Iter boreale With large additions of several other poems: being an exact collection of all hitherto extant. Never before published together. The author R. Wild |
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THE Loyal-Nonconformist;
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THE Loyal-Nonconformist;
OR An Account what he dare swear and what he dare not swear.
Published in the year, 1666.
I fear an Oath, before I swear to take it;
And well I may, for 'tis the Oath of God:
I fear an Oath, when I have sworn, to break it:
And well I may, for Vengeance hath a Rod.
And well I may, for 'tis the Oath of God:
I fear an Oath, when I have sworn, to break it:
And well I may, for Vengeance hath a Rod.
And yet I may swear, and must too, 'tis due
Both to my Heav'nly, and my Earthly King;
If I assent, it must be full and true;
And if I promise, I must do the thing,
Both to my Heav'nly, and my Earthly King;
If I assent, it must be full and true;
And if I promise, I must do the thing,
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I am no Quaker, not at all to swear;
Nor Papist, to swear East, and mean the West;
But am a Protestant, and shall declare
What I cannot, and what I can protest.
Nor Papist, to swear East, and mean the West;
But am a Protestant, and shall declare
What I cannot, and what I can protest.
I never will endeavour Alteration
Of Monarchy, nor of that Royal Name,
Which God hath chosen to command this Nation,
But will maintain his Person, Crown and Fame:
Of Monarchy, nor of that Royal Name,
Which God hath chosen to command this Nation,
But will maintain his Person, Crown and Fame:
What he commands, if Conscience say not nay,
(For Conscience is a greater King then he)
For Conscience-sake, not Fear, I will obey;
And if not Active, Passive I will be.
(For Conscience is a greater King then he)
For Conscience-sake, not Fear, I will obey;
And if not Active, Passive I will be.
I'll pray that all his Subjects may agree,
And never more be crumbled into parts;
I will endeavour that his Majestie
May not be King of Clubs, but King of Hearts.
And never more be crumbled into parts;
I will endeavour that his Majestie
May not be King of Clubs, but King of Hearts.
The Royal Oak I swear I will defend;
But for the Ivy which doth hug it so,
I swear that is a Thief, and not a friend,
And about Steeples fitter far to grow.
But for the Ivy which doth hug it so,
I swear that is a Thief, and not a friend,
And about Steeples fitter far to grow.
The Civil-Government I will obey;
But for Church-Policy I swear I doubt it;
And if my Bible want th' Apocrypha,
I'l swear my Book may be compleat without it.
But for Church-Policy I swear I doubt it;
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I'l swear my Book may be compleat without it.
I dare not swear Church-Government is right
As it should be; but this I dare to swear,
(If they should put me to't) the Bishops might
Do better, and be better than they are.
As it should be; but this I dare to swear,
(If they should put me to't) the Bishops might
Do better, and be better than they are.
Nor will I swear for all that they are worth,
That Bishopricks will stand, and Doomsday see;
And yet I'l swear the Gospel holdeth forth
Christ with his Ministers till then will be.
That Bishopricks will stand, and Doomsday see;
And yet I'l swear the Gospel holdeth forth
Christ with his Ministers till then will be.
That Peter was a Prelat they aver;
But I'l not swear't when all is said and done:
But I dare swear, and hope I shall not err,
He preach'd a hundred Sermons to their one.
But I'l not swear't when all is said and done:
But I dare swear, and hope I shall not err,
He preach'd a hundred Sermons to their one.
Peter a Fisher was, and he caught Men:
And they have Nets, and in them catch Men too;
Yet I'l not swear they are alike, for them
He caught he sav'd: these catch, and them undo.
And they have Nets, and in them catch Men too;
Yet I'l not swear they are alike, for them
He caught he sav'd: these catch, and them undo.
I dare not swear that Courts Ecclesiastick
Do in their Laws make just and gentle Votes;
But I'l be sworn that Burton, Pryn and Bastwick
Were once Ear-witnesses of harsher Notes.
Do in their Laws make just and gentle Votes;
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Were once Ear-witnesses of harsher Notes.
Archdeacons, Deans and Chapters are brave men,
By Canon, not by Scripture: but to this,
If I be call'd, I'l swear, and swear agen,
That no such Chapter in my Bible is.
By Canon, not by Scripture: but to this,
If I be call'd, I'l swear, and swear agen,
That no such Chapter in my Bible is.
I'll not condemn those Presbyterians, who
Refused Bishopricks, and might have had 'em:
But Mistris Calamy I'll swear doth do
As well as if she were a Spiritual Madam.
Refused Bishopricks, and might have had 'em:
But Mistris Calamy I'll swear doth do
As well as if she were a Spiritual Madam.
I will not swear, that they who this Oath take,
Will for Religion e're lay down their Lives:
But I will swear they will good Juglers make,
Who can already swallow down such Knives.
Will for Religion e're lay down their Lives:
But I will swear they will good Juglers make,
Who can already swallow down such Knives.
For Holy Vestments I'll not take an Oath
Which Linen most Canonical may be;
Some are for Lawn, some Holland, some Scotscloth;
And Hemp for some is fitter than all three.
Which Linen most Canonical may be;
Some are for Lawn, some Holland, some Scotscloth;
And Hemp for some is fitter than all three.
Paul had a Cloak, and Books, and Parchments too;
But that he wore a Surplice I'll not swear,
Nor that his Parchments did his Orders shew,
Or in his Books there was a Common-Prayer.
But that he wore a Surplice I'll not swear,
Nor that his Parchments did his Orders shew,
Or in his Books there was a Common-Prayer.
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I owe assistance to the King by Oath;
And if he please to put the Bishops down,
As who knows what may be, I should be loth
To see Tom Beckets Miter push the Crown.
And if he please to put the Bishops down,
As who knows what may be, I should be loth
To see Tom Beckets Miter push the Crown.
And yet Church-Government I do allow,
And am contented Bishops be the men;
And that I speak in earnest, here I vow
Where we have one, I wish we might have ten.
And am contented Bishops be the men;
And that I speak in earnest, here I vow
Where we have one, I wish we might have ten.
In fine, the Civil Power I'll obey,
And seek the Peace and Welfare of the Nation:
If this won't do, I know not what to say,
But farewel London, farewel Corporation.
And seek the Peace and Welfare of the Nation:
If this won't do, I know not what to say,
But farewel London, farewel Corporation.
R.W.
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