LACHRYMAE Londinenses: OR, LONDON'S LAMENTATIONS and TEARS.   

In this Treatise is contained; 

Londons' Lamentations and Tears; wherein variety of matter of that Subject is contained and discussed.  
A Map of the City's Misery, etc.  
A Christian Expostulation and Admonition to such as fled, etc.  
Private Prayers; 

A Prayer of Thanksgiving upon the decreasing and ceasing of the said Sickness.  
A fervent Prayer to be used by Londoners in time of and during the Contagious Pestilence.  
A zealous Prayer to be used by Londoners that fled from the City; and others in the Country, during the Contagion.  
A Prayer for our gracious King Charles.  
A Prayer for Queen Mary, our King's Wife.  
A Prayer for Frederick and Elizabeth, King and Queen of Bohemia, and their hopeful Children.  
A Prayer for the Lord Maior, the Sheriffs and Aldermen, of London.  
A Prayer for the Counsel of War, established by Act of Parliament.  
A Prayer for his Majesty's Navy-royall, the Forces and Admiral, now at Sea.  
A brief Prayer for private Persons in tempestuous weather.  
A brief Prayer for our afflicted Brethren, wheresoever.  
A brief private Prayer, for preparation to the public Fasts, whether in City or Country.       

LACHRYMAE Londinenses. OR, LONDON'S TEARS AND LAMENTATIONS, for God's heavy Visitation of the the Plague of Pestilence. WITH, 

A Map of the City's Misery: Wherein may be seen, A journal of the deplorable estate of the City, from the beginning of the Visitation unto this present.  
A Christian Expostulation and Admonition to such as fled out of the City. Wherein is showed; 

Magistrates, that have the care of the Commonwealth. May not flee in time of the greatest Contagion.  
Ministers, that have the care of men's Souls, May not flee in time of the greatest Contagion.  
Physicians, that have the care of men's Bodies, May not flee in time of the greatest Contagion.    
Whereunto is added, A Prayer of Thanksgiving upon the decreasing of the Sickness, and other fervent and zealous Prayers, appropriated to the present pensive times, for private Persons.    
The like not yet Published.  
LONDON, Printed for H. Holland and G: Gibbs, at the Golden Flowerdeluce in Popes-head Ally, 1626.   

THe Reader may take knowledge that this Treatise was penned about the mids and heat of this Great Sickness, now through God's mercy so much assuaged: and it should have been published above six Weeks since, but could not till now, by occasion of some accidents. Read all, or read none: and in reading, rectify these few Errata that have passed the Press:  
Page 3. line 32. for presence, read, person. pag. 5. l. 13. for Debrees, r. Decrees. p. 11. l. 24. for of a, r. of the. pag. 12. l. 9 r. reduce to. p. 14. l. 19 r. Rab●●…akeh. p. 29. l. 25. r. about. pag. 30. l. 30. for our, r. their. In marg. p. 25. for Deut. 1. r. Exod. 18.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, JOHN GORE, Lord Major; ROWLAND HEYLIN, and ROBERT PARKHURST, late Sheriffs, and now Aldermen, of the famous (though forlorn) City of LONDON.  
TO You, and to Ye three alone (Right Honourable, and right Worshipful) prime Guardians of this his Majesty's Imperial Chamber, am I bold to commend these ensuing Lines (Prosopopaeia) of the Lamentations and Tears of this whilom flourishing, now forlorn City: the which I (whoever I am, an unworthy member of the said City) have Compiled, not without many salt Tears, and in the Meditaions of mine own Mortality; when as so many Thousands have fall'n, daily and weekly, on my Right hand and on my Left: And what am I (a silly Worm and no Man) that should be left alive, amids the Thousands that have fall'n, to relate the sad Story hereof? But, it is the Providence of GOD it so should be: By him Kings do Reign; and by him also subordinate Magistrates do Govern: By him, I say, and by his especial Providence, doubtless, You my Lord Mayor, and Ye Mr. Sheriffs, (all three Professors of Religion) were Chosen and Sworn for this Year; a Year full of fatal and memorable Accidents; the ending of a mighty and prudent King, the beginning of a mighty and prodigious Plague, besides the marriage of a mighty King, and the setting forth of a mighty Navy,) such an one, as no Age, no Record, no Chronicle ever mentioned the like, within this our faery Land, in this our famous City: I pray GOD the Country and whole Land do not drink of the same Cup: Yea, Lord, if it be thy will remove this Cup from this City, from this Land.  
So as, to this present Plague of Pestilence, all former Plagues were but petty ones, as I may say: This, to future Ages and Historiographers must needs be Kalendred the Great Plague. I must acknowledge also, that by GOD we live and move and have our being: But, Right Honourable, and right Worshipful, by your Residence and religious Discipline, we that remain in this desolate City have lived in greater safety: for had you not been with us, we had been in danger to have had a further Plague added; our Throats cut and to be despoiled of our Goods, by a certain Rout of Rascals that continually lie lurking and hunkering about this City: as I have further demonstrated in the ensuing Treatise: For the which, your indefatigable labour of Love, Care, and constant Residence, what should my poor self say? but, for a farewell now at your going forth, The blessing of him that dwelled in the Bush be with you and yours evermore: And so I humbly take my leave of your Honour and your Worships. ⸪  
Octob: 27. 1625.   

TO THE READER, whether in CITY or COUNTRY.  
Beloved READER, (whether Christian, Courteous, Gentle; either, or neither.) If you expect in these ensuing Lines any scarce credible or feigned matters of wonderment, made in some Tavern or on some Alebench, to tickle your Ears and help you to sing Careaway, you will be deceived: for there are enough, if not too many such like Spuriall Pamphlets, which the Press hath of late already spewed out, (Brood's of Barbican, Smithfield, and the Bridge, and Trundled, trolled and marshaled up and down and along the Streets; and haply the Countries also:) and certes (excepting one ingenious and ingenuous Writer lately extant, 
Vox Civit.  and published since this Tract was penned,) they are mad Mountebanks that dare venture to vent their Quacksaluing Conceits, to move mirth, in time of a mighty Mortality, and when GOD and KING calls for Mourning; The very Title of this Tract is Tears; the Subject, Sad; the Matter, Mournful; in a sorrowful Season; in a perplexed Place: All true, and really too true: If it were the will of GOD, would it were not so: Yet all is here related by way of Meditation, and but generally: particular Sad and Mournful accidents, I do but touch, though I know many: For example, of whole Families swept away by the bosom of GOD'S Destroying Angel; some consisting of 5. some 6. some 7. some 8. some 9 and 10. persons in a Family; and none left to lament the loss of each other: nor any lawful Inheritor left, or hardly to be heard of, to lay claim to the Goods and Estate remaining: and if any such found out, how shy and fearful to enter and take possession of the said Goods? I know, I say, the names of such Families, the places where they dwelled: yea, and Nurses, and such like keeping-Creatures going away with the best part of such Goods as are left in the Houses: whiles Friends and Neighbours hearken after the right Inheritors. And who is there remaining in this City, that hath not a share in the knowledge, more or less, of this Tragedy, of those that are dead from us? Now, for our Londoners that fled from us, their entertainment in the Countries about us, and in the several Shires of this Kingdom, I must leave you to those forced and farced, if not feigned, Relations before specified: or rather to their own Reports by their Letters, and at their returns: bad enough, and too bad, I partly hear it hath been: for which the Country's hardheartedness to Citizens extended my Prayer shall be, that God have not a scourge in store for them. And so not to trouble farther with Preface, I refer and commend you to more purpose, to the ensuing TREATISE. ⸫  
Vale & fruere.   

MATER LONDINIA deplorat, filijs Civibusque suis.  
I Must begin with the Prophet Jeremy's Complaint and wish: O that my Head were Waters, 
jer. 9 & 1.  and mine Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep day and night, for the manifold Sins of my Children the Citizens and Inhabitants of LONDON, and for the heavy hand of GOD'S Plague of the Pestilence thereon, for the same: I London, that have been styled by Strangers, Emporium celeberrimum totius Orbis; The most famous City and Marketplace of the whole World. By others styled, Trinobantum, 1. Troynovant or New Troy: by others, Augusta, 1. An Imperial City▪ by all, ever held, Camera Regis, 1. The Imperial and Royal Chamber of the Kings of this Nation, the Metropolis of this Land. ay, I say, that even the other day, was graced with my Royal Sovereign's Presence, and with my Sister Westminster's help, I contained not only the Courts of justice for the whole Kingdom, but the high Court of Parliament also, the Representative Body of this whole Kingdom: I London, I say again, that yesterday also enjoyed all my Children the Citizens their presence, with free Commerce, Merchandizing and Trading with all Merchants of Christendom; yea, I may say, of the whole World, am now become the most forlorn place of the whole Kingdom: For, by reason of the Contagious Infection of the Pestilence reigning within my Circumference and about my Skirts; First, my Gracious Sovereign hath forsaken me, and high time it was, (considering the disastrous accident in his Majesty's House at White-Hall) that his Sacred Majesty should abandon me: for his Majesty's Life and safety is more worth than many Millions of others his Subjects: 
 Yea, 
Heavens grant his happy days may never end,  
Sith on his Life Millions of lives depend.   
But, I have not only lost his Presence, but the presence also of all the Nobility, and Gentry of this Land: also the Terms and Courts of justice have suffered interruption by reason of my Visitation: the High Court of Parliament adjourned and removed far away from me: but all this I must confess not without just cause. That which grieveth me most & addeth to my Affliction, is, my natural Children the Citizens, all the wealthier sort, who have sucked the best sap of their Estates from my Breasts, have abandoned me in my greatest Affliction; and whom have they left, but the poorest sort to defend and support me? And although I will be more charitable than to censure all such as fled from me: For, I hold it lawful in time of Infection for men to lessen their Houses and remove themselves and their Families with moderation: Yet as a Learned man hath lately counselled them, they shall give me leave to advise them in the same words; Let not rich Citizens by fleeing (unless they likewise flee from their sins) think to escape scot-free: So long as they carry their sins with them, the Lord will find them out, and his hand will reach them wheresoever they are. And I add thus much.  
For mine own part, although I will not deal so harshly with you as St. John the Baptist did in the Gospel, in another case, with the Multitude, in these words: O ye generation of Vipers, who hath forewarned ye to flee, etc. Yet because I your Mother have to deal with a Multitude also, let me advise with you my Children in a milder manner, O ye Generation of Citizens, (beloved Londoners) Men, Fathers, Brethren, (yea and Sisters too) tell me, who hath forewarned you to flee from the Vengeance of the Pestilence? Ye may call to mind that God's Plague of the Pestilence is called in Holy-writ, the destroying Angel, and I must tell you that Angels have Wings, and can flee faster than any of your Coaches can hurry, or your Geldings can gallop; And doth not woeful experience tell you already since the beginning of this Visitation of the Pestilence, that some of you having sent your bestbeloved beforehand into the Country: (as Wives, Children) meaning to follow after yourselves, and those your best and dearest beloved have been infected with the same Sickness before you could come, and some against you came unto them: and others of you have been yourselves arrested and surprised with the same before you could follow: How say you? Is not this true? And was not, I say, the destroying Angel quicker therein than either you, your Coaches or Geldings could be? I say unto you therefore again, as I said before, (and I speak to all such as flee hand over head without taking counsel of God, etc.) Who hath forewarned you to flee from God's Vengeance? First, what warrant have you to flee? And I come unto you more particularly, Art thou a Magistrate? Show me thy warrant to flee, and who shall supply thy place to see justice executed? Art thou a Private man, rich and wealthy? who shall relieve the Poor in thy stead? Peradventure thou wilt answer me, that though thy presence be absent yet thy Purse is present: and if so thou canst say, and say truly, it is well. But alas, how many score I might say Hundreds of you have gone; nor leaving nor sending any succour for the Poor? Insomuch, that I may say, ye have left in a manner none but the Poor to relieve the Poor. 1. The poorer and meaner sort of Householders (many whereof have need of relief themselves) to relieve poor, aged, impotent, blind, lame, sick and diseased people: who daily die in the fields and streets for want of succour and sustenance.  
Our Calamity extendeth yet further: For we that remain in about London, being for the most part, but poor I say ourselves, and men of mean estates; some of us having had our Houses visited, and so shut up for a long space; and others of us taking no money at all, neither for our Wares nor work, the whole Country and Kingdom in a manner baulking us, and refraining to send or buy any Wares of us: and all this while, we having ourselves, wives, children and servants to care for, and to maintain, and besides sitting at great Rents, (yea, and many of us having unmerciful Landlords,) and having no Rents nor Revenues ourselves; nor other means to help us, besides our manuel Trades, Occupations, and Shopkeeping. All which considered, was not, and is not our case lamentable?  
And as a further Addition to our present Affliction; There are a Generation of justices of Peace, who devised an unjust and unpeaceable way to famish us that remained; For, first, they hindered our London Butchers to come into their adjacent Towns and Hamlets to fetch cattle, for our food: Secondly, they made Decrees, Orders, and Inhibitions, which they caused to be read publicly in Churches, (and this their fact, because public, will purchase either fame or infamy to posterity:) that our Market-folke of the same Towns and Hamlets be restrained, upon penalties, to bring us into London fresh Victuals, (as Mutton, Veal, Butter, Eggs, and the like,) for our Monies; whiles they themselves drink their Wine and strong Beer in Bowls, (little thinking on the Affliction of joseph,) follow their sports; as Hawking, Hunting, Gaming, Bowling, and the like; and faring deliciously every day: but let them take heed it fare not with them hereafter as it did with the rich Glutton in the Gospel. (who certes was a Country justice of Peace) for this their inconsiderate Cruelty: Insomuch, that were it not for the wonderful providence of God, who feedeth the Ravens, yea, all the World (beyond the comprehension of their gross capacities,) many thousands in and about this City that remain, might have famished and starved. I doubt not but after this great Mortality, some of us shall Vuruive to make our complaint unto his most Excellent Majesty of this their cruel Plot; but I doubt they will not easily answer it. The Prophet Isaiah hath a shrewd sentence against such unjust justices: the words are these, 
Isai. 10. & 1.  Woe unto them that decree unrighteous Debrees, and that write grievousness, which they have prescribed. And howsoever, because they cannot restrain us from Charity; We will and do with our Saviour Christ, pray, Father forgive them they know not what they do, and with holy St. Stephen, Lord lay not this (Cruelty) unto their Charge.  
And now let me your Mother come, and condole with you my Children the Citizens, and Inhabitants that remained in and about the City; resolving to endure the heat of the Day of God's Visitation: and again, I wish the Prophet Jeremy's Wish: 
jer. 9 1.  For, go we into the Suburbs, what do we hear but lamentable voices and cry of the visited Poor? O we are sick, and we die, we perish, for want of relief, means, and looking to? go we into the Fields-here lies one sick and fainting with the same cry as before, there lies another dead: Come we back into the heart of the City, in one house sits one lamenting, O I have lest my dear wife and fellow helper, dead of this heavy sickness: in on other, O I have lost my dear Husband, the staff and stay of my life, and of my children's: in an other, Father and Mother lamenting the loss of their child, their children, nay, I know some Rachel's, mourning for their children and will not be comforted; in another, helpless children lamenting the loss of both their Parents: in another place, whole Families swept away; Parents, Children, Servants, and all: and at leastwise, in what street or Family can we come? but we hear a voice of mourning for one kinsman or kinswoman or other, in this or that place deceased of this devouring disease: 
july.— August.—  Sure I am, that even I, the writer hereof, (who ever I am,) am not without my share of cause of mourning in this kind. But come we again to the State of this City: In the day time, what else hear we almost but Bells ringing of Knells? and in the night season (when we should take our rest,) we are interrupted by the continual tolling of Passing-Bells, and anon the ringing out of the same: In the day time also, how many both men and women have been seen suddenly to sink down in the streets, and there draw their last breaths? yea, some of them of good rank and fashion: All which compelleth me, and I can no longer forbear me to borrow the very words of the Prophet jeremy's Complaint. 
Lam. 1. &. 1.  How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people? and how is she become as a widow? she that was great among the Nations and Princess among the Provinces, how is she become tributary? she weepeth sore in the night, and her Tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her, all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. 
Verse 4.  And again, The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn Feasts: all her Gates are desolate: her Priest's sigh: her Virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness: and further, let us but turn the Name jerusalem into London, how fitly doth the Prophet's prosecution of the Complaint serve us? 
Verse 7.  viz. (London) remembered in the days of her affliction, and of her miseries, all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the Enemy, and none did help her; the Adversaries saw her, and did mock at her Sabbaths. 
Verse 8.  Again, London, hath grievously sinned, and therefore she is removed: all that honour her, despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she fighteth and turneth backward. Her filthiness is in her skirts, she remembreth not her last end, therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter, etc. It is worth your reading, to read over that first chapter of the Lamentations, when you think upon the present estate of desolate London: especially, have recourse unto the 20. verse▪ and the latter end thereof.  
I cannot yet forget the want of you my Children the Inhabitants of London, for whose absence still the cry of the Poor ringeth the loudest peal in mine ears: Put the case that the Magistrates now in place of Government for this year, (whose lives are as dear unto them as any of yours) I mean the right Honourable the Lord Maior, and the Right Worshipful the Sheriffs, should flee from my Confines as ye have done; what Riots, Rapines▪ and uproars would be committed in and about the City? by a multitude of Sharks, Shifters, Decoys, Roarers and Robbers, that continually live and lie lurking about the City, upon the Ruins of other men: And may we not well remember even since the beginning of this Visitation, and no longer agone but the last Trinity Term, what a horrible Riot was begun in Holborn? when a company of Swaggerers had combined to rescue a Gentleman, (bearing the name of L. L. a Nobleman) out of the under-sheriffs house, and what a deal of blood had been like to be spent in the same business? had not the Sheriffs of London been sent for speedily, who came with a strong Guard; at whose coming and presence the Rescuers betook themselves to their heels, and not one of them durst stand to it, or strike one blow more, though in interchange of blows before they came between the Rescuers and the under-sheriffs Officers, there was some blood shed: All I say appeased at the presence of the Magistrate: and the Gentleman the Prisoner, submits and commits himself into the hands of the Sheriffs of London: Who, had they been absent out of London, which mischief I say had happened upon that Riot, I leave wise men to judge. And again, since that time, when the Prisoners in the King's Bench Prison combined to rescue themselves out of Prison, and to that end had gotten the Keys and bound the Keepers: in which Riot some blood was shed, and though some of the Prisoners enlarged themselves, yet other some for their labours lost their lives: but how much more blood had been shed, and how many more had been slain, if some in Authority had not interposed their help, we may well guess.  
Let us come yet more particularly to the government of this City, which is divided into so many several Wards: & every Ward hath its particular Alderman to govern it, in seeing to the Orders and disorders in it. Now, the Alderman he fleeth into the Country, & for his excuse he saith, he leaves his Deputy behind him: the Deputy he follows the Alderman (if he be not gone before him) & leaves Constables behind him, to see to matters: the Constables haply they follow the Deputy, and peradventure they leave the Beadle behind them: Well, the Beadle he is left behind for all: he sees many disorders and Riots happen in his Ward: Now, I would fain know, who will obey a Beadle as a Magistrate? or what power hath a Constable or Beadle to reform or punish without the Alderman, being the Magistrate? Again, the Constable or Beadle haply may be visited with sickness; yea, peradventure dieth: I would fain have any absent Alderman answer what mischief against God and King may not be done in his Ward without any control at all: And for those few worthy Magistrates that have continued the heat of the Day with us, see the blessing of God extended to them, in their calling: for all this time passed of mortality, I have not heard that scarce the head of any of them hath ached: We may well conclude therefore that Magistrates, especially such as are in present government, and sworn for their year, may not flee from the City in time of greatest Contagion, though their lives be far more worth, for the Good of the Commonwealth, than the lives of ordinary men.  
And now I come to the Ministers of God's Word: whether they may flee, I mean such as have the charge and Cure of Souls: (such also their lives are as dear unto them as others, yea and of more value than other ordinary men:) yet they may not nor is it lawful for them to flee in this time of Contagion: And I will send them to be resolved of a Reverend and learned Divine, 
Doct. Hall, Epist. Decad. 4. Epist. 9  a man of their own Coat and Calling, who hath long since written to conclude the unwarrantableness of their flight in the time of the Pestilence, in these lines following:  
How much better is it to be dead, than negligent, than faithless? If some Bodies be contagiously sick, shall all Souls be wilfully neglected? There can be no time wherein Counsel is so seasonable, so needful. Every threatening finds impression, where the mind is prepared by sensible Judgements. When will the Iron hearts of men bow, if not when they are heat in the flame of God's Affliction? Now then to run away from a necessary and public Good, to avoid a doubtful and private Evil, is to run into a worse evil than we would avoid. He that will thus run from Ninive to Tharsis, shall find a Tempest and a Whale in his way. Not that I dare be an Author to any of the private Visitation of infected Beds: I dare not without better warrant. Who hath ever said we are bound to close up the dying eyes of every departing Christian? And upon whatever Conditions to hear their last groans? If we had a word, I would not debate of the success. Then, that were Cowardliness, which now is Wisdom. Is it no service, that we publicly teach and exhort? That we privately prepare men for Death, and arm them against it? That our comfortable letters and messages stir up their fainting hearts? That our loud voices pierce their ears afar, unless we feel their pulses, and lean upon their Pillows, and whisper in their ears? Daniel is in the Lion's Den; Is it nothing that Darius speaks comfort unto him through the Grate, unless he go in to salute him among those fierce Companions? A good Minister is the common goods, He is not his own but the People's, he cannot make his life peculiar to one, without injury to many. In the common cause of the Church, he must be no niggard of his own life; in the private cause of a neighbours bodily sickness, he may soon be a Prodigal. A good Father may not spend his substance on one Child, and leave the rest Beggars. If any be resolute in the contrary, I had rather praise his courage, than imitate his practice. I confess, I fear, not so much death, as want of warrant for death. And so much for that reverend Doctors writing, a faithful labourer in God's Harvest: which I hope is unanswerablie, enough to prove rhat Ministers may not flee from their Charges in time of the Pestilence.  
I must now proceed to Physicians (with whom I include Surgeons) whom, 
Ecclus: 38.  I find ordained of God, and we ought to honour them: but, wherefore ordained and to be honoured? Why, the same Divine Author saith, even for the uses which we may have of them. 1. For the health of thy body: Are they therefore to flee from us in the time of the Pestilence? Surely nothing less: for than we have most use, need, and necessity of them: If therefore the Magistrate, that hath the care of the Commonwealth committed to his charge by the King: and the Minister who hath the care of men's Souls committed to his charge by God, may not (with a safe Conscience) flee in this time of contagious Sickness, as is before proved; I see no reason why the Physician, who hath the care of men's bodies, should flee and leave us destitute of his help, for which he was ordained: Can he gather so much out of the time of a common Mortality, by his Fees of us, that the ground will not hold him, but he is mounted on his Foot-cloth? and must he needs flee from us, when we have most use and need of his company and his Counsel, when thousands are daily sick, and many die for want of means? But me thinks I hear Physicians answer, They leave us not destitute, they leave us inferior foot-Physicians: We confess, indeed, through the Providence of God we are not altogether destitute, God moving the hearts of some Physicians and Surgeons to stay amongst us, in their Calling; but that is no thank to them: for they flee, not regarding so many thousands they leave behind them, whether they sink or swim, live or die: but with what Conscience, considering the premises I leave to their own considerations: Howsoever, those Physicians and Surgeons that have in a conscionable respect to their Callings,) more than in respect of gain,) stayed with us, given, and used their best counsel and endeavours to such as have been visited, this great Mortality: they certes are the men that deserve the honour, which we are conselled to give to the Physician: we may make question whether such as are fled from us, though never so brave and wealthy, deserve any of that honour, or no: Yea, in my judgement we owe those that have stayed double honour.  
Well, for all this that hath been said or can be said, of Magistrates, Ministers, Physicians and Surgeons; many of each nevertheless have fled from us, and their excuses and apologies are diverse and various: yet for the most part they jump in this one voice and song; They flee, they say; for their Lives, from the danger of a Contagion: to which I answer, they were deceived, for some of them, upon my knowledge, have fled for their Deaths: I will say no more unto them, Sapienti verbum sat est.  
And for such Magistrates, such Ministers, and such Physicians as have stayed and endured the heat of the day with us: I shall not need to name them: I make no doubt but their names are taken in God's Book, who is able to reward the labour of their love: My poor and unworthy Prayer for them shall ever be, The good Lord requite them: and the Blessing of him that dwelled in the Bush be with them for ever.  
That private and ordinary men may not take that liberty they do, to flee in these times some leaving their Callings, some their Families, promiscuously and preposterously, I have said enough in the premises to satisfy any reasonable men.  
But now, beloved Londoners, let us come and search the cause of this contagious Pestilence, which causeth your fearful flight: Surely, it is nought else but our sins which have incensed the heavy wrath of God: And which I may reduce these seven Heads following; Swearing and blaspheming: Profaning and not sanctifying the Sabbath: Adultery and Fornication: Drunkennsse and Gluttony: Oppression and Extortion: Contempt of God's word and Sacraments: To which I may add, Pride and fullness of Bread, and Contempt of the Poor: (I pray God the other not to be named sin of Sodom be not also perpetrated in some corners and Sinks of this City:) which sins now reigning, I briefly display as followech; First, for Swearing, doth any Age or any Record make mention of the like swearing and taking the most sacred Name of God in vain, as in now adays, by Men, Women, and Children? yea, many Children no sooner taught to speak, but they learn also to swear by the most sacred name of God; before they know God: nay, there are a sort of swaggering Swearers, who think themselves not Masters in their (cursed) Art of swearing, till they have devised, and do use some new Oaths and manner of Swearing: (O fearful!) so as I may say for this one sin, the Land mourneth: for this sin, this City now mourneth: Commendable and agreeable to God's word, was that pious Statute Enacted last year by the worthy House of Parliament against Profane Swearing: though by negligence of men I fear it taketh not so good effect to restrain that sin as was hoped: For what reformation can we see?  
Secondly, for the Sabbath day, commonly called the Lords day, what Feast, what Gamings and unlawful Recreations? what sly and secret Revelling and haunting of Taverns and Taphouses? more than God's house, on that day, by many loose people? what Surfeiting and Drunkenness, on that day? some eating and drinking on that day so much, that either they sleep it out at home, or if they come to God's House they sleep out the time of divine Service and Sermons: Insomuch, as I may say, they have polluted the Lords sabboth's: which also is an other cause of God's heavy Visitation of this City, at this present.  
Thirdly, for Adultery and Fornications, they have been, and I fear me are so common, especially about the skirts of this City, as if there were neither Laws of God nor Man against them: insomuch, as I may be bold to say they have been so openly and commonly used in some places, as if they had been allowed and countenanced by Authority: Yea, there are a company of swaggering Whoremasters about this City, who not content with their ordinary prostitute Strumpets▪ but will brag and boast of their abusing this and that man's Bed infamiliarity with his Wife: and of their deflowering of this and that Maid: who haply are honest Women, and chaste Maids, that never had any acquaintance at all with such Companions: This sin therefore I may as boldly say, is another cause of God's Visitation of this City.  
Fourthly, for Drunkenness and Gluttony, they abound, as if they were uncontrollable sins, nay, as if they were no sins at all: many taking such liberty in Drinking, that they think they are not truly merry, until they be verily drunk; and they being friends one with another, cannot (as they say) love each other, except they be drunk together: and such when they are told of it by any true Friends indeed, such, as fear God, they are ready fearfully to plead for their Drunkenness, etc. We call such Drunkards, Beasts, but certes they are worse than Beasts, for what dumb Beast is there that useth to be drunk? This sin therefore must needs be another cause of God's Visitation of this City.  
Fiftly, for oppression of the Poor, and the covetous extortion of many griping Usurers, and Lease-munging Landlords, the careful complaint of many poor Prisoners and Tenants, both Men and Women, in and about this City, doth cry loud in the Lords ears, and proclaim this Sin: Yea, how many a sad weeping and mournful Countenance have I, and may we daily see of Men and Women, especially at the Quarter days (as we call them) that are subject to viperous Usurers and unconscionable Landlords? This sin therefore is undoubtedly no small cause of this Gods heavy Visitation.  
Sixtly, for Contempt of God's word and Sacraments, and the faithful Ministers thereof, this manifestly appears by the small reformation of men's lives, especially with the profane multitude, who give no ear nor regard to hear the sacred word of God, which ought to be heard as it is Preached, in season and out of season: and for their persons that are the sincerest, and most zealous Preachers, every foul mouthed Rabshecay having his tongue set on fire by the flame of Hell, hath the most odious terms and aspersions to cast upon them and their doctrine, though it be the message of Christ, and they the Messengers thereof: And for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, a Reverend and zealous Divine hath delivered publicly, and is persuaded, that this present Pestilence was sent, and did begin about Easter last, when a multitude of miscreant people came unprepared and unworthily, hand over head, to receive the Sacrament, viz. Such as were Swearers and Blaspheamers; Sabboth-breakers: Common Whoremongers and Whores; Panders and Bawds: Drunkards and Epicures, or Belly-gods: Oppressors, and Covetous wretches: Contemners and Scoffers of God's word and his Ministers, yea, of the Sacrament they came to receive: which they came to receive only for fashion sake, or else because they would not be liable to the Law, penal in that kind.  
Seventhly, for Pride; this Luciferian Sin hath infected the City as much, if not more, than the Plague, at this present: And though by the haughty looks of Men and Women, we may judge and discern too much of the Pride of their hearts, yet because God is the tryer of the heart, I leave that; and come to the horrible Pride and and prodigality, more apparent, in Apparel: For, we have seen Merchants and their wives apparelled like Princes: we have seen ordinary Tradesmen and their wives like Noblemen and great Ladies. Knaves, Cheaters, and Cunny-catchers, clad like Knights: Lawyers like Lords; Tailors like thieves: Shoemakers in Satin: Tapsters in Taffeta; Horse-scoursers and Ostlers wearing gold lace: Nay, I have seen a Cobbler's Daughter attired like a Merchant's Daughter: a Kitchen-maide wearing a silken Cobweb-lawn Ruff: and it is not ordinary to see Servingmen in siilken Stockings, and Prentices wear far better clothes than their Masters? And this sin of Pride, the premises considered, we may persuade ourselves, that it is in a higher degree than the Pride of Sodom: Which Sin therefore must needs be one special cause of drawing down God's Vengeance of this present Pestilence.  
And lastly, for fullness of Bread, and Contempt of the Poor, because I have spoken of them in the Premises, though I could speak much more, yet I desist to display them further.  
There is another sin lurking, nay, too apparent, in and about this City, which is the pride of the Clergy, many Ministers and their Wives, (who should be Lamps of Humility:) the which I heard a zealous Preacher of God's word deliver publicly, he was persuaded was not the least cause of incensing Gods wrath of the Present Pestileuce: for me therefore, Satis superque.  
In respect of which heinous sins before named, the Prophet Zephanies Denunciation, or Gods by his mouth, and complaint, may be fitly applied to London in these words following;  
Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, 
Zeph. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.  to the oppessing City: She obeyed not the voice: She received not correction: She trusted not in the Lord: She drew not near to her God. Her Princes within her are roaring Lions: Her Judges are raevening Wolves, they gnaw not the bones till to morrow. Her Prophets are light and treacherous persons, her Priests have polluted the Sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.  
I have cut▪ off their Nations: 
Verse 5.  their Towers are desolate: I made their Streets waste, that none passed by: their City is destroyed, so that there is no Man, no Inhabitant. I said; surely, they will fear me, thou wilt receive instruction, so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them, but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.  
The Prophet Jsaiahs' saying and accusation may also be verified and applied to this City, in these words following:  
How is the faithful City become an Harlot? It was full of judgement, 
Isa▪ 1. & 21:  Righteousness lodged in it, but now Murders. Thy Silver is become dross, thy Wine mixed with Water. Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of thieves: Every one loveth Gifts, and followeth after Rewards: they judge not the Fatherless, neither doth the cause of the Widow come unto them. Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, the mighty one of Israel; Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine Enemies. And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away all thy Sinne. And I will restore thy Judges as at the first, and thy Counsellors as at the beginning: afterward, thou shalt be called the City of righteousness, the faithful City.  
And the same Prophet Isaiah, prosecuteth his Complaint, which we may still apply to London, in these words following:  
The Lord will enter into judgement with the Ancients of his people, 
Isai. 3 & 14.  and the Princes thereof: For ye have eaten up the Vineyard, the spoil of the Poor is in your Houses. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the Poor, saith the Lord God of Hosts? Moreover, the Lord saith; because the Daughters of Zion (London) are haughty, and walk with stretched forth Necks, and wanton Eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet, etc. And so unto the latter end of that third Chapter, observable and worthy your reading, with Chapter endeth in these words; And her Gates shall lament and mourn, and she being desolate, shall sit upon the ground.  
And now let me come again to ye beloved Londoners, that fled from me your Mother; Tell me, have not ye your parts and shares in these reigning sins of this City before named? Surely, such of you as have not, and have your Consciences to bear you witness that you are guiltless, it is well for you: But then tell me, which of you, even the best of you, can say but you have been slack and backwards in performance of Holy duties to God, and just duties to your Neighbour? If there be any such amongst you, I dare pronounce them guiltless and Righteous Persons, that need no Repentance: But otherwise, ye that did and are run away, must all join with us that remain, in Repentance and Humiliation to God, before we can look that God will withhold his hand and cease the Plague wholly: To which end take this Counsel in brief from me your indulgent Mother following;  
Let him and her that hath been accustomed to Swearing swear no more: but rather let your yea, be yea, and your nay, nay: and so let every one speak truth to his Neighbour: And consider who hath said, The Curse of God shall not depart from the House of the Swearer.  
Let every Sabboth-breaker learn from him that hath commanded it, to keep holy the Sabbath day: that you may be the better prepared to celebrate an everlasting Sabbath with God in his Kingdom.  
Let all Adulterers, Fornicatours, Whoremongers, and Whores, learn to possess their Vessels in Chastity: considering your bodies are (or aught to be) the Temples of the Holy Ghost: and remember who hath said, Whoremongers and Adulterers the Lord will surely judge.  
Let all Drunkards and Gluttons, leave their Drunkenness and Gurmandizing, considering who it is that hath denounced, Woe to them that rise early, and sit up late to drink, and that are mighty to drink Wine and strong drink: And remembering what became of the rich Glutton in the Gospel.  
Let every Oppressor and Grinder of the Faces of the Poor, repent them of their sins, and consider the third Chapter of Jsaiah, before recited: and with Zacheus, let them learn to make Restitution; and consider who hath said, Let him that hath stolen steal no more, etc.  
And for Viperous and groping Usurers, let them often read and meditate on the 15. Psalm.  
Let all Contemners of God's Word, his Sacraments, and faithful Ministers thereof repent, and learn to receive the Food which is able to save their Souls, with all meekness: and to have the Ministers thereof in due reverence for their Message sake.  
Let all Proud and highminded People, learn of St. Paul, Coloss: 3. & 12.  
Nay, let them learn of a greater than Paul, even of our Saviour Christ himself, Matth. 11. & 29.  
To conclude, let all sorts of Men and Women; Rich and Poor, old and young, forsake their sinful courses, and strive to find out the Plague in their own hearts: whether sins of heart, or sins of life, sins of commission or omission, and turn unto the Lord with true Repentance: & according to john Baptists Counsel, Bring forth fruits meet for Repentance: Yea, let us with the Apostles in the Gospel cry, Is it I Lord? Is it I? etc. Nay, let us every one say, Is it not I Lord? Is it not I? etc. And so hand in hand, Let us all approach the Throne of Grace by hearty and fervent Prayer, and never give over importuning the Lord, until he be pleased to hold the hand of the destroying Angel, and cause him to sheathe his Sword: and so this grievous, fearful, and devouring Sickness of the Pestilence, (as it is wonderfully assuaged) shall cease from this City, To which end I your indulgent Mother have collected these ensuing Platforms of Prayers, to help those that cannot otherwise pour out their souls unto Almighty God in Prayer. Which I wish may yield some profit and comfort to every honest-hearted Christian, that shall view and make use of them, in these sad times of Mourning and Humiliation. Amen.  
And above all, beware of Security, now GOD hath, for the time, so much and mercifully withdrawn his hand.   

PRIVATE PRAYERS appropriated to the present perplexed times.  

A Prayer of Thanksgiving upon the decreasing and ceasing of the Contagious Sickness.  
O Almighty jehovah! who, as thou art the GOD of judgement, so thou art the Father of Mercy: And in the days of old, didst in thy just judgement drown the whole unrepentant World by thy Deluge of Water, except thy Servant Noah and his Family; and yet at length thou didst remember Mercy, and ceased the Flood, and sent dry Land: And in the days of thy Servant David for his and his People's sin, didst destroy a mighty Multitude with thy Plague of Pestilence, and yet at length didst also remember Mercy, commanded the Destroying Angel to sheathe his Sword and cease. And in the time of thy Servant jonah, didst remove the deserved Destruction of Niniveh, remembering thy Mercy. Thou art the same God of justice still, and we do confess we have most justly deserved thy Wrath, and provoked thee by our infinite sins, to send this present Pestilence amongst us, which hath swept away so many Thousands of us: And seeing thou remembering thy wont Mercy, hast heard the Prayers of some Noah, some David, some jonah, thy Servants remaining: and hast begun to show us favour, insomuch, that first the tops, than the midst, and lastly the whole Mountains of thy Mercies have appeared, and do appear unto us, after this thy great Deluge of Destruction, by the hand of the Destroyer: we do upon the bended knees of our sorrowful souls return unto thy merciful Majesty, all possible and hearty praise and thanksgiving, most humbly beseeching thee, for thy Christ's sake, still to show us thy favourable Countenance, in withdrawing more and more this thy heavy hand and Visitation of the Pestilence: and withal, make us so thankful for this and thy many other favours, that we that remain, may rejoice in thy Salvation, and praise thee in the Congregation of the living.  
O Lord! as thou hast permitted the Black Horse of the Pestilence to trample on us in so great a measure: so thou hast given us a glimpse of the Pale Horse of Famine, and no less of the Red Horse of War: Wherefore furthermore, O blessed God, we do most earnestly entreat thee, to be yet more merciful unto us, and remove and avert all or any other thy judgements, which do deservedly hang over our heads: and when thou hast withdrawn the Pestilence from us, let not as bad or a worse Plague overtake us: But Lord, we pray thee look mercifully upon us: and Lord, if it be thy will, let the Cup of thine indignation and wrath pass from us of this City, from this Land wherein we live: although we do confess that the crying sins of this Land, yea, of this City, do deserve, that thou shouldest utterly destroy us from off the Earth; yet we know that thou art a God, that canst not forget to be merciful: therefore we beseech thee to spare us, oh spare us good God, for thy infinite mercy's sake: and in sparing us, give us grace to redeem the time, because the days be evil: that so we (our Wives, Children and Servants) that remain alive, may bless and laud thee in the Land of the living; even now, and all the days of our lives: and to that end, give us we humbly crave, health of body, and peace of Conscience, that so we may daily grow up, from grace to grace in this world, and hereafter reign with thee in the Kingdom of Grace and Glory, where thou reignest with thy Son our Saviour, and the Holy Ghost, a God of Eternity, Individual, Immortal, and the only wise God, for evermore. Amen.   

A devout and fervent Prayer, to be used by all Londoners and members of the City, in time of, and during the contagious Pestilence.  
Whither shall we go, O Lord, in the day of our Affliction, but only unto thee? Thou alone canst save, and out of thy hands none is able to give deliverance. Heavy at this time is thy hand upon us in this City, and fearful is the Disease with which thou hast afflicted us: We are even afraid one friend and neighbour of another's breath: nothing is before us but present Death▪ Scarcely can we look forth, but we may see some one or other amongst us carried away to the Grave, and the Mourners going about the Streets. We must needs confess, that though this be grievous, yet it is the smallest part of our desert: It is just with thee to smite us with Botches and Scabs that cannot be healed, and to make the Pestilence even to cleave unto our loins, and to sweep us away from off the Earth, even as a man sweepeth away dung, till all be gone. For, how have we multiplied our iniquities before thee, and to what a shameless and intolerable measure are our sins increased? Many warnings have been given us by thy Ministers, thou hast risen early and late, and sent unto us by them; yet we have made our hearts as Adamant stones, and have put far from us the Euill-day, persuading ourselves that their Sermons were but wind, and that they did but commend unto us their own fancies. Thus have we encouraged ourselves in Evil, and have set thy judgements at naught, every one turning to his own course, as the Horse rusheth into the Battle, adding Drunkenness to thirst, and falling away from thee more and more. But O Lord give us now at the last remorseful and repentant hearts, make us (as it were) to smite upon our thighs, as a sign that we see our wanderings, and that we are ashamed of our sins. Embolden us in the name of Christ, to come into thy Presence, and in all earnestness of spirit to cry unto thee, Take away our Iniquities, and receive us graciously. Teach us as well to fear sin, the cause of this wasting Sickness, as we do the Sickness itself, which is the fruit of Sinne. Comfort us according to the days that thou hast afflicted us, and let the sweet feeling of the gracious testimony of thy Spirit, speaking Peace unto our Souls, prevail against all other sadness or cause of grief or sorrow whatsoever. Say, O Lord, unto the destroying Angel, It is sufficient, hold thy hand: Or if it be thy pleasure to stretch thy hand yet further, and to take us or any of us away also, O prepare us to thine own purpose, endue us with a holy patience to endure the utmost Trial: and grant that whatsoever befall our earthly Tabernacles, yet our souls may be always acceptable unto thee; and all this for Christ jesus his sake, who hath loved us, and given himself to be a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto thee. Amen.   

A Zealous Prayer in time of the Plague to be used by all Londoners that are fled from the City, and all others that are sensible of the City's Calamity, wheresoever.  
O LORD GOD, our only helper and Defender, who amongst all other Evils, hast promised to deliver thy People from the noisome Pestilence; We beseech thee, take this thy heavy Plague away from us; and especially withhold thy hand from off the City of London, the Metropolis of this Kingdom, where thy Name is daily called upon. And let our humble Supplications (which at this time, upon our knees we make unto thee in the name of CHRIST JESUS,) procure our happy Release, and appease thy Wrath, which we have justly procured against us thorough sin. Lord, we being heartily sorry for our sins, (fully purposing by the assistance of thy holy Spirit to amend our lives) do humbly entreat thee to have mercy upon us, to take away this Plague from us, and not to suffer us to perish after so miserable a sort. We thank thee, O Lord, that thou hast not left us altogether comfortless, nor cast us off without hope, but hast somewhat withdrawn thy heavy hand, and spared many of us; we pray thee to continue thy favour daily more and more towards us; to deal with us in Mercy, not in justice; to bless us & all those that depend on us; To set thy saving Mark upon our Houses, as thou didst for the Jsraelites in Egypt; To give order to the Destroyer, that he hurt us not, to put thy strength to our Medicines; to let thy good blessing make the preservatives of Physicians effectual; and to make our shifting places, for more security, profitable unto us. Give us grace, O Lord, not to trust too much on outward means, but only on thy Mercy. Protect us always in all our ways; have pity upon our distressed Brethren and Sisters, whether in London or elsewhere; Comfort the desolate Widow; provide for all Orphans and Fatherless Children; gather us together again, that by these means are dispersed: Send us Health, Peace with men upon Earth, and peace of Conscience towards thee, through jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   

A Prayer for our gracious King Charles.  
O Thou mighty Jehovah, whose habitation is in the highest Heavens, who rulest all things, every where by that same wisdom, by which thou didst first create them; even thou the Lord of Lords, exalted far above the Princes of the Earth, who have no power, rule nor Authority, but what is given them from thee: For by thee Kings Reign and Prince's Rule. Forasmuch as thou hast commanded by thy Apostle Paul, that we shall make Jntercessions for Kings, as being a thing good and acceptable in thy sight: We are bold upon this Warrant to appear before thy Throne of Grace, and to present thee with a Prayer and Supplication, in the behalf of our Dread Sovereign and Liege Lord King Charles, for whom we thy Servants, his most loyal and faithful Subjects, by thy appointment; do most humbly Supplicate, that seeing thou hast chosen him (as thou hadst appointed it long before) to be now a King to us thy people, and a judge of thy Sons and Daughters: and he knowing that the Throne on which he sitteth as King in thy stead, is thy Throne; may be illuminated with thy Spirit of Understanding, and all Princely knowledge from above, fully replenished with that Wisdom, which sitteth by thy Throne; So do according to Equity and Righteousuesse, and execute judgement with an upright heart. For he, thus enabled by thee, shall know how to go out and in among thy people, whom he is to judge, being now in the midst of them. Kindle rherefore in his heart (which is in thy hands, as the Rivers of Waters) a true and constant zeal of godliness, which may argue in him a sound and perfect knowledge of thy heavenly Will; that so principally and above all things, seeking and procuring th'advancement of thy glory; he may be unto thy people a Nursing Father, to defend, maintain, and preserve thy Church, against all Enemies, Foreign, Domestical, Atheist or Papist, open or secret, which treacherously seek to disturb the peace of it, and of his Kingdoms. For the better maintenance whereof, as also for establishing a common tranquillity in his State politic, in thy fear, give him the wise heart of Moses thy Servant, to obey the godly Counsel of some jethro, cause him to provide, Ministers under him, such as are men of courage, fearing Thee, his and their God; dealing truly; hating Covetousness. And grant, O Lord, that these so ordained and constituted Magistrates under him, for his ease: (For who is able to overcome such a People alone, 
Deut. 1. 18.  as jethro speaketh?) may be as his Eyes, Ears, and Hands, to see and look clearly in all parts of his Kingdoms, with a sincere and single sight; hear the Causes and Controversies of his people, with an Ear of Wisdom, and understanding, deal righteously in all matters with every Man and his Brother, and the stranger that is with him; without respect of Person, or fear of any man's face, as Moses speaketh. O Lord hear us praying unto thee for our King, out of loyal hearts. And thou, O Lord, thus blessing our King with wise and discreet Ministers, establish his Kingdom, and settle his Throne in his Posterity, and so we and our Posterity may pray for him and them, and praise Thee for him and them, that may proceed from his Loins, even while the Sun and Moon shall endure. Lord protect his sacred Person from the Pestilence, his Mind from Papistry, make his days as Methusalems' and in fullness of time, give him a Celestial for his Terrestrial Crown, Amen.   

A Prayer for Queen Mary, Wife to our Gracious Sovereign.  
O Lord God, our only God and Father, Thou didst open our mouths, and we prayed to thee for our Dread Sovereign, thine Anointed, Charles, our King; Be pleased we beseech thee to untie our Tongues now also, to utter a Prayer unto thee for our Queen his Wife: for whom, She being a person of Princely Majesty, we presume to intercede, witnessing that loyalty towards her which may be acceptable unto Thee. We crave and humbly entreat thee, that thou wilt bless her, with all heavenly Graces, such in special are best befitting her Personage, and may also testify the love and care thou hadst of thy Glory, to be advanced by her, now thou hast called her to this high Estate, of an Eminent and illustrious Dignity, above others here with us of her Sex. Grant, we beseech thee, that as thou hast made her the Wife and Consort of our most Gracious King, so thou wilt bless her as thou didst Sarah, whom thou didst bless to be a Mother of Nations and Kings: and that it may be a means to continue a Succession for the Peace of thy Church. So, forasmuch as thou hast promised by the mouth of thy Prophet Isaiah, that Queens shall be Nurses to thy people, begotten by the Immortal seed of thy Word; She, being the Queen to our King, who is to us a Nursing Father, may likewise in a mutual consent of one and the same thy Religion, here established amongst us, employ all her Endeavour, Power, and Authority, for Her part, to the preservation of the Peace of Israel, which is in the person of a Queen, to be a careful Nursing Mother of the Church. For this cause, Lord, inspire her mind from above, direct and guide her Will, that she may serve thee, in fear of thy Majesty, who hast the Hearts of Kings, yea, of Queens also, as the Rivers of Waters, to turn them as thou pleasest. Enlighten her Mind and Understanding, we beseech thee with the true knowledge of thy Will, revealed in thy Word; that she having first received a sanctified apprehension thereof, by instruction from thy Spirit, may resolutely persist in the Profession of it; and so, she living here in thy fear, may die in thy Love, to live in thy Glory, with thy Saints for evermore in Heaven, Amen.   

A Prayer for Frederick Prince Elector Palatine, King of Bohemia, Queen Elizabeth his Wife, and their hopeful Children.  
WHO are we, O Lord, that thou shouldest hear us? and what can be our worthiness, that we should dare now again to intercede by Prayer, before thee? We confess it is thy free Mercy that thou hearest, and not of any worthiness in us, praying. And in this Name, that thou art the Father of all mercies in Christ, we pray and beseech thee to behold from above, with the Eye of pity, Frederick whom thou hast created Prince elector Palatine, and Lady Elizabeth, etc. our King's Sister, by thy ordinance coupled together Man and Wife, and so made one-Flesh. Forasmuch then, as thou hast so appointed it, and the end also of Matrimony, to be for the Propagation of Seed; and that thy favour in no outward thing more appeareth, than in the increase of Children: and which hath appeared in thy giving them many sweet and hopeful Children: Good Lord bless them, and let thy Grace grow with them: and let that Noble and Excellent Lady be still as a fruitful Vine on the side of her Husband's House, and his Children like Olive Plants round about his Table. Bless them, O Lord, even with this Temporal favour, because of the Spiritual blessings, which thou hast made to thy Church, whereof they are, and their people, to profess thy Name and Truth after thy Word. Lord, cast thy Eye of pity and compassion upon their present downcast Estate: Comfort them according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted them; Let their Enemies and thine no longer triumph over them and their Inheritance; Exalt them whom thou hast humbled, and in thy good time, wipe all tears from their Eyes. Let thy Power and Wisdom overshadow them, O thou most High; Thy heavenly grace lighten and preserve them▪ in thy Love; that they may also govern their Subjects, in the Truth of thy Faith; in mutual Charity; and so have them always, obedient in all Loyalty, in thee, for thy sake. Prolong the days of their lives, with many years, to see their children's children; If it be thy will, let them enjoy Health, Wealth, Peace, and Prosperity of all things; That they living in thy fear, to set forth thy Glory and Worship, here on Earth, may after this temporal ever-dying life, be translated from hence into thy Kingdom, to live there with thee, for ever and ever, world without end. Amen.   

A Prayer for the Right Honourable, the Lord Maior, the Right Worshipful the Sheriffs and Aldermen, of this City of London.  
O Heavenly Father, the All-sufficient and Euerliving God, we thy servants and children in Christ, do acknowledge thee to be the sole Preserver of all Orders and States Politic wheresoever, ruled and governed with good Discipline, wholesome Laws, and just judgements in Equity, by Magistrates as thy Lieutenants, appointed and constituted over thy people, for the good of both Church and Commonwealth, a very manifest and singular Testimony of thy Providence and presence among men: Setting, Establishing, and upholding Authorities, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. In this acknowledgement and confession, we give thy most divine Majesty our hearty thanks, (which we pray thee accept as a sweet smelling Sacrifice) beseeching thee further in the name of Christ, (for whose sake thou hast promised to hear and grant our Petions) that forasmuch as thou hast commanded us to make Intercessions for all that are in Authority, and dost account it for an acceptable service in thy sight; thou wilt be pleased to look down from thy high Throne of pity and mercy; beholding us from thence with a gracious Eye, even now, that we do Supplicate for the whole State of this City: especially, the Lord Maior, and the Sheriffs, and Aldermen of the same: The Lord Major, who is placed in Authority, and chief Ruler under our King; by thy gracious permission and ordinance, we in these our Prayers first and principally commend unto thy Almighty protection; most humbly entreating, that he being in that high place above the rest of his Brethren, for their good so appointed, thou wilt give him so much the more wisdom and understanding, that may truly guide and conduct, both his mind and will, to the true obedience of thy heavenly Will, knowing that to be the Squire and Rule of godly Actions, above which his Function of Rule and Government, is and aught to be always chiefly conversant, even to lay forth all his pains and industry, to maintain by an honest external Discipline, the public peace and quietness of the people of all sorts under his government; in special, to countenance Virtue, for the encouragement of them that do well, and are willingly subject for Conscience sake, because to such thou hast made him thy Minister for their Wealth. Again, to repress and beat down Vice, for the terrifying and keeping in awe such as do Evil, and are contumatious and stubbornly disobedient therein, resisting thy Ordinance, that they may learn to fear the Power of thy Magistrate; whom thou hast made also thy Minister, to take vengeance on him that doth evil: for he beareth not the Sword (which thou hast put into his hand) for nought. For this cause good Lord, instill into his mind a zealous care of thy Religion, to fear thee, O Lord, above all; for thy fear is the beginning of Wisdom. Infuse into him the Spirit of Fortitude and courage to deal truly in this his place of lieutenancy, to execute judgement therein without respect of persons, neither favouring the Poor nor honouring the Mighty, but hearing the Small as well as the Great, to judge his Neighbours justly, knowing that the Authority which is committed to him mediately by our King, is for the administering true justice under him, with moderation and Equity, to the great comfort of every one of his Charge; and that he is and must be accountable, both to our King and to thee, for the same. To our King here in this life, when he shall please to call him to it; To thee, the King of Kings, in that day wherein thou shalt say to him, Give an Account of thy Stewardship, even of thy majoralty, shalt thou say unto him, how hast thou discharged that? If he have walked in justice and spoken righteous things, refusing gain of Oppression, shaking his hands from taking of Gifts, he may dwell on high, having his defence the Munition of Rocks. And what we pray for him, we do humbly supplicate in behalf of the Sheriffs, justices and Aldermen, his Brethren likewise, that they may discharge their several Offices of justice, religiously and conscionably; for the good of thy People, both in Church and Commonwealth, in this City: and the better peace of our Consciences, when thou shalt call them to a reckoning; And Lord, let thy Power and Wisdom overshadow them; Thy Divine and heavenly Grace enlighten and preserve them, in thy fear and favour, now and ever. Amen.   

A Prayer for the Right Honourable the Counsel of War, now established by Act of Parliament.  
O Lord of Hosts, who hast revealed thyself in thy holy Word to be a Man of War, as thou art a GOD of Peace: And whereas, O most wise God, thou only art the Author and perfecty of all good Works which are begun in thy Name; for thou disposest and governest all things in private Families, and preservest the public Estates of Commonwealths, as well in War as Peace. And seeing also that nothing can either be well begun, nor be proceeded in, and ended, without good and fit Counsel appropriated to each Action, (which dependeth upon occasions, and therefore is wisely to be laid forth by a due consideration of circumstances for the same, except it be both entered and likewise seconded by counsel corresponding to it in particular.) Let it please thee, in Christ, to assist with thy Spirit of wisdom, all such Honourable persons as are appointed by our Gracious King, Colleagues and Associates in Counsel for the administering of Warlike affairs; Give them both a quick and ripe wit, to inquire and search out, what is fit and meet to come into their Consultations upon the present; And then a discreet judgement to find and discern what is most behooveful for effecting the present Business; And lastly, a courage and resolution to execute what by mature deliberation shall be decreed; and in all their Consultations, let them specially attend upon thy fear; knowing, that no counsel can be administered to prevail and take effect, which is not guided thereby. For, as Solomon saith, I Wisdom dwell with Prudence, and I find out Knowledge and Counsels. To this end, O Lord, illuminate their eyes to behold right, and let their eyelids direct the way before thee, that They turning neither to the Right hand nor to the Left, for fear; nor by means of Corruption, or otherwise seduced from true fealty, may at all times boldly and faithfully, advance the present Business, by such Counsel as it requireth, to thy Glory, in the lawful managing of those Warlike affairs, even to the conquering of the Enemy, without doing wrong and unnecessary violence, against the Law of Arms. Therefore, abandon far from out their hearts all false, lewd, and treacherous Counsels, which respect only profit, without a due and Godly regard of right justice: Remove all sinister passions and affections, working by colourable pretences for private gain, or by malice moving contentious questions, of purpose to interrupt the course of their Consultation, by which the cause may be hindered, and strength of Arms weakened, to the great prejudice of the Commonwealth. As it shall seem good to thy heavenly Will, so be pleased, we beseech thee, to be present and Precedent with them at all times, in all their Counsels, that no pretences, no particular respects, nor quarrels, may draw them apart into Factions; But concurring in a mutual and unanimous consent of opinions, may truly, and loyally advance the Common Cause, by presupposing in their first thoughts the end of that which is to be presented to the Consultation; also by fitting the best and safest means, for the achieving the same end; And lastly▪ by putting in execution what is determined with the least charge and loss (if else it cannot be done.) And otherwise, O Lord, if their Counsels by the favourable assistance of thy Spirit, shall be furthered to a good and wished success, let them out of the knowledge of thy fear, say with thanksgiving; Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us; but unto thy Name, give the praise; For thou only givest Prudence, and thou only savest by Prudence, whom thou makest wise in thee. Be thou therefore only glorified, in all the wisdom of Men, for thy Mercies sake in CHRIST for ever, Amen.   

A Prayer for his Majesty's Navy-royall, the Forces and Admiral, now at Sea.  
O Glorious God, we confess it to be true, that thy Prophet David hath spoken in the Spirit, Though an Host had pitched their Tents against me, yet my heart should not be afraid; and though War be raised against us, we will trust in this, even that thou wilt deliver us, and give our Faith the Victory. But because thou hast said likewise by Solomon, that War must be enterprised with Counsel: Our humble Prayer and Supplication in Christ jesus is, That it would please thee to grant unto Him, who by thy appointment is chosen of our Gracious King to be his Admiral, to rule and govern this whole Fleet, assembled together in Ships prepared (as we hope and trust) to fight thy Battles upon the Waters, (or elsewhere by Land) against thine Enemies & ours, unjustly provoking us to fight; to Him we say, and to all the rest of the Captains and Commanders of the Ships of War in this whole Fleet, now in this present Voyage, Wisdom, Discretion, and Policy, carefully to foresee, and diligently to prevent all the inconveniences that may hinder the Achievement of the (hoped) Victory. To this end, O gracious God, give grace to Him, and to all such as are called by way of assistance for their experience to aid and further the Common Cause, as well with sound Policy, as with strength of Arms, (for in the multitude of them that can give Counsel is health,) give grace we say and pray, unto them, O Lord, (if it be thy pleasure to be so favourable unto our King and Country) that with true and perfect Knowledge of Wisdom and Understanding, which increaseth strength, they may prevent all dangers; For thou dost strengthen by Wisdom, and savest by Understanding, when and whom it pleaseth thee; insomuch as with one man guided by thy Spirit, thou prevailest against thousands destituted thereof. Give unto them all a constant Resolution, grounded upon firm Faith in thee, by which they may be emboldened when they encounter the Enemy, to say in the Spirit, We trust in God, we will not fear what Flesh can do unto us. Cause the spirit of our Enemies to fail in the midst of them; Destroy their Counsels; let them be for the spreading of Nets in the midst of the Sea, wherein they are emboldened through the multitude of men, and in the confidence of a fleshly Arm, to fight against thy people, which call upon thy Name: O Lord, for that they have undertaken a false quarrel, and do encourage themselves in a wicked purpose, Let them be a spoil unto us, that all other Princes seeing how valiant thou art in Battles, may clothe themselves with a Robe of Astonishment and say; Verily, the Lord fighteth for his people, the Lord went forth with their Armies, and conducted them: he is the Shield and strength of their Deliverance; No Counsel can stand against God; no Counsel nor Force of Arms may dare to oppose itself and prevail, against them whom he is pleased to protect and defend by his Counsel; And the Nations seeing how thou hast executed Vengeance upon our Enemies with rebukes of thy Indignation, may confess thee to be the only Lord God, Mighty in Battles, and Powerful in all Wisdom, and so be provoked thereby the more seriously to give to thee the Glory due to thy Name, which is a name of great fear and wonder over all the World. Furthermore, we beseech thee, be pleased in mercy to hearken unto us, praying in the Name of thy Son Christ, forasmuch as thou art the Lord which sittest upon the Floods, to moderate the Tempests of the Wind and weather, during their Voyage, as that neither our Ships nor men suffer any annoyance by raging surges of the Waters, which otherwise in thy judgement might overwhelm and destroy all. For, we confess that our unworthiness is great, and our sins deserve the fury of thine Anger. But remember, O Lord, that thy Name is called upon of us, and we are thy people, to whom thou hast graciously made thyself known by many mercies and favours, enriching us, both Prince and People, with infinite blessings of Peace and Tranquillity, above all Nations; For which we heartily thank thee, desiring thee, for thy Christ's sake, to increase thy Faith in us daily more and more, and that we may still grow forward in true love and thankfulness towards thee, both Prince and People; So shall the King rejoice in his strength, whom thou hast made glad with the joy of thy Countenance; & we thy People his Subjects, for all thy favourable kindnesses, and for this Sea-Victorie, give thee praise and glory, saying, the Lord is our Rock and our Fortress, in him do we put our trust. Grant us these and all other thy good Blessings which thou knowest to be necessary for us and thy whole Church, even for thy dear Son our Saviour jesus Christ's sake. Amen.   

A brief Prayer for private Persons in tempestuous weather.  
Almighty and most merciful God, Eternal, strong, and magnificent, at whose voice the highest Mountains, lowest deeps, and all things under the Sun do tremble and quake: preserve us from thy insupportable anger; pardon our sins, let thy amiable countenance shine upon us, and always be near unto us; Grant that this grievous and terrible Tempest may pass away without hurting of us, or any of our Brethren; Keep our bodies, our Houses, or any thing else that belongs unto us, from Lightning, Fire, or any other destruction. Holy Father, defend us, from all evil, sudden and unprepared death; and for thy dear Son Christ jesus sake, bring us to thy eternal habitation of Eternal Bliss, where we may sing perpetually, amongst the company of the Angels and Saints in Heaven, Halelujah, unto the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.   

A brief Prayer for our afflicted Brethren, wheresoever.  
MOst gracious God, we beseech thee to look upon the adversity of our poor Brethren; relieve their necessities, and rid them out of their miseries, that they may the more quietly set their minds upon thee, (if in thy Wisdom thou shalt see it expedient,) otherwise, give them patience, with constant minds, and willing hearts, thankfully to bear this thy Fatherly Visitation without grudging, or repining against thee, humbly submitting themselves unto thy divine pleasure, with full assurance, that in the end, thou wilt bring them unto thy everlasting rest, there to remain with thee world without end. Amen.   

A brief private Prayer, for preparation to the public Fasts, whether in City or Country.  
O Just and righteous God, who as thou art the God of Plenty, who fillest with thy blessings every living Creature, so thou art the God that commandest Abstinence and Humility for sin: and seeing that by thy judgements upon us at this present, thou callest for our humiliation, repentance, and amendment of life: and this Day is thereupon set apart, and dedicated to humble ourselves before thee by fasting from food: good Lord grant, that we may now and ever fast from sin also: and give us grace and ability to perform this days Fast with all humility, devotion, and such repentant hearts, as may through Christ be acceptable in thy sight.  
Amen. HALELVIAH   
FINIS.