Steward be Which at the last the Lord shall faithfull finde Heart tongue or eyes cannot thinke speake or see The glory that to him shall be assignde He shall out-passe the Angells in degree He shall out-shine all Starres that euer shinde He shall for euer and for euer sing Eternall prayses to his God and King 85 Vnto which God the Father first and last Whose goodnes all conseru's preseru's and seeds To God the Sonne whose merits downe hath cast Sinne death and hell due vnto sinners meeds To thee O Holy Ghost that euer wast The blessing that from Sire and Sonne proceeds And to the vn-deuided Three in One All Power and Praise and Glory be alone FINIS TO THE TRVELY VVORTHY AND RIGHT HONOVRABLE IOHN MORAY L. VISCOVNT ANNAN EARLE OF Annandale one of the Gentlemen of his Maiesties Royall Bed-chamber Earths Honours and Heauens happinesse THis Booke Good Sir the issue of my braine Though farre vnworthy of your worthy view Yet I in duty offer it to you In hope you Gently it will entertaine And though the Method and the Phrase be plaine Not Artlike writ as to the stile is due Yet is it voyde of any thing vntrue And truth I know your fauour shall obtaine The many fauours I from you haue had Hath forc'd me thus to shew my thankefull minde And of all faults I know no vice so bad And hatefull as ingratefully inclinde A thankefull Heart is all a poore mans pelfe Which with this Booke I giue your Worthy Selfe Your Worships euer most obliged IOHN TAYLOR THE SEVERALL SIEGES ASSAVLTS SACKINGS AND FINALL DESTRVCTION OF the Famous Ancient and memorable Citty of IERVSALEM THe Iustice Mercy and the Might I sing Of heau'ns inst mercifull Almighty KING By whose fore-knowledge all things were elected Whose power hath all things made al protected Whose Mercies flood hath quencht his Iustice flame Who was is shall be One and still the same Who in the Prime when all things first began Made all for Man and for himselfe made Man Made not begotten or of humane birth No Sire but God no Mother but the Earth Who ne'r knew Childhood of the â—ucking teate But at the first was made a man compleat Whose inward Soule in God-like forme did shine As Image of the Maiestie Diuine Whose supernaturall wisedome beyond Nature Did name each sensible and sencelesse creature And from whose Star-like Sand-like Generation Sprung euery Kindred Kingdome Tribe and Nation All people then one language spake alone Interpreters the world then needed none There liued then no learned deepe Grammarians There were no Turkes no Scythians no Tartarians Then all was one and one was onely all The language of the vniuersall Ball. Then if a Traueller had gone as farre As from the Artick to th' Antartick starre If he from Boreas vnto Auster went Or from the Orient to th' Occident Which way soeuer he did â—â—â— or minde He had beene sure his Country-man to find One hundred thirty winters since the Flood The Earth one onely language vnderstood Vntill the sonne of Cush the sonne of Cham A proud cloud-scaling Towre began to frame Trusting that if the world againe were drown'd He in his lofty building might rest sound All future Floods he purposd to preuent Aspiring to Heau'ns glorious Battlement But high Iehouah with a puff was able To make ambitious Babel out a bable For what is man that he should dare resist The great Almighties pow'r who in his fist Doth gripe Eternity and when he please Can make and vnmake Heau'n and Earth Seas For in their expectation of conclusion He plag'd them all with sundry Tongues confusion Such Gibrish Gibble Gabble all did tangle Some laugh some fret all prate all diffring wrangle One calls in Hebrew to his working Mate And he in Welch Glough wheâ— Comrage doth prate Another gapes in English or in Scotch And they are answer'd in the French or Dutch Caldaicke Syriacke and Arabian Greeke Latine Tuscan and Armenian The Transiluaniae and Hungarian The Persian and the rude Barbarian All these and diuers more then I can number Misunderstanding tongues did there incumber Thus he that sits in Heau'n their plots derided And in their height of pride their tongues deuided For in this sudden vnexpected chang The wife and husband Sire and sonne were strange The Brother could not vnderstand the Brother The Daughter stands amazed at her Mother By euery one a seuerall part is acted And each vnto the other seemesdistracted Thus by the iustice of the Lord of Hosts Each seuerall tongue was driu'n to seuerall coasts And GOD peculiar to himselfe did chuse His most beloued yet hard-hearted Iewes Iehouahs honor with them then did dwetl His name was onely knowne in Israel Salem his habitation was of yore In Sion men his Glory did adore Th' Eternall Trine and Trine Eternall One In Iury then was called on alone The sonnes of Heber were the adopted stocke Gods onely Chosen holy sacred Flocke Amongst all Nations them he onely lik'd And for his owne vse them he culd and pik'd Them his sin-killing sauing word he gaue T' instruct them what condemn'd and what would saue To them he gaue his word his Couenants band His Patriarks his Prophets and his hand Did blesse defend instruct correct and guide The Iewes and no one Nation else beside For them a world of wonders hath he done To them he sent his best begotten Sonne On them a Land he freely did bestow Where milke and hony plentiously did flow With them he was till they from him did turne And wilfully against his blessings spurne All heau'nly earthly Soules or Bodies good They lack'd no temp'rall or eternall food His Temple builded in Ierusalem Where he had daily sacrifice from them Where though their seruice was defect and lame Th' Almighties mercy did accept the same For though Mans sin is great God hath decreed To take his best endeuour for a deed And whilst they in his loue and feare abode They were his people he their gracious God But when impieties began to breed And ouergrow old Iacobs sacred seed When they from good to bad began to fall From ill to worse from worst to worst of all When Gods great mercies could not them allure And his sharp threatnings could not them procure When each ones body was vnto the soule A lothsome Dungeon to a prisoner foule When sin al shamelesse the whole Land o'rspreads Then God threw dreadful vengeance on their heads And for their heynous heaping sin on sin Ierusalem hath oft assaulted bin First Shishak Egypts King with might and maine Made hauock there in Rehoboams Raigne The Citty Temple Golden vessels Shielas All as a prey to the Egyptians yeelds Next loas came the King of Israel In Amaziahs dayes with fury fell He brought Iudea to Samariaes thrall King Kingdome Princes Peeres and people all Then thirdly Rezin King of Aram came In Abaz time with sword and furious flame Th' Assyrian great Zonach'rib was
seeth and hee that made the care heareth and he will also giue them their eternall wages in the world to come except true repentance and remission as is most seuerely threatned in many places of holy Scripture In briefe to conclude take Christs counsell Sweare not at all Mat. 5. 34. Except lawfully and trully before a Magistrate for the confirmation of a truth which kind of oath or swearing is for Gods glory and commanded by himselfe as it is written in Deut. â—6 13. Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serue him and shalt Sweare by his Name And Ler. 4. 2. Thou shalt sweare The Lord liueth and thou shalt sweare by his Name Deut. 10. 20. and againe Euery tongue shall sweare by me Esay 45. 23. and againe And he that sweareth in the earth shall sweare by the true God These sorts of oathes are so lawfull that Gods glory in them is manifested Iustice dignified Contentions pacified In this sort when thou swearest God onely must bee thy oath for it is for his glory that an oath taken lawfully in his Name is the decision of truth because he is the God of truth and he is a iealous God and will net giue his glory to another Esay 48.11 And let it be thy greatest care to hold esteeme the Name of God in such reuerence and feare that thou neuer dost name or mention him but with adoration and admiration ' let the faithlesse Iew be thy patterne who doth neuer Name God in any Curse oath or vnreuerend maner let the misbeleeuing Turke teach thee for he will not abuse his false deceiuing Prophet Mahomet let the Pagan reach thee who with such dutifull blindnesse doe adore base and contemptible Creatures let Gods mercies moue thee to loue him so that liuing here in his feare and departing hence in his fauour thou maist be for euer partaker of his euerlasting Loue which God graunt for the Name and sake of Iesus Christ the Righteous to whom with the Father holy Ghost be obediently aud duely rendred by men and Angels all honour glory might Maiesty dominion and thankesgiuing now and for euermore Christian admonitions against the two fearefull sinnes of Cursing Swearing that the grieuousnesse of those sinnes may be loth remembred and auoyded whereby the hatred of them may possesse the heart of euery Christian. Against Cursing FIrst if thou wilt liue in a holy feare and reuerence of the Name of God thou must consider what thou art and learne to know thy selfe for he that truely knoweth himselfe is aman of very happy acquaintance for by this thou shalt know thy selfe to be Earth Gen. 2. 7. conceiu'd in sinne Psal. 51. 5. Borne to paine Iob 5. 7. Euill Eccle. 9. 3. Wretched Rom. 7. Filthy Iob 15. Corrupt abominable doing nothing good Psal. 14. Mortall Rom. 6. Vaine Psal 62. Wicked Esay 9. Vnprofitable Rom. 3. Vanitie altogether more light then Vanitie Psal. 62. Sinfull 1 Kings 8. Miserable 1 Câ—rinth 15. Dust and Ashes Gen. 18. Gods enemy Rom. 8. A child of wrath Ephesians 2. 3. A worme Iob 25. Wormes meare Esay 51. Nothing yea lesse then nothing Esay 40. 17. Hauing thus by the Touch-stone of Gods Word tryed and examined thy miserable estate and condition and therewithall knowing thy selfe then on the other side consider as neere as thy frailty will permit the power of God in creating thee his mercy in Redeeming thee his loue in preseruing thee his bounty in keeping thee his promise to glorisie thee in Heauen if thou honour him on earth and his Iudgements to condemne thee if thou blaspheme and dishonour him Our Sauiour Christ being the Head of Blessednesse and of all that are or shall bee blessed how is it possible that any Accursed or Cursing person can bee a member of that Blessed Head who hath expressely forbidden vs to Curse but to blesse them that Curse vs Luke 6. Mat. 5. Rom. 12. And in the 1â— 9. Psalme It is said to him that accustomes himselfe to Curse Cursing was his delight therefore shall it happen vnto him he loued not blessing therefore it shall be farre from him And seeing no man can merit the least part of blessings remporall how or with what face can one that liues accursedly or vseth cursing here hope for a Kingdome of Eternall blessednesse hereafter It is fearefull to heare how and with what cold dulnesse many men doe pray for blessings either for themselues or for other and contrarily with what vehemency they will Curse as some haue willed and wished themselues Gods Plague the Pox and other mischiefes and some haue too often bid the Deuill take them God Sinke them Renounce Confound Consume Refuse and Damne them and yet these filly gracelesse earth-wormes haue an ambitious deceitfull ayme to be blessed partakers of the blessed Kingdome of Heauen Therefore if thou hast a desire of Eternall blessednesse know that the way thither is not by Cursing if thou hast a hope to escape the dreadfull sentence of Goe yee Cursed Mat. 25. Then giue thy mind to prayer and blessing and then shalt thou haue the ioyfull welcome of Come ye blessed inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world To the which God of his mercy bring vs all Amen Against Swearing HAuing with a Christian humilitie considered thy owne base and contemptible estate and condition then thinke with thy selfe what an Incomprehensible Glorious Infinite and Almighty Maiestie thou offendest and blasphemest with thy vngodly Swearing who hath said that he will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his Name in vaine And much better were it at the last day for that miserable wretch that he had beene created a Toade a Viper or the most loathsome creature then to appeare before that great dreadfull Tribunall and there to be accused by the Deuill and his owne conscience for Swearing and for Forswearing and Blaspheming the blessed Name of the Eternall God where no excuse can serue no Aduocate can plead no Proxey or Enoyne is to be granted but presently the guilty Caitif is commanded to vtter darkenesse and perpetuall torments There is some excuse for the ignorant Iewes that crucified our Sauiour because they knew not what they did but for a professed Christian who knowes God to be his Creator and that Iesus Christ paid no lesse then the peerelesse and most precious blood of his heart fore mans Redemption how can any one that knowes and beleeues these things hope for saluation by that blood wounds heart and body which he so often blasphemes and teares betwixt his accursed teeth So that there is no Traytor so bad or treason so great as is against the Maiestie of heauen nor hath the Deuill any that doth him more pleasing seruice then an odious and common Swearet doth and herein he goes beyond all the Deuils in hell in impiety and contempt of God for Saint Iames saith Cap. 2. 19. That the Deuils doe beleeue there is a God and that they
the next By whom good Hezekiab was perplext But when blasphemous Pagans puft with pride Contemptuously the God of gods deside The Lord of Lorâ—s whom no pow'r can withstand Tooke his owne gracious glorious cause in hand He vs'd no humane Arme or speare or sword But with his All-commanding mighty Word One Angell sent to grisly Plutoes den A hundred eighty and fiue thousand men Then fiftly was Ierusalem subdude In Iudaes blood th' â—â—â—yrians hands imbrude Manasses godlesse Glory did expire All yeeld vnto th' insulting foes desire Vsurping Conquest all did seaze vpon The King in chaines-bound sent to Babylon Till he repenting to his God did call Who heard his cry and freed him out of thrall Then sixtly Pharaob-Necho Egypts King To great distresse all Iudaes Land did bring With fell confusion all the Kingdome fill'd And with a Dart good King Iosias kill'd The Shepheard for his wandring sheep was strook The godly Prince from godlesse people tooke So this iust zealous and religious Prince Whose like scarce euer Raign'd before or since Th' Almighty to himselfe did take agen As knowing him too good for such bad men Nabuchadnezer next made them obey When Zedekiah did the Scepter sway King Kingdome Peeres and people all o'rethrown All topsie-turuy spoyld and tumbled downe The curst Caldeans did the King surprize Then slew his Sons and next pluck'd out his eyes Then vnto Babylon he was conuayde In Chaines in Priso and in Darknesse layde Till death his Corps did from his soule deuide He liu'd a slaue and sadly gladly dyde The Citty and the Temple burnt and spoyld With all pollution euery place was soyld The holy vessels all away were borne The sacred Garments which the Priests had worne All these the Caldees voyde of all remorce Did cary vnto Babylon perforce Which seuenty yeeres in slauery and much woe They kept and would by no meanes let them goe Till Persian Cyrus did Earths glory gaine Who freed the Iewes and sent them home againe He rendred backe their vessels and their store And bad them build their Temple vp once more Which many yeeres in glorious state did stand Till Piolomy the King of Egypts band Surpriz'd the Iewes and made them all obey Assaulting them vpon the Sabbath day Next after that from Rome great Pompey came And Iudaes force by force perforce did tame Then did the Caesars beare the earthly sway The vniuersall world did them obey And after that the Romane pow'r did place The Idumean Herods gracelesse Grace Him they created Tetrarch demy King 'Gainst whom the Iewes did boldly spurne and â—ling For they had sworne that none but Dauids seed In the seat Royall euer should succeed But Sossius and King Herods Armies strength Did ouer-run them all in breadth and length By hostile Armes they did them all prouoke To beare the burthen of their awfull yoke And lastly when the Romanes ouer-run By valiant Titus old Vespasians sonne Then fell they to an vnrecouer'd wane They all in generall were or slaine or tane Then was the extirpation of them all Their iust worst last most fatall finall fall Thus mercy being mock'd pluckd iudgmeÌ„t down Gods fauour being scorn'd prouokes his frowne Aboue all Nations he did them respect Below all Nations he did them deiect Most vnto them his fauour was addicted Most vpon them his fury was inflicted Most neere most deare they were to him in loue And farthest off his wrath did them remoue He blest he curst he gaue and then he tooke As they his Word obeyde or else forsooke How oft Iebouab seem'd his sword to draw To make them feare his precepts and his Law How oft he raisd them when they hedlong fell How oft he pardond when they did rebell How long did Mercy shiue and Iustice winke When their foule crimes before Gods face did stinke How oft Repentance like a pleasing sauour Repurchasd Gods abused gracious fauour When he did blessings vpon blessings heape Then they ingratefull held them meane and cheape Their plenty made them too too much secure They their Creators yoke would not endure They gracelesse fell from goodnesse from grace And kick'd and spurn'd at Heau'ns most glorious face The Prophets and the Seers that were sent To warne them to amendment repent They ston'd they kill'd they scorn'd they heat they bound Their goodnesse to requite their spight did wound The Prophets came with loue and purchas'd hate They offred peace and were return'd debate They came to saue and were vniustly spill'd They brought them life and were vnkindly kill'd No better entertainment they afford Vnto the Legates of their louing Lord. Thus were the Lab'rers in GODS Vineyard vsde Thus was their loue their care their paines abusde Their toyles and trauailes had no more regard Bonds death and tortures was their best reward At last th' Almighty from his glorious seat Perceiu'd his seruants they so ill intreat No more would send a Prophet or a Seer But his owne Sonne which he esteem'd most deare He left his high Tribunall and downe came And for all Glory enterchang'd all shame All mortall miseries he vnderwent To cause his loued-louelesse Iewes repent By Signes by Wonders and by Miracles By Preaching Parables and Oracles He wrought sought their faithlesse faith to cure But euer they obdurate did endure Our blest Redeemer came vnto his owne And 'mongst them neither was receiu'd or knowne He whom of all they should haue welcom'd best They scorn'd and hated more then all the rest The GOD of principalities and pow'rs A Sea of endlesse boundlesse mercy showres Vpon the heads of these vnthankefull men Who pay loue hate and good with ill agen Their murdrous-minded-malice neuer lest Till they the Lord of life of life bereft No tongue or pen can speake or write the story Of the surpassing high immortall glory Which he in pitty and in loue forsooke When he on him our fraile weake nature tooke To saue Mans soule his most esteemed â—era And bring it to the new Ierusalem From Greatest great to least of least he fell For his belouee chosen Israel But they more mad then madnesse in behauiour Laid cursed hands vpon our blessed Sauiour They kill'd th'ternall Sonne and Heirs of Heau'n By whom and from whom all our liues are giu'n For which the great Almighty did refuse Disperse and quite forsake the saithlesse Iewes And in his Iustice great omnipotence He left them to a reprobated sence Thus sundry times these people fell and rose From weale to want from height of ioyes to woâ—â—â— As they their gracious GOD forsooke or tooke His mercy either tooke them or forsooke The swart Egyptians and the Isralites And raging Rezin King of Aramnes Then the Assyrians twice and then againe Th' Egyptians ouer-run them all amaine Then the Caldeans and once more there came Egyptian Ptolomy who them o'recame Then Pompey next King Herod last of all Vespasian was their vniuersall fall As in Assyria Monarchy began They lost it to the
the seditious kill'd That with the stench of bodies putrifide A number numberles of people dyde And buriall to the dead they yeelded not But where they fell they let them stinke and rot That plague and sword and famine all three stroue Which should most bodies froÌ„ their soules remoue Vnsensible of one anothers woes The Soldiers then the liueles corpses throwes By hundreds and by thousands o're the walls Which when the Romans saw their dismall falls They told to Titus which when he perceiu'd He wept and vp t'ward heau'n his hands he heau'd And called on GOD to witnes with him this These slaughters were no thought or fault of his Those wretches that could scape from out the City Amongst their foes found â—oth reliefe and pity If the seditious any catch that fled Without remorse they straitway strook him dead Another misery I must vnfold A many Iewes had swallow'd store of gold Which they supposd should help them in their need But from this treasure did their â—aâ—e proceed For being by their en'mies fed and cherisht The gold was cause that many of them perisht Amongst them all one poore vnhappy creature Went priuatly to doe the need of Nature And in his Ordure for the Gold did looke Where being by the straggling soldiers tooke They ript him vp and searcht his maw to finde What Gold or Treasure there remain'd behind In this sort whilst the soldiers gap'd for gaine Was many a man and woman ript and slaine In some they found gold and in many none For had they gold or not gold all was one They were vnboweld by the barb'rous foe And search'd if they had any gold or no. But now my Story briefly to conclude Vespasians forces had the walls subdude And his triumphant Banner was displaide Amidst the streets which made the Iewes dismaid Who desp'rate to the Temple did retire Which with vngodly hands they set on fire Whilst Noble Titus with exceeding care Entreated them they would their Temple spare Oh saue that house quoth he ô quench oh slake And I will spare you for that Houses sake Oh let not after-times report a Storie That you haue burnt the worlds vnmatched glory For your owne sakes your children and your wiues If you doe looke for pardon for your liues If you expect grace from Vespasians hand Then saue your Temple Titus doth command The Iewes with hearts hard offred mercy heard But neither mercy or themselues regard They burnd and in their madnes did confound King Salomons great Temple to the ground That Temple which did thirty millions cost Was in a moment all consum'd and lost The blest Sanctum Sanctorum holiest place Blest oft with high Iehouahs sacred Grace Where at one offring as the Text sayes plaine Were two and twenty thousand Oxen slaine One hundred twenty thousand Sheepe beside At the same time for an oblation dide That house of God which raignes aboue the thunder Whose glorious fame made all the world to woÌ„der Was burnt and ransackt spight of humane aide And leuell with the lowly ground was laid Which when Vespasian and young Titus saw They cride kill kill vse speed and marshall Lavv The Roman soldiers then inspirde with rage Spard none slew all respect no sex or age The streets were drowned in a purple flood And slaughterd carcasses did swim in blood They slew whilst there were any left to slay The ablest men for slaues they bare away Iohn Simon and Eleazer wicked fiends As they deseru'd were brought to violent ends And from the time the Romanes did begin The siege vntill they did the Citty win Sedition sword fire famine all depriues Eleuen hundred thousand of their liues Besides one hundred thousand at the least Were tane and sold as each had beene a beast And from the time it was at first erected Till by the Remanes it was last deiected It stood as it in histories appeares Twenty one hundred seuenty and nine yeeres But yet ere God his vengeance downe did throw What strange prodigious wonders did he show As warnings how they should destruction shun And cause them to repent for deeds misdon First the Firmament Th' offended Lord Shewd them a Comet like a fiery sword The Temple and the Altar diuers nights Were all enuiron'd with bright burning lights And in the middest of the Temple there Vnnat'rally a Cow a Lambe did beare The Temples brazen gate no bolts restraine But of it selfe it open flew amaine Arm'd Men and Chariots in the Ayre assembled The pondrous Earth affrighted quak'd trembled A voyce cride in the Temple to this sence Let vs depart let vs depart from hence These supernat'rall accidents in summe Foretold some fearefull iudgement was to come But yet the Iewes accounted them as toyes Or scarcrow buggâ—beares to fright wanton â—oyes Secure they reuell'd in Ierusalem They thought these signes against their foes not them But yet when â—â—â—â— and death had all perform'd When ruine spoyle furious flames had storm'd Who then the desolated place had seene Would not haue knowne there had a Citty beene Thus Iuda and Ierusalem all fell Thus was fulfill'd what Christ did once foretell Sad deseletion all their ioyes bereft And one stone on another was not left FINIS TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND TRVELY VER I VOVS LADY and Noble Patronesse of good endeauours MARY Countesse of BVCKINGHAM Right Honourable Madame AS the Graces the Vertues the Senses and the Muses are emblem'd or alluded to your Noble sex and as all these haue ample residence in your worthy disposition To whom then but to your selfe being a Lady in goodnesse compleat should I commit the patronage of the memory of the great Lady of Ladies Mother to the High and Mighty Lord of Lords And though I a Taylor haue not apparell'd her in such garments of elocution and ornated stile as befits the glory and eminency of the least part of her Excellency yet I beseech your Honor to accepther for your owne worth and her Sonnes worthinesse which Son of hers by his owne merits and the powerfull mercy of his Father I heartily implore to giue your Honour a participation of his gracious Mothers eternall felicity Your Honours in all humble seruice to be commanded IOHN TAYLOR The Argument and cause of this Poem BEing lately in Antwerpe it was my fortune to ouerlooke an old printed booke in prose which I haue turned into verse of the life death and buriall of our blessed Lady wherein I read many things worthy of obseruation and many things friuolous and impertinent out of which I haue like a Bee suckt the sacred honey of the best authorities of Scriptures and Fathers which I best credited and I haue left the poyson of Antichristianisme to those where I found it whose stomackes can better digest it I haue put it to the Presse presuming it shall be accepted of Pious Protestants and charitable Catholikes as for luke-warme Nutarlists that are neither hot nor cold they doe offend my appetite and
Did in his Mothers belly leape with ioy Both Christ and Iohn vnborae yet Iohn knew there His great Redeemer and his God was neere When Ioseph his pure wife with child espide And knew he neuer her accompanide His heart was sad he knew not what to say But in suspect would put her quite away Then from the high Almighty Lord supreme An Angell came to Ioseph in a Dreame And said Feare not with MARY to abide For that which in her blest wombe doth recide Is by the Holy Ghost in wonder done For of thy wise there shall be borne a Sonne From him alone Redemption all begins And he shall saue his people from their sinnes This being said the Angell past away And Ioseph with his Virgin-wife did stay Then he and she with speed prepared them To goe to Dauids Citty Bethelem Through winters weather frost wind and snow Foure weary daies in trauell they bestow But when to Bethlem they approched were Small friendship lesse welcome they found there No chamber nor no fire to warme them at For harbor onely they a Stable gat The Inne was full of more respected guests Of Drankards Swearers and of godlesse beasts Those all had roomes whilst Glory and all Grace But among beasts could haue no lodging place There by protection of th' Almighties wing Was borne the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Our God with vs our great Emanuel Our Iesus and our vanquisher of hell There in a cratch a â—â— well was brought forth More then ten thousand thousand worlds is worth There did the humane nature and diuine The Godhead with the Manhood both combine There was this Maiden-mother brought to bed Where Oxen Kine and Horses lodg'd and fed There this bright Queene of Queenes with heau'nly my Did hug her Lord her Life her God her Boy Her Sonne her Sauiour her immortall Blisse Her sole Redeemer she might rocke and kisse Oh blessed Lady of all Ladies blest Blessed for euer for thy sacred brest Fed him that all the famisht soules did feed Of the lost sheepe of Israels forlorne seed A Stable being Heau'n and earths great Court When forty dayes were ended in that sort This Virgin-Mother and this Maiden-Bride All pure yet by the Law was purifide Old Simeon being in the Temple than He saw the Sonne of God and Sonne of man He in his aged armes the Babe imbrac'd And ioying in his heart he so was grac'd He with these wordswisht that his life might cease Lord let thy Seruant now depart in peace Mine eyes haue seene thy great saluation My Loue my Iesus my Redemption Vnto the Genteles euerlasting light To Israel the glory and the might Hope faith and zeale truth constancy and loue To sing this Song did good old Simeon moue Then turning to our Lady most diuine Thy Sonne said he shall once stand for a signe And he shall be the cause that many shall By faith or vnbeliefe arise or fall He shall be raild vpon without desert And then sorrowes sword pierce through thy heart As Iesus fame grew dayly more and more The tyrant Herod is amazed sore The Sages said Borne was great Iudaes King Which did vsurping Herods conscience fling For Herod was an Idumean base Not of the Kings of Iudahs Royall Race And hearing one of Dauids true-borne Line Was borne he fear'd his State he should resigne And well he knew he kept the Iewes in awe With slauish feare not loue 'gainst right and law For t is most true A Prince that 's fear'd of many Must many feare and scarce be lou'd of any Herod beleaguer'd with doubts feares and woes That Iesus should him of his Crowne depose He Chaf'd and vext and almost grew starke mad To vsurpation he did murther adde An Edict sprung from his hell-hatched braine Commanding ad male Infants should be slaine Of two yeares old and vnder through the Land Supposing Iesus could not scape his hand But God to Ioseph downe an Angell sent Commanding him by slight he should preuent The murd'rers malice and to Egypt flye To saue our Sauiour siem his tyranny Our blessed Lady with a carefull flight Her blessed Babe away did beare by night Whilst Bethelem with bloody villaines swarmes That murth'red Infants in their mothers armes Some slaughter'd in their cradles some in bed Some at the dugge some newly borne strucke dead Some sweetly fast asleepe some smiles ewake All butcher'd for their Lord and Sauiours sake Their wofull mothers madly here and there Ran rending of their checkes their eyes and haire The Tyrant they with execrations curst And in despaire to desp'rate acts out-burst Some all in sury end their wofull liues By banefull poison halters or by kniues And som with sorrow were so fast combin'd They wept and wept and wept themselues starke blind And being blind to lengthen out their mones They piec'd their sorrows out with sighs grones Thus with vnceasing griefe in many a mother Teares sighs groues did one succeede the other But till the Tyrant Herods dayes were done The Virgin staid in Egypt with her Sonne Then backe to Nazareth they return'd againe When twelue yeeres age our Sauiour did attaine Her Sonne her selfe her Husband all of them Together trauell'd to Ierusalem The Virgin there much sorrow did endure The Most pure Mother lost her Child most pure Three daies with heauy hearts with care thought Their best belou'd they diligently sought But when she found her Lord she held most deare Ioy banisht griefe and loue exiled feare There in the Temple Iesus did confute The greatest Hebrew Doctors in dispute But Doctors all are dunces in this case To parley with th' Eternall Sonne of Grace Th' Immortall mighty Wisedome and the Word Can make all humane sapience meere absurd Soone after this as ancient Writers say God tooke the Virgins Virgin-spouse away Good Ioseph dide and went to heauenly rest Blest by th' Almighties mercy mongst the blest Thus Mary was of her Good-man â— creâ—t A Widdow Maiden Mother being lose In holy contemplation she did spend Her life for such a life as n'er shall end Search but the Scriptures as our Sauiour bid There shall you find the wonders that he did As first how he by his high power diuine At Canan turned Water into Wine How he did heale the blind deafe dumb lame How with his word he winds and seas did tame How he from men possest siends dispossest How he to all that came gaue ease and rest How with two fishes and fiue loaues of bread He fed fiue thousand how he rais'd the dead How all things that he euer did or taught Past and surpast all that are taught or wrought And by these miracles he sought each way To draw soules to him too long gene altray At last approacht the full preâ—xed time That GODS blest Sonne must dye for mans curst crime Then Iesus to Ierusalem did goe And left his Mother full of griefe and woe Oh woe of woes and
pleasure And put repentance off to our last leasure To shew vs though we liu'd like Iewes and Turkes Yet Gods great mercy is aboue his workes To warne vs not presume or to despaire Here 's good example in this theeuing paire These seas of care with zealous fortitude This Virgin past among the multitude Oh gracious patterne of a sex so bad Oh the supernall patience that she had Her zeale her constancy her truth her loue The very best of women her doth proue Maids wiues and mothers all conforme your liues To hers the best of women maides or wiues But as her Sonnes death made her woes abound His resurrection all griefe did confound She saw him vanquish't and inglorious And after saw him Victor most victorious She saw him in contempt to lose his breath And after that she saw him conquer death She saw him blest a cursed death to dye And after saw him rise triumphantly Thus she that sorrowed most had comfort most Ioy doubly did returne for gladnesse lost And as before her torments tyranniz'd Her ioy could after not be equalliz'd Her Sonnes all-wondred resurrection Her Sauiours glorious ascension And last the Holy Ghost from heauen sent downe These mighty mercies all her ioyes did crowne Suppose a man that were exceeding poore Had got a thousand tunnes of golden ore How would his heart be lifted vp with mirth As this great masse of treasure most part earth But to be rob'd of all in 's height of glory Would not this lucklesse man be much more sory Then euer he was glad for in the minde Griefe more then ioy doth most abiding finde But then suppose that after all this lâ—sse The gold is well refined from the dresse And as the poore man doth his losse complaine His weath more pure should be relâ—â— againe Amidst his passions in this great reliefe I doubt not but his ioy would conquer griefe Euen so our bressed Lady hauing lost Her ioy her lewell she esteemed most Her all in all the heau'n and earths whole treasure Her gracious heart was grieued out of measure But when she found him in triumphant state No tongue or pen her ioy cou'd then relate She lost him poore and â—are and dead and cold She found him rich most glâ—â—â— to behold She lost him when vpon his backe was hurld The burthen of the sinnes of all the World She lost him mortall and immortall found him For crown of thorns a crown of glory crownd him Thus all her griefes her losse her cares and paine Return'd with ioyes inestimable gaine But now a true relation I will make How this blest Virgin did the world forsake 'T is probable that as our Sauiour bid Saint Iohn to take her home that so he did And it may be suppos'd she did abide With him and in his house vntill she dide Iohn did out-liue th'Apostles euery one For when Domitian held th' Imperiall Throne To th'Ile of Pathmos he was banisht then And there the Reuelation he did pen But whilst Iohn at Ierusalem did stay God tooke the blessed Virgins life away For after Christs Ascension it appeares She on the earth suruiued fifteene yeeres Full sixty three in all she did endure A sad glad pilgrimage a life most pure At sixty three yeeres age her life did fade Her soule most gracious was most glorious made Where with her Son her Sauiour her Lord God She euerlastingly hath her abode In such fruition of immortall glory Which cannot be describ'd in mortall story There mounted meelâ—e she sits in Maiesty Exalted there is her humility There she that was adorned full of Grace Beheld her Maker and Redeemers face And there she is amongst all blessed spirits By imputation of our Sauiours merits She there shall euer and for euer sing Eternall praise vnto th' Eternall King When she had paid the debt that all must pay When from her corps her soule was past away To Gethsemany with lamenting cheare Her sacred body on the Beere they beare There in the earth a Iewell was inter'd That was before all earthly wights prefer'd That Holy wife that Mother that pure Maid At Gethsemany in her graue was laid LENVOY This worke deserues the worke of better wit But I like Pilate say What 's writ is writ If it be lik'd poore artlesse I am glad And Charity I hope will mend what 's bad I know my selfe the meanest amongst men The most vnlearnedst that e'r handled pen But as it is into the world I send it And therefore pray commend it or come to end it FINIS TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WORTHY and Learned Gentleman S r. THOMAS Richardson Knight Lord Chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Court of Common Pleas and Speaker in the High Court of PARLIAMENT c. A double Anagramme THOMAS RICHARDSON AS MAN HONORDE CHRIT SO CHRIST HONERD A MAN YOur name includes that As Man honorde Christ So God againe through Christ honord a Man For if Man truely honor the most High'st Then Christ to honor Man both will and can Right Worthy Lord this in your name is true You honor Christ and Christ hath honord you RIGHT HONOVRABLE BVt that I am assured that your Noble disposition in all parts is sutable to the inside of this Booke I should neuer haue dared to Dedicate it to your Patronage for as it is a Diuine Poem so haâ—â— your Worship a religious heart As it hath an honest intention so haue you a brest euer full of â—â—â— thoughts which bring forth worthy actions as it is a whip or Scourge against all sorts of priat so hâ—â—e you euer beene an vfaigned louer of Courteous humanity and humility I humbly beseech your Honour although the method and stile be plaine to be pleased to giue it fauourable entertainment for the honesty that is in it and the dutifull affection of the Author Who is most obsequiously obliged to your Honour IOHN TAYLOR TO NO MATTER VVHO NO GREAT MATTER VVHERE YET TO BE READ THERE IS MATTER WHY ALTHOVGH NOT MVCH MATTER WHEN IT is no matter in whose hands or censure this my Superibae Flagellum or Whipping or Stripping of Pride fall into If it come into the view of true Nobility or Gentry I know it will be charitably accepted If into the hands of degenerate yongsters that esteeme Pride more then all the Liberall Sciences who account the foure Cardinall vertues inferiour to their owne carnall vices such a one will put me off with a scornefull tush a pish or a mew and commit my Booke to the protection of Ajax If a wise man reade it I know it will be discreetly censur'd if a Foole his Bolt is soone shot and I am arm'd against it if a Learned man peruse it he will beare with my bad Schollership if an vnlearned I care not for his opinion if a man of knowledge view it he will pardon my ignorance if an ignorant Asse see it he will bray out his owne if an honest rich man spy it he will be
to you Next to the Court in generall I am bound To you for many friendships I haue found There when my purse hath often wanted bait To fill or feed it I haue had receite So much for that I 'le now no more rehearse They shew their loues in prose my thankes in verse When death Mecanas did of life depriue Few of his Noble Tribe were left aliue This makes inuention to be meane and hard When Pride and Auarice doth kill reward And yet me thinkes it plainely doth appeare Mens writings are as good as e're they were Good lines are like a Banquet ill imployd Where too much feeding hath the stomack cloyd Good verses fall sometimes by course of fate Into their hands that are preiudicate And though the Writer n'er so well hath pend Yet they 'le find fault with what they cannot mend Thus many a learned well composed line Hath bin a Pearle that 's cast before a swine Or more familiarly to make compare Like Aqua vitae giuen vnto a Mare These fellowes glutted with variety Hold good lines in a loath'd saciety Whilst paltry Riming Libels Tigges and Iests Are to their appetites continuall feasts With which their fancies they doe feed and fill And take the Ill for good the Good for ill Whilst like to Mōkeyes scorning wholsome meate They greedily doe poysnous spiders eate So let them feed vntill their humours burst And thus much bold to tell them heere I durst That Poetry is now as good as euer If to bounty relieue her would endeuer Mens mindes are worse then they haue bin of yore Inuention's good now as it was before Let liberality awake and then Fach Poet in his hand will take a pen. And with rare lines inrich a world of paper Shall make Apollo and the Muses caper SVPERBIAE FLAGELLVM OR THE VVHIP OF PRIDE VVHen all things were as wrap'd in sable night And a If any man fetch his Story higher let him take my booke for nought Ebon darknes muffled vp the light When neither Sun or Moone nor Stars had shinde And when no fire no Water Earth or Wind No Haruest Autumne Winter when no Spring No Bird Beast Fish nor any creeping thing When there was neither Time nor place nor space And silence did the Chaos round imbrace Then did the Archwork master of this All Create this Massie Vniuersall Ball And with his mighty Word brought all to passe Saying but Let there be and done it was Let there be Day Night Water Earth Hearbs Trees Let there be Sunne Moone Stars Fish Fowle that flees Beasts of the Field he said but Let there be And all things were created as we see Thus euery sensible and senselesse thing The High-Creators Word to passe did bring And as in viewing all his workes he stood He saw that all things were exceeding good Thus hauing furnisht Seas and Earth and Skies Abundantly with all varieties Like a Magnificent and sumptuous Feast For th' entertainment of some welcome Guest When Beasts and Birds and euery liuing Creature And the Earths fruits did multiply by Nature Then did th' Eternall Trinity betake It selfe to Councell and said Let vs make Not Let there be as vnto all things else But LET VS MAKE MAN that the rest excels According TO OVR IMAGE LET VS MAKE MAN and then did th' Almightie Red Earth take With which he formed Adam euery limme And hauing made him breathed life in him Loe thus the first Man neuer was a Child No way with sinne originall defil'd But with high Supernat'rall Vnderstanding He ouer all the World had sole commanding Yet though to him the Regency was giuen As Earths Lieutenant to the God of Heauen Though he commanded all created things As Deputy vnder the King of Kings Though he I so highly here was dignifide To humble him not to be puff'd with Pride He could not brag or boast of high borne birth For he was formed out of slime and earth No beast fish worme fowle herbe weed stone or tree But are of a more ancient house then he For they were made before him which proues this That their Antiquity is more then his Thus both himselfe and his beloued Spouse Are by Creation of the younger house And whilst they liu'd in perfect Holinesse b Imperfect Holinesse and Righteousnesse Their richest Garments were bare Nakednesse True Innocency were their chiefest weeds For Righteousnesse no Masque or Visor needs The royal'st robes that our first Parents had Was a free Conscience with Vprightnesse clad They needed ne'r to shift the cloathes they wore Was Nakednesse and they desir'd no more Vntill at last that Hell-polluting sin With Disobedience soil'd their Soules within And hauing lost their holines Perfection They held their Nakednes an Imperfection Then being both asham'd they both did frame Garments as weedes of their deserued shame Thus when as sinne had brought Gods curse on man Then shame to make Apparell first began E're man had sin'd most plaine it doth appeare He neither did or needed Garments weare For his Apparell did at first beginne To be the Robes of penance for his sinne Thus all the brood of Adam and of Eue The true vse of Apparell may perceiue That they are Liueries Badges vnto all Of our sinnes and our Parents wofull fall Then more then mad these mad-brain'd people be Or else they see and will not seeme to see That these same Robes with Pride that makes them swell Are tokens that our best desert is hell a Comparison Much like vnto a Traytor to his King That would his Countrey to destruction bring Whose Treasons being prou'd apparantly He by the Law is iustly mg'd to dye And when he lookes for his deserued death A Pardon comes and giues him longer breath I thinke this man most madly would appeare That would a halter in a glory weare Because he with a halter merited Of life to be quite desinherited But if he should vainegloriously persist To make a Rope of silke or golden twist And weare 't as a more honourable show Of his Rebellion then course hempe or towe Might not men iustly say he were an Asse Triumphing that he once a Villaine was And that he wore a halter for the nonce In pride that he deserued hanging once Such with our heau'nly Father is the Case Of our first Parents and their sinfull Race Apparell is the miserable signe That we are Traytors to our Lord diuine And we like Rebels still most pride doe take In that which still most humble should vs make Apparell is the prison for our sinne Which most should shame yet most we Glory in Apparell is the sheete of shame as 't were Which for our penance on our backs we beare For man Apparell neuer did receiue Till he eternall Death deseru'd to haue And thus Apparell to our sense doth tell Our sinnes 'gainst Heau'n and our desert of Hell How vaine is it for man a clod of Earth To boast of his high progeny
Vertue blindes the eye And Vertue makes vice knowne apparantly When falsehood is examin'd and comparâ—d With Truth it makes truthhaue the more regard The Crow seemes blackest when the Swan stands neere And goodnes makes the ill most bad appeare So vertues that are contrary to vices Make them contemptible and base in prices a The praise of Humility Humility if it be well embrac'd It makes disdainfull Pride disdain'd disgrac'd Humility is a most heauenly gift The Stayre that doth to Glory men vp lift None but the meeke and lowly humbled spirit Shall true eternall happinesse inherit Those that are humble honour * Eecles 19. God alwayes And onely those will he to honour raise If thou be'st great in state giue thanks therefore And humble still thy selfe so much the more He that is humble loues his Christian brother And thinkes himselfe * Phil. 2. 3. inferiour to all other Those that are meeke the Lord shall euer guide And * Psal. 25. 9. Psal. 138. 6. teach them in his wayes still to abide For though the Lord be high he hath respect Vnto the * Prou. 22.4 lowly whom he will protect Humility and lowlinesse goes on Still before honour as saith Salomon He that is humble heere and free from strife Shall for * Mat. 23. 12. reward haue glory wealth and life He that himselfe doth humble certainly Our Sauiour saith shall be * Mat. 23. 12. exalted high He that with Christ will weare a glorious Crowne Must cast himselfe as Christ did humbly downe And like to the rebounding of a ball The way to rise must first be low to fall For God the Father will accept of none That put not on the meekenes of his Sonne If proudly thou doe lift thy selfe on high God and his blessings from thee still will fly But if thou humble meeke and lowly be God and his blessings will come downe to thee If thou wouldst trauell vnto heau'n then know Humility's the way that thou must goe If in presumptuous paths of Pride thou tread 'T is the right wrong way that to hell doth lead Know that thy birth attire strength beauty place Are giu'n vnto thee by Gods speciall grace Know that thy wisedome learning and thy wealth Thy life thy Princes fauour beauty health And whatsoeuer thou canst goodnes call Was by Gods bounty giu'n vnto thee all And know that of thine owne thou dost possesse Nothing but sinne and wofull wretchednes A Christians pride should onely be in this When he can say that God his Father is When grace and mercy vvell applide affoord To make him brother vnto Christ his Lord. When he vnto the holy Ghost can say Thou art my Schoolemaster whom I 'le obay When he can call the Saints his fellovves and Say to the Angels for my guard you stand This is a laudable and Christian pride To knovv Christ and to know him crucifi'd This is that meeke ambition lovv aspiring Which all men should be earnest in desiring Thus to be proudly humble is the thing Which vvill vs to the state of glory bring But yet bevvare pride hypocriticall Puts not humilities cloake on at all A lofty mind vvith lovvly cap and knee Is humble pride and meeke hypocrisie Ambitious mindes vvith adulating lookes Like courteous Crovvne-aspiring a King Henry the fourth Bullinbrookes As a great ship ill suited vvith small saile As Iudas meant all mischiefe cride All haile Like the humility of Absalon This shadovved pride much danger vvaites vpon These are the counterseite God saue yee Sirs That haue their flatteries in particulars That courteously can hide their proud intents Vnder varieties of complements These Vipers bend the knee and kisse the hand And sweare svveet Sir I am at your command And proudly make humility a screvv To vvring themselues into opinions vievv This pride is hatefull dangerous and vile And shall it selfe at last it selfe beguile Thus pride is deadly sin and sin brings shame Which here I leaue to hell from whence it came FINIS TO THE MOST HIGH AND ALMIGHTY God the Father Creator of the World and to the King of Kings Lord of Lords and onely Ruler of Princes Iesus Christ the Glorious Redeemer of the World And to the most holy Blessed Spirit the Comfort of all true Beleeuers and Sanctisier of the World Three Persons and one Eternall Omnipotent God MOst mighty gracious mercifull and glorious God that triest the heart and searchest the reines from whom no secret is hid in the assurance of thy neuer-failing clemency and hope of thy gracious acceptance I humbly offer to thy most dread Maiestie these my poore labours which out of thine owne Word and by and through thy blessed assistance I haue for the glory of thy great Name compiled I acknowledge my selfe the meanest of men and the most vnworthy of thy vnworthy seruants to present my polluted imperfect duty to thee that art the Fountaine of perfection purity and holinesse but thou that knowest mine intentions meeke and humble free from the expectation of worldly applause and onely ayming to reprehend and reforme the too much too frequent impieties of Cursing and Swearing so hatefull to thee and so abusiue to thy Law vpon the knees of my heart I prostrate my selfe before the feete of thy Mercy seate beseeching thee for thy Names sake too much prophaned for thy Glories sake too much abused for thy Sonnes sake who with thy selfe art neglected contemned and reuiled that thou wilt be pleased to arise O Lord and scatter thine enemies that though this worke of mine bee but weake and I the workeman far weaker yet through my frailty be thou pleased to shew thy power let my lines be like Shamgars Goad Iudges 3 31. Like Iaels Nayle Iudges 4.21 Or che Iawe-bone which Samson fought withall Iudges 15. Or Dauids Sling 1. Sam. 17. That through thy might these accursed Philistines with vncircumcised hearts may be either amended or confounded That all the reuiling Rabshakehs may be made to know that thou art icalous of thy glory so blesse I beseech thee these my labours that children reading them may be seasoned with a feare and reuerence of thy Maiestic that those who already doe hate Cursing and Swearing may hereby be the more confirmed in that godly hatred That the wretched carelesse blasphemers and accursed takers of thy Name in vaine may be ashamed reformed that thereby thou maist be glorified thy Church coÌ„forted and edified and our sinfull liues amended and finally our soules euerlastingly saued through thy meere and infinite mercy and our blessed Sauiours boundlesse merits To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all praise power and glory now and for euer Thy Eternall Maiesties lowest and least of thy vngracious seruants IOHN TAYLOR TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY MONARCH AND MY DREAD Soueraigne CHARLES by the Grace and Prouidence of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender c. My Gracious Soueraigne I Your Maiesties
Curse but the contrary wee are inioyned to blesse those that Curse vs and pray for them which hurt vs Luke 6. 28. The Curses of wicked persons are like arrowes shot vpright which are likely to fall vpon the heads of the shooters or as feathers cast into the wind which fly backe in the face of him or her that throw them yet is Cursing the last and poorest reuenge that can bee had for any iniury as when men are oppressed or ouer-borne that they haue no power or meanes to helpe or redresse themselues when friends credit power and money doe faile yet Cursing remaines as long as breath lasts they haue a bottomlesse inexhaustible treasure of Curses to bestow vpon any man whom they know or imagine hath wronged them But herein they shew how negligent they are in following the example of our Sauiour who prayed earnestly for his enemies yea euen for those that persecuted him to the most shamefull death of the Crosse with these words Father forgiue them they know not what they doe Yet doth the Prophet Dauid Curse his enemies most bitterly in the 55. Psalme and verse 15. and Psalme 59. verse 3. and Psalme 140. 9 10. But it must be considered that those whom Dauid did Curse were Atheists Heathen Infidels malicious vnrepentant Idolaters and blasphemers of the Diuine Maiestie and so they were Gods enemies and therefore Dauid by the Spirit of God had warrant to Curse them and yet if Dauid had Cursed his owne peculiar enemies it had beene no example for our imitation for wee are not to take the infirmities of the best and most glorious Saints and seruants of God for the Paterns to rule and square our liues by but it must be their vertuous conuersation that we all must take for our direction Holy Iob and Ieremie in their afflictions in the their fraile passions did curse the dayes of thir birth Iob 3. Ieremie 20. 14 15 16. It is fearefull to heare in these dayes with what feruency people doe Curse one another and how dull and coldly they pray to God either to auoide his Curse or obtaine his blessing Parents to their children wiues and husbands all degrees wishing most heauy Iudgements of God to fall one vpon another that although the Plague be but newly by the great Father of mercy taken from vs yet the mouthes of many are filled with the cursed desire and daily wishing for it againe But my deare brother I heartily beseech thee as thou hast a hope to heare one day that blessed voyce in the 25. of Saint Mathew of Come ye blessed by the hope and trust that you haue it shall be spoken to you auoide all manner of Cursing and bitter excerations And this shall suffice to finish this second part of this Treatise namely the Curse of Man to Man The third when Man Curseth himselfe THose Kinde of Cursers are most desperate daring sort of wretches who doe make so small account of the Curse that any man can pronounce or wish against them that they dare to desire Gods heauy Curses to fall vpon themselues and their families yea they are so hellish-mad that they will beate their brests and with lowd clamours as it were meete the vengeance of Heauen halfe-way to plucke it on their heads would so many else in theit desperate madnes desire God to Damne hein to Renbunce them to Forsake them to Confound them to Sinke them to Refuse them and would so many so earnestly beseech the Deuill to take them and Hell to receiue them if they did either loue Heauen hate Hell or loue themselues If they beleeued there were eternall Glory prepared for the Blessed and euerlasting torments for the Accursed they would neuer so violently wish or desire the other When Pontius Pilate sate in Iudgement vpon our Sauiour Iesus Christ his conscience knowing and his tongue affirming Christ to be iust yet himselfe called himselfe innocent of his blood although hee pronounced the vniust Sentence of death against him saying to the people I am innocenâ— of the blood of this lust manâ— looke you to it The people presently answered all and said His blood bee vpon vs and on our children Math. 27. 24 25. Which Curse how it tooke effect vpon them you may reade in Iosephus first Booke of the warres of the Iewes the 1. 2 and 3. chapters how that within lesse then 50. yeeres the Roman Emperour Vespasian with his sonne Tiâ—us besieged Ierusalem eighteene months in which space there dyed by Warre Famine and the Sword eleuen hundred thousand of them the City sacked and razed and the Iewes carryed away into perpetuall slauery and captiuity because they bought and sold the Sonne of God for thirty pence where for a further manifestation of the former Curse which they wished to fall on them and their posterity we see the Iewes at this day haue continued these sixteene hundred yeeres a dispersed and despised Nation ouer all the Earth being scorned and afflicted more then any others hauing neither Gouernment or Commonwealth but in most miserable bondage both of soule and body depriued both of heauenly doctrine and earthly comfort The Apostle Saint Peter Cursed himselfe Math. 26 74. But this was a suffering or permission of God whereby hee might know his owne weakenesse that so confidently would promise his Master Christ neuer to deny him and this example of Peters fall is left for our instruction as a Glasse or Mirrour of our humane frailty that seeing so glorious an Apostle and Saint of God when he presumed of himselfe to haue most ability of strength that then he fell most fearefully how then can we who are so many degrees short of his perfection so many steps below him in life and conuersation how can wee I say haue that foolish impudence as to put any trust or confidence in our owne strength which is but smoake or any thing but an assured faith in Christ Iesus But there are too too many that imitate the frailty of this blessed Saint in denying Christ and Cursing themselues but the number are but few which doe repent as Peter did and goe out and weepe bitterly which true repentance and vnsained contrition must be the meanes for the attainment of Gods pardon in our sins remission Note the seruant loue of that man of God Moses Exodus 32. 32. Which for the zeale which he bore to the glory of God the encrease of the Church and the hearty affection of the people when they had prouoked the Lords wrath that hee was ready to consume them for their idolatry with the Golden Calfe then Moses prayed for them that if God would not pardon their sinne hee prayed that he might be for euer blotted out of the Booke of life so much he did preferre Gods glory that rather then it should be so diminished he desired to vndergoe the grieuous Curse of eternall damnation The like example of zeale to Gods glory and loue of the forlorne and reiected Iewes is
should beheaded be The Earle of Flanders Philip did ordaine Their losse of life and goods that swore in vaine Saint Lewis the King of France enacted there That for the first time any one did sweare Into imprisonment one month was cast And stand within the Pillory at last But if the second time againe they swore One with an iron hot their tongues did bore And who the third time in that fault did slip Were likewise boared through the vnder-lip For the fourth time most gricuous paines belongs He caus'd to be cut off their lips and tongues Henry the fift of England that good King His Court to such conformity did bring That euery Duke should forty shillings pay For euery Oath he swore without delay Each Baron twenty Knights or Squires offence Paid tenne and euery Yeoman twenty pence The Boyes and Pages all were whipt most fine That durst abuse the Maiestie diuine Thus Pagan Princes with sharp lawes withstood Profaning of their Gods of stone or wood And Christian Kings and Rulers formerly Haue most seuerely punisht blasphemy And shall a Heathen or an Infidell That knowes no ioyes of Heauen or paines of Hell More reuerence to his deuillish Idols show Then we doe to the true God whom we know If we remembred well but what we were And what we are we would not dare to sweare Poore trunks of earth fill'd with vncertaine breath By nature heires to euerlasting death Most miserable wretches most ingrate 'Gainst God that did elect vs and create Redeem'd conseru'd preseru'd and sanctifi'd And giues vs hope we shall be glorifi'd H' hath giuen vs being life sense reason wit Wealth and all things his Prouidence thinkes fit And for requitall we quite voyde of grace Curse sweare and doe blaspheme him to his face Oh the supernall patience of our God That beares with Man a sin polluted clod When halfe such treasons 'gainst an earthly King Would many a Traytor to confusion bring Suppose a man should take a Whelp and breed him And stroke him make much of him feed him How will that curre loue him beyond all other Neuer forsaking him to serue another But if he should most disobediently Into his Masters face or throat to fly Sure euery man that liues vpon the ground Would say a hanging's sit for such a hound And worser then so many dogges are they That 'gainst their God with oathes do barke bray And if repentance doe not mercy win They 'll hang in Hell like Hell-hounds for that sin Of all black crimes from Belzebubs damn'd treasure This swearing sin no profit yeelds or pleasure Nor gaines the swearer here but earths vexation With change of his saluation for damnation It is a sinne that yeelds vs no excuse For what excuse can be for Gods abuse And though our other faults by death doe end Yet Blasphemy doth after death extend For to the damn'd in Hell this curse is giuen They for their paines blaspheme the God of Heauen Examples on the earth haue many beene As late in sundry places haue beene seene At Mantua two braue Russians in their games Swore and blasphem'd our blessed Sauiours name Where Gods iust iudgement full of feare dread Caus'd both their eyes to drop from out their head In Rome a childe but fiue yeeres old that swore Was snatcht vp by the Deuill and seene no more And at Ragouse a Mariner did sweare As if he would Gods name in sunder teare When falling ouer-boord was drown'd and tost And nothing but his tongue was onely lost Remember this you sinfull sonnes of men Thinke how that Christ redeem'd you from Hells den His mercy he hath giu'n in magnitude Requite him not with vile ingratitude He made the Eares and Eye and heares and sees The swearers execrable oathes and lyes The Godhead of the Father they contemne Against the Sonnes Redemption they blaspheme The Holy Spirit grieuously they grieue And headlong into Hell themselues they driue It is in vaine for mortall men to thinke Gods Iustice is asleepe although it winke Or that his arme is shortned in these times That he cannot reach home to punish crimes Oh thinke not so 't is but the Deuils illusion To draw vs desperately to our confusion Some say that 't is their anger makes them sweare And oathes are out before they are aware But being crost with losses and perplex'd They thinke no harme but sweare as being vex'd And some there are that sweare for complement Make oathes their grace and speeches ornament Their sweete Rhetoricall fine eloquence Their reputations onely excellence Their valour whom the Deuill doth inflame T' abuse their Makers and Redeemers Name Thinke but on this you that doe God forget Your poore excuses cannot pay this debt Remember that our sinfull soules did cost A price too great to be by swearing lost And blessed was our last good Parliament Who made an Act for swearers punishment And blest shall be each Magistrates good name That carefully doe execute the same Those that are zealous for Gods glory here No doubt in Heauen shall haue true glory there Which that we may haue humbly I implore Of Him that rules and raignes for euermore Th' Eternall Lord of Lords and King of Kings Before whose Throne blest Saints and Angels sings All power praise glory Maiesty thankesgiuing Ascribed be to him that 's euer liuing FINIS TO THE TRVELY GENEROVS AND NOBLE KNIGHT SIR IOHN MILLISSENT SERIEANT PORTER TO the Kings most Excellent Maiestie RIght worthy Knight when first this Booke I writ To You I boldely Dedicated it And hauing now enlarg'd both Prose and Rime To you I offer it the second time To whom should I these sorrowes recommend But vnto You the Cities Noble Friend I know you are much grieued with their Griefe And would aduenture Life for their reliefe To You therefore these Lines I Dedicate Wherein their Sorrowes partly I relate I humbly craue acceptance at your hand And rest Your Seruant euer at command IOHN TAYLOR TO THE PRINTER MY Conceit is that these are very lamentable Verses and will grieue many the reading they so expresse Death to Life and make mortalitie immortall I wish that as many as can make vse of such Lines had Copies the rest may want them Here and there a Verse may occasion a Teare then the Authour is a true VVater-Poet indeed but else-where there wants not a hand-kercheffe to dry that Teare So is the whole worke a * A Sweete-bitter or Bitter-sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and deserues an Approbation at least from IOHN TAYLOR of Oriell Colledge in Oxford THE PRAEFACE IN this lamentable time of generall Calamity our hainous sinnes prouoking Gods iust Indignation this heauy visitation and mortality I being attendant vpon the Queenes Maiestie at Hampton Court and from thence within two miles of Oxford with her Barge with much griefe remorse did see and heare miserable and cold entertainement of many Londoners which for their preseruation fled and
grasse The Milke-maide gets a greene gowne for her hir And all in sport the time away doe passe The bird the beast the lusty lad the lafle Doe sing doe friske doe clip doe coll doe kisse Not thinking how the time must be or was But making pleasant vso of time as t is Till Sminthus leaues his lodging at the twinnes And to a hotter race his course beginnes To my approued good friend M r Robert Branthwayte Anagramma You beare a heart true bent LEt fortune smile or frowne you are content At all Assares you beare a heart true bent The 12. of Iune the Sunne enters into Cancer or the Crabbe Cancer Iune OF all the Innes where Sol doth vse to lie With crabbed Cancer none may make coÌ„pare It is the highest in the loftie skâ—e All other signes to it inferiour are When Sol is once ascended and come there He scalds and scorches with his heauenly heate Makes fields of grasse and flowrie medowes bare And though the idle worke not yet they sweate Thus like an all-commanding lord he swaies High mounted in his chiese Soâ—stician pride For when the Cancer hee immures his raies Vnto the height his glorie 's amplifide And when he goes from thence he doth beginne By shorter Iourneyes to attaine his Inne The thirteenth of Iuly the Sunne enters into Leo or the Lion Leo. Iuly THe worlds eye daz'ler in his fiery race Doth at the Lyon lodge his vntam'd Steeds And now the ripening yeere begins apace To shew Dame Tâ—lluâ— procreatiue seeds For as from man mans generation breeds So by manuring of our Grandam Earth Are brought forth fruits flowres and hearbs and weeds To shield ingratefull man from pining dearth The dogged dog daies now with heat doe swelt And now 's the season of th'vnseasn'd aire When burning seauers make the patient melt Whose heat the Doctors hardly can repaire For why these curâ—ish daies are fatall still And where they chance to bite they vse to kill The foureteenth of August the Sunne enters into Virgo Or the Virgin Virgo August VNhappy phaetons Splendidious Sire Left amorous bussing beauteous Climens lips And all inspir'd with Loues coelestiall fire His Globe surrounding Steed amaine he whips And to the Virgur Virgo downe doth glide Where for she entertain'd him to his pleasure He his exchequer coffers opens wide And fils the world with haruests wisht for treasure Now country Hindes vnto their tooles betake The forke the rake the sithe the hooke the cart And all a generall expedition make Till Nature be left naked by their art At last the Virgin when these things are don Till that time twelue-month leaues her Loue the sun The thirteenth of September the Sunne enters into Libra Or the Ballance Libra September THe Great all-seeing burning eye of day In Libraâ—s Ballance restlesse comes to rest Where equally his way he seemes to wey And day and night with equall houres are drest By these iust scales true iustice is exprest Which doth to times and places render right Where wealth insults not nor the poore opprest But all 's eu'n poyzed like the day and night And now this lampe of light doth here alight Making this Signe his Equinoctiall Inne Whilst fruitfull trees are ouer-laden quite Too great a gracious guerdon for mans sinne And as in March he 'gan to doe vs grace So to th' Antipodes he now 'gins shew his face The foureteenth of October the Sunne enters into Scorpio Scorpio October ILlustrious Phoebus now declines amaine His golden head within the Scorpion dwells Now boystrous blasts of wind and showres of rain Of raging winters nigh approach foretells From trees sharpe Autuâ—â—ne all the leaues expells For Phoebus now hath left his pleasant Innes Now Marchants Bacchus blood both buy and sell And Michaels Terme lawes haruest now begins Where many losers are and few that wins For law may well be cal'd contentions whip When for a scratch a cuffe for pointes or pins Will witlesse gets his neighbour on the hip Then tone the tother vnto law will vrge And vp they come to giue their purse a purge The eleuenth of Nouember the Sunne enters into Sagitarius Or the Archer Sagitarius Nouember THus Luna's brother lower doth descend And at the Archer rests his radient Waine Now winters bitter blasting stormes contend T' assault our hemespheare with might and maine The fields and trees disrobed all againe Starke naked strip'd of hearbs of howres of fruits And now the Lord the Lowne the Sir the Swaiâ—e Against the freeze of Freeze make winter suites Now châ—rping birds are all turn'd tounglesse mutes And Shepheards swaines to sheephouse dâ—â—ue their sheep Not controuersies now are in disputes At Westminster where such a coyle they keepe Where man doth man within the Law betosse Till some go croslesse home by Woodcocks Crosseâ— The eleuenth of December the Sunne enters into Capricorne Or the Goat Capricornus December A Pollo hath attain'd his lowest seat And now the shortnesse of his race is such That though his Glory for a time be great He giues his Sister Cynthia twice as much Now is the welcom'st time of all the yeere Now dye the oxen and the fatted hogs Now merry Chirstmas fils the world with cheere And chimnies smoake with burning logge on logs He that 's a mizer all the yeere beside Will reuell now and for no cost will spare A poxe hang sorrow let the world go slide Let 's eate and drinke and cast away all care Thus when Apollo's at the horned Goate He makes all Christendome with mirth to â—orâ—â—â— The tenth of Ianuary the Sunne enters into Aquarius Or the signe of the Waterbearer Aquarius Ianuary THe Glorious Great Extinguisher of Night Immures his bright translucent golden head And from his radiant teeme he doth alight To rest his Steeds in cold Aquarius bed Now hory frost hath Tellus face o'rspred And chilling numnesse whets the shauing ayre All vegitable creatures now seeme dead Like curelesse cures past and repast repaire â—â—igidious Ianus two-fold frozen face Tâ—mes moyst Aquarâ—us into congeal'd yee Though by the fires warme side the pot haue place Of winters wrath it needs must know the price At last daies burning toarch againe takes horse And into wetter weather makes his course The ninth of February the Sunne enters into Pisces Or the signe of the two fishes Pisces February Now snow and rain and haile slauering sleet The Delphean god hath suckt from sea and land With exhalations now the earth they greet Powr'd downe by Iris liberall hand If soulefac'd February keepe true touch He makes the toyling Plowmans prouerbe right By night by day by little and by much It fills the ditch with either blacke or white And as the hard cornuted butting Ram At setting forth was Tytans daintiest dish So to conclude his race right glad I am To leaue him feasting with a messe of fish And long in Pisces he doth not remaine But leaues the fish and falls to flesh againe To the
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
learned langâ—ages adorn'd admir'd Saint Peter preaching tels the people plaine How they the liuing Lord of life had slaine Some slout and mocke remaining stubborne hearted And many Soules peruerted are conuerted The Church increases daily numbers comes And to the Gospels furth'ring giue great Summes Acts. False Ananias and his faithlesse wife In dreadfull manner lost their wretched life The enuious people stone the Martye Steuen He praying for his foes leaues earth for Heauen The Churches Arch foe persecuting Saul Is made a conuert and a preaching Paul He 's clapt in Prison manacled nad fetter'd And through his troubles still his zeale is better'd Th Apostle Iames by Herod's put to death And Herod eat with Lice loft hatefull breath Th' increasing Church amongst the Gentiles spreds By Nâ—re Paul and Peter lost their heads Romanes Th' Apostle Paul from Corinth writes to Rome To strength their faith and tell them Christ is come He shewes how high and low both Iew and Greeke Are one with God who faithfully him seeke He tels how sinne in mortall bodies luâ—kes How we are sau'd by faith and not by workes In louing tearmes the people he doth moue To Faith to Hope to Charity and Loue. 1. Corinthâ— Paul to Corinthus from Philippy sends Their Zeale and Faith he louingly commends He tels them if Gods Seruice they regard Th' eternall Crowne of life is their reward 2. Corinths In this Saint Paul sends the Corinthians word Afflictions are the blessings of the Lord. He doth desire their Faith may still increase He wishes their prosperity and peace Galathians He tels them that their whole Saluations cause Is all in Christ and not in Moses Lawes The Law 's a glasse where men their sinnes doe sec And that by Christ we onely saued be Ephesians Paul bids cast off the old man with his vice And put on Christ our blest redempcions price Philippians He bids them of false teachers to beware He tels them that Humilitie is rare And though they liue here in a vaile of strife Yet for them layd vp is the Crowne of life Colossians Th' Apostle doth reioyce and praiseth God That these Colossians in true Faith abode He praiseth them he bids them watch and pray That sin an Sathan worke not their decay 1. Thessalonians He thanketh God his labour 's not in vaine So stedfast in the faith these men remaine That they to others are ablelled light By their example how to liue vpright 2. Thessalonians Againe to them he louingly doth write He bids them pray the Gospell prosper might He wishes them prosperitie and wealth And in the end Soules euerlasting health 1. and 2. to Timothy Paul shewes to Timothy a By shop must In life and doctrine be sincâ—re and iust And how the Scriptures power haue to perswade Whereby the man of God is perfect made Titus To Titus 'mongst the Creetans Paul doth send And warnes him what â—allow or reprehend Philemon Paul earnestly the Master doth request To pardon his poore man that had transgrest Hebrewes Although this booke doth beare no Authors name It shewes the Iews how they thier liues should frame And that the Ceremoniall Law is ended In Christ in whom all grace is comprenended S. Iames. Heare speake and doe well the Apostle faith For by thy workes a man may see thy faith I. and 2. to Peter He counsels vs be sober watch and pray And still be ready for the Iudgement day 1 2 and 3. of Iohn He shewes Christ di'de and from the graue arose To saue his friends and to confound his foes S. Iude. Iude bids them in all Godlinesse proceed And of deceiuing teachers on take heed Reuelation Diuine S. Iohn to Pathmos I le exilde This heauenly worâ— t' instruct vs he compild He tels the godly God shall be their gaines He threats she godlesse with eternall paines He shewes how Antichrist should reigne and rage And how our Sauiour should his pride asswage How Christ in glory shall to Iudgement come And how all people must abide his doome A Prayer GOod God Almighty in compassion tender Preserue and keepe King Charles thy Faiths defender Thy Glory make his Honor still increase In Peace in Warres and in Eternall peace Amen THE BOOKE OF MARTYRS DEDICATED TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM EARLE OF PEMBROOKE c. MY Lord my weake Collection out hath tooke The summe and pith of the great Martyrs Booke For pardon and protection I intreat The Volume's little my presumption great IOHN TAYLOR I Sing their deaths who dying made death yeeld By Scriptures sword and faiths vnbattered shield Whom Sathan men or monsters could not tame Nor sorde them to deny their Sauiours name Euangelists that did the Gospell write Apostles and braue Martyrs that did fight Gainst death and hell and all the power of sin And boldly dâ—de eternall life to win Iohn Baptist by King Herod lost his head Who to the world repentance published Our blest Redeemer in his loue did follow And conquered death mans sinfull soule to hallow He was the death of death and he did quell The sting and power of Sathan sin and hell And vnder his great standard valiantly A number numberlesse haue darde to die Through bondage famine slauery sword and fire Through all deuised torments they aspire Victoriously to gaine th' immortall Crowne Of neuer-ending honour and renowne Saint Steuen was the third that lost his breath And for his Masters sake was ston'd to death And after him in Scripture may we reade The Apostle Iames was brain'd and butchered Saint Marke th Euangelist in fire did burne And Bartholmen was flead yet would not turne Saint Andrew like a valliant champion dide And willing on a croste was crucifide Matthias Philip Peter and Saint Paul Ston'd crucified beheaded Martyrs all Th' Apostles of their liues no reckoning make And thinke them well spent for their Sauiours sale The tyrant Emperours in number ten Most cruell barb'rous and inhumaine men More Christians by their bloudy meanes did sâ—â—y Then for a yeere fiue thousand to each day And many Romane Bishops in those dayes Were Martyrd to their high Creators praise And though each day so many thousands bleed Yet doubtly more and more they daily breed As Camomile growes better bâ—ing trod So death and tortures draw more vnto God Or as the vine that 's cut and prun'd beares more In one yeere then it did in three before This bloudy persecution did out-weare After Christs death the first three hundred yeere Thus did the primitiue first Church endure Being Catholike Apostolike and pure Then ouer all the world t was truely knowne That Romish Bishops claimed but their owne In their owne Diocesse to be chiefe Pastor And not to be the worlds great Lord and master And now our Britaine glory will I sing From Lucius reign the worlds first Christian King Vnto these dayes of happy peacefull state A Catalogue of Martyrs I le relate First Vrsula and eleuen thousand with her All Virgins for
Rowland Yorke and Sir William Stanley turned Trayâ—â—rs September 13. 11. An English Gentleman * This Stafford was a Gentleman well descended his Mother was of the Bed chamber to the Queene and his Brother Leiger Ambassador in France at the same time William Stafford nam'd Was by the French Ambassador perswaded That if hee 'd kill the Queene he should be fam'd For by her death might England be inuaded Besides for it the Pope would thankfull be And all the house of Guise should be his friends But Stafford to their plots feemet ' agree Yet told the councell on his knees their ends These things vnto th' Ambassador were told And Stafford did auouch them to his face Which he deny'd audaciously and bold Much ill beseeâ—â—ing his estate and place Thus what foâ—euer gainâ—t our Church was wrought God still did bring their purposes to nought year 1587 12. This yeare Spaine with a mighty preparation With tweluescore Vessels loadeth Neptunes backe With thirty thousand men attempts inuafion Of Englandâ— Kingdome and Elizâ—â—s wracke Then many a bragging desperate doughty Don Proud of the strength of that great huge * The Spanish fleeâ— were in all of Ships Gallâ—ons Gallies and Pinaces 242. of Souldiers Mariners and Galley â—â—â—â—â— 31030. of great Ordnance 2630. Our Fleet were in all but 112. the Campe as Tiâ—bury were 22000 foot and 12000. horse Armadâ— Went barely off though they came brauely on The power of Heauen opposing their branado Our numbers vnto theirs inferiour â—arre Yet were they tane sunke slaine bang'd thump'd batter'd Because the Lord of Hosts the God of Warre He was our trust and ayde our â—oes he scater'd His name is oner all the world most glorious And through his power his Church is still victorious year 1588 13. Lopez a Doctor by descent a â—ew A Portâ—â—gaâ— by birth the Queenes physitiâ—n Forgetting duty to his Soueraigne due Would poyson her to further Spaines ambition The Spaniards and the Doctor are compacting How this sweet piece of seruice might be done They promise gold and he doth vow the acting A bargaine wisely made is partly wonne But this base Iew is taken in the trap The Queene preâ—erâ—'d the Spaniards cake is dough The Doctor wrong'd his breeches by mishap And hanging his reward was good enough Still treasons working though its lucke be ill Gods gracious power his Church defending still year 1589 The Queene had beene gracious and beautifull to this same Lopez many wayes and hee was accounted a man of good integrity till hee was corrupted by the Pope and Spaniard At his Araignment feare made him wrong his â—â—â—ches he was hanged at Tyâ—â—rns 14. Tyrone supported by the Pope and Spaine Had put our English Kingdome to much cost Perceiuing all his treasons were in vaine His dangers desperate fruitlesse labour lost Although his Holinesse from Rome had sent A plume of Phoenix feathers for a blessing Which bable from Tyrone could not preuent Rewards of Iustcie for his long transgressing To the Lord Deputy be doth suâ—mit Craues the kings mercy and obtained the same Yet afterward he did his faith forget And new rebeilions did in Ireland frame At last with guilty minde away he flyes Thus God confounds his Churches enemies year 1587 Tyrone an Irish Earle a man of great power and Policie a most peruitions and dangerous trayter 1604. bee came into England and was most graciously pardoned by the King yet afterward would haue leâ— all Ireland rebellion but faâ—ling of his purpose fled to Rome 15. Mongst all these dangers Queene Elizabeth Preserued still and reigned â—oyally Defended all her life from violent death And seauenty yeares of age dy'd naturally To her succeeded as his propâ—r right King Iames Great Britaines blessed Salomon When straight began new tricks of Romish spight For Church and King and Laâ—ds subuersion Watson * They would haue altered Religion brought in Forraigne power imprisoned the King and raised Arbella Watson Clarke Master George Brooke executed Clarke two Priests two Popish brothers Seduc'd Lords Cobham Gray two Noblemen Sir Walter Rawleigh Markham Brooke and others To take the King and him in pâ—fon pen. The plot 's found Iustice would th'â—â—â— ndors kill But the Kings mercy sau'd what L. w might â—pill year 1603 The Kings mercy saued the Lord Cobham Lord Gray Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffith Markeham at the Blocke as the stroake was readis to bee giuen 16. Now treason plotted in th' infernall Den Hâ—ls mischiefe master peece began to worke Assisted by vnnaturall Englishâ—â—â— And lesâ—ites that within this Land did lurke These would Saint Peter-to Salt peâ—â—er turne And make our Kingdome caper in the ayre At one blast Prince and Peeres and commons burn And fill the Land with murder and dispaire No treasonere might be compar'd to this Such an escape the Church had nere before The glory's Gods the victory is his Not vnto vs to him be praise therefore Our Church is his her foes may vnderstand That he defends her with his mighty hand year 1605 Percy and Catesby would needs be heads of this treason and their heads are aduanced for it on the Parliament house they were killed with powder being both shot and burnt and powder was the mainâ— Instrument of their hopes All the Traytâ—rs falling into the ' Pit which they had prepared for vs. Not any of all these treasons but eyther the Popâ— the Spanish King Priests or Iesuites had a hand in it 17. The dangers of a long and tedious way The perils of the raging Sea and Land The change of ayre and dyet many a day And Romes temptations which thou did withstand And after all thy safe returne againe Amongst those blessings make vp much more blest In mind and body â—â—â—â— from Rome and Spaine For which our â—â—â—â— to heauen is â—â—â—â—â—â—â— prest Long mayst 〈…〉 Gracious instrument To propagaâ—e his Gospell and his glory All Antichistian foes to 〈…〉 And with thy aâ—â—s to fill a royall story That 〈…〉 truly may â—â—â—â—â— These Deeds were done by Britaines CHALES the Great year 1623 Great â—â—â—â— the interprize and hazard of our gracieus Pride â— but greatâ—â—â— was Gods iâ—guiding and guarding him backe againe to all Ioy and Comforts 18 And last of all with Heart and â—â—nds erected Thy Church doth magnifie thy name Oâ—Lâ—â—â—â— Thy prouidâ—â—ce p 〈…〉 thy power protected Thy planted â—â—â— according to thy Word My God what shall I rende â—â—â—â—â—â—â— For all thy guise â—â—â—â— doâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— Loue and vnfained Thankeâ—â—â—â—â—â— shall be Ascribed for thy Mercies â—â—â—â—â—yes To thee my Priest my Prophet and my King My Loue my Counsellor and Comforter To thee alone I onely praised sing For onely thou art myâ— Deliuerer All Honour Glory Power and Praise therefore Ascribed be to thee for euermore The Churches Thankesgiuing to God for all his Mercies and her Deliuerances The Church of Christ doth acknowledge no other Intercessor Desenrer Maintinrer and Deliuerer but onely Christ himselfe FINIS