Londons Miserie THE Countryes Crueltie WITH GODS MERCIE Explained by remarkeable obseruations of each of them during this last Visitation VVritten by Richard Milton LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1625. To his deere and louing Vnkle Maister Richard Gough of the Citty of Hereford Gentleman GOOD SIR HAuing composed these few lines ensuing by way of obseruation of this present Visitation being an Eye-witnesse thereof Doe humbly present the same to your view If there be ought shall giue you content I haue my desire Accept my poore Labors I pray you So shall I not onely thinke it and time well spent but shall further be encouraged to imploy the same hereafter as occasion shall be offered So with my prayers to the Almighty for the health and prosperitie of you and yours I remaine till death Your Louing Kinseman Richard Milton Londons Miserie The Countreys Cruelty with Gods Mercy NO farre fetcht Story brought from Forraigne land Or such like matters doe I take in hand No loue sicke Sonnet or sweete roundelayes No Epigrams or such like pleasing toyes Nor doe I write the deedes of Martiall men That haue bin done the place time where and when This I referre vnto some other men To paint and set forth with their fluent pen Whilst I with sighing doe most sadly sing The fearefull iudgements of the Heauenly King That in his wrath by his most heauy hand Puts to amazement this most sinnefull Land A taske too hard for me whose slender skill Is farre vnfit although Gods knowes my will Be very good for matter it befits The industrious penning of more curious wits My wit is meane God knowes I vnderstand But little and for mee to take in hand This worthy worke I might presume too much To meddle with for answere vnto such Shall so oppose me this poore simple skill I here haue showne is meant by me no ill In any kind but onely for to shewe The good affection I oâ— duty owe Vnto this City where I haue my being Whose great calamities I daily seeing Makes me breake forth and with a grieued soule Her miserable state for to condole Amongst the rest should I not be vnkinde As not to shew griefe where such cause I finde In th'ighest manner to a place I loue so As none in earth more dearer surely no But in this Action wil be so farre bold Not fearing what I write shal be controld ANd first to thee Lord doe I humbly bow For pardon for our sinnes whose angry brow Still Frownes as if no mercy thou wilt haue Vpon this City but will send to Graue All the inhabitants within a little space Oh be not angry still affoord vs grace For to repent and stay thine angry hand For who thy powerfull iudgements can withstand Lord we haue sinned and haue done amisse Wherefore thine anger fiercely kindled is Vpon this City vengeance thou hast powr'd And we like sheepe to slaughter are deuour'd Our sinnes forgiue behold our watrie eyes Our grieuous grones our lamentable cryes Long haue we fighed but thou hast not heard Oft haue we prayed but thou hast not spar'd As if euen with our prayers thou wer't offended As if thy iudgements neuer would be ended Faintnesse possesseth all our vitall parts Our courage failes vs daunted are our hearts In this extremity whether shall we flye But vnto thee oh God prostrate we lye Before thy Throne of grace and with bleeding wound And sobbing sighes our miseries we sound Do we not know Lord thou didst fend thy Sonne To paie a ransome for our deedes mis-done Euen from the Heauens where thou sies aboue So deare the life of sinners thou didst loue And when by our transgression mankind all Were subiect to thy wrath fast bound and thrall And we beleeue Lord helpe our vnbeleefe For of the same thou art our stay and chiefe Prop and vpholder we beleeue I say For on so sure a ground safe build we may VVhat thou hast promisde in thy sacred Word VVhat thou hast vowed oh most gracious Lord That thou the death of sinners not desirest But rather life to them for thou requirest That of their sinnefull liues they would amend And so gaine mercie where they did offend VVith patience therefore we attend thy will Not doubting but thy words thou wilt fulfill T Is not vnknowne to many a Forraine Nation The beautie of London and the scituation The strength the wealth and multitude of men It did containe at such good time as when God was at peace with vs the Famous Sparkes Of sweete inuention and the learned Clarkes VVorthy Diuines and Phisitions store Attournes Counsellors and pen-men more I thinke then need is there the reuerend Iudges Gaue many a sentence at which ill men grudges For there the Courts of justice haue bin kept Where many a Client hath full sorely wept The cause is knowne to God what shall I say That to this City in some sort I may Express good will there 't was the liberall Arts Did chieflie flourish men of excellent parts Did there abide as being the very Spring That to their Studies sweete refresh did bring There liu'd our King also his noble Peeres To whom the Lord grant life and many yeares Of happinesse on earth fame and renowne And in the end an euerlasting Crowne Of glorie there his Subiects at commaund In multitude were like vnto the sand That on the Sea shore Sea men vse to see VVhen waues are past and waters calmed be The seuerall sorts of Trades-men and of Arts The seuerall merchandize from Forraine parts The multitude of rich and wealthy men I am not able to expresse with pen And though for foure yeares past it so fell out That many Trades-men here were in great doubt They should haue bin vndone for trading fail'd And so long time their hearts were cold and quaild Yet the late marriage of our Royall King VVe thought a setling to this Realme would bring In such a wise that now our feare was past And well was he that did hold out till last That all men so with doings should abound That worke-men for our worke would nere be found Oh God how of our hopes we are deceiued And of our long expected ioyes bereaued How thou our foolish wisdome sets at nought And euen our selues vnto destruction brought Vaine is the helpe of man also are vayne The imagination of a mortall braine Oh London London thou didst feele the Rod But neuer rightly lookt vp to thy God That strook thee with it when thou feltst the smart Euen at the first then with a grieued heart Thou of thy grieuous sinnes shouldst haue repented And so Gods angry Iudgements haue preuented This was neglected and O most vnkinde Gods former benefits imprint in minde Thou didsts not doe for assuredly Before thy wickednesse to him did cry For heauie vengeance he was wondrous kinde To thee and thou didst many fauours finde From him we are apt to forget God wot Or if we doe remember we beare not
The thankfull minds we should and therefore we Euen for our sinnes most iustly plagued be Should we perswade our selues Almighty Ioue This Famous City did mor deerely loue Then others that his power could not withstand But in the former ages felt his hand Or shall we thinke that shortned is his Arme Or that he will not suffer so much harme To come vpon vs as he did to those That sinn'd aswell as we O no repose Nor harbor in your hearts so vaine a thought For euen as they were to destruction brought Euen so shall we if we do still offend And do not of our sinfull liues amend For as the Lord is by his mercy knowne To be a gracious God and he hath shewne That in his mercy he doth farre surpasse Which plainely doth appeare but yet whereas Almighty God in mercy doth abound Take this for certaine and a constant ground As on his mercies we may boldly trust So in his Iudgements is he alwayes iust Aye me I need not long to treate of this How many demonstrations dayly is How many seuerall bels do sadly ring The dolefull tune of this most certaine thing In this our present sad disastrous plight Whilst many soules haue bid the world godnight My flesh do tremble I amazed stand To see the force of Gods Almighty hand My hand do quake and eke my ioynts do shiuer To see what deadly Arrowes from his Quiuer Are now sent forth to this forsaken Citty Whose very miseries my soule doth pitty GO on my muse now and right sadly tell The dolefull sound that euery Parish bell Within this poore aflicted Cittie make That we may from our sinfull liues awake Our daily sorrowes and continuall feares Our losse of deere friends and our daily teares That we for them do shed the sundry moanes Deepe hearted sighings and the gricuous groanes That many a husband for his tender wife Sends forth for her that is bereau'd of life How many a wife mournes for her Turtle mate That now lyes gasping strucke by cruell fate Of conquering Death and when thou haft so done Tell how the father grieues for his lost sonne The wofull screeches many a mother mild Bitterly sends forth for her dying child How many a sonne weepes for his louing father Whose loue so deere was that he would more rather Haue dyde himselfe euen such was his good will But we cannot our owne desires fullfill How many a daughter grieues for her deer mother And many a sister for her louing brother And many a brother for his louing sister That knew not what he lost before he mist her Here weepes the seruant for his louing Maister And grieues that Death is growne so great a waster There sighes the Maister for his louing man For that he is not able neither can Saue his poore seruants life with weeping eyes The carefull mayden for her Mistresse cryes The mistresse likewise for her maide doth moane Because so good a seruant 's dead and gone Neighbour for neighbor one friend for another Their loues were such their griefes they cannot smother The Preacher for his flocke and they for him We waile and weepe vntill our eyes are dim And then O Lord a sad thing for to see Yet dayly such sad spectacles there be They that before so sadly moumed haue By other Friends are shortly brought to graue VVith much adoe for Friends are very few In this their last farewell their loues to shew SVch is the force of Deaths fell conquering hand That none in this world can his power withstand T is not the power of a mighty King Can serue to free him from Deaths deadly sting Much lesse the title of a Lord or Knight Can keepe their persons from this pale-fac't wight T is not the wisedome of a learned man No there is neither Arte nor wisedome can Be forcible enough with Arte or wile Eyther to stay deaths stroke or him beguile Marke it I pray you how he makes men reele His Bow is iron sure and his Arrowes steele How many through his might doe daily dye How many likewise doe there sprawling lye How many also dead in fields are found And suddainly in streetes dosall to ground Euen as they passe and then before were well And felt but little paine vntill they fell STay gentle death for I assure you can The parties held an vpright honest man You are about to deale I tell you more Of wealth he hath a great aboundant store And liberally he giueth to the poore Of that he hath the like giuen at his doore There 's very few that doth nay hardly any Although there doe in wealth surpasse him many I That is well done I commend you better And for your kindnesse will remaine your debtor That miserable griping rusty Chuffe That alwayes wanted neuer had enough And neuer car'd how many men were kild So he might haue his Cofers stuft and fild Ah wr tched Carle I trust that there is none True hearted wight will weep when thou art gone They in thy life time wept and were not heard Now at thy death they rightly may be spar'd KNow you what you haue done y 'aue flaine a woman That for her vertuous carriage I thinke no man VVill finde the like againe now good Sir tell To take the good away doe you do well Doth there not many an idle Gossip stay VVho long before wee 'd faine haue had away Leaue of for shame away now get you gone Goe take the worst sort leaue the best alone LOrd if 't were so what would become of me That know my selfe to be as bad may be For there 's not onely one but thousands more That I goe farre behind that went before Many a braue Scholler many a worthy Teacher Many a good liuer many a zealous Preacher That liu'd as lights and were to thee right deare So carefully they walked in thy feare But I alas haue much abusde thy will Had not a care thy hests for to fulfill Haue sinn'd extreamly and assuredly Had long before this time deseru'd to dye But yet O Lord I see 't is not thy will Thou spar'st my life wilt haue me tarry still And now I pray thee whilst I haue my being Sith that thou hast vouchsaft to me the seeing Wretch that I am of this thy mighty power Grant that hereafter daily and each houre For that same small time and the little space Of life that thou shalt grant me by thy grace I may redeeme time which I lewdly spent Bewaile my sinnes and heartily repent VVHen hoary hyems now had chang'd his hue And for that yeare had bid the world a due When trees gan sprout the grasse and euery thing Lookt greene and faire lambes skipt the bird did sing And with their warbling notes in woods did Ring Their makers prayse according to their kinde April the moneth was cald for so I finde For fore that time there dyed not any store That either had the tokens or plague sore
eighteenth of the month that was the weeke Now not so much for humaine helpes we seeke But ready for Deaths stroake we do prepare And for to gaine heauens Crowne is all our care Daily we see our Friends and neighbours dye And who can say is next ore he or I The shunning now of sicke is not respected For who doth know whose house is not infected They are not now pent vp doores are open No coy there is with any to be spoken But one with other do consort together And as for danger few of vs care whether The partie we are with be sicke or no Onely we aske him whether it be so And where the paine proceedes rising or spot And to their beds we go for we are not So timerous but do approach them neere And with our best aduise we do them cheere And being dead now we such kindnesse haue None will refuse to bring them to the graue But after Beeres we throng without disdaine And in our iudgement hold it very vaine If we should not our last performance lend To such a neighbour or to such a Friend Discourteous vnfit and eke faint-hearted Thus did we meete and thus we kindly parted VVEll may I say to many a Country lout Of this our Kingdome where 's the valour stout Possest your fearefull hearts what is the matter That so for feare your very teeth do chatter VVithin your heads why do your bones so shiuer As if you neyther had nor heart nor liuer To see a London man oh y' are vndone Venture not neere but as farre from him runne As Furlongs two containe at least oh flye His very breath will smell as farre as eye Can ere behold him are you not a sham'd And in all good mens iudgements to be blam'd I am not ignorant of your churlish dealing The wound that open is will need long healing Of your vnkindnesse shew'd to our poore City Hard hearted men you should haue had more pitty You thinke vs Cowards you the worthies are And who but you for sturdie men of warre How is it now doe you not plainly see London doth yeeld as stout as any he Liues on your clotted grounds as doe appeare We stand not in such dread nor do we feare The losse of our poore lifes for in a word Although we in a manner see the sword Of the Almighties Iustice euer wauing Ouer our heads killing many crauing Yet from the venger do we neuer shrinke No we perswaded be and surely thinke That he is euery where and that he can And if please him send to the Country man As great a sicknesse as he hath to vs Thus I perswade my selfe and euen thus Should you perswaded be and vnderstand That the best meanes for to auoyd God hand Is not to flye but to approach him neere With heartie sorrow take heed how we we beare Our selues hereafter that we not offend Else worser iudgements God to vs can send VVhere ere we be with you I haue now done Lord with what longing do the people runne To know what number this next weeke haue dyde And now blest be his name we haue espide A happy ceasing of his anger past For in this weeke they dyed not so fast Foure thousand eight hundred one and forty fell Though a great number it reioyst vs well To see a ceasing and with thankfull minde VVe gaue Gods thankes for that he was so kinde And by the way now this is to be noted And will be markt by those that are deuoted When we were now euen hurl'd into despaire And scarse car'd whether day was foule or faire Such a perplexity were wee driuen in That how the world went we weigh'd not a pin VVhen we were almost weare now with crying And almost past all hope for ought relying At the Almighties hands loe euen then He gan to shew vnto vs sinfull men Some tokens that his anger will not long Continue if so be wee sing the song Of true repentance I remember well The Prohibition of our fast daies fell This very weeke the ceasing was before VVe cannot then directly say therefore That they were cause so many were infected I hope there 's few that are so ill affected As so to thinke did we not meete together And as I sayd before we car'd not whether Daily and hourely 'bout our worldly ends Some one for one thing others see their Friends Lye visited sicke with well we mingle Those that are well from sicke we cannot single Yet many of vs were both well and sound And I amongst the rest this fauour found Blest be his holy name no more of this Now in my minde a home-bred story is Of one I knew a Country-man of mine Hardly deseruing here to haue a line Who did refraine the Church so wise was he So did his sonne lest they infect might be VVhat I insert I heard it to be true And I thinke God their iudgment gaue them due Neyther in Church or Church yard did they dye But in the open Fields there did they lye ANd one thing more I thought good to obserue Whether it obseruation do deserue Or no I pray you iudge this did I find When we vnto each other were most kind And feared not the visited to see Yet euen at that time I noted we Did find a ceasing which did plainly shew That we vnto the Almighty much did owe For his great loue beyond imagination And farre beyond all humaine expectation For fore that time most were of iudgement still The reason why so many there were ill VVas cause they tooke not heed nor much respected To keepe themselues from those that were infected The last great sicknesse it did fall out so As I haue heard well let vs forwards goe Not that I thinke the sicknesse not infect For many then my iudgement will reiect For to the contrary it doth appeare Therfore I 'de wish no mortall wight come neere Infected persons to presume too much Vnlesse occasions so great be such As eyther them to helpe or helpe themselues Else should I count them for presuming Elues VVEarie with toyle and with sad cares opprest Let now my muse from this sad straine take reft Neuerthelesse but for a little while And giue me leaue but onely for to smile At worldlings folly how with care they striue To keepe their earthly Carcasses aliue Whilst others pining do desire to dye Respectlesse of their liues such misery They do sustaine y wrapt in cruell loue Or else some higher crosses from aboue For recreation I thinke best befits In time of sadnesse to reuiue our wits With honest mirth a story for to tell The best I haue marke then how it befell In Gloster shiere a parcell of this Land There Cheltenham my natiue Towne doth stand Many a braue lad hath there beene bred and bore As well in these our times as long before VVho hand to hand in battle would men thrill Ere they from them would suffer any ill