THE QVINTESSENCE OF CRVELTY. AND MASTER-PEECE OF TREACHERY. THE POPISH POUDER-PLOT.
PRoud Pluto, King of darknes, Prince of th' ayre,
Became enamoured of Romes Strumpet faire;
His lustfull pleasure on her to effect,
From Hell to Rome, he forthwith doth direct
A speedy Post, to bring her out of hand,
Or'e Styxes flood, where his black-court did stand;
And Charon, hels fierce ferry-man [...]d charge
To row her o're Avernus in his bar [...]e.
To hell Shee (thus) had quick and kinde accesse,
Where mutuall-love their liking did expresse.
Strait, they enjoy'd infernall copulation,
Whose foule effects had present procreation.
A base-borne brat, Romes whore, soon bred brought out▪
An impious imp, most monstrous, proud and stout,
[Page 2] A more than Centaure strange, strong, fierce & fell,
A most mis-shapen cursed feind of hell,
A brazen-fac't, a marble-hearted frame,
A divellish genius, Treason cal'd by name.
To Lerna's poole this purple-Strumpets doom,
Was to return; where with the milke of Rome,
Infectious milk, I say, of doctrines base,
It fearfully was nurs'd, grew strong a pace.
There, there, I say, did this fierce Hydra live,
There, to this Monster, she did vigour give.
No sooner was this Off-spring of the Divell
Fraught with Thessalian-spels, pride, mischief, evil,
With Serpentine-deceit prompt to beguile,
Yea, every-way an impious viper vile;
But that his damned
The Pope.
Dam observes it well,What a sweet son she had begot from hell,
How full of wit and Acherontine-art,
Of unheard impudence to act the part
Of any most transcendent treachery▪
Of any most nefarious villany;
Him, therfore strait, she does most kindly greet,
With oft and soft imbraces,
The Whore of Rome makes her complaint to her first born Son Treason.
kisses sweet,And hony-words, calling him by his name,
Her mischief-thirsting thoughts she doth proclaim;
Wrath boyls within, revenge and furies fire,
And, thus to him unfolds her foule desire.
Fair first-born-Son, whom art and heart have made
The basis, bulwark, whence our hopes are staid,
Are firmliest founded and erected high,
Without whose skill and will, we faint and die;
Long have we in our sacred Cath'like chair,
Even we thy holy-Mother, full of care,
Sat mourning and bewailing (but in vain)
The matchlesse losse wch Rome doth (still) sustain,
[Page 3] And long, yea, too-too-long hath felt and found,
And therwith ta'ne a desperate, deadly wound:
I mean by Englands foule Apostacy,
From Peters chair to Luthers heresie;
For, since that time, no land in Europe fair,
Hath labour'd, more, our welfare to impaire,
Hath born more open and intestine hate
To our Apostolike, imperiall-State,
Than those damn'd hereticks of Britans nation,
Endeavouring daily our dire extirpation.
Alas (dear Son) tis wofull to declare,
Yea, the meer thought does me even kil with care,
To think how many mischiefs, by their fall,
Like corrasives, our heart do grinde and gal;
Yea, how they daily strive to work our wo,
Hoping t'effect our finall over-throw.
Their Scripture-goads our sides so deeply gore,
Their textuall-tortures wound our heart so sore,
That if we, timely, do them not prevent,
Romes last, least-drop of hearts-blood wil be spent▪
Ay me, I grieve to think on our great losse,
What Sums we did into our coffers tosse.
Whiles they were ours, what rents we did possesse,
What Zeal they did to Peters chair expresse,
What gain, by them, we found, strange to be spoke,
How bounteously they made our chimnies smoke!
What swarms of Friers and Nuns, even numberlesse
By them were fost'red, love to us t'expresse,
What stately Monastries with turrets high,
What Temples fair, whose steepls toucht the sky!
Did they then spare most sumptuously to build,
With reliques richly garnished and fil'd,
For holy Votaries and Virgins chast,
Whom we with Saints and Angels blest have plac'd.
[Page 4] Whose deepe devotion was (sweet Son) so great,
As it had bin our second-Sons, Spains Seat.
By them our holy-Masse, great Pluto's lore,
Was gorgeously bedeckt, him to adore.
In every city each fair wealthy seat,
Hath bin possessed by our champions great;
In every country, each most fertile soyle,
On them conferred without cost or coyl.
I tell thee (Son) this only Albions-Isle
Through daily discord, variance, fraud and guile,
Which, twixt them rais'd, for bribes, we quickly ceast,
Hath Romes revenues mightily increast.
Not specious France, nor spacious Germany
Came neer to this, for our utility.
And thinkst thou, than, I can with patience brook,
So rich a prey to be, thus, from me took?
And only by damn'd Luthers haeresie,
That turn-coat caiti [...]s matchles villany?
Shall I put-up these heavy losses so,
And ope a gate to greater over-throw?
No, no, irrevocable is my doom,
I'll be reveng'd, not cease, til they consume,
But, least too-long, with tedious ambages,
I tire thine ears, thy thoughts too-long disease,
It now behooves us forth-with to be wise,
And how to crosse and curb them to devise.
Yea, now, I see that our declining hope
Bids us not linger, nor give longer scope:
Bids us advised be and counsell take,
Intricate snares, with unheard craft to make,
On Pluto's anvil strange wiles, now to frame,
And subtil Stratagems, to work their shame,
All practises to prove, no shifts to shun,
Wherby our glorious welfare may be wonne.
[Page 5] Wherfore (sweet Nursling) ease us of this moane,
For all our hopes consist in thee alone.
In thee alone (I say) our great intent
Expects to finde a fortunate event.
So expert art thou Treason to contrive,
So apt whole Kingdoms vitals to deprive,
So exactly practis'd in thy
The Divell.
Fathers skill,So well acquainted with thy
The Pope.
Mothers will.Nimble thou art without or stop or study
To plot a mischief be it ere so bloody,
Horrid or hatefull; yea a King or Nation
To ruinate with matchlesse devastation;
To swear, forswear, couzen and equivocate,
By mine instructions rarely literate.
Then, hast with speed (Alecto be thy guide)
To Britane, big with insolence and pride;
Be it just or unjust, leave no means unwrought,
That to our ancient yoak they may be brought.
Then Romes officious, most pernicious son,
Replies but this; deare Mother count it done.
Then, like swift Tyber, without least delay,
With vultures appetite he takes his way,
To England, where to fit his enterprise,
A Priest-like habit shapes his best disguise,
A gown all garded with religious lace,
The Cath'like-cause is vizard for his face.
And marvell not, for, thus the Divell doth use,
Like Angel-bright Gods children to abuse.
And thus, within
Fauks is not heere first mentioned, as the prime Authour; but because hee was so inhumane as to be the fatall actor of this intended Tragedy, for Catesby (as is afterward showne) was the first authour of this Pouder-treason.
Guy Fauks his faithlesse brest,He harbour finds, and is a welcome guest;
A man to mischief prompt, incarnate Divell,
Swift to shed blood, active to any evill.
With envy stuft and puft, sly, malecontent,
Dissembling Sinon, double-diligent:
[Page 6] Whose name he ever changed with his place
Of residence, like Proteus various face,
Foster, sometimes, Johnson and Brown, he'll be,
To passe unknown, suspicion (thus) to flee;
His name, not nature; habit, not his heart;
He takes, forsakes, as best befits his part.
Here (now) Romes base-born brat makes no delay,
But, farther flings, works others to his bay;
Whose hearts already hankered very sore,
(Like muttering Israel) after Babels whore,
For Egypts flesh-pots, and with factious thirst,
To quaffe Romes poyson, till their bellies burst.
These doth he stir with spur of innovation,
And charms them (thus) with hellish incantation,
With high-built hopes (thus) labours to perswade thē,
And with these sly delusions doth invade thē.
The day so long desir'd, your foes to foyle,
To plunge them deep in matchlesse, helples toyl,
Is, now, comn-on, wherin base Calvins rout,
And Luthers vassals you may clean root-out
Romes wals to rear and ruins to repair,
To make her splendour shine, her beauty fair,
Her enemies triumphantly to bane,
Romes rare Religion strongly to maintain.
Straight, they, to Sinons sugred words do vow,
Theirs and themselvs unto his becke and bow.
This good successe adds fuell to the fire,
To Court he (therfore) comes with foul desire,
His Doctours hellish Documents to broach,
And into favour, hopes, there to encroach.
There this bilingued-Sinon ramps about,
Most sedulous and serious to finde-out
The man he long'd to see; whom straight he found,
A wisht companion, Traitour most profound.
[Page 7] Percy, infected, yea of treason confected,
And even by nature therunto addicted.
A gracelesse guardian to his gracious King,
A fiery forge to frame each traiterous thing;
A most bold bond-slave to his holy Pope,
A strong supporter of Romes hellish hope.
To whom Fauks openeth each materiall thing,
Assures good-luck, the work to passe to bring:
Who, man and message, presently, imbraceth,
And, in his love, much confidence, soon placeth.
Then, each to other, they themselvs fast ty,
What, neither had, faith and fidelity,
They mutually do promise to fullfill,
Like Pilate and proud Herod, Christ to kill.
Then, as their pledges, each gave hand to others,
And here, were made treasons chief sworn-brothers.
Perfidious Percy, and false Fauks made one,
Fauks must (forsooth) be Percies servant known,
His name being chang [...]d; thus, Mr, and the man
Their projects, throughly, do discusse and scan.
And thus, disguis'd, in this sly unknown hew,
Securely they their rancorous poyson spew,
And now with Fauks and Percy, Catesby met,
An ancient Traitour soon on mischief set;
Whose heads, hearts, hands and all, plod and contrive
Some horrid treason how to make to thrive;
Some strange, domestick-deluge to ordain,
Since (now) their hopes were frustrated in Spain.
For why, long since, in sweet Eliza's daies,
That Paragon of time; times peerlesse praise;
They had sent
Thomas Winter was sent into Spaine in Qu. Eliz. dayes by Catesby an arch-traitor.
Winter to the King of Spain,To crave his aid their mischiefs to maintain,
Our Kingdome to invade and to possesse,
Romes power (here) to re-plant, their wrongs redresse;
[Page 8] Assuring him that in his puissant ayd
The English-Cath'liks would be parties made;
The King (that time) promis'd with them to joyn
And that he'd furnish them with store of Coyn,
An hundred thousand crowns he would bestow,
And being Victor, them all favour show.
And, this desir'd; that if the Queen did dye,
He might have knowledge of it instantly,
For, therupon, he would his power advance,
And speedily prevent sinister chance.
This was on both-sides promis'd and concluded,
But, Heaven, in mercy, all their hopes deluded.
Then, then (I say) did Spain intend our doom,
Together with the proud high-Priest of Rome,
When as,
Q. Elizabeth.
That miserable-Woman dy'd,For, thus, the Pope had term'd her in his pride;
But, O nefarious lyer, how could She
Unhappy or so miserable be?
Whom, neither th'arrow, which by day did fly,
Nor Pestilence, by night, to wit, Romes sly
And secret practis'd treasons, ere, could quail,
Nor yet th'Armado, mighty Spanish-sayl.
Who in her self and subjects was most blest,
Whose kingdom, while she liv'd, enjoy'd sweet rest,
Full peace and plenty, princely-royalty
With peoples love and cordial-loyalty.
Thus Rome and Spain lay gaping, but in vain,
To see fair Englands lustre in the wain.
But, now, behold, a wonder you shall hear,
That glorious-
Sol occubuit, nox nulla secuta est.
Sun did set in this our sphere,And yet although our Sun did so go-down,
No night ensu'd, no cloud did on us frown,
No losse appear'd, only a change we had,
Which many (then) neer-dying-hearts made glad.
[Page 9] For why, in our horizon did arise
Another
K. Iames
Jubar-bright to cheer our eyes,King James succeeded as a glorious-Sun,
In whom his subjects joy, a fresh begun;
Their happy dayes, again, did sprout and flourish,
And, with the milk of peace their hearts did nourish.
But, malecontent, malignant Catesbies heart,
Together with his mates hereat did smart,
With galling-grief, to see their hopes so thwarted.
These accidents they (therfore) soon imparted
Unto the King of Spain,
They send againe to the King of Spain.
as was agreed,Requesting (now) his promis'd ayd with speed,
Protesting that their hearts were all on fire
Firmly t'effect both his and their desire,
To serve him in this great negotiation,
If he would second them with supportation.
For why, they said, they (now) began to doubt
That things were like aversly to break-out,
And that the English-Cath'liks cause was worse,
Because king James held-on the late Queens course.
But, Spain, grown (now) more politick than so,
And well perceiving how the cards would go,
(A cunning-gamester) bent himself for peace,
With England,
The King of Spaine refuseth to aid them.
wishing them their suit to cease.Whose unexpected answer did them trouble,
Yet did their malice and their rancour double,
With most Infernall rage their hearts did burn,
What course to take, which way themselvs to turn.
And when they saw al forrain hopes forsook them
Unto this powder-treason they betook them.
And now that furious fierce triplicity,
The traitors sit in counsell to plot a treason.
Those impious brethren in iniquity,
Catesby and Percy, Fauks, together met,
Their hellish hearts for mischief (now) to whet.
[Page 10] Then Catesby, speciall Authour of this ill,
Their thoughts with traiterous poison (thus) did fill▪
Right trusty friends,
Catesby begins.
since now we private are,My minde to you I freely will declare.
My swelling-tympany of hate is such,
My discontent and grief of heart so much,
To see our Holy Father so neglected,
And how small hope to have him ere respected,
Within this Kingdom (for I plainly see
The late Queens courses will maintained be.
I see (I say) and to our grief we finde
King James is like to prove to us unkind.)
That therfore tis high time to take advice,
(And herein we must not be fondly nice,
Nor with faint-hearted fear must we proceed)
To pluck-up and supplant this growing weed,
For when a wound is grown much putrifi'd,
The sharper med'cines must therto be pli'd.
Four strong inducements hereunto have we,
4 Motives to the plot
In whose firm truth we all instructed be.
1 First, that the King, and all his Subjects, are
Vile Heretikes, fit (therfore) for the snare.
2 Next, hence, we know our great High-Priest of Rome
Them excommunicate, accurs'd doth doom.
3 A third motive, which does our fact maintain,
Is, that no Heretick ought, king to raign.
4 And lastly, that it is a work most glorious,
Yea, a most holy act and meritorious,
To extirpate, destroy and quite root-out
This King and his hereticall base rout.
O then, dear friends, why stand we to demur?
Let this, to us, be a sharp goad and spur,
Why fear we? faint we? Doubt we to go-on?
Let this incite our resolution,
[Page 11] Namely,
Encouragements to treason.
that we in Romes rare rubricks shallOur name eternize and our fame enstall;
That Rome (I say) will ever us account,
The Wings, wheron, her glory did re-mount;
Re-edifiers of Saint Peters rites,
This hope, this hap, our valiant hearts incites;
To be such Fosterers and such fautours strong,
Thus to redeem our selvs, our Saints from wrong.
See, here (good Reader) see what course they take,
The Pope, their Romish-Idoll, great to make;
To set-up irreligious adoration,
Coacta fides vix vera fides.
To work truths shipwrack and dire extirpation.
O must our bloud be spilt, our King be slain?
And many death-door-knocking Souls complain?
O divellish-doctrin, whence such fruits do flow!
O miserable souls seduced so!
David a good man to Gods own heart made,
To God to build a Temple was gain-said,
And all because his hands were full of blood,
Yea, though his battles were both just and good:
And yet must Romes base bond-slaves under-take
With blood,
Bloudy builders of a bloudy Church
yea must they their oblations makeWith blood of Gods annoynted Saints elect,
Not Gods, but Belials Temple to erect?
Romes faithlesse Synagogue to re-advance,
Full stuft with pride, errour and ignorance?
Then cursed Cain might also think it good,
To please the Lord with Abels guiltlesse blood.
And Jeroboam might have hope to please,
And with his Idols Gods wrath to appease.
But far be this from each true Christians thought,
For wo be to the work which blood hath wrought.
Wo unto those which Sions ground-work lay
With crying blood;
Psa. 83.
thus doth king David say.[Page 12] But yet, these Romish—Absaloms, past grace,
Would seem than God more wise, like Atheists base,
Or els, with Davids foole, do say in heart,
There is no God to pay them their desert.
For, instantly, at Catesbies curs'd oration,
They vow revenge with ardent protestation.
And therupon, being fild with hellish craft,
They counsell take, each shoots his deadly shaft.
Some, this way would their will effect; some, that,
But dire destruction each-one aimed at.
Ones vile opinion was,
Diverse treasons projected
with sword or knife,The guiltlesse king to rob of his sweet life.
Another would perfidiously him slay
With powerfull poyson. Then a third did say
When he by hunting, tyr'd, to sleep did lay-him,
Pretending friendly-harbour, he would slay-him.
Medusas
Catesby.
son sate silent, all this while,His heart being hatching a transcendent wile;
Hears their opinions, counts them all but shallow.
He had a gulf found out a Realm to swallow.
I mean that caitiff Catesby, who at last,
From's poisonous stomack (thus) this vomit cast.
True zealous Cath'liks,
Catesby strikes the stroake.
Romes approved friends,My heart your fervour worthily commends,
Your love you show, but yet, believe me this,
Me thinks, you all do point the way amisse.
For that which you advise doth doubtlesse bend
And more to our than their destruction tend.
So small attempts bring danger, we'l contrive
To leave nor boughes, nor branch, nor root alive.
For, what though we the King-alone destroy,
Leaves he not after him, a Prince t'enjoy
His Crown▪ and Scepter? a most hopefell heir,
To take revenge, as we may justly fear;
[Page 13] A Prince, I say, of pregnant, sprouting hope:
Then, let us not give vengeance so great scope,
Great flames have grown & burnt-down cities fair,
Even by small sparks, left kindling without care.
This young Prince Henry to my minde doth call
Revolting Henry th' eighth, that chief of all
Did work our holy-Fathers downfall first,
A deed most heynous, hatefull and accurst.
Whose odious name may ere be execrable,
And t'all good Catholiks abhominable.
Wherfore, this is my mind and constant doom,
To extirpate and utterly consume
This Seed hereticall, which bears such hate
To royall Romes imperiall fair estate.
Now, that this stratagem may prosperous be,
With patience tend and lend your ears to me.
The Parliament-House.
An ancient house there is near situate
To Percies house, whither in princely state,
To parle about the Kingdoms great affairs,
Englands chief Peers and counsell grave repairs,
The Nobles, Bishops, Knights and Burgesses,
In Parliament to give their suffrages;
Thither also (as custome doth maintain)
The King, Queen, Prince & all their princely train,
The first day of the Parliament do go,
Most sumptuously, making a glorious show,
In scarlet robes, glistering with pearl▪ and gold,
Great multitudes assemble it to behold.
Under this house we closely may prepare
An undermined vault, and fill that snare
With plenteous store of gun-pouder most fierce,
Which,
Gun-pouder.
like a mighty whirl-wind, quick may pierceAnd pull in peeces and blow-up to th'skies
The cursed corps of those our enemies,
[Page 14] Of King and Counsellours of Prince and Peer;
Your liking and consent (now) let me heare.
With joynt consent and great content they all,
Catesbies opinion approved by them all.
Laud and applaud this Diabolicall,
This horrid, hatefull, hideous, foule invention;
Yea traiterous Fauks with nimble apprehension,
Finding the drift therof.
Fauks.
O thus (sayes he)The House which Rome hath spoild, shall spoiled be▪
Thus we (says he) for our dear Cath'like truth,
Shall fill our foes with horrour, wo and ruth.
Thus we shall canonized be and much renown'd▪
Whiles we our foes supplant and quite confound;
Thus, those (I say) which 'gainst us made sharp laws,
Shall griped be within fierce vengeance paws;
Thus, those which quondam us'd to prosecute
And Romes pure-Priests and Saints did persecute▪
These, these (I say) made proud by our rich spoyls▪
Shall tumble head-long in our nets and toyls.
Now heerupon,
Garnet & Gerrard, Priests.
more Copesmates they invite,Amongst the rest Gerrard a Jesuite;
Chiefly to Garnet they this plot impart,
An expert Doctour in the Jesuites art.
Gray-headed, but green-hearted traitour right,
Superiour of the Priests, whose very sight,
Was a strong warrant to confirm and prove
This enterprize: so did they prize his love!
Whom, as a Demi-god, they all respected,
Without whose counsell, nothing was effected;
And, whose advice confirmed all they did,
Did what he would; left, what he should forbid.
O most satanicall, nefarious Doctours!
Anti-christs chaplains, Lucifers arch-proctours!
Can ye for shame, assume the sacred name
Of Jesus Christ, and yet his grace disclaim?
[Page 15] Can ye with titles, seem so holy, pure,
And yet your lives so stain and so inure
Your selvs and followers how to kill and slay
All such as do your Jesabell gain-say?
Can they (said I?) yes that they can. Nay, more,
They'll brag and boast therin, yea aid implore
Of God above from whom none ill proceeds,
To prop and patronage accursed deeds.
These, even these holy Fathers of that Sect,
Confirm the plot, advise, instruct, direct.
From sacrilegious Gerrards hand they took,
For Secrecy, this-Oath, upon a book.
The Oath.
YOu shall sweare by the blessed-Trinity, They sweare secrecy and constancy in the businesse. and by the Sacrament you now purpose to receive; never to disclose directly or indirectly, by word or circumstance, the matter, which shall be proposed to you to keep secret, nor desist from the execution therof, untill the rest shall give you leave.
This Oath did Catesby, Percie, Thomas Wright,
And Kit Wright take, at once, to th'Jesuite.
Bates, Catesbies-man, and all the rest beside,
From Greenwell,
They receive the Sacrament for more full assurance.
Priest, took it, another-tyde.Then, for a yet more firm ratification,
(Right Judas-like) they took their own domnation.
For, every-one, to knit the faster band,
Receiv'd the Sacrament from those Priests hand.
[Page 16] O Heavens! ô Earth! ô impious age and times!
Were ever known like blasphemous foule crimes?
O gracelesse, godlesse, more than divellish fact!
So damnably t'abuse that sacred act!
Of mans terrestriall comfort, confirmation
Of faith, of grace, and of mans blest salvation!
Nay, will you (yet) heare more impiety,
Equall (almost) to deepest villany?
Inhumane Catesby, each-way to prevent
(As fondly he suppos'd) all discontent,
Which might in his or any's heart arise,
About full-warrant of this enterprize;
To give the action, yet, more strong protection,
Casts in his thoughts to answer each objection.
For why, he now considered in his mind,
That he could not a way contrive or find,
But that in this great slaughter they should make,
Their friends must equally with foes partake.
The lawfullnesse heerof since some might doubt,
And so perchance stagger or els stand-out:
Therfore he hasts to his Achitophel,
That out-side Angell, in-side Divell of hell,
Grand-Jesuite Garnet, his advice to have,
To whom in all doubts, they most credit gave;
Whose answer, if it to his mind did hit,
He knew all was cock-sure and firmly fit.
Then,
Catesby to Garnet.
in this sort, to Garnet he began,O holy Sir, whose discreet counsell can
Resolve all doubts, dissolve heart-daunting fears
By wisdom, learning, gravity and years,
In whom Romes sanctimonious oracles
Are powerfull in effecting miracles.
Vice-Ʋicar to our Deified Father,
High-Priest of England, thither sent, to gather,
[Page 17] To re-unite and to Romes fould reduce
The wandring flock with-held (thence) by abuse
Of cursed Calvins, Beza's, Luthers sect,
Whose damned Doctrines do their souls infect;
O thou, I say, vice-gerent to our Pope,
Whose holy-counsell in an anxious hope,
I much desire, gladly would impetrate,
In a great action, which to perpetrate,
Many of Ʋs devoted Catholicks
Have joyn'd and sworn our selvs 'gainst hereticks.
Romes sacred Zeal hath so enflam'd our hearts,
To vulnerate with penetrating darts,
The souls of those who heretofore have long
Done unto Rome intolerable wrong.
Which we considering, seriously in mind,
And that tis like, we worse and worse shall find,
We vow to work our freedom from this wo,
To give our foes one fatall, finall blow;
Wherwith their souls and bodies shall be sent,
By sulphure fierce, to Pluto's regiment.
But heerin, holy-Sir, the doubt remains,
That time and place this action, so constrains,
That all at once must perish in one fire:
Heerin (therfore) your counsell we desire,
To clear this doubt, which heerin doth arise,
Whither our friends may dye with enemies?
Nocents and innocents.
Whither: with nocents, innocents may die,
(For, in that place are both promiscuously)
We cannot possibly cast or contrive
The one from th'other how to save alive;
Yet on this facts effecting doth depend,
Of Romes great wrongs, the happy, hopefull end.
This Pseud-Apostle full of Romes affection,
Travelling with iniquities conception,
[Page 18] Brought forth the imp of mischief; thus doth heal
Base Catesbies sore, with diabolike zeal.
Heare, ô ye heavens, hearken both God and man,
How holily this Baals-Priest began.
First, with accurst-salutes, they oft imbrace,
And then with poysonous heart and brazen-face,
(Hyena with the crafty Crocodile)
He utters words most impious, false and vile;
With green-device, not gracious grave advice,
Thus spake this hell-hound,
Garnet to Catesby.
Romish Cockatrice.O thou dear darling to the Church of Rome,
Which so high honour dost to thee assume,
As by a fact, so meritorious, rare,
To be protectour of Saint Peters-chair!
Thou Atlas of our (now) succeeding joyes,
Herculean-chaser of our sharp annoyes!
Matchlesse Mecaenas of Romes doctrines rare,
Perillus, the engineer cannot compare
With cunning Catesby, arts-master of treason,
For stratagems past humane reach and reason.
I cannot chuse but like and love thee dearly,
And yet much marvell thou couldst not see clearly
Of so rare enterprize, so blest intents,
(O apt proficient in Romes documents)
The strong inducements to perseverance,
Not to desist for some ill-petty-chance.
I see thou art not (yet) so inly seen
Into the Jesuites doctrines: raw and green
Thy knowledge is; not regulated right,
That mak'st a monster of a little mite.
That in smooth-bulrushes dost seek a knot,
Like questionists who ask they know not what.
The case is most apparent, clear and plain,
That, since occasion, time and place constrain,
[Page 19] Such expedition to so high-desire,
And such advantage Rome shall (thence) acquire,
You may most justly by the rules of Rome,
Some innocents with nocents vile consume.
And, heerin thee more strongly to instruct,
That, none 'gainst this assertion may reluct,
And to repell all objects in this kinde,
That in thy Creed it may more credit finde;
Mark this comparison which thou shalt heare,
Wherby this truth will clear as Sun appeare.
Garnets simile.
As in a town, beseiged by fierce foes
Which doth some friends (inhabitants) inclose,
To whom, the Generall, in love was bound;
Yet, how to help them no means could be found,
Delayes would danger breed inevitable,
And so the town might prove unconquerable.
Should he not (then) from due discretion swerve?
Whiles in fond pitty, few friends to preserve,
He a whole towne (to him most turbulent)
Should, thus, let-go, some few friends to content.
Would not his foes within, him, dastard deem?
Yea, all, them sots, not souldiers stout esteem?
If (then) heerby, our Church much good may gain,
Some friends with foes may fearlesly be slain.
And as for me, the best that I can do,
Which is my prayers and Orisons for you,
And your so high designe; I most devout,
Will duly, truly, to the heavens poure-out,
And all our Saints and meritorious Martyres
Implore, to ayd you and your zealous partners.
O most pernicious Priest! O Scythian sect!
Do you with blood your followers, thus infect?
Is this the charity you all professe?
Your false conceived wrongs (thus) to redresse?
[Page 20] Now how this Jesuites judgement doth agree
With Jesus doctrine,
Garnets doctrine compared with Christs doctrine.
you shall briefly see.When God with sinfull-man vouchsaf'd to talk,
Told he not Abraham, that if ten just folk
In Sodom could be found; his wrath he'd stay,
And would not all, in his just vengeance, slay:
But, for those righteous sakes would mercy show.
But ghostly Garnet was more wise than so.
Did not the heavenly husband-man declare
His sacred minde, touching the wheat and tare?
Since, both grew-up, to let them both alone:
But of this husbandry, Garnet will none.
Doth not St. Paul, doth not all Scripture show,
No evill ought be done that good may grow?
Was it not Mercies majesty and joy,
That none of his he brought unto annoy?
Not one was lost: saying he came to save,
Not to destroy, whom God unto him gave.
But yet, Loiola's Priests more wise do grow,
They hold it lawfull to kill friend or foe.
Though Peter may not strike in Christs defence,
Yet Popish-Priests may use all violence.
Catesby was heerwith (now) full satisfi'd;
And glad that all things to his thoughts compli'd,
For, now he judgd himself most strongly able
To settle his man Bates his minde unstable.
For Catesby noted, how he, jealously
Observ'd each-passage, with anxiety;
And saw how Rookwood was amaz'd in minde,
And toucht in conscience that he had combinde
To ta [...]e away and let-out so much blood;
And that they-both, much wavering, theron stood;
He therfore told them that most certainly,
He was resolv'd by good authority,
[Page 21] No lesse than Garnets, their chief Jesuite,
That with good-conscience, voyd of least affright,
They might destroy nocents and innocents,
Garnets opinion confirms all.
Rather than leave-off their so high intents.
With which assurance they were satisfi'de,
And so resolv'd all hazards to abide.
Now, then to Rome is Fauks sent, privily,
Vnto the Pope,
Fauks is sent to the Pope.
their plot to signifie,To make-known to his holinesse with speed,
From first to last, how all things did proceed.
His holinesse his traiterous Son commended,
Perswades to persevere till all were ended;
Assures successe and fortunate conclusion;
And so dismist this Master of Confusion,
With benediction and a bounteous gift.
Then, rapid Tibris-like, he flyes full swift,
Visits his ancient friends and old acquaintance,
I'th' Duke of Austria's Court, with welcome entrance:
Wheras he meets with many fugitives,
Questioning how each thing in England thrives.
And banisht Shavelings of our English nation,
Greedy to heare of change and alteration;
With sanguinary Nero, who desire
Their countries grace extinct with sword & fire.
Monsters of men, like those who love to angle
In troubled-waters, discord, strife and wrangle.
These, these (I say) prickt forward him that ran,
And contribute to help what he began,
Furnishing him with counsell as with coyn;
Brothers in mischief, heads and hearts do joyn:
His head they fill with cunning, craft and guile,
His heart, to hatch, his tongue to ly, they file;
They teach him, how, with Demonologie,
To hide the plat-form of this [...]reachery.
[Page 22] Like furious hagg,
Fauks returnes home.
he home returns most bold,And to his master Percy doth unfold
His good successe, and prayes they might proceed
With expedition to this hellish deed;
For he was stuft with all the arts and arms
That Rome could yeeld, or Acherontine charms.
They, having (now) with blasphemous intent,
(As is fore-shown) receiv'd the Sacrament,
And, bound themselves by oath, to act their parts,
To heare Plutonick-Masse, their murtherous hearts
They, them prepare; which done, they all desire,
Now, to proceed to build this furious fire.
And hereupon, some choice-men they select,
Whose charge should be, with diligent respect,
The Parliament to dig and undermine,
They begin to undermine the Parliament.
Who furnisht were with bakd-meats, beer & wine,
That so they might not (oft) go in or out,
Fauks, at the door stood Sentinell or scout,
Who still discover'd all that passed by,
And markt occurrents with a watchfull-eye;
And warning gave, as he occasions spide,
Sometimes to work, sometimes to lay aside.
Thus, to the work, themselvs they closely gave,
And by their sides, their peeces charg'd they have:
Resolving there to dye, if so it hapt,
That by discovery they should be intrapt.
These pioners through Percies chamber brought
Th' exhausted Earth, to digg a hollow-vault,
Conveying-out great baskets full of clay,
And of the house, the ground-worke took away.
But lo, at last, an obstacle they found,
A thick stone-wall they met-with in the ground,
They find a thicke stone-wal
Full 3 yards thick, which with much industry
Though with great doubt and deep anxiety,
[Page 23] They having half-wrought-through, they eas'ly heard
A rushing noyse of Charcoal, which them feard,
That they discovered were; strait Fauks was sent
To see what all that noise and rushing ment,
Who finding that the coals were selling-out
And that the cellar might (past fear and doubt)
Be hired by them, as a place most fit
For their design: He Percy told of it,
Who, seeing its most pat-conveniency,
And under th'upper-house,
A Cellar hired.
immediatelyHe hir'd the Cellar for a yearly rent,
And with a traiterous heart and foule intent
Feined to fil't with charcoal, wood and beer,
From all suspect themselves to cloake and cleer.
Here now they did consider Catesby charge,
Upon whom (hitherto) with love too-large,
The cost of all this coyle had chiefly ly'n,
Wherfore, to forward this their deep design,
Sr. Everard Digbies bounty did abound,
S. Everard Digby.
Who to it, promis'd fifteen hundred pound.
Then traiterous Tressam his great zeale t'expresse,
Two-thousand pounds would have in readinesse,
To be employd in each necessity,
To prop this work of Popish-piety.
Percy to pierce the eye of Church and State,
Did also promise he'd associate
And beare a part in this so rare collection;
Four thousand pounds at least, with pure affection,
He from Northumberlands great rents would get,
And all things orderly dispose and set.
Others, both horse and armour would provide,
Others procure an Army gainst the tide;
Wherwith they might destroy and quite deprive,
With fury great, the rest that did survive,
Even Christs pure-Gospell, their souls precious pleasure.
Such was the hatred of this holy-brood,
Such the effects of their nefarious mood!
Among them (then) was this objection made
That since the Prince (as could not be gain-said)
Would be in Parliament:
A consultation among the Traitours touching the Kings children.
How best might be,The next-heire to surprize? But, Percy, he
Soon freed them of this care, and under-took
With his bold mates to ceaze upon the Duke.
For, this they had resolv'd, with firm decree,
That the Kings issue-male destroy'd should be.
Next how to get into their custody,
(O hellish guardians of such royalty!)
The precious Princesse, fair Elizabeth,
Then, with Lord Harrington by Dunchurch-heath;
Together with the Princesse Mary fair,
And having got this royall female-pair,
Elizabeth they would their Queen proclaime,
And on her person sequell projects frame.
At Dunchurch (therfore) they'd a hunt pretend,
And friends (there) meeting, might that businesse end.
Lastly, they all consult and take advice,
What forrein Prince, they heerto might intice?
What English Lords and Noble-men to save,
Who of this Kingdome, should possession have?
Of these, and all these circumstances, they
Firmly resolv'd against the pointed-day.
Each thing, thus, hapning to them, passing-well;
To Fauks (whom, we, not man, but hagg of hell
May justly term, a title best befitted)
The finall, fatall-blow was (then) committed,
This gastly, ghostlike-monster, night by night,
To th' Cellar went, all things to order right.
[Page 25] Which Cellar (now) they filled had,
The provision of Gun-pouder & instruments of destruction.
complete,With firkins, barrels and with hoggs-heads great.
Thirty and six with gun-pouder all stuft,
Which should earths intrals to the skies have puft.
Lord, what a puffe, what a combustious flame,
What motion, what commotion by the same,
Had from the Earth, into the ayre bin rais'd,
Hels stoutest furies to have made amaz'd?
And yet to make the blow more strangely fierce,
More desp'rately the corps to pash and pierce;
Upon the barrels they had laid also,
Great crowes of iron to increase the blow,
And massie-stones and logs had plac't theron,
Right underneath the Kings and Princes throne.
And to prevent the danger of suspect,
That none those Stygian engines might detect,
These traiterous hell-hounds with Medaea's guile,
Great store of billets therupon did pile,
And fagots; so the gun-pouder to hide,
That it could not without great search be spide.
Thus having fram'd this Chaos of confusion,
This seven-fold heated fornace: For conclusion
Of Englands fatall-doome, they (now expect
The long-wisht day, their purpose to effect;
The happy,
The 5th of November
hoped-day, Novembers-fift,To drive all head-long with a horrid drift.
Thus Fauks that ravening-Wolf with hungry-jaws
Greedily gap'd to gripe us in his pawes.
Thus, thus, he stood prepar'd to perpetrate
With more than barbarous, most inhumane hate)
A treason passing Catelines compact,
Against old Rome with hot Cethegus backt.
Ambitious Hamans arrogant proud thought,
Against the Jewes could no such ruth have wrought.
[Page 26] Inferiour farre to this transcendent treason
Was Paris massacre with most just reason.
And that Sicilian wofull Even-song
Came farre behinde this proiect. And among
The best Chronographers thou canst not finde
A fact so foule, so cruell and unkinde,
Not barbarous Scythia, nor Tartaria wild
Did ever heare or see a plot so vilde,
Much lesse ere dreame the like to enterprize;
Than which, a worse, Pluto could not devise,
Nor such a palpable Aegyptian-fogg
Have rais'd to rear Romes faithlesse Synagogue.
Wherin they hopt a kingdome to devoure,
A briefe description of the most lamentable effects of the plot had it taken effect.
At once, with one blow, in lesse than one houre,
Like unresistible, remorslesse waves,
To make the open-ayre the tombes and graves
Of our dread King, the Queen, the Prince our joy,
Of Englands peerlesse Peers, with dire annoy,
Of all our choice and chief Nobility,
Of Levies-Sons, props of the Prelacy,
Lycurgus-Sons, our Justices and Judges,
To whom their Romish foes bare secret grudges,
The flower of gentry, creame of Common-weale,
Her skilfull Surgeons, countries sores to heale.
Her most accomplisht Knights, the bravest part
And prudent Burgesses had felt that smart;
Most of the soundest Lawyers of the Land
Had altogether perisht out of hand.
All These (I say) thus marked-out to die,
(Had not heavens fore-sight given their wrath the lie
Smother'd in smoake and dust, to th'Ayr blown-up,
Had drunke full-drafts of deaths most direfull cup.
Their bodies batterd, shatterd, torne and rent,
Arms, heads and legs, flying ith' firmament,
[Page 27] Dismembred bodies all besmeard with gore;
A sight, which very Scythians might deplore,
Yea roare to see, and seeing, curse the hearts
Of all such barbarous Actors of such parts.
Thus, thus, I say, those pious Patriots had
Been All ingulft in death and dolour sad,
By this most woefull, fearfull Stygean Act,
Likest it-selfe, paralel'd by no fact.
O mischief, murther, massacre most strange!
New snare, base ware brought forth from hels exchange.
O Popish cruell-crue, inhumane quite!
Monsters in Gods, monsters in all mens sight.
O wretched work, to which all woes are due,
Great wrack, more great than may beheld for true,
Who, present, saw All, noted All he saw,
To trust All seen, his Own-eyes scarce could draw.
With such fierce flames of quick Sulphurious scath,
Doth Rome promove, approve her Cath'lick Faith▪
Nay, not these reasonable-souls, alone,
Had in that roaring-thunder up bin blown.
Without distinction or least difference,
Of mean or mighty, people or of Prince,
Of Majesty or honour, sex or age,
(Such was the horrour of Romes wrath & rage)
But many senslesse-creatures they had ment,
To make partakers of that hideous rent.
Both those most ancient famous houses fair
Of Parliament, the springs of laws most rare,
Westminster-hall, fair Englands judgement-seat,
Yea doubtlesse, White-hall had to dust bin beat;
The Church, wherin Kings had their coronation,
All turn'd to ashes, by that conflagration.
That Church, I say, wherin the tombes most rare
Of former famous Kings and Princes are,
[Page 28] With precious, curious cost and care erected,
From age to age most gorgeously protected,
As endlesse trophies of triumphant raign,
All these had faln, dasht into dust again.
Yea all the marks of Britanes royall-Grace,
The Crown of England, Scepter, Sword and Mace,
Records and Charters, which appropriate
To all, their portion, honour, right and state.
O wofull, ruthfull! these had bin Romes prey
In this sulphurious-furious dark doomes-day.
So horrid and exorbitant a plot,
So foul a stain, so black an ugly-spot,
Doubtlesse mans tongue (before) did never tell,
His eyes behold, or in his heart could dwell.
Nay, all the furies of th'infernall-pit
Could never (surely) such foule poyson spit.
So rare a King, so rare a Queen to kill,
So rare a Prince, so rare a Race to ill,
So rare a State to stab with cruelty,
So rare a Realm to bring to misery!
Whom, all the world admir'd, belov'd of all,
Whom, none but Pope and Papists wisht to fall.
If, a mean-man to slay be detestable,
Then, how much more had this bin execrable?
If, to shed-bloud, be cal'd a crying-sin,
How much more monstrous had this murther bin?
This mo [...] than crying, yea, this roaring-crime,
Unparalell'd, unpattern'd, by all time.
For, these destroy'd, what were a Realm, but dead?
A most dismembred corps without a head.
And as a silly Hare (feare laid aside)
Securely thinks within his form to 'bide,
Simile.
Whom, when the Country-man asleep doth finde,
With his plow-staffe, he kils with eager minde:
[Page 29] Even so Romes cruell bloody-dragon had
Obliterated Englands fame, and clad
Her glorious beauty, glist'ring name and nation
In sable mourning, wo and lamentation.
So huge a throat had this wilde wolf of Rome,
Christs stocke (at once) to swollow and consume.
Who, thus, at one, indeed deep Cath'like blow,
(Had not, heaven-only, therunto said no)
Had Nero's most inhumane wish effected,
Nero's wish.
Namely, all Englands heads to be erected,
And plac't upon one-body, with one-stroke,
To smite them off; not needing to invoke
A yeers, months, weeks or days-space, but one-hour,
To strike-off all those heads, with Romish powre.
Yea, as it were, with one loud thunder-clap,
As with a pettard, instantly, to snap
And break our peacefull Janus-gate wide-ope,
Of all our halcyon-dayes to quench the hope.
With more than Canibals blood-thirsty mood,
Deeming, than Mans-flesh, nothing sweeter food.
O, who is able to articulate,
Or, who can liv [...]ly paint and personate
The severall sorrows of that dismall-day,
Those vile Nerorians, vaunting in their prey?
Triumphing in the trophies, pitteous spoyl,
Of their destroyed Kingdome, native-soyle?
No, though I had an hundreth tongues and hearts,
Both hearts & toungs would fail to do their parts,
T'indite and write th'extent of their intention;
In sense and science of so strange invention.
Yea, learned Homer, doubtlesse would refuse
A task so great, so grievous for to choose.
Yet, that I may but give a short survey,
A glimmering-view of that intended-day,
[Page 30] We'll here suppose (and blest be heavens great name,
Suppose the deed done.
That we can therof but conjecture frame)
We'll (here) suppose (I say) the fact effected,
The traitours bloody-banners (now) erected;
By Hercules his foote, the Lyons paw,
The wise may see the widenesse of Romes maw.
For heer (me thinks) had (then) a fresh bin shown
London, great-Britanes fairest princely throne,
Like conquered Troy in furious flames a burning,
Londons misery.
Spoyl'd & abus'd, replete with moan & mourning;
The happiest City Europe ere enjoy'd,
With Aetnaean-fire and smoke, confum'd, destroy'd.
Her wals with Canon-ruptures rent and torn,
Her stately turrets batter'd-down, forlorn.
Rubbish-heaps made of her Pyramides,
Her streets with souldiers fild; none them t'appease.
Then Mars usurping milde Astraea's room,
Their swords, not words, must give the fatall-doom.
In streets, great streams of blood like rivers run,
Loud screeks and cryes, help, help, we are undone;
But none to help, except to help them die,
Or add more griefe to groaning misery,
In houses and in sanctified places
Women with blubbering tears bedrensh their faces,
Wringing their hands and running up and down,
Fearfully frighted with foes rage and frown;
Children in Parents arms trembling and quaking,
Mothers into their lapps their infants taking
With gushing tears, kissing their tender-cheeks,
Chambers even ring with Damsels wofull fcreeks:
Aged-men murthered, Young-men butchered,
Wives widows made, chaste Virgins ravished.
This corollary let me also adde,
Which would have made the mischief farre more bad,
[Page 31] It was confest to be their hellish drift
(The King & State confounded) they would shift
The blame & shame on those whom most they hate,
Their own foul guilt (therby) to paliate;
A villain, falsly, should proclaim as truth,
That Puritans were Authours of this ruth.
So that in every country, town, and city
All that were godly-given, without all pitty,
(O most unsampled, ô most wicked wile,)
Had beene destroy'd, as malefactours vile.
But how this hellish plot contriv'd should be,
In its more proper place, you, plain shall see.
Now then return we whence we have digrest;
An introduction to the discovery of the plot.
Hels Romish-agents, thus, most ready prest,
As was fore-shown, each thing in readinesse,
To bring their country into deep distresse.
Our great Jehovah, God omnipotent,
Who sits in Heaven, above the firmament,
His Israels carefull keeper, shepheard great,
Who mans affairs views from his mercy-seat,
And knows the closest and most secret deed,
Whose sight doth fained Lynxes farr exceed,
He, he, I say, in mercy did behold
The miseries and mischiefs manifold,
Wherwith those Romish-bears, their King did threat,
Wherby they gapt to make Saints-flesh their meat.
GOD speaks to his Angel.
Thus to his glorious Angell with sweet voyce,
His will unfolds, which they to do rejoyce.
You, saith Jehovah, now shall understand,
How Satan that sly-hunter takes in hand
With Cholcos spels and spight by agents proud,
Great Britanes soyle to spoyle: yea and hath vow'd
To root-out of the Earth the English-nation,
Who to our name perform pure adoration.
[Page 32] Which if they should accordingly atchieve,
Rome.
Babell would her dead hopes again revive;The monstrous
The Pope.
Beast would salve her deadly soreAnd re-erect a Stews for her great Whore.
Then Rome, the mistresse of enormity
Would bask her selfe in sins deformity;
Then also would the Prophesies of old,
Seem (and that justly) all in vain fore-told;
All those praedictions clean annihilated,
Which said the Beast should (sure) be captivated,
That Babylon should fall and ruin'd be,
And that the Kings on Earth her fall should see.
All these (I say) might (hereby) frustrate seem.
And thus my people, Me forgetfull deem.
Wherfore I purpose with all expedition,
To interrupt and thwart this their ambition,
This hasty, hatefull enterprize to stop,
Of this rank-rising-weed the flowers to crop.
And, although Englands sins my wrath deserve,
Yet, for my names-sake, I will them preserve,
Although (I say) Englands ingratitude
Justly deserves judgements amaritude,
Because it doth my mercies much abuse,
Yet will I not permit this Beast to use
Mysword of power, nor give those
Traitors
Imps my right,But, speedily in wrath their sins I'll smite.
This God of mercy, just-mans consolation,
With most ineffable commiseration,
To shew to us his love and bounty large,
A heavenly Angell forthwith gives in charge
To Albions kingdome with swift course to fly,
And in his sleep the king to certifie,
How many dangers he was wrapt into,
Which him and's peacefull kingdom would undo;
[Page 33] How many stinging-Snakes in Court did lurke,
For him and his, strange snares and gins to work.
Wish him be circumspect, the
The Parliament house.
place refrainWhere Julius Caesar treacherously was slain:
Their impious plotted Protasis doth frown,
Like Sampsons-house, intending to pull-down
His kingdome all at once about his ears,
And their Epitasis portends great fears;
But both of these, he joyfully shall see
Transacted to a blest Catastrophe.
Lord Mounteagle
Then, to the Lord MOUNTEAGLE hast with speed,
To whom the traitors closely have decreed
To send a Letter,
A Letter.
this harme to prevent,That from the Senate he himself absent.
For why? say they, both God and man decree,
By a fierce blast Romes foes down-cast to see,
And that he should into the country fly,
And there in saf'ty and security
A wofull sodain spectacle expect;
And that this Caution might breed no suspect,
They wisht him (having read) the Letter burn,
That so no danger might upon him turn.
Him thou shalt warn his duty to perform,
And of this perill, his dread Prince t'enform,
The Kingdoms and his Countries weal to further,
And so prevent this direfull dreadfull murther,
Which that same Letter mystically ment,
Without a name, but not a blest event.
Then from great Jove doth wing'd Minerva fly,
And ere bright Titan from the spangled-sky
Had banisht Cynthia, dancing on Spains flood,
This blessed Messenger with message good
Ariv'd upon the coasts of Britane fair,
His charge to discharge duly doth prepare.
[Page 34] Who noble Morley's heart doth first inspire
With honest care and diligent desire
Of his deare King and Countries happy state;
And then the Kings brest doth illuminate
With iudgement most profound the knot t'unty
(Like Oedipus) of that oenigma high.
For, thus, the Lord, in his all-guiding grace,
Ordain'd, that one of that most traiterous race
Did meet the Lord Mounteagles serving-man,
Ten dayes before the Parliament began;
Who,
The Lord Mounteagles serving-man.
about seven a clock at night was sentUpon some errand: And as thus he went,
Crossing the street, a fellow to him came,
A man to him unknown, by face or name,
Of personage tall, making a sodain stand,
Strait put the Letter in the Servants hand,
Earnestly pray'd him, with all speciall heed,
To give it into his Lords hands with speed.
The foot-man home unto his Lord did hie,
And gave the Letter to him, instantly,
And told him how it was unto him brought;
Which, soon, he opened, found the hand but naught
No name therto subscrib'd, without a date;
To read it, therfore he did properate,
But, hardly could, wherfore, a gentleman
He cald to help him read, which (thus) began.
THE LETTER.
MY Lord, out of the love I beare to some of your Friends, I have care of your preservation. Therefore I would advise you as you tender your life to devise some excuse to shift-off your attendance at this Parliament. For, God and man have concurred [Page 35] to punish the wickednesse of this time; and thinke not sleightly of this advertisement, but retire your self into your country, where you may expect the event in safety. For, though there be no appearance of any stir, yet, I say, they shall receive a terrible blow, this Parliament, and yet they shall not see who hurts them. This counsell is not to be contemned, because it may doe you good, and can doe you no harme; for the danger is past, so soon as you have burnt the LETTER. And I hope GOD will give you the grace to make use of it; to whose holy Protection I leave you.
These strange contents his mind did discontent,
In's heart a thousand thoughts both came and went;
What fact, what friend, what this oenigma told,
What mystick-danger these words might infold?
Or whither 'twere some addle, idle-brain,
That this had writ to cause him thence refrain?
If it should prove a fond fantastick-thing,
To stir therin, disgrace to him would bring:
But if it should include some dire event,
Unto his Person or the Parliament;
To keep it close, might make him prove disloyall:
He's loath and yet desires to ma [...]e a tryall,
Wherfore, at last, as was fore-specifi'de,
Gods sacred Angell to him swiftly hi'de,
And in his anxious thoughts infus'd sweet grace,
Willing him this occasion to imbrace;
And kindled in his heart a zealous flame,
Not to conceale, but to reveale the same.
THe gallant EAGLE soaring-up on high,
Beares in his beake Treasons discovery:
MOUNT noble EAGLE, with thy happy Prey,
And thy rich Prize unto thy Prince convey.
[Page 37] THrice noble Morley (saies this Angell bright)
Who art so honour'd in thy makers sight,
The Angell to Lo. Morley.
That thou must be the man shall first disclose
The Kings and countries bitter threatned woes,
By that usurping whorish Beast of Rome,
Who Albions I stand hopes (now) to consume;
O stand not doubting, pond'ring in thy thought,
Whither this be a truth or thing of nought;
A truth, a happy-truth it does import,
Of woe and wrack to Country and to Court.
If thou it hide a world of woes ensue,
If thou reveale it honour be thy due.
And though this Letter seemeth most obscure
Like a darke-riddle, yet will I procure
A Josephs or a Daniels ingeny,
T'untwine the twist of its obscurity.
Since in thy hands (then) lies both weale and wo,
Haste, haste with speed, in Court thy Letter show.
This happy motion makes all doubt depart
From this right noble Lord Mounteagles heart,
Who (now) resolves the businesse to display,
To search the truth, to Court to haste away;
And, though it were both dirty, dark and late,
Yet, he the time will not procrastinate.
But, like a noble-Eagle with a prey,
A princely prey (indeed) he sears away,
He is not quiet with this prize (thus) catcht,
Untill he have his high-affairs dispatcht.
Heavens ayd imploring for a blissefull end,
To this most anxious act he did intend:
The Lord Mounteagle goes to Court with the Letter.
And, thus, with loyall-heart away he goes
To Court, this waighty busines to disclose,
Resolv'd therto, what ever should betide,
And, to the Earle of Salsb'ries lodging hi'de,
[Page 38] To this Ʋlisses, he the LETTER shows,
He th'other counsell; hence thick doubting grows
Among them all, they in most doubtfull wise
Possesse the King therwith, and so advise:
Each-one propounds his judgement severally
As in a case of great anxiety,
One thinks it was some idle vain conceit,
The Lords
Others do judge it did some danger threat;
Another is quite of another-mind,
None could the right-way of this Lab'rinth finde.
Not one of them could dive into its ground,
None could this mystick-riddle right expound.
At last our prudent-King,
K. Iames.
Apollo's sonne,Fair Englands Joseph, thus to them begun;
(Weighing each circumstance with deep discretion)
Well, sirs, our iudgements must take more impression,
This is no triviall work or fantasie.
But must be sifted with great scrutiny,
I well remember, and you all do know,
That little-smoke being (at first) kept low,
Doth mighty flames (though hid) most fiercely work:
And in this grasse some Serpent foule doth lurk,
Or else I am deceiv'd; for to my mind
Now comes that
Magna licet nunquam nocuit cautela monarchi [...].
old-rule touching Romists blind,Whose genius guided by Erynnis vile,
Never pull-down the Flag of wrath and guile,
But, what with threats, poisons, deceit, contentions,
They practise still t'effect their foule inventions,
Plodding and plotting as a most just thing,
By Jesuites-principles to kill their King.
No doubt but heer's some danger fabricated,
Some second Troian-horse is machinated,
Some bloody Jesuite, with some traiterous train,
Who would his hands in our dear heart-blood stain,
[Page 39] Some monstrous machination (credit me)
Is in this LETTER couched privily.
Tis not the froth of any brittle-brain,
But, doubtlesse, does some treachery contain;
In that his friend he counsels to forbear
From comming thither, so to voyd the feare:
Yea, farther, he great danger menaceth,
A sodain, terrible, fierce stroake of death.
Which with great wonder like a thunder-clap,
Should, on their foes, precipitately hap;
Unlesse by Gun-pouder this thing must be,
The letter expounded by the King.
Nought els, so likely therto, I can see.
And it may be that they'll abuse that-art,
To our great ruine and ensuing-smart.
Therfore most loyall Sirs, I much desire
That speedy course be taken to enquire
What neighbours and what houses neer do stand
To our great Capitoll, what Cellars, and
What arched-vaults there are under the ground;
Let secret search be made, the truth out-found.
Then strait, Lord Chamberlain, with others moe,
A search.
Made carefull inquisition for to know
What houses who them held, and of each thing,
In all particulars informe the King;
Percy (saith he) dwels there and hath a vault,
With wood and charcoale plentifully fraught.
Hence, instantly, greater suspect did rise,
Sr Thomas Knevet sent to search.
And therupon S. THOMAS KNEVET wise
Was ordered to search-out what he might;
Who on the 4th-day of Novembers-night,
Perlustrated each doubted part and place,
And did each thing uncover and uncase.
And least suspition might their search betray,
They feign'd to seek the Queens-roabs stoln away.
INfernall Fauks with Daemoniack heart,
Being ready, now, to act his hellish part;
Booted and spur'd with Lanthorne in his hand,
And match in's Pocket at the doore doth stand:
But wise Lord KNEVET by Divine Direction,
Him apprehends and findes the Plots detection.
(Divel of that den) ord'ring things to his mind,
Booted and spur'd, then standing at the doore,
Having dispatch his taske, but late before.
Having (then) set (I say) in order fit,
His all-disordering fuming Aetna's-pit,
Which should have made his country quite forlorn,
And all her stately towres have rent and torn.
He apprehends him, grasps and clasps his hands
With hempen-cords; and then no longer stands,
But quickly enters that infernall-cell,
Where, entred, he observes and views all well.
And trustily puls-down the piles of wood,
And as his servants tumbling all things, stood,
A sodain fright this knight and them amaz'd,
Which, 'mong them all an exclamation rais'd;
See, see (say they) this wood doth pouder hide,
For, we two barrels full have heer espi'de,
Let us search farther, we shall more descry
Hid (doubtlesse) 'mongst these billets privily.
O treason, treason, heer we more do finde,
O treason, past the reach of mortall mind!
Then more and more, they instantly found-out,
And therby,
The pouder is discovered.
clear'd the truth of former doubt.Full thirty barrels more with pouder fraught,
Two hogs-heads great they foūd as thus they sought.
All which did Fauks his heart with rancor woūd,
Whō straight they searcht & soon about him found
A crucifix, which from his neck they snatch,
A shirt of hair he wore his skin to scratch.
From forth his pocket (then) that match they took
(Maugre his traiterous rage and hellish-look)
Wch should have brought Vulcan from hels black station
To work in Aetna dolefull desolation.
[Page 42] Wherwith he vow'd to burn-up and destroy
Albions illustrious lustre fame and joy,
The peace and plenty, strength and valour stout
Of England, famous all the world throughout.
This glorious Realm in twinckling of an eye
He would have rob'd of all her royalty.
Yea, with such unheard cruelty and guile
They woven had this webb most foule and vile,
And every thred so slily did contrive,
That but poor twelve-hours England should survive
Heaven having (thus) hels foule intentions stopt,
The project crost, their flower of hope (thus) cropt;
The traitor straight the fact confest, but said
He grieved most to see his purpose staid,
And that,
Fauks his impudency.
but this, nought should have held his handFrom turning all into a smoky-brand.
The standers-by in wonder, thus, burst out,
Heare ô ye heavens, tremble all earth through-out
Was ever heard or seen so bold a foe,
A heart so hard, prodigious? Nay, we know
That scarce the heart of Turky, Barbary,
Like plotted-mischiefe ever did descry.
To which the bloody-butchery in France
Is unequivalent, gives but a glance,
(Respecting this) of Romes rebellious stock,
In these vile Edomites, on us Christs flock.
Whose memory much dims each former slaughter,
Disgrace of this,
Six observations or aggravations.
and of all ages after.The unheard horrour wherof may appeare
In these six circumstances following here.
First, if they had adjudged us, by hand
Of reasonable-creatures, to deaths band,
If men by men should have bin deaths fierce fuell,
1. Men.
The fact had bin more humane, farre lesse cruell;
By tears or treats to swage their violence.
As to Heavens glory our blest King did find
In Gowries treason, cruell and unkind.
Or if by other brutish-animals,
Inexorable at our wofull cals,
2. Beasts.
And being, than most-men, more pittilesse,
Would us confound, with beast-like greedinesse;
This kind of death (indeed) had bin more fierce,
Yet heer were hope deaths sentence to reverse:
For why? by force or pleasurable-cause,
Some men have scaped Lyons fangs and claws,
Daniel i'th Den, the Roman in the Cave,
David, King Richard, o're them, conquest have.
Again, which is most cruell of the three,
By things-insensible destroy'd to be,
3. Insensible things.
To which, all groanes, all moanes must needs bee vain
Being senslesse of themselves, most of our pain;
By these, I say, to perish and decay,
No hope, no help, nought can their fury stay.
Besides, observe, of any senseles-thing,
These elements,
4. Fire and water.
Water and Fire do bringMost dammage, most devouring fierce confusion,
By restlesse, by redreslesse strong intrusion;
Whose inundations, all-confounding flames
Orewhelms whol realms, makes dust of rarest frames.
Add, yet, this fifth materiall observation,
Which,
5. Fire.
to this purpose brings great aggravation;Of these two all-devouring elements,
By fire we have most grievous detriments.
For, though the waters hugely over-flow,
Drown man and beast, bring all to deadly woe,
Yet, when into their bounds they have recourse,
All things remain, in substance, little worse:
[Page 44] But when or whersoever fires fierce rage,
Burns Shepheards-cottage or rich-heritage,
Takes hold on houses, pallaces or places,
Of gold or treasure, all it quite out-races,
Cattle and corn are altogether thrust,
Are all consum'd, nought left but drosse and dust.
Therfore that we should be consum'd with fire,
And of all fires,
6. Gun-pouder.
that of most furious ire,By puffing Gun-pouder, the most out-ragious,
A death most desperate, cruell and contagious;
O speak (alas) what hope was of relief,
From this so mortall, mischievous great grief?
No strength, no power was able to assail,
No tears, no treats could, here, a jot prevaile.
For why? O woe, no time for tears was given,
With such strange violence had all bin driven!
No mortall-might might stay this mortall-blow,
No power protect us from that deadly woe.
No means (I say) lesse than a miracle,
Such as is mention'd in the Oracle
Of sacred Scriptures, when Heaven did command
(Even as it were by his immediate hand)
That Babylonian fiery-fornace powre,
That it could not once touch, much lesse devoure
That rare pair-royall of true piety,
The three children in the fiery fornace.
True worshippers of Heavens great Deity,
Sweet Shadrack, Mesheck and Abednego,
In whom the Lord did such a wonder show.
And, certainly such was to us Gods grace,
And we well-nigh, in as like dangerous case.
But, blessed, ô thrice-blessed trine-one Lord,
Thine endlesse-praise, we (ever) shall record,
Our powerfull and most pittifull protectour,
O our most holy, glorious, just directour!
[Page 45] The gratious smiles of thy preventing pitty
Made blest Ho sanna be our joyfull Ditty,
Another observation of the impossibility to escape the blow.
Here we may not omit this observation,
Th' impossibility of preservation,
Or hope, this treason (ever) to discry,
By all the reach of humane policy;
And therfore, that God-only did us save,
And heerunto five reasons more we have.
First to keep secret and performe the fact,1
They bound themselvs by Oath and firm compact.
Then heerupon, receiv'd the Sacrament, 2
To tye themselvs with stronger ligament.
Thirdly, were tutour'd by their Jesuits 3
To use all couzening-tricks, deluding sleights,
Namely, to answer by equivocation,
To any Magistrates examination;
Their senses thus to circumvent and flout,
That none the truth might from them (ere) get-out.
Moreover, though, that Letter we confesse,4
Was the first-instrument the plot t'expresse;
Yet, certainly, for all that mystick-Letter,
Our case had still bin very little-better,
If God had not another-way wrought peace,
Necessitating them that worke to cease
Of undermining that great Capitoll,
By reason of the thick and stony-wall,
Which so did crosse what they did first desi [...]
As that they must the pouder-cellar hire,
Wherinto they their hellish-stuff did lay,
Our King and State by flames to make away;
Which, had it bin of those things voyd and free,
Where might it have bin thought, that stuff to be?
How could the vault in time, have bin detected,
Which all the while was never (once) suspected?
[Page 46] Nor, till the Traitours-selves confest, was sought,
For, no man, therof ever dream'd or thought.
5 The last, not least note, in this horrid act,
Is, that God mov'd the King still to protract
And to rejourn the time of Parliament,
Which, fitted (still) the Traitors ill-intent,
But, chiefly, unto us it fell-out best,
As by those notes before hath bin exprest.
The Treason (thus) most happily display'd,
The Traitour Fauks to prison was convay'd.
Fauks is imprisoned.
Then, through both Court and Country speedily,
Through all the Kingdome did the rumour fly,
Through Town and City, street and every place,
Of this deliverance,
The report of the treason spread abroad.
Gods preventing-grace;Annoy is turn'd to joy and sweet content,
Mens hands and hearts and knees to praises bent:
Making great bonfires, feasting, ringing bels,
Each-one h [...]s neighbour this Gods goodnesse tells.
And, now, return we, where we new-now left
Incarcerate Fauks, whose heart was clean bereft
Of piety and grace, incarnate Divell,
Most strangely hard'ned with infernall evill.
Fauks his most impudent behaviour at the Court.
For, being brought before the Councell grave,
He did himselfe so sturdily behave,
And put-on such a Romish Resolution,
A vouching his intended-execution,
Wit [...] [...]uch a setled and immarbled face,
As that a Mutius Scaevola most base,
He lively represented to them all,
Full of remorslesse rancour, rage and gall.
For why? he durst most shamelesly proclame
This hatefull fact, a deed of holy fame,
And that the Zeal of Romish Faith indeed,
Enflam'd his heart so boldly to proceed;
That, of the works-conclusion he did misse.
Adding, more-over, with a heart of stone,
That, if he had but of their comming known,
And if he had bin in the Cellar ta'ne,
He would have set on fire the pouder-train,
And, both himself and those that had him catcht
Would (there) have blown-up and of life dispatcht.
Yea, when before the King and Councell grave,
That night, he question'd was, he did behave
Himself with right-Ravilack scorn and pride,
And oftentimes would seem even to deride
What was demanded; so small grace he had,
So hard a heart, his conscience was so bad.
And the next day being in safe custody,
And by some Lords question'd, most seriously,
Touching his complices in this designe,
He stubbornly, would such demands decline,
And all that while, nought could be from him got,
Which he conceived might disclose the plot;
But on himself-alone laid all the blame,
Protesting that he undertook the same
Meerly for conscience and religions sake,
Avouching, that the King he did not take
To be his lawfull Soveraign, Gods annoynted,
But, as an Haeretick, from Rome disjoynted▪
But,
Fauks sent to the Tower.
the next morn, being to the Tower sent,And, there, some two or three dayes being spent,
In strict examination, twice or thrice,
And, he rejecting all their grave advice;
The Councell (theron) profering him the rack,
Frighted with the rack.
The sight therof did all his courage crack;
And all his former Romish valour stout,
Unmask, and made his guilt of heart break-out.
[Page 48] So that he (then) began for to confesse
The truth of all th'intended-wickednesse.
Then there they left him in his divellish heart,
To bide the Sentence of his just desert;
To taste the bitter cup to traitors due,
Which yet did nothing cause his soule to rue,
But desperately his heart more hard than stone,
With divellish impudence was overgrown.
For in the time of his imprisonment,
Some other traitors to the Towre being sent,
There were, that did avouch that they did heare
Vile Robert Winter, Winter voyd of fear;
In whom (also) was graces Autumn shown,
And fruitlesse-Winter of all goodnesse known,
Who being in the Towre, a time did finde
To speak to Fauks,
Conference in the Towr twixt Winter & Fauks.
and (thus) to break his minde.Thou knowst (friend) Fauks, my old & trusty mate)
That boyes may, once, grow-up to mans estate,
And Catesby and my selfe have children left,
Then are we not of comfort, quite, bereft.
For why? I hope they will revenge Romes wrong,
And, for our sakes, her foes (once) lay along.
Yea, though we had no children of our own,
Yet God is able from the sterile-stone
To Abraham of Rome, children to raise;
And I much marvell, no man in our praise
For this our Cath'lick constant zeal doth write,
And Panegyricks unto us indite.
How-ever, yet, let us vow and protest
To maintain our just-cause and manifest,
Our ardent zeal for Romes supremacy,
When we before the people are to die.
Content (quoth Fauks) for, surely, I suppose
The Divell not God, did this our sact disclose,
[Page 49] O monstrous men, ô hard hearts, brazen faces!
To offer God and man these foule disgraces,
Past grace, past goodnesse, voyd of fear or shame,
Our good Heavens God, thus falsly to defame,
Farre worse than Julian, that Apostata,
Or Ecebolius, worse than these, I say,
For Julian did (at last) confesse and cry,
Thou Galilaean hast the victory.
And th'other with remorse confest his fault,
Crying-out, O tread on me unsavoury-salt.
But this remorslesse, gracelesse, godlesse brood,
Of ramish-Romists, with most impious mood,
Are not asham'd (like most unsavoury-salt)
Not only, not to grieve for this great fault,
But most impenitent, avouch and joy,
Their hellish-plot, their country to destroy.
To this unpattern'd impudence, I may
The traitor Tressams perjury display;
As most apparent marks to testifie
This Beast of Babell and her blasphemy.
And let no Romish-Rabsheca be mov'd,
And say tis false; for both were justly prov'd.
This Tressam to the Councell had confest,
Tressams perjury.
That he and Garnet had their minds exprest,
And often-times had serious conference
About this treason and intelligence
Of that invasion by the King of Spain,
Which greedily they gapd-for, but in vain.
This also, being prov'd to Garnets face,
Yet Tressam, ere he dy'd (quite voyd of grace)
Did on his souls-salvation take his oath,
Vilely recant, falsly forswear them-both;
And said, that sixteen yeers, at least were past,
Since he did see or talk-with Garnet last.
Who hold it but a triviall, veniall-sin,
To wrest and jest with oaths and Sacraments,
And have indulgence for such damn'd attempts!
But, desperate Judas-like Tressam did dye,
Murthering himselfe in prison wickedly.
O who, so Stoick-like, so senslesse Stock
Cannot be mov'd to see these wretches mock,
And gull their souls with Romish incantation!
Nay, who are so bewitch (past admiration)
With the bedawb'd face of that rotten-Whore
I'th' Revelations spoken of long before.
But, to omit digression and proceed,
And briefly to relate each scelerous deed
Which did and should succeed that fatall-houre,
Let's here leave Fauks fast lockt in Londons towr,
(A lodging fit for such a traiterous guest)
Where now he might take time, without molest,
His corrupt-conscience seriously to sift,
To cry for grace, to Christ his thoughts to lift.
Untill the day, of execution due
To him, and those of his accursed crue,
Was brought about in its appointed time
To pay the wages of his cursed crime.
In which discourse each godly-wise shall see
By truth and reason all confirm'd to be.
First, here behold there more than marble faces
T'invert the odium, and the foule disgraces
Of this black-deed, had it so ta'ne effect,
On Innocents, who did it least suspect.
There liv'd at that time in Northampton-shier,
A worthy Gentleman, allyed neare
To Robert Keyes, whose Sister Keyes did wed,
Wherby acquaintance was between them bred,
And in his Country of most rare report,
For Grace and Goodnesse and true Piety,
Had a swift running-Nag, and Keyes must be
The man must borrow it for some choice use,
A staulking-horse, indeed, to this abuse.
This Horse thus borrowed (as the plot was laid)
Must unto London forthwith be convay'd,
And there to stay till Fauks had given the blow,
Which should have wrought his coūtries bleeding wo.
Which given, the horse was ordered to attend
Fauks in St. Georges-field away to wend,
And make escape by speedy flight from thence.
They likewise had, with hellish impudence,
Contriv'd about that time t'have murthered
This pious Gentleman at night in his bed,
And's murthered Corps to have convey'd away
To London, whereabout his horse did stay.
And in this interim, even Fauks himself
That furious fire-brand, Alecto's elf,
Should also have by Ʋillains murthered been,
And be so hackt that it should not be seen
Or known what one he was; thus, twas dec [...]reed,
To pay him home with his deserved meed.
He hopd for honour they would pay't with horror,
His dignity should be his death and dolour,
He gap't for gold, they would it turn to gall,
Now when he hop't to rise he down should fall.
Thus Fauks so mangled, as not to be known,
A rumour sodainly must forth be blown,
That Puritans were authours of the fact,
And more to cleare their project and compact,
And make the world beleeve't was so indeed
There Mr. Pickering lay in Fauks his stead,
[Page 52] Who was the kindler of that furious flame,
And as prime Authour must beare all the blame.
(The traitor Fauks his corps being sodainly
Convayd away that none could him descry.)
There also M. Pickerings horse did stay,
Ready with speed to hasten him away;
But heavens all-seeing-eye, revengefull hand,
His hop'd escape did timely countermand,
And stir'd up some in odious detestation
Of that so foule sulphureous perpetration,
To fall upon him, and with wrath most due
Him in that manner there to hack and hew,
To cleare all which, hard by him smeard in blood,
His wel-known horse bridled and sadled stood.
On which suspition, strengthened in that sort
Straight must break forth (I say) that false report
That Puritans were authours of this ill,
And therupon a Massacre must fill
The kingdome with the blood of righteous men,
All that were pious known, and godly, then,
By Romish rash and wrongfull accusations
Must have bin forc't to bloody devastations.
Hence, hence, I say, had rufully bin rais'd
Clamours of men, out-cryes of hearts amaz'd,
Death threatning tortures in all parts to reare,
On all that godly, gracious Christians were.
And was not this a craft rak'd out of Hell
By divellish furies? falsly to repell
From guilty on the guiltlesse, all their blame,
And then like Divels incarnate voyd of shame,
With perjur'd stony-hearts and brazen faces
Upon Gods Saints to dash their own disgraces.
He that the nimble drops can number all,
Which from the Pleiades and moyst Orion fall,
Might (then) have told poor Britans brinish shewers,
Might, thē, have nūbred Englāds heart-fetcht-groās
Might, then, have counted all her matchles moans.
O English Protestants, why stand you still,
As if affraid to curbe Romes cursed will?
Why seem ye (yet) to hault twixt two opinions,
Pretending truth, fostring these Romish Minions?
O cast out these accursed Canaanites,
These subtill foxes, bloody Jesuites,
Which lye but lurking for a watched prey,
Whom nought can satiate but your dire decay!
Impunity does nought but cause them 'bide
Sharp thorns t'our eyes and goads unto our side.
But now to passe to that which doth remain,
Farther to view this traiterous hatefull train,
Here, then what Satans pseud-Apostles did,
Shall be declar'd after all was unhid.
And, heer you must observe and notice take
That Percy, Catesby, all things sure to make,
'Bout Westminster and Lambeth staied still,
Percy and Catesby staid about Westminster to see the issue.
The issue to observe or good or ill,
Sure news therof unto their mates to carry,
Who, for their coming did 'bout Dunchurch tarry.
This impious Dog-couple of traitours base;
These bold co-partners in shames deep disgrace,
Perceiving that by Heavens most blest decree,
Their treason was made known, make haste to flee,
Their prey (now) lost, they both like Bears, in chace
Finding themselvs (now) in a desp'rate case,
Their hearts began to ake and quake with fear,
Like Dogs, indeed, they grin, rage, sweat and swear
To horse they haste and swiftly poste away
To Dunchurch,
Dunchurch heath.
where (I say) their mates did stay.[Page 54] Which place they had their rendevous assign'd,
Their after-game to play (there) to their mind.
There, falsly, did Sr. Everard Digby fain
His holy-hunt,
Venatio Catholica A holy Hunt.
a fat-buck to be slain.A hunt, indeed, like that of Nimrod proud,
Their farther mischiefs cunningly to shroud,
A holy-hunt for hell-hounds only fit,
To hunt Christs lambs into Romes wolvish-pit.
And, as in word, so to avoid suspition,
Of all things, for a hunt, they made provision.
Their toils and nets they place, with joyfull cheer,
Their hounds with yelping noise to chace the deer,
A description of their pretended hunt.
The sturdy stag, the tripping, skipping hare,
Their horns they blow, which pierce the ecchoing ayr,
Making their choice of a large champion-ground,
A fitter for their turne could not be found,
With shrubs and bushes set commodiously,
And here and there, oaks planted, broad and high,
Convenient places horse-carriers to see,
And nothing wanting that desir'd could be;
Yea, 'twas a plain so spacious, that they might,
An army place in battle-ray to fight.
In this great heath proud Digby and his train
With traiterous Tressam rod about a main,
And after them a mighty thrust and throng
Of Catholikes and others past along,
Inhabiting the villages about,
Admiring much the cause of that huge rout.
Then forthwith, all the gallants and best choice
Of Gentlemen and Youth, with hollowing-voice,
Do ride and run, and to this sport allure
All that were fit that pleasing sport t'endure;
And most of all the villages, therby,
Do thither flock, together hastily.
[Page 55] The woods about with snares and hayes they fill,
Some blow their bugle-horns both loud and shrill,
Some, with their swords cut boughs, some, nets do lay,
Yea, all prepare them to their sport and play,
And from their hounds the collers do unty,
Who to their game do run most eagerly.
At whose loud opening and huge yelping-noise,
The Deer, now, sodainly, to all their joyes,
Out of the thickets, 'mongst them nimbly rushes,
Which, fearfully, lay hid among the bushes,
And from them all doth swiftly run and scud,
Whom Men and Dogs pursue, as they were wood.
But in the midst of this their hasty pace,
At heels of one of that most traiterous race,
A prettie note by the way of a Country-mans suspition of these hunters.
An honest-Country-man, by chance did keep,
And, as he leaped ore a ditch most deep,
A clattring armour perfectly did heare,
Which under's cloaths that traitor, then, did wear;
And that which in him more suspition bred,
The winde, as then, blew much and blustered,
And, up and down his coate (oft) hovered, so,
That, he an harnesse, clear, might see and know.
The sight wherof amaz'd him, wondrously,
And, thus, he whisp'red to one standing by.
Good neighbour tell me what you thinke of this,
I know not, but me thinks tis much amisse,
That in these parts, so great a company,
Are thus assembled and yet unknown, why.
God grant that all be well. This hunt, I feare,
Is not 'gainst Foxes (only) Hares and Deer;
No, no, I fear, they gape for greater things,
These subtill Serpents (doubtlesse) hide their stings.
Themselvs being fiercest wolvs, though sheep-like clad,
This hunt, I fear, is not for bruit-beasts had,
[Page 56] Worse mischief (surely) in their bosome lyes,
Not Beasts to kill, but mens lives to surprize.
Lord keep the King and royall Progeny
From being caught and trapt in treachery
By these audacious subtill-hunters snare,
Who, to these ends, no cost nor labour spare.
My mind presageth some great villany,
But, heaven, I pray, my fear may falsifie.
Yet, otherwise, why should they armour weare?
Under their cloathes? Besides all of them are
Vassals to th' Pope of Rome, who (oft) did spit
With rancour sore, fetcht from th'infernall-pit)
His envious poyson 'gainst ELIZABETH,
Whose fame, as in her life, lives after death.
They are (I say) the friends and fautours all
Of the great Beast, that strumpets champions tall,
Who sends her bellowing-bulswith bāning stings,
Realms to dispose, to depose lawfull Kings,
Which, she composeth of false couched treason,
Beyond the bounds of piety and reason.
Doubtlesse, this most seditious generation,
Disloyall brood, thirsting for innovation.
Both ever was, and so continue still,
The cunning craft-masters of fraud and ill,
The foes to our felicity and peace;
But heer's more need of swords than words. I'll cease,
I'll for my self provide the best I may;
And from this dangerous crue will haste away;
And with these words his staff on's neck he threw,
And without answer, thence, himself with-drew.
By chance,
Another suspition.
also, as they, thus hunting were,A friend of traiterous Winter, this did feare,
And therfore he thus unto Winter said,
I prethee tell me (Winter) what hath made
[Page 57] This great assembly? what may be the reason
Of all this-concourse, at this unfit season?
What winde hath blown our Catholiks together,
I prethee tell me wherfore come they hither?
To whom, thus, Winter, in his eare repli'de,
Deer Sr. the truth from you I will not hide,
This hunt of beasts is but a thing pretended,
We have a holy-hunt forthwith intended.
Venamur religionem
We hope to hunt the wolves hereticall
From our too-long enjoy'd possessions all.
And in these few hours this will be effected,
Then let not these my speeches be rejected,
But take advice, remember what say,
Hold on our side, it is the wisest way.
But, now the night draws-on, our sport must end,
And with those words he parted from his friend.
The hunts-men, then, their horns aloud did blow,
Both hounds and hunters to their homes do go,
Making their retrograde, home they repair,
And by the way their passed sports declare.
When, being hous'd, their hoste had set on board,
Such viands as the time would best affoord.
Great fires were made themselvs to warm & heat,
Their tables spread with linnen cloths most neat,
A Parlour fair, to sup in ready drest,
And gold and silver goblets of the best.
Then Digby, who was chiefest of them all,
Puts-off his arms,
Sr. Ever. Digby.
and for his gown doth call,Wherin he walks and staulks with princely gate,
Amidst his cursed-consorts, in great state,
Prescribes them statutes, asks, replies again,
His brest no triviall-trifles doth contain.
His heart and head negotiate great affairs,
He unto each his place of honour shares.
That all things shall, to them, most prosperous be,
That he even loades his mates with dignity,
This done, to supper they go instantly,
Where was no want of mirth and dainty cheer,
As in their quaft-carouses did appeare,
In drinking healths and wishing good successe,
To their companions whom with eagernesse
From London they expected, where they staid,
Thinking each houre was ten, till they were made
Partakers of their tydings. But, mean-while,
With mirth and musick, they, the time beguile.
But, as they sate, as'twere ore-whelm'd in pleasure,
Glutting themselvs with dainties in deep measure,
In jesting-scoffs and flouts taking delight,
Gainst those whom they terme pure in scorne and spight,
On whom they breaking jests in high disdain,
Would hoote and hollow, laughing-out amain.
As, thus, I say, they jeering, jesting, sat,
Drown'd in delight, glutted with merry-chat,
News was brought in that Percy and Catesby
Were at the door;
Catesby & Percy came to the traitors with the newes of the discovery of their treason.
to whom most earnestly,They, starting-up, made haste to meet, salute,
Hoping the message to their minde did sute.
Whom Digby, first, with speedy pace did meet,
And 'bout their middle does them kindely greet,
Often demanding, what good news, they brought,
Who with dejected face, abjected thought,
As briefe, as full of griefe, did thus reply,
All is stark-nought. Which dampt them instantly.
Strange alteration, like to Ghosts they stand,
As if not able to stir foot or hand,
The traitors are amazed.
Such numbnesse, dumbnesse seem'd in them to be,
A chilling-cold all-ore them you might see,
Their face could not their foule disgrace dissemble,
Their countenance cast-down, they stare and gaze,
Their fainting-hearts half-dead at that amaze.
And thus, ô thus, the Lord converts the joy
Of unjust men, into most sharp annoy,
Their pleasure into pain and penury;
All (thus) quite dasht, in twinckling of an eye:
A while they flourish like a pleasant-bay,
But sodainly, they fade, like withered-hay.
Percy, at length, all feare doth from him cast,
And seeing how his friends stood all agast,
Thus, dissolutely, resolute, began
To utter words befitting such a man.
Take courage (friends) do not all hope neglect,
Percies oration.
The first-attempts do seldome take effect,
Had it bin (thus) with Caesar in the field,
Pompey had victour bin, made Caesar yeeld,
(When they at Thessalie the battle fought)
And Caesar had bin slain, past feare or doubt,
And with his life, his Empire he had lost,
Each enterprize (at first) great pains doth cost.
Yea, commonly great obstacles with-stand
The noblest actions that we take in hand.
Life is resembled to a chance at Dice,
Where (oft) more's wone at once, than lost at thrice.
Though for the time, the gamester suffers losse;
At last much coyn, into his purse he'll tosse.
Beleeve me (noble Sirs) Ʋertue best shines
In troublesome and intricate designes;
The time requires bold-spirits; plaisters strong
Must cure the sore which cowardize did wrong.
Fortune's a friend to the couragious wight,
Dastardly feare declares a pesant right.
[Page 60] What? are we not all of us Catholicks?
Does not our High-Priest curse those Hereticks,
And pray for us? is not our cause most right,
Religious, just? valiantly, then, let's fight.
This Pluto's Orator scarce made an end,
When all to arms themselvs do fiercely bend;
Then forthwith,
They put themselvs into open rebellion.
Catesby and his traiterous matesConsult together. Catesby sendeth Bates
To Garnet with a letter, which should show
What ill-successe did on their projects flow.
Garnet at Coughton was in Warwick-shire,
And all Recusants rendevous was there;
And in that letter Catesby him desir'd
(For so their ominous-estate requir'd)
With all convenient expedition,
To stir-up Wales into rebellion,
And els-where, as he could all Papists stout
To stimulate and move to fight it out.
Now Garnet (who with Greenwell was that time)
Seeing,
Garnets opinion.
they Jesuites were deep in the crime,And fully certifi'd that all was known,
Began their ill-successe much to bemoan,
And seem'd to prophesie their Sects decay;
O that we (once) could see that happy day!
Greenwels resolution
But hot-spur'd Greenwell, being more resolute,
More firy-spirited and dissolute,
Boldly resolved (thence) away to poste,
To raise rebellion all about that coast;
And instigates Recusants unto arms,
With all his utmost Jesuitick-charms.
Then at the house of Abbington, he meets
With Hall a Jesuite,
Hall a Iesuite.
and him kindly greets.And after greetings, doth him then advise
To work as many as he could to rise.
[Page 61] But Hall (as in a dump) a while did stay,
Much doubting what therin to do or say.
To whom so doubting Greenwell, thus, began,
Why how now (brother Hall) what frights thee man?
The difference, twixt a flegmatick faint heart,
I plainly understand (such as thou art)
And me,
Horrible impudence in holy Iesuites.
who am more cholerick and hot,Why▪ man it moves not; fears not me a jot.
And wilt thou (now) a milk-sop dastard be?
And hide thy head, when ther's most need of thee?
Fie, fie for shame, take heart, be not affraid,
And help me stir-up friends our foes t'invade,
With martiall-might these hereticks to slay,
Nor must we now, to pause, the time delay.
And, thus, away he flies, like northern-winde,
And, as he past, he publisht with false minde,
A monstrous-lye through every town and city,
A monstrous lye.
That Catholicks that night without all pitty,
By Protestants should all have murthered bin,
Hoping hereby rebellion to begin;
Wishing them all take heed not to prolong
To save themselvs, but make resistance strong,
If they desir'd in saf'ty to abide,
And for their wives and children to provide,
And if they would their lives and lands possesse,
And free themselvs from imminent distresse.
Then Hall the Jesuite, meeting (after this)
With Littleton, who finding all amisse,
Did urge the Priest therwith exceeding much,
Told him it did his conscience neerly touch,
And that he thought the Lord was much offended
With such a course as so much blood intended.
But Hall, as whiteliver'd, as late, he seem'd,
As harmlesse holy-lambes as th'are esteeem'd,
[Page 62] As simple Doves as Jesuites would appeare,
Now, doffs the mask which he (before) did weare.
The violent and virulent hearts-gall,
He, now, declares even of the Jesuites all.
For why? instead of meek acknowledgement
Of true contrition, heart right-penitent,
Of late dissembled grief for this foule fault,
When Greenwell him to stir-up rebels wrought.
He divellishly began to justifie
Their most atrocious,
Hall the Priest his divellish change & judgment on the fact
vicious villany.And thus to Littletons great doubt repli'de,
Good Sir, you shoot your censure very wide.
And much transgresse 'gainst charities right laws,
If by the ill-successe you judge a cause.
For why? th'eleven tribes, which two battles bent
'Gainst Benjamin, at Gods commandement,
In both the conflicts those tribes had the worst,
Shall we (therfore) account their cause accurst?
So, when as Lewis, King of France did fight
Against the Turks, was by them put to flight,
And, he himself (then) of the plague did dye.
The Christians, eke, defending valiantly
Their town of Rhods, 'gainst Pagans, lost the same;
Must we the cause (then) by th' event (here) blame?
No, good Sir, no; our cause was just and right,
How ere the event hath prov'd amisse in sight.
What better, greater cause to spend our bloods,
Than for Religion to spend life and goods?
Thus, thus, this bloody Jehuite did perswade
That Papist, who was heerwith well apaid.
Doubtlesse, great Lucifer could never find,
More expert instruments to please his mind,
Among his hellish-hags, more flinty-hearts,
To act his most infernall tragick-parts;
[Page 63] Than these inhumane Jesuites, Satans sect,
These most pernicious props,
Hamon the Jesuite gives the traitors absolutiō.
which Rome protect.To Robert Winters house the rebels came,
Where, that rank Jesuite of no little fame,
Old faithlesse father Haman did reside,
Whose heart with Romish zeal being fir'd & fry'd,
When he, together did the traitours see,
He gave them all his absolution free;
Even, then, when they were in rebellion hot,
And after the discovery of the plot.
This holy father of that hell-spawn'd Sect,
Told them their High-Priest highly did respect
Their zeal & would them Saints & Martyrs make,
Romish Martyrs.
Therfore he bad them all bold courage take.
These pious words Ignatians-imp did utter,
And, shewd them the Popes
When the Steed is stolne, shut the Stable doore.
pardon seald with butter.Hell being, thus, broke-loose, though but a while,
Sēds-forth more hell-hoūds, blood-hoūds fierce & vile.
Grant, whose foule hopes, Heaven also foolifi'd,
To whom, none (yet) had these things certifi'd,
(For why? he kept his house and stir'd not out,
Till he suppos'd all (now) past fear or doubt,
But thinking now the plot was fully ended,
And that good-hap their hopes had well befriended)
Now like a Tygre-fierce abroad doth fling,
Armed all-over with foul-mischiefs sting.
But, He which makes his reckoning and his prize,
Without his hoste, must make his reckoning twice.
And as the 40. Jews with divellish will,
Swore, in an ambush, they St. Paul would kill:
So Grant what he had sworn-to,
Grants attempt.
long before,Now, hopes to execute, with rancour sore.
And with his rabble of Recusants stout,
Perfidious Papists, now, he issueth-out.
[Page 64] And thus, by night, to Warwick-castle came,
Where divers Nobles of great note and name,
In time of peace, warrs danger to prevent
Fed and bred-up great horses for content.
Those Grant did steale and to his camp convay,
Their owners to confront; assault and slay.
This most audacious fact, this strange ambition,
This robbery-bold, quickly, bred much suspition,
In Sr. Fulk Grevill, th'elder, who was then,
Lieutenant of that Shire:
Sr. Fulke Grevill.
And bands of menCaused him like a faithfull worthy Knight
To muster-up in readinesse for fight;
And with all speed, to fortifie those parts,
And unto his assistance, wins the hearts
Of all the chiefest Gentlemen there dwelling,
Fearing (as 'twas indeed) some strange-rebelling;
And wise directions he sent up and down,
Into each village, place and neighbouring-town.
So that as up and down the traitors went,
A Smith smites Winter.
A Smith to Winter such a sound-blow lent,
As had not he bin rescu'd, by the rout,
He then had bin laid-hold-on, past all doubt.
But, at that time, the townsmen sixteen took,
The rest, in haste their captiv'd mates forsook.
Now, as they fled (I mean, Grant and his mates)
At length, he there himself associates
With Catesby, Percy, and with all the rest,
To whom then Catesby their estate exprest,
Told Grant their enterprise was all descri'd,
And that they must all hazards now abide.
Thus as they altogether troop'd in haste,
Sr. Richard Ʋerney from his confines chac'd
These roaming-rebels,
S Richard Verney.
who to Worster-shire,Betook themselvs, as full of guilt as feare;
[Page 65] Yet hoping (still) their numbers to augment,
But, our good God their hopes did still prevent.
Mean-while that they thus roam'd tumultuously,
The Lord Harringtō.
The honoured Lord Harrington therby,
Who to his fame and praise, in princely state,
With loyalty and love did educate
The eldest Daughter of our Soveraign King,
The Lady Elizabeth that princely thing.
Whose feare and fright him greatly pittied,
Hearing how things were much disordered.
He (therfore) carefull of his royall-gemm,
This princely-branch, sprung from a Regall-stemm,
Whom he more neerly, dearly tendered,
Than his own-life; to him assembled
And call'd about him all his faithfull friends,
Whom all his gates to lock he forthwith sends,
And with a double-watch he strongly pent
(All traiterous intentions to prevent)
And fortifi'd his house 'gainst ingruent feare:
And yet his heart doubted her safety there,
For in his private-house he thought not good
Her long to keep, and thus in doubt he stood.
But taking counsell, he most prudently,
Resolved with all true fidelity
To Coventry, the Princesse to convay,
Which from his house was distant no great way.
The city of Coventry.
Whose dutious Citizens good government
Had made that city famous, eminent,
Being also fenc't with wals and bulwarks strong,
Thither this Peere the Princesse led along.
Whose Citizens with joy assembled are
With joynt consent themselvs all to prepare,
This princely-Lady, there to entertain,
In glist'ring armes her safety to maintain.
[Page 66] The City Major and all his brethren grave,
Decking themselvs in gowns and garments brave,
With kindest salutations did her meet,
And with most cordiall wellcomes did her greet,
And finding feare opprest her tender mind,
All grief they banisht,
The Citizens comfort the Lady.
with these words most kind;Be comforted (sweet Princesse) we you pray,
Let all sad thoughts and fears be cast away.
For we with all our Citizens are prest,
In your defence to shew and manifest
Our love and loyalty, to do you good,
To spend our strength, our state, yea dearest blood,
Our gold, our goods, our love and labours all,
Yea, whatsoere is ours, you yours may call;
We nought wil spare (sweet Princesse) you to pleasure,
Even to the utmost of our lives and treasure.
These words the tender Ladies heart rejoyce,
Whom, to the City they, with cheerfull voyce,
Conduct unto a fair house well prepar'd,
Befitting her estate and high regard,
Most sumptuously set-out and richly dight,
Where a strong guard was kept both day & night,
And watch and ward the City round about,
And carefull search who-ere went in or out.
Now, all this while that band of bandogs rage,
Sweating, intreating ayd and equipage,
For their affairs, but nothing did take place,
As they did rove and rave, like Bears in chace;
All was in vain, for none how bad soever,
Would with them joyn, but from them part and sever,
Nay, scarce, in one of all their own profession,
Could all their plaints procure the least impression.
Such was the hatred of their hellish deed,
Such love of quietnesse sweet peace did breed!
[Page 67] And when they had got all they could perswade,
Some fourescore-persons their most number made.
Yea, when they had don all they could; threat, pray,
Even their own-servants gladly shrunk away,
Fearfull of ill-successe and conscience-prick,
Knowing 'gainst thorns it was in vain to kick.
But these out-ragious Romists did conceit
And fondly dreame, in this their furious heat,
That they were of small snow-bals nature, right,
Which rowled to and fro, grow to great hight,
And hugely are increast; these traitors, so,
Thought rebels would like rivers to them flow;
And sure suppos'd that what they had begun,
In this one-part of England would be done
By all the Catholickes in other parts,
And spur them on, with like rebellious hearts,
To symbolize with them and arms to take,
To joyn their might & power, strong head to make,
Which, also, though their lying-Jesuites sought,
Yet, heaven, their helish hopes did bring to nought.
Wherfore, like vagrants, stragling to and fro,
Through all those parts they hopelesly did go,
Of comfort, ayd or counsell, quite bereft,
And, as they past, the people never left
To prosecute with bitter execrations,
The divellish agents of such conjurations.
These miserable miscreants (then) did enter
Into a mighty wood; and thence did venture
To Holbeach, where, with desperate mood they came
Into the house of Littleton by name.
A spacious-house and able to contain
These Romish rebels and their traiterous train.
Littletons house is their Sconce.
Here, then they pitcht their most nefarious tent,
Drown'd in despair, drencht in disparagement.
[Page 68] Wch whiles they were here lodg'd, as in their cāp,
Strook to their hearts much madnes, wrath & damp.
Like angry Bears who when their whelps are slain,
Run up and down, ramp, rage and roar amain.
The gates and doors, some lock-up and fast barre,
Some whet their swords and fit themselvs for warr.
Some do their Peeces charge with pouder & shot,
Others their armour scoure from stain or spot,
Their vain and hair-braind-labour was but lost,
And must them all their dearest heart-blood cost.
Sir Rich. Walsh besiegeth them.
For now Sr. Richard Walsh the high-Shrive came,
Besieg'd the house with souldiers, did proclaime
Favour to those that yeilded, stood not out,
But utmost wrath to th'obstinate and stout,
Fairly intreats them, then, not to resist,
But peaceably from farther harm desist,
To yeild unto the mercy of their Prince,
Or els he must their stubborn hearts evince.
The Sumner in his masters name, thus, said.
But they like madd-men, him this answer made,
Go tell thy Master we do scorne his threats,
And hold as empty-ayre his wea [...] intreats.
If he by dint of sword will force us yeeld,
He must bring greater forces to the field.
Wish him (therfore) break-off his female-fight,
With silly-syllables our hearts to fright,
That he must not contend with us in words;
We'll fight it out and trust unto our swords.
Thus when this valiant Gentleman did see
Him and his counsell scorn'd, to arms flies he.
Whiles things, thus, past, a most strange accident,
A sore fore-runner of due punishment,
A tang and touch to meet their treason right
Happ'ned within; which did the traitors fright.
A bagg of Gun-pouder to be made dry,
Not farre from which, nearer the fire of wood
A tray of pouder (there) uncovered stood:
A tray of pouder set on fire.
Into which tray a crackling sparke did glide,
And, instantly, the tray and bagg beside
It fired, insomuch that furiously,
It with fierce flames and smoake flew up on high,
In quo peccavimus, in eodem plectimur.
And with resistlesse rage (to amaze and wonder)
The houses roofe it reft and cleft asunder,
And on the face of traiterous Catesby came,
To his and all those Traitors stinging shame.
Grants face it scorcht, and Rookwoods face also,
Did not in this great judgement untoucht go,
But like the foule stigmatick-slaves most base
Of Dionysius branded in their face,
They marked were, their hearts and sense seem'd dead,
Their souls seem'd in their bodies buried,
All stood astonisht, pale-fac'd, faint, affright,
Their hair did stare with horrour,
Winters dream.
bolt up right.Yea, Robert Winter, but the day before,
This fearfull chance (to make his horrour more)
Dreamt, that he Churches saw, and as it were,
Steeples to stand awry, and with much fear,
That in those Churches he strange faces saw;
This sad event, these to his thoughts did draw,
And caus'd him, that, his dreame to mind to call,
And therof, thus, made him resolve withall,
That sure those faces which did there appeare,
Were right like these that now before him were;
And did unto him rightly shew the frame,
And shapes of these whom thus the pouder-flame
Had scorcht and burnt. This him amazed much,
And did his traiterous heart most deeply touch.
[Page 70] And, then, with guilty-consciences they eye,
Their Epidemick purpos'd treachery,
Confessing Christ to be th'avenger just,
Who turns the glory of the proud to dust.
Then, they, their Countries causlesse wo do minde,
The fires they should have kindled most unkinde.
Yea, then they seem to see the blood-shed great,
Which to their harmlesse brethren they did threat.
Which on the ground like rivers should have run,
Seeming remorse in the traitors.
And on their bended-knees, they (now) begun,
To wring their hāds with tears their faults cōfessing
Beating their brests, their groans, their griefs expressing,
And now, too-late they do lament their folly,
Acknowledging the Lord to be most holy,
And this great judgement on them to be just,
Cursing the time they did such counsell trust.
Read, ô ye Atheists, read and mark this well,
Who are perswaded ther's no heaven nor hell;
Yea, read, ô ye blind Romish Jebusites,
Who think the Lord sees not your jugling-slights,
Who think God marks not nor regards your deeds,
Or els, who count hels horrour, crackling reeds.
Saying, with Davids-fool, God sees us not,
Th'almighty slumbers or hath us forgot.
O, if ye have not browes more hard than brasse,
Or if one spark of grace may from you passe,
Then, thinke, nay be assur'd the Lord doth fight
For his afflicted flock, their wrongs to right.
Yea, know that Gods invincible strong arm,
The righteons and religious saves from harm.
And that he (sure) can catch at unawares,
Malicious proud men in their nets and snares.
And pouder-plotters burn in such like flame,
As they for others impiously did frame.
Of others perill they are prime-partaker.
O let this (therfore) tell all traitors hearts,
That heaven will (surely) pay them their deserts.
But, to proceed. The hooded hypocrite,
A while may couzen & cog and cheat mens sight,
But long it shall not last, heaven will detrude
Their impious vizards, wherwith they delude
The eyes of mortall men, and this abuse
The Lord will to their sorrow (soon) reduce.
For presently, their temporizing tears
Were dryed up, no shame in them appears.
All former seeming sorrows quite forsaken,
And their new virtue proves old-vice mistaken.
A sodain madnesse did all grace push-out,
Op'ning the gates they armed all rush-out,
And like mad-dogs or Gaderens divellish hogs,
The traitors grow desperate.
Despairing with their conscience heavy-clogs,
They head-long run among their enemies,
Smiting on all-sides in most desperate wise.
Vowing and swearing, since, such was their fate,
To sell their hatefull blood at a dear rate.
The valiant high-Shrieve, seeing 'twas in vain,
(As was declar'd) by love them to constrain,
To due submission; with true martiall heat,
Resolves them therunto with blowes to beat.
They now fight pell mell Rookwood and Winter are shot, and both the Wrights are slain.
Stoutly they fight on both sides; these for fame,
The others fight with desperate fear and shame,
Then Thomas Winter vaunting in the Court,
And traiterous Rookwood one of this consort,
Th' one shot in's shoulder, lost the use of's arm,
Tother with shot had also no small harm.
Then, both the Wrights with halberts (there) were slain,
Which, much discourag'd their perfidious train.
Doth joyn himself, and to them Winter went.
And, thus, this knot of knaves fought back to back,
And Winter at their sides doth hold them tack,
Placing themselves in manner like a wedge,
And, thus, they boldly fought with eager edge.
The traitors smite about with furious blows,
These to defend,
Simile.
those to offend their foes.And like the fight of Buls (as Stories say)
By sturdy Dogs assaulted on the way,
And sorely set upon; they, tail to tail,
With their strong horns the furious dogs assail:
But, as Alcides, though most stout and strong,
Or Theseus brave could not continue long
'Gainst many foes, maugre their courage bold,
No more could these their enemies long hold.
For at them, presently, a peece was shot,
Whose bullet both those traitours deadly smot.
Percy and Catesby are slain.
Through Percies & through Catesbies cursed heart
The bullet pierced to their deadly smart;
When with a deep life-yeelding hollow groan,
Unable to subsist, they both fell prone
Upon the Earth, strugling with pangs of death,
And quickly gasp'd their last accursed breath.
And like two mighty Oaks whose branches high
Did seem (just now) to touch the lofty-sky,
Simile.
But by a rapid whirl-wind in the ayr
Are blown and over-thrown; whose branches are
Laid low upon the ground, the boughs made meat
For cattell in the field to brouse and eat.
Thus, to those gracelesse Champions of the Pope
(Who had already) swallowed up in hope,
Englands fair Realm and seat-Imperiall,
It did directly happen, justly fall.
[Page 73] Who thus, I say, in hellish fond conceit
Had clim'd the top of high promotions seat,
But see (I say) their huge Pyramides
Of hatefull pride (for so it heaven did please)
With shame was shattered into peeces smal,
Their flesh made food for birds & worms that crawl.
But, Rookwood, Winter, Grant, alive were taken,
And all the rest of comfort (soon) forsaken.
The traitors apprehended.
Here Robert Winter having stoutly fought,
But, now, unable, longer to hold-out,
His Cateline and hot Cethegus slain,
By his fierce foes, alive, was quickly ta'ne.
But with a Pike in's belly (first) receiv'd
A dangerous wound,
Winter wounded in the belly.
yet, not of life bereav'd.Now, all the rest being taken and disarm'd,
(By prick of conscience, than deaths fear more harmd)
Were thus subjected unto justice stroke,
Their fainting hearts confounded, wounded, broke.
And as the custome is, with hempen bands
They were fast bound, behinde their backes their hands.
And so to London,
The traitors are conveyed to London.
fast on hors-back tyde,They were convayd: whom people as they 'spide,
Did all the way they went, still flock to meet,
And them with execrable curses greet.
And so to London being brought, at last,
In pris'n with fetters they were locked fast.
And not long after was the 'pointed day
For their arraignment. When in grave array,
Nobles and Judges,
Their arraignment.
as the cause requir'd,Unto their Judgement came; where with admir'd
And learned eloquence, deliberately,
The Kings Atturney (then) did signifie
And recapitulate from first to last
Each most materiall action which had past.
Crost (thus) in th' act, by heavens, alone, prevention.
The Judges (then pronounc'd their sentence due;
And, on the traitors all in open view,
Was execution done in divers places,
To the most just confusion of their faces.
On th'upper-house of Parliament, most high,
(A just reward of horrid treachery)
Catesbies and Percies heads were fixed fast,
Catesbies and Percies heads are set on the Parliament house.
(To use the Prophets words) like a ship-mast,
That passers-by might to each other tell,
The just deserved issue that befell
Unto those roving, robbing Pirates vile,
Who hop'd to rife by treason, theft and guile;
Who by ambitious and pernicious wayes,
The golden-fleece did hope to them to raise,
Not by stout Jasons valour and brave grace,
But by Medaea's sorceries most base,
They gap'd (I say) a golden-fleece to gain,
A glorious-realm to swallow; but in vain.
Wasps (thus) we see, make combs as well as Bees,
But, for sweet hony, work-out pouder-lees.
Their hearts contain'd nought but sulphurious wind,
And foul effects of a most treacherous mind.
PErfidious Fauks, whose hopes were lately high
By Treason to be rais'd to Dignity;
By Justice, findes Treason retaliated,
His Head upon a Pole high elevated:
That All may see Gods vengeance prosecuting,
The proudest Traitors, treason executing.
OUr great Jehovah having brought to light
This deep-Designe full fraught with Romish-spight;
The fame therof through all the Realm being blaz'd,
The Peoples hands and hearts to Heaven are rais'd:
They pray'rs and praises send to Israels King,
They bounteous-Bonfires make, their Bels they ring:
Tryumphing in their Streets with fire-works rare,
Rockets, Fire-wheeles, Fire-drakes flying in the Ayre,
Fierce-mounting Fire-bals blazing in the Skies,
Quick cracking Squibs to please beholders eyes:
And, All heart-cheering signes of Joy expresse,
Being, thus, redeem'd from Death and dire distresse.
Which al your traiterous projects doth attend.
See you Achitophels, you Jesuites all,
What prize doth to your Absolons befall.
Malum confilium consultori pessimum.
Bad counsell, still, to Authours fals-out worst,
An impious-project gains an end-accurst.
For, these, who, like great Consuls would have raign'd,
As false conspirators were,
Empedocles.
now, arraign'd.And like as fond Empedocles did cast
Himself int' Aetna's fire, hoping t'have past
Unspide of any in the furious flame,
And so beheld a god with endlesse fame:
But, when the flame his slippers did retort,
His hair-braind-folly was the peoples sport:
So, these, which hop'd, which fondly hop'd t'have got
Saints names (at least) by this their Aetnean plot,
God (who in mercy did their mischiefe see,
And such strange folly in their hearts to be)
The slippers of discovery did cause
To foolifie their deifide applause.
And by this blest Catastrophe, to call
(Instead of that usurped name they all
Hop'd-for, to wit, Romes meritorious-Martyrs)
And justly term them, most notorious traitors.
And curs'd be they which call such evill good,
Accurs'd Romes doctrins grounded (thus) on blood.
Most deadly-sicke was Catesby and his train,
Of Achabs sicknesse,
Achabs.
none could ease his pain,His stomach was with Naboths ground so cloy'd;
Till bloody Jesabell her skill imploy'd
To give him physick with poor Naboths blood.
But these, vile Achabs case far worser stood,
For; why? although their greedy appetite
Old Achabs did exceed, with gaping spight,
Did us to death with greater mischief doom;
Yet, since they could not kill nor yet possesse,
They were in farre more desp'rate wretchednesse,
In silence, here, I cannot pretermit,
How that these traitours past all grace or wit,
Note this remarkable observation.
In conscience touch't did at their death professe,
That, what they did, was for Romes holinesse;
That, for advancement of the Cath'lick-cause,
They, thus, had plung'd themselvs into hels jaws.
And that they had for their more firm direction,
The precepts of Romes faith and full protection,
The Zeale wherof did strongly them incite
To execute what-ere, with all their might:
Which precepts are, by force, fraud or deceit,
To cog, collogue, to threat, intreat and cheat,
By just or unjust means, by buls or bans
Hugonets, Calvinists and Lutherans,
To prosecute, to cut-off, and to kill
All that oppose their holy Popes great will.
For all's most true, they teach, which Rome doth say?
Or charge her children; for she cannot stray.
Hence we may note that Romes rebellious feed,
All other malefactours farre exceed;
For, though it cannot be gain-said, withstood,
But some in all professions are not good;
But do offend by treason, murther, theft,
For which, they justly are of life bereft,
Yet when they are to dye, they nere accuse
The Doctrine or Religion which they use,
Note this.
To be the cause that they did so transgresse,
Or stain themselvs with such soul-guiltines.
But that their naturall bad inclination,
And want of grace brought them to desolation;
[Page 79] But these besotted eat-gods, voyd of shame,
Do not their nature, but religion blame;
These foule-birds, thus, their own nests do beray,
And, if in ought, heerin, the truth they say.
But, ô, ô misery, beyond compare,
That with such basenesse they contented are!
O, if the understandings-eye be blind,
How hard it is truths perfect paths to finde!
If once the Lord unto our selvs us leave,
How hard, the truth from errour to perceive.
O wo to those which lock-up heavens blest gates
Both from themselves and their seduced mates.
O strong delusions, as St. Paul doth call them,
How can it choose but danger must befall them!
O poysonous-cup of Romish fornication,
To be bewitcht by such strange incantation!
O, if the blind do lead the blind, both stumble!
Nay, both do headlong into mischiefe tumble.
O, what true Christian, Protestant, is he
That does not from truths-fountain clearly see
That God in vengeance, and in judgement just,
Such Doctours and such Doctrins, sure, will thrust
To hells deep-pit (at last) whence first they rose,
Which do Christs wholsome-doctrins so oppose.
For, what sayes Christ, the spring of verity,
To all his Saints, for all posterity?
My deare Disciples go and teach each Nation,
Baptizing all men to regeneration.
Clean contrary, this base-childe of perdition,
The Pope of Rome, with hellish admonition,
His blinde-disciples, thus, most blindly teacheth,
To his proud-Proselites this Doctrine preacheth.
Go extirpate, kill and confound each nation,
Which doth refuse our yoake and usurpation.
[Page 80] O are not these foule broods of vipers vile,
And Pluto's Locusts full of fraud and guile?
Yea, are they not the very spawn of Hell,
The furies of Avernus fierce and fell?
Satan their fathers foot-steps imitating,
By sword and fire fair vertue ruinating,
From whose most damned counsell and consent,
They, spider-like this Stygian-poyson vent,
Which treacherous Faux, that vessell full of vice,
To us, to minister, they did intice.
Doubtlesse the Divell was not a little glad,
That he that Popish-prey and purchase had;
For, to those Romish friends might Pluto say,
As they,
The Divell to the traitors in hell.
with him, in Tartars flashings lay,You see brave friends th' effect of our intentions,
Hels secrets, hidden counsels, strange inventions,
Wch, though they have not wrought as we intended,
Yet are they not, with this plot wholly ended.
Indeed I must confesse we did expect
A greater harvest,
Mark this.
and more full effectOf our designes: But this shall now suffice,
[...]ntill we can procure a
This hath bin most fully confirmed by Satan and his Agents, our Church & State projectors, in this lately discovered plot, by our blessed Parliament, 1641. which would have far transcended this of the Pouder-plot had it taken effect. O the desperate invētiōs of mans more than divelish heart!
richer prize.For yet, we hope fortune, hereafter, may
Grant us a time more mischief to display,
And to the full our counsels to contrive,
To make our stratagems more fairly thrive,
Nor shall this fact our counsels quite deny
Our future hopes. Hell is not, yet, drawn-dry,
Our coffers are not empty (yet, indeed,
This last did all our others, farre exceed)
Which, after-times may taste-of to their pain,
As fast as we can grace and favour gain,
For, these are they wch all our hopes uphold.
This said, fly Satan, those his agents all,
Leaves to themselves in sense of endlesse thrall.
The customary practise of the Divell,
Who, when he hath suggested men to evill,
First, makes them sin, and when they are to die,
Comfortlesse leaves them in their misery,
Voyd of all help, full of disconsolation,
Headlong to tumble into dire damnation.
Mark this, ô ye, whose hearts with deep devotion,
Are so bewitch'd with Circes poysonous potion,
With love of Romes great whore, recall, recall,
Your understanding from her divellish thrall;
Abjure that Doctrine, cease to call them blest,
In whom such maps of mischief are exprest,
Learn with relenting tears, repenting heart,
From Romes false jugling Jebusites to part.
Those subtill Syrens from you to repell,
Those impious Amorites, Magogs of hell.
O take unto you Christs collyrium sweet,
And you shall see how they from truth do fleet,
Yea, you shall, then, perspicuously perceive,
How, they sound faith do hate and wholly leave:
How they true saving knowledge paths pervert,
How they Gods Saints with malice do begirt,
Assaulting them with mischief and despight;
Yet shall the just prevail and stand upright.
For why? both Christ and all the heavenly hoast
Do fight for them wherof they well may boast.
Yea from the stars, according to their kind,
They day & night, do sweet protection find
O, why doth man, then, Christs true Church disturb,
Since heaven resists him and his wrath doth curb?
[Page 82] O thou great guider of the heavens high,
A grateful returne to the Lord our sole deliverer.
Who by thy thunder dost All terrifie,
Almighty ruler of the earth below,
In promise just, to anger very slow!
O, how can we sufficiently recount
Thy condign-praise, which doth the heavens surmount,
Thou didst us save from slaughtring sword and fire,
From those which 'gainst thy laws our lives conspire.
From miserable massacre and death,
Thou only Sions-Saviour gav'st us breath.
And as from teeth of greedy savage Bears
Did'st us recover and redeem from fears.
Thou, only-thou, by power of thy right hand,
Didst for us most unworthy wretches stand,
And our poor silly sinfull souls preserve,
Even, then, when we from thee, by sin did swerve,
We though thy foes, yet did thy mercy finde,
Thou wast most courteous, when we were unkind.
Though we, alas, daily delight in sin,
Endangering heavens losse, our lusts to win,
Quenching thy Spirit in us, fostring the flesh,
Like dogs to vomit, sinning still a fresh,
Contemning thy behests and holy name,
Using thy Saints with scornfull scoffs and shame.
Choosing the wrong, forsaking the right way,
Blindly persisting, when we go astray;
Lab'ring to please our selvs, though displease thee,
Thinking to live as Saints, yet goodnesse flee,
Neglecting thee and thine, preferring more
Our profit, pleasure, thy sweet grace before.
O let thy grace our gracelesse hearts revive,
O let us not still live, as dead alive;
Sleeping in sin, fearlesse of sins great feares;
O turn our eyes into a spring of tears,
[Page 83] O give us grace the old-man to forsake,
And with true-faith, fast-hold on Christ to take.
Illuminate the blindnesse of our heart,
And grant (dear father) though not for desert,
That we may see the ill that we have done,
With tears, it seen, we may desire to shun.
And with incessant sighes and groaning grief,
Give grace to wail our wants and find relief.
Yea, feed us, Lord, with heavenly manna sweet,
Thy sacred word, ô guide our wandring feet
To tread the paths which lead to lasting pleasure,
To which, all other best terrestriall treasure
Is but dry mosse and drosse, foule dirt and clay,
Vain butter-flies for fooles or childrens play.
O lift our souls, our heaven-born souls more high,
To seek their riches in Heavens-treasury.
That as Christs name with tongue we do professe,
So by our works we may our faith expresse.
The year preceding this was fatall found,
When a great-plagne infectiously did wound,
Full many a thousand of our brethren deare,
And next this pouder-plot we scap'd most neer.
For, thy strong-hand, ô Lord, the slaughtering blade
Did back retort, and those our foes dismaid.
These things, good God, do plainly testifie
That we have much provok'd thy clemency.
That our great sins have highly thee displeas'd,
And yet how quickly is thy wrath appeas'd.
Thou shew'st thy rod, and mildly dost it shake,
That we might see thy grace and sin forsake.
And as a mother chastizing her childe,
Deals with it in affection sweet and milde,
Lothly lifts up her hand,
Simile.
soone lets it fall,And presently her anger doth recall:
[Page 84] Even so, ô Lord, most like a Parent kind,
Do we thy love and tender mercies find.
But if nor words nor warnings will reclaim us,
Thy punishment, great God, will justly tame us.
And, doubtlesse, though the Lord to wrath be slow,
Yet, if, too-far provok'd, he down will throw
The viols of his wrath, his ire will burn,
Against the wicked which will not return,
From vanity; like stubble in the field,
They shall consume and to his judgements yeeld,
Then, let us, ô let us with speciall care,
Learn both to love and feare God and declare
The Gospels fruits in our lives reformation,
And by the Lords so frequent exhortation,
T'abhominate proud Babell, just mens foe,
That Seat of Antichrist, where sin doth flow,
The very basis of impiety,
The cage of unclean-birds of villany.
Of which, I may affirm and justly hold
That though thou hadst Alcides courage bold,
Thou couldst not cleanse Romes sin-polluted-hals
More foule, by farr, than foule Augea's stalls.
That so, that ancient Prophets true prediction,
Of Babels bane, of Roms proud Whores conviction,
This age (in Gods due time) to passe may bring;
This conquest great, Lord, grant unto our King,
Whose life,
A prayer for the King and State.
as 'tis most precious in thy sight,So let thy glory shine in his great might,
To propagate and farther to extend
The Gospels glorious Sun-shine, and to bend
His utmost wisedome to discern and hate
The fly and secret foes of Church and State,
To love the good, the haughty to suppresse,
To maintain vertue, beat-down wickednesse.
May flow with streams of uncorrupted course,
Through all the kingdome, that in peace he may
This noble Realme with grace and glory sway.
That all the Nobles and right noble-Peers,
Whose hearts this thy great love and mercy cheers,
The most illustrious Senate of this Land
May feare thy name and Gospels foes withstand.
And, for so great, so good deserts, so free,
So blest deliverance, life and liberty,
Grant from that sacred-house, such laws divine
May be establisht and perform'd, in fine,
As may redoun'd to th' honour, joy and health
Of King & subjects, Church & Common-wealth,
That these most cruell cursed Canaanites,
A recapitulation of Romes abominations.
These sons of Edom, Churches Ismaelites,
The props and pillars of that shamelesse-whore
Who even as sheep to die, had mark'd us o're,
May be cut-off from mongst us, which so long
Have wrought & sought our peace to break & wrong.
Which like inhumane barbarous Paracides,
Like cursed Canibals, vile homicides,
Would cut their Parents throat, their Country dear,
With one-fierce blow, to make their passage clear.
Who plot and practise guiltlesse-blood to spill,
Teaching as most true doctrine, Kings to kill,
Delighting most in rapine, theft and lyes,
Forbidding marriage, not adulteries;
Yea incest and such other sins of shame,
They sleight esteem, which Christians should not name.
Whose Pope and holy Priest-hood, for their gain,
Their odious Stews in publick do maintain,
Most impudently counting it no shame
A yearly tribute for such cause to claim.
[Page 86] Whose practise is to couzen and dissemble,
Whose blasphemies do make the godly tremble.
Who do by grounds of their Religion hold
(That which nor Turks, nor Jews, nor Pagans bold,
Nor any other Hereticks what-ere,
Nor those of Calycut, which serve and feare
The Divell) to kill their King (ô most notorious)
For conscience-sake, and say tis meritorious;
Who mingle with Gods word, yea, do prefer
Their own traditions, causing men to erre;
Using, abusing Scripture as they lust,
And do esteem the same a thing most just,
Teaching for truths the dreams of filthy Fryers,
Slandring Gods word like most nefarious lyers.
Who, both the laws of God and man abuse,
(The Turks, I say, more vilenes, scarce, can use)
Breaking the bands of blest humanity,
Of serious vows and hospitality.
Savage Assyria, surely, never saw
Th' impieties which Rome maintains by law.
O why, then, favour we these poysonous snakes,
With whom what Realm or people long partakes,
In which Romes furious fangs are not discride,
Who are not curb'd and crusht by Romish-pride?
O, if we will persist them (still) to spare,
Let's blame our-selves, if we fall in their snare.
Thee,
England the Landmarke of all Gods mercies.
thee (ô England) I may happy callThou little-isle, whom father Neptunes wall,
And mighty arms embrace; I past all doubt,
May term thee happiest, all the world throughout;
If thou didst truly know thy blest estate,
Or heavens rich mercies would'st commemorate.
If in the tables of a thankfull heart,
Thou wouldst imprint Gods love; to all impart
[Page 87] By registers of never-ending dayes
The endlesse, matchlesse, due deserved praise
Of thy ay-living, all-good-giving King,
Who still doth fill thy heart with each good thing.
O, say, how oft and from what great assaults
Wch were brought on thee for thy grievous faults,
Hath heavens free-grace, most safely thee protected;
God in his mercy having thee respected.
And when thou wast in dangers almost drown'd,
Thy proud prefumptuous foes he did confound.
The Armado in 88.
Witnesse that grand-assault in eighty-eight,
When faithlesse Spain with impious pride and hate
Insulting and consulting, vaunting loud,
Thy fearfull, finall, fatall woe had vow'd.
And his great madnes to that passe had brought,
That English-seas with Spanish-ships were fraught.
But how did God (maugre their might and spight)
Make windes and Seas and all for thee to fight.
Wracking their Ships, chaining their Princes great,
Swallowing the rest in Seas for fishes meat?
How hath the Lord other great mercies shown,
Calming uncivill-civill discords grown
In this thy Realm,
The Barons wars.
in former dayes of old,Which oft were raised by thy Barons bold?
How did the Lord in blest Eliza's dayes,
To his eternall glory and just praise,
(Beside that eighty-eights great victory)
Redeem thy crown and state from jeopardy
Of many private Popish-treacheries,
Treasons against Q. Elizabeth.
Which by their agents Rome did still devise,
Against the Person of that Peerlesse-Queen,
Whose equall, hardly, all the world hath seen,
How did thy God watch over her for good,
And nip those traitors hopes, even in the bud?
That they could nere take root nor raging-power.
How often hath the Lord from thee with-held,
The pestilence in Ao. 1628.
His all-devouring plagues wch would have quel'd
And quencht the glory of abused-peace,
When God had fild thy heart with joyes encrease?
And though thy sins and grosse ingratitude
Did make thee taste the sharp amaritude
Of a late furious raging pestilence,
Which, with most deplorable vehemence
Devoured rich and poore, made desolate,
Thy houses, Churches, streets, in wofull state,
Without respect of simple or of sage,
Of Cottage or of Palace, sex or age:
Yet, ô yet with what wondrous admiration
Did thy great Lord, on thy humiliation,
Most strangely and most sodainly command
His Angell to with-draw his wounding-hand,
And in a moment (as it were) to cease
Thy weekly thousands to a cleare decrease.
How oft,
Feare of famine.
I say, hath thy Almighty GodWith-held the fangs of famines pinching-rod,
By parching drought, or by immoderate rain,
To break thy staff of bread in corn and grain?
Instead wherof, how doth thy land, still, flow,
With milk and honey? How fair doth it show,
With peace and plenties blessed harmony,
With every mercies sweet variety?
Like fertile Canaan,
England like unto Canaan.
no land ere did findDame Natures bounty in like copious kind.
Thus, thou ô England justly seem'st to be
A pleasant Paradise, wherin's the Tree
Of knowledge, wherwith thou art most indu'd;
Another world, all things (a fresh) renew'd.
[Page 89] A Land (I say) which doth all nations passe,
As farre as christall does thick-spotted-glasse.
And yet to make thy glory more compleat,
The Lord hath given thee Manna,
Manna.
angels meat,The glorious Sun-shine of his word divine,
Thy blisse and blessednesse more cleare to shine;
The everlasting Gospell, spring of grace,
The precious pearl which wisdom doth purchase.
Thus is thy Land the Land of Goshen right,
Both for the Gospels power and purenesse bright.
Do but compare this thy felicity
With other Nations foggy misery,
Who stifled are, as twere, in piteous case
With cloudy ignorance and errour base:
Living, alas, in beast-like wretchednesse,
As in the shade of death most comfortlesse.
Without the knowledge of or Christ or God,
Without whose knowledge, al's a dirty-clod.
Worshipping for the glorious Lord most high,
(Vnto their souls eternall misery)
Dumb-idols, rotten-timber, mettals vile,
Farre fitter under-foot to tread and spoyle.
Again, to make thee yet and yet more blest,
To make thy lustre shine past all the rest,
Hath not the Lord in thee most richly placed
The light of justice,
Justice.
wherwith thou art graced.Wherby thy peoples houses, Castles are,
Themselvs, their states freed from offensive care,
Of wrong or robb'ry: Thus thy beauty shines,
Whiles all-men sit in peace under their vines.
But of all temp'rall blessings under heaven,
Which ever were to any Nation given,
The power and praise of God most to advance,
All come most short of this Deliverance.
Beyond the power of former reach or reason,
This Quintessence of barbarous treachery
Transcendeth all of past antiquity.
England too justly taxed with ingratitude
And cannot these sweet mercies manifold
Thy heart with cords of gratitude with-hold
From sinning 'gainst thy God, him to provoke
To smite thee deeplier with some heavier stroke?
Yea, canst thou (England) canst thou possibly
Be so orewhelmed in stupidity?
So sottish, senslesse, impiously ingrate,
As to forget, or to obliterate
Out of thy thankefull-heart, the odious smell
Of this projected pouder-smoake of hell,
So long as ever thou a Kingdome art?
O do it not, least heaven doth make thee smart,
By some as strange a plague (if it may be)
When he such grosse ingratitude shall see.
But rather, all thy power and parts imploy,
To evidence thy hearts triumphing joy,
To blesse thy God for this thy new-Salvation,
To keep That-day with endlesse recordation,
Christ freed thy soul from hell-fire; and this fire
Than any other flame to hels came nigher.
That-day, which they Britans black-day would see,
Novembers 5. Britans bright-day shall be.
The day was Tewsday, but by Popish-spight
Papists Ashwednesday, it had bin more right.
For ever, then, fell Popelings, howle, lament,
Your Romish Pouder-pieties intent,
For all the Oceans-floods will nere make clean,
(Perfidious Rome) thy knavish-sincke obscene,
Englands Transalpinated Papistry
Hath (often) wrought blood-smearing cruelty,
[Page 91] Bred our Transmarine-Travellers light mind,
Then let them be (by law) t'our homes confin'd.
For, as was said, This detestable fact
Was counsel'd, courag'd by the Popes compact.
For He that bids doe, what's so ill-done, He
Must stay the worke, or els Its authour be.
Had he not cast Paternall-care from's heart,
He'd nere have plaid such a Step-fathers part.
Who from his Bubble-bellowing Buls belcht-out
All's Caco-curses, hellish-broyles about.
Saying, thus, let one-day all great Britane make
One-grave, whose name in future daies shall slake,
Vices Ʋice-roy, or vice it selfe is He,
Who Peters-chaire soyls with such villany.
Forget not (then, I say) but ever hate
Romes Pope and Papists, foes to Church and State:
Who in their calmest-case do but couch-low
To watch advantage for a deadlier blow.
Hugg not such vipers in your bosomes then;
Foster not festring Snakes in shapes of men,
Within your houses, much lesse in your hearts
By loving, liking, pleading on their parts.
Least, thus, you more than seem most gracelesse sots,
Hankering after Aegypts foule flesh-pots,
By temporizing tricks, backsliding wayes,
Till Gods fierce wrath you thus against us raise.
Let us take heed we surfet not in store,
And turning grace to wantonnesse grow poor,
Poor in our souls, barren in piety,
And so be made the maps of misery.
Be not more blind than Earth-devouring Moles,
Who love to grovell under-ground in holes:
Or so unthankfull as the sottish Swine,
Who eat up Acorns, but ne're cast their ey'ne,
[Page 92] Up to the Oake from whence they to him fell,
Who thus their Swinish-nature plainly tell:
So do not thou thy brutish-heart declare,
Receive not blessings, but with gratefull care
To retribute unto thy God above,
According to his great redundant love.
Shake-off, shake-off, and shun such brutishnesse,
With thankfull heart acknowledge and confesse
The most admired, least deserved favour
Of thy so gracious God, so sweet a Saviour.
Who plenteously replenisheth and fils
Thy soul with blessings, Nectar-drops distils
Of favours of his left and his right-hand
On soule and body, and doth guardian stand,
Still to refell, repell the dangers great,
Wch thy worst foes could menace, work or threat.
Snatching the prey out of their hungry jaws,
Recovering it from their most bloudy claws.
Thrusting them headlong into their own pit,
Breaking their teeth, wherwith they would have bit,
Nay utterly have swallowed at one meale,
Our Kingdom, King, Peers, Prophets, Commonweal.
Wch thee with amiable-peace hath blest,
Such as our Predecessours nere possest,
And such (I fear) as our Posterity
Are never like to see and taste and try.
Deus nobis haec otia fecit.
Yea, God alone hath given us this great rest,
His liberall-love these mercies hath exprest,
That God (I say) whose majesty and might,
Whose greatnesse, goodnesse, justice, most upright,
The heavens,
An exhortation to give al the praise to God alone
the earth, deep seas & works of wōder,Rain, hail, frost, snow, loud winds, lightning & thunder,
Do mightily shew-forth, tell and declare;
What Heathen-god with thy God can compare?
To whom doth all true praise and laud belong,
Both for thy being and thy best-estate,
Whose tender mercies most compassionate,
Whose patience, power and pitty infinite,
All people shall to future times recite.
O let us (then) ô let us never cease
On trumpets loud to make his praise increase;
In heart and voyce his mercies to record,
By Hymns and Psalms to laud the living Lord.
To sound his fame unto the Indian-coasts,
To those whose clime continuall-Sommer rosts.
Let Phoebus first leave-off his annuall race,
Let Phoebe want her monthly-borrowed grace;
Let Neptune stop the Oceans billowing source,
Let nature want (in all things) wonted course;
Yea, Lord, then, let us cease to be, I pray,
When in oblivion we this mercy lay.
But doubtlesse, if this duty we neglect,
The Lord most justly will this sin correct,
And on our heads his heavy hand will fall,
And turn our hony into bitterest gall.
Nothing the Lord can worse endure or hate,
Than thanklesse persons and a mind ingrate.
The husbandman that sows most plenteously,
The greater Harvest hopes in equity.
The land wch nought but thorns & thistles yeelds
Though well manur'd, no man regards such fields.
Since God hath given, he looketh to receive,
O let's take heed how we our duty leave.
Did God with grievous punishments afflict
His holy-off-spring, when they did addict
And give themselves to vanity and lust,
And him that fed them, so forget, distrust.
[Page 94] Abusing his most gracious clemency,
His patience, love and longanimity;
If he did his peculiar-people 'stroy,
Who, first, his laws and worship did enjoy,
If, thus, for their ingratitude it far'd,
If they were smitten and might not be spar'd,
Alas, what madnesse should us Gentiles move,
To thinke that God of us will more approve?
And since he hath cut-down his choisest-vine,
Because it would not to his word incline,
Thinkst thou the fruitlesse wilde-Olive shall stand,
Unprofitably comb'ring his good land?
O, no; he'll make it wither (soon) and dye,
Like to our Saviours barren Fig-tree dry.
And thou whom God hath, thus, with mercies blest,
If thanklesse, shalt with dangers be distrest.
Yea multitudes of mischiefs will thee follow,
And thee in treasons greedy-jawes will swollow.
Yea, troupes of traitors (then) shall daily strive,
Of life and liberty thee to deprive.
Wherfore that thou, ô England, still maist have
Gods friendly favour, thee from foes to save,
Preach and proclame with heart and hearty cheer,
With thanks & praise, each hour & month & yeer.
This matchlesse-mercy of thy loving Lord,
And it on marble-pillars, aye, record.
Yea, teach thy childrens children to rejoyce,
To sing Gods-prayses with shrill-sounding voyce.
And every way his name and fame to reare
For this so great Deliverance. And to beare
A zealous hatred, deadly detestation
To Romes false doctrines, base abhomination.
Thou, then, the God of our inheritance,
Thy Sions Saviour, strong deliverance,
[Page 95] Our part, our portion, buckler, staffe and stay,
Under thy wings, preserve us (still) we pray.
Make void and frustrate Romes most hatefull pride.
The cause is thine (ô Lord) stand on our side.
Resist their rage; for 'gainst thy Church they rave,
And let thy people thy protection have.
Revenge the blood of thy distressed Saints,
And when they grieve, relieve their sad complaints.
O Lord, we pray thee blesse and dresse thy Vine,
Thy Love, thy Dove, this little-flock of thine.
Yea, Lord at all times, in extremest straits,
Thy sacred arms upon our armies waits,
Thy help is present and thy presence sweet,
To foyle our foes and cast them at our feet.
Thou, Lord, dost cause the fell Monocerate,
To beare on's brow a soveraign-Antidote.
Wherfore, this wond'rous work of thine, ô Lord,
Our voyce, our verse, for ever, shall record.
Our hearts we will incline thy praise to sing,
Even thy great name; ô our celestiall King.
In every house, Shire, City, Street and Temple,
And teach our children this by our ensample.
Throughout the Kingdom, we thy fame will raise,
While vitall-breath from death prolongs our days.
And tell this thy great work to every Nation,
While Sun and Moon shine in their cloudy-station.
Our singers shall sing Psalms to thee on high,
O blessed, blessed, blessed-Trinity.