University of Virginia Library

A Letter to Mr. Asgil, writ at Colchester.

Friend Asgil, who by cunning slight,
Would'st chouse poor Charon of his doit;
And scorning to make use of Herse,
In travelling to your Ancestors;
Imagin'st thou shalt Corp'rally,
'Spight of th'Upholders Company;
To Heav'n on better Carriage ride,
Than Undertakers can provide;
Thou think'st it an ill natur'd trick,
That Souls when People are too sick,
Should in a Pet remove alone,
T'a better Place; whilst cold as Stone,
They leave their Bodies in the lurch.
Indeed I'm almost of your Church;
I love my Soul and Body too,
They've both agreed well hitherto;
And, I confess, that from my Heart,
I am not willing they should part;
But could be pleas'd to mount the Sky,
In my dear Body's Company;
Only I doubt you won't be able,
To make your Doctrine practicable;
And if you did, no Parliament,
Or wealthy Men, wou'd e'er consent;
For tho' some seem to be in haste,
Few love to go to Heav'n too faste:
'Tis without doubt the Sense of the Nation,
Witness the Act of Tolleration;
That Heavenwards the Roads are many,
And yours may be as good as any;
But yet none are allow'd to go,
With detriment to them below;
I'm very easie 's to my self,
But woe to them that have the Pelf;
Who shall reveal the secret blows,
When Carcasses are gone? Suppose,
One worth Ten Thousand Pounds Year,
Goes with his Son to take the Air.
Pray, Sir, whither's your Father gone?
In Asgil's Coach, replies the Son.
Should Bodies through the Welkin fly,
It would prove such a Tragedy,
Gun-powder Treason is a Farce to't,
And Pop'ry and Slav'ry be mine—to't:
The Rich by Servants in their sleep,
Would be knock'd on the head like Sheep;
If Mortals could forsake the Ground,
And a new way to Heav'n was found,
Without acquainting of the Sexton,
Tho' plain, and short, as hence to Lexton;
All wise Men ought to dig it up,
It's fit that there should be a stop;
Between the Life we live at home,
And th'other strange one, that's to come:
Nay, 'tis not safe with Hose and Shoe,
We should as with our Years we do,
Jump from the Old into the New.
I wonder how a Man of Sense,
O're look'd the fatal Consequence:
A Merchant's missing suddenly,
Perhaps he's murder'd, and they'ill cry
He's gone to Heav'n; disprove it pray;
If they can shuffle the Corps away:
Indeed, if People when they're gone,
Could send us word what has been done;
We might be at some certainty,
As here to Day you put to Sea,
Next Post perhaps we'll have the News,
That you're arrived at Helovet-Sluce;
Wherefore if no Intelligence
Can any ways be had from thence,
Better than what from Brown we had
Between the Living and the Dead;
With Post and Stages to and fro,
I'm sure your Project will not do.
Death should be publick, or else why
Are Neighbours call'd when People die;
What signify the Passing Bell,
Searchers and Noise of Funeral;
But that those that survive would say,
That the Deceas'd has had fair play;
And therefore Asgil, pray be quiet,
For I'll be hang'd if you get by it;
Or find one single Government;
That thinks it is expedient
Or safe, that Bodies should go thither,
Unless when we go all together.