ANGLIAE PECVLVM. OR ENGLANDS LOOKING-GLASSE.
O Come and aid mee, teach me to indite,
Inſpire my Muſe, inſtruct me for to write,
Come all you ſiſters of the ſacred nine,
Infuſe in me, your vertues moſt divine;
Bow down the branches of Parnaſſus bow's,
And give me thereby ſtrength to tell my vows
Afford me favour (that I may go on)
To taſt the waters of ſweet Haelicon.
I undertake to tell of civil wars,
Of ſuch diſaſters, and diſtracted jarrs,
I tell a ſtory Tragi Comicall:
And ſing the praiſes of my Generall.
I do preſume a little, now and then
To tell the acts of Englands worthy men
Although in weaknes, willing am to ſhow,
How much affection, England I do owe,
What great regard my inclination bears
Unto its noble and renowned Peers:
With what reſpect I labour to preſent
My duty to the Houſe of Parliament:
And theſe Committees, ſet for to attend
All grievances: I alſo recommend
(Without deceit, of my impartiall pen)
The endleſſe vertues of ſome martiall men.
I ſhew the ſufferings of a glorious City,
Their vaſt expences, and their endleſſe pity:
I tell the travells of thoſe deep divines,
Too high a task, for my unlearned lines:
I do invent a ſecond way, and ſet
A Glaſſe before thee, wherein I do let
Thee ſee ſuch things, though by•econd fight,
As cannot well be repreſented right,
I do report the praiſes of the day,
When Mars ſet meetings, and I truly ſay,
I undertake to tell thee with my pen:
The actions of ten hundred thouſand men.
Nor is this all, my running pen denotes
The famous Lords, commiſſioners for the Scots
With their aſſiſtants, morall, and divine:
A glance of each, within this glaſſe of mine,
My travels do extend themſelves, as farre
From hence, as to the fixed North pole ſtarre,
A triple travel do I alſo take,
And in that Iriſh Iland Journey make,
This is a labour for a larger wit,
Excuſe me therefore, if I fail in it.
It was the yeer ſix hundred thirty nine,
When firſt we ſaw theſe evils to incline:
This angry ſtorme aroſe firſt in the North,
And thence its force in violence ſent forth,
Till it infected Englands banks about,
From Eaſt, to Weſt, the South, and North throughout,
That Iriſh Iland which I treat upon
Was likewiſe bent in this combuſtion,
A threefold cord in ſuch a curſed cauſe,
So ſtrongly linkt to overthrow the laws,
Subjects of one united Diadem,
As if their Soveraign had invited them,
All were combin'd, and in this baſe deſigne,
As is apparent in this glaſſe of mine.
Two mighty great incendiaries meet
In this rebellion, each another greet,
A skilfull, cunning, curſed Machiavil.
Joynd with the wiſdom of Achitophel:
The one a Depute, meerly ſet aſide,
To ruine all, by Diabolick pride.
The other was, chief Metropolitan,
Within whoſe breaſt this buſines began ▪
Theſe were the men who undertook the thing,
Pretending all in honour of the King:
Did lay aſide the loyall bond of peace:
And priviledges of the preſent place;
Forgot the glory of the great Creator,
This Prelat who ſhouldſt prov'd a Mediator,
Joynd with this Iudas, in his Maſters caſe
For to betraid him, in his very face,
But yet behold, theſe Machiavilians were
For all the wicked waies they could prepare,
Found out, and forc'd for to imbrace the end
They did for others treacherouſly intend,
They ſought to curb the honour of that God,
Who did prevent them by his angry rod:
Strove to deſtroy Religion, in pretence
That all was for Religions defence:
This is the work I undertake to write,
O! give me knowledge, and a perfect ſight ▪
Of ſuch aſſiſtance, as I ſhall deſire,
In flame my Muſe with that Coeleſtiall fire,
Which ſhall afford me, what I ſtand in need,
And what ſhall ſerve them, who deſire to read,
According to the nature of the thing:
O! add ſome ſtrength unto my feeble wing.
That I may fly, before my feathers tire,
To tell the truth, where only I aſpire:
And for to ſpeak in order, let me enter:
Firſt, at thoſe worthies, who did give adventure,
In legall manner, with a mighty hand,
Thoſe Potentates, and plots for to withſtand:
See how the God of order did them bleſſe,
Who ſought by order, and prevented this:
They cald a counſell of the higheſt kind,
There to aſſiſted, by their Soveraignes mind,
And by conſent of the imperiall power,
Committed theſe Confederates to the Tower,
But they had done the worſt that they could do,
According to the bad intents of two:
Had turnd the juſt intentions of the State,
To be conceiv'd, cauſe of their Soveraigns hate:
Had ſet the Nations all three, by the ears,
Sweld up their hearts with jealouſies, and fears,
Till in the end, they were arraignd, derided,
Accus'd, condemnd, and both of them beheaded
Yet did that ſeed, which they had ſown about,
Spring in ſuch plenty, and did take ſuch root:
That like thoſe trees, whence are the branches lopt,
Or as thoſe weeds, the oftner they are cropt,
Increaſe the more, ſo did thoſe rebels riſe,
Like moats into the Sun, before our eyes,
But here's their craft, their Soveraign they incenſe,
He muſt ſuſpect his Parliament, go hence,
They do perſwade him, if he will deny,
The royall preſence of his Majeſty:
Their was no Law to authorize their actions,
But that they would diſſolve in ſudden factions,
This was the doctrine that they taught the King
Although there was no warrant for ſuch thing,
For notwithſtanding ſtatutes do ordain
Kings to confirm, yet are they not in vain:
Although their Soveraign contrair to that truſt
The Laws allow him, ſhun them through his luſt
But as the members without a head muſt fall,
The King and Subjects, are reciprocall.
Yet Kingdoms can be ruled, by a thing
Calld Civil Laws, albe't there be no King;
But will you tell me? can a King do ſo,
Without a Law? or rule aright, or no)
No, no, a Law without a King can be,
But Kings without a Law, you cannot ſee,
It is much ſafer to enjoy a Law
Without a Soveraign, if he will withdraw,
Then if a Land be ſubject to that cruel
Command of Kings, where is no Law to rule:
But as the body's joyned with the mind,
And as the tree is coupled to the rinde ▪
So ſhould the Soveraign, and the Subject too,
Agree in one, do what each other do.
But this was that, which they tell him, he muſt
Or do, or elſe he nothing hath to truſt:
Vpon ſuch bad inſtructions, he retires,
Forſakes the Counſels, and the juſt deſires
Of his ingenuous Court of Parliament:
Which did provoke, a fearfull detriment
Unto his Highneſſe, and that dignity
Which doth belong unto his Majeſty ▪
For his great Counſel, by his high command,
Kept conſtant meetings, with a mighty hand,
And by his Law, did iſſue out their orders
In every corner of the Kingdoms borders:
Requiring thereby, ſubjects to ſubmit,
And render due obedience unto it:
And to give ſtrength unto their juſt intents,
They raiſed Armies by commandements:
For to regain their gracious royall prince,
To vindicate their honours, and convince
Thoſe errors, which were in their King inſpir'd
And this was that they conſtantly deſir'd:
But yet one paſſage muſt I not forget,
Into its higheſt nature to relate.
They do incenſe, to make the breach the more,
Their Soveraign, for to approach the door
Of Parliament, and there would take the embers,
Deſtroy the body, cutting off the members:
Accompanied with proud pernicious foes,
Call'd Cavaliers, from whence their name aroſe:
This was their plot: more hatefull to be held,
Then was that powder treaſon paraleld:
For that was by our enemies abroad,
But this by thoſe confeſt the ſelf ſame God:
That was by powder, to diſpatch with ſpeed,
All in an inſtant: hereby might they bleed
Above an Ocean, iſſuing every day
Forth from their ſides, who I dare truly ſay,
Sought by all means for to maintain the ſence
Of ancient ſtatutes, and their Kings defence:
O! higheſt, horrid, maſſacre of hell,
It makes me tremble, when I ſtrive to tell:
But am reviv'd, O! how my ſpirits fill
With joy and gladneſſe, when I ſaw this ill
So wiſely ſhund: O! but a ſecret hand
Of power divine, did do't I underſtand,
But hereupon our Soveraign thought it right
Himſelf for to ſequeſtrate from the ſight
And preſence of this higheſt Parliament;
Inſpir'd with fury of fierce diſcontent:
Then as the child, who ſees an angry Father,
Or like ſuch loyall loving ſubjects rather,
Or like the chaſt imbraces of a ſpouſe,
Who prayes, perſwades, ſolicites, and ſhe woes,
A wilfull husband, when he will divorce,
Or her abandon, or which may be worſe,
Accuſe her of a breach, and urge upon her
Thoſe inſolencies of a baſe diſhonour:
She ſtill purſues, importunes, pleads, and ſpeaks,
And on her knees, ſubmiſſively ſhe ſeeks
To reconcile her thoughts to his again:
But all her time and tears are ſpent in vain:
Theſe free-born ſubjects, like to thoſe, I ſay,
They ſeek their Soveraign, and they humbly pray:
They do petition, and they call on high
Upon the maker of his Majeſty:
Into whoſe hands the hearts of Princes be,
He would be pleaſd to move him, let him ſee
Their zealous hearts, with what affection
They would ſubmit unto his ſacred throne,
If he would pleaſe but condiſcend to ſtay,
And ratifie thoſe actions, which ſay they,
Shall be determin'd, after to the lawes
In former times, in every point, and clauſe:
The priviledges of your Majeſty
Shall be eſtabliſht in a high degree:
We will contrive as lines of law ſhall lead,
Your Highnes ſhall corroborate, as head.
But all is nothing, lo, he ſtops his eare;
Retires himſelf, and leaves them ſitting there:
Conveens huge Armies, on a fair pretence,
That all was for his perſonal defence.
Then in the wiſdom of that Councell great,
Which was eſtabliſht in its proper right,
Whence he remoov'd, they ſent an army out
For to defend the faith, its foes to rout:
Their banners were bedect with holy phraſes,
And in their marches ſung their maſters praiſes:
And to prevent more imminent miſchief,
They went and waited for the next relief:
Had no commiſſion, if conceiv'd aright,
But to defend, not to inforce a fight:
Elſe had they often, if not ſo reſtraind,
Reduc'd theſe ſad diviſions which remaind.
They were commanded by that famous Lord,
Who by the leaſt neglect, did not debord.
The firſt, or great encounter which was ſeen,
Was by Edge hill, ſo nam'd, or Kenton green:
'T may be ſome meetings fortun'd for to fall
Between two parties, which I do not call
To mind; but here the onely place was ſet,
Where theſe two Royall armies fiercely met:
It was the year ſix hundred forty two,
The twenty three October, when they do
Draw up their forces, on the Sabbath day:
I was a witneſſe, therefore dare I ſay;
I will not ſeem ſo partiall with my quill,
For feud, nor favour, nor for no mans ill,
But will declare ſuch as I then did ſee,
Or as my charge ſometimes permitted me:
The royall preſence once prepar'd, approach'd,
Vnmounted from his horſe, or elſe uncoach'd:
Gave orders to his chief Commanders then,
To ſhew themſelves couragious, valiant men,
This did I hear by true report, and I
May well avouch, they, herein do notly:
Then with the ſound of trumpets, and the noiſe
Of Drums, and Canons, and a mighty voice
Of Souldiers threatnings, thirſting after blood,
Did cover all the fields, as a cloud;
Came on, gave fire, purſued, and they ſet
Themſelves at worke; and were as fiercely met:
For though we had not orders to purſue:
Yet muſt they not tryumph, I tell you true;
Their banners were with wickednes adornd,
Our holy enſignes ſinfully they ſcornd:
Yet once ingag'd ſincerely I proteſt,
They fought with courage, while the battel laſt,
But was conſtrained for to give us ground,
As by their abſence in the morning found:
Fled from their peeces, left their dead behind them,
And at ſuch diſtance as we could not find:
The royall Standard, this day did we gain,
Lord Lindſey Gen'rall in the field was ſlain:
Took divers Enſignes, placed them to fly
As Emblems, Trophees, of our victory:
With certain thouſands of the vulgar ſort,
Which were deſtroyd, yet they, for to be ſhort,
Conceiv'd a ſhadow of a ſecond ſtrength:
As broken reeds, which faild them: in the length
Approacht in preſence of fair Londons walls,
Expect relief; but liſten what befalls ▪
For on another Sabbath day they ſought
Advantage, but it treacherouſly was wrought:
Becauſe they had a conference between
Their chiefeſt men, and ours, and we did mean
Upon the paſſing of each faithfull word,
That none ſhould dare for to unſheath a ſword:
Yet notwithſtanding that they had ingag'd
Upon a treaty, and their honour pledg'd;
On this pretence they did approach, and are
In armes at hand; bad ſtratagem in Warre:
To ſtain their honour, or to violate:
The truſt impos'd, ſhould be immaculate.
But what advantage gaind they by this act?
Their mighty Army very nigh was ſackt:
For had they not in ſecret of the night,
As formerly, returned while they might:
Their many thouſands, both of Horſe and Foot;
And in the which they truſted, were ſo ſtout,
Were very like to be confounded then,
Such was the minds of our heroick men:
For they confided, firſt, to find ſupply
From out the City, elſe had they not come nigh.
But all their plots were diſappointed, ſo
That they were glad with greedines to go:
For London long'd their Soveraign to enjoy,
But ſhund to let them enter to deſtroy
Themſelves, and ſhopps, their houſes, and their ware:
No, they reſolv'd they ſhould not enter there.
Thus muſt they march: to make the matter worſe,
They preſſe the people; and they plunder horſe:
They do pretend they ſeck the Subjects good,
As innocents, they ſhun to ſhed their blood.
The Papiſts have preheminence at Court,
And Jeſuits have Jeſus, to be ſhort:
They pray unto thoſe Idols, but pretend
The Proteſtant profeſſion they defend:
Their God is blind, ſo are they alſo too;
He cannot help, nor know they what to do:
This God of theirs deceives them, yet will they
Create a new Creator every day;
Such means as thoſe they uſe to move the people,
And rings Religion out of every ſteeple:
They make a proceſſe in impious actions,
And ſtrive to bring the Common wealth in factions:
The ſcope of all their carriage abroad;
Hath prov'd but high deriſion to God:
For whatſoever from the ſource was ſent
Of good Religion, with a ſtrong intent:
They trod it under footſteps, and did fly
The happines of true divinity:
Thus did they ſpend the power they did contract
To ruine Goſpel, bring the beſt to wrack:
For let me ask, as one who hath an eye
And pen, free of impartiality:
What did they do in all their great proceedings?
Or what perceive you in your by paſt readings?
'Tis true they ſought, and manfully did ſtand;
But it was moſt becauſe of good command:
And ſo they rangd in moſt unruly kind,
With ſtretcht out armes, and irteligious mind:
Till at each meeting, by the ſword, or power;
We took them captives, or we did devour ▪
The chiefeſt of their Champions, uncontrold;
Which made their armies by their preſence bold
Yet notwithſtanding that they are ſo ſtout ▪
The Chivalry are ruind, and the foot
Are forc'd to fly, or in the end muſt yeeld,
But for the moſt part was an equall field:
I attribute, next, to th'Almighties hand
As I have ſaid, all to their wiſe Command;
For had they not, that high renowned Scot,
Surnamed Ruthen, Earl, a man of note,
Their Generall; and of that Nation many
As brave Commanders, in the world as any,
Beſides, their high determinations ceaſe,
When they perceive their richeſt ſpoils decreaſe:
Their hands did fail them, and their hearts relented ▪
It was too late, or elſe they had repented.
They knew the cauſe wherein they had been bent,
Was contrary to the Laws commandment:
And that they had no warrant from the Word
Of God, nor did it privilege afford,
Unto their perſons for to interpoſe
Between their Soveraign, and the ſeed of thoſe
Who were elected, in a legall band
As one united body, for to ſtand.
And now you ſee, when power is in our hand
By full Commiſſion, abſolute command,
How they are vanquiſh'd, Towns regained, ſo
But if you ask me how, I do not know.
Thus from this place of powerfull reſidence
To that, where Phebus leaves his influence;
Both Towns, and Countrey, once, which did ſubmit,
Were gaind into obedience of it:
Of it, I ſay, which ſhould our actions guide,
And from the which, our thoughts ſhould never ſlide.
Likewiſe their ſtrength, extended to the North,
Throughout the Kingdom, reached over forth;
But by the way, oppoſed were by might
With multitudes, and millions in their ſight;
That all were as, the ſtubble to the fire,
Or as the duſt which from the winde retire.
Some were confounded, others forc'd to fly,
Their bodies wounded all were glad to cry,
And beg for pardon, ſafe it were thoſe Prieſts
And Jeſuits, who counted all but jeaſts
Till they were routed, totally, and then
They ſaw their Gods, were given prayes to men.
This did expreſſe the providence, and wit
Of prudent Eſſex, who appointed it,
By vertue of, His Warrant from his hand,
Which gave all others, abſolute Command
As high, immediate, onely Generall:
Nor do I ſeek to derogate at all,
From thoſe, whoſe actions were approv'd to be
Heroick, noble, vertuous, yet let me
Without offence, give every one their own,
Nor give my Generall, but what well is known
To be, and is, and ever ſhall be due,
His proper pow'r, I will a vouch it true,
Yet this is not the ſcope of my intent,
My pen importunes, and my Muſe is bent
To take her flight fair Albion throughout,
From Eaſt to Weſt, its borders round about;
Nor reſts ſhe there, but lo my Muſe ſhe muſt
Travers the waters, and in ſecret thruſt
Her ſelf, amongſt ſuch as count nothing juſt;
But what's invented by their wicked luſt.
And what by them is acted, and reſolv'd,
Though they themſelves, are thereby much involv'd
In wofull ſin; yet they forſake with ſhame
The noble title, of a I oyall Name.
They do deny the pow'r, and vertue too
Of Covenants, and this they likewayes do
Deny the truth, nor will they entertain
A Triple Crown, but labours to ordain
By private factions, what they think is fit,
According to their diabolick wit:
And this they call a Covenant, becauſe
They covenant, to contradict the Laws:
Lay's truth aſide, forſakes the God of peace,
Abandons vertue, wickedneſſe embreace.
They cut the throats of ſuch as are not Rebels,
And will not bow to their pernicious bables.
Thus have they run, and rang'd, five falls almoſt,
Triumphed o'er poore Proteſtants, and croſt,
Yea, and tormented, Innocents, and ſuch
As had not knowledge to diſcern, nor which
Was good, or bad, was right or wrong, nor what
Was to be choſen, or be aymed at.
All were alike in their polluted hearts,
They pierc'd the ſides of Infants with their darts:
Began, go on, and entertains a war;
And thoſe are they, 'gainſt whom this Nation are
So well ingag'd, and daily doth ſend over
Supplyes of all things, them for to recover;
What vaſt expences, in a boundleſſe meaſure,
Enough to have exhauſted Chryſus treaſure.
Millions of men, and multitudes in ſtore,
The more is ſpent, they ſtill imploy the more:
And all is furniſh'd, by this famous place,
The Metrapole of England, and the grace,
Yea, and the glory, of the worlds delight,
For ſumptuous buildings, wonders to the ſight.
To what ſhall I endeavour to compare
The excellencies of this place ſo rare?
Whoſe beautie ſhines, whoſe glory is ſo great,
That I ſhould rob it, of its proper right,
If I ſhould lay it in the Scales to try
If any be of ſuch equality;
But what my Muſe, are theſe the news thou brings?
Canſt tell us nothing, but ſuch dolefull things?
As Kingdoms ruins, nothing but of war,
And what is worſe, if any worſer are:
O, yes, the waters are abated much,
The evils are not now ſo bad; but ſuch
As thou mayſt ſee, the deep deluge is dry,
The Ark is opened, and I can eſpie
A peacefull Dove, tranſporting in her bill
An Olive branch, directed by the will
Of that divine, high wiſdom of that God,
To tell them this, who in the Ark abode,
The floods are fled into their former bounds;
We can perceive the waters from the grounds:
The Sun doth ſhine, diſperſed are the clouds,
The ſtormes are calm'd, abated are the floods.
The Ark of England, doth in ſafetie ſtand,
The Creatures enjoy a peacefull Land.
Now are we fully ſatisfide, and more
Then ever we could be at all before,
That this deſtruction was by divine Hand
To waſh away the wicked from the Land.
For was not God derided to his face?
His Laws neglected, miſregarded grace:
Pride was become ſuperlative, and I
May well avouch, that baſe hypocriſie
Was plac'd within the very breaſts of all
Both rich, and poore; the greater ſort, and ſmall
Were all infected: and the height of ſin,
When God forbore a while, increaſt therein.
That ſhould I reckon, irreligion, lyes,
The ſin of Murther, and adulterous eyes,
Contempt, deceit, and all the ſins of hell
Raign'd in this Nation, in the which we dwell.
But now all tokens of a peacefull time,
That we are cleanſed from the guilt, or crime
Of thoſe offences, wherewith we were cloy'd;
And for the which, we well nigh were deſtroy'd.
Approach, and do preſent themſelves at hand,
And do proclaim, a quiet peacefull Land:
Our bloody battels have brought better things,
The Subjects thoughts, united to the Kings.
Our former evils, avarice, and greed,
And all thoſe ſins which heretofore you read,
Are now ſo blotted, and abated too,
That what they did before, they no more do;
So are the thoughts now of our Soveraign turn'd,
For which the Land, and all thats therein mourn'd;
That what the Subject ſought, and much entreated,
And by unceſſaut Meſſengers invited;
Yet were deny'd, now is it freely ſent
To be embraced by the Parlament.
The King and Subject now are almoſt one,
The way to make the moſt Magnifique Throne
That ever was, or in this Land hath been,
Or heretofore by any hath been ſeen.
O happie time, may I be bold to tell,
Within the which this great diſcention fell;
Which is ſo like to gain ſo great a good,
Though we have bought it dearly, by our blood.
Religion's aym'd at, in a truer kind,
If we can get them all but of a mind;
Our errours are removed, all intend
Their former frailties fully to amend;
So that the evils of our by-paſt age
Shall gain us far more faithfull privilege:
And make us further, to forſake the ſin
Which heretofore we ſo were wallowed in:
Shall make us know, whence all of us did come,
Where we ſhall bend our actions and to whom,
Shall reunite, as formerly you read.
The Members, ſo, divided from the Head
Shall move our Soveraign for to ſmile again,
And with his Subjects joyfully remain:
Shall ſtill be thought immediately the cauſe
Next unto God, that we poſſeſſe our Laws.
It ſhall ſpeak peace aſſuredly, and ſhall
Cure theſe diſeaſes Epidemicall;
Shall make theſe Nations, happie, more and more,
And thrice ſo fruitfull, as they were before.
Shall make them quite forget the evils gone,
When they ſhall ſee their Soveraign in his throne.
O what a change then ſhall our ſouls perceive,
What greater pleaſure, could we wiſh or craue?
But all our former tears for to be wip'd
Away, and we, who were extremly ſtrip'd,
Shall be made glad: and all our by-paſt grief
Be turn'd from terror, to a full relief!
Then ſhall we ſing the praiſes of the day,
Wherein we heard the Proclamation ſay,
So many thouſands ſacrificed were,
And ſhall acknowledge, we be happier
By far, then ever we did think to be.
This is my hope, what ſay you now to me?
Or to my Muſe? is this not all you would?
Or what by me, was promiſt to be told?
Then let me yet, inſiſt a little ſtill,
And pen the praiſes, with my tyring quill
Of that moſt famous, glorious City, and
Set forth its fame; ſo making great the Land
Wherein it lies, fair London which hath lent
Its treaſure to afford us this content;
They ſpeak of Sparta, for its famous worth,
And write huge volumes for to ſet it forth:
The pens of Poets and their pains are ſpent
To praiſe its glory moſt magnificent:
Not onely for the grandor of its Gates,
Nor for thoſe vertues, which the world relates,
Nor for its pomp, nor for its pleaſant walls,
Nor for its Worthies, which within it dwels,
Nor for thoſe riches, which it doth contain,
Nor yet theſe Nobles, it doth entertain,
Nor for thoſe Statues, therein which do ſtand,
Nor yet the Archyes, builded with the hand
Of Curious art, nor for its ſtreets ſo fine,
Nor for ſuch things as they account divine:
Nor for the pleaſures of its breadth, nor length,
Nor for the numbers, which affords it ſtrength;
Nor for its fame, nor for its fair renown,
Nor all the things, that can extoll a Town:
But for a Cauſe, that cannot be expreſt,
And that is this, it far exceeds the reſt.
Yet all is nothing, if I ſhall compare
This Soveraign City in its vertues rare;
It far excels my telling, or my tongue,
My enterpriſes may provoke its wrong.
The pens of Poets, have been all imployd,
And all the Muſes, have their skill convoyd
To praiſe its pomp, its pleaſures to expreſſe,
And ſing the praiſes of its worthineſſe.
Its riches, and its Nobles doth exceed
Not onely Sparta, but all parts I read:
Its ſtatues are eſtabliſhed in ſtate,
With brave triumphant Archies on each gate:
Its ſtreets in ſtraightneſſe, ſtandeth as a line,
Pav'd ſo for pleaſure, it doth purely ſhine.
It is ſo ſpatious, yet of precious ſtones,
That every place, appeareth ſumptuous thrones,
It is the Seat of all Divinitie,
And in its Learning none can come it nigh.
A place ſo praiſt, and ſpoken of, a farre,
In juſt compare, no places equall are.
Are not the eyes of all the earth abroad
Fix'd on its glory, as it were a god?
Do not all Nations labour to reſide
Within this City? which can fully feed
Far more in number, with its raireſt dainty,
Then it can harbour, ſo great is its plenty:
A place wherein, all Nations are concern'd,
So populous, and yet ſo well govern'd.
Beſides all theſe, in mornings of the Spring,
When Ecchoes anſwer, Quiriſters that ſing;
And from the ſteeples, when they ſtrain the Bells,
Whoſe melody ſweet Muſick paralels:
When all the airie branches of the trees
Are whiſtling for the multitudes of Bees:
And at whoſe wals, the Ocean once a day,
Or twice, or thrice, returns without delay,
To do it honour, and to waſh its walls;
Which having done, as ſurfeted it falls
Abake, for to imbrace its former banks,
And then returns, unto its by-paſt pranks.
That faireſt River of Renowned Fame,
Or Chryſtall Conduict, named by the Thame,
Almoſt ſurroundeth, this, ſo ſacred Citie,
That to compare with Sparta were a pitie.
And then we ſpeak of Sparta, by report,
So that ſuch contemplations, muſt come ſhort
Of ſuch a thing as herein I intend,
Although I can the full not comprehend.
Yet in compare, I muſt expreſſe ſo much
The Lacedemons never dwelt in ſuch;
Not onely for all other things, but then
It far exceeds all Cities for the men:
Nor is this all yet, one thing I muſt tell,
In which fair London, doth the world excell,
And which indeed, makes all things to appear
The more delightfull, unto all that's here.
And of it ſelf the onely joy to men,
Superlative for pleaſure now and then:
Thoſe fair Idaeas, of the femall kind,
Such matchleſſe beauties no where ever ſhin'd;
The daintie viſage fair Venetian Dames,
Are far inferiour darkned at our flames
Of admir'd features; thoſe heart-piercing eyes,
In full reſemblance of the Deities.
But Ile forbeare, I know their Sex are ſuch
They may wax prouder, if extold too much:
O fair magnifique glorious Citie thou
Art ſo exalted and extolled too
That my ſo ſhallow ſuperficiall brain
Cannot expreſſe (with ſuch a fluent ſtrain,
As is requir'd the excellencies and
The manner, method, form, how thou doſt ſtaud,
Upon the Eaſt part, where fair Phoebus riſe
There ſtands a Tower, with Crownes up to the skies
So ſtrong, ſo ſtately, each way wal'd about,
Such wealth within it, Lyons are without;
The famous Theams, which it doth ſtand upon
So arched over with a Chryſtall Throne,
That look afarre, and it appeareth there,
The Houſes hang, between the earth and aire:
And at the weſt, or other end of it,
Two palaces, where mighty Princes ſit,
Thereby the Stately monuments of Kings,
(Bedeck'd with robes, with Trophees, and ſuch things,
As ſhall remaine for glory of the place
Untill the time, that time ſhall have no race,)
doth ſtand, and with it, is adjoyn'd ſo nigh
As if it were it ſelfe, a Sanctuary,
A place appointed for a ſolemne ſeat
Where Orthodox divinity doth meet,
Between which two, the Tower and Royall Seat,
Such famous Churches ſtand in every ſtreet,
That if I erre not almoſt doth appear,
A ſeverall Church, for each day in the year:
There is the place eſtabliſh't for a throne
For Englands Soveraign's for to ſit upon,
There are the Seats of Juſtice for the Land,
And there the Scepter ſwayes in Juſtice hand,
There ſits the Counſel of that Court ſo high,
Which repreſents, a Royall Majeſty;
That every thing; conſidered, as you ſee
It no more Citie, but a World may bee,
But ſtay my muſe, where minds thou for to run?
Haſt' not forgot thy ſelf, ſince thou begun?
Thou may'ſt run out in hyperbolick ſpeeches,
But 'tis much higher then thy knowledge reaches,
Forbeare with fairneſſe, labour not too far
Be not too forward runing in the warre,
Thou mayeſt looſe thy labour and abuſe
The good intentions of thy vertuous Muſe:
Thou muſt not ſeem too curious, nor too nice,
Let it ſuffice, that thou haſt broke the Ice;
It is the mark of any wiſe Commander
In ſuch a field, not too farre to wander,
The times are dangerous, and thou walk'ſt alone
And haſt to doe with more men then with one ▪
The number's many, which thou haſt to pleaſe
And thou art object of as many eyes:
Thou haſt run over in few certain hours
The Compaſſe of three Kingdomes, and their powers,
Haſt been in all the Armies of the land
With nothing but a pen into thy hand,
Haſt travel'd raſhly, and haſt met with many,
I think it ſtrange thou didſt not ſtrive with any,
But yet retire, remember I have told thee
A hundred thouſand thouſands may behold thee,
And of them all, perchance ſome may commend it,
And it may happen ſome men be offended.
But ſend it forth unto the world to view
Crave good men mercy, bid the bad adue.