in a Moment I could not espy A Creature left besides my Guide and I Which made me stand as one full sore amaz'd Or like a man beside his wits I gaz'd My Angel smiling said poor mortal wights How quickly are you daunted in your sprights Take courage man and bear a manly heart For I will set thee safe before we part Where first I found thee therefore let us haste For time is precious which we must not waste Then as we came without the Gates of Heaven There laid the heap of stones that brain'd St. Steven With many more But yet I marked one Had writ upon 't The Philosophers stone Which taking in my hand I did behold Said I is this the stone turns all to Gold It is said he How comes it then said I That mortal men do seek to come thereby By Chimistry whereas it onely lies Within this place and not below the skies Because they 're fools said he for none may come To purchase it although there have been some In former times which did obtain the same Philosophers of whom it bears the name But such they were as not the like is found These sinfull dayes to live upon the ground For ther 's no mortal can obtain this Stone Unless he be of Conversation one How they must be qualified that can obtain the Philosophers stone As will not put the same to any use Which may redound to Commonwealths abuse Nor to his profit must convert the same Either for lucre pleasure ease or Game Such as to no vain earthly thing is given Ort ' love the World or pleasure can be driven As will by no means bribes or gifts receive Although thereby the whole World he might have Nor will to any use imploy this Stone But for the Church and Commonwealth alone If thou do'st find thy self such one to be Take thou the Stone it doth belong to thee I must confess said I I much desire To have the same and did intend t' require It at thy hands but henceforth will not crave it Because I far unworthy am to have it So difficult a thing it seems to me That such a man upon the Earth should be Though I could all the rest yet could I scant Forbear to help my Wife or Child in want Nay that one may with safety do said he Or ought belongs to his necessity But any other way must not exceed Unless his Countrey or Religion bleed For want of help and in such case he may Unto his bounty give access and way And because I will thee some favour show A little taste thereof I will bestow Upon thee strait which I will cause thee drink Whereby thou shalt esteem thy self and think Thou art more happy by one Cup of Wine Than if the best Town on the Earth were thine This said he took the Stone into his hand And bruis'd a piece thereof as small as sand Then strait-way did appear a Cup of Wine To come in presence by his power Divine He cast the bruised Stone into the Cup And at one draught he made me drink it up What have I gain'd by this I know no more Said I by drinking this than heretofore Then mark said he when a Religious King Shall want supply of Gold for any thing VVhich tends to Countreys or Religions gain And knows not how such Treasure to obtain Unless he drain it from his Subjects backs VVho are o'r-burthened with Rents and Racks Do but thy mind to such a Prince unsold And every word thou speak'st shall turn to Gold So shalt thou cure thy Royal King of care And from poor Commons purchase many a prayer VVhen thou shalt multiply their Princes store Yet they nor theirs be burthened therefore In this case shall thy words onely prevail And turn to Gold but in all other fail I never shall make trial of this thing Nor come said I in presence of a King I lead my life within an obscure place And in the World have no great name or grace So once said he was Joseph in a pit Yet afterwards in higher place did sit In Pharaoh's Court the greatest in his Land And faithful prov'd in all he took in hand God alwaies works by Men of low degree And simple means that Men may know 't is he That acteth all can raise the lowly one As David from a Sheep-hook to a Throne But now remember where I first thee found And here I leave thee on the self-same ground Ponder these things and when thou findst them true Remember God and me And so Adieu VVith that I rouz'd my self but could espy No body in the place but God and I As goes the Proverb only there I found A Scrowl of written paper on the ground VVhich taking in my hand I did begin To read the same and found these words therein The Scrowl That thou must know thy foresaid Vision 's true These shall be signs and shortly shall ensue For thou shalt free thy native Common-wealth From begging Rogues and Theeves that live by stealth In driving Droans and sluggards from their hives And placing Bees of more laborious lives And by Heavens help within few years to come Shalt see thy King Monarch of Christendom VVith other things of excellence most rare VVhich I to thee hereafter will declare M. A. VVhich having read I blusht and lookt about me Fearing some man had writ the same to flout me But spying none I mus'd how this could be That such emploiments were reserv'd for me At which amaz'd I know not by what chance My Spirits failing I fell in a trance VVherein I thought unto me did appear A lovely VVight with grave and sober cheer St. Iohn's speech Mortal said he I charge thee to resort VVith all speed possible unto the Court And there declare unto Great Britains King That I have sent thee to declare this thing If he demand my name say it is John Who wrote the Book of Revelation Then tell him in the Numbers he may read Numb 24 v. 17. How that a Wizard Balaam prophesied Of Jesus Christ And likewise it appears How that one Merlin who liv'd many years Ago in Britain by some old Records Did prophesy in these or such like words A Prophecy of Merlins After the many irruptions in this Land By forein Kings yet let men understand The time shall come that in despight of them Our Kings shall wear Brute's antient Diadem If this be true as it appears no less How could a Witch or Devil better guess It is well known how that in time of old Brute as a Monarch did all Britain hold And that his seed and issue rul'd the same Until the Gospel into Britain came And was imbraced wholly through the Land So that Brute's Monarchy did thereby stand Not only having all one King alone But all consenting in Religion But Brute unto his children did divide His Monarchy which did not long abide After the Gospel flourisht for even then The
THE VVhite-Powder Plot DISCOVERED OR A PROPHETICAL POEME Wherein is most elegantly revealed the secret Combination of Hell and Rome against the interest of true Religion and more particularly against the late King of Blessed Memory and Kingdom of England Written before the late unhappy Wars broke forth and too sadly verified in them which yet the Author scarce lived to see Also a Prophetical Rapture concerning the future extent of this British Empire into Italy By GEORGE MAY Gent. LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Francis Grove Stationer on Snow-hill and by Francis Mawborn Stationer in York 1662. Courteous Reader IT would be too much of injury to thee to detain thee any time with a tedious Epistle and to avoid that I only in short give thee this account that the Book thou art now about to engage thy pains in if thou dost not read it too slightly over will not fail thee as some do that are larger in the first page than in all the rest that follow but fully answer all thy expectations that take their rise from thy view of the Frontispiece Thus I leave it to thy judgment which I hope will neither be severe nor rash and I doubt not but after a serious perlection thou wilt conclude it a friendly part done of him that brought the Poeme to the Press which above this twenty years hath been kept close prisoner in his dead Master's Closet and seems to be antienter in its date than the first Scotish Expedition and perhaps after thou hast weighed all its particulars thou wilt be as great an Admirer of it as he that commends it to thee Farewel Upon that excellent Poeme of Mr. George May called The White-powder Plot discovered WEre 't not a sin both against Heaven and Thee To wish Thee back from thy Eternity How earnest should I be that Earth again Were enrich'd with thy presence But in vain Are all such thoughts it is enough that we Have any thing that did belong to thee Thy Book these many years since thou didst die Has Cloyster'd up it self from every eye Like a Close Mourner Nay a man may say It Buried was like Thee from sight or day And so had laid but that a Happy Fate Attends the Presse and those to it relate Thus and no other way it comes to be Extant with us and risen before thee A. B. Upon that most Ingenious Poeme of Mr. George May called The White-powder Plot. I Now believe a Transmigration Of Souls is no such fond opinion Since did not thy foreseeing one inherit Some old Sybillas strange Prophetick Spirit It were not possible thou should'st so well The King and Kingdoms Fortune thus foretell Or sing in lofty numbers Englands fate Which thou so long before didst antidate Such is thy Method such thy History So clear thy Vein so smooth thy Poetry So strangely taking that it would require The ripest Judgment which most do admire Prophetick raptur'd Soul was I possest With the least spark which did inspire thy breast I 'd write thy Praises in a strain as high As is thy much admired Prophecy Nay I 'd turn Prophet too and boldly say None ever was or will be match with May. A. C. On the posthumous Prophetical Poeme of Mr. George May called The White-powder Plot discovered HAd I faculty for Verse I would employ't to grace thy Hearse With Elegies ' cause Thou didst die So soon cut off by Destiny And that thy Book came forth so late Which might have sav'd both King and State But O alas Thy hour was come Through our irrevocable doom Not thine own fate Thy Book conceal'd That Wrath on Sin may be reveal'd What Dress O May can suit thy worth 'T is thine own Flowers sets thee forth I would be glad to live and see What 's yet behind foretold by Thee For thy sake I could wish St. George's day Henceforth translated to the Month of May. A. D. To his BOOK MY little Book if any chance to bring Thee to the hands of Charls my Soveraign King Present my bounden Love and Loyalty And faithful Service to his Majesty Tell him that Men run mad beware to trust For not a Man amongst a thousand 's just The Dev'l's unloos'd from his inchained Den And reigns and rages in the hearts of Men Sin strives with Virtue gets the upper hand And makes Gods Vengeance scourge this Sinful Land The Devil's Motto is of great and small Imbrac'd Each for himself and God for all The time has been when men would spend their Blood And sacrifize themselves for Soveraigns good The time is now O happy time to reign When King love's People People him again They are his Members he their Royal Head How could they thrive if he were sick or dead Oh then endeavour both with foot and hand To underprop this Head of British Land But now alas both hands and feet are lame Some both in Court and Country are too blame In many things which would amended be If that his eyes were ope that he might see But they disable Eye and Hand and Ear That he should neither See nor Feel nor Hear They know his Justice and they fear his Rod As guilty Conscience fears the Wrath of God What Joseph now doth neer the King remain That foresees Famine and provides for Grain For to relieve their King and Countries want When Victuals fail or Money waxeth scant I may with David restifie ther 's none In all the Court or Country scarcely one That seeks for to advance their Prince's store Unless they pluck it from the backs o' th' Poor Poor Souls they want yet do not murmur much Because their true Religion makes them such But if in Popish times such things had been You should have many change of colours seen But God be blest Religion doth advance Our dayes above those times of Ignorance We do adore our Kings as Gods for we Know God commands on Earth it so should be And pray that God may so our Souls reward As Kings may safely walk without a Guard But I am sure his Royal ears would itch If he should hear how the o'r-ruling Rich Oppress the Poor and like self-loving Elves Care not who weep so they may laugh themselves When as his Majesty well understands That a small number of some Rich Mens hands Cannot so much unto his profit prove As the enjoyment of his Commons Love Yet easy 't were to speak 't I dare be bold To furnish him with weighty sums of Gold By lawful means and fill his Chests with store And yet not take one Farthing from the Poor Nor wrong one Subject If his Grace did know it And I perswade my self that I could show it Yet tell that true Catholick Faith 's Protector Thy Master is no common base Projector Nor aims at his peculiar private gain For he esteems all fading pelf but vain Desires no superfluous Wealth or Meat But cloaths for warmness wholesome cates to eat And only wishes
much He did betray an Earthly man but I A heavenly wight and King of Majesty Now judge I pray if our deserts be even He betray'd Man But I great God of Heaven Did ever any do the like beside My self and thee great Belzebub in pride I imitate thy self for thine was done Against the Father mine against the Son In one thing we agree all three the most VVe all did sin against the Holy Ghost But as my sin was equal unto thine Ahithophels cannot compare with mine I did deserve not onely to be Pope But with great Belzebub himself to cope Much more to stand at this same time for place VVith such a slave I do my self disgrace And therefore chuse you whom you list for me I scorn the matter should in ballance be Iudas his speech ends And so in fury from the place he flung Having their ears with these his speeches stung And when they saw how fiercely he departed It made Ahithophel to seem faint-hearted But all were mute and dumb till Pluto's self Began to speak said he this peevish elf I mean Iscariot hath but truely said And for his service should be ill apaid If we should not reward him with this place Or any other though of greater grace And as for thee Ahithophel I 'le see By some means else to grace and honour thee This said they all consent and gave their voyces For Judas which they yiel'd with fearfull noyses Crying a Judas Judas all about And so broke up this Court of hellish rout Thus having seen Hells scope and full intent VVe haste to Heaven against the Parliament VVhich we imagin'd would begin with speed And as we thought so did it prove indeed For as we came without the Walls we found Of New-Jerusalem a spacious ground New Ierusalem All full of seats in order finely set Some white as Ivory some black as Jet But none might come thereto by a great space VVithout leave got of them who kept the place VVhich were strong Angels who were set to guard The place from comers so I was debarr'd From entrance in untill my Angel said He must come in who heard was strait obey'd Then sate we down upon a bank of Roses As wearied men are wont to take reposes Untill such time as some few hours were spent Before th' appointed time of Parliament But I being weak of nature could not keep My orewak'd eye-lids ope but fell asleep VVherein such heavenly Visions did bewrap me As I desir'd such sleep might still benap me There did the Lamb and Lion play together The Dove and Falcon Dog and Hare yet neither The Lion Lamb Dove Falcon Dog or Hare Shew'd any enmity or malice there But were as Loving one unto another As any Sister to her dearest Brother VVith many slumbers of such sweet delight I past the quantity of one whole night Yet is no night nor darkness in that place For it was light as Sun-shine all the space But when my Angel saw it time to wake me He took me by the elbow and did shake me Saying 't is time to rouze for now said he The time approaches wherein thou shalt see The houses set and all the Devils at hand To urge their bills against thy Native Land VVhere thou shalt be admitted t' speak thy mind VVhen just occasion thou shalt see or find Alas said I I am but Earthly mould And dare not think much lesse to speak be bold The Devils are fearfull yet for them I care not But before Heaven and glorious wights I dare not Then he rebuk'd me saying Thou canst tell That I preserv'd thee from the powers of Hell And that at my command thou wast let in Into this place where none like thee in Sin Did ever enter therefore never doubt To answer for my self will help thee out VVith that recomforted I promist I VVould by him prompt make answer and reply For my poor Countrey so thou must said he For 't is determin'd that it so shall be I am content said I then did we hear Such Mvsick as might ravish mortal ear Then Thunder Lightning and such streaks of fire VVere hurl'd abroad as made me to admire VVhat was the cause well now the Lamb said he The Lamb takes his place in Parliament Doth take his place and sit unseen yet see All passages what here is said or done More perfectly than e're thou saw'st the Sun Then Thunder ceast and Musick plaid again VVhen I beheld a brave and goodly train Of glorified Saints appear in view I ne'r did see mens faces of such hew VVho filled all the seats of Ivory white In such grave order that bred sweet delight I never saw so brave a sight before Nor mortal eye was e'r delighted more VVe 'l they being set the Musick then did cease And for a space there was a silent peace Until a Trumpets sound was heard from high VVhich done a Royal voyce did by and by Pronounce these words My Faithfull servants here The damned Fiends of Hell will strait appear To cry for Justice ' gainst that sinfull Land England Which I have loved as my own right hand And cannot hate it if they would be driven To leave their vices and look up to Heaven Which is as much offended with their crimes As with Jerusalem in former times For as their Barns and Coffers fill with store So do their sins abound and gather more So that the Dev'ls will find sufficient cause Of punishment for breach of all our Laws You shall their bills and all such answers take As any person to the same shall make Which you in Parliament shall read and see But you the censure shall referr to me So that no Statute shall be made or done Before I grant for it Commission This said we presently did hear a Din The British Island is indited Crying on on apace in in in in Then came grim Pluto rushing in with whom Came hand in hand the powerfull Pope of Rome Accompanied with such a hellish Rable As to account Arithmetick's not able Who being seated Judas up did stand Crying for Justice on the British Land If God be just said he we Justice crave That they with us might equal Justice have I have brought Witnesses to prove their sin Desiring they may be admitted in Some of their Witnesses I here will name Enter the Witnesses Who with their bills they brought to prove the same They brought to prove Pride FAbius who in his life swelled with pride Swallow'd a hair in Milk whereof he di'd Poppeia Neroe's Concubine of old Who shod her Horses feet with burnisht Gold The Emperour Dioclesian likewise came Who brother to the Sun himself did name To prove Covetousnesse THey brought Hermocrates who at his death Did all his goods unto himself bequeath Craesus and eke Caligula were there Whose covetous Actions did surpass compare Demonica who Ephesus for gain Sold and with weight of that same Gold was slain To
prove Anger GReat Alexander who in 's angry mood Kill'd Clitus his old Counsellor and good And Dionysius who orecom'd with rage Stab'd to the heart his most indulgent Page Periander who with furious anger led His most dear Wife unkindly murdered To prove Drunkenness THe Tyrant Dionysius whose delight In too much drinking caus'd him lose his sight Aruntius who in beastly drunken fit With his own Daughter incest did commit And Ptolomy who with excess opprest Slew both his Parents and di'd like a beast To prove Disdain GReat Anthony who caused Tullies head Be set to scorn when Cicero was dead Xenophon Demosthenes and Plato wise Who each to other did strange scoffs devise And Geta and Antonius brethren born Who each kill'd other through their private scorn To prove vain Delight SArdanapalus pleasures true sworn guest Who from a man was changed to a beast Xerxes who unto none would give his Treasure But t' such as could invent new kinds of pleasure Demetrius who to pleasure was so given That from his Countrey he was forc'd and driven To prove Lust QUeen Cleopatra whom her brother us'd And both her husband and her self abus'd Thalestris who did twenty five dayes ride To ly one night by Alexanders side Claudius who of his sister made no spare Semiramis who us'd her Son and Heir To prove Blasphemy PHerâ—cides who did great God despise Then eat with Lice most miserably dies Lucian the Atheist likewise God deni'd Who torn by Dogs in pieces justly di'd Justinian who did sleightly God regard Became a fool and di'd with that reward To prove Idolatry THey brought so many for to prove this same That I admir'd and therefore cease to name All these said Judas ready are to prove The English Nation do imbrace and love All these forenamed sins and Millions more As well as we who damned are therefore The old World of Gods Justice yet can tell Ninivie and Babylon can witness well Thus Sodom and Gomorrha tokens bear That by his Justice they consumed were Nay his beloved people can declare How that Jerusalem he did not spare And Judahs Lion yet can testifie Gods Justice spar'd not him but he did die And is it just that this so sinfull Land Should find more favour flourish still and stand If that his Justice he hath quite forgot Then let him favour us we feel it not Or if his Mercie hath o'r-drown'd it quite Then let him turn our Tortures to delight Or else impartial alwayes let him prove And not for sin some punish and some love I wish some of that Land were in this place That we might plead our causes face to face Then spake my Guide I here have brought a man The Poets plea for his Native Countrey To answer for his Countrey what he can With that prostrated on the ground I fell Said I These vvitnesses are all of Hell Therefore according to our English Laws I might except against them and their cause But great Celestial Saints I dare not move it For they have nothing said but they may prove it There is no sin these Hellish Fiends do name But in our Land abundantly the same Doth over-run it yet God doth not will For any sin a Sinner strait to kill He in his Mercy alwayes shakes the Wand Before in Justice he consume a Land Thus with the old World it is understood He sweetly dealt before he brought the Flood With Babylon Ninivie Jerusalem Sodom Gomorrah And as so with them Even so to us he hath fair warning given That by that Means we might from sin be driven For often our distressed Sin-sick Land Is scortched by the Taper of his hand And if these warnings cause us not t' renew Plague Our lives we may fear Judgements will ensue But as a Woman which at Barr doth stand Simile And is commanded to hold up her hand Then being asked what she can reply To stay her sentence that she should not die She falling down doth openly confess That as the Jury found her so no less She hath deserved death and Guilty stands Ready to suffer when the Judge commands But yet his Lordships favour she doth crave He would be pleased for to let her have The benefit of her increasing Womb Before the execution of her Doom It is not fit the Judge doth then reply For Mothers fault the guiltless Child should die Because hereafter if God send it health It may do service to the Commonwealth And therefore grants the Woman a Reprieve That till she be delivered she may live Even so I here in my poor Nations name Plead guilty and confess that for the same It stands condemn'd to th' fire and know not why It should not execution have and die But that within it is some unknown birth Of holy fruit as yet not blossom'd forth Which may hereafter if God bless 't with health Prove to Gods glory and to th' Commonwealth A special Member therefore we desire Till it be born to spare us from the fire Which being done let execution come And all the World receive the fiery doom Untill which time we trust the Lord will prove As he hath promised the God of Love And keep his Justice in his powerfull hand But pour his Mercy on us and our Land That we thereby may once again be driven To leave our sins and set our minds on Heaven The Devils Justice cry I Mercy crave And either party hope their sute to have But sure I shall obtain they shall mistake For I beg Mercy for Christ Jesus sake Whereat the Devils trembled but that face Which never yet had any spark of grace Hells Speaker Judas he began to cry God wanteth Justice if they do not die And bawling Lawyer like made such a do I think he would have bawled untill now But that St. Michael caus'd him cease his prate Teaching him Manners with a broken pate Then stood up good St. Paul who thus Disputes St. Pauls Plea Of all Jehovahs mighty Attributes He loveth Mercie though he Justice show Unto some sinfull peoples overthrow Yet is that unto some forsaken place Which is past hope and barren of all grace What though this Land in many sins abound Yet in this place they near the Gospels sound Which of it self sufficient is to gain A sinfull Soul although't be dy'd in grain And therefore blessed Saints if you consent For this time we 'l adjourn this Parliament And send these bawling faries into Hell Me thinks this English-man hath pleaded well For since it was jehovahs sacred mind To send them plagues we hope we shall them find Hereafter penitent and grace obtain Or otherwise they but prolong their pain With that the Saints did yield their full consent The Parliament is adjourned For that time to adjourn the Parliament But promist Pluto that if Mercy fail To work redress then Justice shall prevail With that the Devils were compell'd again Unto their place of everlasting pain And
Devil envying th' happiness of Men Began to sow his Tares amongst this Corn So that Brute's children they begun to scorn Each others happiness and so brought in Strangers to Rule the punishment of Sin By which unlucky dismal fatal chance Came many Rulers and much Ignorance So that ten Kings at once did Scepters sway Ten Kings at once in Britain And true Religion dayly did decay Which God in Mercy minding to repair Hath molded for old Brute a son and heir Not only for to rule the Land alone But to establish true Religion But see the Devil hath even now begun To skreen the glory of this rising Sun Doubting that if this Monarch should have peace So that his Crown and Subjects should increase He would espy his own and by and by Advance his Horns against proud Italy Revel 17. v. 16. Of which by Brute he is undoubted heir K. Heir to Italy And plant Religion and Christ's Banners there Which to prevent the Dev'll has Treason sown Such in that Kingdom yet was never known The last he plotted they have not forgot Was that most horrible Black-powder Plot But that in competition cannot stand With this White-powder Plot that 's now in hand One Plot I rather fear I might say plots Besides that show of rising by the Scots Which I commend not but condemn for Hell Is the Ring-leader to all that rebel God laid them open in that Treason Black But White strikes dead and yet it gives no crack A White Powder plot more dangerous than the Black The Peoples love which is a Prince's heart The Devil seeks to hatred to convert The Devils policy The hand is lifted up to strike us down He comes full neer my head who hits my crown The Romanists him Governour admit But as for Head they 'l not acknowledg it Papists deny the King's supremacy And certainly Men will repute him dead Who wants a Heart or is without a Head But they that take the one half of his right Would also have the rest if that they might And when they see their time will have a cast To hazard all or else to throw their last Thus by degrees this Plot he doth contrive Because things rashly acted seldom thrive But works digested with a solid brain Are never impotent or prove in vain The Plot is Sable though the colour 's White Satan 's transformed to a Saint of light And if prevention do it not withstand The platform 's laid which will consume the Land Which God fore-seeing who doth all things see Hath sent me down to tell the same to thee Knowing thou art thy King and Countries Lover And therefore I here charge thee to discover The things intended that advice may blot This later as the former Powder-plot So that by stripping naked of the thing Thou shalt do service to thy Royal King Who if he look therein may well perceive How those Arch-Traitors who did prowdly heave His Fathers issue to have overthrown Were mild compar'd with this against his own For no such danger is in open Foes As seeming Friends who Plot our overthrows But God who alwaies stands his Servants friend Returns wrath on the Plotters in the end Who having plac'd his Love upon this Crown VVill never suffer Treason pull it down Until all be perform'd as he hath willed Revel 17. 16 17. And what I prophesied be fulfilled I John have spoken it say it was I VVho never spake or writ ought prov'd a ly St. Iohn's Speech ends VVith that unto my self I came again Much wondring at the wandring of my brain Casting about me many a meager look At last a Bible in my hand I took And found each word he said was very true In both the Testaments of old and new For in the Numbers I did find it there Ch. 24 17. Of Christ the VVizard Balaam did declare Which thus unto my self I did apply If Balaam of the King of Kings then why May not our Merlin as in other things Prophesie truly of our British Kings And since the preterperfect did not fail The future without question must prevail When it is seconded by such a one As the true Prophet Christ's beloved John And seeing we fore-see the Devil's Treason We should prove Fools and quite devoid of reason If we should marry eat and drink and stand Until this Deluge overflow our Land Or stand as Statues made of helpless Lead Until our fainting body lose her Head Which being lost by Treasons poison'd Dart What hope of Safety is left for the Heart Which to prevent Great Heroes lend a hand The Poet's zeal for his King and Country Grave Senators of this our fruitful Land Nay look Great Charls and tender thine own blood Whereon depends our safety and our good As Subjects without King are nothing then A King is King of nothing wanting Men. And as good lose a man as lose his heart Which guideth all and is the noblest part Me think I hear that Zedekiah swears 1 Kings 22. 24. He presently will have me by the ears As once he hit Micaiah on the cheek VVhen by good counsel he did truly seek To save his King from fore-seen death indeed VVhich he neglecting followed with speed And yet a poor Micaiah must not fear To speak the truth for a sound box o' th' ear Then Zoilus he steps in and thus doth say I must not speak of Scripture I am Lay And 't is not lawful for a Layman's tongue To speak of Scripture or ought doth belong To State occasions Zoilus hold thy prate Each Subject hath a property i' th' State And cursed be his tongue in hateful Hell VVho knows of Treason and yet-will not tell Or will not counsel give under controul For safety of his Princes life or soul Subjects are bound to speak in these cases Or doth esteem his own honour or wealth Before his Sovereigns safety and his health Though Haman hold his tongue and all conceal Good Mordecai will his plots reveal Esther 6. v. 2. But yet I hope our Caesar need not fear A Zedekiah or a Haman here VVhich if there be all loyal Subjects then Kneel down and wish them Haman's end Amen Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos GEORGE MAY. FINIS A Dialogue between the Author and the World World WHo wrote this Book Au. A friend of mine a Poet. W. Oh then he 's poor A. Alas for wo I know it W. I care not for such men A. nor they for thee W. VVhy greatest Monarchs are in love with me For those I love I fill with wealth and store A. Yet wanting Virtue these but make them poor W. Nay wealth buyes all things A. wicked VVorld thou ly'st Thy Prince could not obtain of Jesus Christ The smallest bending of his humble knee For all the wealth and glory was in thee W. I speak of Earthly things and not of Heaven A. VVhose joy's on Earth of Heavenly joy 's bereaven W. I see thou art grown foolishly Divine A. Yea and therein more wise than thou or thine W. VVhy sayst thou so thou seest the Lawyers dare Not speake a word against me at the Bar Nor any one of ne'r so high degree The Pulpits dare not speak although they see I charge thee then obey at my command As thou dost look for favor at my hand A. Avant vain World I laugh in scorn thy solly Thy frenzy doth proceed from Melancholy VVhich doth distil from thy Earth-heavy brain Thou art half mad thy wits are in the wain They Leaden heels are nail'd to Earth below And higher things art not inur'd to know W. VVhat art thou not of Adam this my womb First gave him birth and afterwards a Tomb. A. Our Earths gross substance from thy womb we have But our best part shall never taste the Grave Th' art like the Apple given to work him evil A seeming Saint but Factor for the Devil W. VVhat was I not created before Man Declare those Attributes belongs me than A. God did create thee for the Creatures use And not to prostitute thee to abuse These are thy Attributes A Sea of Glass The worlds Attributes Pageant of fond delights Vanities Ass Labyrinth of Error Gulf of grief A Sty Of filthiness A Vale of misery A spectacle of wo River of tears A Cage of Scritch-owls Den of VVolves and Bears Whirl-wind of passions Cabbin of idleness A nest of Scorpions Deaths vast Wilderness A painted Comedy Delightsul madness Wher 's false delight but right assured sadness Uncertain pleasures Fleeting fickle Wealth Long heaviness Short-joy Unconstant health These are thy Epithetes he 's mad would have A Master to himself of such a Slave W. I 'm glad I know 't Thou shalt not have a bed Whereon to ly nor house to hide thy head Honour and Riches shall be none of thine Nor any thing that I can say is mine A. Thou art deceiv'd when thou hast done thy worst They shall be blest that are by thee accurst My Saviour said The Swallow hath a nest But not the Son of Man wherein to rest I care not for thy Riches or thy honor He 's mad so loves the World to dote upon her Love thou the Lord my Soul who sits above Thou shalt have Honour Riches Peace and Love Altiora peto Meliora spero Non est mortale quod opto G. M. FINIS