The Humble Address Both of Church and Poor to Britains Monarch, Part 2
The Poores Complaynt, For a just Redresse of the ruine of Hospitalls.
NO sooner (Dread Soveraygne) was the voyce of the Turtle heard in our Land (as the Spouse speaketh in the Canticles) or did the Gospell of Grace make a Goshen;Cant. 2.12 but as soone was that speach, Vp, Moab, to the spoyle, put in speedie practise; and (as the name of the Prophets sonne was) li…e speedie Robbers, they were swift to the Prey: So that the zeale of God's House (with David) did not eate them vp; but their zeale did eate vp the Lord's House, while as they hungered, not for the Good, but the Goods of the Church, and made the Lords Patrimonie to bee lyke the Baptist, who said of himselfe, Me aportet …inni.
Neyther were they content to doe so to the Lords Embassadours, as Hanun did in curtayling the Garments of Davids servants, and making the Church (as the Prophet speaketh) lyke a Widow left to the spoyle; but the verie Hospitall Oratories, where the poore members of Christ were placed and planted, comforted and relieved, hauehave not escaped their supplanting, and …apacious devouring: so that what former Pittie and Pietie did in Endowing such Places, latter impietie hath done cleane contrarie, in Vndoing thereof. Not remembring that speach of holie Augustine, Si sterilitas in ignem mittitur, rapacitas quid meretur? & si qui sua non dedit semper ardebit, quid recipiet ille qui aliena abstulit?
Yea, not onlie hauehave they robbed Christ Iesus more cruellie of his Coat than those Roman Souldiours who did cast lots thereon, but also for extinguishing the memorie of such mortifications, vponupon these verie Houses to which they did belong. They hauehave practised that speach of Edom, Raze them, raze them, even to the foundation, making cursed Iericho of such blessed places, which was sacked, and sowne with Salt, and which is so evident in the trueth thereof thorow the Land, that in place of Proofe, it needes rather Reproofe, and forceth this humble Addresse to Your Majestie at this tyme for a speedie Redresse.
Consider then (Sacred SIR) how horrible a Sinne this is, which cryes so in GODS Eares for revenge, and in Yours for reparation, what ingratitude is it to GOD, what stayne to the Gospel, how ignominious to this Nation, injurious to the Poore, hurtfull to themselues, scandalous to others, prejudiciall to posteritie, and in a word, everie way damnable.
And as David when hee came to his Kingdome for the kyndnesse that hee found at the hands of Ionathan, kythed his thankfull affection to his sonne whom hee left behinde him, poore lame Mephibosheth: Even so (SIR) seeing the LORD hath advanced your Royall Majestie, and brought you safelie to your natiue Kingdome, for this kyndnesse of His to you, show your thankfull affection to the Poore, Leane and Lame Members of CHRIST IESVS, whom hee hath left behinde him in his stead to his second comming: and remember that the cry of their robberie and oppression cryes to your Sacred Majestie, as the saved Thiefe did to CHRIST on the Crosse, saying, LORD remember mee when Thou commest …o Thy Kingdome.
And at worthie and wyse Salomon, at his entrie of sweying the Scepter of royall authoritie, redressed both prudentlie and powerfullie the wrong that was done to the true Mother of the living Chylde, which was theftuouslie interchanged and stollen away from her, and a dead Chylde left in its rowme: Even so (SIR) let this distressed Mother that pleanes and pleades now before you finde the lyke comfort, even those Nurseries of the Poore, piouslie founded, but impiouslie subverted and confounded, which cry now and craue to bee restored to that which theftuouslie in lyke manner hath beene taken from them, and nothing at all left, in the towme thereof, no, not so much as the emptie walles of their habitations.
Neyther let such a Guilt (SIR) lye on your Land, nor Stayne on the Gospell, that the Church should not onlie be seene Sacrilegiouslie robbed of her due Patrimonie; but also beside the Vintage of Abiezer, that the verie Gleanings of Boaz, or Ephraim, should not bee left; & not onlie the Childrens Bread taken away; but, not so much left as the verie Crumbes of the Poores Almes vnsnatched vp greedilie.
Indeede, the LORD, these manie yeares bygone, hath continued with vsus the Gospel of Peace; and, with it, an happie Peace and Plentie; the Comfort of the one, and Commoditie of the other: and shall Hee be… so requyted for all that hee hath done to his Vineyard; that in place of the sweete Fruit of the Workes of Charitie, Hee shall finde the sowre Grapes of the workes of Crueltie? And lyke the sinne of the sons of Eli, shall the LORDS. Offering, by such rapacitie, bee abhorred, to cause fearfull wrath at last seaze on your Land? and shall this not bee showne to our Zealous Soveraigne?
Hath not th…s caused the taunting obloquie of the Adversarie, that o…r Profession is not onlie a solitidian Religion, but that our Fayth (lyke Pharaos leane Kye) hath devoured the fat of the Fruites of the Charitie of others, which should hauehave beene adorned and perfected by our owne, to others? Hence is it that our good…est Profe …ours are sayde to b…e (and are too well seene) most powerfull onlie lyke the Load-stone in the attractiue facultie; skilfull in the Ablattue, but ignorant in the Datiue Case; Arithmeticians onlie in s…traction from GOD, to make vp an addition to themselue, whose heartes are as Nabals, or Dives, destitute of Pittie, and whose hands are as Hopb…ies flesh-hooks, nimble in rapacitie: but as Ieroboame arme, dryed vp, and destitute of charitie.
It was the former glorie (SIR) of your natiue Kingdome, that no Nation did over-match it (according, yea beyond the power thereof) in statelie Erections, and rich endowments of religio is Places: But now her glorie is turned to her shame; while as the eye of the most curious survey shall not in anie Countrey or Kingdome, round about, beholde so manie religious Places and Hospitalls promisc…o…slie demolished; as in this our Nation▪ and not onlie CHRISTS Patrimonie devoured, appointed for His Worship; but the Poores also, ordained for their comfort: whereby those who should bee in these places supported, and relieved (like A…no…, looking leaner from day to day) are now forced in their feeble Strayings, and bedfast Starvings, to poste vp such Groanes, & Grievances, to the Throne of Iustice, as may be fittest Pleaders of their Cause, & playners on their Wrong.
This is the Cause (SIR) of such Desolation in the Land, and that it staggereth and reeleth to and froe, lyke a drunken man. This is the Cause why so manie auncient and noble Houses draw neare the period of vtter Exterminion: and that the lyne of Desolation is spread over them, and the stones of emptinesse are to bee found in them. This is the cause that such a visible Curse is seene to follow vponupon the eating of the Fruit of this forbidden Tree. For assuredlie the LORDS Portion will bee vntounto them, and their estates, as that Worme which was at the roote of Ionas Gourd, which caused a speedie fading, and finall decay, like Achans ex…crable thing, which was his ruine, and his whole Families: or as the Arke to the Philistines which never ceased to plague them, till it was sent backe to the right owners. And as Iacob supplanted Esau, the holie thing will be ever the supplanter of the vnholie V…urper: the bread of deceit will turne into gravell in the mouth: and tho stollen waters be sweet, yet like the accursed water to the guiltie partie, although they cause swelling of their Rents at first, yet they shall bring vponupon them a consumption at last.
But fearfuller shall be their dittie hereafter, when Christs words not onelyonly of, Non pavistis, but pabul…m abstulistis, shall bee prono…nced against them: and most fearfull shall be their doome of e…e…nall damnation, which like that threatning against the House of Eli, shall make their eares to tingle; and make them more dreadfullie astonished, than ever was Balthassar. The imprecation whereof is set downe as the sententiall and vsuall clause and clausule of such Mortifications▪ saving thus▪ and as from Eball thundring, If any shall take away, or apply to any other vse, that which I hauehave mortified and bequeathed to the indigent, (as I hope none will dare ever to attempt) let him be ANATHEMA, and let his count be without MercieMercy at the dreadfull day of Iudgement, when hee shall compeare and receiue his doome at the hand of the Iudge both of Heaven and Earth, to whom I dedicate the same.
This (Sir) is the Cause likewise why so few new Erections of such Places are in the Countrey, or charitable Dotations, out of mens devotion, while as they see how the liberall donations of others, and pious erected Hospitals are so grosselie devoured and ruinated remedilesse: and thereby vehementlie suspect, yea, assuredlie expect, that it would no otherwise fare with that which they would in like manner out of pittie and pietie …rogate and consecrate to God.
Neither hauehave Laicks onelyonly had their hands in this cursed Crime, but Levi hath also joyned with Simeon, to be Brethren in evill▪ and both hauehave linked together, as Sampsons Foxes, to waste the Lords Field: so that Iudas, quid mihi dabitis, et ego tradam e…m? hath not died with him: but without Sense, or Shame, hath bene the manner of latter bargaining by his Soule-lesse successors; their conscience being more leper than the bodie of G…b…zi: & a more dreadfull judgement abyding such, no… that for the receiving of the gift from Nama… : for as Lamech sayd to his wiues, so may I, if this horrible Crime in Laicks be avenged seavenfolde, doubtless… in such who should be Trumpets, to cry aloude against the same, and should be preservers of such places, it will bee avenged seaventie folde. And be he of what degree soever, who for Bribe, … favour, like Iudas, or Pilat, hath betrayed or delivered Christ i… his poore members, and their Rights, to the barbarous and crue… hands of those who hauehave Canniball-like devoured them, with Iudas and Pilat, such should be justlie repute to hauehave no Place in so holy, a ministration, and may with them feare the like woe and judgement.
Let not then (Sir) your land herein be an Aceldama, or the blood of the poore (like that of Abels) cry still against the same for vengeance. Deliver your subjects from such a fearfull curse: & cause their mawes (like the belly of Ionas Whale) to disgorge the poores portion, who hauehave swallowed vp the same, that (as Iob sayes of himselfe) the blessing of him who was readie to perish, may come vponupon you,Iob 19.13 14, &c. and yee may cause the hearts of the poo… to sing for joy. Put on Righteousnesse then, and let it cloathe you, Iudgement, & let it be a Robe & a Diademe vntounto you: be Eyes to the Blind, & Feet to the Lame: and the cause of the poore, which yee know not, search it out. For it is your part (Sir) to purge th… land of such blood-guiltinesse, and to make a straite inquisition with Ioshua, concerning the execrable thing: to break the jaw… of the wicked, and to plucke the spoyle out of their teeth, and to the poore at this time to leaue a blessed memoriall behinde you … So may yee promise to your selfe, that yee shall die in your … & multiplie your dayes as the sand: your Root also shall spread… out by the Waters, and the Dew shall lye all night vponupon you… Branch: Your Glorie, in like manner, shall bee fresh in you, and your Bow shall bee renewed in your Hand: and amongst all the Titles of Honour & Dignitie, which the Lord hath multiplied▪ & heaped vponupon your sacred Majestie, this shall not bee the leas… wherewith your Royal Grandsire, of blessed memorie, was styled▪ to bee called, THE POORE MANS KING.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Guild, The Humble Address Both of Church and Poor to Britains Monarch (1633)