The wonders of the ayre the trembling of the earth, And the warnings of the world before the Iudgement day. Written by Thomas Churchyard |
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The generall Epistle to the Readers. |
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 | The wonders of the ayre |  |
The generall Epistle to the Readers.
Come gazing world whose restles mind wold see & read each thingAnd mark what wonders wit may find, that in this booke I bring,
Note now howe nature is beguild, and God the nature takes
Of euery wonder vnder Sunne, and thereof triumple makes:
Come searching heads that finely shifts, the grosest bran from flowre,
Who knows (through suttel sleights of world) no more thā naturs pour
And marke what maruels mighty God, with maiestie doth shoe
Our simple age and carelesse time, where lewde like learned goe:
Come you that liues like Epicures, and likes no world but this
And thinks when your bad life is gone, there is no other blisse,
And note another kind of cause, that can constraine vs all
In prostrate maner humble wise, with face on floure to fall.
Come proudest peacoks in your plumes, with ruffling painted robes
Come you that lookes when starres will fall, & staers on goodly globes
And veiw how starrs and planets falls, and earthly causes too
If God when nature is at worst, strange things himselfe will doo.
Come stubborne men that will not stoupe, at fearfull signes and shoes
Nor care for trembling of the earth, which wonders comes and goes,
By course of nature as some say, but therein make a pause
Though kind commands amasse of things, there is a greater cause
That moues the earth, & shakes the world, wel worldlings come & see
What wonders God hath wrought for men, that wise and thankful be,
And see what warnings God hath sent, to those he meanes to stricke
Preserues the good wher fauour leads, & plagues wher growes mislike.
You stout stifnecked people proud, the stands on reasons ground,
Come heere how farre past reasons earth, in learned eares doth sound,
Make faith a proofe of your hard harts, and so let nature guide
And you shall see who shootes aright, and when your shafts are wide:
No place were left for God that rules, to rule and beare the swaie.
O wily wits and babling tonges, yeeld vp your reasons lore
And folllow our great captaines steps, that marcheth still before:
Who leaues them lagging far behind, that lookes not after grace,
And in their owne opinions dwell, with bold and shamelesse face.
Come all the flocke of new found sects, that swarmes to much this day,
And you shall see what glory great, Gods goodnes doth bewray.
Come Deitists and Athists all, bring brabling bookes and wordes
That you in bitter sorte let fall, sometime with iests and bords,
And see his mighty workes aboue, that rules all at his will,
Who makes earth ayre and waters moue, to make men muse on still.
Come cunning brains whose quick conceits, are ripe and in their prime
Come read strange things that wonders are, bestow therein some time.
Come souldiers that loues sword & fire, & mark what wars God makes
With kings and kingdomes in his ire, when he the quarrell takes,
Come see the fall of mighty men, that many battayls won,
Yet dropt downe headlong now and then, as fatall chances run.
Come you that thinke you sit so sast, you can ne slip nor slide
And thinke by gesse of wonders past, what you may iudge this tide:
Come hither high aspiring mind, that hopes the cloudes to clime,
And by these warnings heere you find, reforme your selues in time:
Come you that please I say no more, my verses so I ende
And craue that you with patience read, that I with paines haue pend.
| The wonders of the ayre | |