POPISH PIETY, OR The first part of the History of that horrible and barbarous conspiracy, commonly called the Powder-treason:  
Nefariously plotted against james King of great Britain, Prince Henry, and the whole state of that Realm assembled in Parliament; and happily disc●●ered, disappointed, and frustrated, by the powerful and sole arm of the Almighty, the fifth of November, Anno 1605.  
Written first in Latin verse by F.H. 〈◊〉 in Physic: and translated into ●●glish by ●. P.  
LONDON, Printed for William jone 1610.   

TO THE ILLUSTRIOUS AND MOST VIRTUOUS PRINCESS, THE LADY Elizabeth, only daughter of the Kings most excellent Majesty.  
I Have presumed to offer unto your Grace (most gracious Princess) an old History clad in a new English coat. But why do I call that old, which ought to be always new, and fresh in every true English heart, while the world lasteth? We have a vulgar saying, that fish and guests are stale in a few days. And who seeth not, that the greatest and strangest works of God wrought amongst us, are but wonders of nine days? Our English nation is justly taxed, as too Athenian-like, ever eagerly and curiously listening after novelties, and over slightly and lightly passing by the most remarkable and memorable accidents and occurrents. This is a general, and (as I may term it) a national fault, which ought to be acknowledged and amended. Now howsoever many passages may without any great dishonour unto God or detriment to the State, be buried in the dark pit of oblivion, yet the Powder-treason, that monstrous birth of the Romish harlot, cannot be forgotten without great impiety, and injury to ourselves. The Israelites were commanded to celebrate yearly the memorial of their deliverance from Egypt, & often to inculcate unto their children t● 〈…〉 works which the Lord wrought f● 〈…〉 in drying the red sea, in dividing t● 〈…〉 of jordan, in subduing the Canaan 〈…〉 expelling them before their faces. T●…s in the time of Hester by a solemn 〈…〉 ●dained an annual remembrance of 〈…〉 ●ance from the cruel design of Haman 〈◊〉 Agagite. The like course hath been honourably taken in the Powder-Conspiracie, by the great Counsel of our State, and 〈◊〉 on most just and weighty considerate 〈◊〉 For this hellish plot, being as it were 〈◊〉 ●nt-essence of Satan's policy, the fur● 〈◊〉 ●th and strain of human malice and 〈◊〉 not to be paralleled among the savage Turks, the barbarous Indians, nor (as I am persuaded) among the more than brutish Cannibals; & the deliverance being wrought without any human help, by the great watchman of Israel, who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth, so as our enemies must needs acknowledge with the Egyptian sorcerers, Certè hic Dei digitus est: we shall be guilty of horrible ingratitude, the foulest of all vices, if we do not embrace all means of perpetuating the memory of so great, so gracious, and wonderful a preservation: Nunquam nimis inculcatur quod non satis discitur. Besides, we cannot forget this marvelous deliverance, without apparent danger unto ourselves and our posterity. Improbe Neptunum accusat, qui bis naufragium fecerit. We have had many fair warnings from these Romish Amalekites; if we hereafter fall into their hands, we shall not be pitied, but laughed at, by a ●o●r neighbour nations. I hope therefore your Grace, who should have acted a woeful and yet principal part in the catastrophé of this Tragedy, will vouchsafe the acceptance and perusing of this short Poem, written by myself in Latin, and translated into English by a friend of mine: wherein you may be ●old as in a crystal glass, the ireful faces of your greatest enemies, and the gracious and amiable countenance of the Almighty watching over the King your father, the Queen your mother, that Prince of admirable hope, your brother, and yourself, for your deliverance from those snares and nets which were so secretly and craftily laid, to have entangled all yourselves together, and to have put out and quite extinguished the lights of Israel in one day. The same almighty Lord grant, that as he hath been the sole author of your preservation and reservation (as we all hope) for some excellent work which he hath to accomplish by your hands, so you may be worthy instruments in your places of the advancement of his Gospel here in earth, to his glory, and your own eternal happiness in the life to come.  
Your Graces to be commanded in all dutiful services, Fr. Hearing.   

POPISH PIETY, OR The first part of the history of that horrible and barbarous conspiracy, commonly called the Powder treason.  

1  
A Rise my Muse, to studies quite forlorn,  
And intermitted overmuch, retire;  
The walls with hanged up arms no more adorn,  
But snatch them thence, herein to show desire;  
If thou refuse, the posts and stones will scorn,  
Nature in them should silence still require:  
Each thing that's void of sense (if thou wilt not)  
Will to the world resound this barbarous plot.   

2  
This barbarous plot, than which th'all-seeing Sun,  
A more outrageous fact did ne'er behold,  
Not to be matched since the first age begun,  
In marble records fit to be enrolled:  
O thou whose dole of grace is never done,  
Unworthy us that dost alive uphold:  
O grant us life to celebrate thy praise,  
Almighty Father favour our just lays.   

3  
I sing a strange black monster, rude and fell,  
Late on that Whore which doth the world besot,  
In gross thick darkness, utmost caves of hell,  
In cursed coupling Lucifer begot  
A fearful monster, all our world to quell:  
The purple strumpet soon again he got,  
Sent back to Lerney lake, where with close mirth  
She was delivered of her monstrous birth.   

4  
Which she nursed up with Romish milk a space:  
This Snake, the prodigy of human kind,  
More dangerous than Hydra waxed apace:  
Whom when the dam did well perceive in mind,  
To swell in deadly venom, and to outface  
In devilish guile all others, and did find  
Instructed fully in all hellish arts,  
Thus she bespoke, and thus to him imparts.   

5  
There is a people that are Britons height,  
(If elsewhere any) they to me do bear  
No goodwill: thy great Father too they spite,  
And have much damage done to Peter's chair,  
And Peter's kingdom, once a Realm of might,  
(Nor lesser yet) they go about I fear.  
What rich rewards? O how great revenues  
This wealthy nation yearly once did use   

6  
To pay the Sea Apostolic? how trim?  
How gallantly it made our attorneys smoke?  
(For which our greatest zeal hath always been,  
The truth to thee, my son, I list not cloak,  
What ere we did pretend, their eyes to dim)  
What swarms of Friars linked in holy yoke  
Did it maintain? what stately monasteries '  
What goodly Temples, menacing the skies,   

7  
Did that same nation build, and consecrate  
Unto the Virgin, that divinely bred?  
And to some other heavenly ones, of late  
Whom we among the stars have saintified?  
There was no place as then (behold our fate)  
Where our colonies not inhabited,  
No place of wealth, of honour or renown,  
Were it in city, country, field or town.   

8  
Through the whole Island did mine honour's ring,  
This wealthy Province England of itself  
(Although but small) by daily suits did bring  
The Roman treasury more store of pelf  
Then any else. France though a greater thing,  
Or Germany though large, not like this elf:  
Short tale to make, the profits got thereby,  
Did far exceed the kings own treasury.   

9  
Perhaps 'tis strange I speak, but 'tis most true:  
And dost thou think that I can patiently  
Endure so rich a prey by Luther's crew  
Should be bereft me? I'll not easily  
Pocket this wrong; lo, I'll revenge pursue;  
Revenge that only sweetens injury:  
After that Luther that vile run-agate,  
That Church-robber, that spoiler of our State:   

10  
Our battles and camps Catholic forsook,  
O with what troubles, with what sudden storms,  
The gorgeous triple mitred kingdom shook!  
Saint Peter's holy body he deforms  
And rends; for with himself away he took  
Germans and Frenchmen many; and reforms  
Almost all those that live in Britons Isle,  
English and Scots, now Britain's both in style.   

11  
I am a mighty Queen, I once did say,  
No alteration shall I ever find:  
No times shall see my Monarchy decay,  
My state shall have no period assigned,  
No age to come shall ever see the day,  
When desolation makes me come behind:  
But haste, with too long speech I weary thee,  
Now come I to the point, my son, quoth sly.   

12  
Our state declining daily, doth compel  
Us to ask counsel, and to hammer out  
On Plato's anvil some new wiles of hell,  
To weave some plots with riddles wrapped about:  
Mine only hope's in thee, thou knowest well  
Thy father's lore, and all my purpose stout:  
Go to fair England, luckily reduce  
That rebel kingdom to our Sceptres use.   

13  
He takes his journey onward, and with speed  
He went about his cursed mothers will,  
And to the Britons comes with equal heed,  
The Britons who a second world do fill,  
Divided from the other: by his weed  
A Catholic: 't hath been the custom still  
Of Satan, that being clad in truth's attire,  
Closer he might deceive, and play the liar.   

14  
Here he was called Fawkes or False, I find  
Elsewhere his names were jonston, Foster, Browne,  
A second Proteus, that could easily wind  
And turn himself to all the shapes i'th' town:  
Fitting the place, he to himself assigned  
New names, in each new coast the old laid down:  
But still the self same wicked mind he keeps,  
His harmful heart still wakes and never sleeps.   

15  
He every where solicits many men,  
In love to Rome too servant and too bold,  
Who in their secret murmurings long again  
For Egypt's flesh pots, and the cups of gold,  
Of her that was a mighty Empress then,  
When by herself she ruled the world of old:  
Such malcontents she stirreth up amain,  
And sets their hopes on cockhorse, though in vain.   

16  
And tells them how th'inevitable time,  
And fatal days do now post on apace,  
Wherein the Caluinists no more shall climb,  
Nor those whom Beza brought to state of grace:  
And that the time's at hand, and in full prime,  
When they may build Rome's walls without disgrace,  
Punish their foes, and Catholic faith restore  
To th'ancient splendour that it had before.   

17  
These men receive with gaping greediness,  
The honey words that this false Sinon spoke,  
And hid them in their minds with joyfulness,  
And of their own free will for Rome's sweet sake,  
Promise themselves, and all the readiness  
That they or theirs by any means can make:  
Yea they will pray, and that with fervency,  
For just event to this his prophecy.   

18  
Thus being proud of this his good success,  
He doth invade the Prince's royal place,  
Where joyfully he walks amid the press  
Of England's Peers, and gentlemen of race;  
Where james the mighty monarch, with no less  
Powerful hand doth sway the Sceptres mace.  
james who with one applause and full consent,  
Sits on that throne God his Ancestors lent.   

19  
Whose clemency at his first entrance here,  
Did spread itself to all of every kind:  
This noble Prince by such means thought it clear,  
That he could supple their rebellious mind,  
And bow their stiff necks that hold Rome so dear;  
But now far otherwise he doth it find:  
For they abusing his most princely grace,  
Began herein t'advance their combs apace.   

20  
And every where to swell with such disdain,  
As was outrageous; and to lay a plot  
For new garboils, and then to spread amain  
Amongst th'unstable commons, who knew not  
The course of state, some odious speeches vain,  
Tending to set Seditions bark on float,  
And openly to take offensive arms,  
Evermore thirsting after others harms.   

21  
First Watson an old crafty Popish sage,  
Dared to trouble this our peaceful state:  
Fond Lancashire, I know not with what rage  
Blinded, did second him; Wales after that:  
But better 'tis to come to that sly page,  
That subtle Sinon, whom we lest of late,  
Walking along the stately sumptuous court,  
Where all the gallants of the land resort.   

22  
Who having pondered in his plotting mind,  
The subtle stratagems that there were framed,  
He meets with Percy, Percy most unkind,  
Who by his style a Pensioner was named,  
Yet a firm vassal to the Pope combined:  
To him he utters all, and never shamed,  
Even all the business he had in charge,  
With hell's commission thereunto at large.   

23  
Percy both man and message doth embrace,  
And with affection entertains them both,  
Though he nor Percy had nor 〈◊〉 nor grace,  
Yet each to other gave their 〈◊〉 troth,  
Not to disclose what spee●●●●at place  
Had passed between the 〈◊〉 unto an oath  
Was added, and 〈◊〉 ●ng hand in hand,  
They swear th● 〈◊〉 ●erate league for ay should stand.   

24  
Mark how you cherish in your laps (great States)  
Fell vipers, whilst the Papists ye admit,  
Though but within the entries of your gates:  
Under their fair show doth a serpent sit:  
Infamous treason with her hellish mates,  
Damned rebellion, murders most unfit  
Once to be named, with poisonous dregs that smell,  
And savour all of the deceits of hell.   

25  
These are the studies of the Romish train,  
Published abroad for all the world to view;  
And these the lasting monuments of fame,  
Erected by the Catholic Sect and crew.  
These are their holy merits; by these same  
They climb to heaven, and claim it as their due:  
Hereby they think they shall supply a roam  
In heavens Star chamber, free from other do●●●e.   

26  
eftsoons this shifter Faulkes hath changed his name,  
Commonly taken to be Percies man,  
And in that form unknown, himself doth frame  
To belch out deadly venom all he can,  
Securely, void of fear, bereft of shame;  
And by degrees he afterwards began  
To draw on many, who with full consent  
Consorted with him in his lewd intent.   

27  
Beyond sea than he closely packs again,  
And to his holy Mother doth relate,  
Both what, and how, and all in order plain.  
She likes it well; and strait, at any rate,  
Wills them go on, and spare nor cost, nor pain,  
To make the end, and issue fortunate.  
So well paid, and well rewarded too,  
She sends him back, with new charge what to do.   

28  
he's quick enough in speeding his retire,  
And bawkes not old acquaintance by the way,  
But visits Austria's court, where that grave Sire  
Is Lord and ruler, who, 'tis hard to say,  
Whether he be a Priest of holy choir,  
Or soldier fierce in fight, his foes to fray:  
He strait assembles th'English vagrants there,  
Who wish for change, and harm to this land here.   

29  
Monsters of men, that take delight to fish  
In troubled waters and tempestuous seas,  
They see him forward, answering to their wish,  
They spur and prick him on; and each of these  
Gives his advice, though all not worth a rish.  
They load him home (such load he thought an ease)  
With new inventions, tricks, and subtle wiles,  
And teach him knavery, cloaked by knavish guiles.   

30  
He back returns, serves his old master still,  
And tells him all that happened; and withal  
They must make haste, their purpose to fulfil;  
For he's prepared, and ready at a call,  
With all the weapons that the wit and skill  
Of Italy for fraud renowned of all,  
Or yet the kingdom of that fiend of hell  
Could yield, he knew them all exceeding well.   

31  
Now settle they to work, and to begin,  
Among their wicked comforts counsel take,  
Each man in order gives his verdict in,  
Which way may most for their advantage make.  
Go, kill the King (saith one) pass not a pin,  
To thrust him through for thy country's sake,  
Brasutus-like, let nothing hinder thee,  
Until thy purpose fully acted be.   

32  
Another thinks it best, in subtle show  
Of friendly entertainment of the King,  
To watch a time when he should weary grow  
By heat or hunting sport, and then to bring  
Him to the place where he to rest should go,  
And there then act this cruel cursed thing,  
When sweet sound sleep possessed him, as he lay  
To throttle him, and take his life away.   

33  
It strikes a horror to my very heart,  
To tell the story of their devilish plot,  
My tongue as loath herein to bear a part,  
Cleaves to my jaws, and willing opens not,  
And do these country-killers never start,  
Nor fear at all, that have these things begot?  
Nay act, at least intend; these cursed deeds,  
Fit fruits to come from such accursed weeds.   

34  
A hodge-podge they, and mingle mangle make  
Of things divine and human, all is one,  
They make no difference: yea, the oaths they take,  
And leagues of friendship, which not those alone,  
That Christians were, but heathens never broke,  
But always kept inviolate; yet none  
Of these, these wicked monsters care to keep,  
Though oaths and faith be sounded ne'er so deep.   

35  
〈◊〉 heard each man's tale, and hearing all,  
You miss the mark (said he,) for all your skill;  
To petty matters, fits not us to fall,  
But root and branches at one blow to spill:  
Say that we kill the King, yet after shall  
His noble heir Prince Henry reign, who will  
Sharply (no doubt) revenge himself on those,  
By whom his father's death untimely grows.   

36  
We know he is a Prince of virtue great,  
Exceeding toward, of great forwardness:  
Therefore if he enjoy his father's seat,  
Our danger will be rather more than less:  
And therefore we must cast to work a feat,  
To help ourselves this matter to redress:  
For if we suffer him to live and grow,  
His life will work our dismal overthrow.   

37  
So use small seeds to rise to great increase,  
The little heart at first unweaponed,  
Small sprigs at first sprouts out, and doth not cease  
Till he grow captain, all the rest to lead  
His fellows like himself horne-headed beasts:  
Small sparks of fire have much endangered  
Whole cities by neglect of careful heed,  
Suffering one fire another fire to feed.   

38  
This little Henry makes me call to mind  
Henry the eight, that mighty potent King,  
Who first our holy Father (as we find)  
With deadly wounds, so mightily did sting:  
Henry that fatal name to all our kind,  
I do abhor as an unhappy thing:  
Thus stands my mind, this stock heretical  
Pluck up at once, that all at once may fall.   

39  
This may be thus; near Percies lodging stands  
That ancient house, where England's Nobles all,  
And all the chief estates of Britain's lands  
Do sit in counsel, when the King doth call,  
That have the kingdoms causes in their hands,  
And order all things that in question fall,  
And the first day of custom usually  
The States meet there in great solemnity.   

40  
The King, the Queen, the Prince, will all be there  
With mighty pomp, attended royally,  
All in their robes, all glittering, bright and clear,  
Their garments all beset most sumptuously  
With gold and precious stones; and far and near  
The people throng and flock exceedingly,  
And fill the streets, to see the gallant show;  
All these at once 'twere brave to overthrow.   

41  
This may be easily done; for 'tis not hard  
Under that ancient house of Parliament  
To place a fire, which with good regard  
Set for the purpose whereunto 'tis bend,  
Will send both them and th'house to heavenward,  
For fire to mercy will no whit relent:  
So while the King is speaking, Nobles still  
One blast of powder all at once shall kill:   

42  
And make them fly aloft into the sky.  
Here Catesby ends: the rest applauded well  
What he had said, and praised it mightily,  
Of all their plots this plot did bear the bell:  
Then Faulkes thus seconds him, Surely (quoth he).  
Thy counsel's good, and doth the rest excel:  
So shall the house which wrought the Pope such woe,  
Be well rewarded with this worthy blow.   

43  
So shall we counted be in time to come,  
The men that did the Catholic cause restore:  
So by our holy mother Church at home,  
As Saints we shall be canonised therefore;  
So shall they bear the just revenge and doom,  
Their sins deserve by making laws so sort▪  
(Unjustly too) brewing their hands in blood  
Of holy men, religious Saints, and good.   

44  
They by our wealth and spoils are grown too gre●●  
And proud withal; 'tis time they had a fall;  
And never was invented such a feat,  
To work their utter overthrow withal.  
Henceforth some choice young men to work are set,  
And sworn by oath, both joint and several:  
Some dig and delve the earth and walls of stone,  
To undermine at last the royal throne.   

45  
Some fly abroad, and get more company  
To join with them, and wish them at the day,  
That should amongst themselves appointed be  
To be all ready armed, that so they may  
Upon a sudden spoil their enemy,  
And unawares may sweep them all away,  
And rid the land clean of this hateful kind,  
That not so much as one be left behind.   

46  
In Percies house the diggers first begin,  
Which bordered near the house of Parliament,  
And there they dig deep hollow trenches in,  
Until by mining caves so far they went,  
That they at last such ground thereby did win,  
That they vnbared (to fit their lewd intent)  
The main foundation of that sacred place,  
Which they so lewdly laboured to deface.   

47  
●ercie mean while a cellar doth espy,  
More fitting for their use, because indeed  
Right over it, that ancient house did lie,  
With hope of spoil whereof themselves they feed:  
This for his money he did hire or buy,  
And therein laid what should their purpose speed;  
But made a show that he the same did hire,  
To lay in beer, and wood, and coals for fire.   

48  
These things thus happening to their minds so fit,  
They make no doubt but all will well succeed;  
The close of all to False they do commit,  
For he's the man that undertakes the deed:  
Man's name too good, for he deserves not it,  
But Devil should I call this hellish weed,  
Nightwalking goblin, master of his skill,  
Falsehood and fearful mischief working still.   

49  
Gunpowder store this fellow closely brought  
Into their hired cellar; and the same  
In powder barrels fully stuffed and fraught,  
Some here, some there, he placed as it came.  
This did not serve his turn, but still he sought  
Which way he might some newfound mischief frame;  
Two barrels more he brought, full fraught likewise,  
With cables, ropes, and such like merchandise.   

50  
These things he puts right underneath the throne,  
Whereas the King himself in state should sit;  
Next, many bars of iron he lays thereon,  
And piles of wo●d again lays over it:  
Of devilish means be slips not any one,  
That might their devilish cursed purpose fit;  
But all things ●●e with like device and skill.  
He did contrive to work their wicked will.   

51  
These things in their disordered order done,  
This fellow thus possessed with harmful heart,  
Nouembers fifth (when Parliament begun).  
With longing looks for, ready for his part  
To act such mischief as ne'er saw the Sun:  
The thought whereof would make a good man start:  
Old Rome's bad member wicked Catiline,  
And jewish Haman may to these resign.   

52  
They never thought on such a villainy,  
Nay toss and turn the monuments of old,  
All books that write of any cruelty,  
Yea look to Barbary, yet I'll be bold  
Thus much to say, and to assure it thee,  
That all these histories will not unfold  
So great, so horrible, so vile a fact,  
Nor such as odious, hateful, cruel act.   

53  
The King, Queen, Prince, and royal progeny,  
The gallant Lords and Nobles of estate,  
The buds and branches of Nobility,  
Grave Fathers of the Law, that sit in seat  
Of justice, and the reverend Clergy,  
The flower of English gentry, and that great  
And famous Senate-house, yea all the land  
Had perished all with turning of a hand.   

54  
From Percies house, one cruel piercing blow  
Should spoil them all: even as the silly Hare  
Securely sitting in her form so low,  
One with his club doth kill her unaware;  
The name and nation of the Britons, so  
This cruel Dragon suddenly prepares  
Quite to suppress; and English Christians all  
To swallow up at once, both great and small.   

55  
Such huge wide swallows, throats insatiate,  
Have these Italian monsters: and admit  
They had at once both us and all our State  
Brought to confusion, as they purposed it;  
Who should have told the story, or relate  
That days destruction? who could once befit  
Amid those ruffling ruffians, to bewray.  
The cities ruins, and the realms decay?   

56  
Had I an hundredth tongues, they all would fail,  
And to my tongues an hundredth wits withal,  
All would not serve to tell the doleful tale  
Of all the sorrows that on us should fall  
By this their enterprise; that work would quail  
Homer himself the Prince of Poets all,  
If now he lifted, his work he much would fear  
To take in hand, as overhard to bear.   

57  
For now me thinks I once again behold  
That famous Troy in flaming fire burn,  
And there where erst were pleasures manifold,  
All to tumultuous noise and horror turn,  
And gallant London gay and rich in gold,  
Me thinks I see all sad, and set to mourn:  
London the Empire's seat, and Europe's mart,  
Of furious flames, me thinks, doth feel the smart.   

58  
methinks the walls are broke and battered sore,  
The streets with armed angry soldiers filled;  
Dead corpse dispersed abroad, all rent and tore,  
Streams running full of blood untimely spilled,  
Streets, Churches, houses (never like before)  
Such fierce laments, nor can, nor will be stilled:  
No place me thinks is free, but all resound  
Sighs, sobs, and tears, for losses lately found.   

59  
Poor woeful mothers, by their houses gay,  
Wonder, me thinks, embracing in their arms  
Their tender babes, with woe and well a day,  
Wailing their own, and all the cities harms;  
Giving their babes sweet kisses, but by th' way  
Salt tears among, as thick as Bees in swarms:  
The houses they in gentle sympathy,  
Suit women's moans with mournful melody.   

60  
methinks the fire consumes and burns up all  
The ancient seats of judgement, where of old  
Grave reverend judges sat; Westminster hall,  
The tombs where former kings lie clad in mould,  
Those tombs me thinks by fire to ruin fall;  
And stately monuments bedecked with gold,  
Which in that famous Church and Chapel be,  
And many years have stood untouched and free.   

61  
Nay more, the funeral and burial day  
Of country, city, London, now the seat  
Of English Kings that British Sceptre sway,  
(So politic their plot, their gall so great)  
They meant not one behind alive should stay  
To celebrate the same, or mourn thereat:  
The King, the States, and court of Parliament,  
Once being gone, thus was their mischief bend.   

62  
Their purpose was the fault themselves had done,  
To turn the same upon their enemy,  
And with the Puritans to have begun,  
To make them authors of the villainy;  
And to proclaim that they were those had spun  
The wicked we●● or that vile treachery;  
And so to banish, kill, and root them out,  
By fire and sword through all the Realm about.   

63  
These be the devils arts and cunning sleight,  
No man's device, but forged in fire of hell,  
An odious fact that dare not bide the light;  
To hide and cover with a fact more fell,  
To trouble and traduce the harmless wight,  
And him by what he may to overquell,  
Whole kingdoms to subvert, and glut his throat  
With guiltless blood, by him untimely sought.   

64  
Either black Pluto's dark affrighting cell,  
Is void of ghosts, or this is Satan's deed,  
Plotted by man, though sprung and nursed in hell,  
In human form and shape of Adam's seed:  
But great jehova, who on's throne doth dwell,  
Hath care of his, and from their foes hath freed;  
His watchful eye each corner doth unfold,  
His never winking lamp the seas behold.   

65  
The blindest corner cannot him bereave  
Of piercing sight, who doth the waves make still,  
To whom a guileful heart, thoughts to deceive,  
Are known, and eke disclosed by his will.  
To him are rebels hateful, that do weave  
We be to destroy poor infants free from ill;  
But God approves of all things just and right,  
And seeing our King now in a dangerous plight:   

66  
Our State in danger; from his throne aloft,  
With such like words our peril did relate:  
See, see, how Satan with his guileful craft,  
With hellish falsehood, and unheard of hate,  
Hath covertly prepared a deadly shaft,  
To overthrow fair England's royal state,  
To place mute images and gods of corn,  
And marble pictures, as the Gospel's scorn.   

67  
If these his plots should take a wished success,  
The triple crowned beast of Italy,  
Babel the Queen of riot and excess,  
The world's illuder, full of villainy,  
Would soon repair her ruinous state doubtless,  
And so frustrate the sacred prophecy,  
Which hath divined and told so long before,  
The certain ruin of that Romish whore.   

68  
Let's turn from England what their foes intent,  
To bring upon them to their utter fall,  
Destruction, thine, and a dismal end,  
With cruel slaughter to destroy them all:  
We see whereto their cruel plots they bend,  
At once to massacre both great and small:  
Let's therefore now their plots withstand and stay,  
Which they so fiercely 'gainst the English lay.   

69  
Though their defaults have merited this ill,  
Though they be worthy of much punishment,  
Because they have abused our favours still,  
Abused our benefits that we have sent  
To them and theirs; yet all at once to kill  
By their unworthy hand we are not bend:  
Better it is these flames so fierce and fell,  
Now ready thus to burn, to quench and quell.   

70  
With that a swift winged messenger he calls,  
And bids him quickly tread on English ground,  
Warning the King by dream, what cruel thralls  
Hang over his head; what vipers do abound,  
Nursed in his bosom; up and down they crals;  
And now of late these vipers we have found  
To have prepared a bloody treacherous gin,  
To snare the King, and all his kingdom in.   

71  
And with advice bid him beware the place,  
Wherein great Roman julius once did fall;  
Then to the Lord Mounteagle hie apace,  
For he's forewarned to keep him from the hall▪  
A friend concealing both his name and face,  
By letter sent, admonished him of all,  
For why? (forsooth) both God and men consent  
To give this wicked age due punishment.   

72  
Into the country he was willed retire,  
There to expect th'event that should ensue,  
And told that once the paper cast i'th' fire,  
No further peril could to him accrue;  
Call to his mind, and so his heart inspire,  
What from the subject, is the Princes due;  
Warn him that now his love he must not hide,  
Nor from his country, nor his country's guide.   

73  
Bid him reveal the writing to the King,  
Which was to him so secretly directed,  
Without a name, but yet a happy thing,  
That so the plot thereby might be detected.  
Swiftly the legate with his feathered wing,  
Makes haste to England, as he was directed;  
And there performed, and acted faithfully.  
What was to him enjoined by God 〈◊〉 high.   

74  
He strait inspires in noble Morley's heart,  
A due regard of King and country's weal;  
The King he lightens with a wondrous art,  
Obscure dark riddles easily to reveal,  
Like Oedipus to open every part,  
And lose the knots, and tell it every deal.  
One of the Privy Council Morley chose,  
To whom in order he did all disclose.   

75  
One whom he knew, Ulysses' match to be  
For judgement sound, and sharp quickwittednesse:  
He tells the rest; and then both they and he  
Go show the king with great amazedness.  
The letter's brought; and (as in doubts we see)  
Each several man doth give a several guess,  
Our prudent King in's mind well pondering all,  
Broke forth at last, and let these speeches fall.   

76  
What points out peril may not be despised,  
I well remember how a little smoke  
Doth show huge flaming fires therein comprised,  
In straw foul t●ades do oft he hid and croak.  
I call to mind (or I am misadvised)  
Speeches of late have every where been spoke  
Of busy Papists stirred by devilish hate,  
Threatening so●e mischief to our Realm and State.   

77  
Preventing care did never prejudice  
Monarches, whose lives with foes are set about.  
Perhaps their purpose is some new device,  
Some Trojan horse or some seditious rout▪  
Some jacobite to make an orifice  
By stabbing me, to make my blood gush out.  
Assure yourselves they have some plots in hand,  
Some monstrous mischief to subvert the land.   

78  
These are no rovings of a crazed brain,  
The writing savours of some heinous plot;  
he's earnest with his friend, he should refrain,  
And keep him absent out of dangers shot:  
Some great, some sudden blow, some cruel bane,  
As fierce as lightning it doth seem to note:  
Gunpowder sure he means so fierce and cruel,  
Hell's damned offspring, and destruction's fuel.   

79  
Perhaps they mean this powder to abuse  
To our destruction: gladly would I know,  
Who dwell in houses near, or cellars use  
Under the hall, 'gainst which they bend this blow▪  
Of these things would I have the certain news,  
Ere we to any other matter go:  
Make careful search therefore and what you find,  
Return with speed, to satisfy my mind.   

80  
He that did keep the house of Parliament,  
Made search forthwith, and viewed all things well,  
Careful of's charge, in's duty diligent:  
And what he found, he to the King did tell,  
That Percy in the rooms next adjacent,  
Unto that house did at that in slam dwell;  
And that the cellars, vaults, and under holes,  
Were stuffed and fraught with store of wood and coals.   

81  
Hence more and more suspicions did arise;  
And so Nouembers fourth, a worthy Knight,  
An ancient Courtier, trusty, grave and wise,  
Kneuet by name, in mids of that same night  
Was sent to search each thing with good advise,  
And every corner, to bring all to light;  
Feigning stolen garments of the Queens he sought,  
Taking few with him, for suspecting aught.   

82  
First False he finds, the devil of the vault,  
Alone, clothed, booted, standing at the door:  
Fire-spitting Aetna he had lately fraught  
Fit for his purpose, with provision store,  
Whereby with flashing sulphur flames, he sought  
To bring his country to destruction sore:  
Poor England now within some twelve hours after,  
Near to a deadly wound and bloody slaughter.   

83  
First him they fastened on, and by and by  
Entering the vault, the wood-piles overthrow;  
Forthwith in great amazement one did cry,  
Some cruel treason, here be things do show,  
Here's powder hid, one barrel found have I,  
No doubt here's more lies hidden here below,  
Under this wood; let's search it carefully,  
For sure there is some monstrous villainy.   

84  
Treason, ah treason great, they cry amain,  
And pluck out powder barrels more and more;  
In all they spied and disclosed plain,  
Gunpowder pipes in number thirty four.  
Two barrels more the cellar did contain,  
To furnish up this devilish wicked store;  
All filled with hellish powder, dark and black,  
Prepared for England's fatal spoil and wrack.   

85  
In searching Faux, about his neck they spy  
A crucifix, which he had hanging there,  
His body clothed with sackcloth inwardly,  
And in his clothes match hidden did he bear,  
Whereby he might fire to this heap apply,  
To make it burn, and all before it tear,  
And so fair Britain's Empire, English nation,  
Even in a moment bring to desolation.   

86  
The fault itself was plain and manifest,  
He could not hide, nor colour, nor deny't,  
Nor was this mind, but shamelessly confessed,  
And vouched the fact, and said, that all the spite,  
And all the grief his spiteful mind oppressed,  
Was that the thing was disappointed quite;  
He blushed not to affirm himself distracted,  
Only because the thing remained unacted.   

87  
All in an uproar strait exclaim and cry,  
O heavens, O earth, O monstrous wickedness!  
O newfound plot! that savage Barbary,  
Or Turkey (cruel be it) ne'ertheless  
They cannot this foul fact exemplify;  
The bloody French massacre we confess  
For bloodshed is the stain of this our age,  
Yet cannot march with this in equipage.   

88  
The rumour strait is blazed abroad, and spread  
Through city, court, and every country town  
Both 〈◊〉 and wide, on wings of fame it fled  
Through all the land, each village up and down:  
And every where, where it was published,  
This great deliverance of so great renown,  
Wrought wondrous joy to them, to God great praise,  
With hands lift up to him with holy lays.   

89  
O thou that sway'st and rul'st the heavens above,  
That rul'st the earth, and mak'st the thunder crack,  
That keep'st thy covenant always, and thy love,  
That art to anger slow, to vengeance slack:  
How shall we do (as well doth us behove)  
To sound thy praises, and keep nothing back:  
What vows shall we poor souls repay to thee,  
That thus from direful slaughter setst us free?   

90  
Thou didst preserve us when we were appointed  
To bloody sword, and fearful flames of fire,  
To have our bodies every limb disjointed,  
By cruel slaughter and destruction dire;  
Thou safely keepest Zion thine anointed,  
And wakest for us though we 'gainst thee conspire:  
Thou keep'st us from the Bears devouring jaws,  
From hellish harms, and out of Satan's claws.   

91  
Thy hand O Lord, 'twas thy right hand alone  
Kept and preserved us (unworthy we;)  
'twas Lord thy love, desert in us was none,  
Whereby to challenge any good from thee:  
When we like rebels had against thee gone,  
Stiff necked, vicious, lewd as lewd may be,  
Contemning still thy worship and thy name,  
Scorning the Prophets that declare the same.   

92  
To live upright we hold it a disgrace,  
And he's most blamed that doth no man wrong,  
As madmen use, when as there comes in place  
A quiet, sober minded man among  
Such mad companions, him they will outface,  
And make of him their laughing stock, their song;  
They think him mad, because he is not mad;  
So him that doth least harm, we think most bad.   

93  
Thy bounteous goodness Lord doth far exceed,  
That carest for such a people so unworthy,  
And that at such a time, a time of need,  
So carest for them that care so little for thee;  
For thee or thine so small their care indeed,  
As rather might to wrath and vengeance stir thee;  
For, honour, pleasure, gain, is all their aim,  
To get themselves a great and glorious name.   

94  
Lord let thy bounty soften at the last,  
And mollify our hard and stony heart,  
Dissolve us all to tears for follies past,  
Rou●● v● our sloth with thy all-piercing dart,  
Shake off our drowsiness hangs on so fast,  
So old, so strong, that we can hardly part:  
Lighten our eyes, our sins fore past to see;  
Seen, to bewail with tears (O Lord) to thee.   

95  
O Lord we know and must acknowledge it,  
Thy holy word to be the only treasure,  
The whole world's compass cannot sample it  
With equal worth, or near in any measure;  
Lord let us live worthy the light of it,  
To make thy word our only joy and pleasure:  
Lord let not us that Christ his name do bear,  
Live heathen-like, void of thy holy fear.   

96  
That year of late of great mortality,  
Did thousands of our brethren sweep away,  
When that great Plague did rage so cruelly,  
And every where upon so many prey;  
And now these hellish snares full narrowly  
We have escaped in this happy day:  
The sword now ready to have cut our throat,  
Thou hast pulled back, so that it hurt us not.   

97  
These things (O Lord) cry out, and cry amain,  
That thou for sin art angry with our land;  
threatenest, although to strike thou dost ref●●●er  
Thou showst the rod, and with a gentle hand  
Thou shak'st it over us, and layst it down again:  
Even as we may conceive a mother stand  
With trembling hands, offering to beat her son,  
But yet relents before the deed be done.   

98  
And if words, warnings, threatenings f●●●erly,  
Will nought prevail, nor do us any good;  
(For all of these we have had formerly,  
And nothing now remains but ●●●pes and blood)  
We may expect thy great severity,  
That have so long against thy patience stood:  
Now look that thou to punish wilt begin  
And burn us up like stubble for our sin.   

99  
But Lord let us (so often warned by thee)  
Learn now at last thy judgements to beware,  
Learn to adore thy sacred Majesty,  
Learn of thy word and Gospel greater care,  
To bring forth fruit in more sincerity;  
But after Babylon that Romish chair,  
That seat of Antichrist, all goodman's foe,  
That sink of sin, Lord let us never go.   

100  
Grant rather (Lord) those Prophecies of yore,  
May now by us be fully complished,  
That we may burn that great, that purple Whore,  
That hath so long with blood of Saints been fed;  
And race those Roman towers, which heretofore  
Were built by blood, and to that glory spread:  
Grant Lord this glory to our worthy King,  
Let him and his, Rome's pomp to ruin bring.   

101  
Lord, as his life was precious in thy sight,  
So let thy glory be to him most dear,  
Still to advance thy glorious Gospel's light,  
Throng hall his Realms, and kingdoms far and hear;  
Know and avoid his foes, and by his might  
To punish those that hateful minds do bear:  
To pity those that faithful are and true,  
And 〈◊〉 rebellious subjects to subdue.   

102  
Lord make his zeals of righteousness so great,  
That he may make it run like water-streames,  
Through all the coasts of his Imperial seat;  
Each city, country, corner of his Realms,  
So let him rule, so govern and entreat  
His mighty people by his princely beams,  
That living, loved; after death his name  
May ever live in everlasting fame.   

103  
Those Worthy Peers and Nobles of the land,  
And that great Senate of the Parliament,  
For so great bounty from thy gracious hand,  
So great deliverance to her country sent,  
Lord let them ever for thy glory stand,  
That still so graciously to them art b●●t:  
There, let good laws by them enacted be,  
For Church and kingdoms safe prosperity.   

104  
Even there I say, where they appointed 〈◊〉  
like harmless sheep to slaught 〈◊〉 to fire,  
There let their care and wisedom● 〈◊〉 appeals,  
To give their foes their due deser●ed hire;  
Those Canaanites, that Rome such love do bear,  
And nor advancement do so much desire,  
Let them by law be rooted out from hence,  
That have 〈◊〉 long been cause of much essence.   

105  
These many years to us and to our State,  
They have been pricks and thorns; and now they meant  
This stratagem which they devised of late,  
Should to this land a fatal blow have lent;  
All at one blow (as they had laid their bait)  
To cut their country's throat was their intent,  
That so the acting of their tragedy,  
To Nero's wishes might compared be.   

106  
Such miscreants that breath out nought but blood,  
Slaughter of innocents, murders of kings,  
Stealth, rapine, incest, nothing that is good;  
Most filthy whoredoms are but trifling things  
With them that are of this accursed brood,  
Distaste to them no sin or mischief brings;  
No, not those sins, whereof the very name,  
True Christians do abhor, detest, and shame.   

107  
A filthy see, and yearly rent they take,  
Of common whores, and never blush withal:  
Of heaven and earth they do a mixture make,  
A viperous general 〈◊〉 are they all,  
That in their country's bowels love to rake,  
All full of poison, full of bitter gall.  
And shall we harbour in our bosoms then  
Such monsters, odious both to God and men?   

108  
Which care not to deface, and quite blot out  
Even nature's laws, engraven in our hearts  
From heaven above; which daily go about  
To break the sinews and the strongest parts  
Of human life; a cruel savage rout,  
Which still delight in shooting deadly darts;  
Which act such things, as Turk or African,  
The Indian or Barbarian would disdain.   

109  
Lord of this people and their wickedness,  
Long trial, many warnings have we had,  
Ourselves against ourselves are witnesses,  
If still we foster them so beastly bad,  
Worthy we are to fall (remediless)  
Into those pits that they for us have laid:  
And thou (Lord) counted just in after ages,  
If thus thou leave us to their cruel rages.   

110  
Let's rather Lord, with all our force and mights,  
The vigour of our spirits and our wits,  
Th● 〈◊〉 plots self and all her subtle sleights,  
〈…〉 audid and shun, as well bests,  
〈◊〉 ●●ll befits us poor unworthy wights,  
〈…〉 by thee freed from their dangerous pits:  
〈◊〉 ●ord let us henceforth never entertain  
〈◊〉 ●●●endship or fellowship with them again.   

111  
Thou mighty Father, our eternal God,  
Our portion, and the shield of our defence,  
Which still hast kept us from our enemy's rod,  
Under the wings of thy omnipotence.  
As hitherto thou hast out foes down trod,  
So keep them under still, still keep them hence,  
Still scatter and disperse their Romish wiles,  
Their subtle sleights and Babylonish guiles.   

112  
That so they may be taught and learn thereby  
No more to fight 'gainst heaven and heavenly powers,  
No more to glut themselves so greedily  
With blood of holy ones; as this land of ours  
By woeful trial well may testify,  
Having from them bid many stormy showers:  
Lord teach them by thy judgements to surcease  
Their plots, so far from piety and peace.   

113  
●o we thy power and mighty Majesty,  
With thankful minds shall evermore record,  
With cheerful ver●e and solemn melody,  
Thy name, thine ●●nor, and thy praise O Lor●  
〈◊〉 temple, house, ●●●et, town, and colour,  
Of English nation aye shall be adored:  
Thy worship there shall spring; and never die,  
While glittering Sun circle's the starry sky.   
FINIS