VOuchsafe (
GREAT LORDS) with patience for to hear
Our just request, which we present you here.
'Tis said abroad that you the Church would free
Of sundry faults, which in the same there be.
But that it's feard, and you perhaps conceive
A change of things, we Priests will not receive.
But will stand out for things we former had:
And doe them still, though you shall thinke them bad.
But we doe hope, by this to make it cleare,
That no such thing of us, you need to feare.
For we (like
Scots) will not such things put by
As are impos'd by Soveraigne Majesty.
Nor are we like the
Puritanish Sects,
Who'll doe no more than what the Word directs.
We never yet have shew'd our selves so ill,
But what the State enjoyn'd we did it still.
And that your Honours may be sure of this,
We can produce the ages past for us.
You know King
Edward did the Masse put downe,
And set the Service Booke up in the roome.
We then the Clergy of the Land throughout,
Forsooke the old and tooke the newer up.
When he was dead, and
Mary had the Crowne,
Then up goes Masse, and Service it comes downe.
Yet we Sir Priests as men of quiet spirits,
Obey'd the Prince, and turn'd unto our vomits.
Some few yeares after
Mary being dead,
The Crowne is set upon her
Sisters head.
Now shee againe puts downe the Idoll Masse,
And hath the Service, as before it was.
To this our Father Priests did then submit,
Though most perhaps did minde it was not fit:
Yet what the State did thinke for to be best,
They question not, but do't, and therein rest.
What they have done, we meane the like to doe;
Conforme our selves, to things confirm'd by you.
[Page]If you put downe our Bishops from their Chaire:
Their Liturgie, and Courts, and other geere.
What next by you shall be enacted then,
Shall be observ'd by us the Clergie men?
But if you please to have them yet stand still,
We are content, and yeeld to them we will.
For government and worship, what care we,
Or Rites, and Orders what in Church there be,
Our care is onely, for to keep from wants:
For Conscience here, we leave to Puritants.
And this we judge to be no wise mans case,
To deeme his Conscience better than his place.
The Canons late which were on us impos'd,
By you are thought not fit for to be us'd.
Yet we (Sir Priests) did stand so much in aw,
As that we meant to yeeld unto their Law:
And ere that we will leave our gainfull trade,
We'll stoop to all what ere by man is made.
Therefore brave Lords, as you in Court now sit:
So let Religion be, as you thinke fit,
We take no thought this way about Gods will,
But how to keepe our Benefices still.
And hope we doe, although the better part,
To cast us out can finde it in their heart.
Yet there are some, will speake for poore Sir
Johns:
For lazy Dogs, old Priests, and idle Drones.
For pluralists, non-res'dents, and such men;
The
Clergy now consisting most of them,
And cause there is, the matter should be so:
For if turn'd out (alas) what shall we doe.
It's now so long, since we forsooke the trade
Of cobling, weaving, thatching, and the spade,
That for to worke our bodies are unfit;
Nor can We bring our hearts at all to it.
If we therefore must let our Priest-hood fall,
This then we beg most humbly of you all.
That still we may enjoy our belly cheare:
And idly live, without all worke or care:
[Page]And if your honours will but grant us this,
We are content, if you will us dismisse.
For we came to the place for Conscience sake,
As to be fed, and labour none to take.
But yet we thinke, much better it will be,
That in the
Priest-hood left alone be wee.
For if the
Puritaines, the onely men,
Who wish us out, so that they may come in.
Doe get but once, into our place and roome,
They will not doe as we (poore fooles) have done:
They are (forsooth) so scruplous in their wayes,
That if it be against Gods holy Lawes,
They will not doe it, no although it be
A thing required of his Majestie:
But as for us our carriage is not so,
If State command we never say it no.
And this we dare affirme there is no where
A more Time-serving Clergy than is here.
When our sweet Bishops had by Act obtain'd,
To have Gods holy day with sports profan'd.
Although the purer sort against it taught:
Yet we conform'd, although we knew 'twas naught.
What ever
Laud devis'd, and on us cast,
We did the same to hold our livings fast:
And we fore-saw what further was his hope,
To bring us all in service to the
Pope.
Which thing, if he had once but brought to passe,
To yeeld thereto our full intentment was.
And thus we have your Honours made to see,
VVhy in the
Priest-hood we should suffered be.
Namely for this, and nothing else at all,
There's nought so bad, but yeeld thereto we shall.
—Quid rides? mutato nomine de te
Fabula narratur.