A Considering Glass, Poem
THE Shepherd of BLEDONHAM HIS CASE.
Who was lately ejected out of his Poſſeſſions, by the Succeſſours of the Flamins, and Arch-Flamins; falſly pretending a Divine Right to the ſaid Poſſeſſions.
The ſaid Caſe is truly ſtated, in a Paſtoral Proſopopeia, by an intermixture of Literal and Metaphorical Expreſſions.
AT BLEDONHAM, among malitious Clowns,
a Shepherd kept a Flock upon the Downs;
Belov'd as well, till there he did reſide,
As any of his Rank, 'twixt Thame and Tweede.
Not many in this Iſle, were better known;
He manag'd few Affairs, except his own:
He was a Friend to all men, ſave to thoſe
Whoſe Vices made them his malignant Foes;
And never was his Enmity extended
Unto their perſons, with whom he contended.
Him, their Companions, men of honour made,
And he by honeſt means, poſſeſſions had
Of ſuch a fair Eſtate, that many more
Suppos'd him to be rich, then thought him poor:
For, he had Fields & Groves Flocks, Herds & Corn,
Enough to keep him, both from want and ſcorn.
But, that Wheel turning, which doth now & then.
O'rethrow great Kings as well as Common men,
It, with a quick whirl, on a luckleſs day,
So ſwept his Crops, Goods, Flocks and Herds away,
That he of all, was well-near quite bereft,
And had but one good Ewe, and two Lambs left,
Which ev'ry day at his own Table fed,
And ev'ry night, lodg'd in, or near his bed.
As ſoon as this Diſaſter was begun,
Another forthwith followed thereupon.
A petty Nimrod (as with an intent
To hurtſome Beaſts of prey, which did frequent
The Fields where theſe Lambs fed) attended on
By thoſe, who, where a Miſchief may be done,
Take moſt delight, did often, with his Hounds,
So much diſturb their quiet in thoſe grounds,
That having thereby much affrighted been,
The Lambs became unproveable ane lean.
The Ewe alone, ſtill undiſmay'd, held out,
And being fat, well fleſh'd, and very ſtout,
Preſerv'd her own, till an uncivil rout
Of neighb'ring Churls, with Cur-dogs pull'd the Fleeces
From off their backs, and tore them into pieces.
What theſe Lines mean, but few of thoſe who read them,
Can know, ſave they who felt the wrongs, or did them
For, they were acted with more barbarouſneſs
Then we can by this Parable expreſs;
Ev'n by that Spirit, which did firſt engage
Theſe Nations into that unhappy rage
Which is not yet allay'd; and will hold on
Whilſt they are cheriſh'd, by whom 'twas begun.
When this befel, the Shepherd was from home,
To ſtop another miſchief like to come;
And hearing his poor Flock was worride ſo,
A deep figh fetcht; yet, ſince their wool might grow,
And, Time, encreaſe their number to a greater,
(In hope things might ſucceed hereafter better)
Some Conſolation for a while receiv'd:
But, thereof alſo, quickly was bereav'd:
For not alone decreas'd his cattle be
From very many bundreds unto three,
In periſhing eſtate; but, ſeized now
Are thoſe Poſſeſſions too, from whence might grow
Subſiſtence and increaſe: and (which is worſe)
Not on him ſingly, falls this heavy curſe,
But they whoſe Proſecutions made him poor,
Will make a hundred thouſands Beggers more;
Whoſe Poverty may thoſe Oppreſſions adde,
Whereby that number double will be made.
By theſe Miſhaps, this Paſtor in one year
(And leſs) is made a poor Philoſopher;
Who now doth bear about him all his ſtock,
And to themſelves, is forc'd to leave his Flock,
Expecting nothing henceforth but Oppreſſions
From thoſe, who have uſurped his Poſſeſſions:
For, they who on his Livelyhood now ſeize,
Succeſſours are to thoſe old Druides,
And to thoſe Flamins and Arch-flamins, here,
Who Prelates of the Pagan Prieſthood were:
And, probably, will be to him and thoſe
Who ſerve his GOD, unreconciled Foes;
Becauſe they do pretend themſelves to be
Prelated above others in degree,
As Supreme Prieſts and Paſtors unto PAN,
The Prince of Shepherds, and both GOD & MAN.
On that accompt, thoſe ſuperſtitious things,
And Heath'niſh Ceremonious Trinketings,
Which in the worſhip of falſe gods were us'd
By them, are without warrant introduc'd
In to the Chriſtian Church, as ſanctifide;
And to maintain that Carnal pomp and pride
Which theſe affect, they claim, and take, and hold
What's due to Him, as due to them of old.
This, under colour of a Deodand
They challenge; and therein, a Royal hand
Supports them yet, becauſe he knows them not:
But, when ſuch information he hath got,
Whereby they may to him be truly known,
'Tis hop'd that each man will enjoy his own:
In which hope, many thouſands now undone,
Take up their Croſs, and patienty walk on.
This Shepherd (not deluded by their folly)
Who heed a Ravens croaking from the Holly
Or ſuch like Auguries: foreſaw by whom
And why, thoſe which now befall, are come.
He therefore, when they came, ſtood undiſmay'd,
And looking up to Heaven, thus meekly ſaid:
GOD gives and takes, and bleſſed be his Name;
Though I am not, yet he, is ſtill the ſame;
And on him fixt, my truſt unſhaken ſtands
Ev'n whilſt I am in my Oppreſſors hands;
Expecting my Deliverance from him,
And nothing but Revenge and Scorns from them.
If unto one, he ſhall vouchſafe to grant
But ſo much Grace, as many of them want,
I ſhall poſſeſs, bought at anothers coſt,
An Heritage, that never will be loſt;
And ere this Generation is quite gone,
That, which hath long been hop'd for, will be done.
Believing this, he wholly caſt away
Vexatious Care, permitting theſe to play
Their pranks at will, till they with cruel ſcorn
From Him and His their whole Eſtate had torn;
Yet, he no more fears their deſpights to him,
Then they do fear what he can do to them:
And may perhaps, yet pipe them ſuch a ſtrain,
As ere next Sheepſhear will fetch back again
Some part of what is loſt: for, twill be found
His late Poſſeſſions were but Fairy-ground,
And not ſo ſanctified, that all thoſe
Who walkt upon it, muſt put off their ſhoes;
Unleſſe there be a Sophiſtry in Schools,
That's able to turn wiſe men into fools,
If they do merit to be credited
Who in that Mannor-houſe inhabited,
From which the Shepherd's caſt; they, there were frighted
With Sounds and Apparitions, when benighted;
And that therein (before that he came thither)
Zim, Jim, with ſuch Hobgoblins danc'd together.
And theſe perhaps, will thither come again,
As to a place which doth to them pertain
By Tenant-Right, now their Old Lords are come
To re-admit them to their dancing-Room.
It may be too, till by him repoſſeſt
They who intrude, may there take little reſt;
Or, till they ſhall that wicked charge withdraw,
That makes a ſin, where none is made by Law;
And impudently therewithal dare brand
Not onelyonly purchaſers of prelates-land
Oppoſed now by them, but alſo fling
That Guilt, both upon Parliament and King,
In whoſe defence, the Shepherd doth defie
Not one alone, but all the prelacy;
And if they prove, before an equal Judge,
That, purchaſing their Lands, is Sacriledge;
Or more a ſin, then marketting of Eggs,
He will reſign his claim, for two Tithe Piggs.
Nay, if of Sacriledge he prove them not
To be more guilty when thoſe Lands were got,
And whilſt that they in their poſſeſſion were,
Then any of their purchaſers now are,
He will ſubmit to be anathamiz'd
By them, and of all honeſt men diſpis'd.
For, were a faithful Demonſtration made
Of what beginning prelacy firſt had;
By what ways, prelates uſually aſpire;
How, they their large Revenues did acquire;
How they have been from time to time enjoy'd,
How often to the publick harm employ'd;
What perſons owned them, and to what ends
Their Conſtitutions principally tends,
With ſuch-like; which are left upon Records,
Whoſe credit doubtleſs evidence affords;
It plainly manifeſted would appear,
That, none ſo truely ſacrilegious are;
That, few have acted more deſtructively
To civil peace, and real piety;
Or oftner upon Kings intruſions made,
By whoſe Indulgence they their being had.
They, who now heed the poſture they are in,
And how pedantically they begin
To act their parts, ſince they have been new-ſhelld
Within thoſe walls, from whence they were expell'd,
Do wonder much, that men of their profeſſion
And parts, ſhould fail ſo much in their diſcretion:
For, their untimely Avarice and Pride,
Ev'n their beſt friends and favourers deride,
With fear, that their Ambition will not ceaſe,
Till it deſtroys again they common peace;
And they who love the King, begin to ſee,
That unto him they miſchievous may be.
Moſt of their Converſations are on earth;
What is this Pars'nage, what that Vic'rage worth?
Are their chief Queries, or which way to make
Their Markets, and Advantages to take
Without regard, whoſe right they do enjoy,
How many Families they do deſtroy;
Or what diſturbance or diſreputation
They bring on King, Parliament or Nation.
To ſuch ends, they have bawld of Sacriledge,
Til they have ſet moſt hearers teeths on edge,
By their continual grating on that bone
Which their own Jawes will break, ere they have done.
That Scare-crow now affrighteth none but fools,
Who are but lately crept out of their ſchools:
For, that which they have charg'd the people with,
Doth yet ſtick faſt between their tongue and teeth,
And will he proved by a holy Text,
The Thirtieth day of Fedruary next.
If thoſe Revenues we examine ſhall,
Which they the Churches patrimony call,
The great Diana, for which ſome with us
Cry out, as once they did at Epheſus,
Is but an Idol; and their Out-cries made,
Are only to preſerve a ſordid Trade,
Whereby thoſe Crafts-men ſeek to be enrich'd,
Who with their Drugs have ſilly men bewitch'd.
The price of Dogs, and wages of a Whore,
Might own'd have been as juſtly heretofore
For holy things, if offer'd they had been;
Yea, with leſs impudence, and with leſs ſin:
For, ſome of them (as in deſpight of Heav'n)
Were Merchandizings for mens ſouls, and giv'n
In high contempt of him, whoſe heart-blood bought
That, which they to a worthleſs price have brought,
Yet ſold too dear; becauſe the Buyers loſt
As well their own ſafe-being, as their coſt.
Meer ſimple and deſpairing Malefactors
Were by the Divels Brokers and Contractors,
Abuſed with Mock-pardons: Heirs defeated
Of their Eſtates; Widows and Orphans cheated;
And many a poor ſoul with a Paſport ſent
To Heav'n, as he thought, when to Hell he went.
This way, had thoſe Peſſeſſions their advance,
Which now are termed GOD's Inheritance;
And what can be a greater Derogation
From him then this? Or, what a Provocation
More daring, then for men to challenge that
As his, which he doth more abominate
Then Dogs or Strumpets? Or, what can in reaſon
More properly reputed then high Treaſon
Againſt the King, then to engage him for
And Intereſt which GOD doth ſo abhor?
And which inſenſibly may draw him in
To be a partner with the MAN of SIN
In guilt and puniſhment; by (to their emds)
Perverting, what he piouſly intends.
Let this be well obſerv'd: for, GOD doth yet
Their Proſecutions hitherto permit
But for Probation only, that he may
Try, who will turn to him; who fall away;
VVho, will not unto his Govenant adhere;
VVho, for preferment, profit, or for fear,
Will wave the ſame; how far forth thoſe Pretenders
VVill active be; and how far their Defenders
Will patronize them; that thoſe things which are
Yet doubtful, may undoubtedly appear;
That, thoſe plants which God planted may bear fruit,
Thoſe which he planted not, be rooted out;
And that coſt may no longer be beſtown
On fruitleſs plants which he did never own:
Such is the Prelacy, which did proceed
From mixture both of good and evil ſeed:
As may declar'd by their Etraction be;
For, this appears to be their Pedigree.
Not very long time, ofter Noahs Flood,
When old Idolatries began to brood,
The forenam'd DRUIDES, who from the Oak
Which they much rev'renced, their name firſt took,
In theſe Parts of the world, uſurp'd upon
Mens Conſciences (as many ſince have done)
Ev'n in this Iſle (if that which may be read
In old Records be true) and being ſpread
Into the neighb'ring Continent from hence
In France next ſettling their chief reſidence,
Did there, an uncontrouled power retain,
Until the days of Claudius Caeſar's reign.
The Flamin-Prelacy, which did begin
Before that time; then by degrees did win
Pre-eminence and reverenced was,
Till Pontifical-Prelacy took place;
From that, the papal prelacy deriv'd
Their being; and a Hierarchy contriv'd,
Accommodated with a Diſcipline
From Gentiles, Jews and Chriſtians hetrogene:
For, though compos'd of pieces patch'd together,
From all theſe taken, it was like to neither.
For, that the Chriſtian worſhip might not ſeem
To be inglorious in the worlds eſteem;
Or rather, that themſelves advance they might
Unto a princely and a pompous height
In temporal enjoyments, they took in
Such Pageantries as had affected been
By carnal Worſhippers, by alteration
In ſome things; and in ſome by imitation:
So, by degrees, they totally threw off
That ſoberneſs and meekneſs with a ſcoff,
Which was in true ſincerity profeſt,
Before the birth and reign of Antichriſt.
The Spouſe of CHRIST, becauſe ſhe did appear
In out-ſide poor, though rich her Linings were,
With diſ-reſpect they turned out of dore,
And, in her ſtead, trimm'd up a painted Whore:
So, meer will-worſhip was ſet up at laſt,
And in the Throne of GOD, an Idol plac'd.
From thoſe, the prelates came; & when theſe Nations
Intended to reform their Innovations,
A carnal prudence, dreaming, that, if they,
With their External pomp was took away,
(Whereby ſome thought God's worſhip was adornd)
Religion and Devotion ſhould be ſcorn'd;
The Prelacy, upon that vain ſurmiſe,
Was here continu'd in a new Diſguiſe;
Till that impoſture was by Providence
Made manifeſt; and then, it was from hence
By GOD expel'd, as both diſhonourable
To him, and to his Church diſſerviceable;
To thoſe intending no affront at all,
Whoſe Function ſimply is Epiſcopal.
But, this Expulſion, being for our ſin
Revers'd, and Prelates now again brought in,
That, and a Sacra-fames (in Exceſs)
(Not thirſt and hunger after righteouſneſs)
Hath ſo inrag'd them, that, they all devour,
Who fall within their new-reſtored pow'r,
With high contempt (at laſt without regard)
Of what the KING hath graciouſly declar'd.
And thoſe whom they of their Eſtates deſpoil,
With inſolent upbraidings they revile,
As meriting nor livelihood, nor place
With them; and as uncapable of Grace
From GOD or men: But, cry, are not theſe they
Who lately took from Holy Church away
Her Dowry? ſpoil'd GOD'S Houſes in the Land?
On ſacred things laid ſacrilegious hand?
And vilifide his Servants? Thus, they crow:
But, they injurious are, in doing ſo;
And have as much in their blaſphemings fail'd,
On Hezekiah: for, GOD, did not own
Thoſe Altars or High-places overthrown,
And then miſ-called his; nor owneth he
For Biſhops, thoſe who now ſo termed be;
Nor thoſe impertinent Appurtenances,
Which Prelates pleaſe to term GOD'S Ordinances.
And, though they ſhould, when they ſee Babel's fall,
Their dreadful howlings, and their weepings call
The Churches ſighs and tears; no whit availing
To them, would be their howling and bewailing.
And, though ſome think this conſtitution brings
Advantage to the Thrones of lawful Kings,
'Twill prove, when thereinto they better look,
It ſtrengthens them, as Ivy doth an Oak;
And, that, of Men, no one ſort under Heaven,
Cauſe and Occaſions have ſo often given,
Of private Quarrels, Diſcords and Debates,
And Wars, 'twixt Realms & Nations, Kings & States.
The Shepherd therefore, hopes this, will by thoſe
Who can diſtinguiſh between Doves and Crows,
Conſider'd be; and manifeſt it then,
That, greateſt Clerks, are not the wiſeſt men;
Or, that, wiſe men through Avarice and Pride,
By wealth and honour, may be led aſide.
And, though this hope ſhould fail him in the main,
It will not altogether be in vain;
But, for the preſent, ſhall at leaſt ſuffice
To feed that part which upon Smoke relies,
Till with eſſential nouriſhment ſuppli'd
By that, which GOD hereafter will provide.
Yea, though this charming ſhould not prove ſo ſtrong
To fetch back that which doth to him belong,
Thenceforth, content, his Ewe and Lambs, and he,
To live upon the Commons then will be.
However, other hopes may have ſucceſs,
His beſt hopes will be rather more then leſs:
For, they are built on him, who beſt can judge
'Twixt what is, and what is not Sacrilege;
And if his Judges partially ſhall deal,
From them, to that great Judge he will appeal,
Who cannot be deceiv'd. But no diſtruſt
Hath he of their Uprightneſs, who here muſt
Be Judges in his Cauſe; for, they have ſeen
What did befal them who unjuſt have been;
And hereby now, though he be much pre-judg'd,
May know what on his part may be alleag'd.
That which is claim'd, GOD will perhaps divide
Betwixt both Parties when their Claims are tride:
For, out of that which they erewhile poſſeſt,
The Prelates for their ſins were juſtly caſt:
The Shepherd was for his expelled too,
By him, whoſe juſt doom he ſubmits unto;
As therefore GOD ſhall pleaſe he is content
To ſhare in Mercy and in Chaſtiſement,
Till he under that Heritage is brought,
Which at anothers coſt, for him, was bought;
And whereto, he vouchſafes him by his Grace
A better Title, in a better place.
If all be judg'd, which he hath purchas'd here
The Prelates due; he'll take his portion there;
For, though it be a little while delaid,
'Twill prove the better ſhare, and be will paid.
This, is the Shepherds Caſe, and this the Courſe
He means to take: pray, uſe him ne'er the worſe:
For, he had not expreſt it in this mode,
But that the Cov'nant PRELATES to explode,
He conſcientiouſly adheres unto,
And dares not ſlight the ſame, as others do;
Becauſe, he can diſcern Truths from Deluſions,
And knows their late Re-entries, are Intruſions.
FINIS.
End of the text · George Wither, A Considering Glass (1660)