A Plea for the Public-Faith, Bibliography
THough this Authors writings have been contemned, and diſgracefully termed Scriblings by ſome; yet, becauſe by them the conſtitution of the Generation wherin he liveth, may be partly known; very many have importuned him, to publiſh a Catalogue of thoſe Poems and Diſcourſes which have been heretofore by him compoſed and imprinted, together with thoſe which are not yet publiſhed; that, they who are deſirous to collect them for their private uſe, may know by what names to enquire for them. Therefore to fulfill their deſire, the ſaid Author hath here ſet down the Titles of ſo many of them as he remembers at this time, (not in order as they were written, but as they came to mind) whereby, if any of thoſe Manuſcripts which were loſt when his houſe was plundred, or by other caſualities, ſhall be brought again to his hand, he will be very thankful to the bringer, and give him a Copy thereof, if he deſire it, or what other ſatisfaction he ſhall reaſonably demand.
Thoſe Books which were compoſed in his minority, and may therefore be called his Juvenilia, are theſe.
1. Iter Hibernicum, or, His Iriſh Voyage. Verſe.
2. Iter Boreale, a Northern Journey. ver.
3. Patricks Purgatory. ver.
4. Philaretes complaint. ver.
Theſe four laſt mentioned were loſt in Manuſcript.
5. Fidelia. ver.
6. Eglogs. ver.
7. An Epithalamium.
8. A Funeral Elegie on P. H.
9. Abuſes ſtript and whipt; two Books.
10. The Shepherds Hunting.
11. The Shepherds Pipe, compoſed joyntly by him and Mr. W. Brown.
12. The Scourge.
13. The Miſtreſs of Philarete.
Theſe Books following were compoſed when he was of riper years.
14. Withers Motto, (videl.) Nec habeo, nec careo, nec curo.
15. An Apology to the Lords of the Council, in juſtification of the Reproof of Vices in his Poems.
16. A Satyre to the King.
17. A Treatiſe of antient Hieroglyphicks, with their various ſignifications; a Manuſcr. loſt.
18. Emblems, in folio.
19. A preparation to the Pſalter, in folio.
20. Exerciſes on the firſt Pſalm, in proſe and ver.
21. Exerciſes on the nine Pſalms next following, in pro. and ver. all loſt.
22. A metricall Tranſlation of Davids Pſalms.
23. A tranſlation of Nemeſius, De natura hominis. pro.
24. A metricall tranſlation of the Canonical Hymns and Songs.
25. Three Books, of Hymns and Spiritual Songs, for ſeveral occaſions.
26. The Scholars Purgatory. pro.
27. The purſuit of Happineſs, being a character of the extravagancy of the Authors Affections and Paſsions in his youth. proſe, not Printed.
28. Riddles, Songs and Epigrams; not Printed.
29. A Diſcourſe concerning the Plantations of Ulſter in Ireland, with preconjectures of what conſequents would probably enſue. pro.
30. The Dutcheſs. ver. not Printed.
31. Domeſtick Devotions. pro. not Printed.
32. Another Funeral Elegie: not Printed.
33. A Tract of Uſury, wherein, that Lending for increaſe, which is forbidden in Scripture, is diſtinguiſhed from that which is lawful: not Printed.
34. Meditations upon the X. Commandments, with Sculptures. ver.
35, Familiar Epiſtles. proſe, loſt.
36. The Authors confeſsion of his Faith, both in Fundamentals, and in relation to moſt points controverted by men of ſeveral judgements in Religion: not Printed.
37. A precatory Meditation and Soliloquy with God, on the behalf of his children and their poſterity, if they have any: not Printed.
38 A Diſcourſe to a Friend, touching the conſolations in cloſe impriſonment: not Printed.
39. Britains Remembrancer.
Theſe that follow, were written ſince the beginning of the Long Parliament.
40. Campomuſae. ver.
41. Vox pacifica. ver.
42. Vaticinium poeticum. ver.
43. Caveat Emptor. pro.
44. Se defendendo. pro.
45. Juſticiarius Juſtificatus. pro.
46. Letter of Advice touching chuſing Members of Parliament. pro.
47. Mercurius Ruſticus. pro.
48. Britains Genius.
49. A Petition and Narrative to the Parliament. pro.
50. Opobalſamum Anglicanum. ver.
51. Carmen Expoſtulatorum. ver.
52. A ſingle Si quis. ver.
53. Carmen Terrarium Semicynicum. ver
54. A thankful Retribution. ver.
55. The tired Petitioner. ver.
56. What Peace to the Wicked? ver.
57. The Speech without door. pro.
58. Withers Diſclaimer. pro.
59. The Dark Lantern and perpetual Parliament. ver.
60. Boni Ominis Votum. ver.
61. Know thy ſelf. ver.
62. The true ſtate of the Cauſe betwixt the King and Parliament. pro. miſ-laid or loſt.
63. The Delinquents purgation. pro.
64. Weſt-row revived. ver.
65. The ſinners Confeſsion. ver.
66. A Cordial Confection, &c. pro.
67. Verſes to the individual Members of Parliament.
68. Epiſtolium-Vagum-proſau…metricum.
69. Furor poeticus. ver.
70. A ſuddain Flaſh. ver.
71. Salt upon Salt. ver.
72. Amigdala Britannica, or, Almonds for Parrets. ver.
73. The Britiſh Appeal. ver.
74. There Grains of Frankincenſe. ver.
75. The Protector. ver.
76. Carmen Euchariſticon, or a private Oblation, &c. ver.
77. Speculum Speculativum, or a Conſidering-glaſs. ver.
78. Fides Anglicana, or a Plea for the Publick Faith of theſe Nations.
79. A Declaration in the perſon of Oliver Cromwell, given into his own hand, and tending to the ſettling of ſuch a Government as he never intended. pro.
80. A Private Addreſs to the ſaid Oliver, in proſe and verſe, offering things pertinent to his conſideration, into his hand ſealed up.
81. Another Addreſs for the third day of Sept. 1658. given to his own hands likewiſe.
82. Another Addreſs given to R. Cromwells own hands. Neither of theſe four laſt-mentioned were imprinted; for they were private Remembrances both of their duties and failings; with forewarnings of what is ſince come to paſs.
Theſe and ſome other ſcriblings, whoſe Titles this Author cannot now remember, are here ſet down, not for oſtentation, but to ſatisfie the requeſts of his Friends. By theſe it may appear, how (for about 52. years together) he hath employed himſelf, and that though he be none of the wiſeſt, and hath failed in many other things, he hath been alwayes well affected to his Country; and ſo deſirous to be ſerviceable to his generation, that perhaps he hath not merited to be thereby totally deſtroyed, though to God he hath been an unprofitable ſervant. Be it conſidered that ſome of theſe Books were compoſed in his unripe age; ſome, when wiſer men then he erred; and that in regard there is in all of them, ſomewhat ſavouring of a natural ſpirit, and ſomewhat dictated by a better ſpirit then his own, it will concern every man to try the ſpirits, and to adhere to that only which is agreeable to the Touch ſtone of Truth, which is left us by the Father of Spirits; to be the Teſt of all mens writings.
End of the text · George Wither, A Plea for the Public-Faith (1660)