Britains Genius, Title page – To the censorious reader
Proſopopoeia Britannica: Britans Genius, OR, Good-ANGEL, perſonated; Reaſoning and adviſing, touching the Games now playing, and the Adventures now at Hazard in theſe Iſlands; and preſaging, alſo, ſome future things, not unlikely to come to paſſe.
Diſcovered, by TERRAE-FILIUS (a well-knowne Lover of the Publike-Peace) when the begetting of Nationall-Quarrell was firſt feared.
Expreſſed in two Lections, or Readings.
For ev'ry thing, which is below the Sun,
There is a Time; For ſome things, more then One:
And, if this be well tim'd, the Game is done.
To all men, GOD, in Mercy, Once doth come:
Calls twice, or thrice; yeā, many times, on ſome:
And they who ſleight his Grace, must feel his doome,
Since, then, for once abuſing Love, ſome fall;
Let it be, ſeriouſly, well-weigh'd, of all,
What may betide thoſe, who, ſtill, ſleight it ſhall.
LONDON, Printed by Robert Auſtin. 1648.
To the meeke ingenuous Reader.
THough much contempt is caſt on Poeſie,
The Meek, and men of Ingenuity,
Still, entertaine her with reſpective eares,
When, on her proper Errand, ſhe appeares.
For, Sacred-things, and Things moſt pertinent
To Mans well being, by that Inſtrument,
Have been conveyed, ev'n in ev'ry Nation,
(Yea, and almoſt, in ev'ry Generation)
Some Poets have prov'd Prophets, to foretell,
Things Future, many yeares ere they befell:
And ſure, the Latines, to imply the ſame,
To Poets, and to Prophets, gave one Name.
To You, therefore, this Poem will not ſeem
Unuſefull, or unworthy of eſteem;
Nor ſhall, to you, the matter be in vaine,
Nor want that End, whereto it may pertaine;
But, ſtir up thoſe Affections, and that Care
Which may awake you, timely, to prepare
Againſt the ſad, and Evill day, wherein
The Scorners muſt have payment for their ſin,
For, This, will paſſe by Them, as doth a Blast,
Whereof, but few take heed, till it be paſt,
And, leaves Effects behind it, which may ſhow
What Blaſt it was, and whence that wind did blow.
To you, therefore, the Author recommends
Theſe muſings, as to them, among his Friends,
Who, ſhall poſſeſſe the Earth, when thoſe who flour,
At wholeſome Counſell, ſhall be rooted out.
He to your Doome Appeales: And if but Three,
Who, zealous of the Publike ſafety be;
Or, but two Wiſemen; Or, but One, who loves
The Peace of GOD, theſe Raptures well approves;
He, ſhall be honour'd, by ſuch Approbations,
More, then by all the Fooles of theſe three Nations.
To the ſcornfully Cenſorious.
WHat have we here? ſaies pride-puft-ignorance
More Poetry? yes foole; more, too, perchance
Then thou wilt like; and, more, for thee to jeere,
Till foaming at thy mouth, thy Braines appeare
Through witleſſe Choler, when thy ſoule ſhall dread,
What, thou with ſcornfull diſreſpect, haſt read.
But, (ſaies a ſecond) this, eight monthes agoe
Appear'd in Manuſcript: well, grant it ſo;
What is infer'd? The Author, do not blame,
That, untill now, you have not, ſeen the ſame;
For, Truth gets Licence hardly; and, the Preſſe
VVas, then, at your diſpoſure, not at his.
VVho. (ſaies a third) is he, that, in this wiſe,
Our Genius perſonates? A fourth, replies,
The matter, and the Phraſe, their Author ſhew:
SIRS, if ye gueſſe right, much good do it you.
If you, be therewith pleaſed, ſo, is he;
If not, he, therewith troubled will not be:
For, he regards not, ſo much, how to pleaſe,
As, how to cure the generall diſeaſe.
That, is his chiefeſt aime: to that intent,
Himſelfe, and fortunes, he hath freely ſpent,
As well as time and words; which, when he dies,
VVill gaine him, what your malice, yet, denies.
If, you, hereby, ſhall reap no benefit,
The maine obſtruction, will be want of wit;
Or, in the wanting, rather, of his grace;
Whoſe love, you ſleighted, when it offer'd was.
Read, if ye liſt; But, who compos'd the ſame,
Inquire not; for, (although to ſhew his Name
He never was afraid) it ſutes not now,
With his deſigne, that he ſhould tell it you;
Nor, can it be materiall, ſo you heed,
And prudently conſider what ye read:
For, whom, or whatſoere, he may appeare,
That, will be true, which he expreſſeth here.