Britains Remembrancer, Poem · Canto 4

Britains Remembrancer · Poem · Canto 4

The fourth Canto.

Our Muse, in this fourth Canto, writes

Of melancholy thoughts, and sights:

Wha… changes were in …very place;

What Ruines in a little space:

How Trades, and how provisions fail'd;

How …orrow thriv'd, how Death prevail'd;

And, how in … he did ri…e▪

p. 103With all his horrors, by his side.

To LONDON, then, she doth declar…

How suting her afflictions were

To former sinnes: what good and bad

Effects, this Plague produced had:

W…at friendly Champions, and what Foes

For us did fight, or us oppose:

And, how the greatest Plague of all

On poore Artificers, did fall.

Then, from the Fields, new griefe she takes,

And, usefull Meditations makes:

Relates, how flowly Vengeance came,

How, God forewarn'd us of the same:

What other Plagues to this were joyned:

And, here and there are interlined

Vpbraidings, warnings, exhortations,

And, pertinent expostulations.

WHen Conscience had allowed my Commission,

For staying, & declar'd on what condition;

I did not onelyonly feele my heart consent

To entertaine it, with a full content,

But also, found my selfe prepared so

To execute the worke I had to do,

That without paine (me thought) I was employ'd,

And all my Passions to good use enjoy'd.

For, though God fre…d my soule from slavish feare,

Ye…, so much awe he still preserved there,

As kept within my hea…t some naturall sense

Oft is displeasure, and of penitence

He gave me Ioyes, yet left some Griefe withall,

Lest I into security might fall;

Or▪ lose the fellow-feeling of that paine,

Whereo…, I heard my neighbours to complaine.

He lent me health: yet, ev'ry day some twitches

Of pangs unusuall; many qualme…, and stitches

Of short continuance, my poore heart assailed,

That I might heed the more what others ayled.

He kept me hopefull: and yet, now and then,

His rods (wherewith▪ in love, he scourgeth men)

Did make me smart; lest else I might assume

The liberty of Wantons, and presume.

My ordinary meanes was made their prey,

Who seeke my spoile, and lately tooke away.

Yet, me with plenties, daily did he feed,

And I did nothing wan…, which I could need,

Which God vouchsafed to assure to me,

That when unusuall workes required be;

He will (e're we shall want what's necessary)

Supply us by a meanes, not ordinary.

By many other signes, unmention'd here,

Gods love, and providence, did so appeare,

And so me thought ingage me, to remove

What ever to his work a let might prove;

That (so farre forth as my fraile natu…e could

Admit, and things convenient suffer would)

My owne Affaires aside, a while I threw,

And bent my selfe, with heedfulnesse, to view

What, worth my notice, in thi… Plague I saw,

O…, what good uses I from thence might draw.

But, …arre I needed not to pace about,

Nor long enquire to finde such Objects out.

For, ev'ry place with sorrowes then abounded,

And ev'ry way the cryes of Mourning sounded.

Yea▪ day by day, successively till night,

And from the evening till the morning light,

Were Sc…e…es of Griefe, with strange variety▪

Knit up, in one continuing Tragedy.

p. 104No sooner wak'd I, but twice twenty knels,

And many sadly-sounding passing-bels,

Did greet mine eare, and by their heavy towles,

To me gave notice, that some early soules

Departed whilst I slept: That other some

Were drawing onward to their longest home;

And, seemingly, presag'd, that many a one

Should bid the world good-night, e're it were noon….

One while the mournfull Tenor, in her tones

Did yeeld a sound as if in deepe fo… grones,

She did bewaile the sorrow which attends

The separation of those loving friends,

The Soule and Body. Other while, agen,

Me thought, it call'd on me, and other men

To pray, that God would view th…m with compassiō ▪

And give them comfortable separation.

(For, we should with a fellow-feeling, share

In ev'ry sorrow, which our brethren beare)

Sometime my Fancy tuned so the Bell▪

As if her Towlings did the story tell

Of my mortality, and call me from

This life, by oft, and loudly sounding, Come.

So long the solitary nights did last,

That I had leasure my accounts to cast;

And think upon, and over-think those things,

Which darknesse, lonelinesse, and sorrow brings

To their consideration, who doe know,

From whence they came, and whither they must go.

My Chamber entertain'd me all alone,

And in the roomes adjoyning lodged none.

Yet, through the darksome silent night did flye

Sometime an uncouth noise; sometime a cry,

And sometime mournfull callings pierc'd my roome,

Which came, I neither knew from whence, nor whom.

And, oft betwixt awaking and asleepe,

Their voices who did talke▪ or pray, or weepe,

VntoUnto my listning eares a passage found,

And troubled me, by their uncertaine sound.

For, though the sounds themselves no terror we…e▪

Nor came from any thing that I could feare;

Yet, they b…ed Musings; and those musings bred

Conjecturings, in my halfe sleepi…g head:

By those Conjectures into minde w…re broug…t

Some reall things, before quite out of thought;

They, divers Fancies to my soule did shew,

Which m… still further, and still further drew

To follow them; till they did thoughts procure

Which humane frailty cannot long endure:

Ev'n such, as when I fully was awake,

Did make my heart to tremble, and to a…e.

And, when such frailties have disheartned men▪

Oh! God, how busie is the Devill then?

I know in part his malice, and the wayes

And times, and those occasions which he layes

To worke upon our weaknesse; and there is

Scarce any which doth shew him like to t…is.

I partly also know by what d…g…ees

He worketh it; how he doth gaine or leese

Hi… labours; and some sense I have procu…'d,

What p…ngs are by the soule that while endur'd.

For, though my God, in mercy, hath indu'd

My Soule with Knowledge, and with Fortitud…

In such a measure, that I doe not feare

(Distractedly) those tortures which appeare

In solitary da…kness…: yet, some part

Of this, and of all frailties in my heart

Continues he; that so I might confesse

His mercies with continuall thankfulnesse,

And, somewhat (…vermore) about me beare,

Which unto me my frail…ies may declare.

Yea (thou…h without distemper, now it be)

So much of those grim feares are shewed me,

Which terrifi'd my childhood, and which mak…

The hea…ts of a…ed men, sometimes to quake▪

That I am s…nsible of their estate;

And can their case the more compassionate,

Who on their beds of …eath doe pained lye,

Exil'd from com…ort, and f…om company,

When dreadfull Fancies doe their soules af…ight▪

Begotten by the melancholy nig…t.

Glad was I, when I saw the Sun appeare,

(And with his Rayes to blesse our Hemi…phere)

That from the tumbled bed I might arise,

And with more lightsomnesse refresh mine eyes:

Or with some good companion…, …ead, or pray,

To passe, the better, my s…d thoughts away:

For, though such …houghts oft us…full are, and good▪

Yet, knowing well, I was but flesh and blood,

I also knew mans naturall condition

Must have in joyes, and griefes, an intermission,

Lest too much joy should fill the heart with folly,

Or, too much griefe breed dangerous melancholy.

But, when the Morning came, i… little shewed,

Save light, to see discomfortings renewed:

For, if I staid within, I heard relations

Of nought but dying pang…, and lamentations.

If in the Stre…ts I did my footing set,

With many sad disasters there I met.

And, objects of mortali…y and feare,

I saw in great abundance ev'ry where.

Here, one man stagger'd by, w…th visage pale:

There, lean'd another, grunting on a stall.

A third, halfe dead, lay gasping for his grave;

A fourth did out at window call, and rave;

Yonn came the Bearers, sweating from the Pit,

To fetch more bodies to replenish it.

A little further off, one sits, and showes

The spots, which he Deaths tokens doth suppose,

(E're such they be) and, makes them so indeed;

Which had beene signes of heal…h, by taking heed.

For, those round-purple-spot…, which most have thoght

Deaths fatall tokens (where they forth are b…ought,)

May prove Life tokens, if that ought be done,

To helpe the worke, which Natur… h…th begun.

Whereas, that feare, which their opinion brings

Who threaten Death; the want of cordiall things

(To helpe remove that poison from the heart,

Which Nature hath expelled thence in part)

And then, the Sickm…ns liberty of having

Cold drinks, and what his appetite is craving,

Brings backe againe those humours pestilent,

Which by the vitall pow'rs had fo…th beene sent.

So by recharging him that was before

Nigh spent, the fainting Combatant gives o're:

And he that cheerfully did raise his head,

Is often, in a moment, strucken dead.

Fea…e also helps it forward. Yea, the terror

Occasion'd, by their fond and common error,

Who tell the sick…, that markt for Death they be,

(When those bl…w spots upon their flesh they see)

Ev'n that hath murthred thousands, who might here

Have lived, …lse, among us, many a yeare.

For, if the Surgeons, or the Searchers, know

Those markes, which for the markes of death do goe,

From common-spots, or purples, (which we must

Confesse, or else all kinde of spots d…str…st)

p. 106Then, such as we Death-tokens call, were seene

On some, that have long since, recover'd beene.

Before I learned this, I fixt mine eyes

On many a private mans calamities,

And saw the Streets (wherein a while agoe

We s…arce could passe, the people fill'd them so)

Appeare nigh desolate; yea, quite forlorne

And for their wonted visitant… to mourne.

Much peopled Westminster, where late, I saw,

So many rev'rend Iudges of the Law,

With Clients, and with Suitors hemmed round:

Where Courts and Palaces did so abound

With bus…nesses: and, wh…re, together met

Our Thrones of Iustice, and our Mercy-seat;

That place, was then frequented, as you see

Some Villages on Holy-dayes will be

When halfe the Towneship, and the Hamlets nigh

Are met to revell, at some Parish, by.

Perhaps, the wronging of the Orphans cause,

Denying, or perverting of the Lawes

There practised, did set this Plague abr…eding,

And sent the Terme from Westminster to Reading.

Her goodly Church and Chappell, did appeare

Like some poore Minster which hath twice a yeare

Foure visitants: And, her great Hall, wherein

So great a Randevow had lately …in,

Did look like those old Structure…, where long since

Me… say, King Arthur kept his residence.

The Parliament had left her, to goe see

If they could learne at Oxford to agree;

Or if that ayre were better …or the health

And safety of our English Common-wealt….

But there, some did so counsell, and so vrge

The Body politike to take a purge,

To purifie the parts that seemed foule:

Some others did that motion so …on…roule,

And plead so much for Cordialls, and for that

Which strengthen might the sinnewes of the State,

That all the time, the labour, and the cost,

Which had bestowed beene, was wholly lost.

And, here, the empty House of Parliament

Did l…oke as if i… had beene disco…t…nt,

Or griev'd (me thought) that Oxford should not be

More pro…perous, yet; nor c…uld I any see

Res…rt to com…ort her: But, there did I

Behold two Traytors hea…s, which perching high,

Did shew their teeth, as if they had beene grinning

At those Affli…tious which are now beginning.

Yea, their wide …ye holes, star'd, me thought, as th…

They lookt …o see that House now overthrow

It selfe, which they with Powder up had blowne,

Had God, their snares, and them, not overthrowne.

White Hall, where not three months before▪ I spi'd

Great Britaine in the height of all her pride,

And, France with her contending, which could most

Outbrave old Rome and Persi…, in their cost

On Robes and Feasts: Ev'n that lay solitary,

As doth a quite-forsaken Monast…ry

In some lone Forrest; and we could not passe

To many places, but through weeds and grasse.

Perhaps, the sinnes, of late, committed …here,

Occasions of such desolation were.

Pray God, there be not others, in the State,

That will make all, a… last, be desolate.

The Stra…d, that goo…ly thorow-fare between…

The Court and City (and where I have seene

Well nigh a million pa…sing in one day)

Is now, almost, an unfrequented way:

p. 107And peradventure, for those impudencies,

Those riots, and those other foule offences,

Which in that place were frequent, when it had

So great resort; …t is now justly made

To stand unvisited▪ God grant it may

Repent▪ lest longer, and another way

It stand unpeopled, or some others use

Those blessings, which the owners now abuse.

The City-houses of our English P…eres,

Now smoakt as seldome, as in other yeares

Their Country-palaces: and, they perchance

Much better know then doth my ignorance,

Why so it came to passe. But, wish I shall

That they their wayes to minde would better call;

Le…t both their Country▪ and their City-piles,

Be smoaking seene, and burning, many miles.

The Innes of Court I entred; and I saw

Each Roome so desolate, as if the Law

Had out-law'd all her Students; or that there

Some fear'd arrestings, whe…e no Sergeants were.

Most dreame, that this great fright was thither sent

Not purposely, but came by accident;

And so, but little use is taken from

Gods Iudgements, to amend the times to come.

Yet, I dare say, it was a warning given

Ev'n by appointment: and decreed in heaven:

To s…gnifie, that if our Lawyers will

In their abusive wayes continue still,

The cause of their profession quite fo…getting▪

And to their practices no limits setting,

Till they (as hereto…ore the Clergy were)

Are moe in number then the Land can beare.

Their goodly Palaces shall spew them forth,

As excrements that have nor use nor worth;

And, be disposed of, as now they s…e,

The Priories, and Monasteries be.

It griev'd me to behold this wofull change,

And places so well knowne, appeare so strange.

But, oh poore LONDON! when I lookt on thee,

Remembring therewithall, thy jollity

Erewhile; and how soone after I did meet

With griefe and sad complaints in ev'…y street▪

When I did minde how throng…d thy Ga…es have bin

And then perceiv'd so few past out or in.

When I consider'd that abundant store

Of wealth, which thou discover'dst heretofore:

And, looking on thy many empty stalls,

Beheld thy shops set up their wooden-wals▪

Me …hought, thou should…t not be that London, w…ich

Appear'd of late so populous, and rich;

But, some large Burrough; either falling from

Her height; or, not unto her greatnesse come.

If to thy Port I walkt; it mov'd remorse,

To see how gr…atly, Trade and Intercourse

Decayed there; and what depopulations,

Were made in thy late peopled habitations.

Thy Royall Change, which was the Randevow

Wherein all Nations met, the whole world through,

Within whose princely walls we heard the sound

Of ev'ry Language spoke on Earths vast Round;

And where we could have known what had bin done

In ev'ry forraine Coast below the Sun:

That Place, the City-Merchant, and the Stranger

Avoyded as a place of certaine danger:

And feared (as it seemes) they might have had

Some bargain ther, that would have spoild their trade

Thy large Cath…drall, whose decaying frame

Thou leavest unrepaired to thy shame,

p. 108Had scarce a Walker in her middle Ile;

And, ev'ry Ma…ble of tha… ancient Pile,

Did often drop, and seeme to shed forth teares,

For thy late ruine, though thou sleightest hers.

The time hath been, that once a day, from thence,

We could have …d a large intelligence

Of most occurences, that publique were.

Y…a, many times we had▪ relations there,

Of things, who…e foolish actors never thought

Their deeds to open scanni…g should be brought.

There, heard we oft made publique by report,

What S…resi…s were whisper'd in the Court.

The Closet-Cou…sels, and the Chamber work,

Which many thinke in privacy doth lurke.

There heard we what those Lords, and Ladies were,

Who m…t disguised, …hey know when, and where.

The…e …eard we what they did, and what they said;

And many foolish plots were there bew…ai…:

There, heard we reasons, why such men were made

Gre…t Lords and Knights, who no deserving had,

In common view: and how gre…t Pr…nces eyes

Are dazled …nd abus'd wi…h fallacies.

Th…re heard we for what G…f…s most Doctors rise,

And gaine the Church…s …ighest dignities.

The truest causes also there we…e knowne,

Why men advanced are, or pulled down.

Why Officers are changed, or displaced;

Why some confined are and some di…graced;

And w…at amo…g the wise, those men doe seeme,

That are great Stat…smen, in their owne es…eeme.

Th…re we have heard, what Princ…s have intended,

When they to doe s…me other thing p…e…ended.

What Policies ▪ and Projects, men pursue▪

With publique aymes, and with a pious s…ew.

Why from the Counsell one is turned out;

What makes another counterfeit the gout,

And many other mysteries beside,

Whith hardly can the mentioning abide.

But those Athenian Merc…antmen were gone,

Who made exchange of Newes; and few or none

To heare or make reports remained there.

Yea they who scarce a day (as if they were

Of Pauls the walking Statues) staid from thence

Since LONDON felt the last great Pestilence,

Ev'n they were gone; and those void Iles d…d look

As if some properties had them …orsooke.

Our Theaters, our Tavernes, Tennis-courts,

And Gaming houses whither great resorts

Were w…nt to come; then, seldome were frequented:

Not that such vanities we much repented;

But, lest those places, which had follies taught us,

Might some reward, unlooked for, have brought us.

Where we with Pestilences of the …oule

Each other had polluted and made foule,

Our bodies were infected; and our breat…s,

VVhichWhich had endanger'd our e…ernall de…t…s,

(In former times) by uttring heresies,

By …candals, and by basest flatteries,

Or wanton speeches; put…ifide the Ayre,

The blood ev'n at the fountaine did impaire,

To coole our lust▪ And they that were the bliss…

Of some▪ mens lives, did poison them with kisses.

The Ma…kets which a while before did yeeld

What ayre, se…s, riv…rs, garden, wood, or field,

To furnish them afforded; no… had nought,

But what some few in secret thither brought.

For (as a foresaid) it was ordred so,

That none should with p…ov…sions, come or goe.

p. 109So, like a Towne beleaguer'd thou didst fare,

In some respect…: And, but that God had care

By m…king others feele necessities

Which forced them to minister supplies;

Thou hadst beene famisht, or beene faine to b…ing

Provisions in by way of forraging:

And then their foolishnesse, had brought upon

Those men, two mischiefes, who did feare but one.

Hereafter ther…fore, practise well to use

Those plenties thou didst he…etofore abuse;

Lest God, …gaine bereave thee of thy sto…e,

And never so enlarge his bounty more.

For, to co…rect thy Surfets, and Excesse,

Thy sleighting of the poore, thy thanklesnesse,

And such like sinnes; God wo…thily rest…ained

Those plenties which thy pride and lust maintained.

Thy Dwellings, f…om whose windowes I have se…n

A thousand Ladies, that might Queenes have beene

For bravery, and beauty: And, some far

More faire then they that fam'd in Legends are.

Those s…ood unpeopled, as those …ouse… doe

Which Sprights, and Fairies doe reso…t unto.

None to their closed wicke…s made repai…e;

Their empty gasemen…s gaped wide for ayre;

And where once foot clot…es and Ca…oches were

Attending; now stood Coffi…s, and a Biere.

Yea Coffins oftner past by ev'ry doore,

Th…n Coaches, and Caroches, heretofo…e▪

To see a country Lady, or a Knight

Among us then, had beene a… rare a sigh…

As was that Elephant which came from Spaine,

O… some great Monster spewd out of the Maine.

If by mischance the people in the street,

A Courtier, or a Gentleman did meet,

They with as much amazement him did view,

As if they had beheld the wand…ing …ew.

And, many, seeing me to keepe this place,

Did looke as if they much bewaild my cas…,

And h…l…e belee'vd that I was doomed hither,

That (since close-prison, halfe a yeare together,

Nor private wrongs, nor publique dis-respect,

Could breake my heart, nor much the same deject)

This Plague might kill me, which is come to whip

Those faults which her…tofore my pen did strip.

But here I walkt in safety to behold

What changes, for instructio…, see I could.

And, as I wandred on, my eye did meet,

Those halfe built Pageants whi…h, a thwa…t the street,

Did those triumphant Arches counterfeit,

Which heretofore in ancient Rome were fet,

When their victorious Generalls had thither

The spoile of mighty kingdomes b…ought together.

The loyall Citizens (…lthough they lost

The glory of their well-intended cost)

E…ected those great Structures to renowne

The new receiving o… the Sov'raigne Crowne

By hopefull CHARLES (whose royall exaltation,

Make thou oh! God, propitious to this Nation.)

But when those works, imperfect, I beheld,

They di… new c…uses of sad musings yeeld,

Portending ruine. And, did seeme, me thought,

In honor of Deaths trophees to be wroug…t;

Much rather, then from purposes to …pring

Which aymed at the honor of a King.

For, their unpolisht forme, did make them fit

For d…efull Showes: yea, DEATH on them did sit.

His Captives passed under ev…y Arch;

Among them, as in Triumph he did march;

p. 110Through ev'ry Street, upon mens backs were borne

His Conquests. His b…ack Live…ies were wo…ne▪

In ev'ry House almost. Hi… spoyles were brought

To ev'ry Temple. Many Vaults were frau…ht

With his new prizes And his followers grew

To such a multitude, that halfe our Eugh,

And all our Cypresse t…ees, could ha…dly lend him

A branch for ev'ry one who did attend him.

My Fancy did present to me that houre

A glimpse of DEATH ev'n in his greatest power.

Me thought I saw him, in a Charret ride,

With all his grim companions by his side.

Such as Oblivion, and Corruption be.

Not halfe a step before him, …ode these t…ree,

(On Monsters backt) Paine, Horror, and Despaire:

Whose fury, had not Faith, and Hope, and Pray'r,

Prevented, through Gods m…rcy none had ever

Escap'd Destruction by their best endevour.

For, next to Death, came Iudgement: after whom,

Hell w…th devou…ing lawes, did gaping come,

To swallow all: But, she at One di… snap,

Who now, for many, hath made way to scape.

Death's Carr, with many chaines, & ropes, & strings,

And, by a mu…titude of severall th…ngs,

As Pleasures, Passions, Cares, and such as they,

VVas drawne along upon a beaten way,

New gravell'd with old bones: and, Sin did seeme

To be the formost Beast of all the Teeme:

And, Sicknesse to be that whi…h haled next

The Charret wheele; for, none I s…w betwixt.

Time led the way; and, Iustice did appea…e,

To sit before, and play the Chariote…r.

For since our Sin to p…ll on Death begun,

The whip of Iustice makes the Charret run.

There was of Trumpets, and of Drums the sound;

But in loud cries, and roarings it was drown'd.

Sad El…gies, and songs of Lamentation

Were howled out; but, moved no compassion.

Skulls, Coffi…s, Spades, and Mattocks placed were

About the Charret. Crawling Wormes were there

And whatsoever else might signifie

Deaths nature, and weak mans mortalitie.

Before the Cha…ret, such a multitude

Of ev'…y Nation in the world I view'd,

That neither could my eye so farre perceive,

As they were th…onging; nor my heart conceive

Their countlesse number. For, all those that were

Since Abel dy'd, he drove before him there.

And▪ of those thousands, dying long agoe,

Some here and there, among them, I did know,

Whose Vertues them in death distinguished

(In spight of Death) from others of the dead.

I saw them stand, me thought, as you shall see

High spreading Oakes, which in …el'd Copses be,

O're-top the shrubs; and, where scarce two are found

Of growth, within ten thousand ro… of ground.

O… those who dy'd within the Age before

This yeare, I sc…rce distinguished a score

From Beasts, and Fowles, & Fishes. For, Death makes

So little difference twixt the flesh he takes,

That, into dust alike he …urnes it all.

And▪ if no vertue make distinction sh…ll,

Those men who did of much in lifetime boast,

Shall dying in the common heap be lost.

But, of tho…e Captives which my fantasie

Presented to my apprehensions eye

To grace this Mon…r…es Triump…; most I heeded

Those t…oups, which next before the Carr proceeded,

p. 111Ev'n those which in the circuit of this yeare,

The prey of Death within our Iland were:

It was an Army royall, which bec…me

A King, and loe, King IAMES did lead the same.

The Duke of Richmond, and his onelyonly brother

The Duke of Lenox, seconded each other.

Next …hem, in this attendance follow'd on

That noble Sco…, the Marquis Hammilton,

Sou…hampton, Su…folke, Oxford, Nottingham,

And Holdernesse, their Earledomes leaving, came

To wait upon this Triumph. There I saw

Some rev'rend Bishops, and some men of Law,

As Winchester, and Hubbard, and I know not

Who else▪ for to their memories I owe not

So much as here to name them: nor doe I

VponUpon me take to mention punctually

Their order of departing, nor to sweare

That all of these fell just within the yeare.

For of the time if somewhat I doe misse,

The matter sure, not much materiall is.

Some Barons and some Viscounts, saw I too▪

Zouch, Bacon, Chichester, and others moe,

Whose Titles I forg…t. There fol…ow'd then

Some Officers of note; some Aldermen;

Great store of Knights, and Bu…gesses, with whom

A couple marcht, that had the Shcriff…dome

Of London that sad yeare: the one of which

In Piety and Vertue dy'd so rich,

(If his surviving fame may …e beleeved)

That for his losse the City much hath grieved.

To be an honor to him, here, therefore

I fixe the name of Crisp, which name he bore:

And I am hopefull it shall none offend,

The Muses doe this right unto their friend.

Some others also of great state and place,

To me no… knowne by office, name, nor face,

Made up the concou…se. But, the common Rabble

To number or distingu…sh, none was able.

For, rich and poore, men, women, old and yong,

So fast and so confusedly did throng;

By strokes of Death, so markt, so gastly wounded,

So thrust together, and so much confounded

Among that glut of people, which from hence

Were sent among them, by the Pestilence,

That possible it was not, to descry

Or who or what they were who passed by.

Yet, now and then, me thought, I had the view

Of some who much resembled those I knew.

And▪ faine I would the favour have pro…u…ed

To keepe their Names from being quite obscured

Among the multitude. But, they were gone

Before the meanes could well be thought upon.

And passe they must for aye, unknowne of me:

For, this was but a waking Dreame, I see.

These Fancies ▪ Melancholy often bred:

Yea, many such like Pageants in my head

My working apprehension did beget,

According to those objects which I met.

Some, full of comfort, able to relieve

The heart wh…m dread…ull thoughts did over-grieve.

Some full of horror▪ such as they have had

(It I mistake nor) th…t grow desp'rate mad.

Some, like to their illusions, who in s…ead

Of being humbled in this place of dread▪

Are puffed up by their deliverance:

And being full of dangerous a…rogance,

Abuse t…eir soules, with vaine imaginations,

Ill-grounded hopes, suggested revelations,

p. 112And such like toyes, which in their hearts arise

From their owne Pride, and Sathans fallacies.

Some, such as these I had; and other some,

Which cannot be by words expressed from

My troubled heart. And, if I had not got

Gods hand, to help untie the…r Gordian-k…ot;

His presence, my bold reas'nings to controule;

To curb my passion; to informe my soule;

My faith to strengthen; doubtings to abate;

And so to comfort, …nd to arbitrate,

That I m…ght see I was of him beloved,

(Though me with many sec…et …eares he proved)

Su…e, in my selfe, some Hell I had invented,

Wher endless thoughts, & doubts, had me tormented.

But, God those depths hath show'd me, that I might

See …hat we cary in our selves to fright

Our selves withall And what a hell of feare

Is in our ve…y soules, till he be there.

Ev'n when I had the b…ight…sse of the day,

To chase my melancholy thoughts away,

I was to musings troublesome disposed,

As well as when the da…knesse me enclosed;

Th…t, by experiments, w…ich reall are,

Those horrors which to others oft appeare

(And are not demonstrable) might in part

Be felt in me, to mollifie my heart;

To stir up hearty thankfuln…sse; and make

My soule, in him the greater pleasure take.

For frō those prospects, & those thoughts that g…ieve me,

I, those ext…actions make that much releeve me.

And when my inward combatings a…e past,

It give…h to my joyes the sweeter tast.

But leaving th…s, I will againe returne

To that for which the people soonest mourne.

I lookt along the Streets … chiefest trade;

And, there, perpetuall Holiday they made.

They that one day in sev'n could not forbeare

From trading; had not one in halfe a yeare.

And, all which some had fro… their childhood got,

The charges of their flight defrayed not.

To m…ke the greedy Cormorant regard

The Sabbath more, and of ill gaines affear'd.

False wa…es, fal…e oathes, false measures, and false weights,

False promises, a…d …alsified lights,

Were punisht with false hopes, false joyes, false fears,

False servants, and false frien…s, to them, and theirs.

The… who of late their neighbours did contemne,

Had not a neig…bour le…t to comfort them,

W…en neighbourhood was need…ull Such as were

Selfe-love…s, by th…mselves remained here;

And w…nted those contentments, which arise,

Fro… Christian Love, and mutuall Amities.

Mo…t Trades were tradefaln, & few Merchāts thriv'd,

Save those men, who by Death and Sicknesse, liv'd.

The Sextons, Searchers, they that Corpses ca…ie,

The Herb-wife, Drugg…st, and Apothecarie,

Phy…itians, Surgeons, Nurses, Co…in-makers,

Bold Mounteb…nckes, and shamelesse undertakers,

To cure the Pe…t in all; these, rich become:

And what we pray to be delivered from

Was their advantage. Yea, the worst of these

Grew stout, and fat, and proud by this disease.

So…e, vented refuse w…res, at three times more,

Than what is best, was prized at before.

Some set upon their labours such high rates▪

As passed Reason: so, they whose estates

… faile of reaching to a price so high,

Were faine to perish without remedy.

p. 113Some, wolvishly, did prey upon the quick,

Some, theevishly, purloyned from the sick.

Some robb'd the dead of sheets, some, of a grave,

That there another guest may lodging have:

Yea, Custome had so hardned most of them,

That they Gods Iudgements wholly did contemne.

They, so hard-hearted, and so stupid grew,

So dreadlesly their course they did pursue,

Yea so they flouted, and such jests did make

At that, for which each Christian heart did ake,

That greater were the Plague their mind to have,

Then of the Pestilence to lye and rave.

Now muse I not at what Thucidides

Reporteth of such wicked men as these,

When Athens was depopulated nigh

By such a Pestilence. Nor wonder I,

That when the Plague did this time sixty yeare

Oppresse the Towne of Lyons, that some there

Were said to ravish women, ev'n when death

Was drawing from the… their last gaspe o… breath.

And when infectious B…aines on them th…y saw,

Which …ight have kept their lustfull flesh in awe.

For man once hardned in impenitence,

Is left unto a reprobated sense.

Till God shall s…nct…fie i…, weale, nor woe,

Can make us feare him as we ought to doe.

His love made wanton Is…'…l …purne at him;

His plagues made Phar'oh, his sharpst rod contemn:

And as the Sun from dunghils, and from sinks,

Produceth nothing but ranck weeds, and s…inks;

Yet makes a Garden of well-tilled ground,

With wholesome fruits, and fragrant flowres abound:

Or, as in bruising, one thing senteth well,

Another yeelds a loathsome, stifling smell;

So, Plagues and Blessings, their effect… declare,

According as their sev'rall objects are.

Indeed, my young experience never saw,

So much security, and so much awe

Dwell both together in one place, as here

In this mortality, there did appeare.

I am perswaded, time and place was never

In which afflicted men did more endevor

By teares, vowes, prayers and true penitence,

To paci…e Gods wra…h for …heir offence.

Nor ever was it seene, I think, before,

That men in wickedness… presumed more.

Here you should meet a man with bleared eyes,

Bewailing our encreasing miseries;

Another there▪ quite reeling drunk▪ o… spewing,

And by renewed sins, o…r woes renewing

There sate a peece of sh…melesnesse, whose flaring

Attires and looks, did show a monstrou… daring:

For, in the postures of true impu…ence,

She seem'd as if she woo…d the Pestilence

Yonn talkt a couple, ma…ter worth your hearing:

Hard by, were others, telling lyes, or sw…aring.

Some st…eets had Ch…rches full of people, weeping:

Some others, Tavernes had, rude-revell keepin…:

Within some houses Psalmes and Hymnes wer sung:

W…th raylings, and loud scouldings, others rung.

More C…arity, did never, yet, appeare:

Nor more maliciousnesse, then we had here.

True piety was ominentl… knowne;

H…po…risie as evidently showne.

More avarice, mor… gapers for the wealth

O… such as dy'd; no former times of health

Afforded us; nor men of larger heart,

…hings need…ull for their brethren, to impart.

p. 114Their masters goods, some servants lewdly spent,

In nightly feastings, foolish merriment,

And lewd uncleannesse. O…her some againe,

Did such an honest carefulnesse …etaine,

That their endeavo…s had a good successe,

And, Man, and Master m…t with joyfulnesse.

Yea, Good and Evill, penitence and sin

Did here so d…ive each other out and in;

That in observing it, I saw, me thought,

In sight of Heav'n, a d…ead…ull Comb…t fought

Concerning this whole Iland, which yet lyes,

To be Gods purchas…, or the Devil… prise.

Vice wounded V…rtue; Vertue o't co…peld

The strongest Vices to forsake the field.

Distrust rais'd up a storme, to drive …way

Sure-helpe, our ship, which at Hopes anchor la…;

And brought supplies with ev'ry winde and tyde,

Whereby this Land was fed and fo…tifi…d.

The Fort of Faith, was plaid on by D…spai…e:

But then the gun-shot o… continuall-Pray'r

(Well aym'd …t Heav'n) Devotion so did ply,

That, he dismounts the Foes Artillery.

The Spirit and the Flesh together strive,

And, oft each other into perill drive.

Presumption, huge high Scaling ladders, r…ared,

And then the taking of our Fort was feared.

But awfull Reverence did him oppo…,

And with Humilities de…pe Trench enclose

The Platforme of that Fortresse, from whose Towres

We fight with Principalities, and Pow'rs.

Suggestion lay pur due by Contemplation,

And sought to disadvantage M…ditation.

The Regiment of Prudence was assailed,

By head-strong Ignorance, who much prevailed

Where Temperance was quarter'd, there I saw

Excesse and Riot, both together draw

Their troups against her: and, I some espy'd

To yeeld, and overcome on either side▪

The place that v…liant Fortitude made good,

Faint-heartednesse (though out of sight he stood)

Did cowardly oppose, and courses take,

Which otherwhile his Constancy did shake.

For Carnall policy her Engineer,

Had closely suncke a Mine which had gone neere

To blow all up. But Providence divine

Did soone prevent it by a Counter-mine.

Yet Morall-Iustice (though a Court o… Gu…rd

Was plac'd, and oft r…leeved in her Ward)

Had much adoe to m…ke a strong defence

Against her Foes. For, Fraud, and Violence,

Respect of persons, Feare, Hate, Perjury,

Faire-speaking, and corrupting Brib…ry,

Did wound her much; though she did often take

Avengement; and o… some, examples make.

Some Vices, there, I saw themselves disguise

Like Vertues, that their Foes they might surprise;

As doe the Dunkirks, when aboord to lay

Our ships, an English flag they do display.

Pride went for Come…nesse: profuse Excesse,

For Hospitality: base Drunkennesse

Was call'd Good fello…ship: blunt Rashnesse came

Attyr'd li…e Valour: Sloth had got the name

Of Quietnesse: accursed Avarice,

Was term'd Good husbandry. Meere Cowardice

Appear'd like prudent Warinesse, and might

Have passed for a very valiant wight.

Yea, ev'ry Vice, to gaine his purpose, had

So…e ma…kes o… vertue-like disguise… made▪

p. 115And, many times, such hellish plo…s were laid,

Th…t divers morall Vertues were gainsaid,

Defam'd, pursu'd, and wounded by their owne;

Whose glory had no… else beene overthrowne.

…ust-de…ling hath beene tooke for Cruelty:

Pure-love for Lust: upright Integri…y

For cu…ning Falsh…od: yea, divinest Graces

Have beene at variance brought in divers Cases,

(By wicked Stratagems) that vaine Inventions,

M…ght frustrate pious workes, and good intentions.

To furthe… stri…e, great Quarrels broached are,

Twixt Faith and Workes. There is another j…r

Begun erewhile, betwixt no worse a pai…e,

Then Preachin…, and her blessed Sister Pray'r.

God grant they m…y agree; for, I …e're knew

A quiet Church, but where they kept one Pew.

Faith and Repentance also are, of late,

About their Birth-rig…t fallen at d…bate.

But by the Church-bookes it appeares to me

Their Bir…hs and their Conceptions mention'd be

Without such nice regard to their precedings,

As some have urged in their needlesse pleadings.

And, so it pleas'd the Father, Sonne and Spirit:

Because that Law by which they shall inherit

The promist meed; doth never question move,

How soone or late, but how sincere they prove.

Moreover, in this …attell I espy'd

Some Ambodexters, fight on either side.

The Moralist, who all Religion wants;

Church-Papists; Time-observing Protestants.

All Double-dealers▪ Hypocrites, and such

Base Neutrals, who have scandalized much,

And much endanger'd those who doe contend

This …le, from desolation, to defend.

Beside these former Combatants, which fought

Against or for us; I perceiv'd, me thovght,

Both good and evill Angels fi…hting too,

The one, to help; the other, ha…me to doe.

And though thi… battell yet appeareth not

To common view, so cru…ll nor so hot

As I conceive it: yet it will appeare

To all in time, with comfort, or with feare.

For, s…ill, and ev'ry day, those enemies

Stand a…m'd and watc…ing opportunities

To seiz… us; and will seize us, if th…s… times

Shall make complete the measure of our Crimes;

Or our continuing …ollies drive away

Our Ange…l G…ard, which doth our …all delay.

Oh st…y them Lord! and make that side the stro…ger,

For whom this Lan… sh…ll yet be sp…ed longer.

And let us, my dea…e C…untrimen, with speed,

Of that which so conce…neth us, take h…d.

Obse…ve, thou famoust City of this L…nd,

How h…avily on thee God layes his hand.

The very rumor of this Plague did make

The fa…th…st dwellers of this Ile to shak…:

And such a sent of D…ath they seem'd to c…ry,

Who in o… nea…e about thy Climat… tary,

That, from the Mount to Ba…w…ck they were hated,

Or shunn'd, as persons excommunicated.

…nd three weekes ayring on old Sarum plaine,

Woul… …arce a lodging for a brother gaine.

Yea, mark, ma…k London, and confesse with me,

That God …at… justly thus afflicted thee,

And that in ev'ry point this Plague hath bin

According to the nature of thy sin.

In thy prosperity, such was thy pride,

That thou the Countries plainn…sse didst deride.

p. 116Thy wanton Children would oft straggle out,

At honest husban…men to jeere and flou….

Their homely garments, did offend thine eyes:

They did their rurall Dia…ect… despise▪

Their games and merriments (which for them, be

As commendable, as are thine for thee)

Thou laughedst at: their gestures, and their fashions,

Their very diet, an… their habitations

Were sported at: yea, those ingratefull Things,

Did scoffe them for their hearty Welcomings;

And taught ev'n those that had been country-born

The wholesome places of their birth to scorne.

And, see, now see, those thanklesse ones are faine

To seeke their fathers thatched Roofes againe;

And, aske those good old women blessing, whom

They did not see, since they did rich become;

And never would have seene, perhaps, unlesse

This Plague had whipped their ingratefulnesse.

Yea, thine owne naturall Children have beene glad

To scrape acquaintance where no friends they had;

To praise a homely, and a sm…ky Shed;

A darke low Parlour, an unea…e Bed;

An ill drest di…t; yea, perchance, commend

A chu…lish Landlord, for an honest Friend;

Yet be contented bo…h to pray and pay,

That they may leave obtaine with him to stay.

And peradventure, some of those who plaid

The scoffers hereto…ore, were fully pai….

Th…n, Citizens were sha…k…, and prey'd upon,

In recompence of wrong… before time done

To silly Countrim…n; and were defeated

Of …ha…, whereof, some Rusticks, they had cheated.

Moreover, for the Countries imitations

Of thy fantastick, vaine, and fruitlesse fashions,

(Of thy apparell, and of thy excess…

In Feasts, in Games, in Lust, in Idlenesse;

With such abominations) some of those

Who came from thee, shall doubtlesly dispose

To ev'ry Shire a Viall of that wrath,

Which thy transgression long deserved hath:

That, thou and they, who sinners were together,

May Rods be made to punish one another;

And give each other bitterness… to sup,

As you have joyntly quaft of Pleasures Cup.

As to and fro I walked, that I might

On ev'ry ruthfull Object fix my sight,

VponUpon those Golgatha's I cast mine eye,

Where all the comm…n people buried lye.

Lie buried did I say? I should have said,

Where C…rkasses to bury Graves were laid.

Lord! what a sight was there? & what strong smells

Ascended from among Death's loathsome Cells?

You scarce could make a little Infants bed

In all those Plots, but you should pare a head,

An arme, a shoulder, or a leg away,

O… one or other who there buried lay.

One grave did often many scores enclose

Of men and women: and, it may be those

That could not in two Parishes agree,

Now in one little roome at quiet be.

Yonn lay a heape of skulls; another there;

Here, halfe unburied did a Corpse appeare.

Close by, you might have seene a brace of feet

That had kickt off the rotten winding-sheet.

A little further saw we othersome,

Thrust out th…ir armes for want of elbow roome.

A locke of womans hayre; a dead mans face

Vncover'd; and a gastly sight it was.

p. 117Oh! here, here v…ew'd I what the gl…ries be

Of pamper'd flesh: here plainly did I see

How grim those …eauties will e're long appeare,

Which we so dote on, and so cove…, here.

Here was enough to coole the hottest flame

Of lawlesse lust. Here, was enough to tame

The ma…st ambition. And, all they that goe

Vnbetter'd from such objects; worse doe grow.

From hence (fo… here was no abiding long)

Our Allies and our Lanes, I walkt among,

Where those Artificers their dwel…ings had,

By whom our idle Traders rich are made.

The Plague rav'd there indeed. For, who were they

Whom th…t Contagion fastest swept away

But those whose d…ily lab'…ing hands did feed

Their honest Families? and greatly steed

This place by their mechanick industries?

These are the swarmes of Bees, w…ose painfull thighes

Bring Wax unto this Hive; and from whose bones

The Honey drops, that feedeth many Drones.

These are the Bulwarks of this …enselesse Towne,

And when this Wall of Bones is overthrowne,

Our stately Dwellings, now both faire and tall,

Will quickly, of themselves, to ruine fall.

Of these, and of t…eir housholds, dai…y dy'd

Twice more then did of all sorts else beside;

And hungry Poverty (without reliefes)

Did much inrag… and multipliply their griefes.

The Rich could flye; or, if they staid, they had

Such meanes that their disease the lesse was made▪

Yea, those poore aged folkes that make a show

Of greatest need, did boldly come and goe,

To aske mens Almes▪ or what their Parish granted;

An… nothing at this time those people wanted,

But thankfulnesse▪ lesse malice to ea…h other;

A…d grace to live more quietly together.

Their bodies, d…y'd with age, were seldome struck

By this Disease ▪ Their neighbours notic… took

Of all their wants. Among them, were not many

That had …ull fam…lies. Or if that any

Of these had children sick; some good supplies

Were sent them from the generall Charities.

Moreover, common Beggers are a nation

Not alwayes keeping in one habitation.

They can remove as time occasion brings:

They have their progresses as well as King;

And most of these, when hence the rich did goe,

Remov'd themselves into the Country too.

The rest about our streets did ask their bread,

And never in their lives, were fuller fed.

But, those good people mentioned before,

Who, till their worke did faile them, fed the poore

As well as others; and maintained had

Great families, by …ome laborious trade:

Ev'… those di… suffer most. For, neither having

Provision left them, nor the face o… craving;

Nor meanes of labour: First, to pawne they sent

Their brasse and pewter: t…en, their bedding went.

Their garments next▪ or stuffe of best esteeme:

At length, ev'n that which should the rest redeeme,

Their working Instruments. When that was gone,

Their Lease was pawned, if it might be done.

And peradventure, at the last of all,

These things were sold outright for sums but small▪

Or else quite forfeited. For, here were they

Who made of these poore soules, a gainfull prey.

And as one Plague had on the li…e a pow'r,

So did these other Plagues, their goods devoure.

p. 118When all was gone, afflicted they became

With secret griefes, with poverty, and shame.

And, wanting cheerfull minds, and due refection,

Were seized on, the soone…, by Infection:

For, hearts halfe broke, and housholds fa…isht neare▪

Are quickly spent, when visited they are.

The carefull Master, though it would have saved

A servants life, to get him what he craved,

No kinde of Med'cine able was to give him;

Nay scarce with bread and water to relieve him▪

The tender hearted Mother, hath for meat

Oft heard her dearest child, in vaine, intreat;

And had or foure or five on point of dying

At once, for drink to ease their torment, crying.

The loving husband sitting by her side,

To save whose life he gladly would have dy'd,

Vnable was out of his whole estate,

To purchase her a dram of Mithridate;

One messe of Cordiall broth, or such like thing,

Although it might prevent her perishing.

Sometime, at such a need, abroad they came,

To aske for helpe; but, then, the feare of shame,

Of scorne, or of deni…ll, them with-held

To put in practice, what their want compell'd.

VponUpon an Evening (when the wa…ning light

Was that which could be call'd nor day nor night)

I met with one of these, who on me cast

A …ut…full eye: and a… he by me past,

Me thought, I heard him, softly, somewhat say,

As if that he for some reliefe did pray:

Whereat (he seeming in good cloth…s to be)

I staid, and askt him, if he spake to me.

He bashfully replyed; that, indeed

He was asham'd to speake aloud, what Need

Did make him softly mutter▪ Somewhat more

He would have spoken, but his tongu… forbore

To tell the re…t; b…cause his eyes did see

Their teares had (almost) drawne fo…th tears frō me,

And that my hand was ready to bestow

That helpe which my poore fortunes could allow▪

Nor his, nor all me…s tongues, coul… mo…e relate,

Then I my selfe conceiv'd of hi… estate.

Me thou…ht, I saw, as if I had beene there,

What w…nts in his, and such mens houses were;

How empty, and how naked it became▪

How nasty, Poverty h…d made the same▪

Me thou…ht I saw, how sick… his wife mightlye;

Me thought I heard his halfe sta…v'd children cry;

Me thou…t I felt, with what a broken heart

He lookt upon t…em, e're he could depart

To try, i… (by Gods …avour) he could meet

With any meanes of comfort in the street.

And, Lord my God, thou know'st, that, when alone

The griefes of such as these, I mused on;

My pitie I with watry eye… have showne,

And more bewail'd their sorrowes, then my owne▪

But, since those Dewes are vaine that …ruitlesse be;

And since the share that is allotted me▪

Of this worlds heritage, will not …uffice

To bring relie…e to these mens miseries;

Oh! let my teares (ye ri…h men) make your ground

With fruits of Charity the more abound.

Let me intreat you, tha…, when God shall bring

VponUpon this place, another Visiting,

You would remember, some reliefe to send

To those, who on t…eir labours doe depend,

And have not got their impudence of …ace,

Who idlely beg their bread from place to place.

p. 119God, you the S…ewards of his g…ods doth make,

And how you use them, he accou…t will take.

It will not be enough, that you have paid

The publique taxes on your houses laid;

Or that▪ you, now and then, doe send a summe

To be disposed, to you know not whom:

But, you yo…r selves, must, by your selves alone,

Those neighbour…, o… acqu…intance think upon,

Who likeliest are in such a time of need,

To want of t…at, whe…ein you do exceed:

And, if you know of none, enquire them out;

Or leave some honest neigbour thereabout,

To be your Alm'ner (when the Towne you leave)

That, yo…, and they, a Blessing may receive▪

For, if that ev'ry weal…hy man w…uld find

But one, or two, to cherish in this kind:

Gods wrat… would much the better be appeased,

And we should of our plagues be sooner eased

As I request the Richer men to take

This pious course; A suit, I likewise m…ke

That our inferiour Tradesmen, would not so

Abuse their times of profit, as they doe.

For, most of those doe live at rates as high,

As all their gaines (at utmost) will supply.

Yea, many times they mount above t…e tops

Of present fortunes, and ensuing hopes:

That, if a sicknesse, or unlook'd for Crosse,

Or want of trade, or any slender losse,

But for a Yeare, a Qu…rter, or a Terme,

Befalls them: it soone maketh so infirme

Their over-strain'd Estates; that Almes are neede…,

Ere any failin…s are by others heeded.

Of these, and other things I notions gained,

Whilst in our sickly Citie I remained;

And much I contemplated what I saw,

Some profitable uses thence to draw.

But, feeling that my thought… nigh … were,

With over-musing on those objects there:

I thought to walke abroad into the …eld,

To take those comforts, which f…esh ayre doth yeeld;

And, to revive my heart, which heavy grew,

With what the streets did offer to my view;

But little ease I found; for, there mine eye…

Discover'd Sorrow in a new disguise:

And in so many shapes, himselfe he shewed,

That, still my passion was afresh renewed.

Her…, dead upon the Roade, a man did lye,

That was (an houre before) as well, as … ▪

There, sate another, who did thither come

In health, but had not strength to beare him home.

Yonn, spraul'd a third, so sicke, he did not know

Fro… whence he came, nor whither he should goe.

A little further off, a fourth did creepe

Into a ditch, and there his Obit keepe.

Abo…t the Fields ran one, who being fled

(In spite of his attendance) from his bed,

Lookt like a Lunatique from Bedlem broken;

And, though of health he had no hopefull token;

Yet, t…at he ailed ought, he would not yeeld,

Till Death had, stru… him dead upon the field.

This way, a Str…nger by hi… Host expel…ed,

That way, a Servant (shut from where he dwelled)

Came weakly stagg'ring fo…th, and (crush'd beneath

Diseases, and unkindnes…e) sought for Death;

Which soone was f…nd and glad was he, they say,

Who for his Death-…ed gain'd a Cock of Hay

At this crosse pa…h, were Bearers fetching home

A Neighbour, who in health did thither come:

p. 120Close by, were others digging up the ground,

To hide a stranger whom they dead had found.

Before me, went with Corpses, many a one;

Behinde, as many mo did …ollow on,

VVith runnin… sores, one begg'd at yonder gate:

At next Lanes end, another Lazar sate.

Some halted, as if wounded in the wars;

Some held their necks awry, some shew'd their scars▪

Some, met I weeping, for the losse of friends;

Some others, for their swift approching ends;

And ev'ry thing with sorrow was affected,

On whatsoe're it was mine eye reflected.

The Prospect, which was wont to greet mine eye

With showes of pleasure in variety,

(And lookt, as if it cheerfully did smile,

VponUpon the bordring Villages, ere while.)

Had no such pleasingnesse as heretofore,

For ev'ry place, a mask of sorrow wore.

The walks are unfrequented, and the path

Late trodden bare, a grassie Carpet hath.

I could not see (of all t…ose Gallants) one

That visited Hide-par…e, and Mary-borne.

None w…ndred through the pastures, up and downe▪

But, as about some pe…ty Country towne:

Nor could I view in many Summers dayes,

One man of note to ride upon our wayes.

Lord, w…at a d…ff…rence did…t thou put betweene

That Summer, and the rest that I have seene!

How didst thou change our Fi…lds! and what a face

Of Sadnesse, didst thou set upon each place!

Yet oh! how few remember it, or feele

The touches of it, on their hearts of s…eele!

And when our banisht …i…h thou didst renew,

Who did returne to thee the praises due?

What others apprehended, they know best;

But if it could be fully here exp…e…

What of that alteration I conceiv'd▪

When of their pleasures, God our fields bereav'd;

It would much mo…e be minded: For they had

Nought in them, but what moved to be sad.

Not many weekes, before, it was not so.

But, …leasures, had their passage to and fro.

Which way so…ver from our Gates I went,

I lately did behold with much content,

The fields bestrow'd with people all about:

Some paceing homeward, …nd some passing out.

Some, by the bancks of …hame their pleasure taking;

Some, Sulli-bibs, among the Milk-maids, making;

With musique, some upon the waters, rowing;

Some, to t…e next adjoyning Hamlets going;

And Hogsdone, Islington, and Tethnam-Court,

For Cakes and Creame▪ had then no small resort.

Some, sate and woo'd their Love…s in the shadowes;

Some, straggled to and fro athwart the meadowes;

Some, in discourse, their houres, away did passe;

Some, playd the toyish w…ntons on the grasse;

Some, of Religion; some of bus'nesse talked;

Some coached were▪ some horsed; and some walked.

Here Citizens; there Students, many a one;

Here …wo together; and, yonn one alone.

Of Nymphs and Ladies. I have often ey'd

A thousand walking at one Evening tide;

As many Gentleman: and yong and old

Of meaner sort, as many▪ ten times told.

And, when I did from some high Towre survey

The Rod…s, and Paths, which round below me lay,

Obser…ing how each passage thronged was

W…h men and Cattell, which both wayes did passe;

p. 121How many petty path…, both far and neare,

With rowes of people sti…l suppl…ed were;

What infinite provision still came in,

And what abundance hath exported bin;

Me thought this populous City and the trade

Which we from ev'ry Coast about her had,

Was well resembled by an A…t-h…ll, which

(In some old Forrest) is made lar…e, and …ich

By those laborious creatures, who have thither

Brought all their wealth, and Coloni…s together.

For, as their peopled Borrough ha…h resort

From ev'ry quarter, by a severall Port,

And from each Gate thereof a great Rode hath

That branches into many a little Path;

And, as those Negroes doe not on…ly fill

Each great and lesser t…act unto th…ir hill,

But, also, spread them…elves out of those wayes,

Among the grasse, the leaves, and bushy sprayes:

Ev'n s…, …he people here, did come and goe

Through our large Rodes; disperse themselves into

A thousand passages; and, often stray

O're neighbouring Pastures, in a pathlesse way.

This, formerly I saw; and, on that Station,

Where this I markt; I had this Contemplation.

How happy were this People, did they know

What rest, our God upon them did bestow!

On us, what show…es of blessings hath he rained,

Which he from other Cities hath restrained?

And, from how many mischiefes hath be freed us▪

Which …all on those that in good workes exceed us▪

Here lurke no ravenous Beasts to make a prey

On those fat C…ttell which these Fields o're-lay.

Within our Gro…es no cruell Out-lawes hide,

That in the blood of passengers are dy'd.

Our Lambs, unworry'd, lye abroad, benighted;

By day, our Virgins walke the Fields unfrighted.

No neighbouring Country doth our food forestall;

No Convoyes need to come and g…e withall;

No forraine Prince can sudd…ly appall us,

For Seas doe mote us, and huge Rocks doe wall us.

No rotten Fennes doe make our ayre unsound;

No Foe, doth with a trench enclose us round.

We neither tumults have by night or d…y,

Nor rude unruly Garisons in pay.

No Taxes, yet, our Land doth over-load:

Our Children are not prest for warres abroad.

From Spanish Inquisitions we ar… free;

(God grant that we, for ever, so may be)

We are compeld to no Idolatries;

Our people doe not in rebellions rise:

No sactious spirits much disturbe the State;

No Plagues, our dwellings, yet, dep…pulate.

No Rots or Murraines have our Cattell kild:

Our Barnes and Store-house…, with fruits are fild:

On ev'r… thr…sh…ld, store o… children play;

Our breeding Cattell fill both street and way.

And, were we thankefull unto him that gave them,

There are no blessings, but we here might have them.

See, how like Bees upon a Summer-Eve,

(When their young Nymphes have ove…-fill'd the hive)

They swarme about the City, sporting so,

As if a winter gale would never blow.

How little d…e they dreame, how many times,

While …hey deserved ruine for their Crimes,

God, naitheless…, hath shewed mercies on them,

And s…opt those Plagues that comming were upon them!

How seldome is it thought, the pow'r of him,

…hose love they much forg…t (if not contemne)

p. 122Might heape upon t…em all t…ose fea…full things,

Which he upon our neig…bouring Nations brings.

For, in a moment, he could s…mmon hither

His Iudgements, and inflict them, all together.

Ev'n all. B…t, one of those which he hath brought

On other Cities, would enough be thought.

If in displeas…re …e should call from thence

Where now it r…ves, the slaugh…ring Pest…lence,

Or else the Famine ▪ what a change …ere that,

To them that are so healthy, …nd so fat?

How desolate, in lesse t…en halfe a yeare,

Might all our lodgin…s and o…r streets appeare?

How unfrequented would that randevow

Be m…de, in which, we throng, and just …e now?

How lonely would these walk…s and fi…lds be found,

Wherein I s…e the people s… abound?

Or, should …e w…istle for his armed Bands,

(Which now are wasting …ther Christian Lands)

To put in action on our Commick Stage

The Tragedies of VVar, and bru…sh rage:

What lamentations then here would be made,

And calling unto minde, what peace we had?

Should we in ev'ry house▪ at boord and bed

Have So…ldiers and rude Captaines bille…ed,

That would command, and swagger as if they

Had all the Towneship (where they lodge) in pay,

To w…it upon their pleas…res; and should see

Our owne defenders, our devourers be.

Should we behold these Fields (now full of sport)

Cut out with T…enches; there, a warlike Fort;

Another here; A Sconce not farre from that;

A new rais'd Mount, or some fire-spitting Cat,

From which the Foes our actions might survey,

And ma…e their B…llets on our houses play.

Should we behold our Dwellings beaten downe;

Our Temples batter'd; Turrets over throwne;

Our seats of pleasure b…rning from afarre;

Heare, from without, the thundring voice of War ▪

Within, the shriekes of children, or the cry

Of women, strucke with feares, or famisht nigh.

Should we behold, what painfully we got,

Possest by those that seeke to cut our thr…at;

Our children slaine befor… us, on the ground;

Our selves pierc't through with some deep mortall wound;

And see (…v'n there) where we have wantonniz'd,

Our beau…eous wives, by some sterne Troup surpriz'd,

And ravisht in our view. Or (which is worse)

When we have seen all this, be forc't perforce

To live; and live their slaves that shall possesse

Our wives, and all our ou…ward happinesse;

And, then, want also, that pure Word of Grace

To comfort us, which yet adornes this place.

Should such a Destiny (as God d…fend)

This people, and this place, thought I, attend.

(For, this may be; and ev'ry day we heare

That other Nations doe this burthen b…are)

Should we who now for pleasure walke the field,

Be saine to search what weeds the pastures yeeld

To feed us; and peake hungerly about,

Some Roots, or Hawes, or Berries to finde out,

To keepe from starving; and not gaine a food

So meane, without the hazard of our blood:

Should some contagious sicknesse, nois…me make

This place, wherein, such pleas…re now we take:

Should in these places, whither we repaire

Our bodies to refresh with wholesome ayre,

Those blastings or Serenes upon us fall,

Which other places are anoy'd withall.

p. 123Should from the wife the husband be divorc'd,

Or from the parent should the child be forc'd,

While here they walk…, and perish by the sword:

Or, should here be a famine of the Word,

On which would follow, to our griefe and shame,

A thousand other Plagues which I could name.

Should th…se things be; then w…at our blessings are

It would by such a curse too soone appeare.

Then, fe…le we should, what comforts might arise

From those great merciemercy…, which we now despise,

Or think not on. Yea, so we might enjoy

But part of that which now we mis-employ,

We thi…ke it would, a greater happinesse,

Then, yet we finde in all we now possesse.

We then should know how much we have b…ene blest

In our long time of plenty▪ health, and rest:

How sweet it is that we may to and fro

Without restraint, or feare, or danger goe;

How much we owe to him that hath so long

Our Granards filled, and our Gates made strong;

Permitting us to walke for our delight

About our fields, whilst others march to fight;

And s…ffring us to least, whilst others fast,

Or, of the bread of sowre Affliction tast.

As heretofore the peopled Fields I walked,

To this effect, my thoughts within me talked;

And though all present Objects gave cont…nt,

My heart did such Ideaes represent

Of Iudgements likely to be cast upon

So great a City, and a sinfull one;

That much I feared, I should live to see,

Some such afflictions, as here mention'd be.

And loe, (though yet, I hope, not in his wrath)

God, part of that I fear'd, inflicted hath:

A warning War he hath begun to wage

Against the crying sinnes of this our age,

And of this place: And in a gentle wise

Pour'd out a taste of those Calamities

Which other feele at large: that, we should mourn…

For our transgressions, and to him retu…ne.

Vouchsafe, oh! God, that soone returne we may,

Lest thou, in anger, sweepe us all away.

If we observed, well, what God hath done,

And in what manner, he with us begun;

How he forewarn'd us of those Plagues, which he

Vouchsafed David should a chus…r be:

(And how, ev'n he himselfe, in mercy chused,

To keepe us from what David had refused)

We should perceive, that our most loving God

At first did threaten, with a Fathers rod.

A little while before this Pestilence,

Of his just wrath we had in…elligence

By divers tokens▪ which we did contemne,

O…, at the best, but little heeded them.

The Spring before this Plague, one jerke we had

By WAR, which made no little number sad,

By calling many from their ease; by taking

Some husbands from their wives, & childless making

Some Parents: which permitted was to show us

In part, what sha…pe corrections God did owe us.

And make us minde, that this unhallow'd place

Is thus long spared meerly of his grace.

Else, to awake us with some touch of that

Which he hath brought on many a forraine State.

For, that he might but touch us, he did call

No Armies hither, to affl…ct us all.

But, as a Generall in time of war,

When all his Troupes of somewhat guilty are;

p. 124On them the fo…tune of the lot doth try,

That some as warnings to the rest may dye:

Ev'n so, the God of Armies, in like case,

Pickt, here and there a man, f…om ev'ry place,

To meet the sword: that, ev'ry place might learne,

His Mercies, and his Iustice to discerne,

And, leave off sinne; which, if we breake not from,

His Plague…, and terrors all, w…ll shortly come.

If any shall object, we lost in these

But some corrupted blood, which did disease

The common Body: Let them under…tand,

That it portends hot Fevers in the Land,

When suc… Phl…botomy is needfull thought:

And, that, good blood, as well as what is nought,

Is lost at ev'ry op…ni…g of a veine.

The foot was prickt, and we did feele no paine;

The next blood letting may be in the Arme,

Where lyes our s…rength▪ God shend us frō the harm

Of such like Surgery; unlesse we see

The Signe be better then it seemes to be.

God scar'd us, lately, also, by a Dearth,

And for the peoples faults did curse the Earth.

The Winter last before the Pes… began,

Throughout some No…herne Shires a Famine ranne,

That starved some; and other some were faine,

Their hungry appetites to entertaine

With swine, and sheep, and horses, which have dy'd

By chance: For, better coul… they not provide.

Some others on boild nettles gladly fed,

Or else had oft gone supperlesse to bed.

And this was much, considering the soile

And o…dinary plenties of this Ile.

Nay, since the Si…knesse, we small hope… p…ssessed,

Of …hat, wherewith, this Ki…g…om, God hath blessed.

For, when Earths wombe did big with plenty grow,

When her large bosome, and full brests, did show

Such signe… of faire encrease, that hope of more

Was never in our life-times, heretofore:

A later frost, our early blossomes cropt;

The heav'ns, upon our labour…, leannesse dropt;

An… such perpetu…ll showres, and flouds we had,

That o… a Famine, we were fearfull made,

And scarce had any hope (in common reason)

Of harvest either in, or out of season.

Yet, he wi…h-held that Plague. The Sky grew cleare;

A kindly weather drove away our f…are;

The Floods did sinck; the Mildewes were expell'd;

The bending eares of …orne, their heads up held;

And Harvest came, which fild our Granards more,

Then in the fruitfull'st, of sev'n yeares before.

And, doubtlesse▪ had we gone to meet our God,

Wi… true repentance, when this fearfull Rod

Was raised first; it had away be…ne flung,

And not continued in this Realme so long.

For, as a Fath…r, when his dearest chil…

Growes disobedient, rude, and over-wilde,

…irst warnes; th…n threatens; then, the rod doth show;

T…en frownes; and then doth feare him with a blow.

Th… doubles, and redoubles it, untill

He makes him grow more plyant to his will,

And leave those wanton tricks, which in conclusion

May prove th… p…rents g…iefe, and childes confusion.

Ev'n as this Father; so, our God h…th wrought.

VsUs, by his Word of Grace, he first besought:

T…en▪ of his Wrath, and Iustice spake unto us:

Next, hanging over u…, he plagues did show us.

Yea, divers months before this Vengeance came,

The spotted Fever did forewarne the same.

p. 125Was made her Harbenger; and in one week

Sent hu…dreds, in the Grave, their bed to seek.

Which nought prevailing, he did thereupon

(As being loath to strike) first strike but one.

Then, two or three: then slaid a while; and than

To smi…e ano…her number he began,

And then a greater. Neither did God show

This mercy, onelyonly, in the publike blow;

But daign'd it, also, in that chastisement,

Which he to ev'ry man in private sent.

To hasten his repent…nce; first, he smote

Some one of those he knew, in place remote;

Wi…hin a w…eke, another better knowne;

Next week a friend; the next a dearer-one;

A lit…le after that, perhaps, an…ther;

And then a kinsman, or …n onelyonly brother.

Which no a…endm…nt working, God did come

(To make him heedfull) somewhat nearer home:

Knockt at h…s neighbours house, and took out all

Or most, who lodg'd on tother side the wall:

Then called at his doore, and seized on

A servant fi…st; soone afterward, a son;

Next night wa… hazarded a daughters life;

And e're that morning c…me, he lost his wife:

At last fell sick himselfe, and then repented,

Or dy'd, or liveth to be worse tormented.

Thus, as it were by steps, God came upon us,

That either Love or Terror migh… have won us,

To seeke our peace. But, yet, so …ew were warned,

(And this long suffring, so few soules discerned)

That some the nature of this Plague beli'd;

The number of the dead, som… strove to hide.

On groundles hopes, …ods Iudgmē …s, some deferred.

Some scofted others, when they were deterred.

Some rais'd a profit from it. Yea, so few

Conceived what was likely to ensue;

That, when we should like Niniveh have fared,

For sports, and causelesse Triumphs we prepared▪

Of pleasure, in …xcessive wise, we …asted.

We feasted, when we rather should have f…sted.

And when in sack-cloth we should loud have cry'd,

Ev'n then, we ruffled in our greatest pride.

Which God …rceiving, and that we were growne

Regardlesse of his smiles, and of his frowne;

He did comm…n… his Mercy, to let goe

That hand, which did restraine his Iustice so.

Then, catching up a Viall of his wrath,

(W…ich he in store for such offenders hath)

He did on thi… our Citie, poure it downe.

And, as strong poison shed upon the crowne,

Descendeth to the members, from the head;

And, soone, doth over all the body spread:

Ev'n so, this noysome plague of Pestilence,

On our head City Falling, did from thence,

Disperse, and soake throughout this Emp…ry,

In spight of all our carnall polici….

Our want of penitency, to allay

Gods wrath, and stop his anger in the way,

Enflamed and exasperated so

This F…end, that he did thousands over-throw

In …ome few minuts: and▪ the greedy Grave

Devou'd, as if it none alive would save.

Death lurkt at ev'ry angle of the s…eet,

And did a…rest whom ever he did meet.

There scarcely was that house or lodging found,

In which he did not either slay or wound.

In ev'ry roome his murthers acted he,

Our Close…s nay our Temples were not free

p. 126From his attemptings; no not while men pray'd,

Could his unb…idled fury be delay'd.

In sundry Families the…e was not one

Whom his rude hand did take compassion on:

Nay many times he did not spare the last,

Vntill the buriall of the first was past.

For, e're the Bearers back againe could come,

The rest were r…ady …or their graves at home.

Nor bad nor good, nor rich nor poore did scape him,

Nor foole nor w…seman, an excuse could shape him:

He shunned not the yo…g man in the sadle,

Nor him that lay and cryed in the cradle.

So dreadfull was his looke, so sterne and grim,

That many dy'd through very feare of him.

For, to mens fancies he did oft ap…ea…e

In shapes which so exceedi…d gastly were,

That flesh and blood, unable was, to brooke,

The horror of his all a…righting look.

Ev'n in that house, whose roofe did cover me,

Of this, a sad …xperiment had we:

For, there, a plague-sick… man (at least) conceiued

That Death a shape assuming, he perceiued

Deform'd and vgly; where at lou… he cryes,

Oh! hi…e me, hide me, …rom his dreadfull ey…s.

Looke, oh! looke there he comes: now by the …ed

He stands; now at the f…t; now at the head.

Oh! draw, draw, draw the Curtaine, Si…s I pray,

That his grim loo…e no more b…hold I may.

To this …ffect, and such like wo…ds he spake,

But that their hea…ers hearts they more did sh…e.

Then, rested he a while, and by and by

Vp starting, with a lamentable cry,

Ran to a Couch, whereon his wife (w…o waking

Two nights b…fore had beene) some …est was taking;

There, kneeling downe, & both his hands up rearing,

As if his eye had seene pale Death appearing

To st…ike his wife; Good Sir, said he, forbeare

To kill or h…m… that poore yong woman there:

For God's sake doe not strike her; for you s…e

She's great w…th child. Lo, you have wounded me

In twenty places; and I doe not c…re

How me you mischi…fe, so that her you spare.

Ev'n this, and more then I to minde can call,

He acted with a looke so tragic…ll,

Tha…, all by standers▪ might have …hou…ht▪ his eyes

Saw reall objects, and no fantasies.

To others, Death, no doubt, himselfe convaid

In other formes; and other Pageants plaid.

Whilst in her armes the mother thought she kept

Her Infant saf…; Death stole him when she slept.

Sometime he took the mothers life away,

And left the little babe, to lye and play

With her cold paps, and childish game to make

About those eyes, that never mo…e shall wake.

Som…times whē friends were talking, he did force

The one to leave unfinisht his discourse.

Sometimes, their morning meetings he hath thwarted,

Who thought not they for ever had beene parted,

The night before. And, many a lovely Bride,

He hath defloured by the Bridegroomes side.

At ev'ry hand, lay one or other dying;

On ev'ry part, were men and women crying,

One for a husband; for a friend another;

One for a sister, wife, or onelyonly brother:

Some children for their parents mone were making▪

Some, for the losse of servants care were taking;

Some parents for a childe; and some againe

…or losse of all their children did complaine.

p. 127The mother dared not to close her eyes,

Through feare that while she sleepes, her baby dyes.

Wives trusted not t…eir husbands out of doore,

Lest they might back againe returne no more.

And in their absence if they did but heare

One knock or call in hast, they quak'd through feare,

That some unluckly messenger had brought

The newes of those mis…hances they forethought.

And if (with care and griefe o're-tyr'd) they slept,

They dream'd of Ghosts, & Graves, & sh…iekt, & wept.

He that o're night went healthy to his b…d,

Lookt▪ e're the morning, to be sicke, or dead.

He that rose Iusty, at the rising Sunne,

Grew faint, and breathlesse, e're the day was done

And, he that for his friend, this day did sorrow,

Lay close besid… him in a grave the morrow.

Some men amidst their pleasures were diseased▪

Some, in the very act of sin were seized:

Some, hence were taken laughing, and some singing:

Some, as they others to their graves were bringing,

Yea, so impartiall was this kind of Death,

And so extreamly venemous his breath,

That they who did not in this place expire,

Where saved, like the Children in the fire ▪

It may be that to some it will appeare,

My Muse hath onelyonly poetized here;

And that I fa…n'd expressions doe rehearse,

As most of those that use to wri…e in verse:

But, in this Poeme I pursue the story

Of reall Truth, without an Allegory:

And many yet surviving witnesse may,

That I come short of what I more might say.

But, what I can I utter; and I touch

This mournfull string, so often, and so much,

As in this Book I doe; that I might show

To them that of these griefes forg…full gro…,

What sorrowes and what dangers …hey have had;

That all of us more thankefull may be made:

And if to any these things doe appeare

Or tedious, or impertine…t; I feare

That most of them are they, who take no pleasure,

For good and usefull things to be at l…isure.

And more delight in Poems worded out,

Th… those that are Gods works employ'd about.

Me thinkes, I cannot speake enough of that

Which I have seene; nor full enough relate

What I declare; but … it seemes to me

I leave out somewhat that should utt'red be.

For, though in most, the sense thereof be gone,

It was God's Iudgement, and a fearfull one.

And, LONDON, what availed then thy pride,

Thy pleasures, and thy wealth so multiply'd?

Or, then, oh! what advantage didst thou get

By those vaine thi…gs, whereon thy heart is set?

How many sev'rall Plagues did God prevent,

Befo…e this Iudgement was upon thee sent?

How many loving …avours had he done thee,

Before so roughly he did seize upon thee?

And, that thou mightst his purposes discover,

How long togethe…, did he send thee over

The weekly newes, of those great Desolations,

Which he infl…cts on many ot…er Nations?

How often did he send, e're this befell,

His Prophets, of his Iudgements …o foretell?

How many thousand Preac…ers hath he sent,

With teares, to pray, and woo thee …o repent?

To …ell t…ee, that thy pride, and thy exc…sse,

Thy lusts, thy surfets, and thy drunkennesse,

p. 128Thine idlenesse, thy great impieties,

Thy much prophanenes…e, thy hypocrifies,

And other vanities, would bring at last

Those pl…gues wher… of thou now some feeling hast▪

How did thy Pastors to repent conjure thee?

How st…ongly did Gods Ministers assure thee

That all thy love, thy labour, and thy cost

Besto…'d on carnall pleasures, would be lost?

That, t…ou hereafter …houldst become ashamed

Of that whereof thy comforts thou hadst framed;

And that those evills would at length befall

From which no mortall hand reprieve thee shall.

'Thou canst not but acknowledge these things were

Ev'n ev'ry moment, rounded in thine care;

And that thy Sonnes of Thunder did presage

What, for thy sinnes, should be thine heritage.

Yet, thou to heare their message didst refuse.

And, as the stubborne unbeleeving Iewes,

Despised all those Prophets, who foreshew'd

The times of their approaching servitude,

Yea, punisht them, as troublers of the Land,

And such as weakned much the peoples hand:

So, thou accountedst of thy Teachers, then,

But as a crew of busie-headed men,

Who causlesly, thy quietnesse distu…bing,

Had for their saucinesse, deserved curbing.

But with amazement, now thou dost behold,

That they have no uncertainties foretold.

For, God in this one single Plague, comprised

Those other Iudgements, all, epitomized;

Which for thy ruine he at large will send,

If this be not enough to work his end.

Observe this Pestilence, and thou shalt see,

That as there may be some one sin in thee

With other great Transgressions interlaced,

So, divers Plagues in this great Plague were placed,

It shew'd thee (in some fashion) their dist…esses,

Whom WAR, in a besieged Fort oppresses:

For, lo, thou wert deprived of all Trade,

As if t…y Foes blockt up thy River had.

And, though no armed Host thy wall surrounded,

Yet (which was worse) thou by thy friends wert bounded:

For, wha…soever person passed f…om

Thy Ports, upon an enemy did come.

And none more cruell to thy children proved,

Then some of thine, who from thy Pl…gues removed.

Confusion, and D…sorder, threatn…d thee,

(On which attendeth all the Pl…gues that be)

For, most of thy grave Senate, who did beare

Thy names of office, far departed were,

To other places; leaving thee, nigh spent

And languishing for want of Government.

Yea, they that were thy Trust, and thy Deligh…,

In times of health, did then …orsake thee quite;

To teach us, that those men, and vanities,

Which have our hearts, in our prosperities,

Will in affliction be the first who leave us;

And, when we most expect, then most deceive us.

Oh! whither then; oh! whither were they gone,

Who, thy admired Beauty doted on?

Where did thy Lovers in those dayes appeare,

Who did so court thee, and so often sweare

Affection to thee? whither were they fled,

Whom thou hast oft with sweetest junkets fed?

And they, whom thou so many yeares, at ease,

Didst lodge within thy fairest Pal…ces?

Where London, were thy skarlet Fathers hou…'d,

Who in thy glory, were to thee espous'd?

p. 129What were become of all thy children, whi…h

W…re nursed at thy brest, made great, and rich

By thy good-huswifry? and whom we see

In thy prosperity so hugg'd of thee?

Where were thy rev'r…nd Pastors, who had pay

To feed thy Flocks, and for thy sinne to p…ay?

(I must confesse) the meanest, and some few

Of better sort, were in affection true,

And gave thee comfort. But, oh! where were those,

Those greater ones, on whom thy hand bestowes

The largest portions? Those, who have profest

A zealous care of thee, above the rest?

Those, who (as I conceive) had undertaken

A charge that should not then have beene forsaken?

Those many silken-Doctors, who did here

In shining satten Casso…ks late appeare?

They who (till now, a thing scarce heard of ever)

Do flaunt it in their Velv…, Plush, and Beaver.

And they, whom thou didst honor far above

Those meane ones, who, then, shewed thee most love?

Where were they? &, where were thy Lawyers too

That he…etofore, did make so much adoe

Within thy Courts of Iustice? Pre…hee, where

Were those Physitians, who so forward were

To give thee physick, when thou neededst l…sse,

And wert but sicke, of ease, and wantonnesse?

Where did their foot-cloth… wait? whe…e couldst thou call

For their assistance? what became of all

Their Diets, and Receipts? and why did they

In that necessity depart away?

Where lurckt those Poe…asters, who were wont

To pen thy Mummeries, and vainly hunt

For base reward, by soothing up the Crimes

Of our Grand Epicures, in lofty Rimes;

And doe before each others Poems raise

The huitlesse Trophees of a truthlesse praise?

Da…'d none of all those matchlesse wits to tary

This b…unt? That his experienc'd Muse might cary

This Newes to after times; and move compassion,

By his all-moving straines of Lamentation?

What, none bu… me? me onelyonly leave they to it,

To whom they s…ame to yeeld the Name of Poet?

Well▪ if they ever had a minde to weare

The Lawreat Wre…th, they might have got it …ere:

For though that my performance may be bad,

A braver Subject, Muses never had.

Where were thy t…oups of Ro…ers? where were they

Who in thy Chambers did t…e wantons play?

Provoking God Almighty, down… to cast

Those plagues from which they fled away so fast?

Yea, wh…ther were tho…e Nothings, all retir'd,

Of whom thou wer…, of late, so much desir'd?

Alas! was there not any of all these

Who staid to comfort thee, in this Disease?

Did all depart away? And, being gone,

Leave thee to beare thy sorrowes all alone?

Left they upon thy Tally all that sin,

Which had by them and thee, committed bin?

Yes, yes, they left thee: ev'n all …hese: and they

So left thee, London, when they went away,

That thy afflictions they did aggravate,

And make more bitter thy deplored Fat….

A Dearth mixt also in this P…st was found,

For they who did in riches most abound,

(And should have holpen to relieue the poore)

Departing hence, diminished thy store.

To other Borroughes they themselves betooke:

Their sick distressed brethren, they fo…sook…,

p. 130And, lest on those th…t would be hospitable,

A b…rthen which to beare they were unable.

Those few, of worth, who did in thee remaine,

Had multitudes of beggers to sustaine;

And, from the Country (as before I said)

The sending of supply was long delaid.

There was a Famine also, which exceeded

This other; though the same by few was heeded.

We had not so much scarcity of bread,

As of that food wherewith our soules are fed.

For, of our Pastors (in the greatest dangers)

Som… left us to the charity of Strangers.

And, many soules, whom they were bound to cherish

Depriv'd of timely sustenance, did perish.

Who could have thought, this Vineyard, heretofore

So fruitfull; and wherein the salvage Bore

Of Turky rooted not: and whose thick fence

Hath long time kept, the Bulls of Bashan thence;

Should then (ev'n in the Vintage t…me) be found

So bare of what, so lately did abound?

And, then (a thing worth note) when ev'ry Field

And meanest Villages did plenties yeeld?

Indeed, not long before, we surfeted,

And plaid the wantons with our heav'nly bread.

Our appetite was cloy'd; and we grew dainty,

And either loath'd, or murmur'd at our plenty.

Yea, many of us, when at will we had it,

By private Cookeries, unwholsome made it.

For which, and for our base unthankfulnesse,

Our portion and allowance waxed lesse:

And, we who (like fond children) would not eat,

Vnlesse, this man, or that man carv'd our meat,

Then (like poore folks, that of meere almes do live)

Were glad to take of any that would give▪

The Laborers were few; the Harvest large:

And of the best of those that had the ch…rge

To sp…ead God… …able ▪ so…e g…ew faint and tired

By th…i… perpetu…ll trav…ile: some expired

Their p…infull soul …s, and freely sacrifiz'd

Thems…lves for us, t…at we might be suffiz'd.

Among which …ap…y number I doe …lesse

The memory of learned Mak…r…sse,

And zealous Eton, who…e l…rge …ng…g…tions,

Bemoan'd their losse with h…a…ty l…me…ations.

And worthily: for, …hey di… labour here

Wi…h cheerfuln…sse and in their C…lli…gs were

So truly diligent w…i…st vigour lasted,

That they then li…e blood, yea …hei… spi…its wasted;

And ev'n unslackt the very ne…ves and powres

Of their owne soules, to helpe enable ou…s.

To bury, nigh a hundred in a day,

To church, to …arry, study, preach and pray;

To make b… times; at ni…h… late watch to keepe;

To be distu…b'd at midnight from their sleepe;

To visit him that on his death-bed lyes;

Oft to communicate; more oft baptize;

And daily (and all day) to be in action,

As were those two, to give due satisfaction

To their great Flocks; mo…e Laborers there needed;

And their consumed strengths, it much exceeded.

But they are now at re…: their w…ke is done,

Their Fight is finished: th…i… G…ale is won:

And, though no Troph…e I to them can raise,

Save, this poore withe…'d Wreath of mortall praise;

Their Master (to reward their faithfulnesse)

For them rese…ved Crownes of Happinesse;

Because, unto his houshold, they the Bread

Of life, in season, have distribute….

p. 131Nor was the …ood of life diminisht more

By such mens want alone, then heretofore.

But, to our discontent, we also had

Our d…e allowances the sho…ter made

Ev'n by command. Fo…, some (I know not why)

Had …alsely mis in…orm'd Autho…ity,

That o…r promiscu…us meetings, at the Fast,

Increast the Plague: which wa… beleev'd in hast.

And being urg'd, pe…haps, with such fane shewe…

Of Reason, as …onj…cture cou…d in…u…e;

(The matt…r …ei…g aggrav…ted too,

With suc… …ntruth…, as t…ave…l to and fro)

The publike p…eaching on the Fasting day,

Was, in an evill season, tooke aw…y.

For, when the flesh was fed, and soule deprived

Of two Repasts, whi…h weekly we received,

Prophanenesse, and hard-hea…tednesse began

To get new rooting in the mind of man.

We miss… those good helpes, and those examples

Which had beene prea…hed to us in our Temples.

The poore did want full qui…kly, to their griefe,

Those Almes the Fast b…ought out for their reliefe.

And, when with Prayers, Preaching did not goe,

Our cold Devotions, did far colder grow.

VVhat instrument of mischiefe might he be

VVho caused that? And, what a …oole was he!

If Wensday-Sermons holpe infect; I pray

VVhat kept us safer on the Sabbath day?

Since most fast then till noone without refection?

Or, what at Funeralls, did stop infection?

Good God! in thy affai…es, how vaine (to me)

Doth carnall Policy appeare to be?

How apt is flesh and blood to run a course,

Which makes the soules condition, worse and wo…se?

To vent…re on eternall death how toward!

And in a temporall danger what a cowa…d!

Su…e, had not such a …roject, had a scope

Beyond the reaching of the D…vils hope,

And be…n too damnable for any on…

To be his Procurator thereupon;

Some w…l… have made the motion that we might

Have liv'd …xclu…ed from our Churches quite:

And, that …ill …od his hand should please …o stay,

None …hould in publ…ke, either preach, or pray.

'Twa… well the weekly number of the dead,

By Gods meere m…rcy, was diminished,

Before t…e prohibition of the Fast:

The Fi…nd had els…, for evermore, di…g…ac't

That Discipline: and carnall Pol…cy

H…d so insulted o're Divinity,

That, in succeeding Ages, men unholy,

Would thence have proved, such Devotion, Folly.

But, God prevented it, that we should take

Go…d n…tice of it; and good uses make:

And I have mention'd it, that here I may

God's Wis…dome and Man's foolishnesse display.

Oh▪ let us to our Fasts againe returne;

Let us, for our omissions truly mourne;

And not capitulate with God, as tho

He, first his Rod out of his hand should throw,

He…e we would come unto him: for, if thus

A son of ou…s should beare himselfe to us,

It would our…ire exasperate the more;

And make the fault seem greater then before.

Why should we in an action that is just

The mercy of our gracious God distrust?

Or, unto any place be loath to go,

Where God is to be heard, or spoken to,

p. 132Through feare of that which may be caught at home

And in a thousand places where we come?

Our sinnes and plagues were publike: so should wee

In Pray'rs, and Teares, and Almes, and Fastings be.

…or, that s…rong D…vill which hath tortur'd thus

Our generall body, is not cast from us

By single Ex…rcismos: neither …hall

Our p…iv…cies advantage us at all,

Except in what conduces to the health

Of private men, or of their private weal…h.

If we in close retirements (by our feare)

At ma…kets, or where worse Assemblies are,

Infected grow: the Devill, by and by

With us perswadeth, either to belye

The Church, our constant Fasting, or some one

Good wo…ke, or pious action we have done.

(As visiting the sick, in ti…e of need,

Or any other such like Christian deed)

For, he those practices doth greatly spight,

And, to disparage them hath much delight:

Because he sees, that such as are inclinde

To pious meanes, will soone by triall finde,

Good hopes to thrive beyond their expectations;

Their knowledge, foole his cunning machinations;

Their faiths grow strong; temptations weak appeare;

Their joy most perfect, where most sorrowes are;

And know, that when the Lord of Hoasts is armed,

With all his Iudgements, that, he least is harmed,

Who, bold through Love, selfe-trust quite f…om him throws

And, runs with cōfidence to meet his blows.

Let no man then be fearfull to repair…

VntoUnto the house of Preaching, or of Pray'r;

Or, any whither else, those works to doe,

Which he by Conscience is obliged to:

No, though the Devill in the passage lay,

Or strow'd most …earfull dangers in the way.

For, if in such a case, our death we t…ke,

Our death, shall for our best advantage …ake.

Yet, let none thinke I this opinion cary,

That ev'ry Church, will be a Sanct…a…y,

To all …hat come For, sure, if any dare

Without Devotion ▪ in Gods house appeare,

To them, that pl…ce, more pe…ill threaten…, then,

A chamber thronged with infected men.

Some fainted in the Church, as others did

Within their houses (where themselves they hid)

Yet not so o…ten. For▪ though some did please

To blame the Church for spreading this disease,

No places were more harmlesse. None did we

Beh…ld more healthy, or to sc…pe more free

From this Infection, then those persons, whom

We saw most often, to Gods worship come.

Nor were there any houses more infected

Then theirs, who most th… hous… of God neglected.

I spe…ke not this by rumor: For, ev'n thither

Resorted I, where thronged were together

The greatest multitudes: And day by day

I sate▪ where all the croud I could survay.

Yet, I nor man, nor childe, nor woman saw,

To finke, looke pal…, or from their place withdraw▪

And, d…ubtlesse, if such faintings there had beene,

As many prated of; I some had seene.

Which, since I did not see, I wish ag…ine,

None would at such a time, Gods house refraine,

Except in Congregations not their owne,

And w…ere in…ection feared is, or knowne:

Or in their owne Assembly, where disorder

Committed wilfully, the Pest may further.

p. 133Or, when their bodie's weak…ne…, or the Aire

Their …afet…es may …ome other wa…es impaire.

Excepting to (…n …imes of Visitation,

When they a…e ma…kt with ma…kes of Separation,

As Rising, Bl…es, or So…es. O, newly f…om

The …mpany of such like pe…sons, come.

Or, whensoe…er they or do…, or may

Suppose themselves Infectio…s any way.

These (as t…e …epers did, by Mose Law)

From publike Congregations should withdraw,

For, sure, if any such themselves intrude

To mixe among a h…althy Multitude,

(Though p…ayers or devotions they pretend,

Or whatsoever o…her pious end)

Their foolish practise is vnwarrantable;

Yea, their condition so uncharitable,

That I abhorre it: and bel…eve that for

So doing, God their prayers doth abhor…e:

And, here, (although it may impertinent

By some be thought) I canno… chuse but vent,

How I dislike, ou… so much liked fashion

Of b…riall, where the publike Congregation

Are bound to meet: And then▪ especially,

When of …nfectious griefes great number… dye.

I know both Custom…, and Opinion, have

So rooted thi…, that I my breath may save

In reprehending it. Yet, when I must

Be tak…n hence, and turne againe to dust,

Let nought but Earth and Heav'n my carkasse cover,

And neither Church nor Chappell roof… me over;

Nor any other Buildings, saving those

That on…ly serve, such reliques to enclose.

For, though I doe ingenuously confesse,

W… should to shew our Christian hopefulnesse

Of rising from the dead, lodge decently

Their flesh, who in Christs Faith p…ofesse to dye:

And, that Churchyards, or plots distinguisht from

The vulgar use, doe best of all become

That purpose. Yet, I know the common guise

Of bur'ing in the Church, did first arise

From ancient Superstition; and to gaine

Some outward profit, to the priestly tr…ine.

For, many simple men were made conceive

That if (when they were d…ad) they might have leave

To rest within those plots of hallowed ground,

Which either Church or Chappell did surround▪

No wicked Spirit should permittance have,

To trouble or abuse them, in the grave:

Whereas (which yet old fooles beleeve they do…)

They might else rise, and walke at midnight too

About their streets, and houses, or crosse wayes;

Till some Masse-monger them at quiet lay…s:

And then it was suppos'd, how much the nigher

They lay unto their Altar, or their Choïre,

By so much more the safer they should rest;

Which …ought no petty summes to Dagons chest:

Thence was it, that our Churches, first of all,

Were glaz'd with Scutchions like a Heralds hall;

And that this age in them depainted sees

So many vaine and lying Pedigrees.

Thence comes it th…t we now adayes behold

Some Chancels filled up with rotten, old,

And foolish monuments. From hence we see

So many puppet Images to be

On ev'ry wall within our Oratories:

So many Ep…taphs, and lying stories,

Of men deceast▪ and, thence the guise was gotten,

To let so many Banners dropping rotten

p. 134Deforme our pillars; and withdraw our …yes

From picus objects to those vanities.

If any man desirous be to lye

Within a Monument, when he shall dye:

Let …v'ry noble Family erect

Without their Cities some faire Architect,

Within the compasse of whose roofed wall

There may be founded some good Hospitall

Or build…ngs for the law…ull r…reation

O… youth, and for the honor of the Nation.

And of that Name or kin, w…en any dyes,

There lay their bones; or to their memories

Erect there Tables. And, let them tha… had

Such minds, and fortunes, to the Structure ad…e.

Yea thith…r (if they please) let them transl…te

Their Ancestors. But, I have spoke too late,

Those time… …re past in which our noble ones

Were able to …rect such piles of stones

As might be emin…nt. Our kingly race

Had by the s…ven…h H…n…y such a place

Erected for them, so magnificent,

That to this Land it is an ornament.

…et them th…t cannot reach the cost of these,

Raise Cawsies, Bridge…, and make Docks, and Keyes

For publike use: which with as little cost

As now upon th…ir pedling Tombe, is lost,

Should make them live farre longer in their fames;

For▪ we would …hose entitle by their Names.

All they that love their Country, …ow they know

Which way they may their money best b…stow,

(…o memorize their Friends, with profiting

The publike) will consider of this thing

And build them Tombes where we may praise the work▪

Not in a Church obscure, unseene to lurke,

Where few shall view them; and where most who shall

Be…old them, take no heed of them at all.

If some good Patriot woul… begin the fashion,

It …ig… allu…e, perhaps, to imitation.

And if it were not gr…edinesse of gaine

Am…ng Church-Officers, whi…h did maintaine

Such Custom…s w… should som…what more forbeare

To lay so …any sti…king bod…es there

Where God we s…ke (and him should seeke to finde,

With …urity of body, and of m…nde)

Indeed our s…ne, alone pollutes; and y…t

An ou…ward decen…y is a…so fit.

Was't well, that in the Church (where throngs and beat

Did mak… us in the croud to pant and sweat)

Ev…n in the midst of our Devotions too,

Men should, as oft it pleased t…em to doe,

Thrust in (where we could hard…y stand in e…se)

With f…ure or five strong sm…lling Carkasses?

Was'… fit, so many Gr…ves, at such a season

Should g…e and brea…h upon us? was it reason▪

That heaps of ru…bish, C…ffin-boards, …nd stones▪

Late bu…y'… bodies, and halfe… … bones,

God's Templ… should poll…te? a…d make it far

More loath some, then most Charnell …ouses are?

Was't fitting that to gaine their griping fees,

They should endang…r multitudes to leese

Their lives, or healths? or, that they should fulfill

A fool…sh motion in a dead mans will,

By wronging o… the living? God …orbid

It should …e reason; and yet, thus they did.

Thus did they? yea, far worse: f…r should I tell

At what high rates, some Churchmen, here, did sell

Their burying grounds: What feet they did exact:

H…w Readers, Clarkes, and Sextons did compact,

p. 135To racke the de…d: to what a goodly summe

Their large Church-duties (in some cases) come:

What must …e p…id for Bearers, though m…n have

Their friends to helpe convey them to the grave:

What for the B…lls, though not a Bell b… rung:

What, for their mourning clothes, though none be hung

V…on them but their owne: what pay did passe

For F…n…rall S…rmons, where no Sermon was:

And, what was oft extorted (without shame)

To give him leave …o preach, who f…e…ly came:

If her… (I say) I should discover …hat

I might, of t…ese things m…n…ioned, rel…e,

Those men who die, that charges they may s…ve,

Would f…are they might be legger…d in the Grave:

For, more …o take th… lodging ha… …eene spent,

Then would h…ve bought a pret…y tenement.

Thus, a… one matter drew another on,

My Muse hath diuers things discourst upon

To many sund…y purposes: but, what

I chiefly in this Can…o aimed at

VVas, to prese…ue in mind an awfull sense

Of what we suf…red in this Pestile…ce:

VVhat we deserved; and how variously,

Gods Iustice, this one Cors…ve d…d apply,

To eate out all Corruptions, which be spotted

Our soules, and h…d ere this our bodies rotted.

I might as well have memorized here,

How diversly God's Merci…s did appeare,

Amid his Iudgements: …ow he comforted,

VVhen outwa…d com…o…t failed: how he sed,

VVhen oile and meale w…re wasted: how he gaue

Their lives to them, whose feet were in the graue.

VVhat Patience ▪ what high Fortitude he granted,

And, how he still supplyed what we want…d.

I might commemorate, a world of Grace

Bestow'd in this affliction, on this place,

Both common, and in private. Many a vow

(Of theirs, who will, I feare, forget it now)

Was daily heard. Ten thousand suits were daigned;

Repri…ves, for soules condemned were obtained▪

Frie…ds prayd for friends; the parents for the lives

Of their deare children▪ Husbands for their wives;

Wives for their husbands beg'd with teares & passiō,

And, God with pitie heard their lamentation.

In friends, in servants, in the temporall wealth,

In life, in death, in sicknesses, and health,

God manifested Mercy. Some did finde

A Friend, to whom till then, none had beene kind.

Some, had their servants better'd, for them, there,

By Gods correction. Some, left wealthy were

By dying kindred, who the day before

Were like to beg their bread from doore to doore,

Some, by their timely deaths were taken from

Such present paines, or from such woes to come,

That they are happy. VntoUnto some, from heav'n,

The blessing of a longer life was giv'n,

That they might call …o minde their youthfull times

Repent omissions, and committed crimes;

Amend their courses, and be warisome

That they displeas'd not God, in …imes to come.

Againe, some others by their sicknesses,

And by the feares they had in this Disease,

Grew awfull of Gods Iudgements; and withi…

Their harts, good motions were, wher none had bin▪

Ev'n in their hearts who fear'd nor God nor Devill,

Nor guilt of sin, nor punishment for …vill.

And, some had health continu'd, that they might

Gods praise ex…oll, and in his love delight.

p. 136Should I declare, in what unusuall wise

God op'ned here their soules dimsighted eye…,

Who blinded were before; how nig… they reacht

To highest Mysteries: what things they preacht

Ev'n to their neighbours, and their family,

Before their soules did from their bodies flye;

Or, should I tell, but what young Children here

Did speake, to take from e…der folke their feare

O… Sicknesses and Death; what they exprest

O… heav'nly blisse, and of this worlds unrest;

What faith they had; what strange illuminations;

What strong assurances of their salvations;

And with what proper termes, and boldnesse they

Beyond their yeares, such things did open lay,

It would amaze our Naturallists, and raise

A goo…ly Trophee to our M…kers praise.

But, this for me were too▪ too large a task,

And many yeares and volumes it would aske,

Should I in these particula…s record

The never ending mercies of the Lord.

For, he that would his meanest act recite,

Attempts …o measure what is infin…te.

That story therefore, in particular

To med…le with I pu…pose to defer

Till in the Kingdome of eternity

My soule in honor of his Majesty

Shall Halelu…ah …ing; and over-looke

With hallow'd eyes, that great eternall Booke,

Which in a moment to my view shall bring

Each passed, present, and each future thing,

And there my soule shall read, and see revealed

What is not by the LAMBE, as yet, un…ealed.

Meane while Ile cry Hosannah, and for all

His love to me, and mercies generall,

His three times holy, and thrice blessed Name

I p…aise, and vow for aye to praise the same.