LACHRYMAE Londinenses OR LONDONS LAMENTATIONS and TEARES In this Treatise is contained LOndons Lamentations and Teares wherein varietie of matter of that Subject is contained and discussed A Mappe of the Cities Miserie c. A Christian Expostulation and Admonition to such as fled c. Priuate Prayers A Prayer of Thankesgiuing vpon the decreasing and ceasing of the said Sicknesse A feruent Prayer to bee vsed by Londoners in time of and during the Contagious Pestilence A zealous Prayer to bee vsed by Londoners that fled from the Citie and others in the Countrie during the Contagion A Prayer for our gracious King Charles A Prayer for Queene Mary our Kings Wife A Prayer for Frederick and Elizabeth King and Queene of Bohemia and their hopefull Children A Prayer for the Lord Maior the Sheriffes and Aldermen of London A Prayer for the Counsell of Warre established by Act of Parliament A Prayer for his Maiesties Nauy-Royall the Forces and Admirall now at Sea A briefe Prayer for priuate Persons in tempestious weather A briefe Prayer for our afflicted Brethren wheresoeuer A briefe priuate Prayer for preparation to the publike Fasts whether in Citie or Countrie LACHRYMAE Londinenses OR LONDONS TEARES AND LAMENTATIONS for Gods heauie Visitation of the the Plague of Pestilence WITH A Map of the Cities Miserie Wherein may be seene A Iournall of the deplorable estate of the Citie from the beginning of the Visitation vnto this present A Christian Expostulation and Admonition to such as fled out of the Citie Wherein is shewed Magistrates that haue the care of the Common-wealth May not flee in time of the greatest Contagion Ministers that haue the care of Mens Soules May not flee in time of the greatest Contagion Physicians that haue the care of Mens Bodies May not flee in time of the greatest Contagion Whereunto is added A Prayer of Thanksgiuing vpon the decreasing of the Sicknesse and other feruent and zealous Prayers appropriated to the present pensiue times for priuate Persons The like not yet Published LONDON Printed for H. Holland and G Gibbs at the Golden Flowerdeluce in Popes-head Ally 1626. THe Reader may take knowledge that this Treatise was penned about the mids and heat of this Great Sicknesse now through Gods mercy so much asswaged and it should haue beene published aboue sixe Weekes since but could not till now by occasion of some accidents Read all or read none and in reading rectifie these few Errata that haue passed the Presse Page 3. line 32. for presence read person pag. 5. l. 13. for Debrees r. Decrees p. 11. l. 24. for of a r. of the. pag. 12. l. 9. r. reduce to p. 14. l. 19. r. Rabâ—â—…akeh p. 29. l. 25. r. about pag. 30. l. 30. for our r. their In marg p. 25. for Deut. 1. r. Exod. 18. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE IOHN GORE Lord Major ROVVLAND HEYLIN and ROBERT PARKHVRST late Sheriffes and now Aldermen of the famous though forlorne Citie of LONDON TO You and to Yee three alone Right Honorable and right Worshipfull prime Guardians of this his Majesties Imperiall Chamber am I bold to commend these ensuing Lines Prosopopaeia of the Lamentations and Teares of this whilome flourishing now forlorne Citie the which I whoever I am an vnworthy member of the said Citie haue Compiled not without many salt Teares and in the Meditaions of mine owne Mortalitie when as so many Thousands haue falne dayly and weekely on my Right hand and on my Left And what am I a seely Worme and no Man that should bee left aliue amids the Thousands that haue falne to relate the sad Story hereof But it is the Prouidence of GOD it so should bee By him Kings doe Reigne and by him also subordinate Magistrates doe Gouerne By him I say and by his especiall Prouidence doubtlesse You my Lord Maior and Yee Mr. Sheriffes all three Professours of Religion were Chosen and Sworne for this Yeere a Yeere full of fatall and memorable Accidents the ending of a mightie and prudent King the beginning of a mightie and prodigious Plague besides the marriage of a mightie King and the setting forth of a mightie Nauy such an one as no Age no Record no Chronicle ever mentioned the like within this our faery Land in this our famous Citie I pray GOD the Countrey and whole Land doe not drinke of the same Cup Yea Lord if it bee thy will remoue this Cup from this Citie from this Land So as to this present Plague of Pestilence all former Plagues were but pettie ones as I may say This to future Ages and Historiographers must needs bee Kalendred the Great Plague I must acknowledge also that by GOD wee liue and moue and haue our being But Right Honorable and right Worshipfull by your Residence and religious Discipline wee that remaine in this desolate Citie haue liued in greater safety for had you not beene with vs wee had beene in danger to haue had a further Plague added our Throats cut and to bee despoyled of our Goods by a certeine Rout of Rascals that continually lie lurking and hunkering about this Citie as I haue further demonstrated in the ensuing Treatise For the which your indefatigable labour of Loue Care and constant Residence what should my poore selfe say but for a farewell now at your going forth The blessing of him that dwelt in the Bush bee with you and yours evermore And so I humbly take my leaue of your Honour and your Worships ⸪ Octob 27. 1625. TO THE READER whether in CITIE or COVNTRIE BEloued READER whether Christian Courteous Gentle either or neither If you expect in these ensuing Lines any scarce credible or feigned matters of wonderment made in some Tauerne or on some Ale-bench to tickle your Eares and helpe you to sing Care-away you will be deceiued for there are enow if not too many such like Spuriall Pamphlets which the Presse hath of late already spewed out Broods of Barbican Smithfield and the Bridge and Trundled trolled and marshalled vp and downe and along the Streets and haply the Countries also and certes excepting one ingenious and ingenuous Writer lately extant and published since this Tract was penned they are mad Mountebankes that dare venture to vent their Quacksaluing Conceipts to mooue mirth in time of a mightie Mortalitie and when GOD and KING calls for Mourning The very Title of this Tract is Teares the Subject Sad the Matter Mournfull in a sorrowfull Season in a perplexed Place All true and really too true If it were the will of GOD would it were not so Yet all is heere related by way of Meditation and but generally particular Sad and Mournfull accidents I doe but touch though I know many For example of whole Families swept away by the besome of GODS Destroying Angell some consisting of 5. some 6. some 7. some 8. some 9. and 10. persons in a Familie and none left to lament the losse of each other nor any lawfull Inheritour left or hardly to
that rise early and sit vp late to drinke and that are mightie to drinke Wine and strong drinke And remembring what became of the rich Glutton in the Gospell Let euery Oppressour and Grinder of the Faces of the Poore repent them of their sinnes and consider the third Chapter of Jsaiah before recited and with Zacheus let them learne to make Restitution and consider who hath said Let him that hath stolne steale no more c. And for Viperous and gryping Vsurers let them often reade and meditate on the 15. Psalme Let all Contemners of Gods Word his Sacraments and faithfull Ministers thereof repent and learne to receiue the Food which is able to saue their Soules with all meekenesse and to haue the Ministers thereof in due reuerence for their Message sake Let all Proud and high-minded People learne of St. Paul Coloss 3. 12. Nay let them learne of a greater than Paul euen of our Sauiour Christ himselfe Matth. 11. 29. To conclude let all sorts of Men and Women Rich and Poore old and young forsake their sinfull courses and striue to finde out the Plague in their owne hearts whether sinnes of heart or sinnes of life sinnes of commission or omission and turne vnto the Lord with true Repentance according to Iohn Baptists Counsell Bring forth fruits meet for Repentance Yea let vs with the Apostles in the Gospell cry Is it I Lord Is it I c. Nay let vs euery one say Is it not I Lord Js it not J c. And so hand in hand Let vs all approach the Throne of Grace by heartie and feruent Prayer and neuer giue ouer importuning the Lord vntill he be pleased to hold the hand of the destroying Angell and cause him to sheath his Sword and so this grieuous fearefull and deuouring Sicknesse of the Pestilence as it is wonderfully asswaged shall cease from this Citie To which end I your indulgent Mother haue collected these ensuing Platformes of Prayers to helpe those that cannot otherwise poure out their soules vnto Almightie God in Prayer Which I wish may yield some profit and comfort to euery honest-hearted Christian that shall view and make vse of them in these sad times of Mourning and Humiliation Amen And aboue all beware of Securitie now GOD hath for the time so much and mercifully withdrawne his hand PRIVATE PRAYERS appropriated to the present perplexed times A Prayer of Thankesgiuing vpon the decreasing and ceasing of the Contagious Sicknesse O Almightie Iehouah who as thou art the GOD of Iudgement so thou art the Father of Mercy And in the dayes of olde diddest in thy just Iudgement drowne the whole vnrepentant World by thy Deluge of Water except thy Seruant Noah and his Family and yet at length thou didst remember Mercy and ceased the Floud and sent drie Land And in the dayes of thy Seruant Dauid for his and his Peoples sinne didst destroy a mightie Multitude with thy Plague of Pestilence and yet at length didst also remember Mercie commanded the Destroying Angell to sheath his Sword and cease And in the time of thy Seruant Ionah didst remoue the deserued Destruction of Niniueh remembring thy Mercy Thou art the same God of Iustice still and we doe confesse wee haue most iustly deserued thy Wrath and prouoked thee by our infinite sinnes to send this present Pestilence amongst vs which hath swept away so many Thousands of vs And seeing thou remembring thy wonted Mercy hast heard the Prayers of some Noah some Dauid some Ionah thy Seruants remaining and hast begun to shew vs fauour insomuch that first the tops then the midst and lastly the whole Mountaines of thy Mercies haue appeared and doe appeare vnto vs after this thy great Deluge of Destruction by the hand of the Destroyer wee doe vpon the bended knees of our sorrowfull soules returne vnto thy mercifull Maiestie all possible and heartie praise and thanksgiuing most humbly beseeching thee for thy Christs sake still to shew vs thy fauourable Countenance in withdrawing more and more this thy heauy hand and Visitation of the Pestilence and withall make vs so thankfull for this and thy many other fauours that we that remaine may reioyce in thy Saluation and praise thee in the Congregation of the liuing O Lord as thou hast permitted the Blacke Horse of the Pestilence to trample on vs in so great a measure so thou hast giuen vs a glimpse of the Pale Horse of Famine and no lesse of the Red Horse of Warre Wherefore furthermore O blessed God wee doe most earnestly intreate thee to be yet more mercifull vnto vs and remoue and auert all or any other thy Iudgements which doe deseruedly hang ouer our heads and when thou hast with-drawne the Pestilence from vs let not as bad or a worse Plague ouertake vs But Lord wee pray thee looke mercifully vpon vs and Lord if it be thy will let the Cup of thine indignation and wrath passe from vs of this Citie from this Land wherein we liue although wee doe confesse that the crying sinnes of this Land yea of this Citie doe deserue that thou shouldest vtterly destroy vs from off the Earth yet we know that thou art a God that canst not forget to be mercifull therefore we beseech thee to spare vs oh spare vs good God for thy infinite mercies sake and in sparing vs giue vs grace to redeeme the time because the dayes be euill that so wee our Wiues Children and Seruants that remaine aliue may blesse and laud thee in the Land of the liuing euen now and all the dayes of our liues and to that end giue vs wee humbly craue health of body and peace of Conscience that so wee may daily grow vp from grace to grace in this world and hereafter reigne with thee in the Kingdome of Grace and Glory where thou reignest with thy Sonne our Sauiour and the Holy Ghost a God of Eternitie Indiuiduall Immortall and the only wise God for euermore Amen A devout and feruent Prayer to bee vsed by all Londoners and members of the Citie in time of and during the contagious Pestilence VVHither shall wee goe O Lord in the day of our Affliction but onely vnto thee Thou alone canst saue and out of thy hands none is able to giue deliuerance Heauy at this time is thy hand vpon vs in this Citie and fearefull is the Disease with which thou hast afflicted vs Wee are euen afraid one friend and neighbour of anothers breath nothing is before vs but present Death Scarcely can wee looke forth but we may see some one or other amongst vs carried away to the Graue and the Mourners going about the Streets We must needs confesse that though this bee grieuous yet it is the smallest part of our desert It is just with thee to smite vs with Botches and Scabs that cannot bee healed and to make the Pestilence euen to cleaue vnto our loynes and to sweepe vs away from off the Earth euen as a man sweepeth
not be afraid and though Warre be raised against vs we will trust in this euen that thou wilt deliuer vs and giue our Faith the Victorie But because thou hast said likewise by Salomon that Warre must be enterprised with Counsell Our humble Prayer and Supplication in Christ Iesus is That it would please thee to grant vnto Him who by thy appointment is chosen of our Gracious King to be his Admirall to rule and gouerne this whole Fleet assembled together in Ships prepared as wee hope and trust to fight thy Battailes vpon the Waters or else-where by Land against thine Enemies ours vniustly prouoking vs to fight to Him wee say and to all the rest of the Captaines and Commanders of the Ships of Warre in this whole Fleet now in this present Voyage Wisdome Discretion aud Policie carefully to fore-see and diligently to preuent all the inconueniences that may hinder the Atchieuement of the hoped Victorie To this end O gracious God giue grace to Him and to all such as are called by way of assistance for their experience to ayde and further the Common Cause as well with sound Policie as with strength of Armes for in the multitude of them that can giue Counsell is health giue grace wee say and pray vnto them O Lord if it be thy pleasure to be so fauorable vnto our King and Countrie that with true and perfect Knowledge of Wisdome and Vnderstanding which increaseth strength they may preuent all dangers For thou dost strengthen by Wisedome and sauest by Vnderstanding when and whom it pleaseth thee insomuch as with one man guided by thy Spirit thou preuailest against thousands destituted thereof Giue vnto them all a constant Resolution grounded vpon firme Faith in thee by which they may be emboldned when they encounter the Enemie to say in the Spirit Wee trust in God wee will not feare what Flesh can doe vnto vs. Cause the spirit of our Enemies to faile in the midst of them Destroy their Counsells let them be for the spreading of Nettes in the midst of the Sea wherein they are emboldned through the multitude of men and in the confidence of a fleshly Arme to fight against thy people which call vpon thy Name O Lord for that they haue vndertaken a false quarrell and doe encourage themselues in a wicked purpose Let them be a spoyle vnto vs that all other Princes seeing how valiant thou art in Battailes may cloath themselues with a Robe of Astonishment and say Verily the Lord fighteth for his people the Lord went forth with their Armies and conducted them hee is the Shield and strength of their Deliuerance No Counsell can stand against God no Counsell nor Force of Armes may dare to oppose it selfe and preuaile against them whom he is pleased to protect and defend by his Counsell And the Nations seeing how thou hast executed Vengeance vpon our Enemies with rebukes of thy Indignation may confesse thee to be the only Lord God Mightie in Battailes and Powerfull in all Wisdome and so bee prouoked thereby the more seriously to giue to thee the Glory due to thy Name which is a name of great feare and wonder ouer all the World Furthermore wee beseech thee be pleased in mercy to hearken vnto vs praying in the Name of thy Sonne Christ forasmuch as thou art the Lord which sittest vpon the Flouds to moderate the Tempests of the Winde and weather during their Voyage as that neither our Shippes nor men suffer any annoyance by raging surges of the Waters which otherwise in thy iudgement might ouerwhelme and destroy all For we confesse that our vnworthinesse is great and our sinnes deserue the furie of thine Anger But remember O Lord that thy Name is called vpon of vs and we are thy people to whom thou hast graciously made thy selfe knowne by many mercies and fauours enriching vs both Prince and People with infinite blessings of Peace and Tranquilitie aboue all Nations For which we heartily thanke thee desiring thee for thy Christs sake to increase thy Faith in vs daily more and more and that wee may still growe forward in true loue and thankfulnesse towards thee both Prince and People So shall the King reioyce in his strength whom thou hast made glad with the Ioy of thy Countenance we thy People his Subiects for all thy fauourable kindnesses and for this Sea-Victorie giue thee praise and glory saying the Lord is our Rocke and our Fortresse in him doe we put our trust Grant vs these and all other thy good Blessings which thou knowest to be necessarie for vs and thy whole Church euen for thy deare Sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christs sake Amen A briefe Prayer for priuate Persons in tempestious weather ALmightie and most mercifull God Eternall strong and magnificent at whose voyce the highest Mountaines lowest deepes and all things vnder the Sunne doe tremble and quake preserue vs from thy insupportable anger pardon our sinnes let thy amiable countenance shine vpon vs and alwayes be neere vnto vs Grant that this grieuous and terrible Tempest may passe away without hurting of vs or any of our Brethren Keepe our bodyes our Houses or any thing else that belongs vnto vs from Lightning Fire or any other destruction Holy Father defend vs from all euill sudden and vnprepared death and for thy deare Sonne Christ Iesus sake bring vs to thy eternall habitation of Eternall Blisse where wee may sing perpetually amongst the company of the Angells and Saints in Heauen Halelujah vnto the glory of thy holy Name Amen A briefe Prayer for our afflicted Brethren wheresoeuer MOst gracious God wee beseech thee to looke vpon the aduersitie of our poore Brethren relieue their necessities and rid them out of their miseries that they may the more quietly set their mindes vpon thee if in thy Wisdome thou shalt see it expedient otherwise giue them patience with constant mindes and willing hearts thankfully to beare this thy Fatherly Visitation without grudging or repining against thee humbly submitting themselues vnto thy diuine pleasure with full assurance that in the end thou wilt bring them vnto thy euerlasting rest there to remaine with thee world without end Amen A briefe priuate Prayer for preparation to the publike Fasts whether in Citie or Countrie O Iust and righteous God who as thou art the God of Plentie who fillest with thy blessings euery liuing Creature so thou art the God that commandest Abstinence and Humilitie for sinne and seeing that by thy Iudgements vpon vs at this present thou callest for our humiliation repentance and amendment of life and this Day is thereupon set apart and dedicated to humble our selues before thee by fasting from food good Lord grant that wee may now and euer fast from sinne also and giue vs grace and abilitie to performe this dayes Fast with all humilitie deuotion and such repentant hearts as may through Christ be acceptable in thy sight Amen HALELVIAH FINIS Vox Civit. Ier. 9. 1. Isai 10. 1. Ier. 9. 1. Iuly August Lam. 1. 1. Verse 4. Verse 7. Verse 8. Doct. Hall Epist. Decad. 4. Epist. 9. Ecclus 38. Zeph. 3. 1 2 3 4. Verse 5. Isa 1. 21 Isai 3 14. Deut. 1. 18.