Londons Miserie, THE Countryes Crueltie: WITH GODS MERCIE.
Explained by remarkeable obseruations of each of them, during this last Visitation.
VVritten by Richard Milton.
LONDON, Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1625.
To his deere and louing Vnkle, Maister Richard Gough, of the Citty of Hereford Gentleman.
GOOD SIR,
HAuing composed these few lines ensuing, by way of obseruation of this present Visitation, being an Eye-witnesse thereof; Doe humbly present the same to your view: If there be ought shall giue you content, I haue my desire; Accept my poore Labors, I pray you, So shall I not onely thinke it and time well spent, but shall further be encouraged to imploy the same hereafter, as occasion shall be offered. So with my prayers to the Almighty for the health and prosperitie of you and yours, I remaine till death
Your Louing Kinseman, Richard Milton.
Londons Miserie, The Countreys Cruelty, with Gods Mercy.
NO farre fetcht Story brought from Forraigne land,
Or such like matters doe I take in hand;
No loue sicke Sonnet, or sweete roundelayes,
No Epigrams or such like pleasing toyes,
Nor doe I write the deedes of Martiall men,
That haue bin done the place, time, where and when:
This I referre vnto some other men,
To paint and set forth with their fluent pen:
Whilst I with sighing doe most sadly sing,
The fearefull iudgements of the Heauenly King,
That in his wrath by his most heauy hand,
Puts to amazement this most sinnefull Land;
A taske too hard for me, whose slender skill,
Is farre vnfit, although Gods knowes my will,
Be very good for matter it befits,
The industrious penning of more curious wits:
My wit is meane, God knowes, I vnderstand
But little, and for mee to take in hand
This worthy worke, I might presume too much
To meddle with; for answere vnto such
Shall so oppose me, this poore simple skill
I here haue showne, is meant by me no ill
[Page 2]In any kind, but onely for to shewe,
The good affection I o
[...] duty owe
Vnto this City, (where I haue my being)
Whose great calamities I daily seeing,
Makes me breake forth, and with a grieued soule,
Her miserable state for to condole,
Amongst the rest, should I not be vnkinde?
As not to shew griefe where such cause I finde
In th'ighest manner, to a place I loue so,
As none in earth more dearer, surely no;
But in this Action wilbe so farre bold,
Not fearing what I write shalbe controld.
ANd first to thee Lord, doe I humbly bow,
For pardon for our sinnes, whose angry brow,
Still Frownes as if no mercy thou wilt haue
Vpon this City, but will send to Graue
All the inhabitants within a little space,
Oh be not angry still, affoord vs grace
For to repent, and stay thine angry hand,
For who thy powerfull iudgements can withstand:
Lord we haue sinned and haue done amisse,
Wherefore thine anger fiercely kindled is:
Vpon this City vengeance thou hast powr'd,
And we like sheepe to slaughter are deuour'd:
Our sinnes forgiue, behold our watrie eyes,
Our grieuous grones, our lamentable cryes;
Long haue we fighed, but thou hast not heard,
Oft haue we prayed, but thou hast not spar'd,
As if euen with our prayers thou wer't offended,
As if thy iudgements neuer would be ended.
[Page 3]Faintnesse possesseth all our vitall parts,
Our courage failes vs, daunted are our hearts:
In this extremity, whether shall we flye,
But vnto thee oh God, prostrate we lye,
Before thy Throne of grace, and with bleeding wound,
And sobbing sighes, our miseries we sound:
Do we not know Lord thou didst fend thy Sonne,
To paie a ransome for our deedes mis-done,
Euen from the Heauens, where thou sies aboue,
So deare the life of sinners thou didst loue:
And when by our transgression, mankind all,
Were subiect to thy wrath, fast bound and thrall;
And we beleeue, Lord helpe our vnbeleefe,
For of the same thou art our stay and chiefe
Prop and vpholder, we beleeue I say,
For on so sure a ground safe build we may:
VVhat thou hast promisde in thy sacred Word,
VVhat thou hast vowed, oh most gracious Lord,
That thou the death of sinners not desirest,
But rather life to them, for thou requirest,
That of their sinnefull liues, they would amend,
And so gaine mercie where they did offend:
VVith patience therefore we attend thy will,
Not doubting but thy words thou wilt fulfill.
TIs not vnknowne to many a Forraine Nation,
The beautie of
London, and the scituation,
The strength, the wealth and multitude of men
It did containe, at such good time as when,
God was at peace with vs, the Famous Sparkes
Of sweete inuention, and the learned Clarkes,
[Page 4]VVorthy Diuines and Phisitions store,
Attournes, Counsellors and pen-men more
I thinke then need is, there the reuerend Iudges
Gaue many a sentence, at which ill men grudges,
For there the Courts of justice haue bin kept,
Where many a Client hath full sorely wept.
The cause is knowne to God, what shall I say,
That to this City in some sort I may
Express good will, there 'twas the liberall Arts
Did chieflie flourish, men of excellent parts
Did there abide, as being the very Spring,
That to their Studies sweete refresh did bring.
There liu'd our King, also his noble Peeres,
To whom the Lord grant life and many yeares,
Of happinesse on earth, fame and renowne,
And in the end an euerlasting Crowne
Of glorie, there his Subiects at commaund,
In multitude were like vnto the sand,
That on the Sea shore, Sea men vse to see,
VVhen waues are past, and waters calmed be:
The seuerall sorts of Trades-men and of Arts,
The seuerall merchandize from Forraine parts,
The multitude of rich and wealthy men,
I am not able to expresse with pen;
And though for foure yeares past, it so fell out
That many Trades-men here, were in great doubt
They should haue bin vndone, (for trading fail'd,
And so long time their hearts were cold and quaild)
Yet the late marriage of our Royall King,
VVe thought a setling to this Realme would bring,
In such a wise, that now our feare was past,
And well was he that did hold out till last,
[Page 5]That all men so with doings should abound,
That worke-men for our worke would nere be found,
Oh God, how of our hopes we are deceiued,
And of our long expected ioyes bereaued,
How thou our foolish wisdome sets at nought,
And euen our selues vnto destruction brought,
Vaine is the helpe of man, also are vayne
The imagination of a mortall braine;
Oh
London, London, thou didst feele the Rod,
But neuer rightly lookt vp to thy God
That strook thee with it, when thou feltst the smart,
Euen at the first, then with a grieued heart,
Thou of thy grieuous sinnes shouldst haue repented,
And so Gods angry Iudgements haue preuented:
This was neglected, and O most vnkinde,
Gods former benefits imprint in minde
Thou didsts not doe, for assuredly,
Before thy wickednesse to him did cry
For heauie vengeance, he was wondrous kinde
To thee, and thou didst many fauours finde
From him, we are apt to forget God wot,
Or if we doe remember, we beare not
The thankfull minds we should, and therefore we
Euen for our sinnes most iustly plagued be:
Should we perswade our selues Almighty Ioue,
This Famous City did mor deerely loue,
Then others, that his power could not withstand,
But in the former ages felt his hand:
Or shall we thinke that shortned is his Arme,
Or that he will not suffer so much harme
To come vpon vs as he did to those
That sinn'd aswell as we, O, no repose,
[Page 6]Nor harbor in your hearts so vaine a thought,
For euen as they were to destruction brought:
Euen so shall we if we do still offend,
And do not of our sinfull liues amend,
For as the Lord is by his mercy knowne,
To be a gracious God, and he hath shewne
That in his mercy he doth farre surpasse,
Which plainely doth appeare, but yet whereas
Almighty God in mercy doth abound,
Take this for certaine and a constant ground,
As on his mercies we may boldly trust,
So in his Iudgements is he alwayes iust.
Aye me! I need not long to treate of this,
How many demonstrations dayly is,
How many seuerall bels do sadly ring
The dolefull tune of this most certaine thing,
In this our present sad disastrous plight,
Whilst many soules haue bid the world godnight.
My flesh do tremble, I amazed stand,
To see the force of Gods Almighty hand,
My hand do quake, and eke my ioynts do shiuer,
To see what deadly Arrowes from his Quiuer,
Are now sent forth to this forsaken Citty,
Whose very miseries my soule doth pitty.
GO on my muse now, and right sadly tell,
The dolefull sound that euery Parish bell,
Within this poore aflicted Cittie make,
That we may from our sinfull liues awake:
Our daily sorrowes, and continuall feares,
Our losse of deere friends, and our daily teares:
[Page 7]That we for them do shed, the sundry moanes,
Deepe hearted sighings, and the gricuous groanes,
That many a husband for his tender wife,
Sends forth for her that is bereau'd of life:
How many a wife mournes for her Turtle mate,
That now lyes gasping, strucke by cruell fate
Of conquering Death, and when thou haft so done,
Tell how the father grieues for his lost sonne:
The wofull screeches many a mother mild,
Bitterly sends forth for her dying child,
How many a sonne weepes for his louing father,
(Whose loue so deere was that he would more rather
Haue dyde himselfe, euen such was his good will,
But we cannot our owne desires fullfill)
How many a daughter grieues for her deer mother,
And many a sister for her louing brother,
And many a brother for his louing sister,
That knew not what he lost before he mist her:
Here weepes the seruant for his louing Maister,
And grieues that Death is growne so great a waster,
There sighes the Maister for his louing man,
For that he is not able, neither can
Saue his poore seruants life, with weeping eyes
The carefull mayden for her Mistresse cryes:
The mistresse likewise for her maide doth moane,
Because so good a seruant's dead and gone.
Neighbour for neighbor, one friend for another,
Their loues were such, their griefes they cannot smother,
The Preacher for his flocke, and they for him,
We waile and weepe vntill our eyes are dim,
And then, O Lord, a sad thing for to see,
Yet dayly such sad spectacles there be,
[Page 8]They that before, so sadly moumed haue,
By other Friends are shortly brought to graue
VVith much adoe, for Friends are very few,
In this their last farewell, their loues to shew.
SVch is the force of Deaths fell conquering hand,
That none in this world can his power withstand,
Tis not the power of a mighty King,
Can serue to free him from Deaths deadly sting,
Much lesse the title of a Lord or Knight,
Can keepe their persons from this pale-fac't wight,
Tis not the wisedome of a learned man,
No, there is neither Arte nor wisedome can,
Be forcible enough with Arte or wile,
Eyther to stay deaths stroke or him beguile:
Marke it I pray you, how he makes men reele,
His Bow is iron sure, and his Arrowes steele:
How many through his might doe daily dye,
How many likewise doe there sprawling lye,
How many also dead in fields are found,
And suddainly in streetes dosall to ground,
Euen as they passe, and then before were well,
And felt but little paine vntill they fell.
STay gentle death, for I assure you can,
The parties held an vpright honest man,
You are about to deale, I tell you more,
Of wealth he hath a great aboundant store,
And liberally he giueth to the poore
Of that he hath, the like giuen at his doore,
[Page 9]There's very few that doth, nay, hardly any,
Although there doe in wealth surpasse him many.
I, That is well done, I commend you better,
And for your kindnesse will remaine your debtor,
That miserable, griping, rusty Chuffe,
That alwayes wanted, neuer had enough,
And neuer car'd how many men were kild,
So he might haue his Cofers stuft and fild,
Ah wr tched Carle, I trust that there is none
True hearted wight will weep when thou art gone,
They in thy life time wept, and were not heard,
Now at thy death they rightly may be spar'd.
KNow you what you haue done, y'aue flaine a woman,
That for her vertuous carriage, I thinke no man
VVill finde the like againe, now good Sir tell,
To take the good away, doe you do well:
Doth there not many an idle Gossip stay?
VVho long before wee'd faine haue had away,
Leaue of for shame, away now get you gone
Goe take the worst sort, leaue the best alone.
LOrd if 'twere so, what would become of me,
That know my selfe to be as bad may be,
For there's not onely one, but thousands more,
That I goe farre behind that went before,
Many a braue Scholler; many a worthy Teacher,
Many a good liuer, many a zealous Preacher,
[Page 10]That liu'd as lights, and were to thee right deare,
So carefully they walked in thy feare,
But I alas, haue much abusde thy will,
Had not a care, thy hests for to fulfill,
Haue sinn'd extreamly, and assuredly,
Had long before this time, deseru'd to dye;
But yet, O Lord, I see 'tis not thy will,
Thou spar'st my life, wilt haue me tarry still.
And now I pray thee, whilst I haue my being,
Sith that thou hast vouchsaft to me the seeing,
(Wretch that I am) of this thy mighty power,
Grant that hereafter, daily and each houre,
For that same small time, and the little space
Of life that thou shalt grant me by thy grace,
I may redeeme time, which I lewdly spent,
Bewaile my sinnes, and heartily repent.
VVHen hoary hyems now had chang'd his hue,
And for that yeare had bid the world a due,
When trees gan sprout, the grasse and euery thing
Lookt greene and faire, lambes skipt, the bird; did sing
And with their warbling notes in woods did Ring
Their makers prayse, according to their kinde,
April the moneth was cald, for so I finde,
(For fore that time there dyed not any store,
That either had the tokens or plague sore)
Then did the Lord begin to lay his hand,
And plainly shewd he'd giue vs vnderstand,
That he was angry with vs, at the first
Small quaintity there dy'd, Death did not thirst
As now it doth, a dozen or a score:
We thought it much, soone after forty more,
[Page 11]Or such like number to the ground were sent,
But hardly any misse of those that went,
Time slides away, our glasse doth daily runne,
And God will finish what he had begunne,
For shortly after in the Bills are spide,
About a hundred of the sicknesse dyde:
And yet at that time, I remember well,
There's very few of vs could rightly tell,
Whether the sicknesse were the plague or no,
So willingly we would haue had it so:
The Searchers now brought into question be,
For that poore aged folkes they could not see
Gods handy-worke, twas thought that they did wrong
To many people, thus did we prolong
Our miseries, aduice was taken then
Of Phisicke Doctors, all held worthy men,
And such as for their skill did much surpasse
The meaner sort; they told vs, that whereas
Those that from vs, this sicknesse did deuide,
Had caught a spotted feuer, and so dyde.
THus the Almightie, though he hath and can,
Produce strange wonders by the Arte of man,
Neuerthelesse, when he thinkes good, he will
Confound the wisedome, and the learned skill
Of mortall Creatures, and vs plainly shew,
He can send iudgments, that they shall not know
How to preuent, with all their arte or skill,
If we rebell, and not his will fulfill.
THE Former Searchers now are in hard case,
They are reprou'd, some forc't to loose their place;
And now with cheerefull hearts, we doe agree,
The former doubt, but a mistake might bee;
Yet still alas, the sicknesse doth increase,
And therefore of our feares we do not cease:
Those that they now appoint, are bound with oath,
Vpon their consciences to tell the troth,
That neither for reward, or filthy seare,
Or else for any fauour that they beare
Vnto the persons that are so infected,
Should stop their iudgments, now to be expected.
THeir charge receiu'd, away now do they hie,
And to their businesse do they looke more nigh,
Daies quickly go, the nights likewise full fast,
And very sudainly a weeke is past;
And now we lookt to be resolued well,
And who but searchers could vs betrer tell:
The questions askt, and then they told their mind,
That certainly the places which they find
So visited, so farre as they could see,
No other sicknes then the plague should be.
The reason now of this afore-said doubt
(As I haue heard) by experience is found out,
That as the plague, beginneth with the yeare,
So do the markes thereof, at first appeare
Much like the spotted Feuer, as time goes on,
And yeare vpon his backe, puts age vppon,
The markes do alter to another hue,
Leauing the red, and then is turn'd to blew.
VVE studdy now, and often cast about,
And call to mind, what heretofore fell out,
Vpon the Death of any Souerainge Prince,
Or in Successors raigne hath hapned since,
There's many of vs doe remember yet
It was so late, we can it not forget,
When first King
Iames, came here this Crowne to sway,
How many by the plague were caught away;
And now the most of vs perswaded be,
That such a scknesse we againe shall see:
But being come vnto the month of
Iune,
It sings to vs a sad and mournesfull tune:
For now we thinke, the sicknesse will not cease,
Because we find it weekly doth increase,
Orders are now prescribde, and best inuention
That we can vse or finde out for preuention,
The doores of sicke are shut, and Dogs be kild,
Tis better they should goe, then we be fild
With noysome smells, a reason some doth tell,
That brings the sicknesse with vs here to dwell,
It to auoid, houses and streetes we wash,
And many a paile of water downe we pash
Before our doores, the place of those infected,
We warily auoyd, though we respected
The visited before their sicknesse came,
Yet now to see them would redound much blame
Vnto vs, all the neighbours they would scare vs,
And hearing it, few of them would come neere vs,
For so to doe can we tell what may chance
To vs, or ours, so farre for to aduance,
Or venture out our selues, them to come neare,
Pray blame vs not, we iustly may forbeare:
[Page 14]Thus did we feare at first, but time growes on,
That which before we could not build vppon,
Trinity Terme was for that time put off,
Causes of suite in Law were driuen off
Till longer time, they that came many a mile
VVith griefe returne, stay heere but little while,
That hoped to haue seene some happy end
O
[...] their long Suites, now vainely doe they spend
Both time and money,
London they forsake,
And many a long and wearie steppe they make,
Before they come vnto their wisht desire,
To see the smoake that issues from the fire
Of their owne Chymneys, and to preuent
Danger of infection, the Parliament,
That euer commonly with vs did sit,
Do now forbeare, and thinke it farre more fit,
That kept it should be in some other place:
The City
Oxford 'twas that had the grace
Of that assembly: there they time did spend
No doubtfull carefull, for to make an end
Of that they had in hand, statutes are acted,
And in a booke together are compacted
For publique good; there let them rest a while,
Whilst we goe forwards in our homelie stile,
To tell you truely what did come to passe
To moneth next following which cald
Iuly was:
Each weeke with longing we desire to see
VVhither the bills increast or lessened be,
But where the figures set for hundreds were,
Now thousands three and more there do appeare,
By hundreds three, foure score fiue in number,
Due time it is for vs to leaue of slumber:
[Page 15]And generally with one voyce and accord,
We gin to weigh the iudgments of the Lord,
And seeke to him, our helper and our guide,
That we of mercie may not be denide
In this affliction, call to minde our sinne
VVith humble praiers and fasting we beginne,
That so we may appease Gods angrie hand,
(The onely way his iudgements to withstand)
Wherein assuredlie we did doe well,
VVe knew the gracious goodnes which befell
To
Niniue, and other Cities noe,
Which else had bin destroyd, had't not bin so
They had repented, this right godly thing,
First was commended by our noble King,
Thereby he shew'd, that he a Father was
Vnto this Citie, and what came to passe
He tooke to heart, alas what better loue,
Or friend for friendship can we further prooue,
Then at such times, as we afflicted be,
That they are moou'd our miseries to see,
And do their best endeauors, to be briefe,
Vse all the arte they can for our reliefe.
In this renowned King, great commendation
We must ascribe, welfare and preseruation
Of vs and ours was dailie in thy minde,
As by thy prouident care we did it finde:
Should we vnthankfull be, it were most vild,
And we hereafter iustly might be stild
Vngratefull subiects, likewise know 'twas he,
Gaue speciall order that a booke should be
Read in our Fasts of Prayers, and Psalmes selected
Fit for the times, so greatly he respected
[Page 16]The safetie of our soules; another Booke
By him was fet forth, wherein if you looke,
Medcines for bodies health did there insert,
With wary visements, how we should diuert
Or keepe our selues from causes of Infection,
VVhat else to do he gaue to vs direction.
BVt well-away, before the moneth is gone,
How many thousands, left vs here alone,
And gaue vs leaue to fast, and eke to pray,
For neither wealth nor Counsell could them stay;
Both rich and poore, away now doe they hye,
Both old and young, they care not where they lye,
In barnes, or hay-cockes, fields, or vnder tree,
Nor how they fare, so
London they not see.
LOndon that heretofore had such Renowne,
Is not respected as a common Towne,
Her glories darkned and her strength decayde,
And those that trusted in her are afraide
For to come neere her,
London that heretofore
VVhich for the bignesse sure was people more
Then any City in the world againe,
Doth say when God is angrie 'tis but vaine
To trust in multitude, but I call to minde,
VVhen 't did abound with men, then most vnkinde,
Full many of vs grudge to haue it so,
Thinking the cause thereof procur'd vs woe,
So many of a trade, (thus did we grieue)
That one man by another could not liue;
[Page 17]Sure God was angrie with vs, now you see
The Citie of large multitudes are free,
Where is the doings that should now abound?
Sure nothing else but wayling is there found,
For want of those that in the same did dwell,
And when woe will be done we cannot tell.
BVt shall I leaue our fellow brethren so,
And not vouchsafe a little for to go,
To bring them out of towne, at least-wise know,
The fauour iolly Country men did shew
To strangers and to kin, but fitst alas
You know tis fitting they should haue a passe,
Whither he be a wiseman or an Asse,
Vnlesse he meane to lye vpon the grasse:
The which vnto the Country men they shew;
Contents whereof doth let all people know,
That where Almighty God (more is the pitty)
With sicknesse now had visited the Citty,
Yet notwithstanding (blest be his high hand,)
Their dwelling house, amongst the rest doth stand
Free from infection: nay, some thought it meete,
To set downe in their writing, all the streete
Wherein they dwelled (prays'd be God) was cleare,
And therefore as for that, you neede not feare
To giue them entertainment; this safe kept,
Made many that at first full sweetly slept
In wholesome beds, and likewise to fare well,
But afterwards it otherwise befell:
London they thought all ouer was infected,
And therefore they no passes now respected.
VVAndring in Fields, some here, some there do lye,
And by the way there's many of them die,
A grieuous spectacle for to behold,
And causing teares may for to heare it told,
To see that Christians should be so estrang'd,
And from their marke Christianitie so rang'd,
That from another they no loue can haue,
So farre as to vouchsafe them to their graue,
But leaue them merciles, eu'n where they die,
And so expose them to the rauenous eie
Of Foules and other vermine, verie vnfit,
And surely shewes small loue, or little wit
In these our Countrie-men; but I alas,
Am gone too farre with you, how shall I passe
From whence I came, you know I am expected;
And let not
London be by me neglected.
FAsts are continued,
Wensday is the daie,
And many of vs I dare boldly say,
Did carefully obserue them, many moe,
(I do perswade me) did not keep them so
As fit they should, 'tis goodly for to see,
How yet our Churcher fild with people be,
And with attention do the Preacher heare,
Although so many durst not venture there,
For feare of further harme, I neuer heard
Such zealous Preaching that was still conferd
Vnto the hearers; braue renowned men
That so encourag'd vs, I would my pen
Had all the arte that might be to giue praise,
Vnto your worthy actions; many waies
[Page 19]You did declare your selues like Champions stout,
And were the only men that held vs out
From fainting, Physitions they were fled,
Onely a few amongst the rest, some dead,
And griefe to speake, but true it is (God wot,)
Of your owne Coate too many tarried not:
To those that staid then, you gaine double praise,
For taking paines when
Halcion were our daies,
And sticke not now your liues for vs to spend,
Euen your owne bloods, so that you might but end
Twixt God and vs the strife, this was your care,
Thus
Moses humbly sought the Lord to spare
Hard hearted Iewes, full often was he heard,
And I perswade my selfe God hath not bard
Sweet mercies gate so fast, but one time he
Or other with our prayers will pleased be:
Go on therefore, surely of God y'blest,
And let not the Almighty yet take rest,
Vntill that by his mercies we do finde
Gods wrath appea
[...]de, and he of other minde.
And next on earth then you shall haue the praise,
Men, wiues and children, shall with pleasing laies,
Haue cause to sing your Victories about,
And say you were their Champions fell and stout,
That
Iacob like did wrastle with the Lord,
And held him fast vntill he did affoord
To hold his hand, and this great sicknesse stay,
This may be said of you another day.
ALthough the Sunne shinde bright, the Heauens faire,
Yet still we thought corrupted was the ayre,
[Page 20]Great cause it was of sicknesse, so we thought,
And so by learned writers were we tought:
It to auoide, the best aduice we take,
To cleere the
Ayre, great
Bonesiers we make
Before our doores, as likewise pans of fire
Ymixt with pitch, so greatly we desire
Cause of Infections cease, then thought it meete,
That euery one at home, or else in streete
(As they did passe) should to a Nose-gay smell
Held in their hands, which would do very well:
Some made of Hempe & Pitch, others thought fit
To vse some other Sents, which I omit.
And Franckensence in houses do we burne,
And vse all other meanes we can to turne
That into sweete we thought corrupted was,
Lets leaue off this and tell what came to passe.
ANd now imagine
Iuly we haue past,
August the Moneth is, wherein we so fast
Do leaue this world, to seeke another rest,
Where in one weeke there died at the least
Fiue thousand soules, two hundreth and fiue,
They'd make a faire shew to be seene aliue:
So many thousands in the Country gone,
And we so few in number left alone,
And yet so many in one weeke should dye,
So many courses, that I thinke nere eye
Did ere behold dayly and howerly passe
Within this Citty, infinite griefe alas,
Must needes possesse those that are left aliue,
And for our safeguard, how do we now striue,
[Page 21]These lines ensuing will directly tell,
Please you peruse them and to marke them well.
THe eighteenth of the month that was the weeke,
Now not so much for humaine helpes we seeke,
But ready for Deaths stroake we do prepare,
And for to gaine heauens Crowne is all our care:
Daily we see our Friends and neighbours dye,
And who can say is next, ore he or I:
The shunning now of sicke is not respected,
For who doth know whose house is not infected,
They are not now pent vp, doores are open,
No coy there is with any to be spoken,
But one with other do consort together,
And as for danger few of vs care whether,
The partie we are with be sicke or no,
Onely we aske him whether it be so;
And where the paine proceedes, rising or spot,
And to their beds we go, for we are not
So timerous; but do approach them neere,
And with our best aduise we do them cheere;
And being dead now we such kindnesse haue,
None will refuse to bring them to the graue,
But after Beeres we throng without disdaine,
And in our iudgement hold it very vaine,
If we should not our last performance lend
To such a neighbour or to such a Friend,
Discourteous, vnfit and eke faint-hearted,
Thus did we meete and thus we kindly parted.
VVEll may I say to many a Country lout
Of this our Kingdome, where's the valour stout
Possest your fearefull hearts? what is the matter
That so for feare your very teeth do chatter
VVithin your heads, why do your bones so shiuer?
As if you neyther had nor heart nor liuer:
To see a
London man, oh y'are vndone,
Venture not neere, but as farre from him runne,
As Furlongs two containe at least, oh flye,
His very breath will smell, as farre as eye
Can ere behold him: are you not a sham'd,
And in all good mens iudgements to be blam'd:
I am not ignorant of your churlish dealing,
The wound that open is, will need long healing
Of your vnkindnesse shew'd to our poore City:
Hard hearted men, you should haue had more pitty.
You thinke vs Cowards, you the worthies are,
And who but you, for sturdie men of warre:
How is it now, doe you not plainly see,
London doth yeeld as stout as any he,
Liues on your clotted grounds, as doe appeare,
We stand not in such dread, nor do we feare
The losse of our poore lifes, for in a word,
Although we in a manner see the sword,
Of the Almighties Iustice euer wauing
Ouer our heads, killing many crauing,
Yet from the venger do we neuer shrinke,
No we perswaded be and surely thinke,
That he is euery where and that he can,
(And if please him) send to the Country man,
As great a sicknesse as he hath to vs,
Thus I perswade my selfe and euen thus
[Page 23]Should you perswaded be and vnderstand,
That the best meanes for to auoyd God hand,
Is not to flye, but to approach him neere
With heartie sorrow, take heed how we we beare
Our selues hereafter that we not offend,
Else worser iudgements God to vs can send
VVhere ere we be, with you I haue now done:
Lord with what longing do the people runne,
To know what number this next weeke haue dyde,
And now (blest be his name) we haue espide
A happy ceasing of his anger past,
For in this weeke they dyed not so fast:
Foure thousand, eight hundred, one and forty fell,
Though a great number, it reioyst vs well
To see a ceasing, and with thankfull minde,
VVe gaue Gods thankes for that he was so kinde;
And by the way now this is to be noted,
And will be markt by those that are deuoted,
When we were now euen hurl'd into despaire
And scarse car'd whether day was foule or faire,
Such a perplexity were wee driuen in,
That how the world went we weigh'd not a pin,
VVhen we were almost weare now with crying,
And almost past all hope for ought relying
At the Almighties hands, loe euen then,
He gan to shew vnto vs (sinfull men)
Some tokens, that his anger will not long
Continue, if so be wee sing the song
Of true repentance. I remember well
The Prohibition of our fast daies fell
This very weeke, the ceasing was before,
VVe cannot then directly say therefore,
[Page 24]That they were cause so many were infected,
I hope there's few that are so ill affected
As so to thinke; did we not meete together,
And as I sayd before, we car'd not whether
Daily and hourely 'bout our worldly ends,
Some one for one thing, others see their Friends
Lye visited: sicke with well we mingle,
Those that are well from sicke we cannot single,
Yet many of vs were both well and sound,
And I amongst the rest this fauour found;
(Blest be his holy name) no more of this,
Now in my minde a home-bred story is,
Of one I knew, a Country-man of mine,
(Hardly deseruing here to haue a line)
Who did refraine the Church (so wise was he)
So did his sonne lest they infect might be:
VVhat I insert I heard it to be true,
And I thinke God their iudgment gaue them due,
Neyther in Church or Church yard did they dye,
But in the open Fields there did they lye.
ANd one thing more I thought good to obserue,
Whether it obseruation do deserue,
Or no I pray you iudge, this did I find,
When we vnto each other were most kind,
And feared not the visited to see,
Yet euen at that time I noted we
Did find a ceasing, which did plainly shew,
That we vnto the Almighty much did owe
For his great loue, beyond imagination,
And farre beyond all humaine expectation:
[Page 25]For fore that time most were of iudgement still,
The reason why so many there were ill,
VVas cause they tooke not heed, nor much respected,
To keepe themselues from those that were infected;
The last great sicknesse it did fall out so,
(As I haue heard) well let vs forwards goe,
Not that I thinke the sicknesse not infect,
For many then my iudgement will reiect,
For to the contrary it doth appeare,
Therfore i'de wish no mortall wight come neere
Infected persons to presume too much,
Vnlesse occasions so great be such,
As eyther them to helpe or helpe themselues,
Else should I count them for presuming Elues.
VVEarie with toyle and with sad cares opprest,
Let now my muse from this sad straine take reft,
Neuerthelesse but for a little while,
And giue me leaue but onely for to smile
At worldlings folly, how with care they striue
To keepe their earthly Carcasses aliue,
Whilst others pining do desire to dye,
Respectlesse of their liues, such misery
They do sustaine, y wrapt in cruell loue,
Or else some higher crosses from aboue,
For recreation I thinke best befits,
In time of sadnesse to reuiue our wits
With honest mirth, a story for to tell,
The best I haue marke then how it befell:
In
Gloster shiere, (a parcell of this Land)
There
Cheltenham my natiue Towne doth stand,
[Page 26]Many a braue lad hath there beene bred and bore,
As well in these our times as long before,
VVho hand to hand in battle would men thrill,
Ere they from them would suffer any ill:
Howbeit now the sicknesse (as I heare)
Haue brought these hardy men into great feare:
Yet to their kindred still their loue is such,
To giue them kind reliefe they will not grutch,
Prouided alwayes that they may be pent,
In some remoted place whereas the sent
May not annoy the dwellers of the Towne,
Else one against another well might frowne:
Some two miles off the same there stands a hill,
That if you saw it, surely say you will
It is a great one, likewise very high,
Not farre vpon, nor yet not very nigh
A wood doth stand,
Puckham is cald by name,
And there abouts is of great note and fame
In nutting time, then famous let it be
A little more, for that we now do see,
It prooues a shelter to our
London men,
VVho there did lurke as Foxes in their den,
But if they chanc't abroad once for to stere,
More dreadfull far then wolues they did appeare
To friend or foe: if once they doe them spie,
Their sight more fell then
Basilis koes eye,
There lodg'd that hard Squire Sir
Henry hight,
A valiant, doubty and couragious spright,
There lay that Lady bright, his partner deare,
That were most brauely brought on horse-back there:
With diuers others men of mickle worth,
That were resolu'd none of them to come forth,
[Page 27]But round about the wood to roue and range,
Vntill the Moone had past her full and change:
This was the order then, but out alas,
VVhilst we on hills are, there's a
London Asse
Or Carrier comes to Towne within bow shot,
When as the sicknesse raign'd exceeding hot,
His packe he doth vntie, and
London ware
Lyes open to be catch't with
Cheltnam ayre:
High time it is for safety to prouide,
More harme then ere aware may them betide,
The matter knowne some wise men of the Towne,
Bold affrappeth this foole hardy Clowne,
With bitter threates, and with a dire aspect,
This great presumptuous act they do detect,
And to him spake thus or to this effect:
Thou
London vagrant, bold presumptuous man,
All words to good for thee that name we can,
Is this a place for thee for to vntie?
At such a time as this, now verily,
If streight thou do'st not trusse, and quickly runne
From this same coast, weele shoot thee with a Gun.
At which hard words forthwith it did appeare,
How much it deern'd him by the trembling feare
Of all his ioynts, for greatly he did quake,
And seem'd as if his very heart did ake,
Sighing, quoth he, good sits be not offended,
VVhat's done amisse hereafter shall be mended.
COurage braue
London, heart vnto thee take,
For euery weeke the sicknesse now doth slake,
[Page 28]What shall we alwayes faint, be drooping men
And thinke that nere good time will come agen,
Indeede 'tis true, many our Friends are gone,
And deare ones too, we cannot choose but moane
For them a while, Gods hand we cannot stay
When he doth please to strike, well wish we may,
Time is for all, a time there is to die,
And as they are so must be you and I,
A debt we owe, that is to God a Death,
Short is our life and soone gone is our breath:
Here is no resting place, Pilgrims we are
VVithin this world, vnto a Country farre
VVe haue to trace, it is to Heauens high,
To which we cannot come before we die:
They are in rest no doubt, we still in care,
Sorrow we taste, but they doe better fare.
LIke as in bloody field a battell fought,
By raging enemies that alwayes sought
To worke vnto each other harme and skath,
And nought but death could swage their banefull wrath,
VVhere many thousands in one battel dye,
And many groueling on the earth doe lye,
After a long and weary battel tride,
So many wounded eke so many dyde,
Vpon retire they doe their losses count,
And finde they doe in number much surmount,
Of this poore Citie such now was the case,
When time had made so many runne the race
Of this their mortall liues, the rest behind
To know the perfect number were inclin'd
[Page 29]Of those that dy'd the seuerall Bills they view,
And cast them vp to be informed true:
The better to expresse, cease Verse a while,
And let vs forwards in another stile.
GEntle Reader, I am not ignorant what great mortallity hath beene reported, and verily beleeued to be in London, in almost all places of this Kingdome, by reason of this sicknesse; and that they conceiued a farre greater number dyed, then indeed there did: or at least-wise not considering, or once imagining, such a multitude of people, men, women and children should bee in one place, or City, thought verily there were hardly any or very few of vs left a liue.
Indeede the streetes were empty in respect of the large multitudes that formerly before this great sicknesse past too and fro in it; but there was no grasse growing in any streets of note for want of trading as they conceiued; for I perswade me as many people past too and fro in the streetes of the sayd City in the highest of the sicknesse vpon their occasions, as did at any time in the streetes of any other City or great Towne of this Kingdome where the sicknesse was not, (setting Faires and appointed assemblies aside) wherefore we were not all dead. Indeede if God Almighty had goneon in wrath, as of long time you see he did continue, we should haue all beene ere long consumed. But hee is a God of mercy, and is graciously pleased to leaue some behind; yea very many for a witnesse both of his Iustice and Mercy.
And as in my former similitude, after a battell fought aswell the seuerall armies as the seuerall aduerse Countries, will hearken after and take notice of the losse receiued, although they may be much mooued for the same: So I perswade [Page 30]my selfe both City and Country in this Kingdome that haue had no certainty of the number that haue dyed in this present visitation, although they wish well to the City, (it being the harbour of many of their kindred and friends, and in a manner the beauty, wealth and strength of this nation:) will desire notwithstanding to be truly informed; and therefore as ayming altogether, to make my poore subiect profitable or pleasing, or at least wise not burthen-some to all to whose hands it shall happen to come, I haue taken this paines to set downe the number, both in grosse and as they dyed weekly, so may you perceiue the increase and decrease.
| Totall. | Plague. | |
| FRom the 23 of December to the 30 of the same | 211 | 0 |
| From the 30 of December to the 6 of Ianuary | 220 | 1 |
| From the 6 of Ianuary to the 13. of the same | 196 | 1 |
| From the 13 of Ianuary to the 20 of the same | 240 | 0 |
| From the 20 to the 27 | 226 | 0 |
| From the 27 to the 3 of February | 174 | 3 |
| From the 3 to the 10 | 204 | 5 |
| From the 10 to the 17 | 211 | 3 |
| From the 17 to the 24 | 252 | 1 |
| From the 24 to the 3 of March | 207 | 0 |
| From the 3 to the 10 | 210 | 0 |
| From the 10 to the 17 | 261 | 4 |
| From the 17 to the 24 | 226 | 8 |
| From the 24 to the 31 | 243 | 11 |
| From the 31 to the 7 of April | 239 | 10 |
| From the 7 to the 14 | 256 | 24 |
| From the 14 to the 21 | 230 | 25 |
| From the 21 to the 28 | 305 | 26 |
| From the 23 to the 5 of May | 292 | 30 |
| From the 5 to the 12 | 332 | 45 |
| From the 12 to the 19 | 379 | 71 |
| From the 19 to the 26 | 401 | 78 |
| From the 26 to the 2 of Iune | 395 | 69 |
| From the 2 to the 9 | 434 | 97 |
| From the 9 to the 16 | 510 | 165 |
| From the 16 to the 23 | 640 | 239 |
| From the 23 to the 30 | 942 | 390 |
| From the 30 to the 7 of Iuly | 1222 | 593 |
| From the 7 to the 14 | 1741 | 1004 |
| From the 14 to the 21 | 2850 | 1819 |
| From the 21 to the 28 | 3583 | 2471 |
| From the 28 to the 4 of August | 4517 | 3659 |
| From the 4 of August to the 11 | 4855 | 4115 |
| From the 11 to the 18 | 5205 | 4463 |
| From the 18 to the 25 | 4841 | 4218 |
| From the 25 to the 1 of September | 3897 | 3344 |
| From the 1 of September to the 8 | 3157 | 2550 |
| From the 8 to the 15 | 2148 | 1672 |
| From the 15 to the 22 | 1994 | 1555 |
| From the 22 to the 29 | 1256 | 85 [...] |
| From the 29 to the 6 of October | 838 | 538 |
| From the 6 of October to the 13 | [...]15 | 511 |
| From the 13 to the 20 | 651 | 331 |
| From the 20 to the 27 | 375 | 134 |
| From the 27 to the 3 of Nouember | 357 | 89 |
| From the 3 of Nouember to the 10 | 319 | 92 |
| From the 10 to the 17 | 274 | 48 |
| From the 17 to the 24 | 231 | 27 |
| From the 24 to the 1 of December | 190 | 15 |
| From the 1 of December to the 8 | 181 | 15 |
| From the 8 to the 15 of the same | 168 | 6 |
| Totall from the 33 of December 1624 to the 15 of December 1625. 53914. Whereof of the plague. 35417. | ||
The Totall of the last great sicknesse hapning in the beginning of the Raigne of our late Soueraigne Lord King Iames deceased, viz. From the 23. of December 1602. to the 22. of December 1603. there dyed of all diseases in London and the Liberties 38244. wherof of the plague 30578. Wherein the greatest number that dyed in one weeke was in London and the Liberties, in all 3385. Whereof the plague, 3035.
IN Former times this Kingdome and City haue bin likewise visited, as soone after the Conquest of King William Duke of Normandy there happened a fearefull plague: As likewise in the Raigne of King Edward the third; and in the yeare 1562. in which yeare there died of the Pestilence, 20136. also in Anno 1592. in which yeare there dyed in all 25886. whereof the plague in and about London, 1503.
[Page 32]Other parts of the world haue likewise felt Gods hand, as you may read in Scripture of Ierusalem, &c. Further it is recorded of the City called the grand Cair in Turkey, once euery seauen yeares there hapneth a vehement Contation, to the losse of most part of the people there. In Rome there haue dyed 2000. a day, and 100000. in a yeare: In Constantinople 5000. a day, and 700000. within six months: In the Citty of Paris in France 100000. in a yeare, viz. in Anno 1348.
In Millan, Padua and Venice 100000. in each City within two yeares: In Bohemia 300000. in the like space: and so likewise in other Cities and Kingdomes, and at seuerall times hath God shewen his power.
AS one a sleepe of many pleasing toyes
Oft times doth dreame, and thinkes that he enioyes,
That which indeed he doth not, when he wakes,
Into his former dumpes himselfe betakes;
So after we such bitter stormes had tasted,
For want of Trade whilst that the sicknesse lasted,
Luld with vaine hope, when as we still did see
The sicknesse cease, that here a Terme should be
VVithout all question kept: thus thought we then,
And for a while we were right ioyfull men,
Our shops begin to open we prepare,
And set them out with sundry sorts of ware,
Although before this time windowes stood bare,
Open or shut we did not greatly care.
When newes doth come that sets vs into passion,
The King proclaimeth by his Proclamation,
That there no Terme of
Michael should be kept,
But where the Proclamation did direct.
You may coniecture what a plunge we then
VVere put vnto; how shall our Rent be payd,
And other needments which we want defrayd:
Now many a poore soule in the streetes we see,
For want to beg and craue, which would not be,
But that the times so hard are, others sham'd,
(Although their need is great) yet to be nam'd
A cra
[...]ing begger, much they would endure
Ere they could brooke to put the same in vre;
And therefore farre more harder was their case,
Then those that beg'd and car'd not to be base:
Tis such a time that many a sigh is fet
By those we good-men call, yet runne in debt,
And further also I thinke like to runne,
Good Lord amend it else we are vndone:
Albeit 'tis a comfort that we finde
That King and great men were so well inclin'd,
Their charitable deedes for to expresse,
In these our great afflictions to redresse
The wants of poore men which did so abound
VVithin this City that no place was found
VVithout a multitude, and to preuent,
Meanes was collected, orders there were sent
By Proclamation, how it should be vsde,
That so their worthy deedes be not abusde:
This was commended to the weighty care
Of
Londons Gouernour the worthy Maior;
Who in the same did shew himselfe vpright,
Got great applause in all the peoples sight,
This worthy Act did many others mooue,
To shew their Charity and Christian loue,
[Page 34]Yea those that had not much themselues would giue
Of that they had, poore people to relieue
In these sad times, abroad and at the doore,
Thus were we moou'd, so far'd it with the poore:
Examples surely are of wondrous force,
In such sad times as these to strike remorse
Into mens hearts, but more when as we see
Before our eyes the woefull misery
Of those that want, no doubt most that were here
And saw these things more liberall farre they were
Then earst before, and to tell plaine my minde,
What others write my selfe did daily finde
Them very free, for wheresoere I was
At home or broad, giuing there alwayes was
By one or other, vnto those that cri'd,
Who hardly of an Almes deed were deni'd
Of them they askt; foretimes it was not so,
But many should be ask't that would say no,
Before that we would see ones wants relieued,
So hard our hearts were to poore soules y'grieued;
And now to you that in the Country be,
Heare not the cryes of poore, nor yet doe see
Their miserable wants, how they haue far'd,
And how we to our powers haue not spar'd
Our meanes for to relieue them, if we slacke,
Let not our slacknesse you hard hearted make
When you shalberequired, I may say,
We haue done well, whilst you haue beene away:
Still neede there is, and like is so to be,
'Twill be a pleasing thing for vs to see
You home againe in peace, if much you make
Of poore afflicted ones for Christ his sake.
[Page 35]LAstly to all Residers of this Land,
That at this time haue felt the Almighties hand,
Or seene the heauy iudgements that haue beene,
Sith that the cause thereof is onely sinne,
For which we haue euduted many a smart,
And oft times gone to bed with aking heart;
Like dreaded children let vs now be wise,
And haue a care that we doe not despise,
Or set at light the anger of our God,
Least he in furie with a greater rod
In vengeance come vpon vs, warning take
By this most grieuous chastment, now awake
And looke about vs, let vs call to minde
VVhat mightie Cities we in writings finde,
That heretofore for glorie bare the bell,
And through the world did far and neere excell,
The Famous
Niniue, Ierusalem,
Troy, Carthage, Roome and many more with them,
Which for their sinnes were wholly ouerthrowne,
Their standing places hardly to be knowne,
And in this sad disaster let vs not
Forget the woefull state, which now God wot
Renown'd
Iudea and the Easterne Lands,
That now lye groaning vnder Turkish bands:
The famous
Grecia, many Countries more,
VVho all one God and Sauiour did adore
That we do now, but going farre astray,
Haue wrought vnto themselues such sad anoy,
That griefe it is to tell: Oh that my pen,
Or all the arte I haue could now mooue men,
To leaue their euill courses, and to turne
Vnto their maker, inwardly to mourne
[Page 36]For what hath bin the cause of this sad woe,
And gaine the loue of him that now our foe.
Appeares to be: how haue we wandred wide,
In vaine excesse of ryot, sinfull pride,
Where was the loue that with vs should be found,
And with Gods seruants should to all abound,
VVas it not turn'd to hatred and despite,
Or such a loue as strayd farre from the right,
Most filthy fraud, we lou'd for to deceiue,
And if we could our neighbours to bereaue
Of that they had, be't but a good name,
(If we had none) we enui'd at the same,
Our swearing and blaspheming, hatefull lyes,
Haue pe'rst the very Heauens and there cries
For flaming vengeance, and our great oppression
Haue there bin likewise, and haue made confession
Before we'd do't our selues, our beastly lust
And many other sinnes did sticke as rust
Vpon our sinfull soules, oh now like men
Lets rouse these dang'rous Adders from their den,
These haue bin they that haue our sorrows sought,
And these were they that to destruction brought
The other wofull Countries: these are they
That if we not forsake them will destroy
Our wofull Land likewise, now let vs weepe
And drench our eyes in flouds of sorrowes deepe,
That we so great a God haue not regarded,
Conclude that we most iustly are rewarded
For our misdeedes, and let vs from them cease,
This is the way to make a finall peace
'Twixt God and vs; so let all good men pray
Amen, Amen with me, God grant we may.
FINIS.