London looke backe at that yeare of yeares 1625 and looke forvvard, vpon this yeare 1630 / written not to terrifie, but to comfort.

London looke backe at that yeare of yeares 1625 and looke forvvard, vpon this yeare 1630 / written not to terrifie, but to comfort.

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Title page

London Looke Backe.

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London Looke Backe.

TO looke backe at Ills, begets a Thankefuln [...]e t [...] haue esc [...]p [...]d them: So the Children of Israel hauing d [...]y foot passed through the red Sea▪ looked backe, with a double Ioy; To see themselues on Shore, & their enemies Drovvn'd

To Looke Backe, at our sinnes, begets a Repentance: R [...]pentance is the Mother of Amendment: and Amendment leades vs by the hand to Heauen: So that if vvee looke not Backe, ther's no going forward in that Iourney to Ierusalem.

To looke Backe at an enemie, from whom wee flye; Calls vp Hope, and Feare; Hope to out-runne him, Feare to be ou [...]r-taken: Hope to fight with him agen, Feare neuer to fight more. To looke backe, strengthens wisedome, to looke forward, armes Prouidence: and lendes eyes to Pr [...]uention.

What Marriner hauing gotten safely by a Rocke, but with a liu [...]l [...] spirit lookes backe, and pra [...]s [...]th Heauen, for S [...]yl [...]ng by such a danger? What Generall, but at the end of a Battaile, lookes backe, on his slaughtered Souldiers with sorrow: and on his liuing Regiments, with Gladnes; What a Glory is it, to repeat the story of the fight? How such a Captaine cut a braue way to Victory with his Sword? How another brake through [Page] the Battalia's, like the God of Warre.

Looke backe therefore (ó LONDON) at Time, and bid him turne ore his Chronicles, and shew thee, that Yeare of Yeares 1625 For,The yeare [...]625. if euer there was in England, a yeare, great with Childe of wonder, that very yeare was then deliuered of that Prodigious Birth.

It was a yeare Fatall to all our Kingdomes; For▪ the Courts of our Kings,Fatall to our Kingdome. were forced to fly from place to place for safety▪ and yet the pursuing enemie, D [...]ath, tracde thē and ouertooke thē by the pri [...]ts of th [...]ir feet.

It was [...]atall (O thou Empresse of Cittiees, fa [...]re Troynouant) to t [...]ce; For (bloud shedde excepted) thou with Ierusalem, To the Citty. didst feele as g [...]ue [...] us a Desolation: eating vp, with Mariam, thine owne chil [...]r [...]n, vvith Samaria thou wert beseiged, [...] go not (like Samaria) with Benha [...]ad King of the Aramites, [...] Kings. 20 [...]. and [...]2. Kings more with him: But with a farre more cruell enemy, (the Pestilence,) and an infinite Army of Sinnes, which to this very day, fight against thee.

A more terrible Tyrant, then Benhadad (and that is Death) sayd then to thee, as h [...]e di [...] to Samaria; Thy Gold and thy Siluer are mine,1 Kings 20 5. thy Women [...] and thy faire Children are mine. O how much of the one vvas then buried in Earth, and what excellent Pieces of the other lay then defloured in Graves▪

Ioh. 6.20.With Ierico, the wades of thy Glory (O London) were broken down▪ for thy Princes tooke from th [...]e the Honour of their Chariots t [...]e Diuin [...] the harmony of their Eloquence;London ▪ generall Misery. Thy Magi [...]t [...]ates, the splend [...]r [...]f their Authority; Thy Merchants the Renowne of Commerce: Thy Physi [...]ians gaue thee ouer; Thy Soldiers [...] Cowards left t [...]ee in the open field: Thy ol [...] M [...]n went away, and thy young-men fled before thee in the [...] of their Marrow.

Reader, to Feast thee with more v [...]riety, cast [...] eye on these following verses, in which is set downe a [...] full, and more liuely Description of that Lamentable Time.

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This was that yeere of wonder, when this Land,

Was Ploughed vp into Graues, and graues did stand

From morne, till next morne, gaping still for more.

The Bells (like our lowde sinnes) ne're giuing ore.

Then, life look't pale, and sicklier then the Moone,

Whole Households, well [...]'th morne, lying dead at Noone.

Then sicknesse was of her owne face affrayle,

And frighting all yet was her selfe dismayde:

LONDON was great with childe, and with a fright

Shee fell in labour — But O pitious sight!

All in her Child-bed Roome did nought but mourne,

For, thos who were deliuer [...]d were still-borne.

The Citty fled the [...], for those Bells

Which calld the Church man, rung his neighbors knells:

The Citty fled the Citty, a [...]d in feare,

That enemy shu [...]'d who me [...] her euery where.

The Citty so much of her Bo [...]y lost,

Th [...] she ap [...]e [...]r'd [...] Ghost:

Paules Or [...]ans (th [...]n) [...], to call

This day a Qui [...]

Who yesterday sate [...] me

To morning [...], yet [...]re they got home,

Had To [...]ens [...] th [...]m [...] they should no more

Heare A [...]th [...]s there They we [...]e to goe before

Him, to whose [...] Anthems were all sung,

To instruments, which wereby Angels strung.

By this little Picture you may guesse, if that yeare of 1625. was not one of the worlds Cli [...]a [...]tericall yeares: If it bee not (to this day) more remarkeable, than any ot [...]er yeare in the memory of man, looke backe but on such Calenders, as your obseruations may set dovvne, and then be your owne iudges.

Fi [...]st, [...] (in your looking backe) remember those faynt and pu [...]gatiue Fl [...]xes, which then vvere the V [...]nt-currers, making vvay for other Diseases [Page] which immediately brake in vpon vs: How many Families f [...]ll by that Consumption! How many househol [...] carry avvay? [...] one [...] in a Thousand [...] it? Or if happily they get out of his fingers, did not a spotte [...] Feauer then presently print her Nayles vpon their flesh?

How many Bo [...]yes were by this Purueyor of Death, mark'd for Funeralls!

Our Doctors giue that young Sicknesse then as they doe this, now Reigning a fine gentleman like name, the sp [...]tted Feauer, as if it had beene Er [...]nd, the s [...]o [...]t [...]d Feauer, as if it h [...]d beene a Beautifull faire ski [...]d Sickenesse, and those Spotes, the fr [...]ckels in the face of it. But how many did this spotted Leopard set vpon, and teare in peces!The spotted Feauer.

The Physitians were modest, and gaue it a pretty harmelesse Name, (the spotted Feauer) but wofull experience made vs confesse,A kin man to the Plague. it was the direct Plague ▪ or Couz [...]n-germane to it: The spotted Feauer serued but as a By-name: The spots were the signes that hung at the Doores, but the Pestilence dwelt within.

Agen l [...]oke backe vpon that Moone, and that officious Starre,The Moon and her Wa [...]ting-ma [...]de.. waiting so close vpon her, and reade in both th [...]ir faces, w [...]at followed after.

Agen looke bac [...]e, at the sudden, and vnexp [...]cted death of K Iames:The Death of K. I. He lead the way, and Millio [...]s of Subiects followed after him; Hee dyed of a Burning Feauer but that burning went cold to a great [...]any Hearts in Christendome, [...] and it [...]uck cold to vs in England. [...] bre [...]th of [...] glittering of Bonfire [...], and [...] People hea [...]ed vs agen, with the happy N [...]w [...]s of a Glorious Sunne ris [...]n And that Sunne was the Great Charlema [...]ne, our now present Soueraigne.

The Death [...]Agen looke backe vpon [...] [...]aths of our N [...]bility: Dukes, Earles, and Lords, bei [...]g at that time snatch't from vs.

The [...] graue.Agen looke backe, on the heapes of English, th [...]n swallowed in the sea, & eaten vp in the Low-Countries. [Page] Rekcon our Losses of Men abroad, and at that time, the ruine of Men, Women, and children at home.

Al this Remembrances being thus added vp together, poynt if you can (through all the Reignes of our Kings) to any one yeare so full of wonderful mutati [...]n [...]! Such Shifting of the Windes from faire to foule, and frō foule to faire weather. Such Eclipses, and such affrighting Changes▪ and then my Penne shall be silenc'd,

But of al the changes happening that yeare, the greatest is not yet mention'd: When our Sinnes were in a full Sea, God call'd in the waters of our punishment,The great Change. and on a sudden our miseries ebb'd: Whē the P [...]stilence struck 5000. and odde in a Weeke into the Graue; an Angell came, and held the Sword from striking: So that the waues or Death fell in a short time, as fast as before they swelld vp, to our confusion: Mercy stood at the Church doores, and suffered but a few Coffins to come in: And this was the most wonderfull change of all the rest.

This was a Change,Crosses [...]. worthy to bee set ouer euery doore in Letters of Gold, as before Red▪painted Crosses stood there, turning Cittizens to runn-awayes. But a white [...]lagge was held out in signe of Truce; A pardon was promis'd, and it came to the great Comfort of all our Nation.A [...] When more than threescore thousand were [...]owen downe by the [...]yeth of time: Deaths haruest towards the end of that yeare was all most all in. Looke backe (O LONDON) at these, and on thy knees, sing Hymnes to heauen to thy th [...]n d [...]liuerance.

Tis strange to obserue, [...]para that if a Bell be heard to Ring out, and that tis voyc'd in such a Parish within the walls of LONDON, a many is dead of the [...], O what talke it breedes▪ If the next [...] two, then the Report stickes cold to the [...] Cit [...]. But if (as now) it rises to [...] the Head, and thousands fearefully suspect, they [...] bee vndone. And is there not great [...]eaven for [...]t is, thinke you? Yes there is.

For all other Infirmities, and maladies of the Bo [...]y, [Page] goe simply in their owne Habit, and liue wheresoeuer, they are [...], vnder their proper and knowne Names [...] the [...] pass [...]th onely by the name of the [...] an Ague, the Pox Fistula, &c. [...] so [...] with [...] that they [...] and King out, sometimes▪ night and d [...]y,) that sudden destroyer of Mankind: [...] Enemie. that Nimble executioner of the Diuine Iustice: (The Plague or Pestilence) hath for the singularity of the Terrors waiting vpon it, [...] title; THE SICKNESSE.

It hath a Preheminence about all others: And none being able to match it, for Violence, Strength, Incertainty, Su [...]tlety, Catching, Vniuersality, and Desolation, it is called the Sicknesse. The [...] the [...]. As if it were, the onely Sicknesse ▪ or the Sicknesse of Sicknesses, as it is indeede.

But, for all this Tyrants Raging and Rauing vp and downe this Citty; after punishment: Mercy as you heard b [...]fore, came downe: when the deluge was p [...]st, a Raine-bow was seene: Martyrdome went before, and Glory with a Crowne of Starres immediately followed.

To Dye is held fearefull: and the Graue hath many formidable shapes.

Men alive in graue.A Prisoner being drag'd to a Iayle, out of vvhich hee can neuer be deliuered, may truely call his Chamber, his Liuing Graue, where his owne sorrowes and the cruelty of creditors, bury him.

They, who with fearefull labour, maintaine life by digging vnder-ground, goe daily to their Graue; So doe all Traytors that lay traynes to Blow vp their K. and Countre [...]: So doe all those whose blacke consciences pr [...]ck them on to dige Pitts for others, into which they fall then solues.

But to open a graue as it is indeede, the graue is our last Inne,A graue Opened. and a poore wooden Coffin our fairest Lodging Roome. No: the Graue is not our Inne, (where we may lie to Night and be gon to Morrow) but it is our standing House, it is a perpetuity, our Inheritance for euer: A peece of ground (with a litle garden in it, [Page] fiue or sixe foot long, full of flowres and herbes, purchas'd for v [...] and our posterity, at the deerest Income in the world the losse of Life.

The World is our common Inne,The World a fair Inne, but il Lodging in it. in which wee haue no certaine abyding: It stands in the Road-way for all pass [...]ngers; And wither we be vpon speed, or goe slowly on foot, sure we are that all our Iourneyes are to the land of death, and that's the Graue.

A sicke-mans bed is the gate or first yard to this Inne,A Chamberline for all Trauelers. where death at our first arriuall stands like the Chamberlaine to bid you welcome, and is so bold, as to aske if you will alight, and he will shew you a Lodging.

In this great yeare of contagion, (I meane 1625.) whē the Bell man of the Citty (Sicknesse) beate at euery dore, there was one who whilst he lay in his graue (his deathbed as he accounted it:) yet afterwards he Recouered, reported to his friends he beheld strange apparitions.

He saw a purchas'd Sessions; The Iudge was terrible: In his hand,A man i [...] his Graue [...]ees strange sights. Lightning in his voyce, Thunder: After thousands were cast, and condemn'd to dye, (sayd this sicke man) I saw my selfe a Prisoner, and cal'd to the Barre: The Iudge looking sternly vpon mee, was angry:A sickmans Sessions. my offences (being read to me) were heauy, my accusers many; what could I doe but pleade guilty! And falling on my knees, with hands held vp, cry for mercy.

Teares, sighes, and Anguishes of soule, speaking hard for me, the Iudge melted in compassion, signed a repriue, sau'd me from death,The best, Iudge in England. and set me free. O in what a pittifull state had I beene else! for my conscience araigned me, my owne tongue accus'd mee, my owne guilt condemn'd mee: Yet the mercy of the Iudge sau'd mee.

In this graue I lay, my memory being dead, my Sences buried, my Spirits couered with Earthly weaknesses, and all the faculties of my soule,When men is weakest, God is strongest. cold as the clay into which I was to be turned. Yet loe! I was called out of this Graue; I quickned and reuiued: Seeing then that albeit death was about to thrust mee downe with one [Page] hand, yet life gentley pluckt me vp by the other, what did I but looke back [...] at the Horror which had beset me round! I did not onely looke backe but I looked forward at the Happinesse comming toward mee, which with spred armes I embraced: neither did I onely looke forward, but I looked vpward to heauen.A due de [...]t must be payd. Had I not reason to pay my heauenly Ph [...]sitian with an humble & hearty Thankes-giuing! I did so. Haue I not reason to put al others, (that either t [...] is yeare or in any yeare to come, shall be call'd to the same Iudgment-seat) in minde of their deliuerance!

Wee, being (at least we ought to be) Christs followers, vse as he did to giue thankes before we breake our Bread: and when we are satisfied, he is not satisfied, vnlesse wee pay him, thankes agen, thankes! that's all: Poore is that good turne which is not worth goda [...]ercy: That benefit withers, which is not warm'd by the breath of the Receiuer. Here, leaue we our [...]icke-man, well recouered, and singing holy Ditties for his restoring: Let vs now agen looke backe, and stedf [...]stly fix our Eyes, vpon the [...]errible face of that former wond [...]rfull yeare. How many in that swallowing Sea of contagion, were strucke with dreadfull Calentures, and Madnes of the Braines! Rauing, Raging and Rayling: yea cursing God to his face! And who had greater cause to Register vp his mercy, in fetching them out of such a hell, then they?

Iob. 3.3How many did then, with Iob (through the anguish of their Soar [...]s) wish that the day might perish in vvhich they were borne! Yet some at the same time being recouered did not onely not send vp prayers and prailes for their safety, but hauing tasted of the f [...]ll Cup of Gods mercy, they agen did te [...]pt, his Iustice. If Drunkards before their Sickenesse, they were ten times worse, after they were well.

They were not good, for Ioy they grevv vnto strength, but being perfectly hea [...]thfull, vvere madd in their heartes that their purses were too weake to maintain [Page] thē in their old Riots.Old s [...]r [...]s ill cured, breake out agen. What would not such haue ventur'd vpon, but that poue [...]ty gaue them Lame hands. These People had a minde to Cheate God by thinking they owed him nothing:Many men dea [...], few amended. But God stop't them in their Carrecre; for seeing no amendment in them, after they had beene smitten downe once or twice, at the third blow he struck them into Earth.

To close vp this sad Feast, to which none but Wormes were invited: let vs looke onely once more backe, at this, all-Conquerin [...] yeare, 1625. And remember that Preaching in many Churches, was in the heate of the Battails, forced to fly: Law, was at a Non-plus.

Traficke cast ouer-board, Trading in the Citty lay Bed-ridde, and in the Countrey [...]orely shaken vvith an Ague.

Remember O you Cittizens, that our Schooles then lock'd out Learning, (a wound to your children;) that your Seruants got little (a Bruze to your Family!) that your selues spent much, and many of your Stockes vvere almost vvasted to nothing: (a Mayme to the Citty) But then aftervvards on the sudden, to see all this dis [...]oynted Buildings, put orderly into frame agen! vvas there not great reason to reioyce?

When that mighty number of 5000. and odde,The [...]um [...]er that dyed in 1625. in LONDON, and round about vvere carryed on Mens shoulders to their last Home, what Glory is due to the Diuine mercy! That wee (vvho now vvalke vp and downe the Streets,) Liue! Nay, not onely liue in Health but liue! hauing been layd in deaths Lappe, full of Sores, of Feauers, of Frenzes, yet are now healed in body and cured [...]n minde.

Had euery Man, and Woman, as many voices as Birdes haue notes: All of them ought to be singing from Morne to Night, Praises, Hymnes, and Honours to this almightie Iohouah.

Are you not wearied, thus long with looking backe, turne your Heades therefore round, and now looke forward▪

[Page]Looke not (as all this while you haue done) through perspectiue-glasses, to make obiects afarre off, appeare as if they vvere neere you, but looke vvith full eyes, at those presentations, vvhich are directly now before you.

Looke forvvard as the Men of Genazaret did, who bringing all the sicke in the Countrey to Christ, besought him, that they might touch the Hemme of his Garment onely.

Luk. 7.30.Looke forvvard, as the Cananitish Woman did who cryed alovvd to Christ, saying: Haue mercy on mee O Lord, thou Sonne of Dauid; My daughter is miserably vexed vvith a Deuill. Christ sayd nothing at first: Hee put her by once or twice, but see hovv the Key of importunity, can open the very gates of Heauen! Her incessant intreaties, won [...]e him at length to say, [...] woman, great is thy faith, bee it to thee as thou desirest, and her Daughter was made whole at that houre.

Math. 25.4.Looke forward as the fiue wise Virgins did, to fill your Lampes with Oyle, and expect the comming of the Bridegroome.

When open warre is denounced against a Nation, they (albeit before they slept in security, and lay drown'd in sensuall streames) yet then awaken, they start vp, and looke forward for their armour, lest the enemy should come vpon them vnprouided.

To looke forward is to see where the fire is giuen to the Cannon, and so that weake part, which lyes subiect to battry, is fortified for resistance.

Looke forward therefore now; For now the Drumme of Death is beating vp: the cannon of the Pestilence does not yet discharge, but the small shot playes night and day, vpon the suburbes: And hath sent seauē bullets singing into the Citty. The arrowes fly ouer our heades and hit so [...]e, though they as yet misse vs; But none knowes how soone the strong Archer, may draw his Bow, and clea [...]e our very heartes▪ Looke forward [Page] howsoeuer, and looke vp with open eyes, vnder your sheildes to receiue them as they come flying, lest they peirce you quit through, & nayle you to destructiō.

This World is a Schoole, wee are Gods Schollers; Our Schoole-master has taken vp (this yeare) as yet, but the twigge of a Rodde,A wicked [...]c [...]o le, but the best Schollers. in comparison of that bundle of Roddes hee vsed in that yeare 1625. He shakes the twigg at vs, and a few (of the lower formes in the Schoole) feele the smart, but the head Schollers that sit in the higher formes, doe not as yet so much as tremble. Many are preparing to breake vp Schoole and steale into the Countrey: But take heed, and looke forward on the Booke, which your Schoole-master sets you to reade:To trewants. For if hee findes you not perfect in your Lessons; Hee is binding the Rodde in his hand, harder and harder, and bee sure (when hee strikes) to bee payd soundly.

The Bell tolles in a few places, but heartes ake in many. Is Sicknesse come to thy doore! Hath it knock't there? And is it entred? There are many good Bookes set forth, to driue backe Infection, or if it cannot be driuen away,Loue thy Physi [...]ian. instructions are giuen how to welcome it. Make much of thy Physitian: let not an Emperick or Mounti-bancking Quacksaluer peepe in at thy window, but set thy Gates wide open to entertaine thy learned Physitian: Honour him, make much of him Such a Physitian is Gods second, and in a duell or single fight (of this nature) will stand brauely to thee. A good Physitian, comes to thee in the shape of an Angell, and therefo [...]e let him boldly take thee by the hand, for he has been in Gods garden, gathering herbes: and soueraine rootes to cure thee; A good Physitian deales in simples, and will be simply honest with thee in thy preseruatiō. I neuer sat with Aesculapius at the Table; I scarce know what a Salu [...]tory-box meanes: yet [...] without asking leaue of the learned Colledge, to hang out my bill or begging licence at Surgeons hall, to seale aprobasum est vpon my Vnguents and Plaisters. [Page] I will aduenture to Minister Physicke, and Salues to any one, that in this time, is troubl'd with the Sicknesse: and my Patien [...]s in the end, shall confesse: That Gallen Hyppocrates, Paracelsus, nor all t [...]e great Maisters, of those Artes, did neuer lay downe sounder prescriptions. And heere come my Medicines martching in.

Art thou (in this visitation stricken with Carbu [...]cles, Blaynes, and Blisters, Is thy body spotte [...] all ouer? Art thou sure death bids: hee come away, by some Tokens which he hath sent thee? Be ru [...]de by me, and take this receipt; Trust to it, for it cui'd a King of Israel.

Cry out with Dauid, O Lord! Chast [...]ze me not in thy wrath▪ King Dauids P [...]ysi [...]ke. for thine Arrowes haue lighted vpon mee: There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger: neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes. My woundes are putrified; my Reynes full of burning: I am weakned and sore broken. My heart panteth: my strength fayleth me: And the light of mine eyes (euen they) are not mine owne: my Louers and my friends stand aside from my Plague, and my Kinsemen stand afarre off: Yet continue thou vvith the holy singer, and conclude thus, O Lord, hast to helpe mee.

Hovv like you, this Medicine? Is it of such vertue, that albeit, thou art sicke to thy Death: It vvill by degrees take away all thy Torments.

A Iulep.This second is a lulep to sweeten the mouth of thy Stomacke, after the bitternesse of thy sickenesse: [...]or, when by an Armipotent hand, thou art lifted out of thy death-bed; when the Bell hath ceast rolling for thee, and thy Womer-sle [...]pers leaue gaping for thy Linnen, thy goodes, and thy money: And are madde they are not likely to Rifle thy House: vvhen thou hast an appetite to eate, and that thy feete are able to walke vpon that Earth, which was hungry to d [...]noure thy whole bdoy; Then fall thou vpon that Earth, and Magnifie God. Then say, though thy sinnes in thy sickenesse made thy conscience shev a face to thee as blacke as Hell, [Page] yet seake thou to it, and tell it, that this Recouery vvith new repentance (continued) sh [...]ll make it like the vvinges of a Doue, couered with Siluer: and vvhose Feathers are like the yellovv Gold;Dauids Song set to our tune. Say to thy Soule, it shal bee as white as the Snow in Zumon, and co [...]s [...]sse that Gods Mercy is like the mountaine of Bashan: Say to thy Health, that the Chariots vvhich God sent to guard it vvere tvventy thousand Angels,Read 67. amongst whom, the Lord was as in the Sanctuary of Sinay.

Nay, albeit Death should lay his Mouth to thine Eare, and bid thee put thy House in order: For, thou shall Dye; Yet, an Isaiah (some good Mans prayer [...]) or thine ovvne,2 Kings 20.1. may bee heard, and God may Ad [...]e to thy dayes fifteene yeares more, as he did to Hezekiah, vpon his Repentance.

Repentance is a Siluer Bell,Good Men sicke and soundes sweetly in the Eare of Heauen. It is a Dyamond shyning and sparkling in the darke, to inlighten all our miseries. It is a [...] for euery vvound: It is a golden ladder by whose st [...]pp [...]s wee climbe to immortality. It is a Chayne of Orient Pearle, tying vp Gods handes that hee shall not strike vs: Repentance smelleth sweeter then the Oyntment vvhich the Woman Annoynted Christs feete▪ Luke 7 38. when shee wip [...]d them vvith her Hayre. Repentance winnes the King of Heauen, to smile vpon vs as if wee were his [...]auorites: and to say thus.

If thou still art ascending,Great [...]. and getting vp this hill of Repentance, blessed shalt thou bee in the Citty, and bless [...]d in the field; Blessed bee the fruit of thy Body, and the fruit of thy Ground, and the fruit of thy Ca [...]tle, the increase of thy King, and the [...] of thy sheepe: Blessed shall be the Basket, and thy Dough:Deut. 25 Blessed shalt thou bee when thou comest in, and blessed also when thou goest out.

Thy Land-soldiers (O England!) Shall not stand in feare [...]or thy Royall Nauy, for thine enemies that rise [Page] against thee, shall fall before thy face: They shall come out against thee one way, and fly before thee seauen wayes.

His word (that speakes this) may bee taken better then any Kings in the world: And therefore, hold out both thy hands vnder, this Tree of Blessings. and catch the golden apples when so freely they are taken downe into thy lappe.

But, if thou trample these gifts vnder thy feete, and spur [...]est at Gods fauour bestowed vpon thee,Bad seruice▪ bad wages. in thy Health, in the midst of a hot sicknesse. If the Tolling of Bells cannot awaken you, nor the opening of graues affright you▪ If Bill-men standing at other mens dores, cannot put you in minde, that the same guard, may locke vp yours, and the same red Crosses bee stucke in your Banners,: If to bee shut vp close for a Moneth, seeme but a short Saeue in a Tragedy, and not car'd for, when tis Acted; Then heare (O England and thou her eldest Daughter, so admired amonst Nations for thy Beauty.) Heare what New Quiners of Punishments will bee opened; For, these are the Arrowes which God himselfe sayes hee will draw out at rebellious Kingdomes: A Pestilence cleauing fast, Consumptions, feauers, burning Agues; The Sword, Blasting new-Dewes, Heauen shall bee turned to brasle, and Earth to Iron: Or Houses to haue others dwell in them, our Vineyardes, to haue others [...]ast them, our Ox [...]n to bee slaine, yet wee not eate them, our Sheepe to bee slaughtered, and to feede our enemies. These, and hideons squ [...]ldrons besides are threatened to bee sent out against disobedient people: What Physitians, Doctors, Surgeons, or Apothecaries, haue wee to defend vs in so dreadfull a Warre? None, not any.

If therefore with Naaman, thou wouldst bee cleansed from Leprosy,2 Kings. 5.14. thou must obey Elisha, and wash thy selfe seauen times in Iordan: Wee [...]e seauen times a day▪ Nay, seauen times an houre for thy sinnes.

[Page]Whosoeuer with Ahaziah, (the King of Samaria) falleth sicke, and sendeth for recouery of Baal-Zebub, (the god of Ekron) and not to the true God indeede,2 Kings 7. [...] hee shall not come from his bed, but dye the Death.

For,2 Kings [...].5. wee sincke to the Bottome of the watters, as the Carpenters Axe did: But, though neuer so Iron-hearted, the voyce of an Elisha, (the feruency of prayer and praysing God) can fetch vs from the bottome of Hell: And by contrition make vs swimme on the toppe of the waters of Life.

Now, albeit at the first crying to God, nay, the Second,God lou [...] an earned Sui [...]e [...]. Third, Fourth, or twentith time, hee will not heare thee; But that thy sighes are neglected: Thy teares vnpittyed: Thy sores nor repented: Thy hunger not satisfied; Thy pouerty not relieued. Yet giue thou not ouer: stand at the gate of Gods mercy still; Begge still:1 Sam. 1. [...] Knock still, and knock hard▪ For, [...] was barren, yet being an importunate suiter, her petition was heard, and signed. Shee was fruitfull, and had three Sonnes, and two Daughters.

So, albeit wee bee barren in Repentance, in Thanksgiuing, in Charity, in Patience, in Goodnes: Yet if vnfeignedly wee pray to Heauen, wee shall bee fruitfull: And these fiue shall bee our Sonnes and Daughters.

By this meanes our Ma [...] shall change her Name agen to Naomi, Ruth. [...].2 [...] ▪ and our bitternes, bee turned into sweetnes.

Art thou sicke! Thy best and onely Doctor dwells aboue: Hast thou beene sicke! Art thou amended! Fill Heauen and Earth, full of Songes to thy Eternall Physition, who takes nothing of thee, for any Eloctu [...]ri [...]s hee giues thee, His Pilles are bitter, but whol [...] some, and of wonderous operation: And so much the better, because what he giues, comes gratis?

Art thou recouered? Hast thou pluck't thy foot out of the graue,Syrack. 30 [...].14. when it was stepping in?

Then with the Sonne of Syrach, acknowledge, that a [Page] Beggar in health is better then a diseased Monarch, Health and Strength, are fairer then gold, and a sound body is an infinite Treasure.

So that, if thou doest not open thy Lippes, to Magnifie him, that hath snatched thee out of the lawes of destruction, His blessings are to thee, as messes of meate set vpon the graue.

I must yet once more wish thee (O Troy nouans) to cast thine eyes about thee: Looke forward on thy sad Neighbour (distressed Cambriage,) Sickenesse shakes her, her glorious Buildings are emptied, her Colledges shut vp, her Lourned Sonnes forsake her, her Tradesmen cry out for succour. Want walkes vp and downe her streetes, a few Rich, a many Poore; But the hands of the one cannot feede, not fill the mouthes of the other.

To thee therefore (O thou Nourishing mother of all the Citties in England) to thee (albeit thou art in some Sorrow thy selfe) does this afflicted Nource of Schollers come; What tree hath Branches broad enough to shelter her from stormes but thine? Where is a Sunne to warme her frozen Limbes if it moues not in thy Zodiack? Thou (O Queene of Citties) art Royall in thy gifts; Charity sits in thy Gates, and compassion waites vpon thee in thy Chamber; So that with Dido, thou often sayeth.

Non ignara mali, Miseris succurrere disco.

My miseries to my selfe being knowne,

Makes me count others wants, mine owne.

FINIS.

[Page]

§

§

[Page]

London LOOKE BACKE, AT THAT YEARE OF YEARES 1625. AND LOOKE FORVVARD, VPON THIS YEARE, 1630. Written, not to Terrifie, But to Comfort.

LONDON Printed by A. M. and are to bee sold by Ed. Blackmoore at the Angell in Paules Church-yard, 1630.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

London looke backe at that yeare of yeares 1625 and looke forvvard, vpon this yeare 1630 / written not to terrifie, but to comfort.

Dekker, Thomas, ca. 1572-1632.

Edition statement

1630

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A06271

ID [STC]

STC 16755

ID [STC]

ESTC S2796

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

24646668

ID [OCLC]

ocm 24646668

ID [VID]

27850

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A06271)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 27850)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1856:19)

Source

— London looke backe at that yeare of yeares 1625 and looke forvvard, vpon this yeare 1630 / written not to terrifie, but to comfort., Dekker, Thomas, ca. 1572-1632..

Extent

[18] p.

Printed by A.M. and are to bee sold by Ed. Blackmoore at the Angell in Paules Church-yard,. London :: 1630.. (Attributed to Thomas Dekker--Cf. STC (2nd ed.).) (Signatures: A-B⁴ C² (last leaf blank).) (Imperfect: cropped and faded, with loss of print.) (Reproduction of original in the Guildhall Library (London, England).)

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