But save their Husbands lives for Jesus sake â—t being plain most of those who were there Designed well though taken in a snare But with what rage did he upon them fall Swearing He 'd make examples of 'um all Cry'd On that Sign-pâ—st take and hang them up The Rogues shall all taste of this bitter Cup Whereby this bloody Wretch destroyed more In a few Weeks than Bonner did before In full three years many as faithful men As suffered by Popish fury then He hang'd 'um up by two by three by seven Whose Blood aloud for vengeance cries to Heav'n Their Bodies likewise cut to pieces were Their Quarters hang'd o' th' Hedges here and there Their Flesh was given to be Meat for Crows And all because they Antichrist oppose And were resolv'd never to bend the Knee To Images nor turn to Popery Nor ever Slaves or Vassals to become Unto the Pope and Scarlet Whore of Rome Whom Christ commands his Saints so to reward As she has done to them in 's Holy Word Their ends were right but they mistook their call And therefore God did suffer them to fall They did disdain those Yokes with generous scorn Which were by other servile Spirits born ' They saw the threatning Storm approach from far ' Fearing a thousand mischiefs worse than War ' And therefore rushing on th' impetuous waves ' Would rather die like Men than live like Slaves 'To save Me and the Land they bravely try'd ' Fail'd in th' attempt and then as bravely dy'd ' In vain would envious Clouds their Fame obscure ' Which to Eternal Ages shall endure ' If ill designs some to the Battel drew ' Must all be scandalized for a few ' If fawning Traytors in their Councils sate ' 'T is base to mock rather lament their Fate ' Though Heav'n for England's Sins refuse to bless ' Their great Design with the desir'd success ' 'T is an unequal brutish Argument ' Always to judge the cause by the event ' Thus the unthinking giddy multitude ' An Innocent may Criminal conclude But woe to those who in cold Blood did kill And thereby did their own revenge fulfil The High-ways like a Slaughter-house became Or bloody Shambles to their Enemies shame What multitudes of men did they destroy And hang on Trees which did so much annoy The People round about it made them cry O Lord defend us from Rome ' s cruelty But this Relation gives me little ease I must some other way seek to appease My overflowing Passion therefore I Some of those Hero's Names cannot pass by Until I drop some tears upon their Hearse That the next Age may mourn for them in Verse Brave Colonel Holmes Wise Valiant and Sincere Who didst to Sion true affection bear Thy worthy Name shall not forgotten be But shall recorded be in History To after Ages nor can thy Arrears Be duly paid without a Flood of tears Great Soul thy Life thou seemedst to despise Rather than ask it of thine Enemies Much less didst thou in any sort incline Others to charge to save that Life of thine How didst thou grieve and publickly bewail Thy undertaking should so strangely fail But yet Prophetically didst Divine It would revive again in little time Though by what means it brought about should be It was impossible thou couldst then fore-see And thy Prediction now is come to pass Though by thy Foes it then contemned was And now the sad Spectators wondring saw The Horses long refuse the Sledge to draw The poor dumb Beasts by Heavens Instinct are Made sharp Reprovers whilst the lash they bear And seem to say These men are innocent They must not die God will not give consent And therefore he doth strangely us restrain From drawing them though lasht and lasht again What other voice there was I cannot see In this amazing wondrous Prodigy Yet all these warnings from the Foe are hid For dye they must and dye they also did Although on foot to slaughter they must drudge To gratifie a most Tyrannical Judge Nor did the Gallant Father fall alone He in the Cause lost a Religious Son. Poor Captain Holmes few young men like to thee Did hazard all to set their Countrey free From Rome's curst Yoke and cruel Slavery The next Great Worthy 'mongst the vanquisht Host Which in that hour of darkness I have lost A Preacher was indu'd with Holy Art Who did dissolve the Stone in many a Heart His name was Lark O come my Children now Pay him those tears which he laid out for you Ah! must he fall by Fate Ah! must he yield His Life up too but why not in the Field Must Sampson fall by the Philistines hand Who from their Bondage strove to save the Land Well! by thy death thou hast prevailed so Thou hastenedst their utter overthrow And yet I cannot but lament to think Of what a bitter Cup thy Flock do drink My loss of thee is more than loss of Ten Though they might be sober Religious men When Death thus with his hands lays hold upon The Pillars of the House the Building 's gone Unless God in his Mercy instantly Raise others up their places to supply But Ah! how many dye how few appear Them to succeed and their great weight to bear In Jesus Christ's own Harvest in this Nation which now seems white there 's cause of Lamentation A Chariot and an Horseman I have lost But he 's above incampt i' th' Heavenly Host. Have you not seen an early rising Lark Mounting aloft making the Sun her mark Lo here 's a Lark that soar'd up higher higher Till he had sung himself into Heav'ns Quire. From Earth to Heaven he went and in a trice His Soul ascended into Paradice Now stop mine Eyes for fear your Floods should fail And I want tears for all I must bewail But yet I need not doubt Springs I espy Yea Fountains which will give a fresh supply For two young Plants who both sprang from one Stem Belov'd of God I hope as well as men Dear Hewlins of what use might you have been If you to spare th' Almighty good had seen What cruel Tyrants had we lately here That two such tender Branches would not spare But when I think of Grace that they had store And with what patience they their Sufferings bore It gives such comfort I can weep no more What Testimony did they leave behind Of that sweet joy which they in Christ did find When wicked men all pity do deny Our Saviour to compassion's moâ—'d thereby And doubtless they are plac't in that High Sphere Where th' Spirits of Just Men Triumphant are Ah me Alas what means this Sea of Blood Oh! See see see it breaks forth like a Flood Must Walcot Bateman Ayliff Ansly too Be all forgot are no sighs to them due No no that must not be I 'm drencht in tears To hear this cry of Blood sound in mine Ears But lo another Stream issues amain My sinking
Engines of most horrid cruelty Tormenting them they rather chose to die The torturing Boot and burning Matches too They made these innocent Souls to undergo And after all were Sentenc'd unto death And villainously were depriv'd of Breath Some that were guiltless yet were Sentenced To lose their Ears and then be Banished And after this again Examin'd were Whether to their Opinions they adhere If so a second Sentence doth succeed And they are instantly condemn'd to bleed Thus multitudes of Men and Families Were ruined by such Barbarities Extravagant Fines and long Imprisonment And all the Hellish ways Rome can invent Were exercis'd severely on all those Who Popery and Slavery durst oppose Yea they not only took their Lives away But their good Name seek likewise to destroy By representing them as Mortal Foes T' th' King and that they did his Power oppose Thus was our Saviour dealt with by the Jews And thus did they his blest Apostles use Hoping that by their heaping infamy Upon good men they would obnoxious be Unto the Censure of the Mobile And by this their Infernal Policy Induce them all Religion to decry Especially if they be Men of Name As many were whom they sought to defame And hereby thought all Piety to root out Their vile Intrigues with ease to bring about For when Men all Religion do defie They 'll quickly suck in Rome's Idolatry Their wicked Laws good Men must not transgress Nay which is worse they force them to profess And to declare They just and righteous are And fit to be obey'd yea they must Swear They will defend them and that Power too That did Enact them which was hard to do There 's one thing more that 's grievous to relate Which shews their cruel and malicious hate That finding Legal Tryals 'gainst them slow And troublesome they grant a power to The rude ungovern'd Souldiers so that they Have pow'r to challenge and examine may Whom they think fit and Oaths likewise impose Scotland ne're saw such Justices as those Yea they commanded and enjoined were To put to death all such as would not Swear Yea if they would not answer the demands Of these loud wretches then into their hands They fell who most severely them did use The French Dragoons could them not worse abuse And in few weeks no less than Fifty dy'd Of those that their curst Tyranny decry'd No Judge these Martyr'd Christians did condemn Neither did any Jury pass on them The Souldiers without cause destroy'd them all Which doth aloud to Heav'n for vengeance call They kill and slay without respect to Age Or Sex to gratifie their brutish rage They raise an Army like to that in France Their Arbitrary Power to advance And the Intrigues of Rome to carry on And this for Scotland s sorrows makes me moan Poor men Free Quarters must provide or they Are plundered and all is swept away And many hundred sober Persons were Inhumanely destroy'd year after year No former Tyrant scarcely did invent More Tortures than good men there under-went VVhich they must suffer or must else defile Their Consciences with their Opinions vile It seem'd as if Inquisitors were come To Scotland now from Spain or else from Rome Ah! poor inslaved Land Ah! must thou be The Scene of Popish Pride and Cruelty Thy Magistrates are ravening VVolves become Of Esau's Race fit Instruments for Rome Thy Noble Patriots mourn thy Priests are sad Thy Kirk has lost that Glory which she had 'T is good for thee to weigh and lay to Heart What caus'd these woes under which thou dost smart Hast thou not been too hot and too severe And hence are forc'd such miseries now to bear Learn wisdom then and mild and gentle be Since God doth never love severity If ever he return to thee again Let not thy sharpness all thy glory stain Let such who can't unite and joyn with thee Have equal Love and Christian Liberty Or else at length a fiercer Storm may come Than what thou hast already had from Rome Farewel poor Scotland for I must be gone And now methinks I hear poor Ireland groan With a sad Heart I take my leave of thee And what is doing there resolve to see AH dismal sight What! all in Popish hands Not one good Protestant that here commands Must Wolves be Keepers of my harmless Sheep Take heed poor Souls take heed and do not sleep Ah! now I see what the King did intend Is this the love and kindness of a Friend Did he pretend all should have equal share Of Trust and Honour how does this appear Yet let their Honour go if that were all I should not care but when to mind I call The sad and dismal year of Forty One And what by Irish Papists then was done I cannot think my Children safe to be Whilst only such are in Authority Is 't fit such bloody Butchers should bear sway Whose Hearts were never changed to this day Here 's not a Constable ev'n so mean a place But what is of the Irish Popish Race I fear dear Children if God don't appear Your utter ruin now approaches near I cannot but lament when I behold These hungry Lions compassing my Fold If Heav'n don't them deter and soon prevent You will ere long be all in pieces rent But yet cheer up I long expected have The Lion of the North will come to save Both me and mine and will great Wonders do Protecting of these Lands from overthrow The Chicken of the Eagle will appear And vanquish all my Foes both far and near When you of him have Tidings weep no more For your Redemption then is at the door I can't stay longer here my Eye doth glance To pity my poor Children too in France But should I dive into their State I fear I should want strength their miseries to bear BUT other grounds of grief are in mine Eye ' Which cause my sorrows to advance so high ' That my o're-burthen'd Heart can scarce express ' The nature of my inward heaviness Sion's Friend Sion thy sad and bitter lamentation Does move my very Heart unto compassion But say what cause does aggravate your fears And thus provokes to further cries and tears Sion Oh if my Head were waters and each Eye A Springing Fountain I could drein 'em dry I 'm steep'd in brackish Floods nay almost drown'd To see how Sin does ev'ry where abound This was my cry and moan Eight years ago And worse since that I find these evils grow therefore must repeat them o're again For these alas do England's Glory stain And bring reproach likewise on my blest name The grief of Heaven and my Childrens shame ` Where-e re I am I nought can see or hear But that which doth my Soul in pieces tear It breaks my Heart that England thus should be A Scene for th' Actors of Debauchery What perpetrations of the blackest Crimes Appear not bare-fac'd in our present times Though God incens'd has fearful Judgments
dreadful mark Of flaming vengeance that precedes the dark Approach of night can this vast Comet be Ought but the Prologue of calamity Prodigious Meteors blazing fiery Stars Are Heraulds sent to menace open VVars Against rebellious and polluted Coasts By him who is the mighty Lord of Hosts Awake O England this Lethargick sleep Is out of Season 't is a time to weep 'T is guilty Children tremble at the Rod Can you be stupid when the angry God Sets up this dreadful Ensign of his wrath Rouze up Repentance let a lively Faith Now go to work see how the preaching Air Instead of sinning does exhort to Prayer For thy fantastick Garbs Perfumes and all Thy orhwe trash it doth for Sackcloth call From carnal sports it bids thee quickly get Calls from the Taverns to the Mercy seat From that accursed Randezvouz of Lust It bids thee hasten and repent in dust Have not th' experience of past Ages given Their sad remarks upon these Signs in Heaven VVhat follow'd still but certain spoil of Nations Plagues Fire and Sword and other devastations The sure Eversion of some potent Crown The death of Heroes Monarchs tumbled down But thou Illustrious Architect of wonder Remove the sorrows which I labour under Does this amazing Prodigy betoken That Rampant Babel shall be quickly broken Does it portend that Antichrist shall break In pieces striving to destroy the weak Remains that on this blessed name do call Or does 't presage that trembling I shall fall Lord canst thou see thy pleasant Vineyard tore And rooted up by this rapacious Boar Or have my Childrens crying sins provok'd That dismal sentence not to be revok'd Gods methods were to chasten not destroy Those sinning Souls in whom he once took joy O give thy sinking Church a true discerning VVhat thou dost mean by this prodigious warning That by thy Spirits sacred Flame calcin'd By Scourges mended and by heat refin'd We may find Grace and all our ways amend For some strange change this doubtless doth portend Sion's Friend This was first published eight years ago Just as God did that Fiery Meteor show And when amaz'd at that astonishing sight What you have read I moved was to write What in my judgment it might signifie Though I did ne're pretend to Prophecy But yet we see some things since come to pass Of what so plainly then predicted was A dismal hour of darkness did appear And from that time increased every year Which England nor Gods Witnesses before Did ever see nor I hope ne're will more Our Governments Foundation up was torn Our famous City stript and left forlorn Good men turn'd out of Office without cause And those imploy'd who violate those Laws Which only can the Subjects Right secure And England did sad Slavery to endure Gods Witnesses have likewise since been slain Though they are lately brought to Life again Yea what a wondrous strange Catastrophie Has since befall'n Great Brittain's Monarchy And what a blow is thereby given to Rome We may presage what further is to come For I don't doubt ere its effects are o're The Church of Rome shall fall and rise no more And though proud Lewis triumph let him know It may foretel his final overthrow The Turks have felt the sad effects and shall Unless they own the truth entirely fall No Comet I believe did e're fore-show More good that unto Protestants should grow But lest I should appear unkind to be In stopping Sion's groans in misery I will forbear that she may yet relate What for some years has been her direful state And shew what grief she now does labour under Which seems to break her very Heart asunder Dear Mother pray be pleased to proceed For to your words I 'll give attentive heed Sion Your news is good but Oh! my Spirits faint Finding such doleful causes of complaint My panting Soul renewed grief doth feel My feeble knees beneath their burden reel Such are the black enormities and crimes Which do attend these dark and gloomy times Although I see a Parliament most just Yet I alas lye covered in the dust This was in Eighty when thou couldst not see The Saviour which God had prepar'd for thee I am beset within and round about Nor can I see how God will bring about Deliverance for my Enemies are strong And snares have laid to ruin me ere long And since my sins and Englands are so great â—t may God move to leave his Mercy-Seat And give us up into Rome's Hellish power To be destroy'd in this most dismal hour And if at this time we preserved be When Rome attacks us with such subtilty Playing with so much malice her last Game We ought to praise the great Jehovahs Name Since nothing but a Miracle can do this So very dangerous our condition is Sion's Children Ah Mother who can disallow your moan The Cause is just for every one must own Our failing great and that our sins provoke Impending Judgments and a future stroke If interceeding Mercy step not in To Ward the blow and Cancel all our sin But since amazing Providence now gives light And makes appear the dark Intrigues o' th' night Since Heav'n exposes the results of Rome To publick notice since the Traytors come To Legal Execution since the Grand Contrivers of these mischiefs dare not stand The Test of Law or due Examination 1680. Since such brave Hero's represent the Nation Whose Clear Sagacious penetrating Eyes Dive into Rome's abhorred Mysteries VVhose Noble Souls whose Loyal English Hearts The closest sleights of Antichristian Arts Can ne're deceive whose brave resolves defeat Those curs'd Delinquents whether small or great VVhose Free-born courages do scorn to stoop To be the Vassals of a doting Pope An upstart Vicar whose Pow'r ne're was given By binding Laws of either Earth or Heaven VVe therefore Dearest Mother do conclude That what has past of Romish interlude Is near an Exit That the Scene will be Chang'd from a Tempest to Serenity This was writ in 1680. respecting the Worthy Englisâ— Parliament then Sitting Such were our hopes then Sion O that 's a Cordial but my grief does borrow Some fresh objections to renew my sorrow For some that wish me well do yet in spite Of Gospel-beamings and the clearest Light Retain some Romish fragments which displeases The meek the humble self-denying JESUS His way of worship Scripture does express No useless Pomp no Artificial Dress Becomes Religion Chastity abhors The Garb the Painting and the Gate of Whores VVhy should my Friends a Virgin-Church pollute VVith any Relicks of that Prostitute VVhy gawdy things that never had their name In Sacred Records our Profession shame Why are our Rites enammel'd with their gloss Why must our Gold be mingled with their dross Why farther Reformation is supprest T' uphold a Grandeur that 's Usurp'd at best Why doors and windows must be shut up quite To stop the radiance of its further Light And why must such as disallow those tricks Be branded
as the vilest Schismaticks But that 's not all my Children more refin'd From those corruptions do afflict my mind Oh depths of sorrow that disturb my rest Oh racking grief that rends my woful Breast Some are so carnal some so swiftly hurl'd Into the Lab'â—inths of th' inticing World That in the hurries of that crouded Road They find small leisure to attend their God Preferring filthy gain and ill-got wealth Before the means of their Eternal health Some that in words respect me I behold In that sad posture betwixt hot and cold Sometimes they seem for sanctity sometimes Slide with the current of prevailing crimes Their Pulses beat with an alternate motion Now foâ— the world then for some faint devotion Some â—hat unto my Tabernacle were Admitted left me for Egyptians fare These not content with my Celestial Diet Do run with others to excess of Riot Some to be popular away would give Those Gospel-duties that are positive From such as these my sorrows do increase That sell Gods order for a seeming peace Allow such gaps as do pervert the Laws Of my just Right and well-defended Cause But O! how many easy Christians take Their rest in forms and no distinction make 'Twixt shell and kernel that rely on Duty As if it were the sole adorning Beauty Such give the Lord the more invalid part Present their Bodies but deny their Heart Are not some Pastors careless to provide A Word in Season for the Flocks they guide Some are too backward to supply the need Of painful Lab'rers that their Souls do feed Discourag'd by close-fisted Avarice Despis'd neglected through this Hellish Vice. My Workmen languish and have cause of moan To see their toyl so ineffectual grown The most pathetick Preaching scarce can move Some Rocky hearers to the Grace of Love. Must hag-fac'd Envy and foul-tongu'd Detraction Invenom'd Malice and unfaithful Action Ill grounded Slander and uncertain Rumors Backbiting Quarrels and the worst of Humors Be practic'd thus Ah grief of griefs to see Professing people act iniquity To such a pitch some Husbands and some Wives Do lead such shameful such unsavoury Lives Whilst mutually at strife they do impeach That name that should be very dear to each â—uch pride such churlish reprehension For every toy such sharpness and contention As does disgrace Religion and does lay Blocks and offences in a Converts way Ah! why can 't we in Families eschew That which meer Heathens are asham'd to do Their Houses are the Scene of Civil Wars Of Brawls of Discord and Domestick Jars In Grace or Comfort can they find increase Or Heavenly Blessings who are void of peace How oft do Parents ill Example draw Their tender Children to infringe the Law And Sanctions of the Everlasting God Do they not spoil them when they spare the Rod To strange Extreams some Parents do adhere Check not at all or else are too severe On Back and Belly they bestow much cost But care not if their precious Souls be lost Are they not guilty of prodigious folly That teach them Courtship and neglect what 's holy A Child untutor'd a meer lump of sin May justly curse its cause of having been Such as instruct do doubly them beget By timely Lessons lab'ring to defeat Their growth in ill such cure their better part By wise prevention of a canker'd Heart Oh! then 's the time to give 'em Form and Mold For Trees admit no bending that are old Who timely sow such Seed they would have grow Will surely reap according as they sow Some like the Ape that does by hugging kill Prompt on a Child to tip his Tongue with ill In his first prattle but it is less pain To form good habits than reform the vain On th' other hand how many Children do Prove vain rebellious disobedient to Their godly Parents slight their careful teaching Make sport of Prayer and a mock of Preaching Contempt of Parents of what kind so e're Contracts a bitter curse which every where Will find them out But Oh my akeing Soul Beats sad Alarms of grief I must condole The dismal Fate of Youth alas how few The ways of God and holiness pursue But very eager to obey the Devil In quickly Learning every reigning evil Here you may see if you survey the Nation Our youth grown old in vile Abomination Such early Graduates in the Hellish Science Setting both Heaven and Hell at loud defiance Let Grace and Vertue grovel in the dust Their Youth and Strength they 'l Sacrifice to Lust That Sacred Precept in the Word of Truth To mind their Maker in the days of Youth They scorn to heed Ah Fools that would begin Conversion when they can no longer Sin But know preposterous Souls the day of Doom That dreadful Audit of Accounts will come How dare you run this vile career till Death Like a grim Serjeant comes t arrest your Breath When your Tongues faulter and your Eye strings crack When stings of horror do your Conscience rack When Hells Abyss sets ope its spacious Gate And Troops of Devils round about you wait When nought but horror and confusion seizes Upon your Sences when those foul Diseases You got by vile Debauches have at length Destroy'd your Persons and subdu'd your Strength â—s this a Season to detest your Leudness To talk of Vertue or pretend to Goodness Egregious Fools how dare you to delay Your Souls Affairs to that uncertain day Oh! can you trust so grand a work to that Moment of anguish when you know not what When sound your end will be nor yet how soon Though brisk at Morning you may die ere Noon And if unchang'd your certain doom will be To lye in Hell to all Eternity Sion's Children O dismal state O miserable case Enough to daunt all that are void of grace And crush the bragging of the stoutest mind But are there still more grievances behind Sion Still more behind O that there were no more Since they 'r too many that I 've told before Masters and Servants Kings and Subjects err In their Relation does not each prefer Base selfish Ends to gratifie a Lust Before what 's honest and supreamly just Sion's Friend Thus thus I 'm sure it was that year when I Publisht that Book of Sion's Misery For King and People strangely were misled And the curst Popish Plot near smothered And many other horrid shameless crimes I' th' Land were perpetrated in those times But I 'll have done Dread Matron pray declare What th' other Motives of your sorrows are Sion Ah! how much time by Christians is spent In fruitless idle talk how negligent In holy conference strange to each other How dull is each to quicken up his Brother In Gospel-duties O! how few do nourish That Love and Zeal which heretofore did flourish A Love whose flaming heat and gen'rous rays Repleat with Spirit fam'd the former days Pious discourses may reclaim the vile But they are hardn'd in their sins the while Christians converse like
them and rather learn Their vicious tricks than teach them to discern The dismal snares and perils that do lurk In sinful words and every evil work Some are so covetous that they would grasp The World in Arm-fulls till their latest gasp â—ome full of Envy others do express Their Lust on dainties feeding to Excess 〈◊〉 nice and delicate in choice of Meat Whilst their poor Brethren scarce have Bread to eat Merchants and Traders have a nimble Art â—o sum their Shop-books but neglect the He art â—or that they think there 's time enough and look But seldom to the Reck'nings of that Book How many come for fashion sake to hear What one receives goes out at t'other Ear How many loyter in their Christian Race â—rofusely squandering the day of Grace Many like Drones on others toyl do live Though ' t is less honour to receive than give What Lying Cheating Couz'ning and Deceit Do Traders use Oh! how they over-rate What they would sell but if they be to buy They under-value each commodity But why should Pride that vile Abomination Be found in Christians must each Apish Fashion Bewitch their Minds when God is so Express In strict forbidding of so vile a Dress Prayer that sacred Ordinance that holds An intercourse with Heaven which beholds The Fathers Glory and on high does mount Is made by many but of small account 'T is that which carries our desires to God And comes down fraighted with a blessed load Of sweet returns yet 't is much disrespected And Closet Prayer too too much neglected Scriptures themselves are slighted and disus'd And oft when read perverted or abus'd Helping the weak is turn'd into its slighting Gospel-reproofs perverted to Backbiting Many that do of God his Mercy crave Yet on the needy little Mercy have They own they 've Blessings from the God of Love Yet too too many do unthankful prove Some follow whimsies that do nearly border Upon confusion and despise all order Such on all sacred Institutions trample Though fortify'd by Precept and Example As if 't were low for an exalted mind To be to Gods declared will confin'd But can these men of Rapture make pretence That they have more Divine intelligence Than all th' illustrious Saints as Prophets Priests Apostles Martyrs and Evangelists That were the Scribes and Messengers of Heaven And strictly practic'd all the Duties given Unto the Church which are without repeal But if they 're disanul'd who did reveal Their Abrogation to these bold pretenders Gods Laws are sound and need no humane menders But Oh! that dismal evil that 's behind Disturbs my Reason and distracts my Mind It is Division that unhappy word Has done more mischief than a Popish Sword Could ever do Oh! that a sweet Communion At least of Love did but compleat our Union Why should licentious heat my Childern hurry To those Extreams must they each other worry For trivial things do they not all agree In fundamentals of Divinity Is there no room for Love or must that grace Among my Children have no proper place Why is one Christian angry with his Brother If not so tall as he or with another Because his face is not so white as his Or that his habit not so gawdy is Alas no folly can be more absurd Nor more exploded in Gods holy word All should to Gospel-purity adhere But to calumniate vilifie and jeer All such as are not of their very pitch Is Anti-gospel and a practice which The Lord abhors If causes of Dissent Evert not Truth nor shake the Fundament Of true Religion why such angry bawling Suck odious nick-names and such vile miscalling Who dares intrude into the Judgment-seat Of God Almighty who is only great And only judgment gives to him belongs To pass the sentence and to punish wrongs Why cannot Christians with each other bear Among Apostles some dissentions were But did they therefore Persecute each other These Mortal conflicts Brother against Brother Destroy our safety for they set a gap Open for Rome that would us all intrap In fatal snares their Maxim is we know Divide and rule distract and overthrow Their crafty Agents do creep in among Our heedless parties and divide the throng That with more ease they may us all devour Destroy our Nation and subvert our Power Why therefore do not Protestants agree As one against the common Enemy Who waits with bloody hand t' involve 'em all In one destruction Epidemical Sion's Children Ah Mother who can remedy your grief For this Disease admits of no relief Sion Of no relief O then my Heart must break Unless my Sons their Mothers counsel take Which will those fatal flaming heats allay Obstruct their growth and take 'em clear away Oh! can a Mothers tears and woful cries Be disregarded in her Childrens Eyes Can English Protestants who do profess To serve one God in truth and holiness Slight all my wishes and requests despise Oh! hearken to my counsel and be wise Let wrathful Pride and foolish Self-conceit Let Quibbles and Sophistical Deceit Be quite exploded let a cool debate All Fundamentals of Religion state 〈◊〉 such you all will certainly agree Oh happy Model of sweet Unity Let none that to those Principles do stick Be branded with the name of Heretick It glads my Heart to hear 'em treat each other By that sweet title of a Christian Brother Next if you would not Charity explode Abuse the guiltless and affront your God Judge not your Brethren at a distance neither Give easy Credit to the Tales of either Hot-headed Scriblers or Licentious tongues That often load the Innocent with wrongs So hellish Monks did serve Wald ensian Saints With horrid Clamour and unjust Complaints So Popish Impudence spews out its Gall To make us odious and bespatter all The Reformation Sure that cause is bad Whose chief support from Railing must be had If giddy Rumour or uncertain Fame Should raise a slander on your brothers name Repair to him and in converse you 'll see Whether he guilty or not guilty be If he be faulty tell him of his sin Be Mild and Secret and you may him win Admonish Gently let your whole discourse Be full of Savour love and Scripture force This is the way to bring him to a sence And Gods prescribed Method to convince But if you fail then leave him to his God Who can reform or punish with a Rod. Your work is done you have discharg'd the part Of Friend of Brother of a Christian heart Before Belief examine what is vented Good men by Malice may be represented In Monstrous Shapes Some that to God are dear Hatred will paint like a Mishapen Bear Believe not therefore distant imputation No censure 's just before Examination In all Debate 's be sure to lay aside All prejudice and let the Scriptures guide Your calm sedate disputes let truth be scan'd VVith cool resolves O! Let that great Command Of Love take place for that should moderate All Eager Sallies in
midst of all my Jollities Must I meet with this terrible surprize And into such amazement now be thrown Just when I thought that all had been my own Oh blessed Virgin help Ah pity show Scatter my fears my enemies overthrow St. Patrick and St. Andrew George and all Unite your strength Oh now prevent my fall Oh haste make haste or I am quite undone What shall I do Oh whither shall I run Romes Angel Guardian I do thee invoke To save our Church and to divert this stroke You Saints and Martyrs who at Tyburn dy'd Pray the blest Virgin to be on our side O mighty Neptune with an angry brow Upon my Foes thy utmost vengeance show That this proud Pharaoh whose ambitious mind To ruin Mother Church hath now design'd May ne'r prevail From landing oh him keep Let all his hopes be buried in the deep Why are the Sea 's so calm will they consent Him to preserve to my sad detriment Ah! raise yourboistrous winds and swelling waves And in your bowels let them have their graves Break all their Ships let them sink down like lead And in the raging Seas be buried Look out you English Heroes hoist your Sails Cursed be he whose heart or courage fails Fight valiantly and then I need not fear That Eighty Eight will be a fatal year Ah! heark He 's landed that 's bad news if true And in the West I dread what will insue What cursed Star bears Rule Ah! cruel Fate The Sea and Seamen both now shew their hate What! none t' oppose none that will them withstand What! suffer such an Enemy to land Are all the Gods asleep on whom I call No they have heard me and on him will fall Though he has seap'd the Seas you 'l soon perceive Vengeance much longer will not let him live Chear up my gallant Souldiers you I trust Will never fly Therefore with speed you must Be all in readiness and do not fear But fierce as Lyons 'gainst your foes appear Though he pas pass'd the Seas yet let yourrage Declare he greater dangers must ingage In glittering Armor now march bravely on Fight but like men and then the day 's our own You 'll be Invincible none can you oppose For you in Number Courage Skill your Foes Do far exceed I likewise do depend Much on my Forreign Allies who will lend Both Money Men and Council for the Cause Then down go all the Hereticks and their Laws Their Houses Lands their Gold and Silver too We 'll Seize and then distribute them to you Hah What 's the matter What bad news again How are things carried pray at Salisbury Plain We hear the Enemy is coming on With mighty force and is oppos'd by none Our damn'd Heretical Army do declare That they to Popery sworn Enemies are Some to our Foes are gone and more will go â—â—av'n pity us Alas What shall we do â—â—y more then that the worst is still behind â—ost of the Greatest Peers with them are join'd â—e hear they are an hundred thousand strong â—nd we much doubt they will be here ere long â—ll things against us now seem to combine â—s if our ruin all men did design Such pannick fears our senses do affright We neither strength nor courage have to fight Such Giants as we hear our Enemies are Whose Men and Horses both do armour wear Their frightful whiskers and two handed Swords No little terror to our men affords One of these Brandenburghers sure will be Able to cut off many such as we But silence Heark Another Post What now Bad Tydings still Alas I scarce know how Or what to tell you but most certainly Our Army does before the Enemy fly All All is lost Ah! Where now shall we run Shift for your selves sad times are coming on Sure so unfortunate none ever were Oh see how th' Hereticks do laugh and jeer So great an Army scattered and gone Who soon might have a glorious Conquest now Had they resolv'd to face the enemy We quickly should have got the Victory But Stay Stay Stay Here 's more ill news I fear A Post from Reading I see drawing near Well what 's done there Alas the Town is taken I doubt that all our Saints have us forsaken Some were there slain and otherâ— put to flight The Teagues are kill'd The Scots refuse to fight Nay which is worse The King this night is gone Ah now my heart fails quite w are all undone Alas must I be tamely forc'd to yield Must I thus cowardly forsake the Field Must all my hopes be blasted in a day Let Vengeance fall on those who did betray The cause I 've carryed on from age to age With deepest policy and fiercest rage Fly Children for your lives Oh! search about And strive to find some place of refuge out A Protestant See how they look and with what dread and fear These guilty wretches now fly here and there To hide their Heads and skulk in holes alone And dare not now themselves for Papists own They post away and hurry to and fro To Dover Portsmouth and Gravesend they go Their Priests and Jesuits are in great despair Throw off their Gowns and run they scarce know where Their Judges too that lately gave their Votes So learnedly from their dispensing Throats Who what Rome would have done durst ne`re deny But to all Arbitrary Power did comply Are routed now and forc't in haste to trudge Each wishing he had never been a Judge The Chancellor that Mighty Man of sence Is nonplust now how to escape from hence That Loyal Soul that zealous Slave to Rome The Wappingers on him pronounce his doom He that to them did always malice bear By providence at last was taken there Others were seiz'd that strove themselves to save Who in short time may their demeâ—its have Great Nassaw like the rising Sun appears Whose warming influence drys up all our tears Marching to London with his Noble train Whereby our dying hopes revive again But let us hear what Sion now does say Who seem'd o'rewhelm'd with grief the other day Sion Ah! I am still perplext although I stand Amaz'd to see these wonders in the Land I know not yet how things with me may go Nor what my gracious God intends to do Whether my Foes are absolutely slain Or whether yet they may not rise again Whether my Children shall have equal share Of favour and protection without fear And whether those who did our Rights betray And for a mess of Pottage sold away Our dear bought Freedoms shall now trusted be As Conservators of our Libertie Yet let things go as the great God shall please I must rejoice in this my present ease Who by his Glorious and Almighty Pow'r Sent us relief in a most needful hour Whereby my dreadful and most cruel Foe Received an amazing overthrow But yet I find some strugling in my Womb Another Birth I do expect to come That God who hath this gracious work begun Will greater