The Jacobite conventicle a poem. Ames, Richard, d. 1693. 1692 Approx. 26 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 15 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A25269 Wing A2984 ESTC R14298 11920913 ocm 11920913 50958 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A25269) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 50958) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 47:37) The Jacobite conventicle a poem. Ames, Richard, d. 1693. [4], 22, [2] p. Printed for R. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Jacobites -- Poetry. 2005-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-04 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-05 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2005-05 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Jacobite Conventicle . A POEM . For Fools are Stubborn in their Way , As Coins are hardned by th' Allay , And Obstinacy's ne'r so stiff , As when 't is in a wrong belief . Hudibras , Part 3. Canto 2. LONDON : Printed for R. Stafford , 1692. THE PREFACE . IN the days of Whig and Tory , when the Loyal Pulpits sounded with Harrangues of Obedience and Submission , and the poor Dissenter was forced to creep by Owl-light into some private House to Worship his God in Secret , when loud Hems Echoed through the Churches , by way of Approbation , to a Clinching Period against the Cromwellians and new Anti-royallists , and the Meeters drag'd through the Streets by Constables and Watchmen , when that bouncing Loyalty took place of all the other Vertues , and none were to be Saved out of the Pale of the Church of England : Who would have thought to have seen such a change of Affairs ? But above all , to have seen a Conventicle ( that word of odious sound ) composed of a few Discontented Persons , who yet call themselves the Church of England Protestants ; surely Copernicus was not much in the wrong , when he said the World went round , and the Sun stood still ; but Conscience , they say , is a Sacred thing , and ought not to be Violated ; but at the same time , is it not a great Riddle , that Man's Conscience should boggle at a Lawful Oath , and yet be quiet enough under an Vnlawful Debauch , pretend Loyalty to Government , and yet run counter to all its commands , Fast and Revel on the days Appointed for Fasting and Humiliation , say they are of an Established Church , and yet meet in an Vnlawful Conventicle ; aver they Love their Countrey , and yet wish well to the French Dragoons ? If these are not so many contradictions , let the World judg , for they whose minds can swallow such Contrarieties , are fit to believe Transubstantiation , and undoubtedly will prove as Errand Biggots to the Church of Rome , should another Revolution happen , as they are now ( to what they falsly call themselves the true Members of ) The Church of England . THE Jacobite Conventicle . TEdious have been our hopes , and long our Prayers , Within the compass of the three past Years , How oft in private have we met to Mourn , And whine and snivel for Our Lord's Return ? Our Wishes too , how strangely were they crost , When the French Fleet drew near the English Coast , When we expected our Deliverance near , From Choaking Oaths and Taxes so Severe ; A glimps of Heaven we having then in view , But ah ! how soon that gawdy Scene withdrew , Leaving a dismal Prospect in its room , Of thousand Miseries are yet to come ; Must still our thoughts endure the wracking pain , Always to hope , and wish , but yet in vain ? Nay , Heaven it self , to add to our Dispairs , Seems to neglect and put by all our Prayers : Is there no hopes that wretched , cheated we , Shall Once more taste of Luscious Liberty ; Once more be thought the Favourites of the Nation , And trample o're the Men of Abdication ? Those Rogues , who to increase their guilty score , Found out a word was never heard before . Yet there a time may come , ( but when it will , Exceeds the reach of Learned Gadb'ry's Skill ) When Loyalty shall meet in due regard , And those that dare be honest , find reward . The time may come — when Right will have its place , And lie no longer under Black Disgrace . To Skill in Stars , tho I make no presence , Methinks I view it in the Present Sense ; Methinks I see th' Approaching smiling Years , Roul on a-pace to recompence our Tears . Fly fast , ye Weeks , ye Months , post quickly on , And settle J — once more upon his Throne . But hold — to what strange Notions am I brought By the too strong Impulses of my thought ? To Church I 'll go — that word , Good Heaven , forgive , The Church shall be my Odium while I live : I hate the Priest , who has a Double Face , Religion's Scandal , and his Gown 's Disgrace . Give me the Man with Conscience void of blame , Is in all Turns of Government the same , Who hates Rebellion , nor can Treason bless , And does not judge of Actions by Success : That Man should never starve while I was able , I 'de serve him with my Purse , my Bed , my Table ; His Doctrine I much sooner would believe , Than a Spruce Bishop's in his white Lawn Sleeve : Such Men I 've heard , and hope to hear agen . Bless me ! 't is late — the Clock has just struck ten , But hold — Before to Fetter . Lane I go , 'T is requisite the Entrance-word I know : Last Sunday 't was Commandement the fifth , And now St. Germains is the Shibboleth : 'T is so — and now with eager steps I fly To the true Church of England's Ministry , To hear a sort of Men who ever knew , Still to be faithful , loyal , firm and true , Who from their Souls detest the swearing Vice , Eeither to get or keep a Benefice . Thus I in Temple-Cloysters walking , O're-heard a Man t' himself a talking : But if for Lye you this will Chalk ; At least I thought he thus would talk ; For by a Discontented Phiz , One sometimes reads a Thought which lies , Full Fifteen Fathom under Water : If this is false , thank Erra Pater For in his Book , the Fourteenth Chapter , About an Astrological Rapture , He says , — But why do I thus strive To tell you what you wont believe ? But I my self being somewhat curious , Did follow this Old Huncks Penurious , Through Streets , Lanes , Alleys and By-ways , More than are found in Stow's Surveys , Traversing almost as much Ground , As on New-Market Heath is found , Leading me such a dainty jaunt , As if one on an Errand sent , Missing his way , which did not hap well , Should go by Lambeth to White-Chappel ; How'ere at last , in Lane of Fetter , Than which , there is not many better , In Magpye-court , or Yard , or Alley , For which 't was , Faith , I cannot tell ye , He stopt at Door , which stood at jar , And whisp'ring softly in the Ear , Of one whose looks declar'd Suspicion , Receiv'd into the House Admission : I seeing this , with Confidence , Whate're might be the consequence , Went boldly up , and gave the Sign , ( The Word I mean ) and so got in ; But by their jealous Looks and Eyes I plainly read their strange Surprize , To see one to their Meeting come , Whom they believ'd was none of Them ; They Star'd — and I forgot to Blush , But boldly to the midst I rush , And sate me down upon a Hassock , Expecting Clergy-man in Cassock , That Holy Smith who blows the Coals Of Discontent , and Saves their Souls , By telling them that no Salvation Can be to Men of Abdication , And that a Hell is still appointed For those resist the Lord 's Anointed . But he , it seems , was not come yet , But staid behind to take a Whet Of White Wine , in a brimming Taster , In Mem'ry of his Absent Master , Which might his Spirits better quicken ; But now the Plot begins to Thicken , Folks to the Place in Clusters Trolling , ( As Snow-balls gather by their Rolling , So fast , altho the Room was Large , 'T was cram'd as full as Gravesend Barge , ' Tho different Sexes , different Ages , ( For some were Youths and some were Sages ) Made up this private Congregation , Yet Envy , Discontent and Passion , In Face of every one appear'd , Both of smooth Chin and grisly Beard , As plain as is the Light in Phaebus , When he Looks down on Mortal Rebus . Nor could the grinning smile conceal The Passions , which in Breast they feel , As if these People took delight , Only to wait on God for Spite ; Soft buzzing Whispers fill the Room , And into close Committees , some Retire , to give their Thoughts a Vent , And Drevil forth their Discontent , Which Poyson , as the one spits forth , The other Licks it up , in Troth . A Man perceiving of a Dry Nod , Came to a little Private Synod , Or Junto , which was just behind me , To prate they fall , and did not mind me ; But not in words so soft and Butter'd , But I could hear each word they Vtter'd ; Quoth one , I wonder what a Devil Should make the Parliament so civil , Such Taxes on the Land to Draw , We must make Bricks , yet have no Straw ; If they go on , 't is plain and clear , The French , which we so idly fear , As soon will make Descent on Finland , As e're Attempt to Land in England . Within three years we shall become The Poorest State in Christendom ; All Nations will on us be Pissing , And we become the Scorn and Hissing , Of all the Kingdoms which are known , 'Twixt us and Land of Prester John. Besides , the Mony which is Rais'd Pays not the English , God be Prais'd ; No , poor contented Villains , they Must venture on , yet have no Pay , Except a little small Subsistance , A very trifling small Assistance , Just to keep Life and Soul together , Against the force of Wind and Weather , Whilst Brandenburgers , Danes and Dutchmen , Sweeds , Germans , and all other such Men , Are duly paid off to a Penny , And long Arrears they have not any . You speak the very truth on 't Neighbour , Replies his Friend ( with Thought in Labour To be Deliver'd of some Matter , Which sore opprest his Pia Mater ) If our forefathers were complaining , That Rome was still their Purses Draining ; By Peter's Pence , and such Taxation , How just are now the Cries o' th' Nation ? Four Shillings first in every Pound , Did fine Estates most largely wound , ( Estates as well as Bodies needing , For their Healths sake a timely Bleeding ) The Double Excise , which all men reckon'd , To hold but one year , lasts a Second , And it may still for ought that we know , Till Day of Judgment so continue ; But that which was the topping sole Act Of the last Sessions , was the Poll Act , Where each man must , or nill , or willing , For 's Head , pay quarterly a Shilling , When most Mens Brains in Head which rest , Sir , Are hardly worth a single Tester ; But 't is much better sure in one sense To Pay for Head , than Pay for Conscience , For Faith I should be very loth To Pay Two pounds or take an Oath . The Oaths ! — As soon I 'de swallow Rats-bane , Or any other Payson that 's Bane , ( Rejoyns a third ) O'bomination , What swallow down my own Damnation ; A Butter'd Hedg-hog I could better Digest , than of the Oaths a Letter . But pray what News have y' in the City ? Sure matters there go very pretty , And Guineas into Guild-hall go , As if our Land were Mexico , Or as each Merchant there a Dweller , Had found a Golden Mine in 's Celler : Well , if their Faith for things above , Like that for things below , does prove , 'T is Ten to One , and Two to Eleven , They all of them will meet in Heaven . They say the King and all his Allies , ( Speaks a fourth Man amongst these fellows ) Intend , as folk's report most true is , To pull down Pride of Mighty Lewis , And William for a Wager carries His Arms into the Heart of Paris , And of the strange Opinion some are , That all this must be done this Summer : Well , they may please their idle Fancies , With such like Tales and State Romances ; But I believe they 'l find more Odds , Than Giants did that Fought with Gods ; Alas , their mighty Preparations , Made of the Scum of several Nations , Are not to France so Formidable , As are to Us a City Rabble ; You 'll find their Mighty Hopes Defeated , And They most miserably Cheated . Hold , let 's forbear our idle Tales , Hes come , — Who is 't ? — Why Mr. Sh. — A precious Man. — Hist , silence there , At which all instantly forbear , And looking at the Ministers , — God bless you , Sir. His Surplice on , and then prepare To Joyn with him in Common-Prayer , Nor Psalms nor Prayers does he omit any , Till coming to that place i' th' Littany , Wherein oblig'd by Name to Pray , For those who bear the Sovereign Sway ; He did in 's Prayers no Name put in , But those of Gracious King and Queen ; Which Prayer , no sooner did it reach the Ears of them all , — but — We beseech thee , Echoed more loud by Persons there , Than the Responce to any Prayer , Which in the Liturgy we read , From the Lord's Prayer to Nicene Creed . The Service done , I then expected T' ave heard a singing Psalm directed ; But having got the Pious Qualms , Their Souls were not in tune for Psalms , For how can ever Captives bring Their Minds into a Frame to Sing ? Tho it is plain that Fetters none They had , but what themselves put on ; But if they would have tund their throats , To Sternholds or to Hopkins Notes , It would , according as 't is reckond , Have been to Psalm call'd Seventy Second , Lord give thy Judgments to the King , Therein Instruct him well , And with his Son that Princely thing , Lord , let thy Justice dwell . But now the Priest was to Pulpit gone , At least to what might pass for one ; After a short Prayer , not forgetting Of King and Queen , to mind his Knitting , Who with a Zeal most mighty Fervent , Were thought of by their suffering Servant ; Remembring likewise most Devoutly , To Pray for Mother Church most stoutly , The Church of England , which they fancy , None out of their Communion can see ; The Church , opprest , distrest and warried , And in a sence Spiritually carried Captive away , whilst its Adorners Are forc'd to Preach and Pray in Corners . This done , and th' Audience composing Themselves for Hearing , or for Dozing ; T● a Bible of Geneva size , Himself Devoutly Priest applies , And from a thousand various Texts , This part of Scripture strait Selects . ROM . 13. 1 , 2. Let every Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers , &c. Whosoever therefore Resisteth the Power , Resisteth the Ordinance of God , and they that Resist , shall receive to themselves Damnation . The Text ( quoth he ) beloved , plainly Holds forth , that every one should mainly Strive who should most Enriched be With the Dear Jewel Loyalty : I do not mean the Counterfeit , Which every one that Swears can get , To save their Purses , having a mind ; Theirs is a Bristol Stone — no Diamond ; But I do mean that Sacred Jewel , Which flattering Arts , nor open Cruelty of Men , e're with all their Bluster , Could make it lose its sparkling Lustre ; A Good , by Holy Writ Commended , With thousand Blessings still attended , A Virtue which the very Angels Practise above , or it were strange else , None of them daring to Rebel , Since Lucifer , and his Crew fell , A Virtue all have here I hopen ; But now my Text begins to Open. Let every Soul , &c. Let every Soul , — Man , Woman , Child Be with this Holy Virtue fill'd , For there 's not one in all the Nation Excepted in this Proclamation , Tho there are thousands senseless Elves , Who wickedly Except themselves , And foolishly suppose that they Were Born to Govern , not Obey ; Ah! Parents , for I must be true t' ye , And tell you that it is your Duty , To let your Children hazard at all , Learn , as just as they can Prattle , The Criss-Cross-Row of Loyalty , Before they learn their A. B. C. Tell 'em the Dignity of Crown'd Heads , And make 'em learn to hate the Round-heads ; Tell 'em , there nothing is in Nature , So. Monstrous as a Whiggish Creature ; Tell 'em — Nay tell em anything T' advance the Glory of a King ; Indeed 't is plain without Correction , That Loyalty implies Subjection . Let every Soul be Subject , &c. That is , let every Soul be ready , With a fixt mind , resolv'd and steddy , To part with Life , Estate , and all , When e're it is his Prince's call ; But never let him Hum and Haw , And Question if 't is done by Law , His Princes Will to him should be The Rule of Law and Equity ; But now Beloved let 's Discourse Of what is meant by Higher Powers . Let every Soul be Subject to the Higher Powers . That is , that every Soul should be Subject alone to Monarchy ; A Government which you and I know , Most certainly is jur ' Divino , Above all other Governments , Which are in Earths most wide Extents : Alas ! what man a live is able . T' endure the Ruling of a Rabble , But Common-wealths why should we rob , Of th' Glory of a Ruling Mob ; Distinctions , they know no other , Than well met Friend , and hale well Brother ; But amongst all the Ruling Powers Of Monarchy , there 's none like ours ; Isay , not as 't is now — alas ! My meaning is , as once it was , When Good King — but I 'll leave the rest By your Good Judgments to be guest , Whilst in few words I shall Rehearse The Meaning of the Second Verse : Whosoever therefore Resisteth , &c. Beloved , 't is a dreadful Curse , But good enough , were 't ten times worse , For those who meddle in State-matters , And will be Kings and Monarch-haters ; Tho most Men make a Recreation Of that so common word Damnation , But they will all to Hell be Carried , As sure as Judas call'd Iscariot , Who in the smallest point or thing , Or thought , Rebel against their King , To whom the Title still we give Of God's true Representative ; No wonder then that God is Jealous , When 'gainst his Vice Roy they 'r Rebellious ; What mighty havock have ye done , Ye wicked Men of Forty One ; Nay , I might farther here rejoyn , Ye Belial's Sons of Eighty Nine ; Nay Laugh not , for , for all your Jearing , There 's not one Barrel better Herring : Fight 'gainst your King ! — How my Blood Curdles ? Have you a mind to lay on Hurdles ? And whether you are Low or High born , With a Psalm end your Days at Tyburn ; But my Belov'd , 't is plain and clear That there are no such Persons here , We are all — Here a sudden noise , To silence put the Preachers Voice , When instantly without much Rabble , An Officer that 's call'd Constable , Attended by some Musqueteers , Entred the Room and spoil'd their Geers : Genteels ( quoth he ) without much Preface , You all my Prisoners are in the place ; None Answering him upon that Score , Obedience Passive were all o're ; Some few escap't , but those he guest , Were but blind Biggots to the rest ; The Priest too , having slipt off Habit , Soon got away like Cased Rabit , The now Detected Conventiclers , Who are for Loyalty such Sticklers , Were carried 'fore a Magistrate , Where little 't would avail to prate ; The Oaths were Tendred , and none willing To take 'em , each pay Forty Shilling ; Patient in Suffering with applause , Not for the Old , but good New Cause . FIIS . Postscript . AH me ! How great a Cordial's Hope , When sawcy Fear don 't interlope ? How sweetly at the Tett we tipple , Till Fear puts Wormwood on the Nipple ? How hot was t'other day's Discourse , That mighty Force of Foot and Horse , Headed by ever Valiant J — s , Were come almost to mouth of Thames ; Nay , some to carry on the Joke , Swore he would Land at Puddle-dock ; But Expectation is a Blessing , Surmounts the pleasure of Possessing ; Yet 't is a question worth Solution , who 'd gain by such a Revolution ? Unless we think Ropes , Fire and Axes , Are milder things than Modern Taxes ; Or when from Pockets Rome takes Toll , Is better than a Quarter Poll , And think the Levies of Commission , More cruel than the Inquisition ; If words , of mind , the true Intent is , These men are sure Non compos mentis , And Bedlam must be sure Enlarg'd , When 't is with such State-blockheads charg'd , Where they themselves may hourly tickle , And keep each day a Conventicle . ADVERTISEMENT . CHuse which you will , Liberty or Slavery ; or , an Impartial Representation of the Danger of being again Subjected to a Popish Prince .