And make all cries about the Town
Join throats to cry the Bishops down?
Who having round begirt the palace,
{As once a month they do the gallows),
As members gave the fign about,
Set up their throats with hideous fhout.
When tinkers bawl'd aloud, to fettle
Church-difcipline, for patching kettle:
No fow-gelder did blow his horn
To geld a cat, but cry'd, Reform.
The oyster-women lock'd their fish up,
And trudg'd away, to cry, No Bishop.
The moufe-trap men laid fave-alls by,
And 'gainst Evil Counsellors did cry.
Botchers left old clothes in the lurch,
And fell to turn and patch the Church.
Some cry'd the Covenant, instead
Of Pudding pies, and Ginger-bread.
And some for Brooms, Old Boots and Shoes,
Bawl'd out to Purge the Common house.
Instead of Kitchen-ftuff, fome cry,
A gofpel-preaching Ministry:
And fome for Old Suits, Coats, or Cloak,
Did faints, for this, bring in their plate,
And croud as if they came too late?
For when they thought the Cause had need on't,
Happy was he that could get rid on't.
Did they coin pifs-pots, bowls, and flaggons, 565
Int' officers of horse and dragoons;
And into pikes and mufqueteers
Stamp beakers, cups, and porringers?
A thimble, bodkin, and a spoon,
Did ftart up living men as foon
As in the furnace they were thrown;
Juft like the dragon's teeth b'ing fown.
Then was the cause of gold and plate,
Th' brethren's off'rings, confecrate,
Like th' Hebrew calf, and down before it 573
The faints fell proftrate, to adore it;
So fay the wicked----and will you
Make that farcafmus fcandal true,
By running after Dogs and Bears,.
Beafts more unclean than calves or fleets? 580
Have pow'rful preachers ply'd their tongues,
And laid themselves out and their lungs,
Us'd all means, both direct and finifter,
I' th' pow'r of Gospel-preaching Minister?
Have they invented tones to win
The women, and make them drawin
The men, as Indians with a female
Tame elephant inveigle the male?
Have they told Prov'dence what it must do,
Whom to avoid, and whom to truft to?
Discover'd th' enemy's design,
And which way beft to countermine
Prefcrib'd what ways it hath to work,
Or it will ne'er advance the Kirk?
Told it the news o' th' laft express,
And after good or bad fuccefs.
Made prayers, not fo like petitions,
As overtures and propofitions,
(Such as the army did prefeat
To their Creator, th' Parliament),
In which they freely will confefs,.
They will not, cannot acquiefce,
Unless the Work be carry'd on
In the fame way they have begun,
By fetting church and common-weal
All on a flame, bright as their zeal,
On wbich the faints were all agog,
And all this for a Bear and Dog?
The Parliament drew up petitions
To 'tfelf, and fent them, like commiflions, 610
To well-affected perfons down,
In ev'ry city and great town;
With pow'r to levy horfe and men,
Only to bring them back agen:
For this did many, many a mile,
Ride manfully in rank and file,
With papers in their hats, that show'd
As if they to the pillory rode.
Have all thefe courfes, thefe efforts,
Been try'd by people of all forts,
Velis et remis, omnibus nervis,
And all t'advance the Caufe's fervice?
And shall all now be thrown away
In petulant inteftine fray?
Shall we that in the Cov'nant fwore,
Each man of us to run before
Another still in Reformation,
Give Dogs and Bears a difpenfation?"
How will diffenting Brethren relish it?
What will malignants fay? videlicet,
That each man fwore to do his best,
To damn and perjure all the reft;
And bid the devil take the hindmoft,
Who at this race is like to win moft.
They'll fay our bus 'nefs to reform
The church and state, is but a worm;
For to fubfcribe, unfight, unfeen,.
To an unknown church-difcipline,
What is it elfe, but beforehand
T'engage, and after understand?
For when we fwore to carry on
The prefent reformation,
According to the pureft mode
Of churches beft reform'd abroad,
What did we elfe but make a vow
To do we know not what or how?
To fight to the laft drop of blood.
These flanders will be thrown upon
The Caufe and Work we carry on,
If we permit men to run headlong
Texorbitances fit for Bedlam:
Rather than Gofpel-walking times,
When flighteft fins are greateft crimes.
But we the matter fo fhall handle,
As to remove that odious fcandal:
In name of King and Parliament,
I charge ye all, no more foment
This feud, but keep the peace between
Your brethren and your countrymen;
And to those places ftraight repair,
Where your refpective dwellings are.
But to that purpose first surrender
The Fiddler, as the prime offender,
Th' incendiary vile, that is chief
Author and engineer of mifchief;
That makes divifion between friends,
This must be done, and I would fain fee
Mortal fo fturdy as to gainfay:
For then I'll take another courfe,
And foon reduce you all by force.
This faid, he clapt his hand on fword,
To fhew he meant to keep his word.
But Talgol, who had long fuppreft
Inflam'd wrath in glowing breast,
Which now began to rage and burn as
Implacable as flame in furnace,
Thus anfwer'd him: Thou vermin wretched,
As e'er in meafled pork was hatched;
|