 | Miscellaneous works of George Wither |  |
Verses written by Mr. George Wither upon three Trenchers with Oker, during his close-Imprisonment, and carried to the Lieutenant of the Tower by the said Prisoners Keeper.
George Wither, close Prisoner, to the Lieut. of the Tower.
Sir, I have been a Prisner now six times,
For no worse faults, than just Reproofs of Crimes.
Nigh fifty years acquainted with the pow'r
Of Jaylors; and, shall shortly know the Tower,
To be the best, or else the worst of all
Confinements, which did hitherto befall.
For no worse faults, than just Reproofs of Crimes.
Nigh fifty years acquainted with the pow'r
Of Jaylors; and, shall shortly know the Tower,
To be the best, or else the worst of all
Confinements, which did hitherto befall.
All my defensive Arms are took away,
Now therefore, I assume such as I may;
And, since my Lot affords no better Tools,
A Trencher mark't with Oker, Lead, or Coals,
Shall be my Buckler, Sword, and Advocate
To you, in this my much opprest estate.
These, long experience taught me to provide,
When such a strait was likely to betide;
And, if you take them from me, you will do
More than your Order doth oblige you to,
Or Charity allows: for, I'm not free
To come to you, nor will you come at me;
Though wise, and good, and honourable men,
Have thought me worth a visit (now and then.)
Now therefore, I assume such as I may;
And, since my Lot affords no better Tools,
A Trencher mark't with Oker, Lead, or Coals,
Shall be my Buckler, Sword, and Advocate
To you, in this my much opprest estate.
These, long experience taught me to provide,
When such a strait was likely to betide;
And, if you take them from me, you will do
More than your Order doth oblige you to,
Or Charity allows: for, I'm not free
To come to you, nor will you come at me;
Though wise, and good, and honourable men,
Have thought me worth a visit (now and then.)
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When I was in the much despised Jayl
Of Newgate; some from thence were freed by Bail,
Though charg'd with Theft & Murder; and I may
Expect that Priviledge as well as they:
But, kissing goes by favour; and I lack
The Silver Key, which way thereto doth make,
And by the want whereof, I find this place
Affords not unto me, the common grace
Allow'd to Rogues; nor so much as a Slave
In Turky, or in Barbary may have:
For, they have Bread and Water at the least,
And Place assigned them, wherein to rest,
VVithout extorting more than can be had
(Unless their Flesh could into Coyn be made)
VVhereas the Mercy which this place affords
(In Age and Sickness) had been naked boards,
And stones for bread, had not my Wife, by giving
VVhat Charity bestow'd to keep her living,
Prevented for a week, what was design'd
To me, thence-forward, if we cannot find
Enough beforehand, weekly to bring in,
And save the stripping of me to the skin:
By which means, that Impeachment now intended,
May not be drawn up, till my Life is ended;
So, they will lose their labour, who assay
To mould my Punishment another way;
VVhich I conceiv'd, would more vexation be
To some, than all my Suffrings are to me.
Of Newgate; some from thence were freed by Bail,
Though charg'd with Theft & Murder; and I may
Expect that Priviledge as well as they:
But, kissing goes by favour; and I lack
The Silver Key, which way thereto doth make,
And by the want whereof, I find this place
Affords not unto me, the common grace
Allow'd to Rogues; nor so much as a Slave
In Turky, or in Barbary may have:
For, they have Bread and Water at the least,
And Place assigned them, wherein to rest,
VVithout extorting more than can be had
(Unless their Flesh could into Coyn be made)
VVhereas the Mercy which this place affords
(In Age and Sickness) had been naked boards,
And stones for bread, had not my Wife, by giving
VVhat Charity bestow'd to keep her living,
Prevented for a week, what was design'd
To me, thence-forward, if we cannot find
Enough beforehand, weekly to bring in,
And save the stripping of me to the skin:
By which means, that Impeachment now intended,
May not be drawn up, till my Life is ended;
So, they will lose their labour, who assay
To mould my Punishment another way;
VVhich I conceiv'd, would more vexation be
To some, than all my Suffrings are to me.
Prisners should gently used be, (if mild)
Not currishly oppressed and revil'd:
For (though neglected) we have still a Law,
VVhereby such Jaylors may be kept in awe.
Know, Sir, that much abuse to me is done;
Which is not an Abuse to me alone,
But likewise to your self, and to the nature
And priviledge of ev'ry humane creature.
For which cause, being willing to prevent,
Both your Dishonour, and my Detriment,
I this way have contrived to declare
My mind; and that, I my Affronts can bear;
Though (to my knowledge) since my name was Wither
I was not Villain call'd, till I came hither;
Nor from ought, for preserving health, debarr'd;
Though, oft my usage hath been very hard.
Not currishly oppressed and revil'd:
For (though neglected) we have still a Law,
VVhereby such Jaylors may be kept in awe.
Know, Sir, that much abuse to me is done;
Which is not an Abuse to me alone,
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And priviledge of ev'ry humane creature.
For which cause, being willing to prevent,
Both your Dishonour, and my Detriment,
I this way have contrived to declare
My mind; and that, I my Affronts can bear;
Though (to my knowledge) since my name was Wither
I was not Villain call'd, till I came hither;
Nor from ought, for preserving health, debarr'd;
Though, oft my usage hath been very hard.
The mercy of preceding times was such,
That Prisners here, were not opprest so much:
For, all Close-Prisners, (for what Crime soere
Accus'd) suppli'd with all things needful were
In their degrees; ev'n at the Princes cost:
Which Priviledge, though now it seemeth lost,
Custom had made so legally then due,
That, till of late, it was deny'd to few.
And, whensoever claim'd, your Predecessors,
If they denyed it, were thought Transgressors.
That Prisners here, were not opprest so much:
For, all Close-Prisners, (for what Crime soere
Accus'd) suppli'd with all things needful were
In their degrees; ev'n at the Princes cost:
Which Priviledge, though now it seemeth lost,
Custom had made so legally then due,
That, till of late, it was deny'd to few.
And, whensoever claim'd, your Predecessors,
If they denyed it, were thought Transgressors.
They who infring'd that Custom, first, did bring
Dishonour to the Nation, and the King.
Them, closely to imprison, who have nought
To feed them (and thereof, then take no thought)
Is worse than killing them; yea, such a sin
As hath by Infidels abhorred bin.
Where's nothing left, there nothing can be got;
And, to oppress, because men have it not,
Is an inhumane, and a brutish evil,
That's found in none, but an incarnate Devil.
Dishonour to the Nation, and the King.
Them, closely to imprison, who have nought
To feed them (and thereof, then take no thought)
Is worse than killing them; yea, such a sin
As hath by Infidels abhorred bin.
Where's nothing left, there nothing can be got;
And, to oppress, because men have it not,
Is an inhumane, and a brutish evil,
That's found in none, but an incarnate Devil.
Sir, by profession, you a Christian are,
And, I hope, this mind, is from you so far,
That you all civil usages will daign,
So long as in your keeping I remain.
A Cat no more can yeeld you, but her skin.
If Sheep do pay the Fleeces they are in,
They'l grow again, so you from Curs preserve them,
And shut them not so close up, that you starve them.
That which concerneth other men, and me,
This day, another day your case may be:
For, Changes are not fixt with such a Pin,
But, that those things may happen, which have bin.
And, I hope, this mind, is from you so far,
That you all civil usages will daign,
So long as in your keeping I remain.
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If Sheep do pay the Fleeces they are in,
They'l grow again, so you from Curs preserve them,
And shut them not so close up, that you starve them.
That which concerneth other men, and me,
This day, another day your case may be:
For, Changes are not fixt with such a Pin,
But, that those things may happen, which have bin.
Consider it: If Mercy you extend,
'Twill make a better man than I your Friend;
And much more honour you, than all your pow'r,
As Alderman, Lieutenant of the Towre,
And Member of the Commons, if severe
You prove to me, beyond what I can bear:
For, if through want, I perish in these bands,
My Blood will be required at your hands;
And, you will find, that I am own'd by Him,
Who justifieth, when man doth condemn.
'Twill make a better man than I your Friend;
And much more honour you, than all your pow'r,
As Alderman, Lieutenant of the Towre,
And Member of the Commons, if severe
You prove to me, beyond what I can bear:
For, if through want, I perish in these bands,
My Blood will be required at your hands;
And, you will find, that I am own'd by Him,
Who justifieth, when man doth condemn.
Do as your heart inclines: If you deny me
Things needful, GOD himself will then supply me
With strength to bear it, till I shall enjoy
That Freedom, which no mortal can destroy:
And when the World hath done the worst she can,
Good men will say, I was an honest man,
To GOD, Prince, Conscience, and my Country true,
What-ever, on my Tryal, shall ensue;
Yea, though with rigor I may suffer all
That's threatned, and seems likely to befall,
I do not yet perceive, which way GOD can
Be honour'd more by any mortal man,
Than by the Joy and Courage he may give him,
When others think they most extreamly grieve him.
Things needful, GOD himself will then supply me
With strength to bear it, till I shall enjoy
That Freedom, which no mortal can destroy:
And when the World hath done the worst she can,
Good men will say, I was an honest man,
To GOD, Prince, Conscience, and my Country true,
What-ever, on my Tryal, shall ensue;
Yea, though with rigor I may suffer all
That's threatned, and seems likely to befall,
I do not yet perceive, which way GOD can
Be honour'd more by any mortal man,
Than by the Joy and Courage he may give him,
When others think they most extreamly grieve him.
If I had suffred less since I begun
To serve Him; I his Work could not have done;
And, what I now shall suffer, may add more
Unto his Honour, than all heretofore.
And, from that, whereto Conscience doth invite,
My Punishment, will not one man affright
Who owns my Principles; and shall have grace
To act them soberly, in his own place.
To serve Him; I his Work could not have done;
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Unto his Honour, than all heretofore.
And, from that, whereto Conscience doth invite,
My Punishment, will not one man affright
Who owns my Principles; and shall have grace
To act them soberly, in his own place.
Sir, I have twenty times as much to say,
But, here I am compelled to make stay:
For lo, this Trencher will contain no more,
And, Paper must not come within my door.
But, here I am compelled to make stay:
For lo, this Trencher will contain no more,
And, Paper must not come within my door.
Your Prisoner, Geo. Wither.
| Miscellaneous works of George Wither | |