Prophecy of our Present Calamity 2, Poem

Prophecy of our Present Calamity 2 · Poem

Make all thy Scarlet ſins as white as Snow,

And caſt thy threatned judgement on thy foe.

But, if thou (fondly thinking thou art well)

Shalt ſlight this Meſſage, which my Muſe doth tell,

And ſcorne her Counſell; if thou ſhalt not rue

Thy former wayes; but, frowardly purſue

Thy wilfull courſe: then, hark what I am bold,

(In ſpight of all thy madneſſe) to unfold.

For, I will tell thy Fortune; which when they

That are unborne, ſhall reade, another day;

They will believe Gods mercy did infuſe

Thy Poets breaſt with a Prophetick Muſe.

And know, that he this Author did prefer,

To be from him, this Iles Remembrancer.

If thou I ſay Oh Britain ſhalt retain

Thy crying ſins, thou doſt preſume in vain,

Of Gods protection: If thou ſtop thine eare,

Or burne this Rowle, in which recorded are

Thy juſt Inditements; it ſhall written be

With new additions, deeply ſtampt on thee

With ſuch Characters, that no time ſhall race

Their fatall image, from thy ſcarred face.

Though haughtily thou doſt thy ſelfe diſpoſe;

Becauſe the Sea thy borders doth encloſe.

Although thou multiply thy inland Forces,

And muſter up large Troopes of men and horſes,

Though like an Eagle thou thy wings diſplay'ſt,

And (high thy ſelfe advancing) proudly ſay'ſt,

I ſit a loft, and am ſo high, that none

Can fetch me from the place I reſt upon.

Yea, though thou no advantages didſt want,

Of which the glorieſt Emperies did vaunt;

p. 3Yet, ſure, thou ſhalt be humbled and brought low,

Ev'n then, perhaps, when leſſe thou fear'ſt it ſo.

Till thou repent, proviſions which are made

For thy defence, or others to invade,

Shall be in vaine; and ſtill, the greater coſt

Thou ſhalt beſtow, the honour that is loſt

Shall be the greater; and thy waſted ſtrength

Be ſick of a conſumption at the length.

Thy Treaties which for peace or profit be,

Shall neither peace, nor profit bring to thee.

Yea, all thy winnings ſhall but fewell be,

To feed thoſe follies that now ſpring in thee.

On all thy fruits and cattell in the fields,

On what the ayre, or what the water yeelds,

On Prince, and People, on both weak and ſtrong,

On Prieſt and Prophet, on both old and yong,

Yea, on each perſon, place, and every thing,

The plague it hath deſerved God ſhall bring.

A leanneſſe ſhall thy fatneſſe quite devoure;

Thy wheat ſhall in the place of wholſome flowre,

Yeeld nought but bran. Inſtead of graſſe and corne,

Thou ſhalt in time of harveſt reap the thorne,

The thiſtle, and the bryar. Of their ſhadowes

Thy Groves ſhall robbed be. Thy flower Medowes

Shall ſterill wax. There ſhall be ſeldome ſeen

Sheep on the Downes, or Shepheards on the green.

Thy walkes, thy gardens, and each pleaſant plot,

Shall be as thoſe where men inhabite not.

Thy Villages, where goodly dwellings are,

Shall ſtand as if they unfrequented were.

Thy Cities, and thy Palaces, wherein

Moſt neatneſſe and magnificence hath been,

p. 4Shall heapes of rubbiſh be, and (as in thoſe

Demoliſh't Abbies, where in Dawes and Crowes

Now make their neſts) the Bramble and the Nettle,

Shall in their Halls and Parlours root and ſettle:

And moreover, they that now ate trained,

In eaſe, and with ſoft pleaſures entertained;

In ſtead of idle games, and wanton dances,

Shall praciſe how to handle Guns and Launces,

And be compell'd to leave their friends embraces,

To end their lives in divers uncough places,

Or elſe, thy face, with their owne blood defile,

In hope to keepe themſelves and thee from ſpoile.

Thy pureſt Rivers God ſhall turne to blood;

With every lake that hath beene ſweete and good

Ev'n in thy noſtrils he ſhall make it ſtinke,

For nothing ſhall thy people eate or drinke,

Untill their owne, or others blood it coſt;

Or put their lives in hazard to be loſt.

Moſt loathſome Frogs; that is a race impure,

Of baſe condition, and of birth obſcure,

This hatefull brood ſhall climbe to crooke and ſing,

Within the lodging Chambers of the King;

Yea, there make practiſe of thoſe naturall notes,

Which iſſue from their evill ſounding throates;

To wit, vaine brags, revilings, ribaldries,

Vile ſlaunders, and unchriſtian blaſphemies.

The Land ſhall breede a naſty Generation,

Unworthy either of the reputation

Or name of men; for, they as lice ſhall feed,

Even on the body whence they did proceed;

There ſhall moreover ſwarmes of divers Flies,

Engendred be in thy proſperities,

p. 5To be a plague: and ſtill are humming ſo,

As if they meant ſome weighty worke to doe,

When as, upon the common ſtocke they ſpend;

And naught performe of that which they pretend.

Then ſhall a darkeneſſe follow, farre more black,

Then when the light corporeall then doſt lacke.

For, groſſeſt ignorance, o' reſhadowing all,

Shall in ſo thicke a darkeneſſe thee inthrall,

That thou a blockiſh people ſhalt be made,

Still wandring on in a deceiving ſhade,

Miſtruſting thoſe, that ſafeſt paths are ſhowing,

Moſt truſting them who counſell thy undoing;

And aye tormented be with doubts and feares,

As one that Out-cries in clarke places heares.

Nor ſhall the hand of God from thee returne,

Till he hath alſo ſmote thy 'eldeſt borne.

That is, till he hath take from thee quite,

Ev'n that whereon thou ſet'ſt thy whole delight;

And filled ev'ry houſe throughout thy Nation,

With deaths unlooked for, and lamentation.

So great ſhall be thy ruine, and thy ſhame,

That when thy neighbouring Kingdomes heare the ſame,

Their eares ſhall tingle. And when that day comes,

In which thy follies moſt receive their doomes;

A day of clouds, a day of gloomineſſe.

A day of blacke deſpaire and heavineſſe,

It will appeare. And then thy vanities,

Thy gold and ſilver, thy confedracies,

And all thoſe Reedes on which thou haſt depended,

Will faile thy truſt, and leave thee unbefriended.

Thy King, thy Prieſts, and Prophets then ſhall mourne,

And peradventure fainedly returne

p. 6To beg of God to ſuccour them: but they,

who will not harken to his voyce to day,

Shall cry unheeded: and he will deſpiſe

Their Vowes, their Prayers, and their Sacrifice.

A Sea of troubles, all thy hopes ſhall ſwallow;

As waves on waves, ſo plague on plague ſhall follow:

And every thing, that was a bleſſing to thee,

Shall turne to be a curſe, and helpe undoe thee.

And when thy ſinne is fully ripe in thee,

Thy Prince and People, then, alike ſhall be.

Thou ſhalt have Babes to be thy Kings, or worſe,

Thoſe Tyrants who by cruelty and force,

Shall take away thy ancient freedomes quite,

From all their Subjects; yea themſelves delight

In their vexations: and, all thoſe that are

Made ſlaves thereby, ſhall murmure, yet not dare

To ſtir againſt them. By degrees they ſhall

Deprive thee of thy Patrimonials all;

Compell thee (as in other Lands this day)

For thine owne meate, and thine own drink to pay.

And, at the laſt begin to exerciſe

Upon thy Sons, all heatheniſh tyrannies,

As juſt Prerogatives. To theſe intents,

Thy Nobles ſhall become their inſtruments;

For they who had their birth from Noble races,

Shall (ſome and ſome) be brought into diſgraces.

From Offices they ſhall excluded ſtand,

And all their vertuous off-ſpring, from their Land

Shall quite be worne: Inſtead of whom ſhall riſe

A brood advanced by impieties.

That ſeek how they more great and ſtrong may grow,

By compaſſing the publique overthrow.

p. 7They ſhall abuſe thy Kings with Tales and Lies;

With ſeeming love, and ſervile flatteries;

They ſhall perſwade them they have power to make,

Their Wills, their Law, and as they pleaſe to take

Their peoples goods, their children and their lives,

Ev'n by their juſt and due Prerogatives.

When thus much they have made them to beleeve,

Then they ſhall teach them practiſes to grieve

Their Subjects by, and inſtruments become

To helpe the ſcruing up by ſome and ſome,

Of Monarchies to Tyrannies. They ſhall

Abuſe Religion, Honeſty, and all,

To compaſſe their Deſignes. They ſhall deviſe

Strange Projects; and with impudence and lies,

Proceed in ſetling them. They ſhall forget

Thoſe reverent uſages which doe befit

The Majeſtie of State; and raile, and ſtorme,

When they pretend diſorders to reforme.

In their high Counſells, and where men ſhould have

Kinde admonitions, and reprovings grave,

When they offend, they ſhall be threatned there,

Or ſcoft, or taunted, though no cauſe appeare.

What ever from thy people they can teare,

Or borrow, they ſhall keepe, as if it were

A prize which had beene taken from the foe,

And they ſhall make no conſcience what they doe

To prejudice Poſterity. For, they

To gaine their luſt, but for the preſent day,

Shall with ſuch love unto themſelves endeavour,

That (though they know it would undoe for ever

Their owne poſteritie) it ſhall not make

The Monſters any better courſe to take.

p. 8Nay, God ſhall give them for their offences,

To ſuch uncomely reprobated ſenſe:

And blind them ſo, that (when the Axe they ſee

Ev'n hewing at the roote of thine owne tree,

By their owne handy ſtrokes) they ſhall not grieve

For their approaching fall: no, nor beleeve

Their fall approacheth, nor aſſume that heed,

Which might prevent; till they fall indeed.

Marke well, oh Brittaine! What I now ſhall ſay,

And doe not ſlightly paſſe theſe words away;

But, be aſſured that when God beginnes,

To bring that vengeance on thee for ſinnes,

Which hazzard will thy totall overthrow,

Thy Prophets, and thy Prieſts ſhall ſlily ſow

The ſeeds of that diſſention, and ſedition,

Which time will ripen for thy ſaid perdition.

But, not unleſſe the Prieſts thereto conſent,

for in thoſe dayes ſhall few men innocent

be grieved (through any quarter of the Land)

In which thy Clergy ſhall not have ſome hand.

If ever in thy fields (as God forbid)

The blood of thine owne children ſhall be ſhed

By civill diſcord, they ſhall blow thy flame,

That will become thy ruine, and thy ſhame;

And thus it will be kindled, when the times

Are nigh at worſt, and thy increaſing crimes,

Almoſt compleate; the Devill ſhall begin,

To bring ſtrange Crotchets and Opinions in

Among thy Teachers, which will breede diſunion

And interrupt the viſible Communion

Of thy eſtabliſh't Church. And in the ſteed

Of zealous Paſtors (who Gods Flocke did feed)

p. 9There ſhall ariſe within thee, by degrees,

A Clergie, that ſhall more deſire to fleece

then feed the Flock. A Clergy it ſhall be

Divided in it ſelfe: and they ſhall thee

Divide among them, into ſeverall factions,

Which rend thee will, and fill thee with diſtractions:

They all in outward-ſeeming ſhall pretend

Gods glory, and to have a pious end;

But under colour of ſincere devotion,

Their ſtudy ſhall be temporall promotion;

Which will among themſelves ſtrong quarrels make,

Wherein thy other children ſhall partake.

As to the Perſons or the cauſe they ſtand

Affected, ev'n quite throughout the Land.

One part of theſe will for preferment ſtrive,

By lifting up the Kings Prerogative

Above it ſelfe; They ſhall perſwade him to

Much more then Law, or Conſcience bids him do;

And ſay God warrants it. His holy Laws

They ſhall protect; to juſtifie their cauſe:

And impudentlie wreſt, to prove their ends,

What God or better purpoſes intends.

They ſhall not bluſh to ſay, that ev'ry King

May doe like Solomon in every thing,

As if they had his warrant: and ſhall dare

Aſcribe to Monarchs, rights that proper are

To none but Chriſt; and mixe their flatteries

With no leſſe groſſe and wicked blaſphemies,

Then Heathens did yea make their King believe,

That whomſoever they oppreſſe or grieve

It is no wrong; nor fit for men oppreſſed

To ſeek by their own Laws to be redreſſed.

Nay further, to their wicked ends they ſhall

p. 10Apply the ſacred Story; or what ever,

May ſeeme to further their unjuſt endeavour

Ev'n what the Sonne of Hannah told the Jewes

Should be their ſcourge (becauſe they did refuſe

The Sov'raignty of God, and were ſo vaine,

To aske a King, which over them might raigne

As Heathen Princes did) that curſe, they ſhall

Affirme to be a Law Monarchicall,

Which God himſelfe eſtabliſhed to ſtand,

Through all ages, and in every Land,

Which is as good Divinity, as they

Have alſo taught, who doe not bluſh to ſay

That Kings may have both Wives and Concubines,

And, by that Rule whereby theſe great Divines

Shall prove their Tenet, I dare undertake

(If found it hold) that I like proofe will make

Of any Jewiſh Cuſtome, and deviſe,

Authoritie for all abſurdities.

But, falſe it is; for, might all Kings at pleaſure

(As by the right of Royaltie) make ceaſure

Of any mans poſſeſſions: why I pray

Did Ahab grieve, that Naboth ſaid him nay?

Why made he not this anſwer thereunto,

(If what the Prophet ſaid ſome Kings would doe,

Were juſtly to be done) thy Vineyard's mine,

And, at my pleaſure, Naboth, all that's thine

Aſſume I may, why, like a Turkie-chicke

Did he ſo fooliſhly grow fullen-ſicke,

And get poſſeſſion by a wicked fact

Of what might have beene his by royall act?

If ſuch Divinitie as this were true,

The Queene ſhould not have needed to purſue

Poore Naboth, as ſhe did, or ſo contrive

His death; ſince by the Kings Prerogative

p. 11She might have got his Vineyard. Nor would God,

Have ſcourg'd that murther with ſo keen a rod,

On Ahab, had he aked but his due:

For, he did neither plot, nor yet purſue

The murther; nor (for ought that we can tell)

Had knowledge of the deed of Jezabel,

Till God reveal'd it by the Prophet to him.

Nor is it ſaid, that Naboth wrong did doe him,

Or diſreſpect, in that he did not yeeld,

To ſell, or give, or to exchange his Field.

Now if what here is mention'd, thou doſt heed,

(Oh Brittaine!) in thoſe times that ſhall ſucceed,

It may prevent much loſſe, and make thee ſhun

Thoſe miſchiefes, whereby Kingdomes are undone.

But, to thy other ſins, if thou ſhalt adde

Rebellions (as falſe Prophets will perſwade)

Which likely are to follow, when thou ſhalt

In thy profeſſion of Religion halt:

Then will thy Kings and people ſcourge each other

For their offences, till both fall together.

By weakning of your powers to make them way,

Who ſeeke and looke for that unhappy day.

Then ſhall diſorder ev'ry where abound,

And neither juſt nor pious man be found,

The beſt ſhall be a Bryer and a Thorn,

By whom their neighbour, ſhall be ſcratcht and torne.

Thy Princes ſhall to nothing condiſcend

For any merit, juſt, or pious end;

But either for increaſing of their treaſure,

Or for accompliſhing their wilfull pleaſure:

And unto what they fell, or daigne for meed,

There ſhall be given little truſt or heed:

For, that which by their words confirme they ſhall

(The Royall ſeales uniting there withall)

p. 12A toy ſhall fruſtrate, and a gift ſhall make

Their ſtrickeſt Orders no effect to take.

The Parents, and the Children ſhall diſpiſe

And hate, and ſpoile each other: ſhe that lies,

Within her husbands boſome, ſhall betray him;

They who thy people ſhould protect, ſhall ſlay them▪

The aged ſhall regarded be of none,

The poore ſhall by the rich be troden on:

Such grievous inſolencies, every where

Shall acted be; that good and bad ſhall feare

In thee to dwell; and men diſcreet ſhall hate

To be a Ruler, or a Magiſtrate;

When they behold (without impenitence)

So much injustice, and ſuch violence.

And when thy wickedneſſe this height ſhall gaine,

To which no doubt it will ere long attaine,

If thou proceed. Then from the bow that's bent,

(And halfe way drawne already) ſhall be ſent

A mortall arrow: and it pierce thee ſhall

Quite through the head, the liver, and the gall.

The Lord ſhall call; and whiſtle from a far,

For thoſe thine enemies that fierceſt are,

For thoſe thou feareſt moſt; and they ſhall from

Their Countries, like a whi…le wind hither come

They ſhall not ſleep, nor ſtumble, nor untie

Their garments, till within thy fields they lie.

Sharpe ſhall their arrowes be, and ſtrong their bow,

Their faces ſhall as full of horrour ſhew,

As doth a Lyons. Like a bolt of thunder,

Their troopes of horſe ſhall come and tread thee under

Their iron feete. Thy foes ſhall eate thy bread,

And with thy Flocks both clothed be and fed.

Thy dwellers, they ſhall tarrie from their own,

To Countries which their Fathers have not knowne:

p. 13And thither ſhall ſuch miſchiefes them purſue,

That they who ſeeke the pit-fall, to eſchew,

Shall in a ſnare be taken. If they ſhall

Eſcape the Sword, and Serpent in the wall

To death ſhall ſting them: yea (although they hap,

To ſhun a hundred plagues) they ſhall not ſcape;

But, with new danger ſtill be chas'd about,

Untill that they are wholly rooted out.

The Plowman, then, ſhall be afraid to ſow;

Artificers, their labour ſhall foregoe;

The Merchant man ſhall croſſe the ſeas no more,

(Except to flie and ſeek ſome other ſhore)

Thy ableſt men ſhall faint, the wiſe ones, then,

Shall know themſelves to be but fooliſh men.

And they who built and planted by oppreſſion

Shall leave their gettings to the foes poſſeſſion.

Yea, God will ſcourge thee, England, ſeven times more,

With ſeven times greater Plagues then heretofore.

Then, thy Allies their friendſhip ſhall withdraw;

And, they that of thy greatneſſe ſtood in awe,

Shall ſay (in ſcorne) is this the valiant Nation,

That had throughout the world ſuch reputation,

By Victories upon the ſhore? Are theſe

That people that were Maſters of the Seas,

And grew ſo mightie? Yea, that prettie Nation,

That not worthie of thy indignation,

Shall mock thee too; and all thy former fame,

Forgot ſhall be, or mention'd to thy ſhame.

Then woe to them who darkneſſe more have lov'd

Then light: and good advice have diſapprov'd:

For they ſhall wander in a crooked path,

Which neither light, nor end, nor comfort hath.

And when for Guides and Counſell, they do cry,

Not one ſhall pitty them who paſſeth by.

p. 14Then woe to them that have corrupted been,

To juſtifie the wicked in his ſin;

Or, for a bribe the righteous to condemn:

For flames (as on the chaffe) ſhall ſeize on them:

Their bodies to the Dunghill ſhall be caſt;

Their flower ſhall turne to duſt; their flock ſhall waſt,

And all the glorious titles they have worne,

Shall but increaſe their infamy and ſcorne.

Then woe to them that have been rais'd aloft

By good mens ruins; and by laying ſoft

And eaſie pillowes under great mens Armes.

To make them pleas'd in their alluring charmes.

We gather Armies, and we Fleets prepare;

And then, both ſtrong and ſafe we thinke we are.

But when we look for Victories and glory,

What follows, but events that make us ſorry?

And 'tis Gods mercy that we turne our faces

With ſo few loſſes, and no more diſgraces.

For what are moſt of thoſe whom we commend

Such actions to; and whom we forth doe ſend

To fight thoſe Battels, which the Lords we call,

But, ſuch as neither fight for him at all?

Whom doſt thou make thy Captaines, and diſpoſe

Such offices unto, but unto thoſe

(Some few excepted) who procure by friends

Command, and pay to ſerve their private ends,

Theſe by their unrepented ſins, betray

Thy Cauſe, by theſe the honour, and the day

Is loſt: and when thou hopeſt that thy trouble

Shall have an end, thy danger waxeth double.

We faine would be at peace, but few men goe

That way, as yet, whereby it may be ſo.

We have not that humility which muſt

effect it: we are falſe and cannot truſt

p. 15Each other, no nor God with true confeſſions;

Which ſhews that we abhor not our tranſgreſſions.

It proves, that of our errors we in heart

Repent not, neither purpoſe to depart

From any folly. For all they that are

Sincerely penitent, doe nothing feare

So much as their owne guilt, nor ſeek to gain

Ought, more then to be reconcil'd again.

And they that are thus minded, never can

Be long unreconcil'd to God or man.

Believe me England, howſoever ſome

Who ſhould foreſee thy plagues before they come,

Endeavour to perſwade thee that thou haſt

A hopefull time, and that the worſt is paſt

Yet I dare boldly tell thee, thou haſt nigh

Worne out Gods patience by impietie.

And that unleſſe the ſame we doe renue

By penitence, our folly we ſhall rue.

And, if we doe not more Gods will regard,

That miſchiefe is but for a time deferr'd.

Be mindfull therefore while it is to day;

And let no good occaſion ſlip away.

Now rend your hearts, ye Brittaines, waſh & rinſe them

From all corruption, from all evill cleanſe them.

Goe offer up the pleasing Sacrifice

Of Righteouſneſſe: from folly turn your eyes.

Seek peace, and follow it with ſtrict purſute:

Relieve the needy; Judgement execute;

Refreſh the weary, right the fatherleſſe:

The ſtrangers and the widdows wants redreſſe:

Give praiſe to God, depend with lowly faith

On him, and what his holie Spirit ſaith:

Remember what a price thy ranſome coſt,

And now redeeme the time that thou haſt loſt.

p. 16Return, return thou (oh back ſliding Nation)

And, let thy teares prevent thy deſolation:

As yet thou maiſt return: For Gods embrace

Is open for thee, if thou haſt the grace

To give it meeting. Yet, Repentance may

Prevent the miſchiefes of that evill day

Which here is mention'd: yet, thou maiſt have peace,

And by diſcreet endeavouring, encreaſe

Each outward grace, and ev'ry inward thing,

Which will additions to thy comfort bring.

Now grant us peace oh Lord! for perilous

the times are growne, and no man fights for us

But thou oh God! Nor do we ſeek or crave,

That any other Champion we may have.

Thy Church in theſe Dominions, Lord preſerve

In puritie, and teach us thee to ſerve

In holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, untill

We ſhall the number of our dayes fulfill.

Defend this Kingdome from all overthrowes,

By forraigne enemies, or home-bred foes.

Our King with ev'ry grace and vertue bleſſe,

With thine honour, and his owne, encreaſe.

Inflame our Nobles with more love and zeale,

To thy true Spouſe, and to this Common-weal.

Inſpire our Clergy in their ſever places,

With knowledge, and all ſanctifying Graces;

That by their lives and doctrines they may reare

Thoſe parts of Zion which decayed are.

Awake theſe People, give them ſoules that may

Believe thy Words, and thy Commands obey.

FINIS.

End of the text · George Wither, Prophecy of our Present Calamity 2 (1643)