Englands unhappy changes OR, Sudden Alteration.
FAmine, Fire, and the Sword, have long time acted their bloody Tragedies, in many a forraigne Nation and Country, as it is known to the Christian world; Hungaria hath been terrified by the Sword, Poland hath been wasted by fire, Bohemia hath been wasted by fire and sword, France hath been bloodily massacred, and Germany hath had a long continuing Famine.
In all which time England hath flourished like a beautifull bay-tree, planted by the river side, whose leaves withered not at any season.
Never was Kingdome or Nation indued with more store of heavenly and earthly blessings, then was this Island of England, as namely the light of the Gospell to illuminate our soules, Gods holy word to direct our waies and actions, faith, hope, & charity, abounded in the hearts of the people, [Page 5]brethren held fast in the bonds of amity, vows and promises were faithfully kept, and neighbours did lovingly agree together; then was hatred, envy, and malice, held in derision; then was talking without lying, love without flattering, joy without sorrowing, and true peace without Civill war, and dissention.
Now, whilst these golden dayes of peace did continue, English-men behaved themselves so bravely abroad, that the whole world stood in feare of them. The very Heathens, Pagans, Turks, Jews, and Infidells, did even tremble to hear of our Navy by Sea, and our Army by Land; for by the noble valour of our trusty friends, were our forraigne enemies subdued; by them were the Spaniard chased, the French tamed, and the Irish Rebells kept in subjection. And thus did our Land for many years together increase in happinesse, and far exceed other Kingdoms and Provinces, having all things at will that mens hearts would wish for, or their tongues desire.
But now behold, here comes a sudden alteration which hath turned our joy into sorrow, our mirth into mourning, and our peace into war.
Satan that old enemy of mankind, having made as it were, a bargaine with the sins of this Nation, whereby to worke our everlasting destruction and overthrow; These two Malignants, Sin and the Devil, strives to get the upper-hand of us all, and so beganne Englands woes.
And now is our Land in generall distraction, some are become contemners of Gods word, some are dispisers of Gods Ministers; some there are that wish for wars, and too too few there be amongst us, which doe practice for true peace.
Yet I feare there are many that will lift up their hands and eies towards heaven, and cry peace, peace, when their hearts are altogether inclined to war, but they that are desirous to injoy the sweet and bountifull blessings of a happy peace, must practice for it in their lives and conversations.
But to go forward with that which is already begun; We see poore bleeding England is already become her own enemy, and most grievously wounded with her owne weapons, sin and iniquity being the first beginners of this quarrell.
If we read and make good use of the Scriptures, we may find that many great Cities [Page 7]and Kingdomes, have quite been plucked up by the roots for sinne, and no memory left of them, but onely here they lived, or here they stood: and can English men and women then thinke daily to runne forward in their unrepented sins, without any intermission or sorrow for the same. Hath Sathan so much blinded our eyes, and hardened our hearts, that our hearts cannot be mollified; nor our eyes shed forth some showers of teares to coole the heate of Gods fire? hath the alterations of times, and changes of opinions, so corrupted our Nation, that we prefer blood-shed before peace, dis-loyalty before obedience, perjury before truth, and sin before repentance; then are wee yet in a miserable condition: It is said that when the Lord is angry with sinners, he holds three whips in his hand; which three whips are, pestilence, the sword, and famine, yet he never drawes blood with them, till such time our faults are many, and our sinnes hainous.
We have here in England felt the smart of two of Gods whips very lately; pestilence & the sword, hath already drawn blood, & the scourge of famine is like to follow after, except the Lord bee more mercifull unto us: [Page 8]do we not see that all manner of corne, and victuals, is at such an excessive rate, insomuch that both in the City and Country, many poore people perish through want of food; do we not likewise see, that amongst tradesmen, that trading grows so dead, that no monies is to bee got? Doe wee not know, that since the times are changed from better to worse, that rich mens hearts are changed from flesh to flint, and that they hold it a poynt of Popery, to bestow any charity upon the poore: All which doth prognosticate a fearfull Ʋnhappy Change in England. Now therefore, 'tis high time, for us to turn unto the Lord, by prayer, and mourning; let us consider this, and lay it to heart, how that the Lord would not have destroyed the City of Sodome with fire and brimstone, had they repented.
Neither would hee have drowned the world in the time of Noah, had the people truely repented, Gen. 19.24. And had not we disobeyed the will of God, these miseries which we now indure, had not befaln us.
When wee injoyed the blessing of sweet peace, which is the very life of a Kingdom, we could not be cōtent, we could not praise God for his blessings, and now for our unthankfullnes, [Page 19]the Lord hath sent the sword amongst us, which hath changed our former peace, into a bloody war: and except we repent, we are all like to perish.
Wherfore I desire your christian patience to marke and make good use of these foling lines, wherein shal be exprest particularly, the manner of those bloody and unnaturall civill wars, together with the troubles, vexations, and distractions, which are now in our Kingdome of England.
Here followeth a briefe Description of Englands bleeding miseries, tis very well worth the observation, and worthy to be kept in memory.
IT is very well knowne, to many in this Kingdome of England, that not long since, we had great hopes of a safe & well grounded peace, and that the Souldiers should be totally disbanded, but alasse, there is no such thing like to be performed nor is the world one jot better; but rather worse then ever it was, and we may well be sure that the Lord is angry with us for our wicked doings.
We may justly say with the lamenting Prophet, the Lord hath a controversie with the [Page 10]habitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land, by swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing and whoring, they break out, and blood hath touched blood, Hosea 4.1, 2.
Tis true, but I would to God it were false, that blood hath touched blood, and that very deeply, there is never a County, Shire, nor City in England, from the Mount in Cornwall in the West, to the town of Barwick in the North but hath tasted and dearly paid, for this bloody cup of civill war.
Whereby some have lost their goods, some have lost their lives; and many thousands have lost both goods & lives: so that the country people in many places did not know what to do, nor whether to run to hide themselves from the terrible stroak of death.
At night, when men should have taken their rest, the Drums did beat up their martiall allarums, and the Trumpets did sound forth their dolefull musick of bloody designes.
By Day, when men should goe to their labour, their cattle and horses were taken up for service, and the two great armies in the bowels of our Kingdome, were continually preparing for battaile.
And this was the only cause of our sorrows [Page 11]and troubles; and had it not bin for this, there would not have bin so many newses of taking of Towns, firing of Houses, plundering of Cities, ravishing of Women, and deflowring of Virgins: had it not been for these Wars, there had not bin so many Lords, Knights, Colonels, and Captains imprisoned, nor so many innocent people have lost their lives.
Those unnaturall civill wars, hath made many woful mothers to bewail the death of their slain sons, many sisters to mingle teares with their brothers blood: many fatherlesse children to want good nourishment: And many a mournfull widdow to sit weeping all alone for want of the company of her late deceased husband.
Moreover the consideration of these late extremities makes the Kingdomes of England & Scotland, together with the Principality of Wales, and Dutchy of Cornwall, stand greatly in feare. For why, if these unnaturall civill Warres should goe forward, as God forbid they should, there is no man can tell how long, nor how little a while hee shall enjoy that hee hath now in possession, for that which is wonne to day, may bee lost to morrow: The Peere is not certain of his Land, the rich Man of his Estate, The Citizens of their [Page 12]merchandize, the tradesman of his calling, nor the poore man of his life, of this we have already had woful experience, and by the means of this home-bred warres, have many thousands of English men perished by the sword: one friend fighting against another.
It is knowne that since these rumours began in England, that the Father hath fought against his owne sonne, the sonne against his father, brother, against brother; friend, against friend; neighbour, against neighbour; and one Citizen against the other; and they that heretofore were loving friends are now become mortall enemies: A proofe whereof is plainly to be seen between the English, and the Scots, who when at first they injoyned and united themselves together, they tooke both one Covenant, they bore armes both on one behalfe, they went both under one pay, or promise, they fought both against one Party, and now through diversity of opinions, and some other unknowne causes, are these old friends become new enemies, and as it is supposed by many, there will sudden changes be between them and us.
Seeing then that nothing but fire and sword, wrath, and revenge, blood-shed, and slaughter is threatned amongst us, what then remaines [Page 13]but that we send up our humble petitions, for peace and truth, unto the God of peace, who is able in a moment of time, to change sorrowes into joy, and warre into peace.
Here followeth the faithfull-hearted Subjects, Humble Petition, for Peace, which hee preferreth to the Almighty Lord and King of Heaven and Earth.
O THOU eternall and everliving Lord God, of Heaven and Earth, in whom we live, move, and have our beeing, thou whom the Windes, and Seas obey, in whose powerfull hands, are all the corners of the earth; we thy poore distressed people, and children, doe in all humility of spirit, send up our Petitions unto the Throne of thy divine Majesty, desiring upon the bended knees of our penitent [Page 14]hearts that thou wilt be pleased to hear and graciously to answer, these our supplications which we make unto thee.
We do acknowledge, O Lord, that our sins have deserved eternall destruction, both of our bodies and soules. And those plagues and warres which thou hast sent upon this Kingdom, are but gentle corrections, in regard of our manifold transgressions which we have committed against thee.
Neverthelesse, good Lord, although our sinnes are so many and so greivous, wee beseech thee for thy tender mercies sake, to behold us with the eye of pitty, and pacify these civill out-rages which are spread through this land: and if it be thy blessed wil, take away this bloody cup from our sinfull Nation: let us not perish by the sword: as thousands of our neighbours, friends, and kindred have already done: it is onely in thy power O Lord, to save us or to destroy us.
The Kingly Prophet David, plainly doth confesse that it lies not in the power of man, nor in the strength of Elephants, to conquer and subdue, but in the hands of the Lord, that raiseth up, and pulleth down, so that if the Lord be on our side, though ten thousand [Page 15]times ten thousand should set themselves against us, wee need not feare: but if the Lords anger be kindled against us, what flesh is able to indure his wrath.
Therefore againe, and again, we pray thee that thou wilt once more stop the mouth of this devouring monster, civill War, and let true peace return with speed, unto her old acquaintance, and have a settled habitation in and throughout the Dominions of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Lord send us such a peace as may indure among us, so long as our lives indure, and consequently, let the sweet blessing of true peace, continue in this Kingdom from generation to generation, till the whole world shall be dissolved: And for the better supply of this peace so long hoped for, good God send a speedy union between the Kings most Excellent Majesty and the Parliament, to the lasting joy and comfort of all his true-hearted Subjects, which doe heartily love our Royall King Charles, and his hopefull off-spring.
Adde years to his dayes, O Lord, as thou didst unto that good King Hezekiah; in due him with Samsons strength, Davids valour, & Solomons wisdome: So that hee may be a [Page 16]maintainer of true Religion, a surpriser of Superstition, a lover of his friends, and a terror to his enemies. So that Charles our King, and wee his Subjects, may spend the the rest of our daies in Peace and Unitie, to Gods great glory, and our owne Soules happinesse: To the which, let all good people say,
Amen