THE INTERPRETER Wherin three principall termes of State much mistaken by the vulgar are clearely unfolded.
Qui vult decipi, decipiatur.
Anno 1622.
To such as understand not the English tongue perfectly.
THat the unwise may learne to understand,
how certaine words are used in our land,
And that they may write sense whilst they remaine
in forreigne parts, or shall returne againe
(for idioms, fashions, Manners, after here,
as frendship and religion everie where)
I haue some elegancies for our tongue
observ'd, as they are used now, among
our ablest linguists, who mint for the Court
words, fit to be proclaimd; and doe resort
where Lords and Ladies couple and converse
and trade lip learning both in prose, and verse.
and by these few the docible may see,
how rich our language is, religious wee.
Time was a Puritan was counted such
as held some ceremonies were too much
retayn'd and urged: and would no Bishops graunt
others to rule, who government did want.
Time was a PROTESTANT was onely taken
for such as had the Church of Rome forsaken
for her knowne falshoods in the highest point
But would not for each toy, true peace disioynt.
Time was, a PAPIST was a man who thought
Rome could not erre, but all her canons ought
to be Canonicall, and blindly led
hee from the truth, for feare of error fled.
But now these words, with divers others more
[Page 3]haue other senses then they had before.
which plainely I doe labour to relate,
As they are now accepted in our state.
A Puritan: (So nicknamed: but indeed the sound Protestant.)
A Puritan is such an other thing
As saies with all his heart, God saue the King
And all his yssue: and to make this good,
will freely spend his money and his blood.
And in his factious and fond mood, dare say
'tis madness for the Palsgraue thus to stay
And waite the loving leysure of kinde Spaine
who gets at first, onely to giue againe
in curtesie; that faithlesse Hereticks
may tast the faith and loue of Catholiques
And Hope too. for a Puritan is hee
That doth not hope these Holy-dayes to see
And would a wasted Countrey on condition
Scorne to receiue, although the High Commission
of England, Spaine, and Rome would haue it soe:
false favours h [...]e'd not take from a true foe.
A Puritan is hee that rather had
Spend all to helpe the States, hee is so mad
Then spend one hundred thousand pound a yeare
to guard the Spanish coasts from Pyrats feare,
The whilst the Catholique King might force combine
Both Holland, Beame, & Pal [...]z to undermine,
And by his crosse-curse-christian counterworke
To make Rome both for Antichrist and Turke
[Page 4]right Catholique. So Th'empire firrst divided
By holy mothers pious plotts, (who syded
the East, and West, that shee might get betweene,
and si [...] aloft and governe like a Queene)
The Turke did great Constantinople gaine
and may winne Rome too, by the helpe of Spaine.
A Puritan is hee that would not liue
upon the sinnes of other men: nor giue
money for office in the Church or State,
Though 'twere a Bishopricke, hee so doth hate
all Ceremonies of the Court and Church,
which doe the coffer and the conscience lurch
of both the treasures. So that (covetous) hee
would not haue such as want both, better bee.
A Puritan is hee that thinkes, and saies
hee must account giue of his workes and waies,
And that whatsoever calling hee assumes
it is for others good. So he presumes
rashly to censure such as wisely can
by taking timely bribes of every man
in rich themselves, knowing to that sole end,
God and the King did them their honours send.
And that Simplicitie hath onely mounted
by vertue; but such fooles they'l not be counted.
A Puritan is hee that twise a day
doth at the least to God devoutly pray:
And twise a Sabbath goes to Church to heare,
to pray, confesse his sinnes, and praise God there
in open sight of all men; not content,
God knowes his heart, except his knee be bent
[Page 5]That men and Angells likewise may discerne,
hee came to practise there, as well as learne,
And honour God with every outward parte,
with knee, hand, tongue, aswell as with the heart.
A Puritan is hee which grieves to thinke
Religion should in Fraunce, shipwrack and sincke,
whilst wee giue ayme: And that those men should sway
the kingdom there, who made the King away
The whilst all such as helpt to croune the father
should by the Sonne be now proscrib'd the rather.
A Puritan in unadvised zeale
Could wish that Huntsmen rul'd the Cōmon weale,
And that the Kings hounds were the onely spies
for they would tell truth, as the other lyes,
He wisheth beasts were men, as men resemble
beasts: for surely they vvould not dissemble,
But vvould tell vvhere the fault lies, and hunt home
the subtile fox eyther to Spaine or Rome.
A Puritan is hee that speakes his minde
in Parliament: not looking once behinde
to others daunger, nor yet sidevvaies leaning
to promisde honour, his direct true meaning.
But for the lavves and truth doth fi [...]mely stand
By vvhich hee knovves Kings onely doe cōmand,
And Tyrants othervvise. Hee crosseth not
this man beeause a Courtyer, or a Scot,
Or that because a favorite, or soe:
But if the States friend, none can be his foe.
But if the States foe, bee hee what hee will
Illustrious, wisegrear, learn'd, hee counts him ill.
[Page 6]hee neither sides with that man nor with this
but giues his voice just as the reason is
And yet if Policie would worke a fraction
to crosse religion by a forr [...]igne faction
pretending publique good, hee'le joyne with those
who dare speake truth, not onely under the Rose
But though the white Rose and the Red doe heare
and though the pricking Thistle too be theare.
yea though the starres, the moon & sonne look on
and cast through clouds oblique aspect [...] upon
his cleer and free intentions, hee's as bould
and confident as the bright Marigould
That flatterer, that favorite of the sunne
who doth the selfe same course observe & runne
not caring though all flowers else wax seare,
so hee the golden livorie may weare.
But our free generous and noble spirit
Doth from his auncient English stock inherit
such natiue worth and libertie of minde,
as will omit no slavery of his kinde,
yet hee is ready to obey wheresoere
hee may not prejudice the truth by feare,
nor faintly seeme to shrinke, withdraw, giue way
whilst other mushrumpes doe the state betray.
Hee' [...]e not a Traytor be unto the King
not to the Lawes (for that's an other thing
men dreame not off: who think they no way can
bee Traytors unto many for one man)
But his chiefe errour is to thinke that none
[...]n bee a Traytor till law calls him one.
[Page 7]And that the Law is what the state decrees
in Parliament: by which whilst that hee sees
his Actions and intentions justified
Hee counts himself a Martyr glorified
If in this cause hee suffers; and contemnes
All dangers in his way. Nay hee condemnes
All such as Traytors be to Church and state,
who for the loue of one all others hate,
And for particular ends, and private aymes
forsake their Countrey & their conscience maymes.
His Character abridg'd if you would haue.
Hee's one that would a subiect, bee, no slaue.
A Protestant: (so will the Formalist be called.)
A Protestant is such an other thing
As makes within his heart God of the King
And as if hee did with his crowne inherite
A never-erring, and infallible spirite,
Labours to blow him up by praise of witt
And by false flatteries coosen him of it.
A Protestant is one that shakes the head
And pitties much the Palsgraue was mislead
to meddle with Bohemia, and incense
The Spanish wrath, gainst which there is no fense
That his Revenewes in the Paltz againe
were well restor'de hee wishes, so that Spaine
would take the honours of that house, and give
Mentz his demaunds, letting the Paltzgraue live▪
[Page 8]for such a favour as his lands and life,
not one except the father of [...]is wife,
That King of peace and loue dares bouldly craue.
But what is it he may d [...]spaire to haue
By meanes of th'English and the Scottish Saint
who at their pupills suit doth still acquaint
The Spanish Patron, how the first of May
Philip and Jacob make one holy day
what therefore's giuen to one, the other must
Bee sharer in: for Iames is surnam'd Iust.
And [...]o [...] this yeare by holy churches count
The Kalender reform'd hath singled out
These two most sacred saincts to wayt upon
Our Saviours feast of Resurrection,
which by the English Heathen computation
meets with May day amongst the [...]atholick nation,
And may be such a day as that for goodnes,
which some call'd [...] May day from peoples woodnes.
A day of feasting, and a day of pleasure,
A day of m [...]riage and withall of Treasure
A day of Catholique unity and loue,
which may a kinde of Resurrection moue
in our State union, almost now forgot
being buried bo [...]h by th'English and the Scot.
Soain [...] strikes betwixt, and like a Lord commands,
They ioyne their Lawes togither as their Lands.
And ioyne they will, but in despite of Spaine
making his holy day of hope but vaine.
A Protestant is hee that fa [...]ne would take
occasion from the East or West to shake
[Page 9]our League with the Vnited Provinces
to which end hee hath many faire pretences.
Our honour first for in the Greenland they
And the East Indies beat our ships away.
Our profit likewise, for in both those places
wee doe great loss▪ sustaine, beside disgraces:
And in the nar [...]ow Seas where wee are mast [...]rs,
They w [...]ll presume to be our herring tasters.
But we should ha [...] w [...]ite he [...]ings wondrous plentie,
If they would giue us two or every twenty:
O [...] stay our idle l [...]ysure, till that none
remayn'd, for them or us but all w [...]re gone.
And if [...]h [...]y will no [...] thus our humors serue,
That wee (saith hee) should l [...]aue them they deserue.
A herring co [...] wee see will make him quarrell,
w [...]at wou [...]d the man doe thinke you for a barrell?
Well could I wish these things w [...]re all amended
But greater busines now is to be tended.
Our liues, religions, liberties and lands,
vpon this nice and tickle quarrell stands,
And wee must for a fi [...]ter tim [...] attend,
else Spaine will soone this controversie end.
A Protestant is hee that by degrees
clymes every office, knowes the proper fees,
they give and take, at entrance of the place,
and at what rate againe they vent that grace,
knowes in how many yeares a man may gather
ynough to make hims [...]lfe a reverend father:
Or from the lowest civill step arise
To sit with honour in the starry skies:
[Page 10]for hee hath gone that progresse, step by step,
as snayles creepe up, where safely none can leap,
for snales doe leave behinde their silver slyme
and guild the way for falling as they clyme
A Protestant is hee that with the streame
Still swims and wisely shunnes every extreame
Loues not in pointe of faith to be precise
but to beleeve as Kings doe, counts it wise
If Constantine the great will Christened bee,
this will the white Roabe weare aswell as hee,
And in the hallowed founteyne plunge a mayne
his naked body, as if every stayne
were now washt off, and his inflamed zeale
Thirsted these waters vvhich soules sin doth heale.
Againe if Iulian will renounce his faith
this man will say iust, as his Soveraigne saith,
If he intend Religion to betray,
and yet will walke a close and covert way
Corrupting men by office, honour, bounty,
you shall finde this man will deserve a County,
By double dealing and by broaking so
That none shall thinke him ere they finde him to
Apostated; for no way so doth worke
to make a man an Atheist, Jew, or Turke
as doe Corrupted manners which lets in
a deluge of impietie and sinne.
These backt by favour and preferment may
haue power to make all error open way
and every man will censure opposition
when guilden flattry kills without suspition
[Page 11]This poysoned viall then was powred in,
when first the Church got meanes to mainteyn sin,
and now the meanes withdrawne or misimploy'd
makes all Religion and a [...]l conscience voyd,
for man that hunts for honour, wealth, or fame,
will be as those be who dispose the same.
So that no readier way there can be found
to conquer us, then to corrupt the sound
by Bribes; the worst assault that can befall
to bodies politique confounding all.
Guiftes blinde the wise. And though the Chequer bee
open and empty, as erst full and free,
yet other brybes can worke the same effect
that Mammon would: the favour and respect
of favourits, a nod or winke from Kings,
imployment, office, grace, are able things.
Besides the honour'd stile of Vicount, Lord.
Earle, Marquesse, Duke, can worke at every word
straunge alterations more then Circes Cup
In such as can no otherwayes get up.
Will hee speake truth directly? make him then
a Deane, or Bishop, they are no such men,
The wolfe hath seene them fi [...]st, their throat is surd
you shall not heare from them a factious word.
Stands he for Law, & custome of the Land?
make him an officer, give him Command.
Command where he may gaine, this will bewitch
Demosthenes, who labours to be ritch.
What is hee bold and forward? send him out
on some embassage; or imploy the stout
[Page 12]At sea or land some desperate voyage, where
they may be lost: then leaue them helplesse there,
undoe them thus. Before they had too mutch
But beeing poore, the'ile nothing dare to tutch.
This ostracisme will sure abate their pride,
And they shall give great thanks for it beside.
If hee be poore, oppresse him, shut him out
in forlorne banishment, where round about
the faithless world, hee may his living seeke,
Then no man after him will doe the like
If hee be faint, check him, or doe but c [...]de,
hee'l hould his tongue▪ and his tayle closely hide.
Is hee free-tongu'd? though serious and discreet,
Proclaime him silent: whip him through the street:
Thus whatsoe're is done, no bird shall dare
To warne the rest, till all bee in the snare.
Is hee a Rich man? then the Fleet and fine
will make him seeme (although he be not) thine.
Briefly, whatse're he bee, except alone
directly honest, (of which few or none
remaine alive) A Statist wayes can finde
By policy to worke him to his minde.
And thus the cōmon wealth may conquered bee,
The Church deflowr'd, besl [...]u'd our libertie
without all bloodshed, under the pretence
of peace, religion, loue, and innocence.
A Protestant is an indifferent man,
that with all faiths, or none, hold quarter can:
So modetate and temperate his passion,
as he to all times can his conscience fashion.
[Page 13]Hee at the Chappell can a Bishop heare,
And then in Holborne a Religious Frear:
A Masse nere troubles him, more then a play,
All's one, hee comes all one from both away.
A Protestant no other fault can spie
In all Romes bead-roll of iniquitie.
But that of late they doe professe King killing
which Catholique point to creadit hee's unwilling:
onely because hee gaynes by Kings far more,
then hee can hope for by the Romish whore.
Hee saith this onely doth the Pope proclaime
for Antichrist, because that Greekish name
doth signifie Against the Lordes annointed,
As if it onely 'gainst this doctrine pointed.
And therefore leaving this out of their Creed,
Hee in the rest with them is soone agreed.
And so the Kings part may be safe from feare,
Let God himselfe for his owne part take care.
A Protestant is hee that guards the eare
of soveraigne Iustice, so that truth to heare
hee's not permitted; nor to know the danger
he stands in, twixt the subiect and the stranger:
The plots which strangers haue, greefe of his own,
which may too late be prevented, knowne.
For thou [...]h his foes be wily wolues and foxes,
his subiects shackled asses, yoaked oxes,
yet time will shew them not to be such dawes,
As will looke on whilst others change the Lawes,
and Rob the State, Religion doe deflowre
having their Prince imprisoned in their power.
[Page 14]As Princes haue been prisoners to their owne
And so may ours too if the truth were knowne.
The liberty of will by strong affection
may be restrayn'd, which is the worst subjection.
For then the understanding will not see
But rusheth on whatsoere the danger bee.
A Protestant is hee whose good intention
Deserves an English and a Spanish pension
both for one service, and obteynes it too
By winning Spaine more then their armes could doe
with long delayes, and loosing us & ours
what lost to get againe we want both powers
And perhaps will.
Others by treaties and disputes may gaine
But wee by blowes, else old sayd sawes be vaine.
A Protestant is hee that hath no eye
Beyond his private profit, but doth lye
In wayte to be the first that may propound
what hee foresees power plotts. The solid ground
Hee nere examines, bee it right or wrong
All's one, since it doth to his part belong.
For to his part belongs to sooth and flatter
The greatest Man though in the foulest matter
And him hee holds a Rebell that dare say
No man against the Lawes, wee must obey.
His Character abridg'de if you will haue
Hee's one that's no true subject, but a Slaue.
A Papist.
A Romanist is such an other thing
As would with all his hart murther the King,
That saith the house of Austria is appointed
To rule all Christians and for this annointed
by Christs owne vicar. And they Rebells are
who dare against this house make any warre
Invasiue or defensiue Iesuits witt
And Indian gould, doe both attend on it,
And all Romes Hyrarchy doe plot, pray, curse,
And spend the strength of body, soule, and purse
to this sole end, that every state beside
may be the vassalls to the Austrian pride,
And so Rome may of both the Emperies
keep still the Civill and Religious keyes.
A Romanist is hee that sowes debate
Twixt Prince and People, and twixt every state
where hee remaines: that he by the division
may worke himselfe some profite in decision.
Or bring in Rome and Spayne to make all frends
Who having footing once haue halfe their ends.
For as the Devill since first hee got within
mans heart, keepes still thereby originall sinne
So those wheresoe're once they interest gayne
keepe all; or such a party lett remaine
behinde, assur'd to them as may procure
A relapse, when men thinke themselues secure.
Thus each disease, though cured, remaines in part
And thus the fraile flesh oft betrayes the heart.
[Page 16]Now for the rest, no Romish false opinion
Can make a Papist in the Kings dominion.
Nor absence from the Church, for at this season
Hee is no Papist that commits not Treason
Let him to Church resort, or be recusant
Alls one, hee's counted a good Protestant.
Nay 'tis a question if Guy Faulkes were one
But t'is resolv'd that Papist hee was none.
His Charact [...]r abridg'd if you will haue
Hee is Spaynes subiect and a Romish Slaue.