it The Romans who were ruled by a seat Of worthy Senat 's had none more compleat Then thou who hast a double burthen taken With heart and hand hast not the Cause forsaken Thy valour and discretion did agree In open fight I oft perceived thee A sometime second to that Noble Lord To whose decrees thou truly didst accord Abroad a pattern often didst appear And for thy wisedome art renowned here Thus hast thou had a hand in every thing To reunite the State unto the King Thy double vertues doth deserve renoune And Lawrell Boughes to loyall Stepletone W. M. TO THE RJGHT WORSHJPFVLL Sir JOHN CLATWORTHYE Knight Anag Now thy holj care Vers Now thy holy care and ayd's requir'd Thy knowledge and thy vertues are admir'd Epigr. VVHat But a few prove loyall to the State When all the Irish Rebels made debate And of those few it is my onely aim To speak of thee because I know not them I finde thy vertues makes thee much renown'd Thy wayes are upright and thy wits profound Thou art a Member of that House so high Which is a Touchstone to fidelitie Of ancient stock which addeth to thy fame A Noble Nature and a Worthy Name Who sometimes hath shew'd friendship unto me Shall then my Book not bear the Name of thee Yes whilst it lasts thy Name shall live therein And when it s lost thy praises shall begin W. M. TO The VVorshipfull his most Respected WILLIAM JEPSONE Anagr. I am one espj evill Vers I am one in all things espy evill I seek the good but shun despise the Devill AN ACCROSTICK SONNET Wise Maro pend Mecoenas worthy praise Instately stile in high and lofty phrase Likewise my lines can give no lesse to thee Lesse of themselves though they of nature be In civill things so prudent and so just And one espying evill shunning lust Mirrour of vertue active in the truth Jngenuous gentle scorning idle sloth Evill espying and one pursuing good Prudently pious one of Noble blood Sincere so wise and vertuous in thy minde One who to me hath proved truly kinde Nothing shall therefore make me to forbear but want of Letters to extoll thee here W. M. TO The VVorshipfull Sir Charles Erskin Knight Anagr. 1. Search kill Siners Shin's liker Caesar Epigr. VVHat praise may my impartiall pen expresse And yet thy worth not to the full confesse Nor need I urge to make my matter fine False flourishings nor can I reach the line Of thy profound approved prudence neither Who searches first then kils the sinners rather Then thou wilt not shine liker Caesar and Though thou be young gain honour to that Land From whence thou cam'st and for thy worth who chus'd thee To send thee here and for thy faith have us'd thee In state affairs search and kill sinners then Shine liker Caesar more then other men W. M. To the Worshipful ALEXANDER POPHAM Esquire Anagr. Read here an ' xample Vers Of all unconquer'd worth Read here an ' xample Thy Name and fame sufficiently is ample Epigr. TO thee I come brave Conquerour of fame Of valour vertue and Heroick Name And on this Stage or new impressed stamp Or in this Glasse where Englands Worthies Camp About brave Essex and where each do shine I represent that Noble worth of thine By Birth in number with the best and yet Thou rests not there but addeth unto it By acts of honour in the highest kinde The parallels of Alexanders minde What passive patience hath importun'd thee Thy Edifices ruines witnesse be What vast estate by tyranny destroid Which thy innumered Ancestors injoyd Yea what expences hast thou pleast to spend Thy faith and freedome truly to defend Nor didst thou yet here limit thy delight But all thy curious buildings didst thou quit With great estate the Grandor of that glory Seem'd but to thee like Esop in his story And Mounted marcht in most Magnifick manner VVhen Mars threw out his sacrifizing Banner Bedect with Emblems of pale death and darts To dull the sences of submissive hearts Yet all was nothing when they were combinde Nor could they conquer Alexanders minde W. M. For the Worshipful DENZAL HOLLIS Esquire Anagr. Holds in Zeal Epigr. REader be rev'rend all the time thou stands And hath our famous Holles in thy hands Who though the sin Apostacie prevail Yet changes not but he still Holds in Zeal Religions encrease he hath ever aim'd I mean the true Religion which is nam'd The Protestant and purely doth apply Himself thereto with an impartial Eye Shun's faithlesse Factions Errours and Pretences Still Holds in Zeal and pow'rfully convinces Connivings sides not with Schismatick bands But for the Tim 's opposed Truth he stands Wise holy Holles Heavens let thee not fail Pattron of Piety thou who Holds in Zeal Long may'st thou live renowned for thy worth Whose Actions well become thy honoured birth And thou who run the hazard of thy bloud For thy Religion and thy Countrey 's good Nor stood upon the losse of thy Estate Nor greater dangers nor the highest hate Thou could'st incurre but constantly did'st stand To all these things sign'd with thy heart and hand W M For the Worshipfull JOHN GOODWIN Esquire Anagr. Ho! I winn Good HO I winn Good Dost win it where thou sits No That 's enough to win men from their wits The whole Petitions of this plundered Land Must be presented to thy piou hand The bloudy thirsty starving Souldier greeves Haunts your Committee every day beleeves To have relief and by Petitions Calls in your eares have pitty Sir upon 's The handsom and hard-favor'd widows wooe They much importune puts you to it too Officers wives and Waggoners conveen At your Committee and are alwayes seen Soliciting yea threatning you for food Is this the way then that ye Win your Good No 't is by granting favour unto them VVho stand in need that way ye win your Name And were it not your goodnesse did appeare In all your pains you had not had the Chaire Brave Noble Sir then since ye are so free Loose not the Good ye VVin prove good to me VV. M. For the VVorshipful MICHAEL NOBLE ESQVIRE Anagr. Lo men be Clay Call him Noble Vers In Heaven Archangel in Earth we call him Noble Lo Men be Clay a Two fold praise one trouble Epigr. THy real goodnesse and thy noble Name Requires me to remember thee with them VVhose high deservings and renowned praise In such Encomiums as thou seest I raise Are here inrol'd as Emblems to remain And signes of Honour Trophies in a Train To Eternize your Vertues Names and Fames So long as London stands upon the Thames VV. M. To the truly Honourable Collonel Collonel Audelay Mervin my brother in Law Anagr. Adieu al my ru'ne Vers Adieu al my ru'ne resolutely I dare Withstand contemn all frowning Fortunes far Sonot WHat shall I say for to extoll thy Praise Which formerly is not expres't of these To whom I writ So
afford me what I stand in need And what shall serve them who desire to read According to the nature of the thing O! add some strength unto my feeble wing That I may fly before my feathers tire To tell the truth where only I aspire And for to speak in order let me enter First at those worthies who did give adventure In legall manner with a mighty hand Those Potentates and plots for to withstand See how the God of order did them blesse Who sought by order and prevented this They cald a counsell of the highest kind There to assisted by their Soveraignes mind And by consent of the imperiall power Committed these Confederates to the Tower But they had done the worst that they could do According to the bad intents of two Had turnd the just intentions of the State To be conceiv'd cause of their Soveraigns hate Had set the Nations all three by the ears Sweld up their hearts with jealousies and fears Till in the end they were arraignd derided Accus'd condemnd and both of them beheaded Yet did that seed which they had sown about Spring in such plenty and did take such root That like those trees whence are the branches lopt Or as those weeds the oftner they are cropt Increase the more so did those rebels rise Like moats into the Sun before our eyes But here 's their craft their Soveraign they incense He must suspect his Parliament go hence They do perswade him if he will deny The royall presence of his Majesty Their was no Law to authorize their actions But that they would dissolve in sudden factions This was the doctrine that they taught the King Although there was no warrant for such thing For notwithstanding statutes do ordain Kings to confirm yet are they not in vain Although their Soveraign contrair to that trust The Laws allow him shun them through his lust But as the members without a head must fall The King and Subjects are reciprocall Yet Kingdoms can be ruled by a thing Calld Civil Laws albe't there be no King But will you tell me can a King do so Without a Law or rule aright or no No no a Law without a King can be But Kings without a Law you cannot see It is much safer to enjoy a Law Without a Soveraign if he will withdraw Then if a Land be subject to that cruel Command of Kings where is no Law to rule But as the body 's joyned with the mind And as the tree is coupled to the rinde So should the Soveraign and the Subject too Agree in one do what each other do But this was that which they tell him he must Or do or else he nothing hath to trust Vpon such bad instructions he retires Forsakes the Counsels and the just desires Of his ingenuous Court of Parliament Which did provoke a fearfull detriment Unto his Highnesse and that dignity Which doth belong unto his Majesty For his great Counsel by his high command Kept constant meetings with a mighty hand And by his Law did issue out their orders In every corner of the Kingdoms borders Requiring thereby subjects to submit And render due obedience unto it And to give strength unto their just intents They raised Armies by commandements For to regain their gracious royall prince To vindicate their honours and convince Those errors which were in their King inspir'd And this was that they constantly desir'd But yet one passage must I not forget Into its highest nature to relate They do incense to make the breach the more Their Soveraign for to approach the door Of Parliament and there would take the embers Destroy the body cutting off the members Accompanied with proud pernicious foes Call'd Cavaliers from whence their name arose This was their plot more hatefull to be held Then was that powder treason paraleld For that was by our enemies abroad But this by those confest the self same God That was by powder to dispatch with speed All in an instant hereby might they bleed Above an Ocean issuing every day Forth from their sides who I dare truly say Sought by all means for to maintain the sence Of ancient statutes and their Kings defence O! highest horrid massacre of hell It makes me tremble when I strive to tell But am reviv'd O! how my spirits fill With joy and gladnesse when I saw this ill So wisely shund O! but a secret hand Of power divine did do 't I understand But hereupon our Soveraign thought it right Himself for to sequestrate from the sight And presence of this highest Parliament Inspir'd with fury of fierce discontent Then as the child who sees an angry Father Or like such loyall loving subjects rather Or like the chast imbraces of a spouse Who prayes perswades solicites and she woes A wilfull husband when he will divorce Or her abandon or which may be worse Accuse her of a breach and urge upon her Those insolencies of a base dishonour She still pursues importunes pleads and speaks And on her knees submissively she seeks To reconcile her thoughts to his again But all her time and tears are spent in vain These free-born subjects like to those I say They seek their Soveraign and they humbly pray They do petition and they call on high Upon the maker of his Majesty Into whose hands the hearts of Princes be He would be pleasd to move him let him see Their zealous hearts with what affection They would submit unto his sacred throne If he would please but condiscend to stay And ratifie those actions which say they Shall be determin'd after to the lawes In former times in every point and clause The priviledges of your Majesty Shall be establisht in a high degree We will contrive as lines of law shall lead Your Highnes shall corroborate as head But all is nothing lo he stops his eare Retires himself and leaves them sitting there Conveens huge Armies on a fair pretence That all was for his personal defence Then in the wisdom of that Councell great Which was establisht in its proper right Whence he remoov'd they sent an army out For to defend the faith its foes to rout Their banners were bedect with holy phrases And in their marches sung their masters praises And to prevent more imminent mischief They went and waited for the next relief Had no commission if conceiv'd aright But to defend not to inforce a fight Else had they often if not so restraind Reduc'd these sad divisions which remaind They were commanded by that famous Lord Who by the least neglect did not debord The first or great encounter which was seen Was by Edge hill so nam'd or Kenton green 'T may be some meetings fortun'd for to fall Between two parties which I do not call To mind but here the onely place was set Where these two Royall armies fiercely met It was the year six hundred forty two The twenty three October when they do Draw up their forces on the Sabbath day I was
to see Those enterprises entertaind by thee And duly did determine for to stand To those intentions thou didst take in hand When faith fell foul and noman must appear In none of these three kingdoms thou camst here And with a constant courage and a mind Most certain zealous in undaunted kind Thou didst declare with hazard of thy blood Thy resolutions for Religions good And when confin'd by Soveraign high consent Nor did thy thoughts nor alter nor relent But in a pious and a prudent forme Past through the power of that tempestuous storme Stood stedfast faithfull as that fixed Star Which stands whereby all others ruled are A learned lâ—ght a Peer unparaleld Whose high expressions in the tongues exceld And still excels the eloquence or skill Of Cato Plato or Apollo's quill When time shall cease when Phoebus shall not shine And human nature shall become divine When day in darknesse shall disolve and when A thousand years shall be the age of man Yea when the Spring to winter time shall turn And when the Ocean in a fire shall burn Then shall they cease to sing thy praise and then Thy name shall be quite cancelled by men But not till then and that will never be Shall after ages cease to honour thee VV. M. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Lord Major of the Citie of LONDON WITH The Honourable Aldermen and the rest of the Common-councell-men REnowned worthies when I weigh your fame Your greatnesse lustre and your vertuous Name Your wisedome knowledge providence and arts Your grace your goodnes and diviner parts The Zeal the love the charities and what Belongs as proper attributes to that Your power your plenty with your worth and wit Your faith and forward arguments of it The highest honour of your enterprise Which from the secret of your hearts arise Your noble Natures not enough admired Your reall actions active and untyred Your constant Cariage and uncessant care The vast expences daily you prepare Your paines and practice in a pleasant kinde Proceeding from your piety of minde Makes up a modell of admyred worth To beautifie and set your glory forth Before whose feast in presence of whose table And in whose eyes so high and honorabel My meane designes or infants of my Muse Scarce date approach yet doubting to refuse They do draw nigh submissively to tender Those true intentions which I freely render In these few lines Characters here insert As reall Emblems of a zealous heart And do acknowledge I am bound to prayse Those who may claime such Epithets as these Grave Judges then admit me as I am Though one unworthy yet with what I came Contemne the treasure not a whit for mee Although I bring it yet behold and see What I present and at your vacant how'rs Look on his lynes whose life is wholly yours I have contrived in a mean degree Though not the whole yet an Epitomie Of Englands troubles and a true relation Of all the sufferings of this famous Nation The cause was Gods the glory is your own You have maintain'd the truth and made it known I need not bid you perseveer you are I do perceive you what you alwaies were I only throw my myte into your store To shew affection not to make it more And do advise you humbly to eschew The bad divisions of a factious crue Go on with courage as you have done ay It is the evening that doth crowne the day Your Fame is flown ' with its wings so far You do not know what things reported are The eyes of Europe opened are to view If you continue and prove constant true Great be the Grander wherein you may shine And heaps of honour from a hand Divine Be daily added in your heads and then You will appeare the rarest of all men This is the sum I have for to present Your servant can afford no complement Accept of these and if you think it fit As you are pleased let me heare of it Your good acceptance may incourage much I hope your Greatnes will vouchsafe me such So shall my book bear witnes at your table I am your Servant Devoted as I am able W. M. To the Renowned Learned and Worthy DIVINES Mr. ALEXANDER HENDERSON Mr. SAMUEL RUTHERFORD Mr. ROBERT BAYLY Mr. GEORGE GILESPIE Commissioners for the CHURCH of SCOTLAND Author Eccho I Could not be resolved of my doubt Nor could I finde Divinity well out But askt the Eccho and it answer'd I Do know four Fathers of Dininity I cald again if it knew where they were And it repli'd I le tell thee where they are I askt the place or if it knew their names And then it said I know them by their ayms What do they aym at Then I askt aloud It answer'd me To pay what they allow'd What do they pay Preach Peace to all that sins Then did it answer Pardon all that 's in 's I askt if it could name them one by one And thent it answer'd Learned Hindersons I cald a second and it Eccho'd I Must Ecch out rare B. A. I. L. Y. And then the third I askt it to afford The Eccho then did eccho Rutherford For one more yet I prayd it to espie The Ayrie Eccho whisperd Gil es pie These are the four profound Renownd Divines The Eccho ended praising their Ingin's W. M. For Apologie to these Persons of Honour BLame not my Muse nor my impartiall eye If I mistake your place of Heraldry I am not hanted with the same nor yet Have I advised with your selves in it I seek not to engender discontent Nor meddle with your place in Parliament But see how Mars did muster you in Warre As I conceive so you inserted are Or if I place a Member here amisse Misconster not my meaning here in this You all are Members of one body be Not disunited 't were bad policie You did attend upon his Excellence At Arms I pray then take it in that sence And if your charge did challenge you the Van If I mistake it yet be you the man But you remember often in the Reer The best be ranked think it not a jeer Nor that I jest it was more honour then To strive for place so do Heroick men Or if I borrow for a friend a place I hope you will excuse me in this case Yea take this New'ars gift gladly and confesse Ye joy to shine so in your Generals Glasse And since your honours I do seek with thirst Let him that 's first be last and last be first W. M. To the Right Worshipfull and Renowned Physitian Doctor Alexander Ramsey Anagr. Examen all rare ayd Vers Examine all rare ayd yet you shall still Rev'rence the excellencie of Ramsay's skill Epigr. HYpocrates and Galen got the praise The rarest of Phisitians in their dayes But Ramsay had those times produced thee Thou hadst been Reckoned rarest of the three They were Renown'd for Knowledge but thy Name Shall be more famous far then both of them
bid me fast and pray if I bee sick When I have well nigh fasted all the weeke And if I tell them that my spirit 's spent They bid me then be patient and content The Colonels have laid their cloaths in paund And many Majors have not strength to stand The Captains and Commanders all in chiefe Are quite confounded even with very griefe And many good men fast a moneth from meate And when they have it then they cannot eat Now tell them this and zealous like they pause And sayes that we must suffer for the cause Those Characters Jobs messengers may spell For I alone am only left to tell Is this the dealing with a friend or brother Or mutuall manner of maintaining other Yet if I must go furnisht as I came I cannot be made worser then I am Nor is this halfe the burthen that I beare No flesh and blood would suffâ—r nor endure Those great neglects wherewith I am supprest So that I am ashamed to confes 't But if it were not for the reverence A matter of so mighty consequence Which I do bear this hopefull Parliament And that I likewise look for some content I would cry out though I therefore should dy And let the World even know my destiny Thus craving leave to speak please you to read This is the Subjects freedom which I plead As for the issue I prescribe not what The honour of the house will think on that But I beleve your greatnesse will consider To make my State as first when I cam hither So wrestling with you till I have my will Then will I think it time for to be still You know that Iacob by his faith abode Nor would he leave off wrestling with his God Till he obtain'd so you still with your King Have wrestled likewise till ye have the thing Even so the woman in the Gospel got What she desir'd yea she departed not Till she obtain'd and Jacob on demand Obtain'd the blessing at good Isaacks hand What shall I say Is not one Isaack then Amongst so many full five hundred men Or if ther be in vain bear not the name Let me receive the blessing then from them For I 'me affraid lest Esau like I sell My whole debenter for a dish of Kell Therefore I do determine still to call Till I have some part I desire not all I hate to beg but being so orethrown I humbly hope ye'l help me to mine own I have petition'd and I do not doubt before the question is resolv'd about Amongst those worthies whom I do implore But they will take a course to cure my sore For if I had but third part of my pay To free my charges I would go my way I have no more to say but I shall ever pray William Mercer Anagr. I am very ill cu'r me Iam very ill cu'r me of my Paine Or else my wars and verses are in vain I am veri ill cu'r me if I die Of this disease ye'l spoil my Poetry I am veri ill cu'r me but if not I never will write more while I 'me a Scot. I am veri ill cu'r me if so long My muse may chuse to sing another song One word more to Momus Baâ—e wide mouthd Momus rage and rail thy fill Spue out thy venom words can do no ill But to thy self thy being is thereby For having spent thy spirits thou must die The crawling snail the passenger to scorne Cannot forbear extols his feeble horne But trod upon he quickly doth withdraw Because he knowes his weapons have no awe Pluck in thy horne spue out thy venom then Thou Miscreant vile creature of men This is the worst I wish to such a snail Thy slandrous tongue were stâ—â—king in thy To the scornfull Passenger SLight not my lines nor lay my labours by Laugh not to scorn because the Author's I I know thou 'st come and with disdainfull look Wilt passing by say what 's this Mercers book But Mercers book if thou couldst take the time Or stay from Taverns to peruse his rime Will pay thee home presuming to appear Or lay thy hands upon these Persons here Without thou stand bareheaded and a farre Such one as thou shouldst not come wherethey are Forbear therefore in silence stand aside Or take not notice Mercer makes a pride If he approach and sples such in the place To look amisse he spits into their face VV. M. Ad Eundem MY Christall glasse clear spotlesse clean and pure Can no infectious fi lt by breath indure To blow upon 't so also would my Muse Be even as rash if she knew how to chuse But she is mine and cares not for the frown Of any churlish base backbiting clowne As for my glasse in innocence it stands If staind by thee between a knaves two hands William Mercer Anagr. I am merrili cru'l Vers I am merrili cru'l to Momus For I wish all such fellowes were from us From my Lodging in King-street Westminster at the three Pidgeons Ian. 6. 1645. Vpon the title of the Book THere are some books which bears the very Name That mine does own yet they are not the same Thou never heldst a glasse before thine eyes VVherein thou saw all these Nobilities And worthies wherefore thou must needs confesse 'T is fitly named Englands Looking-glasse Or if this glasse should have been calld by me The glasse of these three Kingdoms 't were no lye Then with a threefold reverence see thou stand And looking in it hold thy hat in hand VV. M.