The Approaching Judgment of the Lord, Poem 2
A fearefull and rare example, of Gods iust iudgement, which he executed vponupon an obstinate woman, who would not forgiue her brother his debt, the Deuill appearing to her in most dreadfull manner, and afflicting her body in pittifull wise, and which may be a lesson admonitory to all the world, to mooue them to repentaunce, and one to forgiue an other.
THe workes of God are wonderfull, as you by this shall heare:
Wherefore attentiue eare I craue, to hearken to my leyre.
Good Penne prepare thy selfe to write, those things I shall require:
Which happened in Donington, a Towne of Lestershire,
A Towne truly of auncientie, and of renownted fame:
For otherwise to speake thereof, in troth I were to blame.
But as the Towne it famous is, and worthy so to be:
So are the people ineffrenate, peruerse in each degrée.
In Donington the foresayd Towne, there dwelt an honest man:
Whose name in truthe was Iohn of Twell, so néere as I can scan.
Which sayd Iohn Twell arested was, by Death that cruell wight:
T'appeare before our Souerigne Lord, the Peareles King of might.
So called hence (iwis) he was, he owing shillings fiue:
Unto one Oswalde Bowser sure, an honest man, and blyue.
Which Bowser he forgaue it him, vppon his death bead thoe:
But Ioan Bowser, wife to him, in no wise would doo so.
But spoke and sayd, yea blas…e abrode, for this is veritie:)
I neuer will forgiue it him, vntill the time I die.
Now whilst that she persisted thus, in her pestiferous state:
It pleased God, the Diuell should, her corps infatuate.
For as she was disposde to sléepe, towards the euening tyde:
When Phaebus with his glistering beames towards ye west cā glide.
The Diuell he appearde to her, in such an vgly shape:
As forste she was in eueryevery parte, to tremble and to quake.
And then she lysting vp her eyes, which now doo giuegive her light:
Saw one before her for to stand, as black as is the night.
Which thing she sayde (what so it was) that vntounto her was sent:
Did portraie forthe the sayd Iohn Twell, in corporall lyneament.
Farther she sayd he had bleard eyes, as had the foresayde Twell,
Resembling him in eache respect,… as the fell.
This … Serpentine, spake thus the woman till
Receaue this mony, which I bring to satisfy thy wyll▪
And sée that thou disburse the same, vntounto thy husband well:
And say that I doo send it him, as due for his trauell
Then she tooke vp the monie sure, with ioy and comfort fraught:
For that she had so luckily, this Masse if monie caught.
Thus she with ioy inebriate, in all and eueryevery part,
Brust foorthe and saide, now God you thanke, oh sir with all my hart.
Now … God Iehouah hie,
Th… monie … did vade away.
And he withalt vanishd away, and that in fearefull sight:
She still persisting sore perplext, and in a wofull plight.
But yet before he did depart, he smit her with his hand:
Yea such a deadly blow he gaue, as vnneth could she stand.
And straight way then, her corpes he came inn part as blacke as Pitche,
Replenished with filthy scurffe, as (almost) none is such.
And other dregges most fettulent, issued from her then,
Which modestie, and reason eke, commaunds me not to penne
And from that time vntill of late, her body it was lame:
Not able sure, to put in vse the practise of the same
For in goodsoothe, her body was, benumde, and eke betakte:
The space of thrée or foure whole wéekes, all comfort her forsakte.
Her eyes also were closed vp, of sight she was made blinde:
Thanking her God, who too her had his prouidence assignde.
Now when the Diuell had disgorgde his stinking poysoned brest:
Of all the mallice that she could, her body to infest.
It pleased God, that she should be, to health againe restoedt
By whom all sinne and wickednes, God graunt may be abhord.
And now she liueth honestly, and … showe,
Unto the world, the workes of God, perfected heere belowe.
Who graunt to vsus his grace deuine and pardon thée so frée:
That vntounto vsus in heauen blisse, a guerdon it may be▪
This woman she was plagued full sore and heereby you may view:
The same t'ourselues let vsus applie, that we may finde astkew.
For if that we stifnecked be, and loathe for to remitts:
Th'offences which to vsus are due, a thing bothe good and fit.
Then is the Lord as able as was euer heretofore:
To plague vsus all with tortures, foreuer to indure.
And in his holy woord most pure; he dooth vsus all commaunde
That we th'offences to be done, too forgiue should not stand.
Proouing that God our Father … forgiue us all▪
Our manifolde inormities, when that on him we call.
Unleast that we be ready prest, each other to forgiue:
The synnes, and eke th'offences all, of these that doo vsus grieve.
Wherefore let vsus (déere Christians,) mauger the Deuils head)
Forgiue them all that doo offend vsus, before we be dead.
Or els we neuer can be saued, by Iesus Christ his death:
A sacrifice saluificall, to them that liue by faithe.
For after death it is too late, his mercy to desire,
Because we would not them forgiue, which did offend vsus heare.
No doubt these wonders from abooue, to vsus belowe are sente:
To subiugate our hautie lookes, and mooue vsus to repent.
Therefore thou Towne of Donington, I read thée to repent:
For by procrastination, in trothe thou mayst be shent.
Thinke thou this a presagie, of Gods fearce wrath to thée:
If that thou cleaue not to his woord, and eke repentant be.
God hath thée warned now by this, and that in fréendly sorte:
To leaue thy whoredome and thy pride, and all thy filthy sporte.
Abandon then out of thy streates, all mirthe and minstrelsie,
No Pipers, nor no Dauncers vile, in thée let extant be.
Remember thou thy lately plague, of blayne, of Botche and Bile,
Whereby thy God, did scourge thée sore, least synne should thée defile.
O Donington fall not againe, vntounto thy vomite old,
In filthy scurrile bawdie talke, doo not thy selfe vphold.
Ne yet with vaine and bloody othes, doo not thy selfe imbrew:
For than the Lord will throwe thée downe, amid the Deuils crew.
Flie from all worldly vanities, the woord of God imbrase:
Set not abroche opinions vile, the same for to deface.
And in this lyuing thou shalt be, safe from all worldly foes:
And in the world that is to come, shalt hauehave aye lasting ioyes.
To write hereof at this time more, my Penne I doo suspend:
Beséeching God that we may hauehave, heauen at our last end.
And now O gentle Donington, be mindefull yet of me:
Who hauehave with paines contriued this same, for looue I beare to thée.
Requite me not with wrath againe, that were disloyaltie:
But sée that thou accept hereof, as best beséemeth thée.
And as a pledge of my goodwill, let this be vntounto thée:
Desiring God that I thy state, in health and wealth may sée.
Our noble Quéene Elizabeth, in health and honour eke:
Good Lord preserue to Nestors dayes, that she thy truthe may keepe.
From bloody hands of forraine foes, good Lord her saue and shend:
Graunt that at all assayes she may, by thee still be defend.
And when thou shalt her royall grace, in merciemercy to thee call:
Graunt (Lord) that she with thee may hauehave, thy ioyes celestiall.
Amen.
Phillip Stubbes.
FINIS.