What Peace to the Wicked, Poem
What Peace to the wicked? OR, An Expoſtulatorie Anſwer TO A Deriſorie Queſtion, Lately made CONCERNING PEACE.
BY A Free-man, though a Priſoner.
The AUTHOR ſpares his Name; not, that he dares not To let you know it; but, becauſe he cares not. George Withers
Aug: 3d London Printed in the Yeer 1646.
An Expoſtulatorie Anſwer to a Deriſorie Queſtion lately made concerning PEACE.
ONe, who hath, ſeldome, in his daies,
From Fools, or Knaves, had love or praiſe;
And, who, throughout this Iſle, is knowne,
With cheerfulneſſe, to have beſtowne
His Wit, Paines, Perſon and Eſtate,
The Publike-Rights to vindicate,
Along impriſonment hath had,
For calling of a Spade, a Spade;
Which (if a Court-Card) might have been
Next to the King, except the Queen.
As He, in his confinement lay,
Some asked him, the other day,
When he ſuppos'd this Warre ſhould end,
Or what ſucceſſes would attend
Our hopes of Peace: which Queſtion, tho
From Levity it ſeem'd to flow,
Or, ſcoffingly, to be expreſt,
Receiv'd this Anſwer, not in jeſt.
Why ask ye when this Warre will ceaſe?
Or, when this Kingdome ſhall have PEACE?
As if you thought, I could fore-ſhew
What things hereafter would enſue:
Or, as if when the Truth were told,
You value, or believe it could;
Who, nor eſteem, nor uſe have made
Of thoſe Fore-warnings you have had?
They that will know what ſhall ſucceed,
Muſt of Things-paſt take ſerious heed;
And, gleane Inſtructions, whilſt they may,
From Actions of the preſent-Day:
For, paſt, and preſent Time declares,
What, for the Future, GOD prepares;
And, till theſe quicken their fore-ſights,
Men ſit in darkneſſe, till he ſmites.
If to this Queſtion, you would know
An Anſwer, which the Truth ſhall ſhow,
And, not (with Ahab-like-Deſires)
Wiſh all your Prophets would be liers;
Then, ask your Conſciences, and they
Will tell, what things expect you may:
For, let my Troubles never ceaſe,
If ever ſome have other Peace
Then what their Conſciences fore-ſee,
Though KING and PARLIAMENT agree
But, leſt the Conſcience may be ſear'd;
Or, leſt Deluſions have appear'd,
Which promiſe Peace, when ſhe is fled,
(And Vengeance hangeth over-head)
Ask your own Feares, and humane-Reaſon▪
What they conjecture of the ſeaſon:
Ask them, what ſigne it is of Peace,
When wickedneſſe doth more increaſe;
What may be hop'd for of that Nation,
That ſleights her dayes of Viſitation;
That mendeth not for words, nor blowes▪
That, in reforming, worſer growes;
That ſuffers them who ſerve Her beſt,
To be moſt wronged, and oppreſt;
And, on her Face, all tokens hath
Of deſolation, and of wrath.
When this is well inquired out,
If ſtill you ſhall remaine in doubt,
What we may ſeem fore-doom'd unto;
Let me perſwade you thus to do.
Get information, when the KING
Intends a Palinode to ſing;
When he will their ill-counſells leave,
Who are deceived, and deceive:
What ſetled peace we can deviſe,
Whilſt Irelands-blood for vengeance cries:
Whilſt they, who ſought to have begot
A Schiſme betwixt Ʋs, and the Scot,
Have Truſt, or Power: or, els, whilſt they
Eſcape unblam'd, who ſcandals lay
Upon that Army, by whoſe hand
GOD, hath from Thrall, redeem'd this Land;
Both to the grief, and ſhame, of them,
VVho, their beginnings did contemne.
Or, whilſt the perſon of the PRINCE,
(VVhichWhich traiterouſly was ſent from hence)
Is kept in France, to have ſome fine
New-fooliſh-miſchievous Deſigne
Rais'd thereupon; for, who can tell,
But, that, he there ſo long may dwell,
As, his due birth-right to recover,
And, bring his Peaſant-Subjects over,
To help perſwade with us, that we
VVould, here, be ſlaves, as, there, they be.
Now, if this be the plot, I feare,
It will be long, ere Peace be here.
VVhat Peace can we expect, whilſt they
Who ſpoiled us, not onelyonly may
Finde mercy, (which we could allow)
But, ſo imperious, alſo grow,
As, to reproach us to our Faces,
Ev'n in our priviledged-Places?
Who, once, thought better fruits would come
By that which we have parted from:
But mark the end; and judge what Peace
VVill follow, when your friends decreaſe;
VVhen more Malignants are return'd;
VVhen they who love the State, are ſcorn'd;
And ſome, who ſerv'd it, heretofore,
Are growne as mad, as they are poore.
If, yet, you cannot well diſcerne,
VVhen Peace will back again returne,
Get knowledge, with all ſpeed ye may,
VVhat game Malignants have to play;
How farre they have, as yet, to run
In that wild Courſe, too ſoone begun;
VVhen they are like to call to minde
VVhat lies before them, and behinde;
VVhat future-plot it may advance,
To let ſo many paſſe to France,
On their bare words, who careleſſe are
Of what they either ſay, or ſweare:
VVhat can be hoped-for, of thoſe
VVho are, irrationally, Foes:
VVith ſafety, what we can propound,
VVhere, little, ſave deceit, is found:
Or, what good Harveſt can be mowne,
VVhere, onelyonly, miſchiefe hath been ſowne:
And, when theſe things are truly weigh'd,
You'l thinke as much as may be ſaid.
If not; then, next, inquire, how long
Diviſions will be rais'd among
The Lords and Commons; and, when we
Shall finde both Houſes ſo agree,
That, to the publike detriment,
Nor Houſe, nor Member ſhall diſſent,
Or be united; but, inſiſt
Upon the common-intereſt;
And, Priviledge, nor Cuſtome, ſtraine,
An Innovation to maintaine,
VVherby they may invade each other,
Or, ſeparate from one another:
For, you have heard what lot betides
A Houſe, or Kingdom, that divides;
And know, what's likely to ſucceed,
Till our Peace-makers are agreed.
If, waſt, Jeruſalem was made,
VVho, therein, but three factions, had;
This Iſland, how may we deplore,
VVherein are three times three, and more!
Some, with the Parliament partake;
Some, for the King a party make,
As he is King: And, ſome, that, He
A Tyrant might become to be:
Some, would a Popular-eſtate;
Some, Ariſtocracie create:
Some, are a faction, for the Pope;
Some, to maintain the Prelates hope;
Some, for the Preſbyterians vote;
Some, Independency promote,
Some, ſtrive for this, and ſome for that,
Some, neither know, nor care for what,
So Wars go on, and get they may
Free-quarter, Plunder, and their Pay.
Some, fight their Liberties to ſave;
Some, that they others might inſlave;
Some, for Religion, and for CHRIST;
Some, that, they may do what they liſt;
Some, for the Common-wealths availe;
Some, for themſelves, with tooth, and naile;
And, they that have the baſeſt end,
As fairly, as the beſt, pretend;
Not caring, whether their deſire
Obtained be, by ſword, or fire;
By truth or lies, with love or hate;
By treachery, or faire debate.
This is our poſture; and, whilſt we
So fooliſh, falſe, and factious be,
(Or whilſt affaires continue thus)
Who knowes what will become of us?
Or, when the man, who theſe lines pen'd,
Shall find good uſage, or a friend?
Ask thoſe who now of peace do dream,
Who, ſhall procure the ſame, for them,
If many are become their foes,
Whom they to be their Champions choſe:
If theſe our ſubſtance have beſtown,
To make new fortunes, of their own;
If they the publike wrongs encreaſe,
To gain themſelves a private peace;
If yet, the people doubtings have,
What to refuſe, or what to crave;
If they unſetled, yet, abide,
And conſtant unto neither ſide;
If, ſcarcely, they reſolved are,
Whether, they would have peace, or warre;
Or, whether re-admit they ſhall
Charles to be King, or none at all;
For, doubtleſſe, if theſe matters go
As honeſt men much fear they do,
A wiſe man needs not break his brain
To ſearch what peace we ſhall obtain;
Since, whilſt thus blind, and mad we be,
What will enſue, a foole may ſee.
Ask of our Lords, that, were the skreen
Which, anciently, did ſtand between
The King, and Commons, what th'intaile
Of titles, without power, availe
To ſuch an uſe; And, how the ſhade
Of what their Predeceſſors had
Shall find ſufficiencie to do,
What, oft, the ſubſtance reach'd not to:
And, having weigh'd what they are now;
What they have been; what they may grow,
And, what we feare, till fixt they are,
As honourably, in their ſpheare,
As heretofore: Or, till the State
Shall all her ſpheares anew create,
And place them ſo, that, neither Orb
Each others motion ſhall diſturb;
Think, what we juſtly may expect
Thoſe claſhings will, at laſt effect,
Which now obſtructive are; and may
Deſtructive prove, another day;
If ſome new miſchief ſhould begin
Without our circle, or within,
Before the feinds appeas'd are grown,
Which, we have almoſt conjur'd down:
For, by conſid'ring things like theſe,
You may conjecture, if you pleaſe,
(Without a new Prognoſtication)
What will befall this Generation.
Yet, leaſt preſumptions may ariſe
(To foole you with falſe hopes and lies)
Obſerve the Commons, if, of them,
None ſerve two Maſters at a time:
Nay, ſearch if none among them be
Who, ſervants are, this day, to three,
And falſe to all: Obſerve, of thoſe
Whom we for publike-ſervice choſe,
How many fail'd the Common-truſt;
How vile ſome are, and how unjuſt:
How perilous, and hard a taske▪
It is, thoſe Members to unmaske
That, in affection, are unſound;
How much more hard when they are found
To cut them off: what mean effect
The faithfull party muſt expect
Concerning peace, while ſuch as they
The cunning Ambodexters play;
And what ſmall hope there is of reſt,
While we have Cancers in our breaſt.
Ask them, who ſit to take Accounts,
To what their two years paine amounts;
Or, what the Common-wealth it betters,
When they have found who are her debters;
If, when their guiltineſſe is known,
And publiſhed throughout the town,
A cheating-Sharke may raile at them
Who juſtly have convicted him;
Yea, be employed as before,
Where he may cheat the State of more;
And be as confident, as tho
He merited by doing ſo.
Aske, if they have not power to call
Aſwell the great ones, as the ſmall,
To give accompt; Thoſe, whom we heare
Cum Privil…gio (as it were)
Have plunder'd, at an eaſie rate,
Coyne, Jewells, Houſhold-ſtuffe and Plate;
And if you find they have not leave
To queſtion all men who deceive
The Publike-Truſt, know, we are yet,
For Peace with Righteouſneſſe, unfit.
Then ſearch, if you have eyes to ſee
Paths, that ſo blind, ſo crooked be,
What courſes thoſe Committees take
Which, every where, ſuch rumblings make.
Marke ſeriouſly, if they appeare
Such, as the people ſay they are;
So falſe, ſo proud, ſo inſolent,
So careleſſe whom they diſcontent;
So ſcandalous unto the State,
In proſecuting private hate;
So bold, from Equity to varie,
By courſes meerly Arbitrarie;
And if you finde them to be ſuch,
You need not then to queſtion much
What will befall this harrowed Land,
VVhile theſe Authorized ſhall ſtand.
Then, mark what favours now ſome have
Who ſought theſe Kingdomes to inſlave;
How well-befriended, ſome appeare,
Who Neuters were, and worſe now are;
How, ſome expoſed be to ſcorne
Who, of this warre, the heat have borne;
What ſcandalls are of them devis'd;
How their deſerts are under-priz'd:
And, having heedfully ſurvey'd
How good, with evill, is repay'd;
Mind well the Doctrine, and the uſe,
And think, what theſe things may produce.
Enquire, moreover, how you find
To workes of mercy, men inclin'd;
How, their poor wives and children fare,
Who for their Countre… ſlaughter'd are;
How, honeſt cauſes are preferr'd;
How ſpeedily your ſuits are heard;
How Offices conferred be;
And if ſome have not two, or three,
Who for the publike, neither ſpent,
Nor gave, nor hazzarded, nor lent,
Ought worth regard, whilſt they have none,
Who in your ſervice, were undone.
Obſerve, how equally men ſhare
Thoſe Penſions which allowed are:
How little Beſt-deſervers get;
How many of them, nere a whit;
How conſcionably, and, how well,
Rewards, and Puniſhments, we deal,
Which are the Pillars, whereon ſtand
The Peace, and Honour of the Land.
Obſerve, if when we ſpend a day
In praiſes, or to faſt, and pray,
If preaching tend not more to ſtrife.
Then to ſound-Doctrine, or good-life;
If more we ſeeke not to fulfill
Our ſev'rall humours, and our will,
Then to performe a Thank-oblation,
Or, duties of Humiliation;
Or, if the worſhip we profeſſe
Be not an out-ſide holineſſe,
No deeper rooted then the tongue;
Forc'd fruit, that fades as ſoon as ſprung:
For, as it proveth, when you ſee
Theſe things to tryall brought ſhall be,
You may without much failing, gheſſe,
What likelihoods we have of Peace.
Then, if you be not ſome of thoſe
Who ſlight what other men propoſe,
How probable ſoere it ſeem,
(Unleſſe it may advantage them,
Or propagate the private ends,
Of their Confederates, and Friends)
An eare, and eye, pray ſomtime have ye
Upon our Armies, and the Navie:
An eye, ſecurely to behold;
An care to heare what hath been told,
Of ſome, who much intruſted were
With Arms, and with proviſions there;
Or, had Commiſſions to array,
To furniſh, fortifie, or pay
Ships, Forts, or men: And, thoſe in chief,
Employ'd for Irelands firſt relief,
And our firſt Armies; Ev'n, when all
Did lye at ſtake, and ſeem to call
For faithfull, ſtout, and honeſt men:
Obſerve, how they diſcharged, then,
The truſt repos'd; how, ſome were made
Commanders; pay, and titles had;
But ſcarce a man: how, others, now,
Have us'd the Common-wealth, and you:
And, if in any, you ſhall find
Ʋeceit, in this accurſed kind,
Forgive them not; yea, when at laſt
Acts of Oblivion, ſhall be paſt
For open foes; no grace provide
For men untrue to their owne ſide,
Leaſt, as our Peace, they have deferr'd,
They marre it, likewiſe, afterward:
But, as occaſions offered be,
Mind them, although you mind not me:
For, where, in favour, ſuch are found
When peace is made, 'twill not be ſound.
Enquire, (if you can tell of whom
To make inquirie) what's become
Of all the publike Proteſtations,
Ingag'd for private Reparations;
What, of that Vow, which did expreſſe
A mutuall-aid, in all diſtreſſe;
What of the ſelf-denying-Vote,
Which goodly hopes in us begot;
What of thoſe Orders, whereupon
Some truſted, till they were undone;
What of the publike-Faith, in which
We thought our ſelves exceeding rich,
Though all were loſt, ſo that remain'd
Inviolated, and unſtain'd:
Inquire (I ſay) throughout the Land,
In what condition theſe now ſtand;
For, when of theſe you have obtain'd
That certainty, which may be gain'd,
It will, undoubtedly, appeare
What we may either hope or feare.
Inquire yet further, (leaſt you may
Expect, perhaps, a Sunſhine-day,
And meet a ſtorme) in what good mind
That ſort of people you ſhall find
Yeleep'd the Clergie: For, the Stem
Of all our miſchiefs was in Them.
Their faction, avarice, and pride,
Did, firſt of all, this Iſle divide.
From them, at firſt, the Firebrand came
That ſet this Empire in a flame;
When 'twas nigh quench'd again, they blew
Thoſe coals, which did the fires renew,
They did the Nations re-ingage;
The peoples vexed minds inrage,
By fained ſhowes, and falſe pretences,
Abuſing tender conſciences.
The courſe, by them, at firſt, begun
Is, to this day, continued on:
And, therefore, take this Truth from me,
For, you ſhall find it true to be:
That, till you ſee theſe more eſtrang'd
From what they were; their poſture chang'd;
Yea, till they better their condition;
Confine themſelves to their Commiſſion;
Leave off to jangle, fool, and fiddle
With what they ſhould not intermeddle;
And, be as pious, and as wiſe
As they are outwardly preciſe;
(And, as thoſe few among them are,
For whoſe ſakes God abates the war)
Nor King, nor Peers, nor Commons neither,
Nor theſe united altogether,
Shall able be that Peace to make
Which their contentions will not ſhake
Make one inquirie more, to ſee,
And ſearch, what moſt of thoſe men be,
On whoſe endeavours you depend
To bring your troubles to an end▪
Mark, how their Duties they attend
In private, how their time they ſpend;
VVhat company they moſt frequent;
VVhat matters give them beſt content;
VVhat conſcience of their debts they make;
What wrongs they do; what bribes they take;
What by their neighbours they were thought
Til they obtained what they ſought;
And, to what purpoſe they employ,
The power, and places, they enjoy.
Then caſt an eye upon the Rabble;
And, taking view (if you be able)
Of all together, great and ſmall,
Mark well the Tantamount of all.
Mark, if we be not like an Hoaſt
That's routed when the battell's loſt;
And, if we deale not gifts, and blowes,
Like madmen, both to friends and foes:
Mark, how thoſe hypocrites, that here
Promoters of the truth appeare,
VValk in their masking-ſuits abroad,
As if they thought, to cozen God,
As they do men▪ Mark too, that crew,
VVhichWhich is prophane in open view,
How boldly, and how daringly
(Ev'n when Gods thunderbolts do fly)
They do offend; and, whether we
May not to thoſe, compared be,
VVho, ſawing are thoſe planks aſunder,
VVhereon they ſtand, when Hell is under.
VVhen theſe inquiries you have made,
To ſee what light may thence be had;
And when you know, as well as I,
Thoſe hindrances, and reaſons, why
That VOICE of Peace, yet goes not on,
VVhichWhich this time twelve monethmonth was begun;
And, ſhall obſerve, with due regard,
VVhat hath been formerly declar'd;
I will diſcloſe a great deal more,
Then I have told you heretofore:
But, not till then: yet, leaſt you may
Deſpaire, or faint, before that day;
I will deliver, ere I go,
A comfortable word or two.
There may be PEACE, ere long, though y…
We nor know how, nor merit it:
For, GOD oft ſhewes great mercies, where
The greateſt of all ſinners are;
And if ſelf-ſeekers be deſcri'd,
Before this Iſle they more divide;
If Factions, VVrongs, and Diſcontent
Indanger not this Parliament;
And, if the Faithfull-Members can
But caſt out from them now and than
A trouble-houſe: And, timely ſwage
The vexed peoples riſing rage;
Offer, three more, ſuch peace-oblations
As that was of th'EXAMINATIONS;
And out of Counties, Towns, and Cities,
One Hecatombe of their Committees;
And, by their prudence, worke it ſo,
That honeſt men eſteem'd may grow;
That, Prieſt and People, down may lay
Their works of ſtubble, and of hay,
Their names, and terms, of SEPARATION▪
And meekly ſeeke the preſervation
Of TRƲTH, in LOVE; if, in one yeare,
Peace be not firmely ſetled here;
My loanes, and loſſes, yet unpaid,
(With my Arrears, three years delay'd)
Ile forfeit wholly to the State;
And, live ſtill, as I've done of late,
By ſwallowing wrongs, by empty Aire,
And, patience, kept, through faith, and prayer,
Thus, to the Queſtion made, you have
That Anſwer, which our Priſoner gave▪
VVho, other Tales will tell, if He
Much longer, ſhall impriſon'd be.
A Spaniel beaten, at your foot will lie:
An Engliſh-Maſtive, at your face will flie.
Take this, and conſider of it, till more comes.
End of the text · George Wither, What Peace to the Wicked (1646)