Consolation The Christian Souldier the Devil Resisted the Flesh mortified yâ— World Crucified O Crocodilian World whose Shining gloss Is guilded Emptyness and painted dross Thy Fawns or frowns I matter not not I Crucifie th' I must Thy Sister Flesh must die And Soul destroying Devil whose malice t is T' accuse th' Brethren that seek to bliss Thy Roaring rage is nought Stand off or I Will make thee th' Worlds Captain captively POEMS SACRED AND SATYRICALL viz. Prayers Paradice The World The Flesh The Iesuite The Devill Mans Misery Sinnes Infirmity Sinnes Impudence The Penitent Sinner The Soules-sea-fight The single Married-life Teares Tryumph Mercies Miracle Faith Hope Charity Midnights Meditation Virtues Pyramid Chastity and Lust The Divine Dreame The Divine Eccho Deaths Masqueing-Night By NATHANAEL RICHARDS Printed at London by T. Paine for H. Blunden at the Castle in Cornehill 1641. THE AVTHOR N o man so high but er'e he die may fall All Flesh is fraile all subject unto thrall T her's no content on Earth none certaine bred Healthfull to day we live to morow dead Art nor Promotion meuds not each Man's state Nor are the Greatest truly fortunate Advanc'ments but a Breath delight a Toy Each glitt'ring Pompe each soule-seducing joy Like Hell-bred poyson workes the soules annoy Reject all lewd all vaine affecting pleasure Jntend thy future good Celestiall treasure Contest with sinne still strive the conquest weare He that will conquer patiently must beare At such rare Combats aide from Heav'n is sent Respecting Man sinnes danger to prevent Deare is the Love of God in him delight Seeke Heavenly joyes those comforts infinite TO THE RIGHT VVORTHY AND NOBLY DISPOSED THOMAS SOAME Esquire Alderman and one of the Burgesses of Parliament for the Honorable City of LONDON Sir THough a Sranger to your Person I am no Stranger in my thankefull Heart to the All-glorious Majesty of Heaven for such as you You whos 's knowne worth inward Candor nor frownes nor Flatterie could ever force from its true Goodnesse for the generall good Monster Ingratitude cannot say I flatter Witnesse this Cities approbation unanimous consent free choice of you that are the All-guiding hand of Heaven be praised free from the aspersion Spots and staines of this Worlds Vicious and Ambitious Greatnesse Let it not then seeme strange that I incouraged by your Noble Vertues have here made bold out of an honest heart Right worthy Sir unto your selfe to Dedicate this Booke It is a knowne Maxime to approved Iudgements that Illicita non prohibere consensus erroris est which being the full scope of this my endeavour intended only for the exaltation of Vertue detestation of Vice and like the Sea-mans Compasse to direct soules from the dangerous Passage indirect The Scylla and Charybdes Shelfes and Rocks of this uncleane and most uncertaine Ocean of the World This being my intent as caveats against sinne not to be cavilled against but by guilty Persons Accept then vertuous Sir this my good will take it from him who leaving you and yours all your faire Actions and occasions present to the All-pure God which never leaves his remaines Ever devoted to your Worthy Virtues NATHANAEL RICHARDS POEMS SACRED AND SATYRICALL Prayers Paradise ALL-Potent Scatt'rer of Man 's o'r rancke state Thou that dost raise the humble the proud hate Soule-saving God joy to the best of men Great terrour to the damned guide my Pen Head hand heart all apply my soule to win Soules to thy glory let the sence of sin Companion still to misery affright Times scoffing Idiots from the lewd delight Of soule confounding sinne make us to pray With ardency of soule great God of day Fashion our wills to thine let each proud eye Humbled with teares admire thy Majestie The spirit of Prayer must amend us all So writes the Churches Atlas holy Paul We shipwrack else soules that will Heav'n inherit Must pray and pray with confidence of Spirit Pray for our King pray for the blest event Of this our Englands present Parliament Have we not cause do's not this Nation know Warre and the Plague so threats our overthrow We soone were lost did not sweet mercy yet Protect our Peace let us not then forget To fast and pray Lord make us all inclin'd To praise thy Name Eternally to mind Thy mighty favours unto this Realme more Then all the World for Peace and plenties store While neighbouring Nations perish by the sword Fierce Fire and Famine wanting the sacred word To solace soules this Nation lives at peace And might continue did our murmuring cease We heare the word preach't have our recreations Walking abroad our peacefull preservations Our streets have seene no Rider and his horse O're whelm'd in bloud nor have we seene what 's worse Big-belli'd women ript the insants braines Dasht in their Fathers faces nor whole lanes Of Armies in the field wheltering in bloud Nor thousands famish't in our streets forfood Our blessed time of Peace did never spie Cities a fire poore people's dismall crie Age torne by th' haire o'th'head Virgins defil'd Dainty Dames ravish't and the tender child Stab'd in the Mothers Armes God grant such sights May never fill our Land with like affrights Importune Heav'n on God alone rely True prayer to God is what Nuncius Coeli Mercies sweet messenger that sweetly beares To Heav'ns bright Majesty mans trickling teares Wrapt up in sighes hearts-griefe sorrowes sad face Wrinkled with cares for sinne which conquers grace What humble soule mounts heav'ns celestiall Ayre In up-flying fervent purity of Prayer But God sends downe a pardon Age and Youth Through ardent prayer prove the sons of truth Fear'st thou stearne War Fire Sword Times deare yeares dearth Pray fervently cease not till Heav'n and Earth Eccho the Spirit of thy Supplications Teares of contrition holy meditations So shall no Devills ruling in the Ayre Nor difficult passage stop zealous Prayer The want of prayer proves the soules decay Men cease to prosper when they cease to pray We all are sinners sinne raises such a storme In our base blood reason can ne're reforme Vrge reason to us it will doe no good Fervent Prayer onely masters flesh and blood T is Clavis coeli which unlockes Gods treasure Fervent prayer opens and shuts Heav'n at pleasure The Elements Fire Water Earth and Ayre Are all at the command of fervent Prayer Elijah prayed that sier might descend From Heaven and heav'n alone did him befriend Elijah pray'd it rain'd not for the space Of three yeares and sixe moneths on the earths face Fervent prayer never did true solace lacke Moses he prayed and the Red-sea fled backe The prayers of the faithfull never fail'd Moses and Aarons fervent prayers prevail'd Gainst Korah Dathan and Abirams sinne Earth open'd swallow'd them with all their kinne Earnest prayer truely is Heav'ns truth to say From man to God from God to man the way Prayer maugre all Earths Villanous entices Makes man at peace with God at war with vices O
sinnes infirme a heart in bitternesse Learne thou this Lesson thou whose clouded eyes Hides thee from sight of thy infirmities Thy Pride oppression lust-provoking diet Nastie defilements drunken belching riot Which so besweats sots and bespots the soule As renders it most loathsome uggly foule To the Eyes of the All-pure-God He spies All our base thoughts each darke deed all those lies The Divell blinds us with to our abuse Vnder the feign'd pretence of an excuse Sinnes Jmpudence SInne that was wont in privacy to lurke Not daring to be seene darke deeds to worke Walk't still in feare the mind was ne'r at rest Like a poore Man in danger of Arrest But now in Triumph like a Drab of State Branded with impudence dare walke and prate Doe deedes of open shame yet never blush Shrinke feare nor feele Revenge more then a rush Shield us from sinne great God sinne that at first Poyson'd the perfect Man made all accurst That glorious Image made him see his shame Poore naked neede and losse of his good name What ever sorrowes on weake man befall Publique or private sinne is the cause of all Sinne dulls the Soule when Heav'n is out of sight Man 's out of Heart all vertues loose their light Like a besieged Cittie sinne surrounds The medowes of the soule ruines her grounds Windes like a subtile River bout the bancks So Eates into her sides as drown's the Ranks Of Muddy-minded Mortalls weake defence Walls built on Wood-Piles to ten confidence O the rare Mercy of Almighty God How it do's daily woe us from the Rod Of his just vengeance yet nor love nor feare Not any thing that 's good in us appeare The Prodigall Gull uncapable to know The worth of wealth farre sooner will bestow Ten pound upon a Hawke a Hound a Whore Rather then give ten pence to cloath the poore The Worldly Churle whose money is his slave Goes to the Church heares Sermons seemes to have Divine discourse Religion in his talke Devotion Pitty yet in life do's walke A full dissembler Machivell and he Remorselesse monsters dead in Charitle Deafe to the poore man's-crie his want of food Vrge Scripture to him that will doe no good The spirits of mischeife in their soules reply They 'l not be forc'd to succour boggery Let Ioseph lie in Chaines and Daniel too Shall they for thread-bare Charity undoe Their full cramm'd baggs abate the curious Pride Of Wife and Children dimme glorious outâ—lide High hopes the Worlds applause sinne-sick wishes Banquets by Torch-lights and bloud stirring dishes All to relieve despised poverty Wrong their delights to pitty penury No no they 'l not be taught where when and how To give their Almes the Saint to whom they bow Learnes no such lesson he so slaves the braine With the blacke Text that for their hell-beed gaine Worse then the Scythian Thiefe or barbarous Turke They 'l cheate friend Father never doe good worke Vnlesse to trumpet forth their Almes much good When ther 's no Vertue in their venome bloud Yet to the World appeare the scourge of evill A very Saint in show in heart a Devill A foule dissembling Fiend incarnate That seemes precise thinking the gift of prate The pratling pious seeming shew forsooth Of a pure life should darken sacred Truth Good God divert their eyes from Hell below To looke on Heav'n force their blind eyes to know Sinne for a while may with a Brasen face Out-brave poore Vertue flourish for a space Feed hot and high swimme in the worlds delight As if Vice only were beav'ns Favorite Befat in folly curious scoffes that dare Mocke at the wrinckled lookes of honest care Scorne leane Ribb'd Art all griefes which interlace The Lines of sorrow writ in Vertues face Sinne may doe this rais'd on the loftie stile Of Prides preferment for a little while But if time lend thee yeares for to observe You soone shall see proud sinne ready to sterve Blushing for shame and halting on a crutch Spotted all o're with Biles loathsome to touch Sweett sinnes soone fade vanish like lightnings flash Honors a Bubble Riches deceitfull trash Circl'd with mischiefes glitt'ring wantonnesse Dull self-esecured Ease brittle greatnesse Which like the serpent Dipsas quentchlesse thirst Lives never satisfied untill it burst Much wealth small witt and farre lesse honesty Preferres the golden Asse to dignity Be wise as Cato just as Mâ—nlius Valiant as Scipio Chast as Curius Wisedome in ragges is spurn'd at like a rush Folly gaines Credit crept but into Plush Be what thou wilt wealth formes formality Though spung'd with never a one good quality Worldlings applaud the Rich the poore despise Speake never so well so excellently wise Best knowledge must be dumbe Wisedomes best Note Yeelds but harsh Musicke in a Thread-bare Coate Witnesse Times poore Philosophers report Who being in the Presence at the Court Was for his simple weeds of slight regard Rudely thrust out by the grim-looking Guard But shifting cloathes admitted to the Eye Of State the King before whose Majestie He not the least of Reverence would beare Save Cap and Knee toth ' cloathes himselfe did weare Saying I honour him that honours mee These my gay Clouts which brought me King to thee This to the sinfull World may Embleme out Mortalls vaine worshipping the Golden Clout Of him or her whose soules uncertaine stand Fixt i' th imperative moode of proud command Ioyes in no other Heaven but admiration Till sencelesse they forget their first Creation Honours vaine bubble Riches deceitfull store Which ne'r drops penny to the pining poore Nor ever harbours thought of Charity To Wretches wiâ—â—â—t sterv'd with poverty While on the adverse part Vertue denide Vice still is huâ—g'd the world 's in love with pride O stonie hearted sinne on thee to thinke Feare turnes my Paper black makes pale my Inke Amazeth sence compells my palsey Pen Trembling to write the Impiousnesse of Men Whose hate to pitty must to terrour turne Where teares for sinne are wanting sinne shall burne Tell me ye Toad-swolne flinty Pharaohs tell Can temporall joyes equall tho paines of Hell Treasures and pleasures those quicke fading streames To the poore sleeping soule are all but dreames The bodies beauty momentary joy Which waking findes Earths glory but a toy This for a Maximetake shunne times lewd life Cease from extreames in sinne soule-murth'ring strife Abhorre to Studdy state with greater zeale Then zeale to Heav'n or the soules Common-weale Abhorre with solemne Oathes perjur'd to â—â—are And racke the name of Christ dreadlesse of feare Wounding a fresh with trembling feare I write Wonder of Angels that great God of light His wounds with Oathes of wounds flesh bloud and heart Horrour of darkenesse O blaspheming heart Too too much us'd 'mong godlesse soules which still Infinite good pay with infinite ill The Penitent Sinner LEt others boast their goodnesse for my part Wretch that I am I have a sinfull heart So ti'de and bound fetter'd and chain'd within So strong a prison such
I am the Lord that heales I Ropeca Thou God the true Phisitian art that can Be mine Lord be so pitty me weake man God my Physitian and his Grace the Physicke I must not will not cannot be sin-sicke Nomo loeditur nisi a seipso THE DIVINE ECCHO BETWEENE THE GOOD ANGELL Man in despaire And the DEVILL Man DEath to my Soule how long must I in vaine Heav'ns comfort crave yet endlessely remaine Fetter'd in sinne breake Heart give death free scope And must I then despaire is there no hope Angell Hope Man What Soule affected spirit to mine Eare Eccho's some sweet releife can hope come neare Sinnes shackl'd Slave from whom all Verues gon What 's to be Hop'd for when all hopes are done Angell Pardon Man How Pardon can Pardon raise a wretch Times reprobate like me I that can fetch Nor sigh nor teare sinnes furie to abate Can Heav'n free such a Soule so desolate Devill Too late Man Too late indeede my Sinnes sicke stonie heart Traytor to Truth Acts the Tragedian's Part Of ill so well I know not what to doe Frights terrours broken sleepes all speake my woe Yet Holy Writ tells me 't is better ever Late to repent then to repent me never Devill Never Man O my horrour never thou deadly accent Art thou from Heav'n or Hells curs'd dungeon sent Must my despairing thoughts for ever bend To Hellish Actions shall I ne'r amend Angell Amend Man Amend I cannot guifts of Grace I lacke Like him that weares Heav'ns Livery on 's backe Hells favour in his bosom wretched I Will Fate afford no present remedie Devill Die Man My soule must then miscarrie and be damb'c Devill Be damb'd Man Is that the onely solace all the pitty Sterne Fate affords poore Man in misery Devill I. Man Was my Creation in the Wombe of woe Ordain'd for Hell no otherwise then so Devill So. Man Die then I must and will appoint me where Devill Here. Man So quicke O true Physition for to die I hold it best and to linke suddenly Here in this Desart then where no eye sees Expresse the meanes to die among these Trees Devill These Trees Man If mong these Trees appoint to me an Altar Devill An Halter Man To be hang'd is base better to drowne my selfe Devill Do drowne thy selfe Man No no I will not die so like a Rat A Cicken or a Mouse a Dog a Cat But like the desp'rate Statesman I will be Made nothing by a Dramme poyson to me Is pretious balme I will die by poyson Devill I poyson Man 'T is the true death best Cure ' gainst discontent The Noble-Mans consumption my intent Huggs the conceit And yet my soule to slay By touch or tast is no true Roman way Canst thou not change thy word Devill Thy sword Man Shall my Sword then set free from all the strife Of Worldly woes this mockery of life Can my sword soone quit me from out this straight Devill Straight Man I tifle time come forth thou maine sole good Thou cure to all my cares sweete sword in blood I 'le drowne thy friendly Blade t is the best Part Thou ere canst Act to cleave thy Masters heart Fly soule to Ayre Flame Dust I know not where Earth serve thou me for Coffin and for Beere Angell Forbeare Man Who bids forbeare what Potent power commands My soule to live my sword and trembling hand To stop their bloudy course is it in Fate To alter Mans intent before too late Turning swift mischiefe to that sudden stay Whom death but ev'n now would make her Prey Angell Pray Man Pray unto whom my soule is in a mist See see me thinkes the Everlasting Fist Of Heav'n is stretcht waving the Crowne of grace Over my Cursed head Soule sinfull Face Ayme accurst I doe deserve the Rod Of Vengeance rather then to pray to God For the least drop of Mercy No I must Not dare to pray to him for he is just Angell Just Man And by his Iustice my impietie Merits Eternall endlesse miserie Sinnes just reward O teach me yet the way Thou Divine Eccho to what place to pray From whence implored mercy may be giv'n To cleare my sinnes great score and make all ev'n Angell Heav'n Man What words will best he fit and not betray me Angell Aye-mee Man Despaire deteines me backe commands me say I have no Will no Minde no heart to pray What shall I doe my soule is in a Feaver And in that word despaire I shall end ever Angell Endeavour Man O sacred sweetnesse true Caelestiall witt Thou summe of sweetnes stampt in sacred writ Endeavour yes sinnes strife is the best play My soule can Act God give heav'n I obey Angell Obey Cum humi limus cur non humilimus Deaths Masqueing Night AS mighty Kings in glorious Masques delight Death Times Grand-Masquer had his masqueing Night In evr'y Pallace ev'ry Nooke Death ranges Death takes his root from sinne Hee 's full of changes With solemne Pace unseene Death dos advance His Sable shaft to lead the World a dance Through Courts though Armyes the worlds wide Hall Controul'd of none Death is the end of all Wher 's then the Mighty Monarch wher 's the glory Of all his Court State Masques joyes tradsitory Beauties bright Earth-Bred-Star whose sparkling eye Shoots quivers of Love-shafts at Rich Majestie Death shall deface and in the bed of night Yeild farre more cause of terrour then delight Wher 's then the wanton glance that seem'd to skip From this Great Lord to that Great Ladyes Lap The nymble Sprightly Cap'ring Courtier then Forgotten lies there is no dancing when Devouring Death stabs with his sable shaft Vaine is the power of Art all mundane craft The deepe Physitians skill flatt'ring discourse Of health Death soone turnes to a dismall course Wher 's then the mighty Madams flâ—reing Pride Oyles Powders Paintings all are laid aside Gold glittring Glory Cloath of Silver silke Forgetfull Feasts their sinfull Baths of Milke When many a poore soule sterves wanting the food Of their supurfluous out-side pamper'd blood Gurles Purles Purfumes Court complements visites Hot-stirring Dishes soule bewitching Minuts All Pompe on Earth ambitious mad desires Revells and Lust-burnt Midnights unchast fires All are husht then Beggers and Kings all must Take a poore lodging in a bed of dust Death is a dreadfull Antimasque 't will fright The worlds Grand Masquer in his full delight Figures and Footings practiz'd to intrance Spectators Eyes Deaths interposing Dance Dissolves to darkenesse in a moments space Ruines proud Pompe makes pale th'aluing Face Sparkling in Beanty deads the hot desire Of Naked Brests Death tames Lusts raging fire Wounds without dread or dalliance Death will strike Sou'raignes and subjects all are to him alike To Rich and Poore those that doe ill or well Death is the Path either to Heav'n or Hell Deaths dread appearance evermore makes glad The good but proves a terrour to the bad Disjoynts the ablest limbs Death trembles Pride Extincts State-Glories will not be denide Death is an Archer Man the Marke to shoot at Fly where thou wilt East West this way or that Death followes like a shaddow shoot he will Drawes sure and home Death never failes to kill And yet none truely mindes it though we know Time shall decay we cannot feede nor goe Nor promise life a Minute men passe to bed But ignorant are to rise alive or dead Death by a thousand accidents do's meet Health Wealth and Beauty stabs 'em in the street He that least dreames of death some falling Tyle Timber or Stone doth suddenly beguile Him of his life yea oft when Man refraines And seekes to shunne it dashes out his braines This learnes us Mortalls during vitall breath With humble soule to meditate on Death The thought of Death aright prevents the evill Of Hells Night Theife the worlds Noone-day Devill Death's deepe remembr'ance rightly understood Strikes dead delights lures the lewd mind to good Wafts the sinne weary soule to thinke upon Her ill past life present affliction O sinne-sicke-sinfull Man feare to doe ill Tremble proud Heart crosse not thy Makers will Thinke on thy end thinke on the Day of Doome The paines of Hell Deaths-Masqueing Night wil come Not in the Pompe of Princely merriment But the dread fall of soules impenitent Ingratefull Soules to God soules that dare sit I' th scorners seate trusting to wicked wit More then their Makers wisedome their conceit Aimes not at Heav'n but to be worldly great Pride is their zeale theie Prayers forgetfulnesse Charity Contempt their Vivtue wantonnesse Plump high fed Pamper'd Flesh on whom must waite Page Pander Parasite preparation state Gold glitt'ring glory cost curious diet Insatiate pleasure and vaineglorious Riot These are the sinnes that merit endlesse shame Hells ever burning never dying flame Which to prevent Great God let hate to vice Dissolve sinnes Cloud Becho to Paradice Our Saviours sweetnesse let us never more Lie downe to our dishonour like a whore Dead to good Counsell never let darke deedes Defile the soule let 's roote up all the seeds Of Pride Lust Envie Hatred and in place Plant Wisedome meeke Humility and Grace Abhorre to study State with greater zeale Then zeale to Heav'n or the soules-common-weale True Penitence gaines Heav'n throwes sinners downe To raise them up to an Immortall Crowne Cogita de fine infinito ut vives in infinitum FINIS