Improvement of Imprisonment, Postscript – Errata
A Poſt-ſcript to the Readers.
THeſe Pieces, being communicated to ſeveral Perſons in writing, were ſent back to me imprinted; by what Printer I know not. Two or three large Cantles, are thrown in among them; which, though you would have diſliked, in reſpect of their Quantity, I ſhould have made no ſhorter; for, I could with more contentment have lengthned them. So much was neceſſary to exerciſe my own ſpirit, and ſtrengthen my Faith and Patience, during the preſſures which lie upon me. Therefore, if they begin to ſeem tedious, give over the peruſal: For, they were intended to be communicated to thoſe onelyonly, who were voluntarily deſirous of them, to whom I beſeech GOD to ſanctifie them in the reading. They were diſtill'd out of me, by that Fiery-tryal, which will extend to many other before it be ended, and which will evidence that they are no counterfeit or Sophiſtical Extractions, though they may ſeem trivial to ſome, becauſe they relate chiefly to my ſelf; for, they will be found uſeful to many of them, who, are or ſhall be, exerciſed with like Paſſions and Afflictions.
That, which tends to the Vindication of the Poem occaſioning my Commitment hither, will concern others as well as my ſelf; So, may alſo that which expreſſeth my ſuddain diſtemper, at the firſt hearing of my Wives Sickneſs, lying at 52. Miles diſtance in a very diſconſolate Condition, as to all outward things: And they who are as truly ſenſible of a Conjugal and Paternal Affection as I am, will perhaps, think when they read what I have written, that it may be of uſe to ſome of them, when they conſider well the ſtruglings between my Fleſh & Spirit during that Tryal; and, in regard it is in probability, the ſtrongeſt Temptation whereby the world and the Devil ſhall have power to afflict me. But, whatſoever ſhall be thought of that, of the reſt of theſe Parcels, or of me, I ſent them to thoſe in writing, who deſired to have Copies of them, and to paſſe further, as God ſhould give leave.
To write no more, I long ſince did intend;
But, none but GOD knowes now when I ſhall end,
For, ſtill, I find, when I think all is done,
As much to write, as when I firſt begun.
Your true Friend, and Brother in the beſt Conſanguinity, who thinks it no diſhonour, to ſubſcribe himſelf, GEORGE WITHER, of Newgate, in the City of London, Priſoner. The 19th. of the 8th. MonethMonth, 1661.
An Appendix in Relation to what concerns his Wife.
MY Conſort, (who ſtill meanes what ere ſhe ſayes)
Peruſing what's here mentioned to her praiſe;
Proteſts, her modeſty is ſo offended,
To find her ſelf in ſuch a ſtrain commended,
That, ſhe's aſham'd to live; and, to be dead
Had rather, then to ſee it publiſhed.
To be aveng'd for this diſlike, therefore
Ile to the reſt, ad this one Vertue more,
Which had been alſe forgot; and if ſhe do
Therewith find fault, Ile then, ad twenty moe.
For, I forbore her Praiſes till I fear'd
That, them, ſhe never ſhould have ſeen, or heard,
And, had expoſed them to Publication
Before I was quite cured, of my Paſſion.
A Table of the ſeveral things contained in this Book.
1. THe Epiſtle of the Author. Pag. 3.
2. A Miſſive to his Friends, who enquired for him, after the apprehenſion of his Perſon and the ſeizure of his Books and Papers. Pag. 5.
3. His firſt Meditation after his Commitment to Newgate. Pag. 11.
4. His Petition at the Seſſions, that Bail might be accepted. Pag. 17.
5. An Epigram to the City of London. P. 19.
6. This Priſoners ſecond Meditation in Newgate. Pag. 22.
7. Anſwer to ſome Friends who ſent to know how it fared with him after his Commitment. Pag. 27.
8. A Paſs-by, to them who ſeemed offended with his frequent ſcriblings (as they call them) Pag. 28.
9. The Authors Apology, for his writing that Book which occaſioned his Impriſonment. Pag. 30.
10. Another Meditation, alluding to this Verſe in Seneca, Nuſquam non poteſt eſſe Virtuti locus. P. 55.
11. A Meditation upon Jeremies Propheſie to Ebedmelech, the Aethiopian. Pag. 59.
12. An Antidote againſt Fear. Pag. 62.
13. A ſhort excuſe, why he makes no Adreſſe to great Perſons for their Favour in his Cauſe. Pag. 68.
14. A Meditation upon his conſidering the ſad outward Condition of his Relations in the fleſh. P. 71.
15. A Paſſionate expreſſion of a caſual and ſuddain deſtemper, upon hearing of his Wives being mortally Sick, as he was credibly informed. Pag. 76.
16. A ſpiritual Song compoſed upon the laſt mentioned diſtemper. Pag. 95.
17. A Meditation whilſt he was taking Tobacco. Pag. 98.
18. A Hint, conducing to the Settlement of Peace and Concord in the Church and State. Pag. 101.
19. A Thanksgiving for his Wives reſtauration to life and health. Pag. 105.
20. A Penitential Hymn. Pag. 107.
21. A Requiem to the Soul. Pag. 110.
22. A Meditation upon the late Prodigies and Apparitions. Pag. 112.
23. A Ridle. Pag. 115.
24. A Proclamation by the Muſes. Pag. 116.
25. A Concluding Epigram. Pag. 117.
26. A Poſt-ſcript. Pag. 118.
THE END.
The Authors Dream, the night before the Imprinting of this Book, and (as he believes) the true Interpretation thereof.
I Am awake: GOD's bleſſed Name be prais'd,
That, he to ſee the Light, my eyes hath rais'd:
For, ſleep, I ſee, which we repute the beſt
Of Temporal things pertaining to mans Reſt,
(Next to a quiet Conſcience) may become
A Torment, very near as troubleſome,
If he, that giveth his Beloved ſleep,
Did not, within a Bound, nights terrours keep.
My Soul, ſo toyl'd, and tired out, hath been
With what, this night, in Dreamings I have ſeen,
That, peradventure, if I waking, had
Been ſo oppreſt, it might have made me mad:
For, from the twelfth hour, to the fourth, well nigh,
I have been ſtrugling, in an Agonie,
With ſuch Confuſions, that, if I would tell
How, I have been turmoyl'd, I, might aſwell
Another World endeavour to Create
Out of a Chaos, as the ſame relate:
And, not a littie troubled is my mind,
Now I am waking, how, I forth may find
What it preſignifies: For, I believe
Thoſe Notions, I did not in vain receive:
And, therefore, (ſince no Daniel I do know,
Who, either can to me my Viſion ſhow,
Or, what it means) Ile, by GOD's Grace, aſſay
To make the beſt uſe of it, that I may;
Not doubting, but, that he will condeſcend
To ſhew ſome glimpſe, of what, he doth intend.
It hapned (which, forget not to remember)
The day before the Kalend's of November,
The firſt year (and may be the laſt) wherein
I had infranchiſed in Newgate been,
For off'ring to Record, what I have heard
By common Fame, and, was by me declar'd
To no worſe end, then, that, prevent it might
Such like Confuſions, as me thought, this night
To me were repreſented. And, who knowes
But, that, this Dream, a Conſequent foreſhowes
To that relating, which, fulfill'd will be
Either, upon theſe Nations, or on me,
Or both of us, if God, averts not from
The beſt of us, that, which is like to come;
And, as dreadful our waking Dreams may be
As this was in my ſleep, laſt night to me.
This very day, moreover, (as I hear)
Thoſe Muſings, which by me compoſed were
Since my Commitment hither, paſs the Preſſe;
And, our confuſions, will be more or leſs,
As they ſhall take effect. GOD's Will be done,
(What ere, he pleaſeth ſhall ſucceed thereon)
For, he, who wak'd me out of this sad Dream,
Will, when, at their worst, raise me out of them;
Or, when the Reſurrection morning comes,
Save, me, at leaſt, from all deſtructive Dooms,
This, (though my Dream admits no explanation)
I take to be a true Interpretation.
But if, that any finds me out a better
I will approve it, and remain his debter.
ERRATA.
PAge 3. line 17. read Appeal, page 14. line 30. for which are, r. with awe, l. 34. r. entertain'd, p. 16. l. 13. r. Though ſo, p. 23. l. 3. r. be for he, p. 26. l. 23. r. doſt for doth, p. 32. l. 18. r. not ſo. p. 36. laſt l. r. contriv'd. p. 39. l. 26. r. firſt, that, p. 42. l. 14. r. grown wiſe and ſober, l. 33. r. more provoke, p. 43. l. 2. r. of Reaſon, p. 44. l. 5. r. of letting, l. 11. r. conceſſion, l. 28. for is, r. are, p. 59. l. 6. r. extract good. p. 75. l. 22. r, Revive, p. 79. l. 15. for race, r. truce. p. 51. l. 30. r. every for very. l. 26. blot out now, p. 96. l. 13. r. we for wee'l. p. 102. l. 9. for their r. them. p. 108. l. 23. blot out my, p. 110. l. 2. r. his truſt.
End of the text · George Wither, Improvement of Imprisonment (1661)