Echos from the Sixth Trumpet, Part 11
BONI OMINIS VOTUM: Imprinted 1656.
THis (as a Symptome of a Good Omen) was occaſioned by the ſummoning of Extraordinary Grand Juries out of the eminent Baronets, Knights, Eſquires and Gentlemen, to ſerve in their reſpective Counties, at the Summer Aſſizes 1656, which becauſe it offers what is fit to be conſidered and remembred, (and is alſo very ſhort) ſhall be here inſerted without Abreviation.
Good ſpeed to this Republick, and encreaſe
Of Happineſs to thoſe who ſeek her Peace.
Sad things are threatned, and a lowring Skye
Seems to portend great ſtorms are drawing nigh:
But look above them, and good courage take,
The Sun ſtill ſhines, although the Clouds be black,
And beamings through their darkeſt parts appear,
Whereby diſcernable Good Omens are,
With ſymptoms of the Bleſſing we expect,
If we our ſelves obſtruct not their effect,
And turn them to ill-ſigns; which to prevent,
That which yet follows gives a needful hint.
As both abroad and here within this Land,
Publick and private mens affaire now ſtand,
This Year is likely to be Critical,
About the time in which the leaves will fall;
And if Conjectures may be builded on,
We from what's acted, with what's left undone,
Spell'd both together, ſomewhat may deduce
To teach us what ere long will be in uſe.
Whether it were the Policy of ſome
In hope it an obſtruction might become
To Concord; or the Prudence of the Shrieve,
Or Special Providence, which did contrive
By thoſe Grand Juries ſo to repreſent
Their Counties, we ſhall beſt know by th' event:
For, whether chearfully they meet and do
That Service which their Call invites them to;
Or, by a wilful Non-appearance, wave.
That Duty which the Common Cauſe doth crave,
It will be ſignal; and to many one
A Teſt, as virtual as the Lydian Stone:
And, likewiſe give an Intellectual View
Of ſome Reſult, which thereon will enſue
At their next Meeting, who to repreſent
This Nation, ſhall be by Election ſent.
For thoſe Grand Jurors are now choſen forth
Of them, whoſe Gifts, Eſtates, Degree or Birth,
Hath rankt them with the beſt, yea, out of thoſe
(Excepting onelyonly open active Foes
To this Republick) who have been ſuſpected
Meer Neuters, or elſe perſons diſaffected,
As well as from among them, whoſe true zeal
Hath kept them conſtant to this Commonweal,
That they who heartily well minded are,
Themſelves henceforward ſome way might endear
Thereto; and thereby for the future ſtand
Enroll'd among the Patriots of this Land:
Endow'd with all their Liberties, and freed
From thoſe Diſtinguiſhments which either breed
Or nouriſh ſecret hatred, to th' encreaſe
Of Quarrels, and diminiſhment of Peace.
And, who can tell what Providence by theſe
(Though diffring in their Judgments) will now pleaſe
To make Effectual for the preſervation
Or ſettlement of Peace throughout this Nation,
When things are acted by a moderate
Expoſtulation, in a joint Debate?
Where ev'ry one may freely ſpeak his thought,
And when it is conſid'red as it ought,
That no man can of ſafety be aſſur'd,
Until the Publick Safety be ſecur'd.
We know, that diffring Simples put together,
So qualifie and ſo correct each other,
(Though ſome are poyſonous) that they purge away
Malignant Humours, which would elſe de…roy
The life of man; ſo they who formerly
Did in their ſingular Capacity
And private Judgments, ſometimes act or ſpeak
What did at leaſt endanger, if not break
The Common Peace; may when they gath'red are
Into one fellowſhip, be helpful there
To benefit their Countrey ten times more'
Then they have been, or could be heretofore.
Yea, as the fat Lime, and the barren Sand
When they well mixed are, do make a band
To bind together rough or hewed ſtone,
(Which neither of them could have done alone)
Ev'n ſo by them who are Diſſenters now,
Our Publick Buildings may the firmer grow,
When they into One Structure ſhall be fixt,
Well qualifi'd, and rationally mixt.
This peradventure may ſome good preſage
To them who are convened to engage
Within a higher Orb, or ſhortly muſt
Become our Truſtees in a greater Truſt:
For he who hath conſid'red it, believes
That if thoſe Petty Repreſentatives,
By loving Prudence, ſhall prepare a way
Thereto, (as in good likelihood they may)
That Nobler Body, which to its perfection
Are (for the moſt part) rais'd by their Election,
Might be ſo modaliz'd, and temper'd ſo,
That Diſcords into Sympathies would grow,
And all our Fears and Dangers in the cloſe
Quite vaniſh, to the terror of our Foes.
It may be thus, and will be thus, if yet
Mens Wilfulneſs hath left them any Wit:
For, why ſhould they who now may be at reſt,
Run hazards to advance their Intereſt,
Whom nothing elſe can ſatisfie but Pow'r,
All others at their pleaſure to devour?
And ſpoilers of their own Eſtates become,
To make a Fortune for they know not whom?
Or ſeek to have that Game afreſh begun,
By which all may be loſt, and nothing won?
I hope they ſhall be wiſer, and that we
In this Expedient ſhall ſo wary be,
That whatſoever others may intend,
We ſhall endeavour to promote that End
We ought to proſecute; and at the laſt
Our Anchor in a peaceful Harbour caſt.
I wiſh it heartily; and (ſince I ſee
Wiſhings are vain where no endeavours be)
That, thoſe whom it concerns, provoke I may
To ſeek this bleſſing, and to help make way
To that I wiſh for, I compos'd this Spell;
Let him who mov'd me to it, ſpeed it well;
And make it ſo conſider'd by this Nation
(Before things grow beyond conſideration)
That Words which to their ſafety do pertain,
May not be alwayes ſpoke to them in vain;
For they are fools who ſtill purſue a Courſe.
Which makes a ſickly being to be worſe:
And they are alſo little leſs then mad,
Who would exchange a good one for a bad:
Or put in hazard a poſſeſſed Lot,
In hope to get what never can be got.