have wee More sad then these sad days surviv'd to see How is the guilt of our forefathers crimes Reveng'd on us in these distracted times How is the Shepheards honour that while ere Shone like the morning Star and did appeare To all the world like Heraulds to make known Th' approaching Glory of the rising Sun How is that honour dim how is her light Clouded in shades of Ignorance and night How is our Calling sleighted and that power Our Master lent us threatned every hower How are our worried Names become the scorn Of every base Mechanick rent and torn In every vulgar mouth reproacht and made Delinquents judg'd by every triviall Trade How are our persons scorn'd contemn'd revil'd Nay even by him whose schoole-instructed child Ieers at his ignorance and oft by him Whose sinking fortunes teaches how to swim With zealous Bladders being apt to steale Advantage from the times and trade in zeale How are wee growne the By-word of the land Commanded now where late we did command Prest like a Vintage banded like a Ball Despis'd of many and dispris'd of all PHILOR. True my Philarchus Shepheards never found So hard a time Ah fortune never frown'd So sterne till now Presumptuous Ignorance Had nere till now the boldnesse to advance Her beetle browes or once to tread the Stage Of this blest Island in so bright an Age But ah when Lights grow dim and dull what hand Can keepe out darkenesse who can countermand The melancholy shades of ugly night When heaven wants Lamps or when those Lamps want light Come Shepheard come here 's none but Thee and I We taxe the Times but could the Times reply They 'd vindicate their evils and lay their crimes On us poore Shepheards that thus taxe the Times Had we burnt bright had our refulgent Rayes Given lustre to the world and fill'd our dayes With glorious brightnesse how had darknesse found A place for entrance where could shadowes ground Their ayery errands or what soule could taint Our Sun-bright names what evill could cause complaint How blest how more then blest had Shepheards been Had Shepheards beene so happy to have seen But their owne happinesse Had the waxen wings Of their ambitious thoughts not aym'd at things Beyond their pitch Had they beene wise to move In their owne Orbes and not like Phaeton rove Through the wild Labyrinth of th' Olympick tower And search'd the secrets of too vast a power Their Glory had not found so short a Date Nor caus'd combustion in so calme a State PHILAR. Admit all this Philorthus for who can Consider frailty and not thinke of Man Shall some few staines in the full Lampe of night Cry downe the Moone and wooe the Stars for light What if thy too neglected Soile abound With noysome Weeds wilt thou disclaime the ground Or wouldst thou dry the earths full breast that feeds Thy fragrant Flowers because it fosters Weeds Ah my Philorthus thus the cause now stands With us poore Swaynes The power of our hands Entrusted there by our all-wise God Pan To whom the frailties of collapsed Man Was knowne too well for some disorders growne Among us Swaines is cry'd is voted downe And that fair Livelyhood that late maintain'd Those love-preserving Festivals which chain'd Our mutuall hearts in links of love which clad The naked Orphan and reliev'd the sad Afflicted widow and releas'd the bands Of the lean Prisoner grip'd with the hard hands Of his too just oppressor this they say Is to be shortned if not snatcht away PHILOR. Ah gentle Shepheard heaven ah heavens forefend Those Tydes should ebb that flow to such an end But some we fear bin more corrupt then so They 'r two things what they should what they do PHILAR. True my Philorthus some lewd Swains there bee That have more Bags then Bowels that can see Pale misery panting at their Lordly gates Answerd with Statutes and repulsive Rates Whose hard whose Adamantine eare can brook The sad Complaints of those who cannot look Beyond the Prospect of consuming Grief Without Remorse at all without Relief Whose wanton tables deckt with costly fare Pamper their idle bodies and prepare Oyl for their lust whose craving thoughts made poore With too much wealth condemn themselves to more And such they be Philorthus whose lewd fames And lives have poyson'd the illustrious names Of reverend Shepheards whose ambitious pride Hath brought contempt and made the world deride What late it honour'd now disdain'd abhorr'd By whom they were as much ere while ador'd Ah Shepheard these are they whose vain ambition Made us sad Partners in the worlds derision But that which wounds my soul beyond redresse And aggravates my grief above excesse Those Past'rall staves wherewith those reverend Sages Of former times have rul'd so many ages And by a settled Government exilde Confus'd disorder the prodigious Childe Of factious Anarchie Those Rods of power That rul'd our Swains by day and did secure Their Folds by night are threatned from our hands And all our Flocks to bow to new Commands PHILOR. It cannot be the great Assembly 's wise Has many Heads and twice as many Eyes Eyes bright as day that view both things and times Fast clos'd to persons open to their crimes Judgement nor Fancy moves in that bright Sphere There are no Ends no by-Respects are there The care of Truth and zeal of publique Rest Rests in their restlesse their united brest Heav'n be their Guide and may their pains encrease Heav'ns glory and this glorious Islands peace Ah thinkst thou Shepheard their heav'n-guided heart Will venture to decline his ways or start From Heav'ns Example Heav'n was pleas'd to beare With very Sodom had but ten been there That had been righteous loath to mixe the blood Of guilty thousands with some few of good No question Shepheard but the enormous crimes Of our Profession heightened with the times Are foule enough nor could such Actions lye Conceal'd and clos'd before so cleare an Eye And being seene how could they choose but grate The groaning Feoffees of our tottering State How could our growing greatnesse choose but blow And quicken up their zealous flames or how Could our untam'd Ambition hope to stand Against the power of so great a hand But they are just and wise and wisdome still Shews rather what it can then what it will When publick Iustice threatens it propounds Way for amendment rather then confounds And far lesse cost and dammage vvill ensue To vveed old Gardens then to dig a nevv PHILAR. True Shepheard But they plead for want of dressing Our Garden 's forfeited and they are pressing Hard for Reentry They have seal'd a Deed Vpon the ground intending to proceed Next Tearme t' Ejectment by which means they 'l stand A new possest and re-enjoy the Land PHILOR. Shepheard we hold in Terme from great god Pan His Counsell drew the Lease If wiser Man Can find a flaw our weaknesse must appeale To Pan's Vicegerent He will vouch the seale Faire and
the bright eye of day That in twelve measur'd howers does survay The moity of this earth did ne'er behold More glorious Pastures Nay I dare be bold With awefull reverence to our great God Pan To say that heaven could not devise on man A Good we had not nor augment our store If earth makes happy with one blessing more Our flocks were faire and fruitfull and stood sound Our grounds enricht them they enricht the ground The Alpine mountaines could not boast nor show So pure a whitenesse white surpassing snow Our ub'rous Ewes were evermore supply'd With twins attending upon either side Whose milk-abounding bags did overflow They fed our Lambs and fill'd our dayry too In those past daies our Shepheards knew not what Red-water meant that common language Rott Was neither fear'd nor knowne nor did they feare That heart-confounding name of Massacre There was no putrid Scabbe to exercise The malice of the maggot-blowing flies Whose Prince Belzebub if report be true Breath'd forth his loud Retreat and raging drew His buzzing Army thence and for a time Led them to forage in another Clime And to conclude no Shepheard ere did keep More thriving grounds nor grounds more dainty sheep O my Britannus in those halcyon daies Our jolly Shepheards thirsted after praise Not servil wages They were then ambitious Of Fame whose flocks should be the most auspicious Who by most care should most encrease their fold They hunted after faire report not Gold They were good Shepheards and they lov'd their sheep Watch'd day and night One eye would never sleep Small Cottages would serve their turnes That day Knew no such things as Robes A Shepheards gray Would cloath their backs for being homly drest Their sheep whose fleece they wore would know them best They were good Shepheards seldome durst they feed On Cates or drink the Juice that does proceed From dangerous vines for feare the fumes should steep Their braines too much and they neglect their sheep They were good Shepheards these would every day Twise tell their flocks and then at night convay A secret blessing got by fervent prayer Into their peacefull bosomes unaware They were good Shepheards They would even lay downe Their dearest lives nay more the eternall Crowne Of promis'd Immortality to keep Their lambs from danger and preserve their sheep But now ah now those precious daies are done With us poore Shepheards ah those times are gone Gone like our joyes and never to returne Our joyes are gone and we left here to mourne Let this relation of those times of old Suffice the rest were better be untold BRIT My dearest Gallio had it pleased heaven I wish no further matter had been given To thy discourse it would have pleas'd mine eare And eas'd thy tongue t' have pitch'd thy period here But since our God that can doe nothing ill Hath sent a Change we must submit our will What he hath made the subject of thy story Feare not to tell his ends are his own glory There 's nothing constant here the States of Kings As well as Shepheards are but tickle things Good daies on earth continue but a while We must have vinegar as well as oyle There must be rubs can earth admit all levell The hist'ry of a State is good and evill Speake then my Gallio this attentive eare Can not heare worse then 't is prepar'd to heare GALL Know'st thou Britannus what in daies of old Our great God Pan by Oracle foretold Of that brave City whose proud buildings stood As firme as earth till stain'd with Shepheards blood That there 's a time should come wherein not one Should live to see a stone upon a stone And is not now that prophecy made good Growes not grasse there where these proud buildings stood Nay my Britannus what concernes us more Did not that Oracle in times of yore Threaten to send his Foxes from their Holds Into our Vines and Wolves into our Folds To breake our Fences and to make a way For the wilde Boare to ramble and to prey Where ere he pleas'd O gentle Shepheard thus Thus that prophetick evill 's made good in us Our Hedge is broken and our Pastures yeeld But slender profit All 's turn'd Common-field Our Trenches are fill'd up our crystall Springs Are choak'd with Earth and Trash and baser things Our Shepheards are growne Plough-men all and now Our generous Crooke is turn'd a crooked Plough Shepheards build Halls and carry Princely ports Their woolls are chang'd to silks their Cotts to Courts They must have hospitable Barnes to keep Riot on foot no matter now for Sheep Turne them to graze upon the common Fallowes Whilst the luxurious Shepheard swills and wallowes In his own vomit Having swallowed downe Goblets of wine he snorts in beds of Doun Whilst his poore Lambs his poore neglected Lambs Bend fruitless knees before their milkless Dams Nay my Britannus now these pamper'd Swaines Are grown so idle that they think it paines To sheare their fleeces No they must be pickt And rins'd in holy-water they are strict To touch defiled things must be presented Upon the knee as if they had repented Their service and for which they must deserve But what A Dispensation now to sterve BRIT But stay my Gallio let not my attention Too farre exceed my slower apprehension 'T is better manners t' interrupt then heare Things serious with an ill-instructed eare Make me conceive your forain acceptation Of that ambiguous word of Dispensation GALL It is a tearm that forain Shepheards use Too much I was about to say abuse In elder times when Pastors tooke delight To feed their flocks and not their appetite It was a word exprest now faln asleep To that true sense A feeding of the sheep But now 't is alter'd and it does appeare Diffring as much as they from what they were And if your gentle patience will excuse it A word too much shall tell you how they use it In times of yore the pious minded Swaine Finding base Sodomy and Incest raigne In looser brests taught their obedient Sheep T' observe those laws that Goats refus'd to keep Forbidding Twins to couple and the Rams To take a â—arnall knowledge of their Dams To which intent it was their studious care To severall such flocks as might not paire So much those holy Swaines abominated Unnaturall Incest as we finde related That even among their sheep they thought it good To punish such enormous crimes with bloud Not to be us'd for sacrifice nor food But now Britannus times are growne more course Declin'd from good to bad from bad to worse Those rules are broke by these licentious times Lawes are esteem'd no lawes and crimes no crimes 'T is true our Rascall-sheep whose fly-blown skin Hath lost her fleece and brings no profit in To such the law continues firm and strict On such the hand of justice does inflict The height of law But those whose fleecy loines Beare thriving burdens there th' Edict injoines An easie
share as well as I Examples are demanded which being given We must not follow Giddy brains bereaven Of common sense Where heaven does make no mentiō You style it with the term of mans invention Where heaven commandeth and is pleas'd to hallow With blest Examples there we must not follow ANAR. So heaven by blest Examples did enjoin Your bended knees to worship Bread and Wine CAN. When your crosse-garted knees fall down before Your Parlour-Table what doe you adore ANAR. So heaven commands by conjuring words to bring Vow'd hands together with a hallow'd Ring CAN. 'T is true your fiery zeals cannot abide Long circumstance your doctrine 's Vp and Ride ANAR. So heaven commanded that religious praise Be given to Saints and worship to their dayes CAN. Whom you contemn because they did not preach Those Doctrines that your Western Parlours teach ANAR. So heaven commanded Bishops and the rest Of that lewd Rank ranck members of the Beast CAN. I heaven commanded such and gave them power To scourge and check suchill-pac'd Beasts as you are ANAR. So heaven commanded that the high Commission Should plague poor Christians like the Inquisition CAN. Your plagues are what your own behaviours urge None but the guilty raile against the Scourge ANAR. So heaven commands your prayers that buried dust Of Whores and Theeves should triumph with the Just CAN. Man may not censure by externall view Forbear we sometimes pray for some of you ANAR. So heaven commands your Paintings Pipes Copes Us'd in your Churches and ordain'd by Popes CAN. Where Popish hands have rais'd in every Town A Parish Church shall we pull Churches down But come Anarchus let us leave to play At childish Pushpin Come let not the day Be lost in Trifles to a fruitlesse end Let 's fall to hotter service and contend By more substantiall argument whose weight May vindicate the truth from light conceit Let 's try a Syllogisme Art infuses Spirit into the children of the Muses Whereby stout error shall be forc'd to yield And Truth shall sit sole Mistresse of the Field ANAR. Art me no Arts That which the Sp'rit infuses Shall edge my tongue What tell'st thou me of Muses Those Pagan Gods the Authours of your Schismes P'sh tell not me of Arts and Silisismes I care not for your Quirks and new devices Of studied wit We use to play our prizes With common weapons and with downright knocks We beat down sin and error like an Oxe And cut the throat of heath'nish Pop'ry too Like Calves prepar'd for slaughter so we doe We rash in sunder Heresie like an Ell Of Sarc'net then convey it down to Hell We take just measure of a Christians heart By th' yard of Judgement then by dextrous Art We cut out doctrines and from notch to notch We fit our holy Stuffe we doe not botch Like you but make it jump that it be neither Too wide nor straight then stitch it up together And make a Robe of Sanctity to fit The childe of Grace we medle not with wit These be the meanes that overthrow our Schismes And build Religion without Sigilismes CAN. A rare device But tell me wert thou made A Butcher or a Tayler by thy trade I look'd for Schollership but it appears Hoods make no Monks nor Beards Philosophers ANAR. Surely I was at first by Occupation A Merchant Tayler till that lender fashion Of Spanish Cassocks grew into request When having left that Calling I profest A Chaunler where I was enforc'd to vent That hellish smoake whose most unsavory scent Perfum'd my garments so that I began To be conceiv'd an Unregenerate man Which cal'd me from that course of life to trade In tape and inckle ere I year'd and day'd This new imployment O a strange mischance Ore threw my dealings which did disadvance My meane estate and whereupon I fled To Amsterdam where being trencher-fed By holy Brethren liv'd in great respect Sr Rev'rence footing stockings for th' Elect Surely the savour of the Brethrens feet Perfum'd with commings in is very sweet There twise six monthes I had not led my life But I became an Husband to an Wife The widow of an Elder in whose stead I was though I could neither write nor read Accounted worthy though I say 't and able To preach the Gospel at our holy Table CAN. But say what strange mischance was that did move thee To flee thy native soile What mischief drove thee What dire dysaster urg'd thy skilfull hand To find imployment in a forain Land ANAR. Surely I was when that mischance befell But poore in purse and was constrain'd to sell Cadice and Inckle now because my trade Requir'd an help I entertain'd a Maide An able Christian though I say 't Begot Of holy Parents though the nuptiall knot Of ceremonious Mariage never tyed Their joyned hands She was a Sanctified And undefiled Vessell She would pray When others slept and work when others play She was of exc'lent knowledg and indeed She could expound and preach too for a need She was my servant and set up my trade With her owne hands her skilfull fingers made The Tape and Inckle where withall she stor'd My thriving shop whereby I did afford My Brethren better pennyworths nay more She had a gift was all the City ore Well known in making Puddings whose meer view Would make a Proselyte and convert a Jew Whose new Religion would proclaim our Hogs As clean and holy as their Synagogues These would she beare from house to house and sell To holy Brethren who would please her well For under that pretence she oft repeated Some close preacht Sermon oftentimes entreated Of holy Discipline sometimes gave warning Of some rare Lecture held next Thursday morning I know not how fraile flesh and blood ye know Can doe no more then flesh and blood can doe But to be short she would so often fig From place to place that she was grown too big To be conceal'd from wicked neighb'ring eyes T' avoid the scandall I thought good t' arise And flee to Amsterdam till I could gather By information the reputed Father CAN. A wholsome Hist'ry able to transforme Abus'd Religions sunshine to a storme Of direfull Thunderbolts to overthrow All Christian Rulers that dare longer ow Confusion to the Varlets and not grind them To dust and send them to the place design'd them Had'st thou that impudence that brazen face In the fag end of thy unsav'ry base Triobular trades foule beast nay piping hot From thy close Strumpet thus to soile and blot The beauty of Religion and to wrong The Gospels name with thy illiterate tongue ANAR. Were not th' Apostles Fishers and not fly Their trades and preach'd the word as well as I CAN. Avoid presumptuous Varlet urge no more My tyred patience Goe seeke out thy Whore Thy fit Compere and exercise thy trade Vpon her ruin'd stockings much decaid With long pursuit and trudging all about To find the Father of her Bastard out Whil'st I remove
authentick If the Common Lawes Condemne our Right by vertue of that Clause Of heedlesse Forfeiture O then we fly To be reliev'd in the high Chancery That uncorrupted Court that now does rest In the great Chamber of the Assemblies brest Ther 's Iudgement there which idle heaps of gold Despaires to bribe and Conscience there unsold Poore Shepheards there shall find as faire accesse As Peers as Princes and as just redresse PHILAR. Heav'n be our great Protection and close Their suits-attending ears against all those Whom rayling Ignorance and frantick Zeale Hath only taught the way to say and seale And set their marks not having skill to shape A Letter or without a Lye to scape The danger of Non legit whose profession Is only to scorne Lambeth and discretion These be fit men Philorthus to descend Into these Lists sweet Champions to contend About these Myst'ries likely to confound Those famous Worthies that have searcht the ground Of sage Antiquity wherein of old The Government was wrapt and still enroll'd PHILAR. Come Shepheard come our great Assemblie's wise And for a while in policy complies With the rude Multitude who must have day To breath their humors which would else break way Like earth-imprisoned Aire whose sudden birth Startles the world and shakes the shivering earth It is the nature of the vulgar brest Still to mislike and count that State the best Which they enjoy not Pleas'd with Novelties They grow impatient of the old and prize What 's next in hope more happy in expectation Then when possest all fire to Alteration But Shepheard know our grave Assembly pryes Where they nere view'd and looks with clearer eyes Their wisdoms know what sudden Change portends Things rash begun too oft in danger ends But unavoided ruine daily waites On suddain change of fundamentall States PHILAR. I but Philorthus whilst the State complies With the tumultuous Vulgar tumults rise And rude disorder creeps into our plains Swains will be Shepheards Coblers will be Swains Flocks are disturb'd and pastures are defac'd Swains are despis'd and Shepheards are disgrac'd Orders are laught to scorn and in conclusion Our Kingdome 's turn'd a Chaos of confusion PHILOR. Why Shepheard there 's the Plot the surest way To take the Fish is give her leave to play And yeeld her Line He best can cure the Cause That marks th' effect Evill manners breed good Laws The wise Assembly knowing well the length Of the rude popular foot with what a strength The vulgar fancy still pursues the Toy That 's last presented leaves them to enjoy Their uncontrolled wils untill they tire And quickly surfeit on their own desire Whose wild disorders secretly confesse Needfull support of what they 'd most suppresse But who comes here Anarchus PHILAR. 'T is the same PHILOR. How like a Meteor made of zeal and flame The man appears PHILAR. Or like a blazing Star Portending change of State or some sad War Or death of some good Prince PHILAR. He is the trouble Of three sad Kingdomes PHILAR. Even the very Bubble The froth of troubled waters PHILOR. Hee 's a Page Fill'd with Errata's of the present Age PHILAR. The Churches Scourge PHILOR. The devils Enchiridion PHILAR. The Squib the Ignis fatuus of Religion But hee ' at hà nd Anarchus what 's the newes PHILOR. In a Browne studie PHILAR. Speechlesse PHILOR. In a Muse ANAR. Man if thou be'st a Babe of Grace And of an holy Seed I will reply incontinent And in my words proceed But if thou art a Child of wrath And lewd in conversation I will not then converse with thee Nor hold communication PHILOR. I trust Anarchus wee all three inherit The selfe same Gifts and share the selfe same Spirit ANAR. Know then my brethren heav'n is clear And all the Clouds are gone The Righteous now shall flourish and Good dayes are comming on Come then my Brethren and be glad And eke rejoyce with me Lawn Sleeves and Rochets shall go down And hey then up goe we Wee 'l breake the windows which the Whore Of Babylon hath painted And when the Popish Saints are downe Then Barow shall be Sainted There 's neither Crâ—sse nor Crucifixe Shall stand for men to see Romes trash and trump'ries shall goe downe And hey then up goe we What ere the Popish hands have built Our Hammers shall undoe Wee 'l breake their Pipes burn their Copes And pull downe Churches too Wee 'l exercise within the Grâ—ves And teach beneath a Tree Wee 'l make a Pulpit of a Cart And hey then up goe wee Wee 'l down with all the Varsities Where Learning is profest Because they practise and maintain The Language of the Beast Wee 'l drive the Doctors out of doores And Arts what ere they be Wee 'l cry both Arts and Learning down And hey then up goe we Wee 'l down with Deans and Prebends too But I rejoyce to tell ye How then we will eat Pig our fill And Capâ—n by the belly Wee 'l burn the Fathers witty Tomes And make the Schoole-men flee Wee 'l down with all that sâ—els of wit And hey then up go wee If once that Antichristian crew Be crusht and overthrown Wee 'l teach the Nobles how to croutch And keep the Gentry down Good manners have an evill report And turns to pride we see Wee 'l therefore cry good manners down And hey then up goe wee The name of Lord shall be abhorr'd For every man 's a brother No reason why in Church or State One man should rule another But when the change of Government Shall set our fingers free Wee 'l make the wanton Sisters stoop And hey then up go we Our Coblers shall translate their soules From Caves obscure and shady Wee 'l make Tom T as good as my Lord And Joan as good as my Lady Wee 'l crush and fling the marriage ring Into the Romane See Wee 'l ask no bands but even clap hands And hey then up goe wee PHILAR. Heaven keep such vermin hence If sinfull dust May boldly chuse a punishment and trust Their own desires let Famine Plague or Sword A treacherous friend or what is more abhorr'd A foolish false contentious wife first seise On our sad souls then such wilde beasts as these ANAR. Surely thou art an Hypocrite A lewd false-hearted Brother I find thou art a Childe of Rome And smell the whore thy Mother PHILOR. Away false varlet come not nere my flocks Thou taint'st my pastures Neither Wolfe nor Fox Is halfe so furious They by stealth can prey Perchance upon a Lambe and so away But thy blood-thirsty malice is so bold Before my face to poison all my fold I warn thee hence come not within my list Be still what thou art thought a Separatist ANAR. Thou art the spawn of Antichrist And so is this thy Brother Thou art a man of Belial And he is such another I say thou art a Priest of Baal And surely I defie thee To Satan I will leave thy soul And never more come nigh thee PHILAR. A gentle riddance O may never crosse Fall heavier on this Land then such a losse PHILOR. But think'st thou Swain the great Assemblies eye Beholds not these base Sycophants that lye Close gnawing at the root as well as those That with the Romish Axe strike downright blows On the main body of Religions tree Think'st thou their sharp ey'd Providence can see The Chamber Councels and the close designes Of forain Princes and their secret Mines Of State Invention Can their wisedomes rome Through all the world and yet be blinde at home No no Philarchus the Assemblies hand Feels but as yet the Pulses of the Land Seeks out the ev'll and with a skilfull eye Enquiers where the peccant humours lye But when th' apparent Symptomes shall disclose The certain griefs that vex and discompose Our universall Body then no doubt Their active Wisdomes soon will cast about To make a glorious Cure which shall enhance Heav'ns greater glory settle and advance The rest of groaning Sion to th' encrease Of their own honour and great Britains peace PHILAR. My bended knee shall never rise till then PHILOR. Heav'n nere shall rest till Heav'n shall say Amen FINIS * Numb. 6.23
The thing was told To many Shepheards more that dare be bold To call it Truth to Shepheards that were by That heard and saw and shook as well as I. His face was like the visage of a Childe Round smooth and plump and oftentimes it smil'd It glow'd like fier and his rowling eyes Cast flames like Lightning darted from the skyes His haire was long and curl'd and did infold Like knots of wire compos'd of burnisht Gold His body was uncloath'd His skin did show More white then Iv'ry or the new-faln snow Whose perfect whitenesse made a circling light That where it stood it silverd o're the night And as he spake his wings would now and then Spread as he meant to flye then close agen This news he brought 'T was neither Fame nor I That forg'd it Swain Good Angels cannot lye Canst thou beleeve it If thy faith be strong My greater Tidings shall enlarge my tongue VIG I doe Evangelus though for a season My faith was tyding on the streames of reason Yet now the gale of thy report shall drive Her sailes another course my thoughts shall strive Against that streame and what I cannot understand with my heart I will beleeve and wonder But tell me Swaine what happinesse accrews From this Or else relate thy better news EVANG. Then know Vigilius whilst the Angell spake My spirits trembled and my loines did ake Horror and heart-amazing feares possest The fainting powers of my troubled brest And struck my frighted soule into a swound That I lay senselesse prostrate on the ground With that he stretcht his life-restoring arme He rais'd me up and bid me feare no harme Feare not said he I come not to affright Thy gaster'd soule with terrours of the night My errand Shepheard is not to abuse Thine eyes with horrid shapes I bring thee news Tidings of joy and everlasting peace Stand up and let thy faithlesse trembling cease Collect thy scatter'd senses Swaine and heare The happiest newes that ever beg'd an eare Such news whereat th' harmonious quire of heaven Archangels Angels and the other seven Of those Celestiall Hierarchies the troop Of glorious Saints and soules of Prophets stoop Their joyfull eares and being fully freight With joyes sing forth Hosanna's to the height This night a Virgin hath brought forth a Son A perfect God though clad in flesh and bone Like mortall man th' eternall Prince of Rest And Peace in whom all nations shall be blest This night a Virgin hath brought forth a Child A perfect Man but pure and undefil'd With guilt of sin like you in shape and fashion And for your sakes as subject to your passion A perfect God whose selfe-subsisting nature Required not the help of a Creator A perfect man conceived by the power Of th' holy Ghost and borne this very hower A perfect God beyond the comprehending Of man and infinite without an ending A perfect man objected to the eye And touch of Flesh and Blood and borne to dye Like God eternall yet his life a span Like yours a perfect God a perfect man To you a Son is given the heire of glory Whose Kingdome 's endlesse and untransitory To you a child is borne that shall succeed That princely David and of Davids seed A Son is given whose name redeem'd the earth A world of daies before his mothers birth A Child is borne whose last expiring breath Shall give new dayes and dying conquer death A Son a Child compos'd of Earth and Heaven To you a Child is borne a Son is given We blessed Angels have no need at all Of such a Saviour for we cannnot fall The damned spirits of th' Infernall Throne Receive no profit by this Childe this Son To you the glory of so great a gain Belongs To you these tidings appertain To you thrice happy sons of men we bring This welcome errand from th' eternall King Of endlesse mercy the great Lord of Heaven To you this Childe is born this Son is given Goe Shepheards goe to Bethlem and your eyes Shall see the Babe The blessed Infant lyes In a poor Stable swadled in a Manger Goe Swains and entertain this heavenly Stranger Upon your bended knees See yonder Starre Shall be your Pilot where these wonders are And as he spake that word not fully ended Ten thousand Angels in a Troop descended But here my tongue must fail not having might To tell the glory of that glorious sight Nay had I power thine ears would prove as weak To apprehend as my poor tongue 's to speak They joyn'd their warbling notes and in a height Beyond the curious frailty of conceit Their voices sweetned our delighted fears And with this Caroll blest our ravisht ears GLory to God on high and jolly mirth Twixt man and man and peace on earth This night a childe is born This night a Son is given This Son this Childe Hath reconcil'd Poor man that was forlorne And th' angry God of heaven Hosanna sing Hosanna Now now that joyfull Day That blessed howre is come That was foretold In dayes of old Wherein all nations may Blesse blesse the Virgins wombe Hosanna sing Hosanna Let heaven triumph above Let earth rejoyce below Let heaven and earth Be fill'd with mirth For peace and lasting love Atones your God and you Hosanna sing Hosanna With that their Air-dividing plumes they spred And with Hosanna in their mouths they fled But Shepheard ah how far does my report Ah how extreamly my poor words come short To blaze such glory How have I transgrest T' expresse such Raptures not to be exprest VIG O Swain how could I lose my self to hear Thy blest discourse O how my greedy ear Clings to thy cordiall lips whose soveraign breath Brings Antidotes against the fangs of death How happy are these times How blest are wee Above all ages that are born to see This joyfull day whose glory was deny'd To Kings and holy Prophets that rely'd Upon the self-same hopes How more then they Are we poor Shepheards blest to see this day EVANG. O Shepheard had our Princely David seen This happy how'r how had his spirit been Inflam'd with Joy and Zeal What heavenly skill Had passion lent to his diviner Quill What Odes what Lyrick Raptures had inspir'd His ravisht soul that was already fir'd With hopes alone that these rare things should bee In after days which now his eyes should see VIG No question but an infinite delight Had easily sprung from so divine a sight It had bin Joy sufficient that a Sonne Was born to sit upon his Princely Throne O but that Son to be a Saviour too Able to conquer death and overthrow The very Gates of Hell and by his breath To drag his soul from the deep Jaile of death Had bin a Joy too high to be exprest By tongues or trusted to a common brest But hold whilst we endevour to make known Anothers Joy we o're neglect our own The day is broke The Eastern Lamps begin To fail and draw
worse Confound these base these upstart Luth'ran tongues That spit such poyson and project these wrongs Against our Church ROM A Curse sufficient hold And lend my tongue your patience to unfold Your Catholike Church when my words shal end Speake you your pleasure while mine eares attend Your Church is like a Market where for Gold Both Sinnes and Pardons may be bought and sold It is a Jugglers shop whose Master showes Fine tricks at Fast and Loose with Oathes and vowes It is a Mill wherein the Laity grind For the fat Clergy being still kept blind It is a Schoole whose Schollers ill directed Are once a yeare by their own hands corrected It is a Magazine wherein are lai'd More choice of Scriptures then their Maker made It is a Church depraves the Text and then Pins the Authority on the sleeves of men It is a slaughter-house where Butchers bring 〈…〉 All sorts of men and now and then a King It is a sort of people doe unthrone The living God and deifie a stone It is a Woman that in youth has bin A Whore and now in age a Baud to sin It damnes poore Infants to eternall fire For want of what they liv'd not to desire It dare assure us sound before the cure And bids despaire where we should most assure It leads poore Women captive does contrary The lawfull use of Meats forbids to marry JUD Hold Champions hold 'T is needlesse to renue Your fight The day grows hot as well as you It is against the course of Martiall Lawes To deal a blow in a decided Cause Sheath up your sanguine blades These wars have cost Much bloud and sweat The field is won and lost And we adjudge the Palms triumphant Bow Of Conquest to renown'd Romastix brow And with our shrill-mouth'd Trumpet we proclame Eternall honour to his honour'd name Who shall be styl'd to his perpetuall prayse Truths faithfull Champion till the last of dayes Queen Truth shall prosper when her Pleader fails Great is the Truth and that great Truth prevails EGLOGVE X. Orthodoxus Catholicus Nuncius ORTH. WHat news Catholicus You lately came From the great City what 's the voice of Fame CATH The greatest part of what my sense receives Is the least part of what my Faith believes I search for none If ought perchance I hear Unaskt it often dies within my eare Untold What this man or what that man saith Can hardly make a Packhorse on my Faith But now I think on 't There 's great talk about A strange predictious Star long since found out By learned Ticho-brachy whose portents Reach to these Times they say and tels th' events Of strange adventures whose successe shall bring Illustrious fame to a victorious King Born in Northern parts whose glorious arme Shall draw a sword a sword that shall be warm With Austrian blood whose loud beaten drum Shall send beyond the walls of Christendome Her royall-conquering Marches to controle Even from the Artick to th' Antartick pole The spaun of Antichrist and to engore Those Bald-pate Panders of proud Babels Whore ORTH. May these portents be sure as they are great And may that drum ne're sound her faint retreat Till these things take effect But tell me Swaine How hapt this lucky Comet to remaine So long in silence and at length to blaze With us and be the rumor of our daies CATH There is a Prince new risen from the North Of mighty spirit and renowned worth Prudent and pious for heroick deeds At least a Caesar in whose heart the seeds Of true Religion were so timely sown That they are sprung to height and he is grown The wonder of his daies whose louder name Has blast enough to split the Trump of Fame Hast thou beheld the heavens greater eye Maskt in a swarthy cloud how by and by It breaketh forth and with his glorious ray Gives glory to the discontented day So this illustrious Prince scarce nam'd among The rank of common Princes bravely sprung From his dark Throne and with his brighter story Hast soil'd the lustre of preceding glory This is that Man on whom the common eye Is turn'd on his adventure does relye The worlds discourse this is that flame of fire We hope shall burn we hope as we desire Proud Babel this the arme that shall unhenge Th' incestuous gates of Sodom and revenge The blood of blessed Martyrs spilt and frying In flames blood that has been this age a crying For slow-pac'd vengeance this is he whose Throne This blazing Prophet bent his eye upon ORTH. And well it may The kalender whereby We rurall Shepheards calculate and forespy Things future Good or Evill hath late descry'd That evill affected planet Mars ally'd To temporizing Mercury conjoyn'd I' th' house of Death whereby we Shepheards find Strange showres of blood arising from the North And flying Southward likely to breake forth Vpon the Austrian parts and raise a flood To overwhelm that bloody House with Blood That House which like a Sun in this our Orbe Whiffes up the Belgick fumes and does absorbe From every Soile rich vapours and exhale From Sea and Land within our Christian pale A Sun the beams of whose Meridian glory Fill eyes with wonder and all tongues with story CATH But there 's a Viall to be emptyed out Vpon this glorious Planet which no doubt Thine eye and mine shall see within these few Approaching days if Shepheards signes be true No doubt the lingring times are sliding on Wherein this House shall flame and this bright Sun Shall lose his light shall lose his light and never Shine more but be eclips'd eclips'd for ever O Shepheard If the pray'rs of many a Swain Have audience and our hopes be not in vain This is that Prince whose conqu'ring Drum shal beat Through the proud streets of Room and shall unseat The Man of sin and with his sword unthrone The Beast and trample on his triple Crown This is that Angel whose full hand does grasp That threatned Viall and whose fingers clasp This flaming Fauchin which shall hew and burn The lims of Antichrist and nere return Into his quiet sheath till that proud Whore That perks so high lye groveling on the Flore ORTH. Shepheard Me thinks when my glad ears attends Vpon his fair successe his Actions Ends His Valour Wisdome Piety when I scan All this me thinks I think on more then Man O how my soul lies down before the feet Of this brave Prince O how my blessings greet Each obvious action whose loud breath I dare Not hear unprosper'd with my better pray'r I must forget the peace of Sion when I cease to honour this brave Man of men Had Plutarch liv'd till now to blazon forth His life as sure he would what Prince of worth Or Greek or Roman had his single story Selected out to parallel his Glory CATH O Shepheard he whose service is employ'd In heavens high battels can doe nothing void Of fame and wonder nothing lesse then