Classic Poem

Oh what a wicked, wretched worlde is this?
so little fayth in Sowles, or love in Hartes;
so many Mindes, minde nothing but amiss?
thus on the Earth can Devills playe theyr partes?

to poyson Sowles, w th such Infernall Dartes?
can nothing flow, but wealth and wickednes?
to drown the World in all vngodlines?

What Mischiefe walkes among the minds of Men?
will nothing serve theyr discontented Wills?

must they needs runne into the Devills denne?

are theese the Scopes of Machivilian skills?

that all the Worlde, with his Infection fills?
Oh God, what Devill, could in ill goe further?
then Pride in malice practise hellish Murther?

To kill at all is an vnkinde desire:
to kill a Foe, is but a bloudie fact:
to kill a Friend, a heate of hellish fire:
to kill a Neighbour, an vngratious act:
to kill a Brother Horrors fowle Abstract:
to kill a Father, too vnnaturall:

to kill a King the wicked'st deede of all.

For, Father, Brother, Neighbour, Friend or Foe
in each of theese, but fewe to Ruine runne;
but, in a King, or Princes overthrowe,
how many thowsand Thowsands are vndonne?

woe woorth the hand, it such ill threed hath spunne:

as, by the woork of Sathans wickednes
a Worlde of Christians should endure Distress.

But, alltogither, King, Queene Prince, and Peere;

the Byshoppe, Judge, the Lorde, the Magistrate;
when they should all in Parliament appeere:
for the establishing of a blessèd State:
even then to shew the horror of theyr hate:
by force of Fire, devisèd for the nonce;

to teare the howse and blow them vp at once.

What Eare can heere, whose spiritt doth not tremble?
to thinck vpon the horror of this Act?
if all the Devills did in Hell assemble;
among themselves, to make a fowle Compact:
how could they finish, a more heynous fact?
then so to seeke the Ruine of a State:
and leave so faire a Land so desolate.

But, God on High, that from his Seate beholdeth,
Heaven, Earth, Sea Hell & what each one contayneth;
and every thought of every harte vnfoldeth;
and, for his service all and som retayneth:

hating the pride, his powrefull hand disdayneth;

hath broke the Force of all theyr wicked frame;

and made theyr woorke vnto the world a shame.

But this good God, that gave vs our good King;
and made the sorrowes of our harts to ceasse,

reveales all Tractes, it doe of Treason spring:
blesseth our Land, preserves itt in his peace,
and doth our sowles, from sinnefull feares release:
how can his name, inough be prays'd of us?
that shew's his care his love and mercy thus:

But, oh the griefe of griefs, in gratious thought
to see a Villayne on a vertuous King,
by secrett malice, to have Murther sought:
Murther on him, and of his after-spring.
what Eare hath heard of a more Hellish thing?
then, for a little gayne of Prides Content
to practice Murther on the Innocent.

Our gratious King, on whome the King of Grace
hath rayn'd a shewre of his æternall graces;
and over vs, hathe given the Kingly place,
of high Comaund Comaund the King of places;
ordeyn'd for him, and for his Royall Races;
this godly King, that God himself hathe sent vs,
What doe wee ayle? that hee cannott content vs?

To whome is hee a foe? but to our foes?
A Neighbour borne, and ever found a friend;
in love a brother, and his care who knowes,
might as a soonne, a Fathers Love comend:
and for a King, lett itt be wisely ween'd,
and Reasons Eies will see that Royalty
that will coniure a Christians Loyalty.

Whose proovèd love, hathe he left vnregarded?

whome, but the wicked, hathe he ever hated?
whose vertuous Acts, hathe he left vnrewarded?
whose power, but Prides, hathe ever he abated?
whose humble Suits, hathe he left disalated?
whose true affect, but hee in favour Graceth?
whose Vertuous lyfe? but hee in love embraceth?

Whose virgins, hathe his wanton love deflowrèd?
whose worthy honour, hathe his skorne disgracèd?
whose wealth hathe he with Avarice devourèd?
whose love despisèd? or whose fame defacèd?
or vertuous person from his place displacèd?
what provèd grace, but in his grace approvèd?
of gracious harts, to make his Grace belovèd:

Learnings advauncer, and Religions love;
Wisedoms Affecter, Reasons Studient;
Valours Mayntayner, Vertues Turtle Dove;
Graces Companion. Honors Continent;
of Maiestie Earth's Royall president;
Heavens gratious blessing & worlds worthy wonder
live our king James to bring Earths kingdome vnder.

Amen good God, and, Devill lett him bee
who, to this Prayer, will nott say Amen:
blinde be his Eies, and, lett him neuer see;
that hydes himself, in vtter Darcknes Denne;
and, pinues his thoughts, vp in Impatience penne:
Where, by the Traynes, of Treasons fowle Illusion
hee brings both Sowle and body to Confusion.

When God in Mercy, sends a Gratious King;
a King, in Grace gives token of his love;
a loving King, is such a heav'nly thing;
as only, Grace, doth give from God above:
to such a king, who doth a Traytour prove,
to God, and Man, doth fall out so vngratefull;
as both to God, and Man must needs be hatefull;

Fie on the worlde, that ever wickednes,
should roote it self so, in the hart of Man:
while graceles thoughts, in all vngodlines;

doe only tincke, vpon the goulden panne;
and, make theyr bread, of an vnkindly Branne;
which seeming Wheate, is but a Hellish weede
sown by the Devill, in a wicked seede.

The buizie braynes, that in theyr high Conceipts:
beginne to build strange Castles in the Ayer;
will finde theyr humours fall out but deceipts:
where lacke of witt, doth prove butt Follies heire:
while Patience passion, sitts in sorrowes chayre
to see Repentance probe the best event;
that can fall out of Rashnes discontent.

Prowd Lucifer, an Angell was of light,
till hee presum'd, to mount a steppe to high;
but see what grew, of this vngratious fight;
from Heaven to Hell, he gatt his fall therby;
a iust rewarde, of wicked Treacherie:
where losse of Grace, and gayne of endless griefe,

payes home the prowd the Traytor and the Thiefe.

For Pride first layes the wicked plott of Treason;
Treason steales in, to the Ambitious breast;
Ambition robbs, both witt and sence of Reason
the hart, of truthe, the spiritte of his rest;
and makes it cursèd, that might ells be blest;
Oh hellish Pride, the Essence of all Euill;
and only liue, to leade Man to the Devill.

Why, Pride, doth blinde the Eie, Infects the Minde

vennums the harte, and gives the Sowle a sting;
and in all vileness, of so vile a kinde;
none can describe itt, 'tis so vile a thing;
itt doth ill humours, to such Issue bring;
that pittie 'twere, but such a plague approvèd
from Christian harts, should ever be removèd.

O the sweete sence of Loves Humilitie,
which feares displeasure, in a deerest friend;
the only note of truth's Nobilitie,
whose woorthy grace is gracèd without end.
for who wants Fayth, wants little of a Friend;
while Faythfull love, in humble truth approovèd
doth ever live of God, and Man belovèd.

Alas, the little time of Natures leave,
to runne the Course of her alotted Care;

where idle shadowes, doe the Eie deceive
that only hunteth, after Fortunes Share
and, had, must leave itt e're it be aware;

looke, looke att Heaven, and lett the world goe by
better to die to live then live to die.

Oh 'tis a Woe, to thinck vpon the thought
that entreth into a defilèd harte,

and with what speede, the witt is overwrought
that once is led, to learne the Devills Arte
who will have all, if once he gett a parte,
while, still, one sinne, he heapes vpon another
till he the Sowle in vtter darckness smother.

Hee makes a King, esteem'd belowe his state;
Murther, a Plott, where Pollicie may plodde;
Pride, a brave humor, Wealth, a Magistrate
Content, a Kingdome and a King, a God;
butt, in these humors, Heaven an[d] Hell are odde:
For good mistaken, prove's in fine so evill,
as farre from God, doth make him prove a Devill:

What can be thought to be the fruict of Treason?
feare in the thoughts, before it be effected;
a lacke of Grace, and, an abuse of Reason:
where heedless witt, is all by will directed,
till bothe, by wisedome, ruin'd and reiected:
while hope of honor, runnes on Fortunes wheeles,
find's Death and Hell, to followe att theyr heeles.

Who can have pittie on so vile a sowle?
as Murther seekes, on such a gratious King?
his name is surely in the Devills Rowle;
whose hart hath thought, of such a Hellish thing:
for, butt from Hell doe all such horrors spring:
Where, lett vs see, how wicked witts doe woorcke

and how the Devill in theyr wills doth lurcke.

When Craft hath gotten Wealth, and Riches ease
and Ease, bredd Pride; and Pride, Ambition;
Ambition seekes, but itt owne self to please;
and lack of pleasure breedes Sedition;
there, if a wicked Sowles condition;
beginne to build the Tower of Babilon,
who would not laugh att his Confusion?

Who hathe enough, and yett will seeke for more
lett him remember Midas choaking gould;

and such a Steward for the Devills store,
only in Hell doth his high Office hold;
who hathe for Coyne, his Sowle and Conscience solde:
A Traytor proves in such a high degree

as meritts hanging on the highest Tree.

Oh, when a Crue of idle headded witts,

y t thinck they have a world within theyr braynes
to Counsaile fall in theyr fantastick fitts,
by lacke of Grace, to all vngratious Traynes;
see, how they make theyr profitt of theyr paynes:
Sorrow, and shame, Despaire, Death, & Damnation
the story writes of Judas Consternation.

Oh glorious God since Man was first created
was ever hard so great a Villanie?
or ever Men deserv'd so to be hated?
as this accursèd hellish, Compàny?
that, in theyr Sowles could hyde such Treacherie?

lett all the World, through all the Worlde goe seeke

what Age hathe seene, or Eare hathe hard the like.

Butt our good God, it with his glorious Eie
beholds his Children in his chary love;

and, in the greatnes of his Maiestie,

y e seelly weakenes of our Sowles doth prooue;
from his great Mercy in the Heavens above;
Even when wee most, his Mercy have offended
still from destruction hath our state defended.

Oh blessèd Bryttayne, more then greatly blessed,
in God, thy King, his Counsaile, and thy state:
how can his glory, be enough expressed?

which to the worlde, thy wonder may relate,
where, nott by force of Fortune, nor of Fate
butt, by his Grace, thy King and Counsailes Care
this thy deliverance, iustly may declare.

Oh heathen hatefull, and most hellish sowles
voyde of all thought of God, or of his Grace;

y t so could make, y eir throates, such blouddie bowlles.
and such a poyson in theyr spiritts place

y e roote of Honor from the land to race:

oh it such beasts, as such a shame doe beare
could be forgott as if they never weare.

Surely in Hell, this plott, had first a breeding
from thence, in lowe places talk't vpon;
low in a Sellar, had itt then proceeding;
to seeke a Kingdomes whole Confusion
by a most horrible destruction;
thus, low in hell, & Earth, by wicked fiends
wicked beginnings make as wicked eends.

But, truly, lowly, had those spiritts bene,
they had nott sett, theyr haughty minds so high;
nor, had theyr Eies w th shame and sorrowe seene
the hatefull fruictes of Hellish Treachery;
butt Pryde, the plotter of all Villany,
in cursèd thoughts, where all confusions dwell,
wrought low on Earth to bring them down to Hell.

For Gallowes mindes, not gallant mindes indeede
that make Rebellion, but a Rule of witt
doe seeldome better with theyr Treason speede;
then iustly is, for such Offences fitt;
for, God himself, that ever hateth itt,
howe're the Devill blinde theyr damnèd eies
will plague them with a world of Miseries.

Fooles, more then madd w th strange Imaginations.
aspiring higher, then the hope of Grace,
doe headlong runne theyr sowles into damnation
careles to note, the nature of theyr race,
while Beggars seeke, both lorde and King to place;
and, woorke such wonders, as were never knowne,
till all theyr wicked thoughts be overthrowne.

For, when King, Prince, & lord, & knight were gone
then Beggars would beginne a government:
and Lords, and Princes, should be every one

within the Compasse of the Continent
of this rebellious beastly Rablement;
but of this Dreame, see what awake doth fall
the Hangman cums, and makes an end of all.

For, was there ever such an idle Dreame?
to overthrowe a Kingdome with a Blast?

did ever witt so worke against the Streame?

all care of Conscience, from the Sowle to cast?
and with theyr Sowles, to runne to hell so fast?

itt can nott be, but thatt the Men were madd,
that in theyr braynes such wicked humours hadd.

Doe wee not see itt every hower effected?
Treason still hatefull, both to God and Man?
and traytrous harts, from heavenly truth reiected;

and, Hell the place, where first the Plott began;

when first the Devill sought the spoyle of Man;
where Evahs pryde, and Judas avarice,

doe shew the substance of theyr deep device.

Oh Pride, betrayer of vntempered thought
and avarice the enimie of Grace;

w ch brings the happs of all theyr hopes to nought;
that in theyr sowles doe suffer them a place;
most filthy sinnes, that doe all fame deface;
God bless all Brittaynes and all Brittany
from all the vennum of such Villany.

And sweete Lords, it you doe playnely see,
how God doth plague this hellish sinne of pride;

and what the ends of all such Traytours bee
that in theyr harts doe such a vennum hide;
Oh lett itt never, neere your harts abide
but, thinck, the note of truthes Nobilitie
all in the vertue of Humilitie.

Which grace is gratious in the sight of God,
makes Men, as Saincts and Women Angells seeme;
makes sinne forgotten; Mercy vse no rodd,
and constant fayth, to growe in greate esteeme:
where Wisedomes care, can never truthe misdeeme

and is, in summe a blessing of the Highest

and to the Nature of himself the nighest.

Itt maketh vertue, so in Beautie shine,
as if on Earth, there were a heav'nly light;
itt maketh witt, in wisedome so divine
as if the Eie, had a Cœlestiall sight;
itt is a Guide that lead's the spirite right;

vnto the place of that æternall rest,
wherein the spirite lives for ever blest.

Itt makes a Court a kinde of Paradise

in subiects service, and the King his grace;
whose favour draw's theyr harts vnto his Eies,
while they live blessèd, to behold his face;
O blessèd King, that in his blessèd place;
in subiects love, beholds his safeties being,
while they live happie in theyr Princes seeing.

God in his mercy send those humble mindes
vnto the subiects of our gratious King,
that hee whose wisedome, in true Iudgement findes
of humble fayth, what fruicts doe fayrely spring
in his good grace may give vs cause to sing;

of on the Earth a heaven be figur'd thus,
the Lorde of Heaven graunt itt in him and vs.

Confound, ô lorde, the forces of his foes,

cutt off the Traytours, it intend him ill;
and of his thoughts, and Actions so dispose
that wee may see thy wisedome in his will
and so his spirite with thy blessing fill
that he may seeke to glorifie thy name,
and wee be humblie thanckfull for the same.

O heav'nly God, lett never hellish brayne
haue power to doe his Maiestie misdeede;
and lett themselves, even by themselves be slayne
that doe theyr spirites, with such poyson feede;
and lett our harts in teares of Comforte bleede
to thinck on thee to bless thy People thus
to have so good a King raigne over us.

Bless him, our Queene; and gratious Prince of ours
and all theyr ofspring in theyr princely places;
rayne on theyr sowles, in thy cœlestiall showres
the heav'nly Comforts of thy holy graces;
that when thow seest, thy favours in theyr faces,
they in theyr loves; and wee, in thanckfull harts
may in thy prayses make true Musicks parts.

Blesse him, and his, w th grace, long lyfe and health
and with the Joye of Joyes æternitie;

his Peeres with wisedome; and his state w th wealth;
his Nobles harts, with truth's Nobilitie;
his Subiects, all with Loves humilitie;
his Government, with such a woorthy fame
that hee and wee may glorifie thy name.

Vnto which prayer, let thatt wretch nott live,
that doth not sound Amen, with sincere hart;
and doth nott thee, due glory, humblie give;
that vnto vs, in Mercy doth impart,
such good to good, for our too ill desart;
and grace our Musicke, playd on true hart strings
for our King James blest be the King of Kings.