Improvement of Imprisonment, Poem 1 – Poem 2
AN IMPROVEMENT Of Impriſonment, Into Real Freedom; Of Diſgrace, Into Honeſt Reputation; Of Poverty, Into Perdurable Riches; Evidenced in a few Crums & Scraps Lately found in a PRISONERS-BASKET AT NEVVGATE; And Saved together, by a Viſitant of Oppreſſed Priſoners, for the refreſhing of himſelf and thoſe who are either in a worſe Priſon, or (who loathing the dainties of the Fleſh) hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs.
HE, who, five thouſand hungry Souls had fed
With two ſmall Fiſhes, and five Loaves of Bread,
Would have the Fragments ſav'd; for, that is ſweet
To ſome, which others trample under feet;
This Priſoners late Experiments may be,
Of uſe to them, who know much more than he:
For, men to credit thoſe, are ſooneſt mov'd;
Whoſe Words to be ſincere, by Deeds, are prov'd.
By GEORGE WITHER.
London, Printed in the Year, 1661.
THE AUTHOR OF THESE Fragments, TO THE Humble, the Poor in Spirit, and to all thoſe Afflicted-Ones, who diſdain not theſe CRUMMS.
EXperience, though to Fools it Miſtris be
Oft, makes men Wiſe; For, ſome effects on me
To that end it hath had: & though with mocks
Moſt entertain my Triple-Paradox,
It will, by what enſues (I hope) appear
That, Truths, by me, therein averred were;
And, that, whatever ſhall ſucceed thereon,
My Words, and Actions, do concurr in One.
Thoſe few, who did here viſit me, in love,
Seem'd, with ſo much contentment to approve
Their homely Entertainment with theſe Scraps,
That, they were pocketed; and ſome, perhaps,
Them, will Communicate: Which if they do,
So let it be, and much good do't them too:
I wiſh, for their ſakes, that they better were,
But, if, as they did mine, their hearts they cheere,
I, may to Conſtancy, encouraged be
By their Example, more than they by me
At preſent are: and mutual Ayd's, ere long,
Shall make the weakeſt of us, to grow ſtrong;
For, by GOD's Providence, (not ſeldom) ſprings
Nobleſt Effects, from moſt contemned things.
" Let, all, who of theſe Fragments, Coppies had
" Theſe Lines (to be perfixt before them) add.
CAPTIVITY IMPROVED INTO FREEDOM By the Grace of God.
GEORGE WITHER, to his Friends, who have inquired after him, ſince the late ſeizure of his Perſon, Books and Papers.
WHere I now am, you much deſire to hear,
What, I am blam'd for; what, I want, or fear;
Which, this will briefly tell you: I am well,
(In Purgatory, between Heaven and Hell.)
My Fact, (which I acknowledge, in good ſooth,
May ſome offend) is only writing Truth;
And, that is, in prevaricating times,
Much more offenſive, then ſome hainous Crimes.
I nothing Want, that's truly needful, ſave,
Due thankfulneſs to GOD, for what I have,
Who hitherto, in an unuſual wiſe,
Without my care, vouchſafeth me ſupplies;
Which hereby, I acknowledge, to this end,
That, others may in ſtraits, on him depend.
All, I need now to fear, is, that before
I ſhall be freed,, I way be made ſo poor
The Meſſenger, will hardly get his fees,
Or,, that the Remnant of a Loaf and Cheeſe,
Which at my now forſaken Chamber lies,
Will mouldy be, or eaten by the Miſe.
I do not fear, that what I have expreſt
Or publiſhed, will not abide the Teſt,
Unleſs my Judges, do, by looking back
The Gen'ral-Pardon, ineffectual make:
For, that, which I laſt wrote, was but fruit torn
Out of the Mothers Womb before 'twas born,
Which, whether Life, or Death receive it ſhould,
No man with certainty, determine could;
And, if (according unto my Appeals)
That, which I purpos'd for the Publick-weal,
And honor of the King, may be peruſed
Intirely, and not palpably abuſed,
By taking from, or adding thereunto,
I do defie the worſt, this World can do;
Well knowing, that, if ſhe conceal what's done,
From Publick view, yet paſſeth doomes thereon
Which may be to my wrong, 'twill be reveal'd
And judg'd by GOD, to whom I have appeal'd.
Though now there be not left with me, one Line
Of what I laſt wrote, I no whit repine:
For, Providence will further my intent,
Thereby, much better, than the courſe I meant;
Or, elſe will raiſe up, if that be calcin'd,
A ſprightlier Product of the ſelf-ſame kind,
Which to obliterate, none ſhall preſume,
Nor time aboliſh, nor the flame conſume,
Till it hath took effect to that good end,
For which I did at firſt, the ſame intend;
And, Joſeph-like, when I ſhall tried be,
Either the King, or GOD, will ſet me free,
To whoſe Free-mercies only, I appeal
Ev'n in thoſe things, which I intended well:
For, extream Juſtice, is a dreadful thing,
Whether pronounc'd by GOD, or by a King:
And, otherwhile, men of an upright-way,
Permitted are, in ſomethings to miſ-ſay,
That Spirits may be tri'd, and thoſe things known
Which are of GOD, from that, which is our own.
I have not purpoſely, one Paper hid
To cloake the worſt, that er'e I ſaid or did;
And if men would but at my frailties wink,
I'le tell them, when they pleaſe, ev'n all I think,
Although againſt my Life it might offend
So, their Demands to publick wellfare tend:
For, to that purpoſe, if it needful were,
I dare say more, than many dare to hear,
(As would be known by what is now ſurpriz'd,
might it be read in publick, undiſguis'd)
Yet, not exceed my limits ne'r-theleſs,
Or, bounds of Reaſon, or of Soberneſs.
I have diſcharg'd my Conſcience, as I thought
The preſent times required that I ought,
Conſidering, that otherwiſe, ſuch Tools
May be of uſe; and, men reputed Fools
Speak things, as pertinently in ſome caſes
As they, who are imployd in Wiſe mens places.
I am not ignorant, with what diſdain
Our Pantaloons my Poems entertain;
Nor ought diſpleaſed, that what I have writ
Seem'd Frothy-ſtuffe, unto a Flaſhy-wit,
My ſowr Herbs are as pleaſing to ſome pallats
As Apricocks, Muskmillions, or ſweet Sallets
To wanton Appetites; and wholſomer
Than that, wherein they more delighted are.
My Verſe, to them, ſeems Vanity to be;
So ſeem They, and all Earthly things to me.
By them, I numbred with Phanaticks am,
And they, by me, reputed are the ſame.
My Muſe, harſh ſounds unto their ears applies,
Their Manners do as much offend mine eyes;
And, if I merit Puniſhment, who chid them
For things miſdone, what merit they who did them?
Should none Reprove, but perſons wholly free
From Sinfulneſs, no Sin Reprov'd ſhould be;
And where our general Reproofs offend,
Few men, their private Errors will amend.
All that is in my Thoughts, my Words or Deeds
Approvable, from GOD's free Grace proceeds,
And none deſerveth blame, but I alone
(If I do) for what now is thought miſdone.
Yet, come not at me, till you may be ſure
Your Viſits may no detriment procure
Unto your ſelves; for (though that I am zealous
Of publick Safety) many are ſo jealous
Of our Sincerity, whom they ſhall find
From them, in ſome things, of a diff'ring mind,
That they, who walk by Goſpel and by Law,
May chance to ſuffer like Jack Fletcher's Daw,
Which taken among Pigeons, Pies and Crowes
For whom a Net was laid, did ſpeed like thoſe:
And, to help keep an Innocent from ſtarving
May cenſur'd be, by ſome an Ill-deſerving,
Which paradventure may be now my Lot.
(If Chriſtian Charity prevent it not)
More to their ſhame than mine, who, now have here
Been their Remembrancer, nigh fifty year.
But, for me, take you neither care nor grief;
Death, will much more advantage me than Life:
I walk not blindly, in the Paths I tread,
And they will make me ſafe, alive, or dead.
I am aſſured, that his Providence
Which orders things of much leſs conſequence
(Whether conceal'd or publiſhed) will make
That which I've written, good effects to take;
And alſo by their means, perhaps, who be
As yet diſpleas'd, both with my Book and me.
Grant me but NATURE'S Freedoms, and let then
The Priviledge of COURTS and SINGLE-MEN
Do what they can: for, I have broke no Law
Whereof, a ſober Man ſhould ſtand in aw;
Nor need I Patrons; nor ought have I done
To make me be afraid, through want of one.
I, reverence the Powers that are Supream,
And, know ſo well, what doth belong to them,
That, I cannot offend by Libelling
Either againſt the Parliament, or King
As many may ſuppoſe; for, VICE may be
Reprov'd, yet, they kept from Aſpertions free;
As will appear, when I have open laid
What, for my Vindication may be ſaid.
I love and honour more, a Foe, that's juſt
Than him, who saves my life, and breaks his truſt:
And, will not thank them, who, ſhall ſee wherein
I merit blame, yet palliate my ſin;
Or, ſhall excuſe me from due puniſhment,
When I ſhall know my fault, and not repent.
Nor will they be excus'd, in future times,
(Though yet they may) who make our DUTIES crimes
Mine, is (if any) no more but Omiſſion
Of ſomewhat; or, at worſt, but a Miſpriſion:
And, my Case now, may be reſembled well,
By what, unto a Northern Laſſe befel,
Who, having been corrected very ſore
For calling of her younger Siſter Whore,
Which was indeed untrue; her Mother, ſaid
Unto the leſſer Girle, tell truly Maid,
Did ſhe not call thee Whore? She anſwer'd, NO,
(She did not) but, ſhe thought to call me ſo.
I know there are thoſe, who conſider can
What uſe there may be of an honeſt Man
Who ſeeketh not for Honours, or for Pelf;
Hates none; affects his Neighbour as himſelf;
Fears nought but GOD, and his own heart; his King
Doth reverence, and can in Priſon ſing:
When more deſire to be affected thus,
It will be better both for them and us:
And, he who makes theſe things his chief ambition
Though Wrongs he feel, can never fear Perdition.
If leſs than formerly, I am befriended,
I, and my Suff'rings, quickly ſhall be ended.
If I find favour, you ſhall hear that from me
Which, to acknowledge, it will well become me:
Till then therefore Adew; and hereby know
That I am pleas'd, and well, if you be ſo.
Chr. oUr reDeeMer LIVeth.
Aug. 12. 1661. From Mr. Northrops, one of the Kings Meſſengers in Weſtminſter, where I am civilly uſed.