wormes must needs have that to feed upon What is it then his f bones thou would'st faine have That cannot be g they must goe to the grave What would'st thou doe with them make dice to sell Or with them play away thy soule to hell As for his soule surely thou canst not have it For that must needs h returne to God that gave it i Dost thou by this course ever thinke to thrive k To bury thy poore debtor here alive l Ten thousand talents to the Lord thou ow'st And yet hee 's m mercifull to thee thou know'st n And hast thou no pittie on him in thrall That owes thee but o an hundred pence in all p If God should deale with thee as thou with him In what great q misery then wouldst thou be in What if in this case God should take away r Thy soule and call thee to accompt this day Å¿ Thy guilty conscience then would soone accuse thee t And for thy crueltie Christ would refuse thee u Then into hell that x gulfe of miserie y Thou should'st be cast to live eternally In wofull torments where z no rest is found And where all such as thou art are a fast bound Wherefore if thou those judgements would'st prevent Be b mercifull kinde loving and c repent d Discharge thy poore debtor out of this place e As thou would'st be discharg'd being in his case f Then God will mollifie thy stony heart g And likewise blesse thee wheresoe're thou art CHAP. III. To the Prisoner that lay sick upon his bed THe a Prison of it selfe is tedious to thee b But sicknesse therewithall may quite undoe thee Where art thou sick in body or in minde Or art thou griev'd c because friends are unkinde Art not thou sick and pained at the d heart Because thou e canst not from this place depart Thinke with thy selfe that thy f sins are the cause Of thy disease by the breach of Gods lawes g Now is thy soule wounded with mortall sinne h Oh then 't is high time for thee to begin i To looke into thy selfe and thy condition To see what need thou hast of the Physition I meane the great k Physition of thy soul Which is thy Saviour Christ who doth controll l All things in heaven above and earth below m Hee 'll cure thy body and thy soule also n Of all diseases if thou him intreat And likewise give thee o heavenly food to ear p Whereby thy soule shall live and be quite freed Of all diseases for 't is so decreed q Earthly Physitians will not undertake Physick to give but for thy moneyes sake Unlesse thou give them Angells of pure gold They 'll not come neere thee be thou young or old But when r Christ thy Physitian takes in hand To cure thy poore sick soule then understand Hee 'll not then only take away thy paine But cause his (Å¿) Angells with thee to remaine Though thou restrained art yet they are t free To come both day and night to visit thee Wherefore receive from God this chastisement With a thankfull heart and therewith be content b And then this prison shall not thee annoy But be a pallace to thee day by day c Out of which place the Lord will thee deliver And take thee up to live with him for ever CHAP. IV. To him that betrayed the Prisoner into his Adversaries hands WHat trade art thou oh Traitor canst thou tell Is it thy occupation now to sell Thy friend to one that meanes him to oppresse And lay him up to live in great distresse a Thou cam'st unto him and didst speake him faire Which made him often unto thee repaire b Because he did beleeve what thou didst say Not thinking then that thou would'st him betray c But when thou hadst fit opportunitie Thou him deliver'dst to his enemie Who keepes him fast in prison like a slave Which thou art to be blam'd for like a knave d But tell me Traitor how didst thou him sell For a French Crown a Noble or Angell Doubtlesse thy Chapman gave thee more for him Then ere hee 's like to get of him agin But why hast thou thy friend sold for a song Which to another justly doth belong The bargaine thou hast made must needs be voyd e For Christ bought him before and for him paid Wherefore thy Chapman cannot keep him long Although he hath him in a place so strong a He shall be free b for Christ doth him regard c And for thy treacherie hee 'll thee reward Take thou example by Iudas thy Brother d Who for treacherie did exceed all other e His Master he betray'd who was a f King And thou thy friend betray'dst for a small thing Iudas was punisht and so shalt thou be For thou a Traitor art as well as he g Yet he confess'd his fault and did restore The money back which he receiv'd before To doe the deed about the which he went Which having done he then seem'd to h repent Yet for all that he being voyd of grace i Dy'd in despaire in a most wofull case Let me advise thee be like him in this Confesse restore repent 't is not amisse But doe not k hang thy selfe as Iudas did l Because such things thou know'st God doth forbid But give over thy trade of treacherie m And call to God for grace before thou die n That thou may'st as an honest man here live Untill thy soule to God thou dost up give o Heaven is the place where faithfull men shall raigne p Which place no lying traitor shall obtaine CHAP. V. To the Sea-man a Prisoner THou Sea-man that art subject to the weather Tell me what winde it was that brought thee hither Who was thy Pilot that had so much skill To bring thee to this port against thy will The Serjeants are the Pilots for this Bay Without the Compasse they can finde the way Doubtlesse 't was some of them that did thee guide Unto this Haven where thou must abide Thy sailes are down and now thine Anchor's cast And hence thou canst not budge thou art so fast Though winde and tide doe serve yet hast thou lost Thy voyage for this time to thy great cost Now when thou shalt depart thou dost not know For till thy peace be made thou canst not goe Whilst thou art here I wish thee to consider a Who 't is that must thee from this place deliver It is the Lord whose b wonders thou hast seen In the c deep Sea where thou hast often been d Toss'd with the waves in stormes and tempests great Which e raging waves against the Ship
good my friends can tell I' th Harvest time n I gather'd much and than I lost much yet God gave me my Girle Nan In those dayes o I much care had to uphold My credit which I valued more then gold The Winter season when p I had my fill Of troubles then God sent me my son Will In those dayes I was then as now I am In great distresse q and counted a lost man Great losses I sustain'd that stormy time r Which makes me now to suffer and repine s The losse of Nan thy sister was then more Grievous to me then all I lost before A tedious Winter 't is as I suppose t How long t' will last the Lord above best knowes Thus in this world have I beene u toss'd and tumbl'd Sometimes advanc'd aloft and sometimes humbl'd x The day-light of my former dayes are done The dark-night of my latter dayes are come Yet still I hope t' will not be so with thee y But that thy best dayes will hereafter be Although thy worst dayes be now for a season Yet doubtlesse thou hast so much wit and reason To thinke if thou a serve God b and thy friends please That thou hereafter may'st live more at ease c The more thou art in thy young dayes deprest The more one day will be thy joy and rest And if thou live to be a woman growne d Thou wilt rejoyce that thou so much hast knowne Thou now art with e thy friends who love thee well Give them content whilst thou with them dost dwell f Give not thy selfe at all to idlenesse g But be thou doing something more or lesse Be * modest loving and of good behaviour So shalt thou be esteem'd of and in favour h And if to goodnesse thou dost now incline Thou then art Gods deere childe as well as mine Thou then two Fathers hast be of good cheere i The one 's in heaven above k the other's here l Thy earthly father's poore and weak withall m Thy heavenly Father's rich and liberall If thou want that which I have not to give thee Goe to n thy heavenly Father hee 'le releeve thee Make thy case knowne to him the o truth declare And p tell no lyes but thereof have a care For God will never grant such their desires q The Devill is the father of all lyers Now if thou learn'st good manners every day r And carriest thy selfe well not being coy s If thou to godlinesse dost give thy minde t And wilt live vertuously then thou shalt finde u That though thou many things art now deny'd Yet shalt thou be hereafter satisfi'd In the meane while x consider well these things That I may from thee heare some good tidings y It will rejoyce my heart though I am here In prison where I want meanes to be cleere a Be thou my comfort now and thou shalt see I 'le be thy comforter when I am free CHAP. XII To the domineering Creditor over a poore Debtor of his in Prison THou domineering man a that art so b wise In thy conceit c why dost thou so despise d Thy Debtor which at thy suit here doth lye Where he for want of food in time may dye He hath good friends sayst thou that will not see Him lye in Prison long in misery But rather will some order take to pay His debts that he no longer here may stay Alas thou art deceiv'd t' will not appeare e That they 'le doe any thing whilst he is here f He rather fares the worse for them so that He 's like a Mouse that 's taken in a Trap g Yet thou dost boast and brag what thou hast done In laying up a poore man in prison What hast thou gotten now by doing so The h Devill for thy friend and i God thy foe k The Devill takes delight in cruelty l And God rejects him that shewes no mercy m Yet thou thy selfe having the world at will n Tak'st no pitty on him that is so ill o Thou tak'st thy pleasure p he grieves at the heart q Yet he 's Gods creature even as thou art r Yet thou beleev'st thou art better then he s Because thou hast him made subject to thee Yet when all comes to all one day thou must As well as he t be turned into dust Then who shall judge which of you is the better Whether the Creditor or the poore Debtor a Your bodies in the darke grave may be there Alike unto the wormes without compare Your soules may differ much b for they must flie Up to the c Judge of heaven and d earth on high e Where that great Judge pronounce shall to all men f Both g good and h bad their sentence just and then i The soule that hath done well heav'n shall enjoy k The soule that hath done ill God will destroy Consider this l thou that do'st domineere O're thy poore debtor whom thou hast lodg'd here For thou thy selfe m art mightily in debt Unto the Lord which thou should'st not forget n And if Christ will not for thee undertake Thy debts to pay o for his own mercie sake Then thy poore soule and body shall at last p Be into Hell that fearefull prison cast q If thou therefore wouldst mercy now obtaine r Be thou to others mercifull againe (Å¿) Come to thy poore debtor that 's in distresse t Give him his libertie and so expresse u Thy love to him that he hereafter may Be able with Gods helpe his debts to pay Thus thou may'st doe him good and thy selfe too x Wherefore delay no time this good to doe y Then doubtlesse thy great Creditor will forgive Thee all thy debts z and thou with him shalt live CHAP. XIII To the men which are Prisoners in the Hole a YOu that are Pris'ners in the Hole doe not b Despaire of helpe although it be your lot To be throng'd up together in a hole a Where you each others miserie may condole Experience you have had of b Gods goodnesse Which he to you hath shew'd c in your distresse d The Lord your helpe and comfort will be still e If you obedient are unto his will f 'T is God alone that moves mens hearts to pitty Poore pris'ners both in Country and in City g Your Benefactors he makes liberall And therefore you h should daily on him call i To blesse and sanctifie the meanes you have k To feed your bodies l and your soules to save 'T is like in former time that some of you Did not fare halfe so well as now you doe And if againe you had
considered there are none able to goe through the o troubles and crosses of this life with comfort p but such as utterly mistrusting q their owne assurednesse and r all worldly ayd and helpe of man s doe wholly depend upon t Gods defence But there are some which complaine of the u tediousnesse of their afflictions because they are afflicted almost x all the dayes of their lives even to the very death To such y God will testifie his holy presence another way namely by z giving the distressed parties power and strength to beare their afflictions But how can we a count our afflictions so tedious and long b seeing our lives are so short howsoever c let them be never so great and tedious they are d far inferiour to our sinnes yet every man by nature e desires Gods ready helpe in his necessities and troubles but few attain unto it because they f want faith to beleeve it g prayer to obtaine it and h patience to wait for it But on the contrary if they i endure their afflictions quietly k trust in Gods mercies firmly l and tarry his good pleasure obediently then although they seeme to bee m swallowed up in misery they shall finde n the Lord ready at hand to deliver them Now o howsoever the child of God be afflicted he shall finde p many comforts therein in regard they are like unto a q storme that commeth and goeth Let no man therefore that is afflicted r struggle under Gods hand for then it will be the worse for him for s there is no striving or wrastling with him t but by u prayer hee therefore that with x pleasure and joy endures adversity y for Christs sake may thinke he hath found the z Kingdome of Heaven here on earth a and God will delight in him a For as the fish is sweetest that lives in the saltest waters b so those c soules are most precious unto Christ who are most d exercised and e afflicted with his Crosse Thine in Christ W. B. Authors The Quotations in the Margent which serve for Proofes Reasons Examples or things pertinent to the sense of each particular are taken First out of the Bookes of the Canonicall Scripture the Old and New Testament 1. The Old Testament GEnesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomie Ioshua Iudges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Iob. Psalmes Proverbs Ecclesiastes The Song of Salomon Isaiah Ieremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Ioel. Amos. Obadiab Ionah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggal Zechariah Malachy II. The New Testament MAtthew Marke Luke Iohn Acts Romanes 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Phileman Hebrewes Iames 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 Iohn 2 Iohn 3 Iohn Iude. Revelations Secondly out of the Bookes called Apochrypha 1 ESdras 2 Esdras Tobit Iudeth The rest of Esther Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch The Song of the three Children Susanna The Idol Bel and the Dragon The Prayer of Manasseh 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees The Contents of this Booke The Prisoner To his fellow-prisoners TO the comfortlesse prisoner pag. 1 To the prisoner that lay sick a bed 3 To the Sea man a prisoner 6 To the stranger a prisoner 7 To the faint-hearted prisoner 8 To the Scholler a prisoner 12 To an ancient man a prisoner exceedingly oppressed with sorrow upon sorrow 15 To the men which were prisoners in the hole 21 To the prodigall young man a prisoner 28 To the prisoners called by the name of Rats which are debauched men taken at unlawfull houres in the night by the Watch and brought into prison 31 To the Carrier a prisoner 34 To the Card player a prisoner 40 To the Papist a prisoner 43 To the Captaine a prisoner 54 To the Merchant a prisoner 60 To the merry man a prisoner 63 To an old man a prisoner 68 To the women which were prisoners in the Hole 69 To the impatient prisoner 73 To the unruly young man a prisoner 88 To the prisoners called by the name of Mice which are light huswives taken at unlawfull houres in the night and brought to prison 90 To the prisoner that was to bee discharged and set at liberty 99 To the carelesse man a prisoner 102 To the rich man a prisoner 104 To the idle man a prisoner 105 To the dissembling hypocrite a prisoner 108 To his chamber fellows and others distressed prisoners of the Knights Ward which were there shut up of the plague 112 To others not prisoners TO the cruell Creditor pag. 1 To him that betrayed the prisoner into his adversaries hands 4 To his Sonne 10 To his eldest Daughter 17 To the creditor that domineer'd over his poore debtor in prison 20 To his youngest Daughter 25 To the master of the Tap-house 39 To his Brother 51 To the mercifull Creditor 53 To the master of the prison 58 To a worthy charitable Knight 64 To an ancient Maid a true-hearted friend that was mindfull of him in his troubles 66 To his intimate friend a divine Lawyer 67 To a prisoners wife of a refractory condition 74 To his owne dejected comfortlesse wife 77 To his Maid servant 83 To his Mother 94 To those that come to visit their friends in prison 100 To the Commissioners appointed by his Majestie for the reliefe of poore prisoners 110 The prisoner at liberty his thankful remembrance of Gods great mercies towards him in his manifold deliverances out of many great dangers and troubles to this present 114 To his good friend beyond Sea that gave order to his friend to see him set at liberty 117 To a carefull friend that discharged the trust committed to him by his friend in seeing the prisoner freed out of prison 118 THE MERCHANT DISTRESSED HIS OBSERVATIONS CHAP. I. To the comfortlesse Prisoner BE not a dismay'd thou that art lodged here What need'st thou care if thy b conscience be cleer b Thy c Creditors perhaps may be unkinde What though fear not but bear an d honest minde d e Thy friends and thine acquaintaince may neglect thee e What though be f patient God will not g forget thee g h The Prison doubtlesse is a place of care What though rejoyce i for God is with thee there k Use lawfull meanes l and on God still depend m Hee 'll quickly bring thy troubles to an end CHAP. II. To the cruell Creditor WHy is thy minde so bent to a crueltie Against thy poore Debtor which here doth lie a Is it thy debt thou would'st have him to pay Alas b he can't the c prison's not the way What is 't his d flesh thou then would'st have alone The e
feed on it then r There 's milke for babes (Å¿) and meat for stronger men It 's like a brooke that 's large and deep wherein t The lambe may wade u and th' Elephant may swim x All that to our salvation tends is there Penn'd down in holy writ and not elsewhere And yet Gods word is to the stubborne Jewes A y stumbling block which makes them it refuse And to the self-will'd Gentiles it 's likewise A z foolishnesse therefore they it despise To say the truth a this Book 's not understood b By learned Schollers that seeme to be good c There 's none at all can understand this thing Untill God d open their understanding Now study 't with delight e call on Gods name So shalt thou rightly understand the same Then shalt thou be in a most happy taking f When thou a Scholler art of Gods owne making Whil'st thou art here g learne something every day h And teach such as are quite out of the way a Please thy Schoole-master and contented be So shalt thou breake up Schoole and be set free And afterwards b thou having lived well Shalt with thy Master Christ for ever dwell In heaven above c where thou shalt see and know More then thou ever heard'st of here below CHAP. X. To an ancient man a Prisoner exceedingly oppressed with griefe and sorrow upon sorrow THy a sorrowes old man are sorrowes indeed b Which sorrowes doe all others here exceed c Thou art a man dejected in our fight d And carefull thoughts are with thee day and night e Thy countenance shewes how thy f heart is griev'd And thy g gray haires shew that thou hast long liv'd h If thou thy youthfull dayes didst not well spend i Now thou art old endeavour to amend k And then although thy body doe decay Thy spirit shall revive and live for aye In heaven with Christ who l heares thy groanes and cryes Hee 'll m wipe away all thy teares from thine eyes If thou for debt art to this place committed n Thy case if thou art poore is to be pitti'd It was thy o daughter whom thou lov'st full deare That was th' occasion of thy being here Thou didst her place with one that did her keep p Where she no want had of food cloaths nor sleep But therewithall she was not well contented And therefore she from thence q herselfe absented r Being by wicked counsell much deluded So that in danger she her selfe intruded a And proving false to him with whom she dwelt She then the miserie of a Prison felt b And thou having for her truth thy word past Arrested wast and into prison â—ast When she came shortly after to be try'd c She was found guilty for which cause she dy'd Then thy poore wife d fell sick and dy'd for griefe Hearing her childe did suffer as a theefe e Thus was thy griefe and sorrow much increas'd f As with Gods children 't is when they thinke least Besides all this now in thy great distresse g Thy friends doe not themselves to thee addresse h But leave thee comfortlesse here in this place To muse upon thy daughters great disgrace i If thou like old Eli didst e're neglect Thy children in their young dayes to correct k Then thou like old Eli for that cause art Corrected now thy selfe and feel'st the smart If thou like David when thy girle was young Was fond or'e her l as he was o're his sonne m Then thou like David must afflicted be For being then so fond as well as he Like Eli be when thou corrected art n Submit to God and take it in good part o Like David be who after he had cry'd For his lost sonne p was then well pacifi'd Now Davids sonne q by his untimely death Dy'd in his sins and so gave up his breath Thy daughter had a time before she dy'de To call on God her r sins she did not hide (Å¿) Doubtlesse the Lord heard her humble request And that her soule is now with him at rest t Comfort thy selfe in God now she is gone u And thinke that thou must follow her ere long Thy Adversaries x cannot long detaine thee Here in this prison where y they now disdaine thee a When God his time sees fit hee 'le thee release b Live therefore well c so shalt thou dye in peace d Thy soule shall then ascend to God on high e And live with him in heaven eternally CHAP. XI To his eldest Daughter THere was a time before thy time in which I was beloved of the a poore and b rich For in those dayes c I had good things about me And many could not well subsist without me I then alone did live wherefore I sought d And found her which into the world thee brought e A burden thou wast to her a long while When she thee carried then many a mile Into a Country which thou could'st not see Where I had f Land that caus'd my misery g And when from thence she brought thee back againe After a while h thou put'st her to great paine For thou so heavy wast and big also i That she then could no longer with thee goe So weake was she that thou mad'st her to fall So that for helpe k she did both cry and call And then betweene you both there was such strife l That she therewith had almost lost her life After which combat though she had the worst Yet she thy best friend was m for she thee nurst And though her paines were great yet shortly after We both rejoyc'd in thee n our elder daughter I then in credit liv'd and did enjoy o The pleasures of this life which seem'd so gay p But now those dayes are past my credit 's lost q My meanes are gone and my designes are crost Much trouble I of late have undergone And now at last a am in a prison strong Depriv'd of that which heretofore I had b T' was never with me as 't is now so bad So that to say the truth I may be here Compar'd to the foure c Seasons of the yeare The joyfull d Spring the dainty e Summer fine The fruitfull f Harvest and the g Winter time h The Spring time of my youth i I liv'd in pleasure Then God gave thee to me thou wast my treasure k In those dayes I knew not what troubles meant For then my Country-house I had in Kent The Summer time l of my good dayes had I Much trading and withall my Girle Mary m In those dayes I got meanes and lived well My credit then was
which With other rare conceits that some bewitch f Brave images and pictures of some Saints And Angels which they say heare their complaints Crosses guilded with gold beset with stones And Relicks whereof some are dead mens bones And some are teeth heads armes and other parts Of Saints dismembred which grieves not their hearts To see what monsters they of some Saints make At which the wiser sort their heads doe shake One Saint at severall places had three heads Sixe armes another and a third foure leggs There was a Saint in England we are told That had more teeth then two hogs-heads could hold g Such lying fopperies Papists maintaine h As meerly are devis'd by their owne braine A man would wonder in this age to see What strange disorder'd orders now there be Ordained in the Church of Rome whereby That Church is much enrich'd but the Country And Kingdomes that are subject thereunto Are much impoverish'd some they quite undoe So many Sects there are both high and low Of Clergie-men which they themselves scarce know i The lofty Cardinalls proud and ambitious The Jesuites k which are every where seditious l The domineering Bishops which have cures The lazie Monks m that are meere Epicures The drunken Priests n who eat their breaden Gods o The lecherous Friers who whip Nuns with rods The Capuchins who weare to shirts and goe By two and two a are hypocrites we know And divers other Orders from Rome sent With unchaste Nuns make up the b Rabblement These Popish Clergie are c forbid to marry d And yet from common whores cannot long tarry e Their reines must needs be purg'd by maids or wives Else they 'll be sick and endanger their lives It is more lawfull for a Priest to have Ten Concubines then one wife ne're so brave This f Devillish doctrine is taught unto those That are apt Schollers whom their Master knowes They likewise doe on certaine dayes g forbid Flesh to be eaten and yet they instead Of flesh may eat of other things their fill With dainty Cakes and sweet-meates if they will And sev'rall sorts of wine of pleasant taste This is the manner of the Popish Fast If thou such fasting dayes could'st here observe Though thou fast often yet thou need'st not starve But what a wicked custome have those got h That in a strange tongue pray which they know not Yet ignorant Papists pray as they are taught Although their prayers God knowes are starke naught For when they understand not what they say They doe but prate a Parrat may so pray i The forme and substance of their prayer 's such As doth the Lord dishonour very much k For to some Saints they pray and cannot tell Whether those Saints in heav'n be or in hell Whether true Saints or Popish Saints l they faile That to them pray 't will nothing them availe Yet when this Popish crew want helpe they then Pray to those Saints which were but mortall men The Virgin Mary m she 's more call'd upon Then Christ n her Saviour the o chiefe corner stone a Angels that are Gods servants as Saints be They worship for their Church doth so agree b Carv'd Images and pictures on the wall Crosses Relicks and other things withall c That have no life yet d they like beasts doe creepe And crawle to them sometimes i' th open street e And when they are thus prostrate then they cry Unto those Idols their wants to supply So soone as people dye their f soules doe goe To heaven or hell the word of God saith so Yet those ungodly Papists have invented A place besides hell where soules are tormented That place of Purgatory where they say The soules must needs be g purg'd before that day They are deliver'd thence therefore they make For those soules prayers which lye in that lake Thus those that are in thy religion bred In vaine doe pray for their friends which are dead Beleeve me if a Purgatory be On earth 't is here thou canst not chuse but see This place will thee so purge thou need'st not care To be purged againe thou know'st not where The Romish Church like Pharisies and Scribes h Preferre mens vaine Traditions like i blinde guides Before the written word of God which none But such blasphemers k doe despise alone For they l adde thereunto and m from it take That which shall make their soules in hell to quake Their great legend of n lyes is more set by Then o Gods pure word p that 's full of Majesty The q ten Commandements of God wherein r A masse of treasure 's lockt up to the brim Those Clergie have the second cleane left out And of the last made two there is no doubt s But God that gave those lawes will suddenly t Bring them to shame for their Idolatry Which sin 's against that great Commandement And that 's the reason the Counsell of Trent Would not have that once mention'd lest thereby a Their people should forbeare Idolatry Though in b Gods Law all sins are comprehended Yet have those out-law'd Clergy recommended Unto their people five Command'ments more Then e're the primitive Church heard of before Which lawes are so observ'd without excuse c As Gods Lawes now are almost out of use d That man that breakes but one Commandement Of theirs must penance doe though he repent But if he should at once breake all Gods Lawes No penance he should doe and why because e The sins against those Lawes are very small f And some such sins they count but veniall The Priest therefore no penance will enjoyne To such a sinner though he have no coine g The Lords day all true Christians sanctifie An holy rest to God our Lord on high h Which day 's appointed to read heare and pray i And no worke to be done upon that day But those prophane and wretched Papists hold k That wares on that day may be bought and sold After they have i' th morning beene at Masse l Some goe to worke and some their time doe passe m In wanton sports thus they may worke or play On that day more then any holy day Christ only hath n two Sacraments ordain'd Which in his Church shall ever be maintain'd The Church of Rome hath added thereunto Five Sacraments more which they ought not to doe The two which Christ ordain'd these men unwise Sophisticate with their ceremonies The other five they never could maintaine As Sacraments to be joyn'd with those twaine Now this corrupted Church with much envie a Adde what they list to Gods Word wrongfully The Canons of the Masse they hold equall Unto the b Gospel which is eternall This hellish doctrine they hold and so would c Have
She hath it quite destroy'd e Thus will the Devill deale with you f That have the wantons playd And that like Owles g will be abroad When others are at rest And when 't is day like them you doe Repaire unto your nest The Owle and other Birds you know Doe live alwayes asunder And if i' th day she should be seene Those Birds would at her wonder a The Owle and other Birds doe not At all agree together And therefore they divided are Not being of one feather b So you that so much differ from Good wives that vertuous be c Your company they must needs shun With you they 'le not agree d For women that good huswives are That live in reputation e Will not be gadding when they should Be in their habitation Your houses are your prisons that This course of life have taken f A prison dark 's prepar'd for you That have the g Lord forsaken The Devill shall your Jaylor be Hee 'le keepe you fast no doubt h So fast that all the friends you haev Shall never get you out In which dark dungeon you then shall Live in great miserie Where i Satan with his cursed crew Shall keepe you company k Your pleasures then shall surely end l Your paines shall then begin And never end if you resolve m To live and dye in sin Consider this you shamelesse Imps a Who young fooles doe entice To wickednesse for which cause you Are hither brought for Mice b Be civill and learne modesty Keepe home c and quite forsake Your former evill wicked wayes Then d God will undertake e To keepe you from those fearfull plagues Which you justly deserve f And give you joyes in stead of thereof If you him duly serve g Wherefore delay no time at all Your mindes to goodnesse give That when your bodies here shall dye h Your soules in heaven may live CHAP. XXXVIII To his Mother I a have with griefe of heart beene here Five months and more 't is knowne And if I here should be a yeare I scarce know any one b That would of me take pitty and Releeve me in distresse Alas c no friends will understand How some doe me oppresse a I am forsaken of all those b That in me tooke delight When I liv'd well and wore good clothes c But now they doe me slight d As if a meere stranger I were They 'le not on me now call But doe with one consent forbeare e To visit me at all f Friends kindred and acquaintance now No kindnesse will me show I thinke they have made all a vow g To leave me here in woe But that 's not all that troubles me One thing there is moreover That h grieves my very heart to see Th' unkindnesse of a mother Oh that I had no cause to write Or think to my great griefe i How you have me neglected quite As if I were a theefe Yet when I call to minde k the love That God beares to all such l As looke for comfort from above My minde is eased much m Though mothers tender may forget Their children captives taken Yet God our Father will not let His children be forsaken Wherefore a my trust and confidence Shall be in him alone Hoping he will bring me out hence b Hee 'le heare my plaint and mone c When I nine months was shut up fast In your close wombe you know The Lord he brought me forth at last d And gave you joy also I then almost for e three yeares space Your tender breasts did suck f In those dayes you did me embrace And call'd me pretty Duck g I am your sonne deare mother still And shall be till I dye Although I am now call'd poore Will Being in misery It is no money that I crave Perhaps you have it not h It is your blessing I would have If it could now be got If you once would but send to me I know t' would me revive I then should thinke i your care would be To know how I did thrive But howsoever 't is with me k My hope is you are well And that one day we shall both be l In heav'n with Christ to dwell In the meane space whil'st I am here a Let me some comfort finde From you that are my mother deare 'T will ease my troubled minde Why should such b flatt'ring friends that are I' th Country now about you c Seeke to make you with me to jarre That here must live without you I am your sonne they are your friends Thinke of them as you please d They were my friends for their own ends When I liv'd more at ease I am perswaded in my heart If'twere not for that e crew That you would act a mothers part And your old love renew Your motherly affection then Would once againe appeare f To me that am a scorne to men Now I am shut up here If I have not with all respect g To you my duty done Then I 'le confesse a great neglect In me your youngest son And on my bended knees I 'le crave Pardon of God on high h Who will soone bring downe to the grave Such as the same deny a You now are old and much decay'd In strength and otherwise And I in prison being laid Know not how to devise Which way to helpe and succour you 'T is not now in my power The Lord knowes b I have much adoe Here to subsist an houre Three children I have of mine owne Which I cannot maintaine c But God who is to mercy prone d Hath eas'd me of that paine e For he considering my distresse f Hath rais'd them friends with whom They live and have I must confesse More then they had at home g My wife that 's vex'd and sorely griev'd With me she takes a share h For scarce one friend hath her releev'd Since we have had this care Judge now deere mother what a case At this time I am in If I should long be in this place i 'T would make my cheekes look thin k Think on me then and let me heare Some newes from you to morrow By some one of Buckinghamshire 'T will mitigate my sorrow And let me now good mother be Excus'd though you may finde In these few lines written by me Some things against your minde a For out of the abundance of My great complaint and griefe I write though some thereat may scoffe To have some poore reliefe Thus to conclude b I 'le leave all to My Father that 's on high For c hee 'le direct me what to doe In this extremity Beseeching him to d give us grace And favour so that we e In heav'n may