Zion in Distress, Poem 1 · Part 1 – Part 4
SION.
What diſmal Vapour (in ſo black a
form)
Is this, that ſeems to Harbinger a Storm?
What pitchy Cloud invades our Starry Sky,
To ſtop the Beamings of the Worlds Great Eye?
What ſpreading Sables of Egyptian Night,
Would rob the Earth of its Illuſtrious Light?
What interpoſing Fog obſcures our Sun?
What dire Eclipſe benights our Horizon?
Is England's Great and Royal Bridegroom fled?
Is its Aurora newly gone to bed?
That ſcatter'd Clouds make ſuch prodigious haſte,
Combine in one, and re-unite ſo faſt.
Clouds that ſo lately diſſipated were,
Do now conſpire to make a Darker Air!
I mourn impity'd, groan without Relief!
No bounds nor meaſures terminate my grief!
The Sluces of mine Eyes are too too narrow
To went the Streams of my increasing Sorrow.
Ebbs follow ſwelling Floods, and Vernal Days
Adorn the Fields that Winter diſarrays:
All States and Things have their alternate ranges,
As Providence the Scene of Action changes.
All Revolutions, hurries to and fro,
At length ſome Rest and Settlement do know.
But helpleſſ I, have often look'd about,
To find ſome Eaſe, or Soul-Refreſhment out;
Yet can I ſee no proſpect of Relief,
But ſwift Additions multiply my grief.
As Pilgrims wander in their deep diſtreſs
Amongſt the wild rapacious Savages,
In pathleſs Deſarts, where the midnight howls
Of hungry Wolves, mixt with the ſcreech of Owls,
And Ravens diſmal croaks, ſalute the Ears
Of poor erratick trembling Paſſengers:
So I'm ſorrounded, ſo the Beaſtſ of Prey
Conspire to take my Life and Name away.
My glowing Soul does melt, my Spirits faint
…or want of vent; I'm pregnant with complaint.
No Age nor Generation but has known
…ome part of this my juſt and grievons moan.
…ut now I'm far more dangerouſly charg'd;
…y Bolder Foes my ſorrows are enlarg'd:
… helliſh Tribe from black Avernus flew,
…hat, Bloodhound-like, me and my Lambs pursue.
Lord JESUS come! O let my Cries invoke
Thy ſacred Preſence to divert the stroke.
Are all my Friends withdrawn? what is there non
Steps in to eaſe me of my grievous moan?
Sion's Friend.
WHat doleful noiſe ſalutes my wondring Ear
What grief-expreſſing Note is that I hear
Methinks the Accent of this Diſmal Cry,
Beſpeaks ſome one in great extremity.
The ſhrilneſs of the mournful Voice beſpeaks
A Womans loud and unregarded ſhrieks.
The more her deep and piercing ſobs I heed,
The more my Heart in ſympathy does bleed.
Ah! who can find her out? who can make known
The Author of this Heart-relenting Moan?
Doubtleſs, though Grief now ſeizes thous upon her,
She is a Lady of high Birth and Honour;
Of Royal Stem, extracted from Above,
Nurs'd in the Chambers of the Fathers Love;
Eſpouſed to a moſt Illuſtrious Prince,
Who over all has Juſt Preheminence,
Monarch of Monarchs—Sion! Is it Thou!
O mourn, my soul! O let my Spirit bow!
Let all that love the Bridegroom ſigh for grief;
For Sion weeps as one paſt all Relief.
But why, O Sion, ſince th… art belov'd
Of Heavens Supream, art thou ſo ſadly mov'd?
Thy Arms expanded, thus implore the Skies?
Thy ſtreaming Rivulets, flow from thine eies?
…is makes me wonder.—
Sion.
—MY forlorn Eſtate
… poor, unpitty'd, mean and deſolate;
…ong have wander'd in the Wilderneſs
…volv'd in trouble, kept in ſore Diſtreſs,
… Caves, abſconding from the horrid Rage
…f Savage Beaſts, until this later Age
… made Attempts to look a little Out,
…he Monſter ſpy'd me, and does ſearch about;
…he Roaring Bloud-Hounds, greedy on the ſcent,
…o kill, or drive me back again, are bent.
…o Interval of Peace, no Reſt they give,
…onounce me curſed, and not fit to live:
… Dragon fell, combined with the Beaſt
…o gore my Sides, and ſpoil my Intereſt.
…h' old Lion, Lionneſs, and Lions Whelp,
…ith dreadful Jaws, the other Beasts do help.
…gs, Bulls, and Foxes, Bears and Wolves agree
…o rend, to tear, and make a ſpoil of me.
…hat have been ſo delicately bred,
… Children at a Royal Table fed;
…n how expos'd to the Infernal Spite
… ſuch as do in Fire and Blood delight.
…ots hatch'd in Hell and Rome! that black deſign
… a Monarch; and to undermine
Our Ancient Laws, ſubvert Religion, and
Bow England's Neck to Antichriſts command;
Were but Preludiums to that diſmal Vrn
(As martyr'd heaps in flaming Smithfield burn)
Deſign'd for Proteſtants, and all the Rest
Who hate Romes Idol, th' Image of the Beast.
I am the Mark the Monſters aim at: All
Their grand deſigns were to contrive my fall.
If Friends or others any Favours ſhow,
They ſtraight conſpire to work their Overthrow.
Ah vile Conſpiracy! Ah curſed PLOT!
So deeply laid! How canſt thou be Forgot?
Hells grand Intreagues ne'er introduc'd a Brat
Into the World, ſo horrible as that.
Since Rome the weſtern cheated Monarchs rid,
A Rampant WHORE, the horned Beaſt beſtrid.
Diſgorging Plots, employing hellish Actors:
May all our Off-ſpring Exeerate ſuch Factors!
Sion forlorn! How very few regard
Thy cries & tears, mens hearts are grown ſo hard!
In Reſtleſs Hurries, toſt with every wind,
No Eaſe, no Peace, no Comfort can I find
The horrid Aſpect of theſe Monſters do
Affright my Children, ſome they worry too;
On Some they ſeiz, like greedy Beaſts of prey,
And to their Dens the Sacrifice convey.
Renowned GODFREY! (whose immortal glory
Mastyr'd for me, shall ever live in Story)
Let every Loyal Eye that ſees it there,
Yield to his Name the Tribute of a Tour.
Brave Soul! Thy Love and Loyalty do claim
That King and People ſhould proclaim thy Name,
As England's Victim, ne'er to be forgot,
Faſt'ning on Rome an everlaſting Blot.
The Great Jehovah, who is onelyonly Wiſe,
Permits thy Fall as a ſweet Sacrifice.
Thy Barb'rous Murder has made clearly out
That Plot which none but Infidels can doubt.
Thoſe bloody Varlets, black Aſſaſſinates,
Curs'd Executioners of Rome's Debates,
Drunk with Infernal Cruelty, made Thee
A Specimen of England's Tragedy.
By Thee we learn what Courteſie to hope
From Romiſh Butchers, Vaſſals to the Pope.
Thou led'ſt the Van, firſt fell into the Trap,
From whence they ſay no Proteſtant shall 'ſcape.
Pure Innocence Trapann'd, amongſt them came,
Without ſuſpicion, (like a harmleſs Lamb)
Whilſt they, like hungry Tygers, ready ſtood
T'embrue their Tallons in thy guiltleſs Blood.
Thou little thought'ſt ſuch an Infernal Snare
Had been thus laid to trap Thee unaware!
'Tis ſtrange, ſay ſome, what Reaſon should engage
Them to make Thee the Object of their Rage?
The Cauſe was thus: The Babyloniſh Whore,
Big with a Baſtard, long'd (as heretofore)
… Chriſtian Blood: her Favourites made haſte,
…a her great need to help her to a Taſte.
Of choiceſt Liquors this ſhe calls the firſt,
To chear her linking heart and quench her thirſt.
Fearing Miſcarriage, when her Spirits faint,
She drinks the hearts Blood of ſome Martyr'd Saint
Then Horſe-leech more inſatiable, ſhe cries,
Give, give me that, or nothing will ſuffice
My Craving Paunch; my pleaſure muſt be done:
This Heretick was a Pragmatick One;
He knew my Secret Clubs, and would Reveal
My Tragick Plots: We muſt prevent his Zeal.
We'll Strangle Him, before He gives a glimpſe
Of our Deſigns, or Countermines our Imps.
Ah Brutiſh Whore! of Cannibals the worſe.
This bloody Draught has brought an endleſs Curſe
On thee: And laſting Calendars we ſee
Records this Inſtance of thy Cruelty.
This Loyal Knight ne'er injur'd you, but ſtood
Diſcharging Juſtice for his Countreys Good.
Will nought but Blood of Proteſtants give eaſe
Or quench your thirſt? What miſchievous Diſeaſe
Infects your Bowels? Muſt your Chruches Food
Be fleſh of Saints? Your mornings-draught, their blood
Fellonious Strumpet! Muſt you be ſo bold,
To ſteal by night into your Neighbours Fold?
Seiz on my Lambs? Thy Theft and Cruelty,
As well as Murder, ſhall revenged be.
But ſince He's gone, and Juſtice does purſue▪
With eager ſteps th' Aſſaſſinating Crew,
We'll acquieſce: For Heaven ſeems to call
For Tears Ceſſation at his Funeral:
Let Chriſtians offer, through the Univerſe,
Whole H…catombs upon his bleeding Herſe.
And could their Tears increaſe into a Flood,
'Twere no exceſs—So much I prize his Blood.
But other grounds of Grief are in mine Eye,
Which cauſe my Sorrows to advance ſo high,
That my o'er-burthen'd Heart can ſcarce expreſs
The nature of my Inward Heavineſs.
Sion's Friend.
SIon, Thy ſad and bitter Lamentation
Does move my very Soul unto Compaſſion:
But ſay, what Cauſe does aggravate your Fears,
And thus provokes to further Cries and Tears?