Englands Threnodie.
OR A briefe and homely
Discoverie of some jealousies and grievances, under which the kingdom at present groaneth; Affectionately tendred by Lady
Anglia, to all her dear children, the lovers of their Country, and Well-willers to
Truth and
Peace: Especially to her worthy Sons, the Members of both Houses of Parliament.
⟨march 10
th 1647⟩
MY dear Inhabitants shut not your eyes;
But look upon the dangers manifold
Which do occasion these my wofull cries.
I having born as long as well I could,
Am forc'd to vent the causes of my grief,
To all that may afford the least relief.
Expect no curious order, lofty stile,
Or feigned fancies to adorn my words.
Disastrous sorrows (striving all the while
Which shall cut deepest) cause such harsh discords
Amid my musick; that I greatly fear,
Few will have patience my complaint to hear.
In homely dress my lines shall be attir'd,
'Tis for thy sake (O Countryman) I write:
I would be understood, and not admir'd
For
Latine-English Phrases; at whose sight
Thou may'st astonish'd be, but profit small
Can be by thee attain'd, if ought at all.
The naked truth without poetick skill
Of Adventitious colours I shall paint;
The
Pagan Muses shall not guide my quill,
No
Heliconian sister I'l acquaint
With my design: but leave them to such men
As to delight their Readers fables pen.
I'l not be tedious; give me leave t' be plain,
I
England, once the glory of all Lands;
(Even since the time that
Charles began his Raign
For learning, godliness, and warlike hands;
(To which may added be such wealth and stor
That scarcely could I wish or look for more:)
Do on a sudden feel such alteration,
As if my sinews shrunk, and vein-blood dry'd;
Nothing almost retains his wonted fashion,
All goodness in a manner's laid aside.
Such wickedness and loosness doth abound,
As in my neighbour-lands can scarce be found.
So well a temper'd, happy government
Of
King, with
Peers and
Commons, I enjoy'd
(Untill sinister practises had rent
These joynt asunder) that none me annoy'd,
But some effectuall course was quickly ta'n
To disappoint all such as sought my bane.
Although the Papists, weary of their yoke
Did oft assay the means to throw it by:
Yet all their strength and cunning never broke
This three-fold cord wherewith I did them tie.
The Navy, cal'd
Invincible, from
Spain,
With shame and loss I thither sent again,
The Powder-plot (unparalell'd I think
Throughout the world for wicked treachery)
Which brought my
Parliament unto the brink
Of death: and all near to adversity;
My God ith' nick of time, discovered,
And brought the mischief on the workers head.
All insurrections of rebellious men
The wisdom of my Governors brought down:
When Anarchy was likely now and then
To get possession, and abase the Crown:
Jack Cade, John Wall, Wat Tyler, and
Jack Straw
With
Wyat knew what 'tis to pose my Law.
But now (alas) if any such arise,
(Which may fall out ere long for ought I see)
What means is left to quash such enemies,
Since mine amongst themselves so disagree?
I quake as oft as I the dangers view
In which I stand, and know not how t'eschew,
A vip'rous brood cal'd Cavaliers I bred,
Which suck'd my brests; yet so unthankfull are,
That me they have not only tortured
With Wars and Taxes, never making spare,
But would expose me unto any ill,
If they thereby may but obtain their will.
Come
French, Italian, Spaniard, Irish, Dane,
(Yea almost devill) if he round-heads hate,
To them hee's welcom, he can have no stain
So horrid, but they'l have him for their mate.
Were now the
Spanish Navy on the Sea,
How glad would these men be to make it way!
How many Miscreants wish
Ireland lost,
That so those Rebels might my bowels tear!
How many desp'rate Caitiffs have been crost
When they of
Jone's success so much did hear!
Yet such (alas) are harbor'd in my brest,
As, all that in them lies oppose my rest.
Besides all these, some are in Forraign Lands,
Improving (questionless) their pains and art,
To bring in Princes with their armed bands,
Against my children dear to take their part.
Now judg, if cause I have not thus to cry,
Seeing such blows, and cannot put them by.
objection.
But some may say; Malignants now are quel'd:
What need you then so strangely still to rave?
They'r outed of the places which they held:
Many are laid already in their grave.
Some are at home disarm'd, some o're Sea gone;
And scatter'd so, that danger can be none.
answer. I do confess, when mine the Covenant took
God own'd them, and their enemies brought down.
But much I fear lest some have since forsook
The Lord, which gave them once such high renown.
I cannot now such forwardness espy,
As when they first engaged mutually.
Amongst the rest, this was one thing they swore;
[To bring Delinquents to deserved doom:]
But many that have made it heretofore
Their trade to slay Gods people, are at home,
Possessing much, if not their whole estate;
And do against my children boldly prate.
Who would beleeve, except he saw the same,
What rabble routs of them do meet together,
(And not without some arms) to drink and game,
And cast (as may be thought) for change of weather?
Some speak out-right, and tell my children plain,
They hope ere long to rule the rost again.
The Lords of mis-rule in their Coaches sit,
And whirle it through my streets like gallant blades,
(For whom the
Tyburn-hurdle were more fit)
Their wives attended with their grooms and maids
In pompous sort, as if deserved prayse
attended on my spoylers now adays.
I dayly see the lamentable chear
Of well affected Tenants, which have spent
Much of their means, and lost their children dear
In service of the
King and
Parliament:
And have been plunder'd to the very quick,
Because they to their Covenant did stick.
It was their hope that wicked enemies,
When God had brought them down, should rule no more:
Who would have thought they should so quickly rise
Before the Tragedy was wholly o're:
And those whom heretofore they sought to kill
Left unsecured to these Landlords will?
Shall these Malignant rake-hels make their peace,
And (uncontrouled) honest men oppress?
Make poor men wait a leisure for a lease,
And pay what they demand, bee't more or less?
Shall they turn widows out, and children small,
Whose mates and fathers in my cause did fall?
Consider (worthy
Parliament) your word
Is pass'd already, that you will protect,
And save such harmeless as shall draw the sword
In your just quarrel. O, then have respect
To poor mens livelihoods. Let not these Bears
Be turned loose, to cause more woe and fears.
You sit at
Westminster, how should you hear
The plaints that are in every corner made?
You Landlords are your selves, and need not fear
The things that make the meaner sort affraid.
O, let it ner'e be said;
When y'are secure,
Ye care not what your faithfull friends indure.
This is one grievance; but it is not all:
My valiant Souldiers say they lack their pay,
(Though
God before them made their foes to fall,
Which was to maintainance a ready way,)
Though Proposition-money with Excise
Besides free-quarter, on my shoulders lies.
I speak not only of mine Army now:
But also such as since the wars begun,
And since have active been. There be I know
Full many which these wars have quite undone;
Yet could not get their dearly-earned pay,
Till want constrain'd them down their arms to la
Some using means to get
debenturs out,
Have spent much time and moneys thereupon:
And after this ado they seem to doubt,
Whether it were not full as good t' have none.
Some wish they had not been at so much cost,
Supposing this as well as th'others lost.
Since the Author writ this fair for the Press, he heareth of some likelihood that this grievance will be temoved, which if it go on, he is content that these three staves be looked on as null.
Others complain, that after much expence,They have been called to such strict account
Of weeks and days, that under that pretence
They have been put by all. This doth amount
To more then every body will suppose:
For thus these men their discontents disclose:
"Is't possible that each illit'rate man
"(Which yet may be a Souldier true and stout)
"Is't like (say they)
that such a person can
"For three or four years space, without all doubt,
"Know when he serv'd, and when not, to a day?
"Must he that herein faileth lose his pay?
"Had we been weekly on yet monethly paid,
"There had not needed now so much ado:
"But now it having been so long delayd,
"They lay on us the blame and damage too.
"Sure they which should, and did not pay us ought,
"To keep true reckoning, though they gave us nought.
'Tis strange to many, that Malignants come,
When they have done all th'mischief that they could,
And buy their peace for little, live at home
Of persons whom they plunder'd uncontrol'd;
Yet publike debts for want unsatisfi'd;
The common people think there's something wide.
I fear my sister
Ireland wanteth aid,
Which I could well afford her, were it not
That my divisions make my sons affraid,
And question what shall be my future lot.
Alas! this is my grief if down I go,
It is my self, my self that overthrow.
How is it (noble
Army) that your strength
Which was my guard, and terror of my foes,
Is judg'd (how truly I'l not say, at length,
Time will the truth of hidden things disclose)
To lay these heavy burdens on my back,
While bleeding
Ireland doth your succour lack?
Great talk is moved, (as you well may judg)
By th' seizing on, and flitting of the
King,
And other your deportment. Cause no grudg
By undertaking rashly any thing.
I hope you will not: yet t' abandon fear,
Let all men know you are the men you were.
When things were calm and peaceable within,
I little car'd what dangers were without:
Could I perswade my children t' punish sin,
And live in Unity, I would not doubt.
I durst bid all mine enemies do their worst;
Though
Turke invaded me, and
Pope me curst.
But here's my grief; my sons legitimate,
Not only from the bastard brood divide:
But also 'mongst themselves do separate,
And into many parts and factions side.
One stands for this; another pleads for that:
A third's as zealous for he knows not what.
The Saints under the Bishops tyrannie,
I or pray'r and conference did often meet:
(Though persecuted for't) this harmonie
Was evermore accounted to be sweet.
Yea in the hottest seasons of the War,
There was more love and unitie by far.
Amongst professors there's such strangeness grown,
As almost is incredible to hear;
One Christian now will scarce another own,
(Except it be to back-bite and to tear;)
If there be any matter of dissent
Betwixt them, in the point of Government.
One praiseth much the
Presbyteriall way,
Another likes the
Congregationall:
But both of them perswaded (as they say)
That their's must stand, and th'other needs must fall:
And scarcely will they hear each other speak,
Which were the way to rectifie th' mistake.
Doth any of you bear such high conceits,
That all you hold and, nothing else, is sound?
The crafty Serpent many hundreds cheats,
When as they think they build on stable ground.
If that your hearts would suffer you, ye might
Lend to, and borrow from each other light.
O meet and pray together now again;
And study how t' inform and edify:
Be not asham'd to throw by what is vain,
Seeking the truth, and not the mastery.
In things indifferent bear with one another,
Offend not any (though the weakest) brother.
Consider well the dangerous designs
That wicked men are driving all this while;
He that to any wretched Sect inclines,
Hopes to have freedom for it in your Isle:
What manner of opinion is so base;
That in my bosom hopes not for a place?
Some say the Scriptures are no more Gods Word,
Then that which any holy man doth speak;
Some look for Revelations from the Lord,
And all the written word do quite forsake.
Some dare to write against the Holy Ghost;
And now he's famous that blasphemeth most.
Others despise the holy Trinity:
And dare to call it a three-headed Cat;
Some say the soul doth with the body dye,
The Seekers are not yet resolved, what
To pitch upon: all their Religion now
Is that God must be serv'd, but none knows how.
These vile opinions, and a great deal more,
Which are too surely known to grow in me,
Might have been plucked up (as once ye swore
In general all Heresies should be:)
Had you together stuck as brethren true,
Since God subdu'd your en'mies under you,
But now they crake, and talk of toleration;
Yet hope I (children) you'l not be so base,
To suffer such in quiet in your Nation,
As do revile your God unto your face.
Let none escape unpunished, (for shame)
That raileth on the Lords most holy name.
The rabble of ungodly and prophane
Rejoyce to see your jars, and fallings out:
For thus it comes to pass, no course is ta'ne,
To bring them to their knees that are so stout.
Yea those whom you might by due censure win,
Through your default may harden in their sin.
Take heed of laying stumbling-blocks i'th' way
Of silly Papists, whom ye may offend;
When they shall see you one from other stray,
And all your fellowship in pieces rend.
Surely 'tis pittiful, if whilest ye strive,
You any further from the truth shall drive.
In brief: If you regard
Jehovah's praise,
Your own true joy, or tottering Kingdoms peace;
If ye the Heresies of these sad days,
And open wickedness would have to cease;
If you of others sins would not partake;
An end of your divisions seek to make.
There be some other things might be declar'd:
But these are principall, and most opprest
My weary heart. And if that due regard
Be had to these, I shall unfold the rest:
Till when, and ever, I beseech you pray,
That God may take all grounds of fear away.
A. R.
FINIS.
LONDON, Printed by John Macock. 1648.