An Answer to a Popish Rhyme, Title page – Letter
An Anſvvere to a Popiſh Ryme, lately ſcattered abroad in the Weſt parts, and much relyed vponupon by ſome ſimply-ſeduced.
By Samuel Hieron, Miniſter of the Word of God, at Modbury in Deuon.
Math. 10, 17.
Beware of Men.
Phil. 3.2.
Beware of Dogs.
LONDON Printed by Simon Stafford, dwelling in Hoſier lane, neere Smithfield. 1604.
❧To my much esteemed friend, J. L.
YOu will wonder, I am ſure (conſidering my profeſsion, to ſee me become a Poet. And indeed I do almoſt maruell at it my ſelfe, knowing my ſelfe to want the two principal furtherances of Poetry: the one is natures inſtinct aThey ſay, Poëta naſcitur: if a man be not, as it were, a Poet borne, hee ſhall neuer prooue excellent in that faculty., which God in his holy prouidence hath denyed me: the other is a certaine retired freedom from all ſuch buſineſſes, which may breed diſtraction,bCarmina ſeceſsū ſcribentis & otia quaerunt, Ouid. de Triſt. which my publike Calling, beſides priuate encombrances, will not afford me. Yet notwithſtā ding, vponupon this preſent occaſion, I hauehave euen forced my ſelfe to this ſtraiter courſe of Verſe-making, though I know, that for mine owne caſe (hauing to deale in ſuch a diſtempered and vnruly Subiect) that leſſe-limited & freer kind of diſcourſe, which Proſe alloweth, had bene more conuenient: Becauſe the rules of Cadence, & number (to which our Engliſh Poetry eſpecially is cōfined) do many times ſo ſtraiten an vnaccuſtomed Practitioner, that he is in hazzard, either of obſcuring the ſence (which in a matter of this nature were ſomething dangerous) or of marring the Verſe (which to the apprehenſion of eueryevery common conceit were very ridiculous.) But howſoeuer I hauehave erred in the carriage of this verſe, I hope, to you and to others, whoſe fauour, eyther becauſe of their Iudgement, or their honeſty, I deſire, this ſhall excuſe me: that meeting with our common Aduerſary (who appeareth ſometime in ſhape of a States-man, debating of Titles, and Common-wealth affayres, cWitneſſe the Quodlibets, Dolman, &c.ſometime as a Petitioner to the King and Parliament, dAt the Kings firſt cōming, & now ſince ye Parliamēt.ſometime as a plauſible perſwader, eBriſtowes Motiues, & Bookes of that natureſometime as a Reſtorer of the holy Text, to the natiue purity thereof,fRhem. Teſt. and Grego. Martin. ſometime as a man of a very tender Conſcience, giuing reaſons why he cannot come to our Aſſemblies,gHowlet. ſomtime as a Rayler at our gouernment, and an approuer of our open enemies; hThe wardword. Quo teneam vultus mutantē Protea nodo.that, I ſay, meeting with this time-ſeruing Proteus, in the faſhion of a Rimer or Balladine, and crept in (as the maner of falſe brethrē is iGal. 2.4. Similes habent labra lactucas.) into both the hands and the heartes of many ſimply-ſeduced; I hauehave endeuored to make the Lettuce like the lips (as the prouerb is) and to proportion my ſelfe to him in verſing, to whom I am ſure (without wilful forſaking the playne truth of God, manifeſted in Scripture) I ſhall neuer be like in beleeuing.
The Seruice it ſelfe, which is heere ſent vsus in by this Runnagate,kHe confeſſeth hee was a Proteſtant. is for ſubſtance agreeing with the reſt of their Romiſh Cates, thogh (to ſay the truth) it hath come through the hands of a very homely and ſluttiſh Cooke, by whom it is neyther ſeaſoned with wit or argument, no, nor yet ſet forth after any good ordinary faſhion: But it is euen a very Gally-mawfrey, of certayne naked and indigeſted Allegations (as it were the leauings and ſcraps of ſome other) without eyther order or proofe, as though eueryevery Papiſt were a Pope, and eueryevery word of his mouth an Oracle. Belike the Slouen thought it good enough for thoſe, for whom it was prouided; as indeed it is: for thoſe which turne their eares from the trueth, and are giuen vntounto fables l2. Tim. 4.4.; and by ſome, vponupon my knowledge (to whome, I feare me, God hath ſent ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould beleeue lyes) it is highly magnified,m2. Theſ. 2.11. as a ſpeciall Preſeruatiue againſt ſuppoſed Hereſie, and as a well-framed Sconce, which none of vsus all is able to ouerthrow.
In regard whereof, knowing my ſelfe bound among others to contend earneſtly for the maintenance of the Fayth, nIude 3.I hauehave vndertaken this which you here ſee. For my deſire and true intent therein, it is beſt knowne to him which ſeeth in ſecretoMat. 6.4., and in his due time will make the counſels of all hearts manifeſt.p1. Cor. 4.5.
Touching the thing it ſelfe, how it is, and how well it is, I ſubmit it to the cenſure of the godly-wiſe, praying them, that with their fauourable (if not allowance, yet at leaſt) conniuence, it may paſſe to the vſe of thoſe, to whom it is intended: And among others, I hauehave directed it eſpecially to you, in part of recompence for a great deale of kindneſſe, entreating you to entertayne it with the like meaſure of louelove, wherewith it is offered. And ſo beſeeching God to fill you with the fruites of righteouſneſſe, qPhil. 1.11.I commend you to his grace in Chriſt Ieſus.
Modbury, Auguſt, 20. 1604. Your very louing friend, SAM. HIERON.