The works of Sir William Mure of Rowallan Edited with introduction, notes, and glossary by William Tough |
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For the States of Parliament.
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 | The works of Sir William Mure of Rowallan |  |
36
For the States of Parliament.
God's worthies, in whose hand the Helme to guide
Of Government is given, set far a-side
Your private Intrests. Not to make you great,
Proud, Powerfull, or Rich, the Trust of State
On you conferr'd is: for the Publike Good,
Not Goods, your actings would be understood.
On you are many eyes. Eyes, from above,
Below, within, without, pry how ye move,
How equally ye walk. But here I'le hold,
And begs your pardon, if I haue been bold.
Of Government is given, set far a-side
Your private Intrests. Not to make you great,
Proud, Powerfull, or Rich, the Trust of State
On you conferr'd is: for the Publike Good,
Not Goods, your actings would be understood.
On you are many eyes. Eyes, from above,
Below, within, without, pry how ye move,
How equally ye walk. But here I'le hold,
And begs your pardon, if I haue been bold.
Now, when our rent Republick's Ship is tost,
With growing stormes; when things of greatest cost
And highest value, by this Isle enjoy'd,
Endanger'd are. Our Soveraigne's life destroy'd,
Our Soveraigne's dearest life; his Royall blood,
(To usher in a shamefull servitude)
Pour'd forth; His Scepters to posterity,
Decern'd a Trophee of proud Tyranny;
These Kingdomes' Heir exild (our Soveraign Lord)
And almost all the Issue, at a word
To be led forth to death (a sacrifice,
In smoake whereof their glory to arise
Unto its highest point, as safest mean
By them, for their securitie foreseen,)
What pawse ye? Whence proceeds this silence deep?
Your enemies (beleev't) are not a-sleep.
Shall men so desperately wicked hold
Their hand, the Father of three Nations, bold
To put to death, and not with jealous eye
Look on the Children, tyed to aske them why?
With growing stormes; when things of greatest cost
And highest value, by this Isle enjoy'd,
Endanger'd are. Our Soveraigne's life destroy'd,
Our Soveraigne's dearest life; his Royall blood,
(To usher in a shamefull servitude)
Pour'd forth; His Scepters to posterity,
Decern'd a Trophee of proud Tyranny;
These Kingdomes' Heir exild (our Soveraign Lord)
And almost all the Issue, at a word
To be led forth to death (a sacrifice,
In smoake whereof their glory to arise
Unto its highest point, as safest mean
By them, for their securitie foreseen,)
What pawse ye? Whence proceeds this silence deep?
Your enemies (beleev't) are not a-sleep.
Shall men so desperately wicked hold
Their hand, the Father of three Nations, bold
To put to death, and not with jealous eye
Look on the Children, tyed to aske them why?
Where your Antcestors' ready hands and hearts?
Associates look ye for, from forraigne parts
As troubled at our stroake, and by our wound
Of Christian Kings the veynes all opened found?
Associates look ye for, from forraigne parts
37
Of Christian Kings the veynes all opened found?
Or, dare not Judah war with Edom wage,
Till Ephraim, not at one with God, engadge,
Till Israel Arme; which, ordered to depart,
(By this conjunction, Amaziah's heart
Made haughty, and lift'd up,) turnd discontent,
And Judah's Cities spoiling, as they went,
Shed blood at will, and did no outrage spare
That (now-a-dayes) the basest villaines dare.
But what? These gone, did Edom gaine the day?
Was Judah's King delivered as a prey,
For want of pow'r? No. Hee who stay'd the Sun
On Gibeon; and in Ajalon the Moone,
Till on his foes aveng'd; by Judah's hand
A victory most glorious did command
For Judah's host. But grief doth heer arest
My trembling hand, appal'd to write the rest.
To Edom's idols didst thou turn aside
Wretch'd Judah, while their spoiles thou didst divide?
O yes; from Truth, there, shamefully thou fell,
And justly turn'd thy back to Israel,
Which, made thy Rod, thy ruine quickly wrought,
Thy King to Perish, by the People, brought.
God, only wise, your heart with Counsell fill,
That, quitting of your selves like men of skill,
Fast what ye have ye hold, lest all cast down
Built heer-to-fore, ye lose a glorious Crown.
Till Ephraim, not at one with God, engadge,
Till Israel Arme; which, ordered to depart,
(By this conjunction, Amaziah's heart
Made haughty, and lift'd up,) turnd discontent,
And Judah's Cities spoiling, as they went,
Shed blood at will, and did no outrage spare
That (now-a-dayes) the basest villaines dare.
But what? These gone, did Edom gaine the day?
Was Judah's King delivered as a prey,
For want of pow'r? No. Hee who stay'd the Sun
On Gibeon; and in Ajalon the Moone,
Till on his foes aveng'd; by Judah's hand
A victory most glorious did command
For Judah's host. But grief doth heer arest
My trembling hand, appal'd to write the rest.
To Edom's idols didst thou turn aside
Wretch'd Judah, while their spoiles thou didst divide?
O yes; from Truth, there, shamefully thou fell,
And justly turn'd thy back to Israel,
Which, made thy Rod, thy ruine quickly wrought,
Thy King to Perish, by the People, brought.
God, only wise, your heart with Counsell fill,
That, quitting of your selves like men of skill,
Fast what ye have ye hold, lest all cast down
Built heer-to-fore, ye lose a glorious Crown.
But leaving all on Him, in more and lesse,
Whose eye must guide you. Now, our King's distresse,
The cry of blood, shed by a murthering hand,
The infamy of a despised Land,
The fowlest of affronts; Call, yea conjure
All ranks, by all the Tyes, known to secure
Religion, publike Interests, private Rights,
'Gainst open force, and undermining slights;
If Piety, Compassion; if the sense
Of deepest wrong, haue weight or influence
On loyall Scottish hearts, in sight of Heaven
Your just resentment and offence made eaven,
As instruments of God joine heart and hand
To raise the Glory of this slighted Land,
Men calling to account, by whom is shed
The blood, that brethren hath unbrothered.
Whose eye must guide you. Now, our King's distresse,
The cry of blood, shed by a murthering hand,
The infamy of a despised Land,
The fowlest of affronts; Call, yea conjure
All ranks, by all the Tyes, known to secure
Religion, publike Interests, private Rights,
'Gainst open force, and undermining slights;
38
Of deepest wrong, haue weight or influence
On loyall Scottish hearts, in sight of Heaven
Your just resentment and offence made eaven,
As instruments of God joine heart and hand
To raise the Glory of this slighted Land,
Men calling to account, by whom is shed
The blood, that brethren hath unbrothered.
The Taske in hand, suppone the hazard great,
Yet neither case, nor cure are desperate.
Faith to improve, the Oath of God you tyes,
Whose proof of Mercies mercy yet implyes
Unto Beleevers, fears who dare out-face,
And footsteps of preceeding paths can trace.
Your wayes on him devolve (sure) he will do,
To fight who taught your fingers hitherto.
Frogs, Flyes, Dry bones, Hee, ere ye Armies want,
Shall for you Arme, the Arme of flesh to daunt.
Let Colours fly, Drums beat. Gird on your swords.
Arme, Gallants, Arme. The Battell is the Lord's.
Yet neither case, nor cure are desperate.
Faith to improve, the Oath of God you tyes,
Whose proof of Mercies mercy yet implyes
Unto Beleevers, fears who dare out-face,
And footsteps of preceeding paths can trace.
Your wayes on him devolve (sure) he will do,
To fight who taught your fingers hitherto.
Frogs, Flyes, Dry bones, Hee, ere ye Armies want,
Shall for you Arme, the Arme of flesh to daunt.
Let Colours fly, Drums beat. Gird on your swords.
Arme, Gallants, Arme. The Battell is the Lord's.
| The works of Sir William Mure of Rowallan | |