likewise shot by the boord their Admirals Mizzen-mast Flag and flag-staffe shot by the boord and her Hull much rent and torne Their fourth ship had the head of her maine mast shot by the boord Another of their ships had all her top-masts shot by the boord In conclusion all their eight ships were so torne and tattered that they had neither good Masts Sailes or Yards to helpe themselues with no tide sides to beare saile vpon Thus it pleased thâ— Almighty to giue the victory of the day vnto those that relie vpon his promise to that greaâ— God be all glory for euer and let all true Christians say Amen The 13. of February being Friday the English and Dutch Fleets set saile at day-light from thâ— Road of Gombroone hauing also with them foure Iunks other vessels of lading vnder the conductâ—â— and charge of the Dutch which as soone as thâ— Enemie perceiued they let slip their Cables anâ— slipped from their harbour at the Iland of Law racke which is foure or fiue Leagues from the Roade of Gombroone the Enemie making all the sayle he could to Sea-boord of the English and Dutch all the day till Sun-set when they were got within Saker-shot of each other and a good bearing gale they all kept company together all night This 13. at night it blew so hard at Westâ— south-west that one of their great Gallions borâ—â— ouer-boord the head of her maine Mast close vnder the hownds not being able to hoyst vp heâ— maine sayle she was forced to steere alongst with her fore-saile fore-top-saile her Sprit-saile and Mizzen the wind being at West-South-west they steered away South and by East The 14. in the morning the Dutch Fleet staying and bearing vp vnto the Iunke the night past was a starre so farre that the English Fleet could scarce descry them so the Iames laid her fore-saile a backe staies and staid for them the Portugall neuer offering to alter his course but kept on still The same day about noone the Dutch being come vp with the English it was agreed betweene them that the Royall Iames should giue the first on-set vpon their Admirall and the rest of the Fleet to second her so about two of the clocke that afternoone the two Fleets came to weather of the Enemies Admirall receiuing the first shot from their Vice-Admirall and presently a whole broad side from their Admirall both sides comming as neere each other as they could but well keepe cleane of each other they â—ell to it of all hands pell mell the Ordnance going off as fast as small shot the Iames for her part giuing them two broad sides she then edged vp in the winde laying her fore-saile and fore-topstyle abacke stayes as well to giue leaue to the â— who was second to the Iames as also to suffer the Portugall Admirall to shoot a head which the suddainly did then the Iames filling her top sayle the second time bore vpright with the Enemie Admirall plying her whole broad side so fast vpon him that he had scarce any leaâ—â—â—â— to returne any shot backe whilst the English and Portugall Admirals were so nere each other that they could hardly cleare themselues In this time whilst our ships plyed the Enemies Admirall not so much looking after or heeding the other ships the Vice-Admirall with the rest of their fleet were left a sterne their Admiralll plyed very hard vpon the Iames giuing and receiuing many dangerous shots the Iames being shot betweene winde and water often and had more â—oyle in her Sayles and Rigging than she had done any of the two dayes fight before then the third time comming side by side with each others Fleet they let driue one at another like Thunder in the ayre the Iames comming vp with the Admirall the great ship of Damon who the first dayes fight lost her maine Mast crept in betwixt the Iames and the Portugall Admirall lying as a Bulwaâ—ke to weather off her to receiue all that might be put vpon her and indeed all that was meant to haue beene bestowed vpon tbe Admirall was still plyed vpon that great Hulke as likewife the Ionas and Dutch did continue this third dayes fight till day-light was shut in the Portugals edging vp to get nere the Arabian shore insomuch that at 8. at Night both English and Dutch were faire by it chasing them in This Night the English and Dutch steered away their course for Surat the Portugals steering for Swar a place where they haue a Castle The Royall Iames with the rest were forced to giue ouer the Chase for these reasons FIrst for that the time of yeere was so farre spent that they should not haue time enough to deliuer their goods at Surat and so to goe cleere off the Coast before the Westerly Monsâ—â—ne which is a Wind that blowes at West sixe moneths together beginning in Aprill would be come and so endanger the Ships in getting off againe A second reason was that the Royall Iames had but 31. Barrels and some 500. Cartreges fild with Powder and some 600. shot all which was not aboue three quarters of a dayes fight for her vse for in her former dayes worke the third of February she alone spent 1000. great shot vpon the Enemie so that now through want of Powder was not able to maintaine such another dayes fight according to that rate And this last dayes fight she lost but one man hauing spent vpon the Enemy more then three hundred great shot To the Lord of hosts the only giuer of victory the mighty God of Battels be all honour glory praise and dominion for euer Amen A note of the mens Names slaine in these three seuerall fights with the Portugals out of the English Fleet. Slaine in the Royall Iames. Richard Dauis Nicholas Burton quarter Masters Robert Skaife Gunners Mate Ioseph Wright Thomas Bland Iohn Burcham Godfrey Howton Carpenters Richard Dauis Iunior Richard Walker Iohn Maisters William Wilcockes William Clarke William Surdam dismembred in their legs and dyed Sailers Slaine in the Ionas Robert Modding Masters Mate Iohn Beedam mid-ship-man William Adams Robert Stacie Edward Wilkinson Robert Larke Richard Hergoll Francis Blow Thomas Page Thomas Wilkinson Thomas Williams Slaine in the Starre Iames Wanderton William Carter Reignold Sanderson Charles Robinson Slaine in the Eagle Iohn Sares. The Dutch lost neere the like number amongst whom their chiefe Commander Albert Becker was slaine the first dayes fight A Relation by Peter Hillion a Frenchman of the force of the eight Portugal Gallions which fought with the English and Dutch Fleet in the Gulph of Persia as also the spoyle they receiued by them with their number of men slain on the 13. and 14. of February,1624 himselfe being then in the Admirall which afterwards riding with three more of her Fleet at the Riuers mouth of Surat be escaped from her and ran to the English which were then riding in the Barre of Surat THeir Admirall named S. Francisco Sanuer wherein was Generall
VRANIA sits at Helme and Pilot is For Thames thou hast the lactea via found Be thou with baies as that with stars is crownd THOMAS DEKKAR A Catalogue of all the seuerall Bookes contained in this VOLVME TAylors Vrania The first part of the troubles and destructions of Ierusalem The second part and finall destruction of Ierusalem by Titus and Vespasian The life and death of the most blessed amongst women The Virgin Mary the mother of our Lord Iesus Christ. Superbiae flagellum or the Whip of Pride Against cursing and swearing The fearefull Summer The Trauels of tweluepence The Armado or Nauy of Ships that saile as well by land as by sea The Begger or the praise of beggers beggery and begging Taylors Goose. Iacke a Lent Taylors pennilesse Pilgrimage or Iourney without money from London to Edenborough in Scotland and backe to London The Acts and exployts of Wood the great Eater in Kent Sir Gregory Nonsence A very merry Wherry voyage from London to Yorke with a paire of Oares A new Discouery by sea with a wherry from London to Salisbury A Kicksie winsie or a Lerry cum Twang Taylors Motto An Epicedium or mournfull death-song for Coriats supposed drowning The eight Wonder of the world or Coriats reuiuing Laugh and be fat Coriats Newes and letter with the Authours paraphrasing verses A Bawd very modest A Whore very honest A Thiefe very â—â—ue A Hangman very necessary The vnnaturall Father Taylors Reuenge against Fenner Fenners Defence A Cast ouer the water to Fenner The Water-mans suite concerning plâ—â—ers Wit and mirth A Dogge of Warre The World runs on wheeles The Nipping or snipping of abuses A briefe of the Chronicle from Brute to this present in Verse A Briefe of the Chronicle from the Norman Conquest to this present A Farewell to the Towre bottles The Marriage of the Princesse Elizabeth A funerall Elegie for King Iames. A funerall Elegy for the Earle of Nottingham A funerall Elegy for the Earle of Holdernesse A funerall Elegy for the Bishop of Winchester A funerall Elegy for the Duke of Richmond and Linox A funerall Elegy for Iohn Moray Esquire The Summe of the Bible in verse The Summe of the Booke of Martyrs in verse Archie his making peace with France The Praise of Hempseed Taylors Pastorall Three weekes and three dayes trauells from London into Germany Taylors Trauell to Bohemia An English mans loue to Bohemia The Dolphins danger and deliuerance The Cormorant Abraue Sea-fight by Captaine Iohn Weddell in the gulfe of Persia. The Sculler Christian admonitions The great O Toole The Churches deliuerances Prince Gâ—ales his welcome from Spaine The praise of cleane linnin These Bookes in number sixty three are heere Bound in one Volume scattred here and there They stand not thus in order in the booke But any man may finde them that will looke TO THE MOST HIGH MOST MIGHTY AND MOST ANCIENT PRODVCER SEDVCER AND ABVSER OF MANKIND THE WORLD MOst Potent and Powerfull Imposture take it not amisse that I a poore worme of your own breeding doe in waie of retribution giue you here the encrease of my Tallent which I haue beene almost 60 yeeres a gathering It was told me that when I first came to visit you that I cri'd and Waw'ld and that when I leaue you I shall sigh and grone and euer since I knew you I haue loued you so well for the good parts I haue seen in you that I could verie willingly be glad to change you for a better I know not what Title to put vpon you you haue as many stiles alreadie as the great Turke with the soldier you are a hard World with the Diuine you are a wicked world with the Lawyer you are a contentious world with the Courtier you are a slipperie world with most men a mad world and with all men a bad world The Diuell your brother and your sister the Flesh hath quite spoiled you of all your good qualities and conditions and worse then that they haue made you blinde that you cannot or will not see your owne faults and you haue blinded all your inhabitants that they can neither feele or perceiue their miseries for which cause I haue made bold to dedicate this Volume to your greatnesse wherein as in a glasse you may view your imperfections Here shall you see all your foure ages now combind in one first This is the Golden age for Gold can doe any thing it can both cleare and bleare the eies of Iustice it can turne Religion into Policie Pietie into periurie and what not Siluer indeed lookes white and white is the colour of Age Ergo the Siluer age which though it run in an inferiour straine to Gold yet it works wonders and without it there is no market kept in Church or Commonwealth for whosoeuer is King Pecunia is Queene The Brazen age is apparant in euerie mans impudencie most men and womens foreheads or our-sides which are their actions doe manifest that they liue in an age of Brasse Lastly the Iron age is palpably present for many soldiers who mainetaine their liues with daily seeking their deaths haue stomacks like Estriches and through want of meanes they eat vp their swords and pistols Amongst all these I haue long time noted your great bountie you haue beene so fauorable to giue some men as much ambition as serued them iustly for the breaking of their necks To some you haue giuen Abundance and you haue made that Abundance beget Auarice and that Auarice to beget destruction some you haue furnished with beautie and that beautie hath confounded chastitie on some you haue suddenly thrown honors and promotions and those you haue loaden with enuie slander continuall perplexities In a word your gifts are so mischieuously mixed as wit with beggerie follie with wealth and the like that I protest I am wearie of you which makes me thus bold to tell you of your iadish tricks You neuer fauored me and therefore I haue no reason to flatter you nor will I flatter you or any man that shall or will doe me fauour I neuer will make my tong like a plaisterers Trowell to dawbe and smooth ouer the vices or villanies of any with Sicophantizing Parasiticall flatterie World all that I craue of thee liuing is a graue when I am dead and although I flatter thee not yet I loue thee not nor haue I any reason for it for to mee thy fawnings haue been frownings thy beneuolence maleuolence the courtesies cares and crosses and thy riches innumerable restlesle perturbations besides when our blessed Sauior was vpon the earth thy estate was so vile and damnable that though he praied for his tormentors and crucifiers yet he onely excluded the World by name out of his praier saying I pray not for the world and can there be any hopes that thou art any better now then thou wert then nay it is to be doubted that thou art rather worse So that if any man will say that he hath occasion to
griefe surpassing griefe To see her Sauiour captiu'd as a thiefe Her Loue beyond all loues her Lord her all Into the hands of sinfull slaues to fall If but a mother haue a wicked sonne That hath to all disordred orders runne As treasons rapes blasphomings murther theft And by the Law must be of life berest Yet though he suffer iustly by desert His suff'ring surely wounds his mothers heart Suppose a woman haue a vertuous childe Religious honest and by nature milde And he must be to execution brought For some great fault he neuer did nor thought And she behold him when to death hee 's put Then sure tormenting griefe her heart must cut These griefes are all as nothing vnto this Of this blest Mother of eternall blisse Her gracious Sonne that neuer did aâ—nisse His gracelesse seruant with a Iudas kisse Betraid him vnto misbeleening slaues Where he was led away with bils and staues To Annaâ— Caiphae Pilate and to those That to th' Immortall God were mortall foes Ah Iudas couldst thou make so base account Of Him whose worth doth heauen and earth surmount Didst thou esteeme of 30. paltry pence More then the life of the eternall Prince O monstrous blindnesse that for so small gaine Sold endlesse blisse to buy perpetuall paine Is' t possible damn'd auarice could compell Thee sell heau'ns Kingdome for the sinke of hell Our Father Adam vnto all our woes Did for an Apple blessed Eden lose And Esau borne a Lord yet like a slaue His birth-right for a messe of pottage gaue And poore Gehizi telling of a lye His couetousnesse gain'd his leprosie And though the text their deeds doe disallow Yet they made better matches farre then thou I doe not heere impute this deed of shame On Iudas because Iudas was his name For of that name there haue beene men of might Who the great battels of the Lord did fight And others more But sure this impure blot Stickes to him as hee 's nam'd Iskarriott For in an Anagram Iskarriott is By letters transposition traytor kis ISKARRIOTT Anagramms TRAITOR KIS. KIsse Traytor kisse with an intent to kill And cry all haile when thou dost meane all ill And for thy fault no more shall Iudas be A name of treason and foule infamie But all that fault I 'le on Iskarriott throw Because the Anagram explaines it so Iskarriott for a bribe and with a kisse Betraid his Master the blest King of Blisse And after but too late with conscience wounded Amaz'd and in his senses quite confounded With crying Woe woe woe oh woe on me I haue betraid my Master for a fee Oh I haue sinned sinned past compare And want of grace and faith pluckes on despaire Oh too-too late it is to call for grace What shall I doe where is some secret place That I might shield me from the wrath of God I haue deseru'd his euerlasting rod. Then farewell grace and faith and hope and loue You are the gifts of the great God aboue You onely on th'Elect attendants be Despaire hell horror terror is for me My hainous sinne is of such force and might 'T will empt th' Exchequer of Gods mercy quite And therefore for his mercy I le not call But to my iust deseru'd perdition fall I still most gracelesse haue all grace withstood And now I haue betraid the guiltlesse blood My Lord and Master I haue sold for pelfe This hauing said despayring hang'd himselfe There we leaue him and now must be exprest Something of her from vvhom I haue digrest The Virgins heart vvith thousand griefs vvas nipâ— To see her Sauiour flouted hated vvhipt Despightfulnesse beyond despight vvas vs'd And vvith abuse past all abuse abus'd His apprehension grieu'd her heart full sore His cruell scourges grieu'd her ten times more And wheÌ„ his blessed head with thorns was crown'd Then floods of griefe on griefe her soule did wouÌ„d But then redoubled was her griefe and feare When to his death his Crosse she saw him beare And lastly but alas not least nor last When he vpon the tree was nailed fast With bitter teares deep heart-wounding groues With sobs and sighs this Maiden-Mother moanes What tongue or pen can her great griefe vnfold When Christ said Woman now thy Sonne behold That voyce like Ice in Iune more cold and chill Did dangerously wound and almost kill Then as old Simeon prophesi'd before The sword of sorrow through her heart did gore And if 't were possible all womens woes One woman could within her brest inclose They were but puffes sparkes mole-hills drops of raine To whirl-winds meteors Kingdomes or the maine Vnto the woes griefes sorrowes sighs and teares Sobs gronings terrors and a world of feares Which did beset this Virgin on each side When as her Sonne her Lord and Sauiour dide Thus he to whom compar'd all things are drosse Humbled himselfe to death euen to the Crosse He that said Let there be and there was light He that made all things with his mighty might He by whom all things haue their life and breath He humbled himselfe vnto the death Vnto the death of the curst Crosse this he This he this He of hee 's did stoope for me For me this Wel-spring of my soules releefe Did suffer death on either hand a theefe The one of them had runne a theeuing race Rob'd God of Glory and himselfe of Grace He wanted liuely faith to apprehend To end his life for life that ne'r shall end With faithlesse doubts his minde is armed stiffe And doth reuile our Sauiour with an If. If that thou be the Sonne of God quoth he Come from the Crosse and saue thy selfe and me The other Theefe arm'd with a sauing faith Vnto his fellow turn'd and thus he saith Thou guilty wretch this man is free and cleare From any crime for which he suffers here We haue offended we haue iniur'd many But this man yet did neuer wrong to any We iustly are condemn'd he false accus'd He hath all wrong all right to vs is vs'd Hee 's innocent so are not thou and I We by the Law are iustly iudg'd to dye Thus the good Theefe euen at his latest cast Contrary to a Theefe spake truth at last And looking on our Sauiour faithfully Whilst Christ beheld him with a gracious eye These blest words were his prayers totall â—â—â— O Lord when thou shalt to thy Kingdome come Remember me Our Sauiour answer'd then A doctrine to confute despairing men Thou who by liuely faith laist hold on me This day in Paradise with me shalt be Thus as this theefes life was by theft supplide So now he stole heau'ns Kingdome when he dyde And I doe wish all Christians to agree Not t'liue as ill but dye as well as he Presumptuous sinnes are no way here excus'd For here but one was sau'd and one refus'd Despaire for sinnes hath here no rule or ground For as here 's one was lost so one was found To teach vs not to sinne with wilfull
poore vndeserued seruant hauing formerly oftent â—â—â—es presented to your Highnesse many small Pamphlets the best fruits of my leane and sterill inuention and alwaies your Princely affability and beunty did expresse and manifest your Royall and generous disposition and whereas your Gracious Father of euer blessed and famous memory did not onely like and encourage but also more then reward the barren gleanings of my Poeticall inuentions so now I am bold to present vnto your Maiestie this my best and superlatiue part of my last studies I know Royall Sir that mans Pilgrimage here must haue a period and as the Trâ—â— falls East or West so it rises and He that knowes the heart doth know that I doe not hypocritically take to heart that many numberlesse Blasphemies Curses and Oathes which are carelesly presumptuously and damnably breathed euery day houre and minute against the Almighty and infinite Maiestie of God Sure I am that God takes my part in resisting and writing against these crying crimes and I am perswaded that your Maiestie hath an innated Christian hured of them I likewise know that all good men doe abhorre and detest them and as on the one side I will or would not be a Stoicke or Precisian nor on the other side an Atheist so in the mid-way I haue written this small Treatise to expresse my selfe a Christian and what a Christian in these points should be and though the worke be small and rudely compil'd though I the Author am altogether meritlesse of any good yet is the matter great and so great that it merits the protection of all such as doe acknowledge there is a God Wherefore I humbly beseech your Maiestie to accept and Patronize this poore labour of mine that your powerfull approuement of it may make it passe thorow all your Kingdomes and Territories Cum Priuilegio that children by reading it in their youths may haue an ingrafted hatred of these sinnes that elder people may thereby here formed from them that all in generall may loath and abhorre them that God may be honoured and our soules eternally saued Your Maiesties humble Subiect and seruant IOHN TAYLOR AGAINST CVRSING AND SVVEARING GOD by whose incomprehensible power all things were made of nothing Genesis 1. By whose vnspeakable mercy all true Beleeuers are Redeemed Isay 52 3. By whose Almighty Prouidence all things great and small are conserued Mat. 10. 29. And nothing can passe without it Pro. 16. 33. Whose Name is holy Luke 1. 49. Whose name is a strong Towre to defend the Righteous Pro. 28. 10. And a consuming fire against obstinate impenitent sinners Deut. 4. 24. Who is a jealous and reuenging God Nahum 1. 2. Who filleth Heauen and Earth and seeth all things Ieremie 23. 24. Who is the Lord of Hosts 2 Sem. 6. 17 18. Who hath sworne by Himselfe that to him euery knee shall bow in feare and reuerence of his dreadfull Maiesty Isay 45. 23. Who hath beene so gracious that he hath made Man onely for his owne seruice and so bountifull that he hath made all other Creatures for the seruice of Man who blessed him and gaue him power to blesse in the glorious Name of the Lord of Hosts 2 Sam. 6. 17 18. Who in a fearefull voyce of Thunder did in mount Sinai proclaime his sacred Law and denounced this dreadfull and terrible Iudgement that he would not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine euen that God hath forbidden vs to curse Exod 20. 7. But to blesse them that Curse vs Rom. 12. 14. Luke 6. 28. Mat. 5.44 Yet neuerthelesse by the temptation of that old and irreconciliable enemy of God and Man by the malice and mischiefe of that old Dragon and subtill Serpent the Deuill Man hath mounted and spred to such a height and bredth these execrable vices of Cursing Swearing and Blaspheming that all estates and conditions high and low great and small oldor young male and female are vniuersally possessed with these impieties and by long custome it is in a manner almost as naturall as eating drinking or sleeping as though there were no God that had forbad these crying crimes or no hell reserued for a punishment of them In this small Treatise I doe not put pose to condemne all sorts of Cursing or Swearing for that were to declare and pronounce my selfe Accursed but my intent is as God pleaseth to enable me to declare how farre these two brethren Curses and Oathes are lawfull or vnlawfull and because I find Cursing to be the most elder and of most antiquity I purpose first to shew as farre as I haue assured warrant my opinion concerning Curses and Execrations Curses and Cursing are deuided into foure seuerall kindes As First From God to Man Secondly From Man to Man Thirdly From Man to himselfe Fourthly From Man to God The first is Iust for God did neuer Curse any Man Family Tribe Kingdome or Nation but there was a iust deseruing of that Curse for Man being altogether sinfull and God infinitely Iust Gods Curse is due and iust for the transgression of Man The Second is vncharitable as when one Man curseth another for all Men that are Christians who haue one and the same Redemption in the blood of Christâ—esus who doe in the Lords Prayer call God Our Father are forbidden to Curse and commanded to them that Curse vs. The third is when a man shall Curse himselfe which is more vncharitable for Charity should begin ar home and can that man be thought to wish well to any man that wisheth hurt to himselfe or may it be conceiued that he that is so gracelesse to Curse himselfe hath the grace to pray for another The fourth is when Man doth Curse God which is most damnable for can there be a most execrable sinne then such impious ingratitude that the Creature should Curse the Creatorâ—â— that the redeemed should Blaspheme hir Redeemer or that impiety should mount to such a height of impudency as to curse ' the blessed Spirit Of these foure in Order FOr the first God did most iustly Curse our first Parents in Paradise and in all People and Nations being of their of-spring are originally polluted with their transhressions and miserable subiects to the same Curse and doe all generally vndergoe the same punishment which is that the Man shall eate his Bread in sorrow labour and in the sweate of his face all the dayes of his life and that the Womaman shall bring forth her children in paine and sorrow and be subiect to the rule of her husband Genesis 3. Also the same time God Cursed the Earth for the sinne of Adam which Curse was that it should bring forth Thornes and Thistles and without mans great toyle and labour the Earth doth yeeld vs very small sustenance Likewise God did most iustly Curse Kain for murthering his innocent brother Abelâ— the Curse was that Kain should be a vagabond and a runnagate vpon the face of the Earth and that his labours should be accursed
he would that might be sacrificed to God to satisfie his Iustice for sinne and to recouer that eternall happinesse which was most miserably lost If man had had this liberty to aske and chuse a Redeemer surely I am verily perswaded that he would neuer haue beene so bold as to haue requested God to giue his well-beloued onely begotten Sonne to be crucified for him as in these dayes a condemned malefactor would be vndiscreet and vnkind if he should intreat his innocent friend to dye for him but if hee should request the Iudge on the Bench or the King on his Throane that either of them would doe him the fauour as to suffer his sonne to be executed for him if an offender should make such an vnreasonable request I imagine he would either be accounted mad or impudently foolish Seeing the case was such that man was altogether in misery remedilesse then did the God of mercy and Father of all consolation shew himselfe to bee in mercy boundlesse then did he promise to send his Sonne to be a Sauiour and Redeemer for as many as before and after his comming should lay hold on the merits of his death and passion which hee suffered for the Redemption of all true beleeuers At last in the fulnesse of time the eternall God-head was pleased to be so far abased as to leaue the blessed heauens to visit personally the cursed earth to forsake the glorious Throne and Crowne of vnspeakeable glory and Maiestie and by taking our fraile nature vpon him in the wombe of the Virgin to vndergoe all shame and calamitie and after many trauels and suffering innumerable reproaches to take the sinnes and transgressions of the whole World vpon his shoulders and being free from sinne was made sinne for vs and to redeeme vs from the Curse of the Law and the eternall wrath of God his Father was pleased to offer himselfe for a sacrifice of propitiation and reconciliation and to purchase vs eternall glory by his ignominious cruell and shamefull death of the Crosse. This was a Loue transcending all Loue so farre that no heart of Man or Angell could euer conceiue the last part of it that the King of Kings Lords of Lords should willingly and freely dye for his mortall enemies Seeing that Gods loue was so infinite to vs so many wayes as in creating vs not Beasts or Vermine but Men in redeeming vs when we wer in captiuity to the Deuill for euer with no lesse price then the precious heart blood of his owne Sonne for these and the rest of the multitude of his mercies let vs all in generall and euery Swearer and Blasphemer in particular examine our consciences how we doe with thankefulnesse requite this our good and gracious God for his vnmeasurable loue and mercy towards vs. How many of vs with very little search may finde our bosomes cram'd full of rebellious treacheries ingratitude that in stead of giuing God glory praise and thankes for all his benefits doe most accursedly or maliciously sweare him ouer and ouer from the head to the foot not leauing any part or attribute of him vnabused or not sworne by his body his soule his sides his heart his wounds his blood his entrailes his bones his feet nay they will not forbeare him â—â— much as his nailes so that the Iewes were more kind and lesse cruell in crucifying of him for they meddled neither with his soule or his bones but these wicked miscreants who are falsly called Christians doe their best endauours with all deuillisâ— greedinesse to cruciâ—â—â— againe the Lord of life and to teare him in pieces with oathes betwixt their cursed teeth I haue read in the Turkish History that is the a battell betwixt Amurath third Emperour of the Turkes and Lazarus Despot of Serâ—â—â—â— that the Archers were so many in the Turkish Army that in the fight they did as it were raine in showres vpon the Christians and with the multitude of the Arrowes like a clouâ—â— they darkned the earth And it is to be feared that euery houre in the day more oathes and shot at the Maiesty of God by wicked Câ—tiffes then the Turks did shoot Arrowers â—â—â— the Christians in that battell so that if our Sauiour had come into the World with a purpose to worke our perpetuall destruction and that the Deuill had beene the best friend we had in our redemption if it had or could haue beene so could men striue either to require the loue of the one with more seruice or the malice of the other with more abuse for Swearing is now in such high request that some man doth hold it a disparagement to his reputation not to sweare but to goe to Church he thinkes it too ciuill a course or to giue God thankes either before or after meales he is altogether ashamed and like a Micher muffles his face in his hat saying sometimes either nothing or nothing that any man can hears or vnderstand but to sweare and abuse the Name of God he is neuer ashamed but with open mouth he roares out his oathes stamping with his feete and beating his brest with more feruency then he said his prayers I haue heard a swearer most earnestly pray now and then to God but it hath beene â—â—â— beseech God to damne him or forsake him and on the other side I haue heard the same Rescall to beg and entreat the Deuill to take his soule and body making such great account of Hell that rather then hee would goe without it hee will request his bread meat or drinke to be his damnation but to desire God to forgiue his sins or to be thankefull for all his benefits to entreat saluation by true repentance â— through the merits of Christ Iesus these are things which he esteemes not worth the asking for altogether against the garbe of his Gentleman-like humour Now iudge with thy selfe whosoeuer thou beest that reads this dost thou thinke thou dealest well with God and that hee deserues no better vsage at thy hands A good name as Salomon faith is as a precious Oyntment and men are so chary and wary that they will by all meanes auoyd any scandall or dishonour of their names and it is Capitall Treason for any subiect to abuse or vilifie his King or Princes name Yet is God who is Almighty AEternall Incomprehensible the God of all glory Empires Kingdomes Principalities and Powers whose name is Wonderfull â—â—y and Iust at whose Name euery knee should bow with feare and reuerence before whose Throne the blessed Armies of Cherubins Seraphins Archangel Angels Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Saints and Martyrs doe continually sing Hallelutsh This great God whom the very Deuils in Hell doe beleeue and feare and tremble at his dreadfull wrath Iames 1.19 yet doth the earth breed monsters worse then Deuils and retaines and seedes more accursed fiends then Hell doth who with their vngodly breath doe as often as they can belch their odious oathes and blasphemie against the maiestie of
a long Garden within the Wals some of the Townes-men were shooting for wagers at a marke with their muskets some bowling some at slide thrift or shouel-boord some dancing before a blind Fidler and his cow-bellied dropsie dutty Drab some at one game some at another most of them drinking and all of them drinke that though it was a Sabboth which should wholly be dedicated to God yet by the those of these bursten-gutted bibbers they made it an after-noone consecrated or more truely execrated to the seruice of hell and to the great amplification of the Deuils kingdome When Christians dare Gods Sabboth to abuse They make themselues a scorne to Turkes Iewes T is stealing Barabasses beastly race Rib God of Glory and your selues of Grace Thinke on the supreame Iudge who all things tryes When Iewes against you shall in Iudgement rise Their feigned truth with feruent zeale they show The truth vnfeign'd you know yet will not know Then at the Barre in new Ierusalem It shall be harder much for you then them But leauing them to their drunken designes I return'd toward my Lodging where by the way I saw at the common Iayle oâ— the Towne a great number of people were clustred together I asked the cause of their concourse and I was certified that there was a Pâ—iâ—oner to be broken vpon the wheele the next day and that these idle Gazers did prease to gape vpon him or want of better imployments I being as inquisiâ—iue after nouelties as a Trauailer of my â—â—all experience might be enquired earnâ—stâ—y the true cause of the next dayes execution my friend told me that the Prisoner was a poore Carpenter dwelling â—â— the Towne who lately hauing stolne a Goose and plucking it within his doores a little Girle his daughter in Law went out of his house and left the doore open by which meanes the owner of the Goose passing by espyed the wretched Theese very diligently picking what hee before had beene stealing to whom the owner said Neighbour I now perceiue which way my Geese vse to goe but I will haue you in question for them and so away hee went the Caitiffe beeing thus reprooued grew desperate and his child comming into his house ye yong whore quoth he must ye leaue my doore open for folkes to looke in vpon me and with that word he tooke a Hatchet and with a cursed stroake he cloue the childes head for the which murther he was condemned and iudged to be broken aliue vpon the wheele Close by the Iayle I espyed a house of free stone round and flat roofed and leaded vpon the which was erected the true picture of a most vnmatchable Hang-man and now I am entered into a discourse of this braue abiect or subiect you must vnderstand that this fellow is a merry a mad and a subsidie Hangman to whoÌ„ our Tyburnâ— Tatterdemalian or our Wapping winde-pipe stretcher is but a Raggamuffin not worth the hanging for this teare-throat Termagant is a fellow in Folio a Commander of such great command and of such greatnesse to command that I neuer saw any that in that respect could countermand him for his making is almost past description no Saracens head seemes greater and sure I thinke his brainepan if it were emptied as I thinke he hath not much braine in it would well containe halfe a bushell of mault his shaggie haire and beard would stuffe a Cushion for Charons boate his Imbost nose and embroydered face would furnish a Ieweller his eyes well dryed would make good Tennis-balls or shot for a small peece of Ordinance his yawning mouth would serue for a Conniborrow and his two ragged rowes of teeth for a stone wall or a Pale then hath he a necke like one of Hercules his pillars with a winde-pipe or rather a beere pipe as bigge as the boare of a Demiculuering or a wooden pumpe through which conduit halfe a brewing of Hamburgh beere doth runne downe into his vnmeasurable paunch wherein is more midrisfe guts and garbage then three tripe-wiues could be able to vtter before it stunke His postâ—like legges were answerable to the rest of the great frame which they supported and to conclude sir Beuis Ascapart Gogmagag or ou English sir Iohn Falstaff were but shumps to this bezzeling Bombards longitude Iatitude altitude and crassiâ—ude for he passes and surpasses the whole Germane multitude And as hee is great in corpulencie so is hee powerfull in potencie for figuratiuely hee hath spirituall resemblance of Romish authority and in some sort he is a kind of demy-Pope for once a yeere in the dogge-dayes he sends out his men with bates in stead of Buls with full power from his greatnesse to knocke downe all the cus without contradiction whose masters or owners will not be at the charge to buy a pardon for them of his mightinesse which pardon is more dureable then the Popes of waxe or parchment for his is made of a piece of the hide of an Oxe a Horse or such lasting stuffe which with his stigmaticall stamp or seale is hanged about euery dogs necke who is freed from his furie by the purchase of his pardon And sure I am perswaded that these dogges are more sure of their liues with the hangmans pardon then the poore besotted blinded Papists are of their seduced soules from any pardon of the Popes The priuiledges of this graund haulter-master are many as hee hath the emptying of all the vaults or draughts in the city which no doubt hee gaines some fauour by Besides all Oxen Kine Horses Hogs Dogs or any such beasts it they die themselues or if they bee not like to liue the hang-man must knocke them on the heades and haue their skins and whatsoeuer inhabitant in his iurisdiction doth any of these things aforesaid himselfe is abhorred and accounted as a villaine without redemption So that with hangings headings breakings pardoning and killing of dogges flaying of beasts emptying vaults and such priuie commodities his whole reuenue sometimes amounts to 4. or 5. hundred pounds a yeere And hee is held in that regard and estimation that any man will conuerse and drinke with him nay sometimes the Lords of the Towne will feast with him and it is accounted no impeachment to their honours for he is held in the ranke of a Gentleman or a ranke Gentleman and hee scornes to be clad in the cast weedes of executed offenders No he goes to the Meroers and hath his Sattin his Veluet or what stuffe he pleases measured out by the yard or the ell with his gould and siluer lace his silke stockings laced spangled garters and roses hat and feather with foure or fiue braue villaines attending him in Liuery cloakes who haue stipendary meanes from his ignominious bounty Munday the 19. of August about the houre of 12. at noone the people of the towne in great multitudes flocked to the place of execution which is halfe a mile English without the gates built more like a sconce then a Gallowes