The Old PROTESTANTS LETANIE: Against all Sectaries, and their Defendants, Both Presbyterians, and Independants.
Composed by a Lover of GOD, and King CHARLES.
Printed in the yeare of Hope, 1647.
The Old PROTESTANTS' LETANIE.
THat thou wilt be pleas'd to grant our Requests,
And quite to destroy all the Vipers Nests,
That England and her true Religion molests;
Te rogamus audi nos.
That thou wilt be pleas'd to censure with pitie
The present estate of our (once) famous Citie,
Let her still be govern'd by men just and wittie;
Te rogamus &c.
That thou wilt be pleas'd to consider the Tower,
And all other Prisons in the Parliaments power,
Where King Charles his friends finde their welcome but sowre;
Te rogamus &c.
That thou wilt be pleas'd to looke on the griefe
Of the Kings old servants, and send them reliefe,
Restore to the Yeomen o'th' Guard Chines of Beefe;
Te rogamus &c.
That thou wilt be pleas'd very quickly to bring
Unto his just Rights our so much wrong'd King,
That he may be happy in every thing;
Te rogamus &c.
That White-Hall may shine in its pristine Luster,
That the Parliament may make a generall Muster,
That Knaves may be punish'd by men who are Juster;
Te rogamus &c.
That now the Dog-dayes are fully expired,
That those cursed Curs which our patience have tyred,
May suffer what is by true Justice required;
Te rogamus &c.
That thou wilt be pleas'd to incline conqu'ring Thomas,
(Who now hath both Citie and Tower gotten from us)
That he may be just in performing his promise;
Te rogamus &c.
That our hopefull Prince, and our gracious Queene,
(Whom we here in England long time have not seene)
May soone be restored to what they have beene;
Te rogamus &c.
That the rest of the Royall Issue may bee
From their Parliamentarie Guardians set free,
And be kept according to their high Degree;
Te rogamus &c.
That our ancient Liturgie may be restor'd,
That the Orgins (by Sectaries so much abhor'd)
May sound Divine Prayses, according to th'Word;
Te rogamus &c.
That the Ring in Marriage, the Crosse at the Font,
(Which the Devill & the Round-heads so much doth affront
May be used again, as before they were wont;
Te rogamus &c.
That Episcopacie us'd in its right kind,
In England once more entertainment may find,
That Sects and lewd Factions may goe downe the wind;
Te rogamus &c.
That thou wilt be pleased againe to restore
All things in due order, as they were before,
That the Church and the State may be vexed no more;
Te rogamus &c.
That all the Kings friends may enjoy their Estates,
And not be kept as they have been, at low Rates,
That the poore may find comfort againe at their Gates;
Te rogamus &c.
That thou wilt all our Oppressions remove,
And grant us firm Faith & Hope, joyn'd with true Love,
Convert or confound all which Vertue reprove;
Te rogamus &c.
That all peevish Sects, that would live uncontroul'd,
And will not be govern'd as true Subjects should,
T'new England may pack, or live quiet i'th'old;
Te rogamus &c.
That gracious King Charles, with his Children and Wife,
Who long time have suffer'd through this Civill Strife,
May end with high honour this naturall Life;
Te rogamus &c.
That they who have seized on honest mens Treasure,
Onely for their Loyaltie to God and Caesar,
May in time convenient find measure for measure;
Te rogamus &c.
That thou all these blessings upon us wilt send,
We are no Independants, on thee wee depend,
And as we beleeve, from all harme us defend,
Te rogamus, &c.
From all Sects and Schisme, and all false opinions,
From Brownists, from [...]amilists, and from Arminians,
Which long have molested the King and's Dominions
Libera nos andi nos.
From John Presbyter and James Independant,
(Who are to catch others in malice transcendant)
Who still stir up strife and would ne'r know an end on't,
Libera nos, &c.
From Burton, from Bastwicke, and Pryn, which (O wonder)
All suffering alike (by that Law they liv'd under)
Are since in opinions so farre stept asunder,
Libera nos, &c.
From wicked Church-spoylers and Villains, that makes
The House of Gods worship as vile as a Jakes,
And from it all ancient true Discipline takes,
Libera nos, &c.
From fat-belly'd Peters (that letcherous Goat,)
Who though in the Pulpit he opens his throat,
Yet will in a Tavern take up a Whores Coat,
Libera nos, &c.
From all preaching women, and expounding Weavers,
From Broom-men and Goblers, who do their endevors,
To draw to their Conventicles honest Beleevers,
Libera nos, &c.
From all Anabaptists, and their re-baptizing,
From new Directories, and new catechizing,
From Ministers who doe affect temporizing,
Libera nos, &c.
From zealous Free Quarter and Aegyptian lending,
From Plunder that is not accounted offending,
From those that desire of our gettings the spending,
Libera nos, &c.
From ayde of the Scots, or any such need,
From all who doe make more haste then good speed,
From a two hundred thousand pound passage or Tweed;
Libera nos, &c.
From the mercy of Enemies late reconcil'd,
From the beds of women who have been defil'd,
From an honest man fathering a knave-gotten child;
Libera nos, &c.
From all factious Rebels and perfidious Traytors,
From all envious Cynicks and zealous King-haters,
From all hypocriticall meer verball praters;
Libera nos, &c.
From those who have liv'd upon other mens spoile,
And have eaten that bread for which good men did toile,
That live fat and idle, like horses at soyle;
Libera nos, &c.
From unjust Committee-men and false Excise-men,
Who after mens Livings are use to prise men,
And yet to the world appeare wondrous precise men;
Libera nos, &c.
From poling Projectors (the bane of a Nation)
From new-found devices to cause our vexation,
From the covetous forme of a new Corporation,
Libera nos, &c.
From over-growne Parliaments and Ordinances,
As Zani's (to Statutes) to play with mens fancies,
Thus bringing fond fooles into phantastick trances;
Libera nos, &c.
From hatred and malice, and treacherous words,
From Guns and Poleaxes, from Pikes and from Swords,
From Ladies that play fast and loose with their Lords;
Libera nos, &c.
From Prisons and Hospitalls, and such like things,
Also from the causes which thither us brings,
From any mans anger, but chiefly the Kings;
Libera nos, &c.
From Bailiffes, from Sergeants, and their subtle Setters,
From mercilesse Creditors, and unjust Debters,
And from Harry Walkers Kings (counterfeit) Letters;
Libera [...], &c.
From all lying spirits, whose onely [...]ion
Is bent to the furthering strife and dissentor,
From all such false knaves whom I lately did mention;
Libera nos, &c.
From Blasphemy, Sacriledge, and foule offences,
From forraigne invasions and home-bred pretences,
Which hath put mad England to needlesse expences;
Libera nos, &c.
From hell-bred Incendiaries, which now of late
Hath wrought so much mischiefe both to Church and State,
From those who wish fighting were nere out of date;
Libera nos, &c.
AMEN.
FINIS.