more Wit then Truth full fraughted came I knew how Lawyers and Divines had cheated The VVorld ere then and when the holy-Text Or Lawes were misappli'd or misrepeated Or with false Comments wrested or perplext And falshood moves not me although it brings The Votes of Doctors and the threats of Kings My heart the storms of danger did not shake Faire promises which have so many caught On me the least impression could not make Though where I serve I scarce worth heed am thought Nor was I moved much to see that some VVho Stars appear'd in their first Love did faile Because I knew the time was fully come VVhich tries our firmnesse by the Dragons-taile Nor start I at their Censures who have said That what I counsel'd I have left undone That from my owne Predictions I have straid And made them erre if they amisse have gone For they that have mistaken Truth-Divine And wrest Gods VVord may soone misconstrue mine To say in Words that so or so I meant I thought not halfe so pow'rfull as to show By active proofs the truth of my intent And teach by Deeds which way men ought to go When therefore that great COUNSELL call'd for aid VVith whom the King-ship alwayes doth reside In whose Commands the Kings are best obey'd From whom the King cannot himselfe divide To serve the King and Parliament I came So loyally that if it Treason be I will not ask a pardon for the same Nor thank him for it who shall give it me But laugh at him who should that Trifle bring Disdaine to live and die and be a King For no man honours no man loveth more The Soveraigne-Person then I did and do For him I therefore feared before VVhat Ill-advisers now have brought him to I told him when he was but newly crown'd As plainly as my Warrant gave me leave Those things which He and We too true have found Yet still misinformations Him deceive Yea though the stile of Rebell now I beare My Prayers for him have hefore the LORD Stood eighteen years and yet before him are To testifie my love upon * Record And all his Captains Arms and Armies too Secure him not as those my Prayers doe That which I pray'd for then and pray for yet I fight for now Because I held this ever That whatsoe're to pray for should be fit For that we are obliged to endeavour I know that by Allegiance I am bound To what essentially thereto pertaines Not to bare Complements or to the sound Which of that Duty lying flattry faignes Much lesse to those which totally destroyes This Virtues essence and whereby the King Our loyaltie against himselfe employes And to destruction his owne House may bring Such mischeeves therefore that I might prevent I sided for Him with his Parliament Thereby to serve two Masters I assaid Till I by their Divisions was undone And saw three Kingdomes by some Acts ill plaid In danger to be neither two nor one I sided not but as a Stander-by Who hath two friends at ods and loving either Feares that in one the losse of both may lye And in those two of all his joyes together If either I oppose I doe it more To save then wound and to prevent that blow Which he that gave it in his heart had bore If through that other we had let it goe And he that thinks his dutie doth him wrong May finde a Friend but shall not keep him long I moved not thus far but by Command Of Soveraigne-Pow'r whereto if it be Treason To yeeld Obedience we must understand They Trayters are who walk by Law and Reason The Soveraigne-Person may command that thing For which the Soveraigne-Pow'r if I shall doe it Me to the Gallowes for my paines may bring And hang me with my Pardon when I show it Because when Soveraigne-Pow'r doth ought command Therein the Soveraigne-Person is contain'd So fully that by Law no deed can stand In opposition thereunto maintain'd And he by whom this Truth is not beleev'd Is taught by Fooles or else by Knaves deceiv'd Nor King nor Parliament doe I affect For private ends nor did they e're bestow On me the least appearance of respect More then what they to all men use to show Nor can I hope that what I doe or write Till men grow better an effect shall bring Sufficient to defend me from despight Though favour'd both by Parliament and King How then or by what bait have I beene caught That I for Balams wages have been said To contradict the * Messages I brought And from my owne good Counsels to have straid Or who can say whose tongue it shall become That my Allegiance I have swerved from As elsewhere I have writ so write I here No hand against the King that is no hand We should against his Royall-Person reare Though he injoyn'd a tyrannous command Nor should a private-man or private-pow'r Take armes against him though he should intend Them in their innocencie to devoure Not meerly their owne persons to defend For should each petty member of a State Be armed at his pleasure for Offence Their breaches of the peace would ruinate Themselves the whole Republicke and the Prince And should a King from violence not be free Till God shall strike none so unsafe as he Yet when by wicked Counsellers misled A King shall his whole Kingdome so oppresse That he therewith appears indangered Me thinks it were a Tenent reasonlesse To say there were not in a Parliament Such as is our or if no such we had No power in his Liege-people to prevent The hazard of a consequence so bad Or that they might not lay upon their King A charitable and restraining-hand To stop him from pursuing that rash thing Which might undoe himself and all the Land Or that there were not nat'rally a right In Them against his will for Him to fight When by the fawnings of some cunning-whore A nat'rall-Father shall be so misled As that he beats his children out of doore And causelesse drives their mother from his bed Beleeving they are bastards she unchaste And fir'd with jealousies attempteth further To burne his house to lay his dwellings waste And with his family himself to murther As then that Family with an intent Him from his ill-advisers to withdraw And his and their destruction to prevent May lay restraining hands by Natures law On such a father and yet therein be Preserv'd from breach of houshold-duties free So when the Father of our Countrey shall By Flatteries be drawn to such a course As may produce his owne and kingdomes fall Vnlesse we intervene by timely force And when so loyally the same is done That to our utmost powers we still assay Not how to save his life and rights alone But how his honour too preserve we may The Laws of God of Nature and of Reason Will doubtlesse warrant it in their despight Who brand it with Rebellion and with Treason By shamefull Termes from
the Countrey-Clowns As one who scarcely knew or heeded ought The Spanish-Fleet that perish'd on the Downes I heard of and to minde it some what brought Sometimes I have intelligence from Rome And know what in the Conclave hath beene done I have observed other men to come On businesse thence as well as Senior Con. I know Archbishop Laud and he knows me The worse for him by many hundred pounds For which I recompenced looke to be When he againe at Lambeth walks his Rounds And I from these though they suppose not so Some Reasons drew for that which now I doe I heard of what within their Cabinet The Machiavilian-Counsellers debate And informations other while did get Of ill-presaging secresies of State The German-horse that should have trotted hither Prodigious Straffords projects deeds and triall With other Characters speld all together Have showne me Truths that can have no deniall And when my heart had rightly pondred these Weigh'd what they are with whom we have to doe Their words their hopes their lives their practices What things they seek whom they belong unto With such like notes as these me thinks they be All blinde men who perceive not what I see And when I had with these considerations Consider'd too for what a worthlesse Crew The suits and cries of two most loyall Nations Have wanted those effects which are their due That He who for the Sheep his life should give Can give them to the Wolves and see them slaine That He who should our grievances releeve Can adde unto our torment and our paine That He because we feare his Dogs will bite And for that reason pray they may be ty'd Can therefore let them loose and take delight To see them kill whom they have terrifide These things considered me thinks we wrong The Humane-nature to be tame so long When I perceived our deare Countries Father So peremptorily affect his will That he would hazard three brave Kingdomes rather Then his unlawfull pleasure not fulfill And when I saw the Devils who inspire This wilfulnesse into him ceaze the goods Of his best subjects their faire houses fire Deflowre their Virgins shed their Old-mens bloods Betray their nearest Kinsmen slay their Brothers Deprive the blamelesse Infants of their lives Enslave their Fathers kill their frighted Mothers Abuse their Daughters and defile their Wives It griev'd me that this Iland should afford One man who for this Quarrell drew no sword But since I have consider'd that from ROME These Plagues these mischiefes these unhappy warres And all our present miseries did come With our unequall'd Irish-Massacres And that beside the many thousands here Well nigh two hundred thousand Protestants Were slaine and rooted thence within one yeare By those to whom the King high favours grants And since t is not improbably beleev'd They called are to be our Butchers too If we permit our selves to be deceiv'd Till they can compasse what they meane to doe Me thinks we have not beene so tame as mad To have so slow a hand as we have had And lastly since I weigh'd that not alone A plot is laid three Kingdomes to undoe But also in their spoile to have undone All other true Reformed-Churches too That Gods own glorie and the servitude Of Christian soules is in this Cause concern'd From thence whatever other will conclude I these Conclusions with good Warrant learn'd That those whom in this Warfare we resist Are neither worse nor better but those Bands And those Confederates of ANTICHRIST Which are to be his Champions in these Lands And that whoever fighteth on their side When this is known hath GOD CHRIST deni'd I see as plainly as I see the Sun He draweth neare that on the * white horse rides The long-expected Battell is begun The BEAST to muster up his Kings provides With him will all his Edomites conspire The seed of Hagar and the sonnes of Lot Philistia Gebal Moab Ammon Tyre And all that with his Marke themselves bespot Those brave white-Regiments me thinks I see That on the LORD of LORDS KING of KINGS Attending in triumphant habits be And which with him against our foes he brings Me thinks I hear his * Angel call the Crowes To eat the Kings and Captains of our foes If this be so as with a heart unfain'd I do believe it is how brave a lot Have we that were before all worlds ordain'd To be for souldiers to the LAMB begot With what high courage should we march along Against this Foe That being Conquerours We may with Angels sing a Triumph-Song And crowned sit among Celestiall Powers Why should we be afraid to speak or write What may from this curst Army fetch our King Why should we feare to perish in that Fight Which will through Death to Life immortall bring Or why should any now this work delay Or doubt the truth of that which here I say I beg no grace from King or Parliament If an Impostor I shall prove to be Or if men find not by the Consequent That GOD hath spoken to this Land by me And that the maine of all my Musings were Inspir'd by Him though often he permit My foolishnesse among them to appeare That nothing be ascribed to my Wit Excuse I crave not but a just correction Or Approbation as my words may merit If an ill-spirit hath been my direction What thereunto pertains let me inherit And if the truth be spoken do not grieve me VVithout a cause but hearken and believe me Suppose not my deare Countrimen that here I have been over-bold although you see A bitternesse doth in my lines appear For in this Cause great things concerned be It doth concern our children and our wives The publike safetie and the publike good The honour of our Nation and our lives The just avengement of our brethrens blood The freedome of our persons and estates The honour and the safetie of our King Our present being and our future fates And almost ev'ry other precious thing Yea it concerns our souls and more then so It highly doth concern GODS glory too Now then for conscience or for shame begin To call to minde the duties that ye owe Let what appears without be found within That by your actions we your hearts may know For your own sakes if not for GODS and our Be zealous in the cause you undertake Lest you ere long have neither means nor pow'r Your peace with GOD or Them or Vs to make For both to GOD and man above all creatures The most abhorred are those hypocrites Who can comply with disagreeing natures Yet false to all but to their appetites Take therefore counsell from a souldiers Pen And while you may be warn'd be wise be men Asham'd if not a little mad I am To see so many in this cause so cold So false so faint so cowardly and tame That can in other causes be so bold And not without affliction this I say Should this good cause miscarrie all
use That I may draw those fools to give attention Who will not els perhaps regard my Muse He that hath matter which concerns the King Comes not and ringles at the doore with feare But knocks untill he makes the Pallace ring And spurns it open if they will not heare Ev'n so do I and think I have done well To make my language like the tale I tell If I shall mention what some would not hear The fault 's not mine for if men madly do I am a thing which once in twenty year Shall seem to be a kind of mad man too And though mean-while my Calling I pursue Seeming to heed the times as they do me Yet I am alwayes mindfull of my kue And act my part when I my turne shall see One while I chide somtimes faire words I give To praise men into what I fain would have them And when those Favours I misplac'd perceive I call them back and am asham'd I gave them When thus I faile my Fancie prompts me then But now another Spirit guides my Pen I will not blame the Times though bad they be Nor to the jeering world bemoane my Lot For to these dayes my God appointed me And guards me so that mischiefe hurts me not My Birth I had in blest ELIZA'S reigne To JAMES I blaz'd the sins of wanton Peace For those rewards which Truth will ever gaine Where Nobles rise by Pieties decrease To CHARLES I shew'd what Plagues were drawing neare And saw them come ere I beleefe could gaine And when they came I saw the chiefest care Was how each Foole his Bable might obtaine For warnings are on wilfull sinners lost Till honour pleasure life and soule it cost SIN not repented but augmented rather The Violl poured forth began to spread The spreading mischiefe still more strength did gather And every day new Plagues the poison bred Divisions then arose which did increase And into Sub-divisions branch about Which overthrew the Pillars of our Peace And drove good Order Law and Iustice out These Evils with my Pen I long withstood And bold reproofes in Tyrants faces threw But when I saw my Pen could doe no good With other Patriots my Sword I drew For who that weares a Sword needs feare to draw To save the King the People and the Law I drew it not in rage or private hate Or to incroach on Prince or Peoples-right Or to recrute a ruined estate But that both Prince and People guard it might I was not arm'd to violate the Crowne Or please the fancies of a fickle braine To set one up and pull another downe Or Schisme or Superstition to maintaine But fought our Fathers honour to defend Our Mother from his jealous rage to save To bring their base abusers to that end Which Traiterous-flatterers deserve to have And he that armes himselfe to this intent Shall ne're be shamed though he may be shent I therefore boldly marched to the Field Not unresolv'd or stagg'ring in the Cause I made my Pray'rs my shot Firm-faith my shield My Breast-works are Good-Conscience and the Laws I stood not off when I was called on To mark what Peeros or Commons led the way To thinke I might be made or quite undone Or whether side was like to get the day But of the Publike Ruine was my feare Or of those Plagues for which the Sword makes roome And of the barbarousnesse which every where Is like to follow where his followers come And could have wish'd it had as easie bin To drive out mischiefes as to let them in The cure propos'd though very sharp it be And threatens losse of members and of blood Before it was adventur'd on by me Appeared needfull for the Common-good According to my Fortune and my Place I therefore further'd it not discontent Though others had the publike thank and grace For that which I in private did invent Where I then liv'd I was the first of those Who did contribute to my Countries aid And though it may be censur'd by her Foes An evill signe I joy to heare it said That in those parts I was the first of all To whom a totall Plunder did befall And sure it was for good it so befell For he that is inrowled for the Wars Shall never prosecute that Calling well If he intangled be with other Cares Affaires of Peace effeminate the minde A Barne well filled and a House well fraught Are not with ease for povertie resign'd Till they from us or we from them are caught For who those things can willingly forsake Of which he feeles he may have daily need Who can in wants and wounds himselfe betake That may at home with ease on plenties feed Or who can fight that 's clog'd with Carts and Ploughs Books Houshold stuffe Teems Oxen Sheep and Cows Such things as these did ne're affect me much But for their sakes of whom I must have care Nor did their losse my heart so nearly touch As their neglects who thereof Causers were For if my Counsels had been duly heeded And my Presages timely been beleev'd The Rage of War had not so far proceeded As me to Rob and others to have griev'd Yea had the Castle to my care committed Without supply of mony meat or Men Save my halfe Troope been well and timely fitted With what was needfull and long sought ere then I should not sure from thence have called bin To let the Kingdomes foes come safely in Nor to their dammage or their detriment Who me to that command had freely chose Had I unto another place been sent Exposing them unarmed to their foes Nor when a Ground work I had also laid Which had not onely probably secur'd Those parts from that whereof they were afraid But also to the bordering Shires assur'd Good likelihoods of safety should my Care And Propositions have been quite neglected By those to whom they first proposed were If they the Cause or Me had well affected Nor had so ill thereby our Party sped Nor had our Foes by that means gather'd head Nay if an Envie of the place I had Or some designe of theirs who brake their Trust Had not the way for my removall made To let in mischiefe at a nick so just So many had not mustred been so soon Of my Malignant Neighbours in that Shire To force my House my Goods to seize upon And shew such malice and such fury there Nor had I met affronts in other kinds As I have done but that among us be Some that do walk our wayes with other minds VVith other hopes and purposes then we But let them take their course my Course is weigh'd And VVords nor Deeds shall make my heart afraid VVhat I resolv'd on hath had firme foundations Not laid in sands nor built upon with sticks Nor garnished with vaine imaginations Or kept repair'd with fallacies and tricks I was not frighted by the Proclamations Penn'd by abusers of the Royall-Name Nor startled by those tedious Declarations VVhich with