pope unto the Sun, you grosly erre,
But rather we ful aptly render may
The Pope as Moon, for as one wel doth say.
—Fratri contraria Phæbe
Ibit & obliquum, bigas agitare per orbem
Indignata, diem poscit sibi totaque discors
Machina convulsi, turbabit fœdera mundi.
Once cald the mother Church, but truth did passe
From Rome, drove thence by erring fallacies,
By groundless fables, superstitious lies,
When Gods love was relinquisht, and instead
Thereof, was mans traditions honored.
Nor is the Pope to sit in Christ his throne,
For Christ himself doth rule his Church alone;
Nor can we find by what our Savior said
(To Peter) that on him alone he laid
A charge to rule his Church, but when he spake
To Peter, he did the rest his Partners make,
And not on Peter, but upon his faith
Christ builds his Church, when on this rock he saith
Ile build my Church, and whereas you compare
The Pope unto the Sun, you grosly erre,
But rather we ful aptly render may
The Pope as Moon, for as one wel doth say.
—Fratri contraria Phæbe
Ibit & obliquum, bigas agitare per orbem
Indignata, diem poscit sibi totaque discors
Machina convulsi, turbabit fœdera mundi.
The Moon disdeigning of her rule by night
Would needs rule Phæbus Carr the day to light,
And by this civil, and unnatural Jarr
Inforced natures bands to fry in Warr.
Would needs rule Phæbus Carr the day to light,
And by this civil, and unnatural Jarr
Inforced natures bands to fry in Warr.
Even so at first, the Aspiring Popes of Rome,
When they would Kings as wel as Priests become
Layd claim, and urgd it their Prerogative
For to dispose of Crowns, and those did strive
For to make frustrate, Their so il Intent
They presently deprivd of Government,
And then being seated in the Suns bright Carr
They streight involvd all nations in VVarr,
And now the sole Incendiaries be
For to set Crown and Crown at enmity.
When they would Kings as wel as Priests become
Layd claim, and urgd it their Prerogative
For to dispose of Crowns, and those did strive
For to make frustrate, Their so il Intent
They presently deprivd of Government,
And then being seated in the Suns bright Carr
They streight involvd all nations in VVarr,
And now the sole Incendiaries be
For to set Crown and Crown at enmity.
19
I do find something in me prompts me now
The Popes usurped power to disavow.
Protestant.
This man of sin doth hold the world in hand,
He holds his Papal power by Christs command
And left the vulgar should into it pry
He doth lock up the sacred Verity,
And feeds the peoples minds with outward glosses
VVith pleasant musick, Images, and Crosses,
VVith Pilgrimages, Offerings, and Oblations,
VVith holy Rood days, and such recreations,
VVith holy-water, wafer, cakes, and challices,
VVith Copes, & Mitres, Crosiers, such like fallacies
Bewitch the people so, they blindly run
To all excesse of Superstition;
Again, that he his Priests may magnifie
To win them honor in the peoples eye
Theyre told, when once the words of consecration
Are uttred, just upon the elevation
Of the bread God, 'tis very Christ even hee,
VVho for their sins, did suffer on the tree,
O horrid, that a mortal should create
Even his Creator.
Papist.
I now see the state
That I am in is wretched, and by thee
O happy friend I am converted, see
I am not as I was, I here lay by
This weed of shame, and now intirely I
VVil be a Protestant.
Protestant.
If so
Thy tongue and heart in equipage do go,
Come follow me, and thou wilt find theres none
Of true Belief, but Protestants alone.
The end of the fifth Sestyad.
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THE SIXTH SESTYAD.
The Argument.
Apollo rageth that the noble bayIs worn by those that do not merit it,
He and the Muses an amer cement lay
On some, that trusting to their sordid mit
Do undertake, of things most high to say,
Yet cannot words unto the matter fit:
Mean time Urania doth in tears deplore
Her Poets losse, whose like shal be no more.
1
He that doth bear the silver shining bowWhose musick doth surpass, that of the sphears
VVho slew great Python, and did Vulcan show
VVhere Mars and Venus, were, to increase his fears,
Jove and Latenas son, whom Readers know
In heaven he of Sol the title bears:
In earth he Liber Pater called is,
And eke Apollo in the shades of Dis.
2
One time, as on the spire of 's Temple heeDid sit, he cast his most refulgent eye
Towards Pernassus Mount, where he might see
The sacred Nine, not now melodiously
As they were wont, to chaunt in Jollitie
Apolloes praise, and the great Diety,
That turnd I O to a Cow, but now they were
VVith sorrow overcome, did joy forbeare.
3
VVith speed to Hellicon he took his flight,VVhere being come, the Muses did arise
And made obeaysance, as was requisite,
To whom said Sminthus, why, with downcast eys,
Are your fair Aspects clouded, and why dight
In sable weeds, the reason I surmise,
21
By those unruly Steeds, to death was done.
4
Shal part of her, whom once I lovd so dear,Be worn by those whose sordid minds I hate;
Why do I, for to shoot, the slaves forbear,
And with my Arrows, their brests penetrate;
Who for to claim the Lawrel do not fear,
Due only unto those, whose happy fate
Hath raised them, my Prophets for to bee,
Or else can claim the same by victorie.
5
Each fellow now, that hath but had a viewOf the learnd Phrygians Fables, groweth bold,
And name of Poet doth to himself accrew;
That Ballad maker too, is now extold
With the great name of Poet, He that knew
Better far how to row, then pen to hold,
His sordid lines, are sweld to such a weight,
Theyre able for to make, his Boat afreight.
6
The god of waves hath been my enemy,Else that base Fool, had Haddocks fed ere now,
And Fennor might have Wrote his Ellegy,
(Another coxcomb) that his wit to show
Wrote many things, the best not worth the eye
Of any schoolboy, doth his genders know;
But while the Fools I rate, let me not be
Forgetful of those Writers lovd by me.
7
Although the Bard, whose lines unequalled,Who only did deserve a Poets name
To my Eternal grief, be long since dead,
His lines for ever shal-preserve his Fame.
So his who did so neer his foot paths tread
Whose lines as neer as Virgils Homers came,
Do equal Spencers, who the soul of verse
In his admired Poems doth rehearse.
22
8
But ah whose this whose shade before me standsO tis the Man, whose Fame the earth doth fil,
VVhose vertue is the talk of Forraign Lands
VVhile they admire his Feats of Arms his skil
In Poesie, while he bove all commands
The Muses, who so waited on his Quil
That like to Sidney; none ere wrote before
His birth, nor now hees dead shal ere write more.
9
See him whose Tragick Sceans EURIPIDESDoth equal, and with SOPHOCLES we may
Compare great SHAKESPEAR ARISTOPHANES
Never like him, his Fancy could display,
VVitness the Prince of Tyre, his Pericles,
His sweet and his to be admired lay
He wrote of lustful Tarquins Rape shews he
Did understand the depth of Poesie.
10
But thou dear soul, whose lines when I beholdI do astonisht stand, of whom Fame says
By after times, Thy songs shal be extold
And mentiond be as equalling my lays
Thou who so sweetly EDVVARDS woes hast told
VVhen other Poems, though of worth decays,
Thine shal be honord, and shal aye subsist
In spight of dark oblions hiding mist.
11
So His that Divine PLAUTUS equalledWhose Commick vain MENANDER nere could hit,
Whose tragick sceans shal be with wonder Read
By after ages for unto his wit
My selfe gave personal ayd I dictated
To him when as Sejanus fall he writ,
And yet on earth some foolish sots there bee
That dare make Randolf his Rival in degree.
12
All hail eke unto thee that didst translateMy loved LUCAN into thine own tongue,
23
Thou hast compleated his ingenuous song
Thy Fame with his shal nere be out of date
Nor shal base Momus carps thy glory wrong,
But of mine own tree, Ile a garland frame
For thee, and mongst my Propets rank thy name,
13
So thine whose rural quil so high doth soundTheocritus or Mantuans ere could bee
So sweet and so sententious ever found
As are thy Pastorals of Britanie,
Thy fame for aye shal to the skies resound,
And I pronounce Thy fluent Poesie
Singing of shepherds is the best ere wit
Invented, and none ere yet equalled it.
14
Nor thine O Heywood worthy to be readBy Kings, whose books of eloquence are such
Enough in praise of thee, can nere be fed
Nor can my Verses, ere extoll too much
Thy reall worth, whose lines unparaled
Although some envious criticks seem to grutch
Shall live on earth to thy eternall Fame
When theirs in grave shall rot, without a name.
15
So eke shall yours, great Davenant, Sherley andThine learned Goffe, Baumont, and Fletchers to
With his that the sweet Renegaddo pend
With his who Cressey sang, and Poycters to
Your works, your names for ever shal commend
Joyned with his, that wrot how Scipio,
Orethrew great Hanniball, his ingenious lines
Shall be a pattern, for the after times.
16
Nor will I thee forget whose PoesieIs pure, whose Emblems, Satyrs Pastoralls
24
Nor Thee whose Poems loudly on me cals
For my applause, which here I give, and I
Pronounce his merit, that so high Instals
The Muses, in his Night-watch, great to bee,
And times to come shal hugg his Poesie.
17
But why, Urania, hangst thou so thy head,What grievous loss hath rest thy joys away;
Quoth she, knows not Apollo QUARLES is dead
That next to BARTAS, sang the heavenlist lay,
And who is he on earth, his steps can tread,
So shal my glory come unto decay;
At this she wept, and wailing wrung her hands,
The Muses mourning round about her stands.
18
Quoth then Apollo, lay this grief aside,I do assure thee, that thy honor shal
Not fade, but be far greater Amplified;
Theres one who now upon thy name doth cal,
Who hath by Clio formerly been tried,
And by her wel approvd; He surely shal
Succeed great Quarles, if thou not fâte to inspire
And warm his Bosome with thy hottest fire.
19
Hereat she cheared was, and now as earstApollo in the midst, the Muses Nine
Began to sing, CLIO, Joves Deeds rehearst
VVhen he the Gyants pasht, her song Divine
Apollo shapt his tyre unto, where first
I did set forth I must again decline:
What shallow fools shal prate I do not care,
Fly Thou my Book to those that Learned ate.
Nunquam me Impune lacessit.
The end of the sixth and last Sestyad. FINIS.
The times | ||