A PANEGYRICK, Faithfully representing The proceedings of the PARLIAMENT at Westminster, since their first Sessions to this present: Wherein their wonderfull Acts are truly declared; And what is further by them to be expected.
MOst gracious, Omnipotent,
And everlasting Parliament,
Whose power and Majestie
Is greater then all Kings by odds;
Yea to account you lesse then Gods,
Must needs be blasphemie.
Moses and
Aaron ne're did doe
More wonders then are wrought by you
For
Englands Israel:
But through the Red-Sea we have past,
If you to
Canaan bring's at last,
Is't not a miracle?
In sixe yeares space you have done more
Then all our Parliaments before:
You have quite done the worke;
The Cavaliers, the King, the Pope,
You have o'rethrowne, and next we hope
You will confound the Turke.
The heads of
Strafford, and of
Laud,
You did cut off, because by fraud
They would have made us slaves:
But sure you were ten times more just,
Who
Carew and the
Hotham's trust,
For they were arrant knaves.
By you we have deliverance
From the designes of
Spaine and
France,
Ormond Montrosse, the
Danes:
You aided by our Brethren
Scots,
Defeated have malignant plots,
And brought their Swords to Canes.
What wholsome Lawes have you ordain'd,
Whereby our propertie's maintain'd
Gainst those would us undoe?
Yea both our fortunes and our lives,
And what is dearer, ee'n our wives,
Are wholly kept by you.
O what a flourishing Church and State
Have we enjoy'd ere since you sate?
What a glorious King, God save him,
Have you now made His Majesty,
Had he the grace but to comply,
And doe as you would have him?
When Hell was not enough to fright
And make the Royall Party right,
You wisely did invent
That dreadfull
Tophet, Goldsmiths-hall,
And Committees worse then Devill and all
For their full punishment.
Your Directory how to pray
By th' Spirit shewes the perfect way:
In zeale you have abolisht
That
Dagon of the Common-prayer▪
And next we see you will take care
That Churches be demolisht.
What multitudes in every Trade
Of painfull Preachers you have made,
Learned by revelation:
Oxford and
Cambridge make poore Preachers,
Each Shop affordeth better Teachers:
Oh blessed Reformation!
Your godly Wisedomes have found out
The true Religion without doubt:
For sure amongst so many,
(We have five hundred at the least,
Is not the Gospell well increast?)
One must be pure, if any.
Could you have done more piously,
Then sell Church-lands the King to buy,
And stop the Cities plaints?
Paying the
Scots Church-Militant,
That the new Gospell help to plant,
God knowes they are poore Saints.
Because th' Apostles Creed is lame,
Th' Assembly doe a better frame,
Which saves us all with ease:
Provided still we have the grace
To beleeve th' two Houses i'th' first place,
Let our works be what they please.
'Tis strange your pow'r and holinesse
Can't th' Irish Devill dispossesse,
His kind is very stout:
That though you doe so often pray,
And every Moneth keep Fasting-day
You cannot get him out.
Who will not pay with all his hart
Excise? the fifth, and twentieth part,
Assessements, Taxes, Rates,
'Tis easie what both Houses leavy,
Our duties to the King were heavy,
But all we have's the States.
For all your sufferings and your paines,
What in the end shall be your gaines,
You never did regard:
Some twenty thousand pounds a man,
An Office too, alas who can
Thinke that a fit reward?
Wherefore as soone as you're dissolv'd,
To shew our thanks we are resolv'd,
The King himselfe engages,
Another Parliament to call,
Which your deserts consider shall,
And surely pay your wages.
FINIS.