Certaine Serious Thoughts which at severall times & upon sundry Occasions have stollen themselves into Verse and now into the Publike View from the Author: Together w[i]th a Chronologicall table denoeting the names of such Princes as ruled the neighbor States and were con-temporary to our English Kings, observeing throughout ye number of yeares w[hi]ch every one of them reigned [by Christopher Wyvill] |
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Some foot-steps of this Warre traced.
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 | Certaine Serious Thoughts |  |
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Some foot-steps of this Warre traced.
The low-tun'd numbers of my humble Verse
Cannot this Scene of death to th'life rehearse,
I offer but one dish, and that I feare
Will, Reader, worth thy tasting scarse appeare;
Yet may prepare thy stomach, thou wilt be
Hereafter feasted with the Historie;
Some cunning hand will strike so high a string,
That all the quarters of this Orb shall ring
The great atchievements of our Nobles: they
Shall live in numbers that are lap't in clay,
And those that make Iambicks in their pace,
Shall, in Heroicks, run with nimble grace.
Here my ingaged thoughts, could I but frame
A verse that worthy were to beare his name,
Would vent themselves and tell thee who did come
Though lame yet loaden with much honour home.
Cannot this Scene of death to th'life rehearse,
I offer but one dish, and that I feare
Will, Reader, worth thy tasting scarse appeare;
Yet may prepare thy stomach, thou wilt be
Hereafter feasted with the Historie;
Some cunning hand will strike so high a string,
That all the quarters of this Orb shall ring
The great atchievements of our Nobles: they
Shall live in numbers that are lap't in clay,
And those that make Iambicks in their pace,
Shall, in Heroicks, run with nimble grace.
Here my ingaged thoughts, could I but frame
A verse that worthy were to beare his name,
Would vent themselves and tell thee who did come
Though lame yet loaden with much honour home.
At Worster, first the Tragedy begun;
From worse to worse, since that, we head-long run:
For follow South-ward, and discover still,
The edge of War, but sharp'ned at Edg-hill:
Many tall Cedars fell, some shaken lye,
Yet discord bloomes again since Newbery.
Besides these three, how many Fields have been
Forc't into blushing tinctures, from their Green
By flowing bloud? This issue, though it be
Not twelve yeares old, ô God by none but thee,
Is curable, unless the selfe-same hand
That heal'd that woman save this bleeding Land,
We perish; all our thoughts amazed are,
On thee our eyes are fix't, thy people spare.
From worse to worse, since that, we head-long run:
For follow South-ward, and discover still,
The edge of War, but sharp'ned at Edg-hill:
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Yet discord bloomes again since Newbery.
Besides these three, how many Fields have been
Forc't into blushing tinctures, from their Green
By flowing bloud? This issue, though it be
Not twelve yeares old, ô God by none but thee,
Is curable, unless the selfe-same hand
That heal'd that woman save this bleeding Land,
We perish; all our thoughts amazed are,
On thee our eyes are fix't, thy people spare.
Sure some Prophetick spirit gave the name,
Vnto that Village where, beside the Lame
Foure thousand Christians all bereav'd of breath
By fire-enraged Messengers of death,
The setting sunne beheld, and at the sight
Hastned his Western journey, and sent night
To force a truce:
Vnto that Village where, beside the Lame
Foure thousand Christians all bereav'd of breath
By fire-enraged Messengers of death,
The setting sunne beheld, and at the sight
Hastned his Western journey, and sent night
To force a truce:
'Tis call'd long-Mar-ston, yet Mars thy command
I wish may soon be shortned in this Land.
But can our wishes, which from flesh and bloud,
And common-sence arise procure this good?
No, we have sinn'd, and each one must begin
To be impartiall to his proper sin.
O let us to the throne of Grace repaire
With true-repentant, humbly-fervent prayer,
Presented in our Saviours Oratory,
Then God will Finis write to this sad story.
I wish may soon be shortned in this Land.
But can our wishes, which from flesh and bloud,
And common-sence arise procure this good?
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To be impartiall to his proper sin.
O let us to the throne of Grace repaire
With true-repentant, humbly-fervent prayer,
Presented in our Saviours Oratory,
Then God will Finis write to this sad story.
| Certaine Serious Thoughts | |