The Court of Conscience or Dick Whippers Sessions With the order of his arraigning and punishing of many notorious, dissembling, wicked, and vitious liuers in this age. By Richard West |
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THE PREFACE.
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 | The Court of Conscience or Dick Whippers Sessions |  |
THE PREFACE.
In the beginning when the Lord of hostes,
After his image liuely face and feature;
Created man in all the lands and coastes,
And for their succors euery liuing creature.
He did ordaine in lue thereof each day,
That they should praise his blessed name for ay.
After his image liuely face and feature;
Created man in all the lands and coastes,
And for their succors euery liuing creature.
He did ordaine in lue thereof each day,
That they should praise his blessed name for ay.
All lands and people then he did deuide,
And parted them with watrie surging seas,
A sundry language ouer and beside,
He did appoint to men for better ease.
With vnderstanding of each others minde,
That so they might be to his lawes enclinde.
And parted them with watrie surging seas,
A sundry language ouer and beside,
He did appoint to men for better ease.
With vnderstanding of each others minde,
That so they might be to his lawes enclinde.
Which lawes or statutes were by him erected:
Declaring them to man on Sinay mount,
Through Adams sinnes from Paradise abiected,
He vowd a day of Iudgement for account,
Of euery sinne or vaine offence Comitted,
Which Cannot be without his mercy quitted.
Declaring them to man on Sinay mount,
Through Adams sinnes from Paradise abiected,
He vowd a day of Iudgement for account,
Of euery sinne or vaine offence Comitted,
Which Cannot be without his mercy quitted.
And knowing well that man of his owne nature,
Was most vnapt t'obserue his holy word:
He did erect his plagues for euery Creature,
Ordayning for them hunger, fire and sword,
And finding waighty sinnes of man abound,
The whole world men and all he deeplie drownd.
Was most vnapt t'obserue his holy word:
He did erect his plagues for euery Creature,
Ordayning for them hunger, fire and sword,
And finding waighty sinnes of man abound,
The whole world men and all he deeplie drownd.
Sauing his seruants whome he did apoint,
Noah and his family to be in arke:
God of his mercie only did anoynt,
Those eyght to liue within the selfe same barke.
Hauing of euery creature with them two,
For worlds encrease which after should ensew.
Noah and his family to be in arke:
God of his mercie only did anoynt,
Those eyght to liue within the selfe same barke.
Hauing of euery creature with them two,
For worlds encrease which after should ensew.
This is most credible the time is past,
Approu'd of truth before we liu'd in age:
The sinnes of man yet being apt to last,
Procure the Lord to anger, wrath, and rage,
But what should I of these things meane to write,
The holy Scriptures plainly them recite.
Approu'd of truth before we liu'd in age:
The sinnes of man yet being apt to last,
Procure the Lord to anger, wrath, and rage,
But what should I of these things meane to write,
The holy Scriptures plainly them recite.
But as concerning this our latter time,
Considering by the aboundance of our dayes:
To greater sinne mans nature's apt to clime,
Which is a meane that Sathan sprenges layes,
To catch the sonnes of men by subtile guile,
Into his Nets, and so their soules to foile.
Considering by the aboundance of our dayes:
To greater sinne mans nature's apt to clime,
Which is a meane that Sathan sprenges layes,
To catch the sonnes of men by subtile guile,
Into his Nets, and so their soules to foile.
God (as before time) for the better peace,
And keeping vnder of each wicked wight:
In euery land true duty to encrease,
Hath plac'd a Prince to rule the people right.
Whose swords & Scepters beare so great a sway,
That they expell disorders quite away.
And keeping vnder of each wicked wight:
In euery land true duty to encrease,
Hath plac'd a Prince to rule the people right.
Whose swords & Scepters beare so great a sway,
That they expell disorders quite away.
But oftentimes the kindest man in sight,
He that will handle tongue in smoothest sort:
To simple meaning man doth seeme a light,
Yet slilie creepes and bites him to the heart.
Which glauering people being least suspected:
Liue in that order long time vndetected.
He that will handle tongue in smoothest sort:
To simple meaning man doth seeme a light,
Yet slilie creepes and bites him to the heart.
Which glauering people being least suspected:
Liue in that order long time vndetected.
But God creator of the world and man,
Finding the hearts of such to be corrupt:
Reueales to world and people now and than,
The sliest plots and treasons most abrupt.
Which in the hearts of such are closely hid,
At length from world such members he doth rid.
Finding the hearts of such to be corrupt:
Reueales to world and people now and than,
The sliest plots and treasons most abrupt.
Which in the hearts of such are closely hid,
At length from world such members he doth rid.
Dicke Whipper now (mans conscience 'tis I meane,)
Knowing the guiltie hearts of euery sort,
Hath summoned a meeting, where all men,
Are to repaire in person at that Court.
Aswell the rich as poore, the good, as bad,
The wise, as foolish, reprobate and mad.
Knowing the guiltie hearts of euery sort,
Hath summoned a meeting, where all men,
Are to repaire in person at that Court.
Aswell the rich as poore, the good, as bad,
The wise, as foolish, reprobate and mad.
A Iewrie of the best hee hath appointed,
To be impanneld on the worser sort:
And sit in Iudgement with him as anoynted,
To be the pillers of Celestiall Port.
For whom he hath elect a Princely coast.
For th'other, whipstock, whip, and whipping poast.
To be impanneld on the worser sort:
And sit in Iudgement with him as anoynted,
To be the pillers of Celestiall Port.
For whom he hath elect a Princely coast.
For th'other, whipstock, whip, and whipping poast.
The deeds of good hee doth pronounce in Court,
To th'endlesse praise and comfort of their soules:
The others misdeeds to their endlesse hurt,
He hath engrossed faire in his Court roules.
The good shall weare and haue the heauenly Crowne,
The other feele the whip to pull him downe.
To th'endlesse praise and comfort of their soules:
The others misdeeds to their endlesse hurt,
He hath engrossed faire in his Court roules.
The good shall weare and haue the heauenly Crowne,
The other feele the whip to pull him downe.
| The Court of Conscience or Dick Whippers Sessions | |