and how to live As worthy their free-calling such as they Who ev'ry houre doe labour watch and pray Their duties to performe and dare not peepe Abroad at morning or at ev'ning sleepe Till they the sacrifice of thankes have paid For favours past and begg'd for future aid Such as on Gods owne pleasure can rely And in his Faith resolved are to dye Such as have Charity and working are Their safeties with continuall joy and fearâ— Ev'n such as these securely may repose When twenty thousand dangers them enclose On these Gods Angells wait and these they shall From stumbling keepe when many Millions fall From ev'ry kinde of harme they shall be free And sleepe where feares and mischiefes thickest be Yea though that seize them which the Plague we cal It shall to them become no Plague at all But rather be their furth'rance to acquire That perfect happinesse which they desire Let no man therefore in this Visitation Tye God unto the temp'rall preservation Or be discouraged if he shall please To exercise him under this Disease Supposing he inflicteth it on none As some fooles thinke but Reprobates alone For he did Hezekiah thereby strike He by thâ—s Malady or some such like Afflicted holy David his Elected Whose Reprobation is of none suspected And though just men from temporall infection Shall finde more certainty of Gods protection Then others doe yet sure that Pestilence From which God promis'd absolute defence Is not that sicknesse which the body slayes But that which death unto the soule conveyes Our â—â—rthly griefes to heav'nly joyes doe rearâ— And why should any Man or grudge or feare A mortall wound so he might gaine thereby A body cloth'd with immortalitie Or why should we repine in missing that Which to our dammage we had aymed at When God doth give us more then we desired â—nd lifts us higher then our hopes aspired To him due praises rather let us give Whose love to us is better then to live But I have said enough to this effect And if what I have spoken have reâ—pecâ— We shall I hope hereafter well disâ—erne What by this Iudgement we are bound to learne How much to trust how much to hope or feare What outward meanes or inward helpes there are VVhereby this heavy Plague may be prevented Or entertained with a brest contented So few as yet have thus prepared bin That now of late it quickly rushed in In spite of all our Halberds and our Watches And as a Flame which in a Tempest catches On some full Barne is blowne about the Village And fiâ—eth here the hopefull fruits of Tillage A Cottage there on th' other side the way A well-â—ill'd Stable or a Rickâ— of Hay Another yoâ— close by doth menace harme Ev'n to the Church forthwith consume â— Farme Some dwellings now and then doth overgoe Anon laâ—es waste a dozen in a row And still increase goe forward and returne Vntill the Towne in ev'ry quarter burne So rag'd the Pestilence And as we see Those woâ—kmen who repaiâ—ing breaches bâ— In Thame or Trent at first the Banks doe raise Shut closâ— the Sluceâ— strengthen up the Bay's And lâ—bour seriously with much good hope VVhile they perceive but some few gaps to stop But when they see the Flood prevailing more Ten breaches made for â—v'ry one before And all endeavors faile they worke forsake Leaving the waters their owne coursâ— to take So when this Floud began we had â— thought To keepe it backe and to that purpose wâ—ought But when we saw it rise beyond our pow'r VVe gave it way at pleasure to devoure At first the publique Officers did show Their skill in curbing this encroaching Foe Not sparing to be prodigall of paine The spreadings of Infection to restraine And ev'ry private family beside Against this danger did for armes provide Their Yards and Halls were smoked with perfume To stop the stinkes which thither might presume Their Chambers furnisht were with Antidotes With Viols Boxes Glasses Gallipots All filled with munition of defence As they suppos'd against the Pestilence Some did in Meats their meanes of safety thinke Some Epicures did arme themselves with Drinke Some foolishly did build up monstrous hopeâ— Vpon the smoking of Tobacco shops But this disease without a Conscience making Of their presuming on Tobacco taking Came thither too and frequently did cary Good-fellowes from their smoaking Sanctuary Some one and some another course devised Yet ev'ry day more places were surprised Which when we saw and how it overcast All temp'rall force we thought upon at last The helpe of God and then we did repaire To crave his ayd in Fasting and in Prayer Then some through servile terror some for fashioâ— And some out of a true humiliation Emplored ayd from heav'n and show'd in teareâ— Their Hope their true Repentance and their Feares But whether God did for a while contemnâ— Ouâ— suit because we gave not eare to him When first he call'd or whether he thought fit That we the longer might remember it To fright us somewhat more or whether we Brought not such hearty penitence as he Expected from us or appointed were Some further tryalls of our Faith to beare Sure some such cause there was and for that cause God did not onely seeme to make a pause In answ'ring our Petition but to chide More sharply and to throw it quite aside For with a doubled and redoubled stroke The Plague went on and in among us broke With such unequall'd fury and such rage As Brittan never felt in any age With some at ev'ry turning she did meet Of ev'ry Alley ev'ry Lane and Street She got possession and we had no way Or passage but she there in Ambush lay Through Nookes Corners she pursu'd the Chase There was no barring her from any place For in the publique Fields in wait she laid And into private Gardens was convaid Sometime she did among our Garments hide And so disperse among us unespy'd Her stâ—ong Infections Otherwhile unseene A Servant Friend or Child betraid hath beene To bring it home and men were fearfull growne To tarie or converse among their owne Friends fled each other Kinsmen stood aloofe The Sonne to come withiâ— his Fâ—thers roofe Presumed not the Mother was constrain'd To let her child depart unentertain'd The love betwixt the husband and the wife Was oft neglected for the love of life And many a â—ne their promise falsifi'd Who vow'd that nought but death should theÌ„ divide Some to frequent the Markets were afraid And some to feed on what was thence purvay'd For on young pigs such purple spots were sâ—ene As markes of Deâ—th on Plague-sicke men have been And it appeared that our suburbe-Hogs Were little better then our Cats and Dogs Men knew not whither they might safely come Nor where to make appointments nor with whom Nay many shunn'd Gâ—ds-house and much did feare So farre to trust him as to meet him there In briefe the Plague did such distruction threat And
pâ—id for Bearers though mâ—n have Their friends to helpe convey them to the grave What for the Bâ—lls though not a Bell bâ— rung What for their mourning clothes though none be hung Vâ—on them but their owne what pay did passe For Fâ—nâ—rall Sâ—rmons where no Sermon was And what was oft extorted without shame To give him leave â—o preach who fâ—eâ—ly came If herâ— I say I should discover â—hat I might of tâ—ese things mâ—nâ—ioned relâ—â—e Those men who die that charges they may sâ—ve Would fâ—are they might be leggerâ—d in the Grave For more â—o take thâ—â— lodging haâ—â—â—eene spent Then would hâ—ve bought a pretâ—y tenement Thus aâ— one matter drew another on My Muse hath diuers things discourst upon To many sundâ—y purposes but what I chiefly in this Canâ—o aimed at VVas to preseâ—ue in mind an awfull sense Of what we sufâ—red in this Pestileâ—ce VVhat we deserved and how variously Gods Iustice this one Corsâ—ve dâ—d apply To eate out all Corruptions which be spotted Our soules and hâ—d ere this our bodies rotted I might as well have memorized here How diversly God's Merciâ—s did appeare Amid his Iudgements â—ow he comforted VVhen outwaâ—d comâ—oâ—t failed how he sed VVhen oile and meale wâ—re wasted how he gaue Their lives to them whose feet were in the graue VVhat Patience what high Fortitude he granted And how he still supplyed what we wantâ—d I might commemorate a world of Grace Bestow'd in this affliction on this place Both common and in private Many a vow Of theirs who will I feare forget it now Was daily heard Ten thousand suits were daigned Repriâ—ves for soules condemned were obtained Frieâ—ds prayd for friends the parents for the lives Of their deare children Husbands for their wives Wives for their husbands beg'd with teares passioÌ„ And God with pitie heard their lamentation In friends in servants in the temporall wealth In life in death in sicknesses and health God manifested Mercy Some did finde A Friend to whom till then none had beene kind Some had their servants better'd for them there By Gods correction Some left wealthy were By dying kindred who the day before Were like to beg their bread from doore to doore Some by their timely deaths were taken from Such present paines or from such woes to come That they are happy Vnto some from heav'n The blessing of a longer life was giv'n That they might call â—o minde their youthfull times Repent omissions and committed crimes Amend their courses and be warisome That they displeas'd not God in â—imes to come Againe some others by their sicknesses And by the feares they had in this Disease Grew awfull of Gods Iudgements and withiâ— Their harts good motions were wher none had bin Ev'n in their hearts who fear'd nor God nor Devill Nor guilt of sin nor punishment for â—vill And some had health continu'd that they might Gods praise exâ—oll and in his love delight Should I declare in what unusuall wise God op'ned here their soules dimsighted eyeâ— Who blinded were before how nigâ— they reacht To highest Mysteries what things they preacht Ev'n to their neighbours and their family Before their soules did from their bodies flye Or should I tell but what young Children here Did speake to take from eâ—der folke their feare Oâ— Sicknesses and Death what they exprest Oâ— heav'nly blisse and of this worlds unrest What faith they had what strange illuminations What strong assurances of their salvations And with what proper termes and boldnesse they Beyond their yeares such things did open lay It would amaze our Naturallists and raise A gooâ—ly Trophee to our Mâ—kers praise But this for me were too too large a task And many yeares and volumes it would aske Should I in these particulaâ—s record The never ending mercies of the Lord. For he that would his meanest act recite Attempts â—o measure what is infinâ—te That story therefore in particular To medâ—le with I puâ—pose to defer Till in the Kingdome of eternity My soule in honor of his Majesty Shall Haleluâ—ahâ—ing â—ing and over-looke With hallow'd eyes that great eternall Booke Which in a moment to my view shall bring Each passed present and each future thing And there my soule shall read and see revealed What is not by the LAMBE as yet unâ—ealed Meane while I le cry Hosannah and for all His love to me and mercies generall His three times holy and thrice blessed Name I pâ—aise and vow for aye to praise the same The fifth Canto The Author justifies againe His Method and his lowâ—y Straine Next having formerly made knowne The common Feares he tels his owne Shewes with what thoughts he was diseased When first the Plague his lodging seized Of what God's Iustice him accused Vpon what Doubts or Hopes he musâ—d On what and how he did resolve And who from Death did him absolve The Plagues encrease he then expresseth The Mercies of the LORD confesseth Emplores that he himselfe may never Forget them but be thankeâ—ull ever Then mounting Conâ—emplations wings Ascends to high and usefull things From thence his Muse is called downe To make Great Britaines errors knowne Wherein he doth confesse a sailing And his infirmities bewailing Is fitted and resolv'd anew His purpos'd Message to pursue And having fiâ—st anticipated His Arrant is in paâ—t relâ—ted PErhaps the nicer Criâ—ickes of these times When they shâ—ll slâ—ightly view my lowly Rimes Not to an end these Poems fully reading Nor their Occasion nor my Aymes well hâ—eding May taxe my Muse that she at random flyes For want of Method makes Tautelogies And commeth off and on in such a fashion That oft she â—aâ—les their curious expectation It is enough to me that I doe know What they commend and what they disallow And let it be enough to them that I Am pleas'd to make such faults for them to spy For I intend the Method which I use And if they doe not like it they may câ—use They who in their Composures keep the fashion Of elder times and write by imitation Whole quaint Inventions must be trimd and trickt With curious dressings from old Authers pickt And whose maine workes are little â—lâ—e but either Old scattred Peeces finely glew'd together Or some concealed Structures of the Braine Found our where long obscured they have laine And new attir'd These must and well they may Their Poesies in formall garbes aray Their naturall defects by Art to hide And make their old new-straines the Test abide These doe not much amisse if they assume Some â—stridge feathâ—rs or the Peacockes plume To strut withall nor had I greatly hâ—eded That course of theirs if they had not proceeded To câ—nsure mine My Muse no whâ—t envies That they from all their heâ—thnish Poâ—sies Have skumm'd the Creame to themselves for that The sâ—ile of Prince of Poets aâ—â—ogate For Plautus Horace Perseus â—uvenal Yea Greece and Romes best Muses we may call Their Trâ—bâ—taries since from them câ—me in Those Treasures which their princely Titles win
or on Gods Holiday Are plodding on the world whilâ—t they should bend Their eares to God and on his will attend We have our best proceedings to withstand A Iannes and â—ambâ—es in tâ—e Land Who by their â—orceries continue shall Some people of this Mâ—narchy in â—hrall Vntill a Plague like Aeâ—yptsâ—owsinesse â—owsinesse Shall make them God Almightie pow'r confesse Young Vadabâ— and Aâ—â—hâ—es we have some That with strange fires unto Goâ—s altars come Tâ—â—ir dull devotions kindled are with sticks And wither'd leaves of humane Rhetoricks They offer up to God their vaine Orations Compos'd of Cliâ—bings and Adnominations Which he abhorâ—es with all that frothy stuffe Of which this age hatâ— more then thrice enough Our bâ—ethren by extortion we oppresse True stâ—angeâ— nay our kin are harbouâ—lesse And those oâ—fences we have Patrons for Which many Heathen pâ—ople did abhor With Miriam and with Laron we have such Who at their 〈…〉 preferment grutch Hot spirits troubleâ—omâ— to civill states Like Câ—rahâ—nd â—nd his rude confederates These aâ—gue mach for pâ—p'lar pâ—rities And raile upoâ— all civill diâ—â—itiâ—s But when they can attaine theâ— none speake louder In their deâ—ence nor are there any prouder We Gallants have moâ—e impâ—dent then e're Yong Zâ—nri and his Cazâ—i did appeare And doubtlâ—sse we have 〈◊〉 who â—â—ve hidden Some Babylonish things which are forbidden For all the Land much troubled we may see And many thinke it shall not quiet be Till they be found Reveale thou their transgressions O Lord and be thou prais'd in their confessions We have this day amongst us many a Bramble That like Abimelech knowes how to scramble Abovâ— their owne deservings and though base Vnworthy â—hrubs durst arrogate a place More eminent then dares the noblest Plant Whereof the Mountaine Libanus doth vaunt By others vertâ—es these ascend on high And raise themselves to such authority That our most noble Cedars are o're-topt Our pleasant Figtrees are bâ—scratcht and dropt Our Vines are shadow'd and unfruitfull made Our Olives robbed of that oile they had Yea all our forrest and our garden trees By their ambition fruit or honour leese Thou nourisht hast and fondly doted on Those cunning Dalilahs who having won Thy good respect doe practise how to spye Wherein the chiefest of our strength doth lye That having by their flatt'ries lull'd asleepe Those watchmeÌ„s eyes that should our fortress keep They may unheeded steal our pow'r away And to our greatest Foes our lives betray Here want not such as Michah who with ease Can make a new Religion when they please Coine â—ormes of worship proper to their Sect A private Church among themselves erect Make Priests at their owne pleasure furnish them Ev'n with their owne new-fangled Teraphim And preach abroad for good Divinâ—ty The tumours of their windy fantasie Nay some of them far stranger things can doe For they can make their gods and eate them too There be of us as wilfull Favourites Of wicked men as were the Benjamiâ—es And rather then we will deliver â—hem To feele the stroke of Iustice who contemne The wayes of goodnesse we will hâ—zardize Our peace our fame and our posterities We have those Prophets who with Balam know Gods pleasure and what way they ought to goe And yet will for preferment doe their best That they his plaine revealed Will may wrest And though they are perhaps asham'd to say Their minds in publique closely they 'll betray The Lords inheritance and Scripture proofe Inferre for all things to their owne behoofe If of the pop'lar faction these become And thinke some gaine may be atchieved from That side Gods word they will produce for those That would disloyally their King oppose If by the Prince advantage may be had Then God himselfe an instrumâ—nt is made To warrantize their claimes anâ— Tyranny Shâ—ll prâ—ved be a lawfull Mâ—narchy As rash as Iephthâ— in our vowes are we As Ehuâ—s gift such oft our presents be In entâ—rtainments some like Iael are And in their complements may well compare Wâ—th bloody Ioaâ— for they make their table Become a snare and when most serviceable They doe appeare unheeded they unsheath Soâ—e fatâ—ll instruâ—ent tâ—at wounds to death Like old indulgent Eli some connive At all the sins in which theâ—r children live Nay glory in their lewdnesse and maintaine In them those follies which they should restraine Till their owne shame and their undoing followes And their wilde brood be tamed at the Gallowes Nor were the sonnes of Eli heretofore More wanton at the Tabernacle doore Then some young Priests of ours whom to correct The Fathers of our Church so much neglect That if they long connive as they have done The glory of our Isr'el will be gone Like those Philistians whose advice it was To fixe God's Arke and Dagon in one place We have too many and they cannot see Why God and Baal in one should not agree But when they raise their Iâ—ol in these Lands Lord let it fall and lose both head and hands We are as curâ—ous as the Bâ—thshâ—mites And long as much to see forbidden sights Like those of Ekron we professe to know The truest Goâ— and whence our troubles grow Yet are so stupid that we sleight his Grace And send him from us to another place Yea like the Gadarens we for our Swâ—ne Would banish Christ and sleight his love divine Wiâ—h Saul we doe neglect what should be done And sacrifice when God requireth none Fat Sheepe and Oxen were prefer before Oâ—edience to the Lord and follow more Our wills then his When God saith kill we spare And where he biâ—s be kinde we cruell are No love no kindnesse no sincerity No tokens of unfained piety Can stay our furies or divert our mind When we are once maliciously enclin'd Goliah like Gods army some contemne With Râ—bshâ—kâ—h some others doe blaspheme Some curse wâ—th Shimei Gods best beloved As causelesly to â—rieve them they are moved And are of gaine as greedy For if they Have but an usâ—â—sse Groome escap'd away Oâ— lost a beast for such a petty prise They will not stick their lâ—ves to hazaâ—dize VVe have those Michols which will scoffe flouâ— At such as are moâ—â— zealously devout We have those dog-like Doegs in our Courts That gladly heare and utteâ— all reports To disadvantaâ—e them whose wayes aâ—e pure And cannot their impieties endure VVe have those Nabals upon whom all cost All curtefies and kindnesses aâ—e lost We have like Vzzah those that dare to touch Gods holy Arke Nay we have worse then such Ev'n those that rob it and themselves adorne With Iewels from the Sanâ—tuary torne With David some have thought their sins to hide And their Adulteries in Murther dy'd Officiouâ— knaves like Ziba we have some VVho by their Masters falls to greâ—tnesse come And though they did men innoâ—ent betray VVithout reproving they doe passe away VVe have those wicked Aâ—mons who defile Their sisters And to lay a cunning wile For helping their companions to a