left wee might yet bee an happy people Josh 1. 8. The way to Heaven is like the way over a narrow bridge under which is a great gulf into which a man may fall by going too much on the right hand or too much on the left hand and to say truth the Devil cares not much on which hand men fall into Hell so hee can but get them thither Wee all condemn prophane principles but a man may go to Hell sooner for prophane practices for these generate prophane principles when men lead lewd lives then they invent lewd and licentious Tenents to defend their lewd and loose practices as wee see in Popery and Quakerism and this brings men at last to love and desire prophane Preachers and such as will sing placentia and claw their sensual itch and then they perish without remedy Prov. 29. 18. Isa 30. 9 10. The Prophet Jeremy complains of some in his time that were mad on Idols Jer. 50. 38. and wee have those in our times that are mad on May-poles Morrice-dancing Drinking Healths on their knees yea in their Hats as in the University by Scholars c. doating on old superstitious prophane customes returning with the dogs of the world to lick up that filth which seemingly they had long since vomited up And all this acted presumptuously with an high hand against much light and love against many wooings and warnings against many prayers and vows to the contrary what could the Lord do more for England than hee hath done and what could wee do more against him than wee have done had hee been our deadly enemy wee could not have acted more vilely villanously against him both in our principles and in our practices than many of us have done and if after all Gods cost and care instead of the grapes of obedience we bring forth the wilde grapes of disobedience and rebellion we shall provoke the Lord to pull up the hedge to let in the wilde beasts and to consume us after hee hath done us good and to repent of all the mercies which hee hath bestowed upon us Hee will take away his Gospel with all those blessings which accompany it and then woe unto us when the Lord departs from us Hos 9. 12. When God goes from a people peace goes protection goes comfort goes health wealth and glory goes I do verily beleeve there hath been a greater flood of open prophaneness in ten weeks past than in ten years before Do wee thus requite the Lord O foolish and unwise Is this the thanks wee give him for an hundred years preaching of the Gospel and for those signal mercies in bringing down blasphemers and Anarchical ones without blood shed or almost a blow struck As King Achish said sometimes Have I need of Mad-men So may I say Shall we have Mad-men still shall we never come to our wits again living soberly righteously and religiously When shall wee once be sound in judgement sincere in affection and unspotted in our conversations answering our Gospel light with Gospel lives and our Gospel-principles with Gospel-practices that all our teaching may rise at the last day for our justification not for our confusion This open prophaneness is a great heart-breaking to the faithful Ministers of Christ and makes them cry in the bitterness of their spirits Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed We have laboured in vain and spent our strength in vain If Moses were angry when he saw the people dance about a Golden-calf well may we be angry to see people dancing the Morrice about a post in honor of a whore as you shall see anon The world begins to loathe Gods Mannah they are weary of preaching and sick of Sermons and therefore 't is just with God to ease them of such burdens and to lay upon them the heavy yoak of cruel and tyrannical men that they may know the difference between Gods service and the service of the Nations Men begin to cry out Isaiah is too bold Jeremy too harsh Amos is too plain hee must go further off 'T is these precise Lots that will not let the people go quietly to Hell that are the troublers of Israel if once they could but bee shut of them then they might sing and swear and rant and roar and be as safe as Sodom was when Lot was gone out of it Let such prophane ones know that if the Lord should in judgement once remove his faithful Ministers from an ungrateful world woes and sorrows would soon surprize them The glory would soon depart from England if once the Ark of God were taken 'T is Liberty Liberty Liberty that wicked men long for As many men were lately for Liberty and tolleration of all opinions so many are now for liberty for all licentious practices and if these be not restrained by the Magistrate who must not bear the sword in vain especially towards such sons of Belial God will take the sword into his own hand and will proclaim a Liberty for such Libertines to the sword to the pestilence and to the famine and as hee hath wonderfully brought down those that were for all evil opinions so hee will in his due time bring down those that are for all evil practices Deus dabit his quoque finem funem It hath cost mee some pains to finde out the Original of these prophane revels when people shall understand the sinful rise and tendency of them I beleeve there is no sober man but will abhor them The Lacedaemonians the better to deter their children from drunkenness would bring forth a Drunkard and lay him before them that so they seeing his beastly condition might learn to loathe that sinning sin of Drunkenness I have presented these â—eâ—eâ—â—icious practices naked to thy view that thou mayest be brought to an utter detestation of them for the very rehearsal of them is a good part of their confutation Haec recitasse est reâ—â—tasse It would be a work well beseeming the Parliament to improve the power which providence hath put into their hands for the stopping of that general prophaneness which hath over-spread the Land and to encourage Religion in the power of it especially considering that noble and princely expression of the King in his Letter to the House of Commons That nothing shall bee proposed by them to manifest his zeal and affection for the advancement of the Protestant Religion to which hee will not readily consent The good Lord at last unite the hearts of King Lords and Commons for the promoting of this work of works without which wee can never expect to prosper Had this rudeness been acted only in some ignorant and obscure parts of the Land I had been silent but when I perceived that the complaints were general from all parts of the Land and that even in Cheap side it self the rude rabble had set up this ensign of prophaneness and had put the
goes bare-faced it usually like Harlots paints or puts on the vizzard of profit pleasure frugality good neighbour-hood c. the better to deceive such careless sinners as devour the bait but forget the hook The naked discovery of the danger which attends such licentious practices is half the cure for no man that is well in his wits will run on in such paths when hee plainly sees the mischief and misery that attends them Object 1. Young people must have some Recreations Answ 'T is true modest moderate manly Recreations are fit for them but sinful sensual sordid Recreations such as drinking fighting dancing whoring gaming and debauchery these emasculate mens spirits and make men deboist and unfit for the service of God or man these must bee abolished and abandoned in a Christian Common-wealth such Recreations are meer destructions and such mirth is madness Eccles 2. 2. 'T was a good resolution of a good man I will chuse such Recreations as are of best example and best use seeking those by which I may not onely be merrier but better What Recreations bee unlawful you may see at large in others Object 2. These are Customes of great Antiquity of above eighteen hundred years standing Answ Antiquity without verity is of no validity Christ is Truth not Custome Old Customes if they be evil Customes are better broken than kept and the older they be the worse the more Editions the more Additions The customes of the people are vain and to be abhorred not to be followed by us Levit. 18. 30. Jer. 10. 3. The Heathenish Olympick-Games and the Pagans Saturnalia where they invented sports for the honour of their gods and gave licence to all to be as lewd as they pleased at those seasons these were antient it doth not therefore follow that they were good So Episcopacy is antient but Apostolical simplicity is more antient and the Church flourished most without it Object 3. These May-poles are set up to shew the season of the year this was the plea lately of a fantastick and real fanatick Answ I should think that a green and living tree should minde us of the season of the year better than a dead bush and a living man better set forth the excellency of a man than a dead man 'T is not without cause that the Apostle calls wicked men absurd and unreasonable men 2 Thes 3. 2. Object 4. Our Fore-fathers practised such things Answ Our Fore-fathers were Idolaters it doth not follow that therefore wee must be so too They lived in times of ignorance but wee live in daies of light and therefore must walk like children of the light renouncing the works of darkness Wee must live by Rule not by Example and follow our Fore-fathers no further than they followed Christ hence the Lord so oft forbids us to follow our Forefathers Psal 78. 8. Ezek. 20. 18 19 20. Zach. 7. 4. Object 5. If men bee not thus imployed on Festivals they will bee idle and bee worse imployed and wee have no ill intentions in what wee do Answ There is no necessity that people should bee idle on holy-daies for by the Law of our Land if men will keep holy-daies they must keep them holily spending them only and wholly saith the Statute of 5 and 6. of Edw. 6. chap. 4. in praising God and praying to him hearing his word and meditating on his works c. So that the Statute by those two words Only and Wholly excludes all May-Games revels dancing drinking rioting and misrule 2. They cannot likely bee worse imployed than in such loose lascivious licentious practices amongst rude and deboist company where they shall hear see and learn all manner of vice and villany to the corrupting both of their minds and manners and the undoing of themselves both here and hereafter 3. Whereas you say you have no ill intentions in so doing who can beleeve that you will joyn your self with such prophane company out of a good intention can a man touch pitch and not be defiled with it 2. Admit your Intentions were good yet that will not warrant you to do evil That which is evil per se can never bee made good by any good intentions as I have proved at large else-where Object 6. I can see no hurt in May-Games they are none but a pack of precise fools who are enemies to the King that cry them down Answ Who so blinde as those that will not see Canst thou see no hurt in drunkenness fighting whoring stealing prophanation of the Sabbaths contempt of Religion c. The Devil who is the god of this world hath blinded thine eyes and as blinde men are not fit to judge of colours so thou art unfit to judge in such cases The Devil deals with thee as Elisha did with his enemies hee first smit them with blindness and then brings them into Samaria into the midst of their enemies but as hee prayed for them so shall I for thee Lord open their eyes that they may see and the Lord opened their eyes and behold they were in the midst of Samaria 2 King 6. 18 19 20. So say I Lord open the eyes and awaken the consciences of these blinde secure sinners that they may see and if the Lord shall vouchsafe you this mercy then will you see your selves in the Devils camp on the brink of destruction and thou wilt abhor thy self for thy vile presumption in this kinde if thou doubt of the truth of this ask any gracious awakened inlightened soul that knows the terrours of the Lord and the bitterness of sin and hee will tell you that hee durst not practise such prophaneness to win a world 2. There may be great sin in that which the blinde world counts a small matter To eat an Apple to bow to an Image to pick a few sticks on the Sabbath c. These and many such to a carnal eye seem small things and yet wee know God hath sadly punished such as acted them I have before proved that these practices are sinful now there is no sin simply considered in it self that is small as appears 1. In that there is no small God that wee offend by it 2. No small price was paid for it 3. No small punishment is prepared for it This is a complicated sin as I have proved before and therefore is not to bee so lightly esteemed of 3. Whereas thou sayest that none but a few precise fools oppose this prophaneness thou art much deceived Was David a foolish precisian who would have no familiarity with the wicked but bids them depart from him and prayed the Lord to turn away his eyes from beholding vanity and poured out rivers of tears because men transgressed Gods Laws Was Paul a foolish precisian who commands us to walk precisely and circumspectly to shun the appearance of evil to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reprove them rather and to live
estates for their good when such as serve them for their own ends will leave them and forsake them and though for the present the righteous may bee condemned as Traitors and the wicked bee exalted to honour yet in Gods due time hee will clear the innocency of his servants as the light when the names of the wicked shall rot Especially at that great day of Revelation then shall we clearly discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked between him that feareth the Lord him that feareth him not This may comfort us who are faln into the last daies which are called perilous times wherein hee that refrains from evil maketh himself a prey 'T is criminous now adaies amongst many men to bee sober and pious If a man will not drink Healths or give mony to those that will if hee will not rant and roar and run with others into all excess of riot this is enough with some men to make a man an enemy to the State I have a little experience in this kinde my self This last May opposing some Floralians in their prophane practices whom I thought after above twenty years preaching should have learnt better things they gave out that I was little better than a Quaker a Preacher of false Doctrine and an enemy to the King and should be thrown out of my place and why so why because I hindered practical Fanaticks in their frantick practices Grande nefas See how these people who never studied Machiavel yet are natural Machiavelists one of whose Principles is Calumniare audacter saltem aliquid adhaerebit Lye lustily some filth will stick I see sying is coming in fashion apace I shall therefore having this opportunity clear my self and my brethren in the Ministry who are or may bee aspersed in this kinde 1. For Quakerism I have preached prayed practised and printed against it and openly as occasion required opposed them and their blasphemous principles and satanical practices and thus hath every faithful Minister done according to the measure of grace received and therefore for shame forbear such gross slanders 2. For my Doctrine 't is sufficiently known to the world the summ and substance of it is in great part publisht to the world 3. That I am an enemy to the King is as true as all the rest I preach for him I pray for him I print for him I pay to him and command men so to do and am ready to sacrifize my life for him in an honourable way and when I cannot yeeld Active yet I shall readily yeeld Passive obedience and shall say with Bradford the Martyr If the Queen will banish mee I will thank her if shee will imprison mee I will thank her if shee will burn mee I will thank her Or as Chrysostome before him said to the Empresse Eudoxia If the Queen will let her banish mee the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof if shee will let her saw mee asunder Esay suffered the same If shee will let her cast mee into the Sea I will remember Jonah If shee will let her cast mee into a burning fiery furnace or amongst wilde beasts I will remember Daniel and the three children If shee will let her stone mee or cut off my head I have St. Stephen and the Baptist my blest companions If shee will let her take away all my goods Naked came I out of my Mothers womb naked shall I return thither again Thus heroickly hee For my fidelity to the King in refusing the Engagement I lost two hundred pound and ran the hazard of my whole livelihood for I had no Law to recover a penny At two publick Disputations against Sectaries I ran great hazards at the first 1650. there was a great rabble of Sectaries met together who gave out untoward speeches against mee In August 1651. About a week before the King came into Worcester I was called to assist in a Disputation against some Sectaries this falling out at that juncture of time I was look'd upon as an enemy to the Common-wealth and therefore the Constable was commanded to bring mee in prisoner to Worcester to be there secured amongst the Royalists and lately have I been threatned from another coast with an Arrest for opposing the Millenarians and Fifth-Monarchy-men I mention these things not for any sinister ends of fear or favour but to prevent or at lest to blunt the edge of those vile aspersions which are cast upon the Presbyterians as if they were enemies to Caesar when I dare be bold to say and it were easie to make it good that God hath not better servants nor the King better subjects than those of this Judgement Who were it that God made Instruments to bring about the great change which is now wrought in the Land were it not our brethren of Scotland Who were they that petitioned in Print for the life of the late King were they not the Presbyterian Ministers of London one of them losing his head not long after upon a Royal account Who where they that opposed the Engagement with invincible Arguments in Print were they not the Presbyterians of Lancashire who are those that strenuously opposed debauchery and prophaneness on the one hand and Sects and Heresies on the other when others were dumb and did tolerate them were they not the men of this judgement Now those that help to keep sin and errour out of a Land those are the best friends to a Land and the Kings best subjects If any shall obâ—ect that wee were for King and Parliament I freely confess it so wee were and so wee are still and so I think is every honest hearted-subject who understands any thing of the frame of this Government To this wee are bound by the Protestation Covenant and other Obligations I look upon him as an enemy to the Land of his Nativity who goes about to separate the King from the Parliament or the Parliament from the King As for the lawfulness of the Parliaments war against those that withdrew the King from the Parliament for there was not the leaâ—t intent in them to hurt the person of the King and therefore they were imprisoned by the Army that case is very learnedly and modestly cleared by Dr. Austin in his Allegiance not impeached by the Parliaments taking up of Arms though against the Kings personal commands for the just defence of the Kings person the Laws of the Land and Liberties of the Subject yea they are bound by the Oath of Allegiance so to do proved from the words of the Oath from Principles of Law and Nature and other Testimonies of this Judgement is Mr. Pryn Mr. Rutherford in his Lex Rex Yea B. Bilson a man far enough from faction or sedition concurs with them yea so doth Grotius and Barclay Obj. 7. They are many and mighty that approve of such prophane practices and 't is wisdome to go with the tide of the times and the current of the world Answ Indeed if you
FVNEBRIA FLORAE THE Downfall of May-Games WHEREIN Is set forth the rudeness prophaneness stealing drinking fighting dancing whoring mis-rule mis-spence of precious time contempt of God and godly Magistrates Ministers and People which oppose the Rascality and rout in this their open prophanenesse and Heathenish Customs Occasioned by the generall complaint of the rudenesse of people in this kind in this Interval of settlement Here you have Twenty Arguments against these prophane Sports and all the Cavills made by the Belialists of the Time refelled and Answered Together with an Addition of some Verses in the cloze for the delight of the ingenious Reader By THO. HALL B. D. and Pastor of Kings-norton The Third Edition Corrected Yee shall keep mine Ordinances that yee commit not any of those abominable Customs which were committed before you and that yee defile not your selves therein I am the Lord Levit. 18. 30. The Customs of the people are vain Jer. 10. 3. Populi plaudunt non consultoribus utilitatum suarum sed largitoribus Voluptatum Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 2. c. 20. Bona conscientia prodire vult conspici ipsas nequitia tenebras timet Seneca Epist 98. LONDON Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard near the Little North-door 1661. An unknown Friend to the known and knowing Author upon his judicial proceedings against the MAY-POLE NOw six times two impannell'd are to pass Alas poor Flora upon one Goddess Flora complains ' gainst her there 's greater odds Than when one Girl assaulted by two gods And challengeth your Jury the whole List Shee sayes was pack'd by a Misogynist Bold Caro pleads her cause and speaks her fears Because you do not try her by her Peers That y' are unjust and quotes our Old Laws for 't The Curtizan excepts against the Court No jurisdiction of Pres-ter-John Ere reach'd the skirts of this our Curtizan Hold then cries Maechus Porneius is another Who with Aselges their lascivious brother Pretend to guard their Deity and do With zeal as you the Schools and Pulpit too Whilst Methos marching with the May-pole rout In rescue of the Pris'ner does not doubt T'protect th'Protectrix of their fruit and flowers By watring weeds with most intemperate showers Adjourn your Court then lest it prove your fate To pull the May-pole down upon your pate A tree once danger'd Horace by its fall As he scap'd then so now I wish may Hall Nor for these Ranters is my option worse Than that they may mount Hamans wooden horse That who with Flora sin under th' green tree May suffer for her upon that that 's dry Tuus Antifloralis To the ingenious Author upon his Judicial Proceedings against Dame Flora. INstead of Directory Satues when I found Poles rais'd so high as if they'd been To entertain the Cuckow or to vye The clouds that in the Heavens lowest flye I'gan t' thing whither at length I should come To reform'd London or to Popish Rome Aron I found my self in London and Unsatisfi'd as yet began t' demand Th' original of May-poles where I found Their Author Flora was and Rome their ground A Declaration there was entred by A pert Divine shewing th' Idolatry Of such Erections h' does a Jury call That his proceedings might bee legal all It is the speech of those who chose each light A fresh god whom to worship until night This thing this day my Deity shall bee To morrow as 't was yesterday a tree Wee shall invert the words a tree to day To morrow wee shall to it worship pay A bush to day to morrow will begin To have th' respect of him that dwelt therein But loe Jerubbaal comes in his might With open zeal not Gideon-like i th' night Attended not with ten men of his own But a full Jury of the great'st renown And fells the Grove Go on brave spirit until Idolatrous Midian understand thy skill And all the superstitious crew do feel The mortal fruits of thy enraged steel This is no Frog-fight but the Eunuch's zeal Grapling with proud and painted Jezabel Beriah Antistorali THE DOVVNFALL OF MAY-GAMES THe times wee live in of late have been very Tropical and full of turnings and too many like Weathercocks have turned with them Lately men were exorbitant and did run out into extream opinions now they are exorbitant and run out into extream practices Before men were fanatick and wilde in their Principles now men are fanatick and frantick in Practicals they rant they roar they sing they swear they drink they dance they whore they lye they scoff yea some there are I hope they are not many that put their own blood into their drink and then drink a health to the King and to the confusion of Sion and its King this is reported to mee by persons of good repute if this bee true as sure as God is just and true hee will bee avenged on the actors of such horrid blasphemy Lately wee were troubled with White Devils who under pretence of extraordinary sanctity published open Heresie and Blasphemy against God his Word his Works and Ordinances now wee run madding on the other hand and are like to be troubled with Black Devils viz. blasphemous Drunkards blasphemons Health-drinkers blasphemous Persecutors scorners of Piety Sabbath-prophaners observers of superstitious and heathenish customes c. These old Beelzebubs begin to put out their horns again I doubt not but the Lord in his due time will raise up the Honourable Houses of Parliament as Carpenters to saw off these horns Zach. 2. 19 20 21. else those that have power in their hands to cut off these horns of the wicked and yet will not they must wear them Qui non vetat peccare cum potest jubet 'T was the sin of Israel that when the Lord by a signal hand of providence had delivered them from their Egyâ—tian bondage yet they returned in their hearts and desires into Egypt again Act. 7. 39. and longed to bee at their Garlick and Onions and Flesh-pots there Numb 11. 4 5. and this brought a very great plague upon them vers 33. The Lord commanded Moses to bid the people go forward Exod. 14. 15. hee loves to have his people go on in waies of piety and obedience but if they once go backward hee will destroy them Isa 1. 4. They have forsaken the Lord and are gone away backward See what follows vers 7. Their Country is desolate their Cities are burnt with fire and strangers devour their Land in their presence And what can Englaud expect if it go on in Apostasie as it hath done of late both in doctrine and manners but the sword pestilence and famine and all other fearful judgements that as wee have been notorious for sin so now wee should be notorious for suffering Could wee but once keep the narrow way of life without turning to the right hand or the
Lord Mayor to the trouble of seeing it pulled down I could not out of my dearest respects and tender compassion to the Land of my Nativity and for the prevention of the like disorders if possible for the future but put pen to paper and discover the sinful rise and vile prophaneness that attends such mis-rule that so their madness being made known to all they might proceed no further and the eyes of Gods jealousie might see nothing amongst us to displease him but that wee walking as becomes his people hee may rejoyce in us and rejoyce-over us to do us good for ever My record is on high that I have no sinister end in this work but desire to bee found in the number of those that study the real peace and welfare of the Land I have therefore exposed the work to the censure of the learnedst and severest Criticks that I could gain I have added some Poetry and made it as inoffensively pleasant as might be that it might take with all and exasperate none The experience which I have had of Gods blessing on my labours against Libertines in opinion hath emboldened mee to go forth in his name against Libertines in practice These mountains as well as those shall become a plain before Gods people I shall not trouble you with a crambe his cocta for I know not of any one that hath in a set Treatise not scarcely by the by handled this subject which somewhat encouraged mee to set upon the work I shall be concise and argumentative because I would not tire my self nor my Reader with any tedious discourse in this kinde Arguments against May-Games The first Argument is this That whose Rise Root and Original is evil that thing cannot be good But the Rise Root and Original of May-Games is evil Ergo they cannot be good The Major is clear and like a Mathematical Principle shines so bright with its own light that it needs no demonstration for if the fountain be bitter the streams cannot be sweet if the root be naught so is the fruit The Minor I prove thus as the Revels and disorders of Christians sprung from the Pagans Saturnalia and from them came to the Papists and so to us as is abundantly proved by Mr. 〈◊〉 so these Floralian May-Games had their Original from the Floralian Feasts and enterludes of the Pagan-Romans which were solemnized about the first of May then they came to Rome Antichristian as a prop to uphold their supersticious and prophane Kingdome and so to us Their Rise briefly was thus one Flora a notable Harlot which had got much riches by whoring at her death bequeathed her substance to the people of Rome about the year of the World 3760 and before Christ 242. saith Calvisius shee appointed a great sum of mony to lye in stock with the usury of which they should yearly keep certain Playes called Floralia or May-Games in singing dancing drinking whoring and all manner of lasciviousness in remembrance of her By sound of Trumpet all the whores were called to these sports where they danced naked about the streets with Trumpets blown before them Hence that of Juvenal speaking of a lewd woman hee calls her a Floralian Curtesan Dignissima prorsus Floralia matrona tuba Juven Sat. 60. After some time the Senate of Rome being ashamed of the Original of these Floralia invented this fig-leaf for a cover They told the people that Flora was a Goddess which had the tuition of Flowers for Pagans and Papists have Gods and Goddesses almost for every thing as St. Loy for their Horses St. Anthony for their Piggs St. George for their Wars St. Roch for the Pestilence St. Apollonia for the Teeth St. John for the Day St. Stephen for the Night and St. Flora for their Flowers and therefore shee must bee worshipped according to the custome of the Heathâ—â—nish and Idolatrous Festivals with lascivious sports and pastimes in May that shee might the more carefully see to their flowers fruits and herbs These Floralian-sports were very antient for I finde they were practised in Cato the Censors time who flourished about the year of the world 3750. His gravity saith the Historian deterred the people from acting those obscenities in his fight Plutarch in the life of Pompey makes mention of one Flora that was Pompey's Curtezan though shee were one ejusdem farinae Flora by name and Flora in deed yet shee was younger than the former by a hundred years for the Flora wee speak of lived about two hundred years before Christ when this lived about one hundred years before him A second Argument is this All Idolatry is unlawful But this is Idolatry 'T is a forsaking of God who is the Fountain of living waters to go to a broken Cistern 'T is a robbing God of his honour and giving it to a whore They keep a feast to her set up a Pole adorned with flowry Garlands Ribbons and other ornaments to the end that shee may preserve their fruits and flowers Like the worshippers of Baal who danced round about the Altar in honour of that Idol and to procure the more speedy audience from it 1 King 18. 26. Neither will this excuse you to say that you intend no such thing for this is finis operis though not finis operantis The action must be judged of by the end of the work and not by the end of him that worketh now the chief end for which this feast was at first ordained is Idolatrous The Israelites had no intent to worship the Calf yet that was finis operis and therefore God chargeth them with worshipping of it Ps 106. 6. How unseemly is it then for Christians when they should bee praying to God and praising him for the fruits of the earth and for his crowning the year with his goodness and making his clouds to drop down fatness on us to bee ranting and abusing his good creatures to riot and excess giving the glory which is due to him unto an Harlot This is the very way to lose all Hos 2. 8 9 10 11 12. Other sins stir up Gods anger but this provokes him to jealousie and rage and puts him into a flame against us when wee shall thus give his glory unto creatures These mens actions do virtually and interpretatively thus speak O Goddess Flora bee thou our helper the earth is now adorned with fruits and flowers O do thou keep them from barrenness and blasting make them fruitful that wee may bee the fitter for thy service then will wee sing and dance and drink and set up a pole to thy praise hear us therefore O good Goddess Flora for our flowers and fruits for on thee wee do depend and thine honour do wee celebrate at this season of the year hear us therefore wee beseech thee and grant these our Requests This and much more is the language of such actions I beleeve there is not one of a thousand
know that the Popish and prophane sort are the Parents and Patrons of these abominations by their pleading for them and promoting of them And as it was some signal good thing which Nero that monster of men hated so it must needs bee some notorious vile thing which such vile men love and plead for Arg. 16. All mis-spence of precious time must bee avoided But in these licentious pastimes there is much mis-spence of precious time What a sad account will these Libertines have to make when the Lord shall demand of them where wast thou such a night why my Lord I was with the prophane rabble stealing May-poles and where wast thou such a day why my Lord I was drinking dancing dallying ranting whoring carousing c. If for every idle hour men must give an account what account will men bee able to give for all those sinful dayes nights Sabbaths c. which they have mis-spent in sensuality and luxury Arg. 17. That which deprives us of Gods Fatherly care and protection must bee avoyded But this frequenting of such prophane meetings deprives us of Gods Fatherly care and protection Hee hath promised to keep us no longer than wee keep his wayes Psal 91. 11. which are the wayes either of our general calling as wee are Christians viz. praying reading meditation good conference c. or else the wayes of our particular calling as wee are superiors or inferiors wee must walk with God in those stations in which hee hath set us If wee go beyond Gods bounds wee cannot expect either his immediate protection or the protection of his Angels Arg. 18. That which breeds in mens hearts an hatred of the power of godliness must bee abandoned But such prophane meetings breed in mens hearts an hatred of the power of godliness When men do evil they hate the light of Piety in others as the Theef hates the light that discovers him and the Judge that condemns him so do these hate the godly because their light condemns their darkness their piety the wicked mans impiety their strictness condemns the worlds dissoluteness and their self denying the worlds self pleasing Wicked men love their lusts as their lives and cannot indure such as hinder them in the pursute of them hence 't is that the prophane rout raise so many lyes slanders and reproachful nick-names against the godly and all because they run not with them into the same excess of riot Arg. 19. That which hardens wicked men in their sins corrupts their minds and manners and indisposeth them for the service of God that ought to bee totally abandoned But these prophane sports do so They infatuate and besot men they darken the understanding and cloze up the eye of the soul so that it takes no notice of Gods judgements either imminent or present These sensual pleasures stupifie and cauterize the conscience so that it cannot repent They expel the fear of God and all godly sorrow for sin out of the soul They estrange the heart from God and his worship and make it burdensome and wearisome to them Mal. 1. 13. 3. 14. Arg. 20. Those prophane practices which are condemned by Scriptures Fathers Councils and other pious men ought in no wise to bee tolerated But these prophane practices are such The Major is undeniable the Minor I shall prove by its parts and because a bare recital of testimonies would be too flat and frigid I shall therefore to quicken and delight the Reader indict and arraign this Floralian Harlot and impannel a Jury against her This way of clearing things cannot justly bee offensive to any since 't is but a kinde of Dialogue and Dialogues have been ever accounted the most lively and delightful the most facile and fruitfulâ—est way of teaching Allusions and similies sink deep and make a better impression upon the spirit A pleasant allusion may do that which a solid Argument sometimes cannot do As in some cases Iron may do that which Gold cannot do Ridiculum acri Fortâ—us melius magnas plâ—rumque secut res Horat. Serm. l. 1. Sat. 20. Quintil. Instit l. 6. c. 34. The Indictment of Flora. Flora hold up thy hand Thou art here indicted by the name of Flora of the City of Rome in the County of Babylon for that thou contrary to the peace of our Soveraign Lord his Crown and Dignity hast brought in a pack of practical Fanaticks viz. Ignorants Atheists Papists Drunkards Swearers Swash-bucklers Maid-marrions Morrice-dancers Maskers Mummers May pole-stealers Health-drinkers together with a rascalian rout of Fidlers Fools Fighters Gamesters Whoremasters Lewd-men Light-women Contemners of Magistracy affronters of Ministery rebellious to Masters disobedient to Parents mis-spenders of time abusers of the creature c. Judg. What sayest thou guilty or not guilty Prisoner Not guilty My Lord. Judg. By whom wilt thou bee tried Pris By the Popes-holiness my Lord. Judg. Hee is thy Patron and Protector and so unfit to bee a Judge in this case Pris Then I appeal to the Prelates and Lord-Bishops my Lord. Judg. This is but a tiffany put off for though some of that rank did let loose the reigns to such prophaneness in causing the book of Sports for the prophaning of Gods Holy-day to bee read in Churches for which God hath spewed them out yet 't is well known that the gravest and most pious of that order have abhorred such prophaneness and mis-rule as B. Babington both the Abbats B. King B. Hall D. Davenant c. Pris Then I appeal to the rout and rabble of the world Judg. These are thy followers and thy favourites and so unfit to bee Judges in their own case Pris My Lord if there bee no remedy I am content to bee tried by a Jury Judg. Thou hast well said thou shalt have a full a fair and a free hearing Cryer Make an O yes and call the Jury Cryer O yes All manner of persons that can give in evidence against the prisoner at the Bar let them come into the Court and they shall bee freely heard Judg. Cryer call in Holy-Scriptures Holy-Scriptures My Lord I cannot get in Judg. Who keeps you out Holy-Scriptures My Lord here is a company of ignorant rude prophane superstitious Atheistical persons that will not suffer mee to come in Judg. Cryer knock those prophane persons and make room for the Holy-Scriptures to come in Cryer Vouz avez Holy-Scriptures Judg. What can you say against the prisoner at the Bar Holy-Scriptures Very much my Lord I have often told them that the night of ignorance is now past and the light of the Gospel is come and therefore they must walk as children of the light denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts living soberly righteously and religiously in this present world I have often told them that they must shun all the appearance of evil and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness nor conform themselves like to the wicked of the world But they must think
the time past of their lives too much to have lived according to the lusts of men in the dayes of their ignorance but now they must live according to the will of God making his glory the ultimate end of all their actions and recreations I have often told them that our God is a jealous God and one that will not indure to have his glory given to Idols or Harlots Jud. This is full and to the purpose indeed but is there no more evidence to come in Cryer Yes my Lord here is Pliny an antient Writer who lived about ninety years after Christ and is famous for his Natural history Judg. What can you say against the prisoner at the Bar Pliny My Lord I have long since told them if they would beleeve mee that these were not Christian but Pagan-feasts they were Heathens and such as knew not God who first instituted these Floralia and May-Games I have told them that they were instituted according to the advice of Sibylls-books in the 516th year after the foundation of the City of Rome was laid to prevent the blasting and barrenness of the trees and fruits of the earth Judg. Sir you have given us good light in this dark case for first wee see that the rise of these Feasts was from Pagans and that they were ordained by the advice of Sibylls-books and not of Gods book and for a superstitious and Idolatrous end viz. that hereby Flora not God might bee pleased and so bless their fruits and flowers This is clear but have you no more evidence Cryer Yes my Lord here is Coelius Lactantius Firmianus who lived about three hundred years after Christ who will plainly tell you the rise of these prophane sports Judg. I have heard very well of this celestial sweet and firm defender of the Faith and that hee was a second Cicero for eloquence in his time Sir what can you say against the prisoner at the Bar Lactan. My Lord I have long since declared my judgement against this Harlot Flora in my first book of false Religion where I have told the world that this Flora was a common-whore and one that got much mony by her harlotry at her death shee made the people of Rome her heir and left a certain sum of mony for the yearly celebration of these Floralian sports The Senate after some time the better to cover this foul business make her the Goddess of Flowers and tell the people that they ought to celebrate this lascivious Feast of this lascivious Harlot with all manner of lasciviousness that so shee being pleased might prosper their fruits and vines Judg. This is plain and full I now see that Lactantius is Firmianus not only sweet but firm and constant against the Whore But have you no more evidence Cryer Yes my Lord here is Synodus Francica which was called in Pope Zachary's time Anno Dom 742. Judg. What can you say against the Prisoner at the Bar Counc My Lord I have long since decreed that the people of God shall have no Pagan-Feasts or Enterludes but that they reject and abominate all the uncleannesses of Gentilism and that they forbear all sacrilegious fires which they call Bonefires and all other observations of the Pagans whatsoever Judg. This is clear against all Heathenish Feasts and Customes of which this is one But have you no evidence nearer home Cryer Yes my Lord here is one that may go for many 't is one that will conquer them all and with the Sword of justice will suddenly suppress them Judg. Who is that I pray you let mee see such a man Cryer Why my Lord 't is Charls the Second King of Great Britain France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Judg. Truly hee deserves that Title if hee shall now appear in defence of the Truth against that prophane rout which lately threatned the extirpation both of sound doctrine and good life I hear that the King is a sober and temperate person and one that hates Debauchery I pray you let us hear what hee saith Cryer My Lord the King came into London May 29. and the 30th of May hee published a Proclamation against prophaneness to the great rejoycing of all the good people of the Land When all was running into prophaneness and confusion the Parliament sate still and wee poor Ministers had nothing left but our prayers and tears then even then it pleased the Most High in whose hand is the heart of Kings to put it into the heart of our Soveraign Lord the King eminently to appear in the cause of that God who hath so eminently appeared for him and hath brought him through so many dangers and difficulties to the Throne and made so many mountains a plain before him to testifie against the debauchery and gross prophaneness which like a torrent had suddenly over-spread the Land The sum and substance of the Kings Proclamation is this That it is the duty of all to take notice of Gods transcendent goodness to us and to walk with such circumspection integrity and reformation in our lives that wee may not drive away the mercy which is coming to us by making our selves unworthy of it and in order hereto wee think it high time to shew our dislike of those against whom wee have been ever enough offended though wee could not in this manner declare it who under pretence of affection to us and our service assume to themselves the liberty of reviling threatning and reproaching others and as much as in them lyes endeavour to stifle and divert their good inclinations to our service and so to prevent that Reconciliation and Union of hearts and affections which can onely with Gods blessing make us rejoyce in each other and keep our enemies from rejoycing There are likewise another sort of men of whom wee have heard much and are sufficiently ashamed who spend their time in Taverns Tipling-houses and Debauches giving no other evidence of affection to us but in drinking our Health and inveighing against all others who are not of their own dissolute temper and who in truth have more discredited our cause by the licence of their manners and lives than they could ever advance it by their affection and courage Wee hope that this extraordinary way of delivering us all from all wee feared and almost bringing us to all wee can reasonably hope hath and will work upon the hearts even of those men to that degree that they will cordially renounce all that licentiousness prophaneness and impiety with which they have been corrupted and endeavoured to corrupt others and that they will hereafter become examples of sobriety and vertue and make it appear that what was past was rather the vice of the times than of the persons and so the fitter to bee forgotten together And because the fear of punishment or apprehension of our displeasure may have influence upon many who will not bee restrained by the conscience of their duty Wee do declare
That wee will not exercise just severity against any Malefactors sooner than against men of dissolute debauched and prophane lives with what parts soever they may bee otherwise qualified and endowed and wee hope that all persons of honour or in place and authority will so far assist us in discountenancing such men that their discretion and shame will perswade them to reform what their conscience would not and that the displeasure of good men towards them may supply what the Laws have not and it may bee cannot well provide against there being in the licence and corruption of the times and the depraved nature of men many enormities scandals and impieties in practice and manners which Laws cannot well describe and consequently not enough provide against which may by example and severity of vertuous men bee easily discountenanced and by degrees suppressed However for the more effectual reforming these men who are a discredit to the Nation and unto any cause they pretend to favour and wish well to wee require all Mayors Sheriffs and Justices of the Peace to bee very vigilant and strict in the discovery and prosecution of all dissolute and prophane persons and such as blaspheme the name of God by prophane swearing and cursing or revile or disturb Ministers and despise the publick worship of God that being first bound to the good behaviour they may bee further proceeded against and exposed to shame in such a manner as the Laws of the Land and the just and necessary Rules of Government shall direct or permit Judg. Now blessed bee the Lord the King of Kings who hath put such a thing as this into the heart of the King and blessed bee his Anointed and blessed bee his Counsel the good Lord recompence it seven-fold into his bosome and let all the sons of Belial flye before him as the dust before the wind and let the Angel of the Lord scatter them Prison My Lord I and all my retinew are very much deceived in this Charls the Second wee all conceited that hee was for us My Drunkards cryed a Health to the King The Swearers swore a Health to the King so long till they swore themselves out of Health The Papist the Atheist the Roarer and the Ranter they all concluded that now their day was come but alas how are wee deceived Judg. I wish that you and all such as you are may for ever bee deceived in this kinde and that your eyes may rot in your heads before ever you see Idolatry Superstition and Prophaneness countenanced in the Land Such trulypious-frauds are pleasing to God delightful to his people and grievous to none but such as should bee grieved for their villany and licentiousness Judg. But have you no more evidence to produce against these prophane practices Cry Yes my Lord here is an Ordinance of Parliament ready mounted against them Pris My Lord I except against this witness above all the rest for it was not made by a full and a free Parliament of Lords and Commons but by some Rump and relick of a Parliament and so is invalid Judg. Toto erras coelo you are quite deceived for this Ordinance was made by Lords and Commons when the house was full and free and those the best that ever England had for Piety towards God and loyalty to their Soveraign for they were secluded and imprisoned for their loyaly and fidelity Let us hear what they say Ordinan of Parl. My Lord I have plainly told them that since the prophanation of the Lords day hath been heretofore greatly occasioned by May-poles a Heathenish vanity generally abused to superstition and wickedness the Lords and Commons do therefore ordain that all and singular May-poles shall bee taken down and removed by the Constables Borsholders Tything-men Petty-Constables and Church-Wardens of the places and parishes where the same bee and that no May-pole shall bee hereafter set up erected or suffered to bee within this Kingdome of England or the Dominion of Wales and if any of the said Officers shall neglect to do their office in the Premises every of them for such neglect shall forfeit five shillings and so from week to week five shillings weekly till the said May-pole shall bee taken down Judg. This is to the purpose and may pass instead of many Arguments for a Parliament of Lords and Commons so pious so prudent so loyal and faithful to God and the King to condemn these sports as a vanity a Heathenish vanity abused to superstition and wickedness and to be supprest under a penalty This may clearly convince any sober man of the sinfulness of such practices and make them to abhor them for what is forbidden by the Laws of men especially when those Laws are consonant to the Laws of God may not be practised by any person but these prophane sports are forbidden by the Laws of men and are herein consonant to the Laws of God which condemn such sinful pastimes But have you no more evidence besides this Ordinance to batter these Babylonish Towers Cry Yes my Lord here is one that may go for many 'T is the solemn League and Covenant taken in a solemn manner by King Lords and Commons the Assembly of Divines the Renowned City of London the Kingdome of Scotland and by many thousands of Ministers and people throughout this Nation In the second branch of it wee vowed the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie Schism Prophaneness and whatsoever shall bee found contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of godliness Pris My Lord these things are out of date and do not binde now our troubles bee over Judg. The sixth branch of the Covenant will tell you That wee are bound all the daies of our lives to observe these things zealously and constantly against all opposition and I suppose every good man thinks himself bound to preserve the purity of Religion to extirpate Popery and Heresie Superstition and Prophaneness not onely in times of trouble but these are duties to bee practised in our places and callings all our daies Besides the Royalists do plead the Covenant at this day for the preservation of the King and if it bee in force as to that particular as indeed it is then much more doth it binde us still to the observation of those things which do more immediately appertain to the worship of God Since Gods honour is to bee preferred before the honour of any man whatsoever Now if our May-Games and mis-rules do favour of superstition and prophaneness as 't is apparent they do if they bee contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness as to all unprejudiced men they are then by this solemn League and sacred Covenant wee are bound to root them up This is sufficient if there were no more but because men are loath to leave what they dearly love let us see whether you have any further evidence Cry Yes my Lord here is an excellent Order from the Council of State made this
present May wherein they take notice of a spirit of prophaneness and impiety that hath over-spread the Land to the dishonour of God and the grieving of his Ministers and people they do therefore order that the Justices of the Peace and Commissioners for the Militia do use their utmost indeavours to prevent all licentiousness and disorder all prophanation of the Sabbath all interrupting or discouraging of Ministers in the work of their Ministery that they suppress all Ale-houses and all ungodly meetings that they own and protect all such as have adhered to the Parliaments cause and interest and all good men in their sober and pious walking against all that are turbulent malignant or disaffected and upon just cause to secure them The Council doth likewise command them to have a special care to prevent prophaneness and disorders of people about May-poles and meetings of that nature and their rude and disorderly carriages towards people in molesting them to get monies from them to spend vainly at such meetings Ju. This is full and to the point indeed blessed be God and blessed be their counsel But have you yet no more evidence Cry Yes my Lord here is Mr. Elton a man eminent for Piety and of known integrity in his time hee hath long since told us in his Exposition of the second Commandement that such filthy company where there is such filthy speeches and lascivious behaviour with mixt dancing at their merry meetingss are great provocations to lust and inducements to uncleanness and therefore to be abhorred of all sober Christians To him assents that great School-Divines Dr. Ames who tells us that those who will shun incontinency and live chastly must shun such prophane meetings and take heed of mixt dancing stage-playes and such incentives to lust where wickedness is presented to the eye and ear and the man puts on the womans apparel which is an abomination to the Lord Deut. 22. 5. Pris My Lord these were old Puritans and Precisians who were more precise than wise Cry I will produce men of another strain here are Bishops against you B. Babington hath long since told us that these sinful pastimes are epulum Diaboli the Devils festival the inticements to whoredome and the occasions of much uncleanness being condemned by Councils and forbidden by Scripture which commands us to shun all appearance of evil Judg. This is good but have you no more Cry Yes my Lord here is one more 't is B. Andrews a man of great note for his learning who in his Exposition on the seventh Commandement tells us that wee must not onely refrain from evil but also from the shew of evil and must do things honest not onely before God but also before men to this end wee must shun wanton dancings stage-playes c. because our eyes thereby behold much vanity and a man cannot go on these hot coals and not bee burnt nor touch such pitch and not bee defiled nor see such wanton actions and not bee moved Besides there is much loss and mis-spence of precious time at such prophane meetings Judg. This is pious and to purpose here is evidence sufficient I shall now proceed to sentence Cry My Lord I desire your Patience to hear one witness more and then I have done Judg. Who is that which comes so late into the Court Cry My Lord 't is acute and accomplisht Ovid. Pris My Lord hee is a Heathen Poet who lived about twenty years before Christ Judg. His Testimony will bee the stronger against your Heathenish vanities Publius Ovidius Naso what can you say against Mistress Flora Ovid. My Lord I have long since told the world that the Senatorian Fathers at Rome did order the celebration of these Floralian sports to bee yearly observed about the beginning of May in honour of Flora that our fruits and flowers might the better prosper At this feast there was drinking dancing and all manner of lasciviousness by a harlotry company suitable to the memorial of such an Harlot who was light her self and therefore delighted in Jokes and pleasant Comedies but not in sad and direful Tragedies Pris Sir you wrong the Poet and may for ought I know wrong mee by wrapping up his ingenious narrative in so little room Judg. Grata brevitas I love those whose writings are like Jewels which contain much worth in a little compass yet since the learned and ingenious Reader may desire to hear the Author speaking in his own language since hee speaks so fully and clearly to this purpose you shall for once have your desire Dic Dea responde ludorum quae sit origo c. Convenere patres si bene floreat annus Numinibus nostris annua festa vovent Mater ades florum ludis celebranda jocosis Distuleram partes mense priore tuas Incipis Aprili transis in tempora Maii Alter te fugiens cum venit alter habet Cum tua fint cedantque tibi confinia mensum Convenit in laudes ille vel ille tuas Circus in hunc exit clamataque palma theatris c. Quaerere conabar quare lascivia major His foret in ludis liberiorque jocus Sed mihi succurrit numen non esse severum Aptaque deliciis munera ferre Deam Ebrius incinctis phylirâ conviva capillis Saltat imprudens utitur arte meri Ebrius ad durum formosae limen amicae Cantat habens unctae mollia serta comae Nulla coronatâ peraguntur seria fronte Nec liquidae vinctis flore bibuntur aquae Scena lenis decet hanc non est mihi credite non est Illa Cothurnatas inter habenda Deas Turba quidem cur hos celebret meretricia ludos Non ex difficili cognita causa fuit Non est detetricis non est de magna professis Vult sua Plebeio sacra patere Choro c. Cry Now my Lord and please you wee will call over the Jury that the prisoner may see wee have done her no wrong Judg. Do so Cry Answer to your names Holy Scriptures one Pliny two Lactantius three Synodus Francica four Charls the Second five Ordinance of Parliament six Solemn League and Covenant seven Order of the Council of State eight Elton nine B. Babington ten B. Andrews eleven Ovid. twelve These with all the godly in the Land do call for Justice against this turbulent Malefactor Judg. Since 't is so I shall proceed to sentence Flora thou hast here been indicted by the name of Flora for bringing in abundance of mis-rule and disorder into Church and State thou hast been found guilty and art condemned both by God and man by Scriptures Fathers Councils by learned and pious Divines both old and new and therefore I adjudge thee to perpetual banishment that thou no more disturb this Church and State lest Justice do arrest thee An Answer to all the Cavils which are of any weight or worth which are brought in defence of May-Games Vice seldome