Miscellaneous works of George Wither

I will not let this, slip into the Dark,
Or keep the Light, without a special mark:
For, when GOD Acts, or speaks, each Word and Deed.
Should be observed, with some vseful heed.
That, which hath hapned, cannot be undone,
Or ly conceal'd; For, many Lookers on,

And, (some, who love to trumpet forth Mischances,
With Descantings, on all their Circumstances)
Have publsh'd what befell. Thence, Rumour spreads;
Puts various Fancies, into Peoples heads;
And every one draws Uses, or, applies
As Malice fools him, or, Love makes him wise:
But, Providential favours, are exprest,
As well in worst, Events as in the best;
And, they who know not this, will never finde
The Ports of Comfort, with an Adverse-winde,
When he that heeds this, steers through all Events,
Or, Censures, without fears, or Discontents:

Then, as a Secret, why should we disclose
From man to man, what ev'rybody knowes?
And, put the Jealous Vulgar, in a fear
There's somewhat done, not fit for them to hear?
Why, is it whisper'd, still, as if, to be
Surpriz'd by those things, from which none are free,
Dishonour on his Highnesse could be throwne?
Or, as if him, it misbeseem'd to owne
That Action, which occasion'd an Event
Producing, some external Detriment?
Or, why it is conceiv'd, as if, to Us,
Or, unto him, his fall were Ominous?

Is it not good, we should have, now and then,
Somewhat to minde us, that we are but men?
And, that our trust in Princes, gasping lies
In that short blast, which from their nostrils flies?
When he did Fall, was it not wondrous well,
That, from his seat, into GODS's Armes he fell?
And, that, He falling, fell not in such wise,
As they, who Rise, to fall; But, Fell, to Rise?

And to Arise with an improvement too,
By Thankfulnesse, for having scaped so?
As also, with that Mark, upon him set,
Of being GOD's especial Favourite?

If, what befell, must needs be understood
As Ominous; why, should it not of Good,
An Omen be? (as I beleeve it will,
Much rather, then prove Ominous for ill?
For, who can think, that, He was saved from
A Mischief, that, to Mischieves he might come?
Or, that, We, by his safty, from the Curse
Of Anarchy, are saved, for a worse?
Or, that, when Mercies GOD, is pleas'd to shewe,
They do portend some Evils to ensue?
What Inference more wicked, can be brought?
What more prophanely! what, more vilely thought!

Tir'd with continual Cares, (in hope, to finde
Refreshments, by Diversions of the minde)
Er'e serious thoughts, were wholly laid aside,
He grasp'd those Raines, which, he had often tride
To mannage heretofore, with good successe,
When, Small things he more minded; Great things, lesse:
And, though he sped not, as in former time,
His Acte, was not unseemely; nor a Crime,
As they suppose, whose Memorie forgets,
What, others, or, what, best themselves befits.

For, 'twas not judged an Unprincely Game,
To drive a Chariot, when th'Olimpian Fame,
Was thirsted after; And, when on that Hill,
Kings, with their Equals, therein shew'd their skill;
And wrapt in Clouds, rais'd by their horses heeles,
And, Thundrings, from their furious Charret wheeles,

Were emulous, the high-priz'd Wreaths to wear
Belonging to the skilfull'st Charioteer.
And, what detraction, from the Reputation
Of Princes, is that Manly Recreation,
More now? or, then it was, when, Charles, of late,
For his disport, upon the Coach-box, sate?
(As many times he did) and not disdaine
To let Inferiours, ride in Charles his Waine?
Or, what Dishonour is it, that, through one
Mishap, he fail'd, of what was, oft, well done?

It was not want of skill, to use the Raine,
That stout, and chast Hippolitus was slaine:
But, an unlookt for, dreadful Apparition,
(Of purpose rais'd, to hasten his perdition)
Frighted his horses; which, with headstrong furie,
Their Driver, from the Beaten paths, did hurry
Among the Rocks: And, what, thereon befell,
(The Storie is so known) I need not tell.
Yet, this I will observe, (to make the Fable,
To my Intention, further serviceable)
That, though asunder dragd, his Members were,
It magnifide his Wisdome, Love, and Care,
Who made him sound, more then it harmed him,
Who had that hurt: For, every scatter'd Lim,
Was re-united, without detriment
In any kinde, by that dismemberment
Only, to Virbius, from Hippolitus,
His name was chang'd, as, it befalleth us,
When, from our Selfnesse, we are rent and torne,
To be Regenerated, or New-borne.
And, fo (I hope) when we have sum'd up all
Which, to his Highnesse hapned, by his Fall,

His gaines, will be much greater then his cost;
And, nothing, but self-confidence, be lost.
This, by the way: now I to that will come;
Which mov'd me, on this subject to presume.
A free Officiousnesse, doth me employ
To be, this once, instead of Philips boy,
Who, ev'ry morning, call'd on him to minde
That, he was Mortal, and of humane kinde:
For, though his sad disaster hath of late,
In likelihood, remembred him, of that,
It will not be amisse, that, I ingage
His Caution, further, by this surplusage;
Lest, though his Piety, shall him incline
To do his duty, I may faile of mine,
Who think my self oblig'd, when I shall see
Occasion, his Remembrancer to be,
As I have bene to others; who, thereto
Gave lesse regard, then he (I hope) will do.

As GOD, hath often shown, 'twas he, that, arm'd
His head in battel; and, preserv'd unharm'd
His Person, when the chance of Warre he tride,
And thousands slaughtered fell, on ev'ry side:
So, he now gives a new Experiment,
That, it is he alone, who doth prevent,
The Danger of his Peace; and, that, there are
Perils inclosing him, when none appeare.

It doth informe him, with a silent tongue,
What warinesse, doth now to him belong
More then in former times; and, that there are
Aswell in his Retirements, as in Warre,
Gards, Sentinels, and Watchings, necessary
With strictnesse to be kept; lest he miscarry.

Moreover, it informes, that, had he none
Maligning him; Ev'n he Himself, alone,
Might be his own Destroyer; by forgetting
Due Care: Or, else, by acting, or omitting
Such things, as have a very nigh relation,
Either to Danger, or to Preservation.

It calls on him, to minde, how many wayes,
And meanes there are, of cutting short his dayes
If GOD, prevent not: yea, it calls on him,
Both, to redeeme, and husband well, his Time;
And, loudly calls; that, for the Mercy showne,
It may, in shewing Mercy, be bestowne:
That, they, who of his Justice, well beleeve,
May blesse him, for the Comforts, they receive;
That, they, who, in his ruine would have joy'd,
May rather wish, their own Designes destroy'd;
And, that, the Blessing, may be carried on,
Which, his, and our Protector, hath begun.

It likewise, calls upon us all, to heed
Both our own wayes; and how, GOD, doth proceed;
Chiefly, in what, of late, vouchsafed was
By his applying of preventing Grace,
For is Deliv'rance, in whose life consists
The likeliest Gard of publike Interests;
And, which, includes, of Mercies, yet to come,
Another Pledge: and, as it were, the sum
Or, brief Epitome, of all things done
For our availe, since first the Wars begun.

My contemplating of his Dangers-past,
Makes them seeme great: yet, it hath made this last,
Exceed them all; and so great to have bin,
That, surely, had not, God himself, stept in,

To bring him Succour, suddenly from heav'n
No safety had been found; no Quarter giv'n.

Thus have we seen, a tender Mother, run
(Or, rather fly) when her dear only Son
Was innocently playing in the street;
And snatch him, from among the horses feet
Indangering his Life: Thus, have we seen
A Loving Bridegroome, throw himself between
Death, and his Bride; and bravely fetch her from
A Peril, which was desperate become.

To tell this Danger, were to tell you that,
Which I can better Fancie, then relate;
And, which (as I conceive it) cannot well
Be better showne, by any parallel,
Then when a brave Ship, on huge Billowes tost,
With Sails full-spread, Helme broke, and Ruther lost,
Is by a strong storme, in the darkest night,
Forc'd to a strange Coast, with a winde fore-right,
Upon the Rocks, which over-hanging, lie,
The foming Flouds, a hundred fathomes high;
Where, every Wave, all cries for help, out roares;
Threating destruction, both from Seas and shoares:
Where, can be seen nor Earth, nor Heav'n, nor Light,
But dark blinde wayes, to everlasting night;
And, where, no succour, finde admittance can
By all the Power, and all the wit of man.

By this Description, you, perhaps, may guesse
From what a depth of desp'rate dang'rousnesse
His Hignesse was repreev'd; and, who, alone
Must, then, be his Deliverer, or none.
Thence, you may likewise, gather, if you will,
(And not continue blinde, and froward, still)

Who takes charge of him; Whom, they do oppose;
Who without cause, at this time are his Foes;
And, for what end, such aids vouchsafed be
In great immergencies; And, so may HEE.

Oh! let us, therefore, better now, improve
The evidences of Eternal Love,
Then we have done: and, let his Highnesse, minde,
How bountiful, how gracious, and how kinde,
Our GOD hath been to him; that, so he may
Unto his People, part thereof repay,
In love to them: Let him remember, too,
Had he miscari'd, what had been to do:
What, likely to be suffer'd; not alone
By some of us; but, ev'n by ever'y one,
Who breaths the British aire; and, not despise
This Counsel, though the Giver seeme unwise.
Yea, let it be consider'd, (to improve
A hast'ning, unto Unitie in Love)
What sad Confusions, had anew been hurld.
Upon this much unsetled British world,
(And, upon others, whom we would respect)
If, what was almost done, had took effect.

Let this great Mercy, never be forgot;
Chiefly, of him, who hath the largest Lot
In this Deliverance; Lest worse he speed,
When of a Helper, he shall stand in need.
And, let it make him, more to hasten on
That, which his Prudence prompteth should be done;
Lest, some such Humane Casualtie prevents
The manifesting of his good Intents,
And gives his Foes, occasions to beleeve
Their owne vaine thoughts; And makes his friends to grieve.

I doubt not, what I counsel: If I did,
It had with me, in mine own heart, lain hid.
But, He, who me emboldneth unto this,
Perswades me, that my aims, I shall not miss:
Gives me, for earnest of them, a presage,
Of healths Returne, with future Tutulage:
Shews me, by what conditions, he may gaine
Th'Eshablishment, he labours to obtaine;
And (secret things consider'd) bids me, tell him,
'Twas Mercy, not a Mischief, that befel him:
That, also, there are greater Mercies, yet,
For him, reserv'd; if he shall not forget
This Favour; nor the Vowes, and Protestations,
Made heretofore, to GOD, and to these Nations:
Assures me, that, on these Conditions lies,
The highest glory, whereto he can rise;
And, that, if he escape the stumbling stones,
Environing th'Ascent, to Earthly Thrones,
He, without fear of any harme, shall tread
On Vipers, Aspes, and on the Dragons head:
That, Emperour to stile him, should not better
His happy Lot, or make him ought the greater;
But, rather seeme, a foolish over-lay
Of purest Ophir Gold, with common Clay.

Thus, otherwhile, Remembrances I scatter,
As, GOD, and Man's proceedings, offer matter;
Not without some discernable effect:
(Though neither they, nor I, gain much respect.)
For, on my Self, they have an operation
Not needlesse; yea, the lesse good acceptation,

They have with others, they, thereby, to me
The more effectual, sometimes rendred be;
And, teach me to be quiet, and to beare
What misbefals me, with more Joy, then Care.

Thus, when the Bowes of Malice are ful bent,
And, poys'ned shafts, made ready to be sent
Against th'upright in heart; I, interpose
Minerva's sheild, sometimes, unknown to those
Whom it secures; and, when, for what was done,
Others, with all the thanks, away have gone.

Long since, with suchlike Spels, and Charmes as these,
I did assay, to cure the Kings disease;
But, either, he was over-deaf to heare,
Or else, not strong enough, my Charmings were.
Oft, afterward, I sung unto the State,
Some Lessons which, when 'twas a day too late,
Were called for; and frequently there fell
Much ill to me, for wishing others well.
Sometimes, I, to the Common-people fidle
To still their madnesse; and, oft foole, and riddle
To make them wiser: but, with little gaines,
To them; and, losse of labour, for my paines.

And now, to charme those, I endeav'ring am,
Who seek to turne his Glory, into shame,
Whom GOD, hath honour'd; That, I might make lesse
(If possible) their sottish bruitishnesse,
Who wound themselves, through him; and scoff and jear
At Mercy, shown to their Deliverer,
In such a Danger, as could be, by none
Removed, but, by an Almighty-one.

Vaine sons of men, how long, will ye despise
Good Counsel! and, still, follow after Lies!

Not knowing, or not heeding, that, GOD hath
Maugre your Spite, your Envie, and your Wrath,
Made him to be your Lord, whom you contemn;
To Supream honours height, advanced him;
Laughs you to scorn; Turns al your oppositions,
To his advantage and your own perditions:
Not heeding, GOD, hath given all these Lands;
All these three Nations, up, into his hands;
And, him, on them bestow'd; to make proof, whether
He, or else They; or, both of them, or neither,
Will hearken to his Voice: that, he may do,
What their proceedings will incline him to.

Fooles! 'tis not as you dream: But, whatsoe're
He Was, or Is, or, shall to you appear,
GOD, from among your selves, did him advance,
To gard his Flocks, and his Inheritance;
To be a friendly comforter of those,
Who are his Friends; A terror to his Foes:
And, what, you fret and storme at, was not done,
By mans designments; but, by GOD, alone.

Through all these Islands, be it therefore known;
And, to all persons, every where, which own,
Relation to this Empire; that, by him,
Who hath dispose of every Diadem,
(Of Scepters, Crowns, & Thrones) the change was made,
Which did remove the Government we had;
(When our great sins deserv'd to be bereft,
Of all those Priviledges, which are left)
And, that, GOD, in meer mercy, did translate
The Power, which was in other men, of late,
To be with him intrusted, who is now
Stil'd, your PROTECTOR. Know, likewise, that, you

Are bound, by Law and Conscience, to obay;
And humbly at his Throne, your selves to lay
On those Conditions, only, whereon, he
Hath your Protector, undertook to be.

Moreover, Be it known, that, if he shall
Performe his Part; and, you perversly fall
Into rebellious actings; or, not cease
From those, which may disturbe the common-peace;
His Scepter, shall, perforce, your stif necks bend
To that, which he doth Righteously intend;
And, either thereunto obedient make you,
Or, therewith, bruise; or, else, to peeces break you:
Lest, your perversnesse, bring a Tirant hither,
To break us; never to be set together.
And, that, if prudently you do comply,
He may, at last, improve his Sov'raignty,
To make you farre more happy, and more free,
Then else, you had been, or had means to be.

And, now great OLIVER, to thee, likewise,
Let this be known; and, do not thou despise
The Publisher; GOD, doth expect to have
Honour from them, to whom he honour gave:
That, such, who have the rule o're men, be just:
That, they their Vowes infringe not, nor his trust:
That, they consider, he bestowes large measure,
Of Power upon them, not to act their pleasure,
Or to fulfill their lust; but, doth inlarge
His Bounty, that their Place, they may discharge
With Courage: That, he Riches doth provide,
Lest Avarice, might draw their hearts aside;
Or, wants, to do injustice, them compell:
That, he gives honours, not to make them swell

Above their Brethren; but, them, to exempt
From what, may fall upon them, by contempt:
And, that, all these things, are on them bestown,
Much more, for others sakes, then for their own.

Know SIR, that, GOD, from persons in your place,
Expects all this; and thereto offers Grace,
And Power, for asking: That, (what ere some say)
He, none necessitates to go astray;
Nor leaves, nor hardens any (not the worst)
Till, Love to selfnesse, makes them, leave him first.

If, this, thou well considering, shalt act
Accordingly; performing thy Contract,
With GOD, and with his People; he, shall then,
Give thee the Love, and Hearts, of all Good men:
Fixe thee as firmly, as the Rocky shoares,
Which sleight the Ocean, when it foames and roares:
And brighter make thy Fame, and spread it more,
Then any mans renowned heretofore:
For, in Fames Book, thou maist inrolled be
The first, who, made a People truly free:
And first-borne, of those Viceroyes, who, shall take
Their Throns from HIM, whose Kingdom down will break,
All Monarchies of Tirants; with all those,
Who, help patch up, the Clay and Iron toes,
The Reliques of that Image, which hath bin
The prop of him, that's call'd, the man of sin.
All this may be: and, if thou strive to go
The way, that open lies; It shall be so.
Oh! lose not this advantage, for a Buble,
Which, in vain hope, begins, & ends with trouble.

And, lastly, Be it known, (not by event
Which may be to thy future detriment,

But, by pre-caution) that, if faile thou shalt
Without this Peoples obstinate default,
Of what they, justly may from thee expect,
Who art advanc'd their freedomes to protect;
Or shalt abuse thy Power, them, to oppresse;
Or, leave them unreliev'd, in their distresse,
So, that, they must be forc'd to cry, and call,
To GOD, for help: GOD, hear, and help them shall:
Search what is done: And, though their former sin,
Hath great, and full of provocations bin,
He, for the present time, will passe it by,
And on thy failings, only, cast an eye:
Avenge their Cause; call thee, accompt to give,
Of all those Favours, which thou didst receive;
(Of that late Mercy, too, among the rest,
Which hath occasion'd, what, is here exprest)
And, with much indignation, cast thee down,
When, to its height, thy Confidence is grown.
Yea, they, who shall most flatter, and with whom
Thou, shalt, then, think most safe thou mayst become,
Will help destroy thee: And, this, shall to Thee
A sad presage, of thy destruction be,
Which, may be made a Prophecie Divine,
Of Everlasting Good, to Thee, and Thine.
But, to his Saints, GOD, gives a blessed close;
And, keeps his Vengeance, only, for his Foes.

Thus, I have shown, that, Mercy which produces
Contempt in Scorners, came for better uses:
Let it, by all, whom it concerns, be weigh'd;
And, when, I've more to say, It shall be said.

Geo. Wither.

University of Virginia Library

VATICINIUM CAUSUALE. A RAPTURE Occasioned By the late Miraculous Deliverance OF HIS HIGHNESSE THE Lord Protector, From a Desperate Danger.

With, a NOVERINT UNIVERSI, in the Close.