THE CHURCH MILITANT, HISTORICALLY Continued from the Year of Our SAVIOUR'S Incarnation 33. until this present, 1640.  
BY WILLIAM VAUGHAN, Knight.  
LONDON: Printed by Tho. Pain for Humphrey Blunden, at the Castle in Cornhill. 1640.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE RICHARD, EARL OF CARBERY.  
The Argument.  
The Author here my Noble Lord acquaints  
What Paths they tread who lead the lives of Saints,  
What Comforts he shall find, what good success,  
While he walks in the New-mans' Diocese.  

I Sound not forth Old Souldours turned to Swine  
By Harlot's Charms, by fulsome Cheer or Wine;  
But the Newborn (a Theme to Worldlings strange)  
● sing the Minds more than the Bodies Change;  
I sing the Church's Change, Eclipse, Decrease,  
Her East, and West, with her Full Moons Increase.  
Such News I blaze, which no good Protestant  
Shall justly tax for Sparks exorbitant,  
Like to those Brats exposed to Brambles Flame  
By Midwife's Doom to hide the Parent's shame,  
Or those, for which of late our Paul's Churchyard  
And Smithfield in the Spoils with Vulcan shared.  
Truth smites the chaste: while Wantoness long to hear  
False Tales, at which they Nod, or fond jeer,  
Fooling away the Time, their precious Time,  
Lent them for better use in Prose or Rhyme,  
To win some Strays by means of Virtuous Books,  
Not Souls to tempt with Fornications Hooks.  
There, with much Gall Gulls one another flout:  
Hoere for Mistakes, the Lie, or Toys they pout,  
Forgetting Satan's Ambush for Good Wits,  
Tongues trip, Pens blur, None free from Passions Fits,  
And yet for Words and Names, external things,  
They persecute their Christian Mates with stings,  
●ill tired at last with Conscience-griping Cares,  
Both Parties howl within the Devil's Snares.  
Others by Lines and Cubes aspire to know  
The Higher Orbs, or in the Globe below  
They level Spires, the Climates, or the Laws,  
●nto whose Depth they pry no more than Daws;  
And yet to gain applause, or Golden Fees,  
They hope for Swans to chop their gaggling Geese.  
Some Court Fair Dames with Fancies Madrigals,  
Chaulking the way to Paphian lupercals,  
Which they frequent with uncontrolled Lust  
Till Honour, Wealth, and Health lie in the Dust.  
Sometimes Pelagian-wise they ruminate  
On Man's freewill, and the Predestinate,  
Till they from Grace quite excommunicate  
Do pitch on Hell, and on the Reprobate.  
Now, of long-handed Kings the mounted state,  
Anon, their slips or Fall they personate  
With Satyr's sting, until themselves are stung;  
Or else they soothe Great men with glozing Tongue,  
Until they feel worse Racks with Conscience seared,  
Then Poets feigned for stroking of Jove's Beard.  
Some other whiles they dare more Curious peep  
Into the Concaves of th' Infernal Deep,  
Of Limboes' Vault, or Purgatories Pain  
Redeemed for Gold the long-white Robe to stain.  
With such Bald Stuff most Writers do oppress,  
In hope to purchase Fame, the Printers Press.  
Which shows, that Souls, like Seas tossed with unrest,  
Wave, till they set into God's Port of Rest;  
Or else that they, like Swine, fall to worse Seas  
Than Gaderens for their prodigious Pleas,  
Remonstrances, and Problems, which they penned,  
Of Rampant Zeal the Church's Peace to rend▪   

SO busy is Man's Brain: It always works  
And seeks to know what from the Senses lurks,  
Abstruse and hid, like Planets moving still;  
But in default of Objects good or ill,  
Because it finds no business from without,  
Turns Monk within, an Idiot, or a Lout;  
Or on itself with Atoms and Chymeres  
Plays Whirligig, until it ends in Fears,  
Distractions, Lies, and Schisms, just Penalties  
Due for the Search of Knotty Novelties.  
For want of Grace, and of Celestial Arms,  
Sighs, Tears, & Vows, thus by the Serpent's charms  
Are Men seduced Old Adam's Tree to taste,  
And with vain Fruit to break their needless Fast.  
Because God's Word, whereby they might be saved,  
They slighted, 'tis no marvel though they raved.  
But our New man weaned from the Carnal Teat  
By Truth's calm Breath, the Flaming Paraclete,  
With Drier Brain holds a Clear Intellect,  
So solid, that he others can direct  
A safer Course of knowledge to affect  
Then what the Windmill grinds of Satan's Sect.  
Though Nature's sting in our Original  
Hath made us prone into the Snare to fall:  
Yet we Newborn fight with the Spirits Sword,  
And triumph by the Second Adam's Word  
Over the Dragon's false enchanting Arts,  
With constant Faith repelling all his Darts,  
Those sober Cates contenting our repast,  
Which lawful are for tender Souls to taste.  
We would seem Inward more than Outward wise,  
Yet Both address with Saints to sympathise.  
For carnal Samians transubstantiate Change,  
(The Old Man's Quirk) the New man we exchange.  
Instead of Lethe's Lake, or Phlegeton,  
●e Tophets Pain sing due to Babylon.  
For Limbus Patrum, or th' Elysian Camp.  
God's Paradise for Saints renews our Lamp.  
A Dolphin bore Arion from the Seas;  
amphions Harp, they say, did Thebes appease:  
But Jesus Christ the Third day to have rose  
From joseph's Tomb, we really disclose,  
Or by a Whale we Ionas bring to Land,  
Who Niniveh converted out of hand.  
For Cerberus, we blaze proud Satan's Loss;  
For Hercules his Club, our Saviour's Crosse.  
For Trivial Tales, and sence-alluring Toys,  
We read on Books Soul-ravishing to joys.  
For Thalmuds we the Scriptures native sense;  
And for Nice Schoole-mens Gloss, in our Defence,  
We can produce by Truth's Prerogative  
The Chiefest Stars of the Church Primitive,  
Or those, who in the Last and Present Age  
With Volumes rare repaired our New man's Stage.  
To banish Humane Lies, and Brainsick Dreams,  
What Tree more full? what Field yields riper Themes  
Than Christ his Life, and the New Testament?  
Or in her Swaths the Churches fragrant scent?  
This Lady here my New man warbles forth,  
Though fully not according to her worth,  
Yet so, My Lord, that you may clearly see:  
Though she was long obscured, she now reigns free,  
Clothed with the Sun, Crowned with a dozen Stars,  
And no Eclipse you from her Influence bars.   

But out alas! how many boast of Faith?  
Who never marked what Christian Scripture saith:  
For what is Faith without Good works, or Fruit,  
But a dead Stock? not worth a Moors pursuit?  
Unless he dreams of Mechaes fond Delights?  
Or Millenairs to snare Voluptuous Wights?  
Or of vain works of Supererogation,  
Souls to bewitch with Babel's Fornication?  
Our Saint is not with such Conceits defiled,  
Nor turns with such Extravagances wild,  
For he well knows, that as good Trees will bud,  
And bear good Fruit, so Saints do always Good,  
And never scorn to greet the Simplest Man;  
To call home Strays they labour what they c●●.  
Such is our Saint the Naked he actires,  
And helps to warm their Souls with zealous Fires.  
According to his Power great or small,  
He saves distressed Saints from Tyrants Thr●●.  
He sues for Peaoe, and grieves to see debate.  
And daily prays Law's Rigour to abate.  
If he be forced to Law in his defence.  
He doth it without spl●●n, or Saints offence.  
And if his Clapper hap to clatter wild,  
Before Sunset he grows more Calm and mild;  
Or if that Filmy Piece in others blabbs  
His shame, he counts it like the Noise of Drabs.  
He sets not out his Lips to Farm, nor slander,  
Nor lets his Tongue before his Wits to wander.  
He holds his Word as precious as his Seal,  
And scorns False Cards unto the Least to deal.  
He dares not plot Revenge, nor scoff, nor rail,  
But bears with Knaves and Fools for Saints avail.  
He covets no man's Goods, but if at Play  
He wins, He gives it to the Poor away.  
He spends his vacant Hours in thrifty Course,  
Lest Idleness corrupt him worse and worse.  
He prizeth Coin but excremental Dross,  
And toils for Others Good, though with his Loss.  
He doth his Best to curb Promoting Scribes,  
Lest God require of him their winkt-at Bribes.  
At Night he scores the Deeds he did that Day,  
And the next Morning scours their rust away.  
The Sabbath, like the Puritan, he weighs,  
And, like the Papist, keeps the Fasting days:  
The Former minds him of the Spirits Mart,  
The Latter helps to stint the Sensual Part.  
He daily strives so to compose his Mind,  
That seldom him do Idoll-passions blind,  
Nor cause him long to dote on Pleasure's shape,  
Be it a Horse, or Hawk, a Dog, or Ape,  
He kindly speaks, means well, doth good to all,  
But most to Saints, and helps up them that fall.  
God root these Works in me, lest whilst his Way  
I others teach, myself a Cast-a-way  
Become, like him, another's Floor that sweeps,  
And yet his own New house most nasty keeps.   

THe Heart still moves: It Loves and spreads with Joy  
Or wrung with Gall and Grief it feels Annoy.  
The Former flow, because God's Flames inspire it,  
The Latter chance in absence of his Spirit.  
Of these Affects our Inward Man partakes,  
Amidst his Joys sometimes his Spirit aches:  
Yet his Griefs smart spring not for worldly Cause,  
But for men's Breach of the Creator's Laws,  
For the Increase of Idols, Avarice,  
Of Drunken Healths, or the like Heath'nish vice,  
For Concord's Breach, for Christian Bloods effusion,  
For loss of Time, our Talents vain profusion;  
Or else because he sees the Church of Christ  
Oppressed by Fiends, and Saints by Antichrist.  
Sometimes he feels strange Qualms, near destitute  
Of zeale-bred heat, till entering to dispute  
With his Proud Foe, he like One cheered with Wine,  
Threats him with Thumps, to make his Pride decline:  
He calls him Monster, Belly god, and Slave,  
And vows his Fare to shorten, if be ra●e:  
With David's Sling he knocks Gollahs' down,  
For standing out against his Master's Crown.  
Though he enjoys an outward fair Estate,  
And seems to some to be most fortunate;  
●et in his Mind he weighs the Cause, th'Event,  
men's Frailty, and his own coincident,  
Whereat he Lion-like for braver Prey  
His Courage lifts at full, not giving way  
To poor Conceits, but to the Noblest End▪  
His Cares, his Thoughts, and his designments bonds;  
Which he Effects by a New Sacrifice  
To God, who gave those undeserved Supplies  
With knowledge of his Mysteries Divine,  
And Prudent Rules Old Passions to confine,  
When Thousands of his Brethren want that store,  
Who would perhaps have glorified him more,  
And never ceased, like Angels here on Earth,  
To praise those helps, since Others die of Dearth.  
His Spirit scorns that which the Body joys;  
And checks that Lump, because it did rejoice  
In Airy Toys, in things mere transitory,  
Which draw the Sense from the bright Sun of Glory,  
And like to Golden Clouds may pass away  
By Humane Plots, or by Death in a day.   

HE reaps Content to see his Neighbours thrive,  
And their Amendment doth his Soul revive,  
For he the Poorest Saint in Christ preferre●  
Before the Greatest Potentate that errs.  
He joys, that he breathes of the Common Air;  
Which is allotted for the Saints repair,  
With whom he sings, grieves, and Communicates,  
Swell for Sacred Rites, as Needful Rates.  
〈◊〉 Joys, that he had learned from his Youth,  
●●ke Timothy, the Word of Sacred Truth,  
●●at taught to serve One God, One Advocate,  
〈◊〉 could not brook of Balaams' Snares to prate.  
Joys, that he no raking Money owes,  
●●en what to pay he on short warning knows,  
Without grim Sergeants Threats, or Sureties Thrall,  
〈◊〉 without Robbing Peter to pay Paul.  
〈◊〉 glories more of Souls and Bodies Health,  
●●en in the Blaze of Honour, Fame, or Wealth.  
〈◊〉 cheer his Noblest Part he soars aloft,  
And views the Stars of Holy Stories oft;  
He Courts the Offspring of fair Memory,  
Aswell Divine as Humane History;  
By which true Glass he finds how short and vain  
Those Pleasures are, which Worldlings hold for Gain,  
Though Cause of Pain eternal after Deuth;  
If not before of Dolour-racking Breath.  
Another while Wraths Cornet to prevent,  
Which he observes with burning Arrows ●●●t  
To aim at change, by Learned Art he strives  
To blunt their Shafts, and into Physic dives  
Aswell by Prayer as by Galens' Quill,  
With Zealous Heart, as by Arabian Skill,  
Like Good Saint Luke, for the Four Humours foul  
He studies Cure, as Solace for the Soul.  
For which I●●●●t, and the Complexions Good  
He for 〈◊〉 F●●d, which might insta●● the Blood:  
For what exceeds the Temper Oily warm,  
Or May's mild Heat he knows breeds after-harme.  
Lest Nature dro●p●, he breathes his Park-horse oft,  
Not on the Rheumy Vale, or Marish soft,  
But on dry Hills to suck most wholesome Air,  
There, with Pure Gales the Spirits to repair.  
While Gulls fly out with Golden Wings excess,  
〈◊〉 lives at home content with Fortunes less,  
●●t daring by Another's Idoll-store  
〈◊〉 meet his wants, where Saints do languish more:  
●●d if he should lash out in Pomp like those,  
〈◊〉 Pomp and Store would cause him after-woes,  
●●en the Great Judge requires his Talents use,  
●●th strict Account of Stocks and Times abuse.  
Drinks no more than doth a Saint befit,  
●●d ever riseth with an Appetite,  
●●r, as a Type of Blessed Abstimence,  
Joys to sing of Diets Excellence▪  
●●d to relate, when Girald lived, that they  
●f Cambria's Soil did feed but once a day;  
●s how the greeks thought Plato's Tale a Lie,  
That twice a day they mealed in Sicily.  
No Beauty, Wine, nor Music's Harmony  
contents our Saint more than Good Company,  
Knowing their Vows, and mutual Hearts Consent  
Avail him more than Worldlings Blandishment.  
To end his Joys, on this he sets his Rest:  
That a Good Conscience is his daily Feast.   

THese harmless steps a Christian ought to tread  
And the same Life I strive and hope to lead.  
And if these Rules My hopeful Nephew scan,  
He then shall pass for a Right Noble Man,  
Excelling vulgar Wits as Porcellan,  
Course vessels, as the New the Outward Man,  
By Virtue ranked within True Honours File  
Among the brave Heroes of this I'll,  
Crowned with a fair and brighter Coronet,  
Then One with Gold and Precious Stones beset,  
And be so skilled in Both the Fortune's Cures,  
That Poor men's Cries tend not to You nor Yours.  
While Vengeance strikes a Nembrodizing Lord.  
And his Proud Race with Fates twoedged Sword,  
●ke Mordecai, unwearied in your ways,  
●●u shall we are out on Earth most happy Days;  
And after Death when they feel endless Pain,  
●●u shall with Christ in Peace for ever Reign.  
●●ch bliss pursues a Piousminded Peer,  
And such I hope attends you there and here,  
Which to seal up, and to set forth Your Train,  
●eere take your Choice of Posies various Strain:  
Without the New-mans' Robes none are indeed  
True Noblemen, but borne of Mongrel Seed.  
To be borne Great, great Honour some esteem it:  
But to do Good I greater Honour deem it.  
Virtue so far excels Sires Heraldry,  
As doth Daylight the Dark, the Sap the Dry.  
A Noble Mind surmounts a Noble Birth;  
But who hath Both-shines like Sun on Earth.  
Magnus' honour nasci praelustri stemmate, Major Stemma Piis Factis nobilitare suum.  
" Quantò Lux Tenebras, Siccum vel Succidus Hum● Tanto depictos Mens Pia vincit Avos.  
" Virtus Naturam superat, sed amictus utrisque Dotibus ut Lumen Solis in orbe nitet.    

THE CHURCH MILITANT HERE ON EARTH FOUNDED AND RENEWED BY OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST.  Who is this that comes from Edom, with red Garments from Bozrah? Esay. 63. 
The Argument.  
The Church is built on Christ, who underwent  
The Curse, Rose up, and then to Heaven went.  
This wonder-rapt some Angels of that Sphere,  
That they with joys speak of his coming there.  
IN Paradise the Church of Christ began,  
When after Breach God opened unto Man  
The hopeful means, whereby he might deface  
The Sting of Sin, and be restored to Grace;  
If on the promise of the Woman's Seed  
Man would rely, he might redeem his Deed.  
But Bloody Cain with his accursed Race  
Went Whoring after Satan, slighting Grace.  
And then the Church in Seth, Methusalem,  
In No and his Ark, in Godly Sem  
And japhet fixed: from whence no liking Cham  
She downward passed to job, and Abraham,  
And settled in the Circumcised Ligne,  
Until the Promised Seed with Light Divine  
And Gospels Sound arrived, grafted things anew,  
And by his Cross our Charter did renew.  
The Gentiles then by his Apostles blest  
From Heaven gained the Holy Ghost for Guest,  
To cheer their Church, within her to reside,  
And evermore her Christian Brood to guide,  
As long as they Him for their Rock protest,  
Whom Peter thrice for all his Mates Confessed.  
So Thousands did with Angel's Gifts increase  
From Age to Age, and found in Conscience Ease,  
As testify the Pulpit and the Press,  
Which holp our Church to bloom with good success.  
Others, since the Word late came in use,  
spired have wrote and Preached of Faiths Abuse.  
〈◊〉 so likewise we see, that in our Day's  
〈◊〉 feel the Heat of that bright Spirits Rays.  
〈◊〉 them our New man reaps the Fruits of Truth,  
transforms Old wily Age to Saintlike Youth,  
●●y for Eve, for Adam Christ he sings,  
●●ose Blood then Abel's speaks forth better things,  
●●rancing Souls with Gifts Prophetical,  
●●d otherwhiles with Numbers Spherical,  
●●at by those Means and sweet enchanting Lays  
●●ey might confirm themselves, as call home strays.  
●irst like Babes with Bells, smiles mixed with threats,  
●weanes the weak before their Sense he bea●es  
●●th Zealous Charms from worldly vanities,  
adapting them for purer Qualities,  
●hich our Good Sire with Metaplastick Mould  
●●nds ready to infuse more fine then Gold.  

THis Prudent course Some take in Verse as Prose  
For stilling Swarming Bees, or Stubborn Foes,  
To win Applause to their more weighty work,  
Which in their Brain, like embered Fire, did Lork.  
They tickle first with smooth Conceptions Youth,  
Laurel their Name▪ and then gain Room for Tru●●  
To spread without Repulse, or sour Distaste,  
Before they dress rare Manna for their Taste,  
Clozing their Feast with Healths from Zions Fount  
Like Petrarch, Beza, and M●randols Count,  
Who with ripe Fruit by good men's Suffrages  
Ransomed their Froth, and greener passages.  
Such Wits I wish with Lines of Sacred Truth  
From Carnal Dreams to scare our Straggling Youth  
And such I hope by Grace here to produce,  
As Types of Virtue drawn for Holy use.   

●N the Lords Day, though not with full content,  
●ate sung Christ's from Olives Mount ascnt  
〈◊〉 to that Orb, whose height no Earthly Scribe  
〈◊〉 by the Book, or Astrolabe describe.  
Though Galilees new Glass a World espies  
Within the Moon, yet Moonesick are the Spies,  
While clogged with flesh, not Spirit-rapt, they pry  
●o God's Thrones Transcendent Mystery.  
〈◊〉 Heaven I glanced, wherein his Manhood rests,  
preparing Room for his Believing Guests,  
Who sued to Christ, men's Advocate alone,  
●ot parcelling his Worship into halves,  
〈◊〉 jews for Moloch, Baal, and Golden Calves;  
●hat so the Sabbaths change at Pentecost  
succeede with Gifts signed by the Holy Ghost,  
The Comforter, which should the Church renew,  
And grace thenceforth the Gentile and the Jew,  
Till the Returns, as Man-Emanuell  
Within the Clouds to judge the World and Hell▪   

HEre now again with Fiery Flights I horer,  
And his Ascent more spaciously run over  
Then I did late, because our Church hath dressed  
And cooked upon another Day this Feast.  
The way of Christ's up to God's Orb Ascention  
Transcends above frail Nature's Apprehension.  
I dare not wrest, Christ's Body, nor confine  
His Godhead. There, He Reigns a Man-Divine,  
As Man He s●es for Men. As God he sends  
The Holy Ghost to gratify his Friends,  
And by Infusion here his Church to grace,  
If we Believe, and Love and Pray for Grace.  
Although as God his Presence never ●ayles us,  
His Body's Absence here yet more avails us,  
As he is Man, or else his Body's Sight  
Had made us Careless of the Spirits Light.  
His Manhood by his own Experience saw  
Our Nature's weakness, & how Fiends would draw  
Us from God's will, and from true Innocence,  
Whereby none could avoid Hell's Pestilence.  
Unless himself did stand within the Gap  
betwixt our Sins and Wraths fierce Thunderclap;  
●nd that made him remove his Person hence  
●o Heaven, there to ease our Punishments,  
●y suing to God's Grace, as Advocate,  
●hat for his sake he would repair our State.   

GReat were the Angel's joys, when jesus came  
●n humane shape with such Imperial Fame  
Up to th' Empyrean Sphere, where none before  
Of that New Form could like a Phoenix soar.  
●s by his Cross lay hushed Hells damned Crowd,  
So wondering here Some Angels sung aloud:  
What's He that mounts, and sits on God's right hand,  
With Bozraes' Robes, come from red Edom's Land?  
Clad like to One, who hath the Winepress trod,  
Yet looking like unto the Son of God,  
Who did ride on the Cherubins and fly,  
Yea, fly upon the wings of winds most High?  
Perhaps He is a New Melchisedeck,  
God's Spouse to grace, or her with Gems to deck?  
Or else the Cause of this New Man's Ascent  
Might be her Vows and Offerings to presert;  
Or for her Strays to sue as Advocate,  
Those whom the Gospel's Light reclaims of late.  
His coming here with such Triumphant Port  
Doubtless to Men Salvation doth import.  
This Mystery and joyful Spectacle  
Above all Wonders prove a Miracle  
Unparallelled, that by Divinity  
Infused in Flesh, men gain Eternity;  
And that the Gentiles, as the jewish Tribes,  
In Truth's rare Secrets grow most learned Scribes,  
Partaking Grace without disparity,  
Made only Just by Faith's dependency,  
Not by their Own, but by Another's Deeds,  
'tis strange how they are cleared of their misdeeds.  
What sparkling Eyes more beautiful than Wine?  
●●ose Teeth like Milk? whose Body looks Divine?  
● mild Aspect, yet of S. Michael's strength  
●●epard, to Plague and foil our Foes at length?  
●hose Hairs more white then Wool, or the full moon  
●●d whose bright Face outshines the Sun at Noon?  
●hose voices Tunes like silver Brookes resounds?  
●●d whose fair Feet like finest Brass do sound?  
●hat is He? a Prophet? Prince? or Peer?  
●ho in man's shape climbed up our Highest Sphere?  
●●d there installed with the Divinest Light  
●●eares now a Crown more bright than Chrysolite?   

WHat can he be then said Others, the Lord,  
●ho to save men became th' Incarnate word?  
●nd having led on Earth an Humble life?  
●e hath trod on the Dragon's Crown of strife?  
Who Preached to Souls with hideous Mists perplexed,  
●et for his Love by his own Nation vexed,  
Who slain at last by Rome's Authority,  
Yet spite of Hell Rose up with Majesty?  
This New man God the Third day raised from Dead  
To be our King, and Comforts more to breath;  
Who made Light things, or Spirits, to descend,  
Now upwards holp Christ's Body to ascend;  
Whose Body now we see Incorruptible,  
Most Glorious, New, of strength Invincible,  
Divine aswell as Humane, not with hands  
Of Mortals wrest, as Error understands.  
Yet his long Hands, I mean, his Spirits Arms,  
Extend to shield his Church from deadly Harms.  
His clearest Eyes all Penitents behold,  
And his white Teeth do Temperance enfold.  
His Silver Hairs his knowledge Ripe declare,  
And his bright Face foretells his Favours rare.  
Out of his Mouth flows Truth's melodious Word,  
But his just Wrath darts forth a Lightning Sword.  
From Heaven He surveys each Holy Place,  
And raps with mystic Trance Men changed by Grace  
At their great Feast He is the Souls Colleague,  
Spirit matched with Hypostaticke League  
〈◊〉 really, as in One Horoscope  
too Souls that plight with hands their mutual Hope,  
whilst up to Him with Thanks she lifts and heaves  
〈◊〉 Ravished Thoughts, like Wheats ripe eared sheaves,  
〈◊〉 Captive He hath led Captivity,  
〈◊〉 Gifts to Men, and doth their Chains untie,  
●●solving quite lewd Passions Links a sunder,  
〈◊〉 knots of Eels, or Swarms of Wasps by thunder  
●preme there He all Creatures oversways,  
●●d there in his high Manhood's Person stays,  
●ill All th' Elect, the Gentile as the jew,  
●al'd up for Grace come in, and till they rue  
●th shameful Gild their Rancour, Guile, & Pri●●●▪  
●ho his pure Word and Deity still deride.  
●is Garments red show, that He trod alone  
●he Winepress, how in Need him succoured None.  
●is Robes likewise resembling Bozraes' Grain  
〈◊〉 Crimsondipt, imply, that Men again  
Will in his Members him oppress and gore,  
As they their Head and Master did before,  
With Aspic Tongues hired to empoison Fame  
With strife and Loss, or Plots surmizing Blame  
Whereby weak Nature's Brood torn by Dissension  
Might lose the hopeful use of Christ's Ascension;  
Or with Cross Flames more fiercely violent,  
Them in their lives last Period to torment,  
Because false Christ's they would not every where  
Kiss, and adore Christ's Body here, and there.   

But leaving them for Antichristians Limbs,  
Let us applaud, and greet with joyful Hymns  
The Real Form and Body of the Lord  
From mangling now to Lasting Life restored;  
This Crowned Lamb, the first Fruits of the Dead,  
Whom God ordained to be our Prince and Head:  
Great jesus Christ borne on Sin's neck to tread,  
And to divide the Right from the Misled:  
The Son of our jehovah Elohim,  
●●om Saints their Saviour call, and None but Him;  
〈◊〉 unto Him our Maker hath resigned  
〈◊〉 Creatures sway with Power unconfined,  
〈◊〉 whose dread Name all Angels, Saints, and Men  
●ust bow, and at his Praise vent forth Amen,  
●ot only with loud sounding Tunes expression,  
●t likewise with Love's Inward Flames impression.   

The New man's Close of Thanksgiving for our Saviour's Ascending up into Heaven.  
●ll Glory be to God for evermore,  
●ho with New Lays hath multiplied our store,  
●nd taught us by the Holy Gholy to find  
Where Christ remains raised in his Human kind.  
That the New man put down our Carnal Sense,  
'Twas well therefore that he departed hence,  
●is Body rapt till Doomsday from our fight,  
●et by his great Victory infusing Light  
With Wondrous Gifts on the Apostolic,  
And ever since on the Church Catholik,  
Or more or less, as She with Zealous Hope  
Day's Turret climbed, or in Night's vale did grope.   

For these high Flames more bright than Sunny Rays  
We sing to Three in One, New Songs of Praise.    


THE MOST MEMORABLE OCCURRENCES, WHICH happened in Our Christian Church, from The Thirtieth Three year of Our Saviour's ●●carnation; and from the Eighteenth year ●f Tiberius Caesar's Reign the Roman Emperor, until the year of Our Lord 100 at which time Trajan the Emperor began his Reign.  
The Argument.  
Behold what Thanks from Worldlings worse than Mad  
For Preaching Truth, the chief Apostles had.  
●ot One escapes a sad Tormenting Fate,  
Which holp to build at first the Church's state.  

What better Fruit can a New Sparkling Muse  
Produce then Holy Odes for Christians use?  
●hen by th' Apostles Glass of Peace to chime?  
〈◊〉 from late jars to scare the World with Rhyme?  
O would I could, like Roman Arato,  
In English Tune such Labours undergo,  
As might display th' Apostles Acts and Lives,  
Gladding our Age with their Pure Honey-Hives!  
Which spite of Drones, False Brethren, stormy Blast  
And tortures stood through watchings, vows & Fa●●  
Foreared against the Foemen of the Cross,  
As to prevent from Hell ensuing Loss.  
Although our Latter be not built as well,  
Nor may that Church in Glory parallel,  
Yet our Good Will avails in stead of Spice,  
And our New man helps us to Sacrifice;  
For we have had our Martyrs, like the First,  
Yea, and the Living Rock to quench our Thirst;  
We have beheld the Spirits Lightning Sword;  
Only, I fear, we want the Flames of Love,  
Which Primer Saints with mutual Heat did move.  
This want Some may with their Ambrosian Food  
Supply, sound forth, and publish for our good,  
If, as they have begun, they warble out  
●hat I to bring about do stand in doubt.  
●his Task Paul's Faithful Mate in Physic skilled,  
Though more for Souls than Bodies Cure, fulfilled  
●cring two Works to Greek Theophilus,  
〈◊〉 Monuments, and by his Lamps to us;  
〈◊〉 left them us to show what Legacies  
●●e Heavens lent for Christian Sacrifice.  
●ence, as his Ape, by Imitations strain  
●ope some Light for Britain's Church to gain,  
● least to serve as Sparks, Babes to revive,  
●ho fail for want of Torch's store to thrive.   

●Hen that our New-mans' Sire, the Holy Ghost▪  
●●h Cloven Tongues, like Fire, at Pentecost  
〈◊〉 lighted on th' Apostles visible,  
●he some times inspired invisible  
●●s Prophets: then Faith, Love, and Christian Ioye●  
weighed Delphic Dreams, and Babels●arring Noise;  
Then, Men that learnt no language save their own  
Amid ' strange Folks rung fo●th the Lords Renown  
And blazed his deeds in every Foreign Tongue,  
Like Angel's Choir, with sweet harmonious song  
As perfectly, as they their Natives were,  
So that those Aliens stood entranced with Fear,  
For how could they but be aghast to hear  
jews speak with Tongues peculiar to their Eare.  
Some Others deemed them Mad, or Drunk with Win●  
Till Peter proved them rapt with Joys Divine.  
He proved them rapt by God's immediate Rays,  
With Ectasies above all Humane ways.  
And not alone the gifts of Tongues, but Zeal  
To Preach they had, and without Drugs to heal.  
Some Prophesied, some Sung, whilst others told  
What wondrous Acts the Lord performed of Old.  
Those Mystic sparks, which by Degrees we learn  
God then infused, as of more Blessings Earn,  
To parallel job, Abraham, Solomon,  
For Patience, Faith, and Wisdom thereupon.  
〈◊〉 who can blaze the Wonders of that Day?  
●e more I muse on them, the more Dismay  
〈◊〉 spend my Sense, Lord, raise up my desires,  
● sing th'. Event of that Day's Glorious Fires,  
●hich comforted the Gentile as the jew,  
●rich'd the Barren Will, made Old things New.  
〈◊〉 such rare Signs came first the Mystèry  
Three in One, the sacred Trinity  
〈◊〉 be more known unto the Church on Earth,  
●●d since Old Rites were passed at our New Birth,  
●at she might name at her solemnities  
●e Holy Ghost Colleaged to Baptise.  
● working we agnize, feel, and admire,  
〈◊〉 who but He could stony Hearts inspire?   

Done as with Gifts this Holy Flame appeared,  
●uls Chaos melt, and their dull wits had cleared,  
●ds Word then from Melchisedechs' choice Town,  
● from the Earth's fixed Meditullium blown,  
Pierced Egypt, Greece, Damascus, Babylon,  
The Temperate, yea, and the Torrid Zone,  
Where Negroes, though of Circumcised Race,  
Converted by an Eunuch look for Grace.  
The Gospel pierced each Country and each Town,  
Truth's Sound went forth to all the world then know  
Whereby no Nation might excuses plead,  
But that they might be linked with Christ their Head.   

WIth like success the Christian Faith did bloom,  
And flourish there where brave Triumphant Rome  
Prepared the way by Moral Arts and Aw,  
That Grace men's Hearts might so the sooner draw.  
While tattling News fond Athens itched to tell,  
The Romans dried her Aristotle's Well.  
These Second Means for Planting Christian Rites,  
In those days much avayld Rome's Proselytes.  
Art's usher Faith. Faith quick by Hearing grows,  
But most of all when the Good Spirit blows.  
There wanted none of these in Ancient Rome,  
Where vows & tears for Grace had purchased room.  
Rome was the Empire's Head, Great Caesar's Seat,  
The Westernes Mother Church, where then complete  
From Salem s●one the Crosses radiant Star,  
Which in Paul's time enlightening near and far  
Transferred on Linus, Clemens, Anaclete,  
The Martyr's Crown with Flaming stones beset,  
And thence bespread Truths universal Course,  
●or than all Men to Tiber had recourse.  
●ut though I much commend Old Christian Rome,  
〈◊〉 should forget myself and Christendom,  
〈◊〉 that fair Town of memorised Fame  
Which first professed to bear the Christian Name,  
〈◊〉 chance to pass by unsaluted now,  
Not doing Homage which all Christians ow.  
Had I rich Tassoes vein to set her forth,  
Or Godfrey's strength to vindicate hepworth,  
〈◊〉 would possess all Christians Catholic,  
That Antioch was S, Peter's Bishopric.  
And that it well becomes a Christian Knight,  
Who first bore Christian Badge to do her Right.  
I would redeem her from proud Ottoman  
From Muffties sway, and Mechaes Alcoran.  
In jowry Land arose the Gentiles Light,  
From Antioch came the Name, which Fiends doth frig●●  
And shall out last all Names, until our Head,  
As God and Man shall judge both Quick and Dead,  
Till Christ resigns to the Supremest Mace,  
To All in All, his Intercessors Place.   

THis Light and Name the Sire of Antichrist,  
In Envy unto Man, and spite to Christ:  
With his Blacke-Guard that were deprived of Light,  
And for their Pride enwrapped in Errors Night:  
They all conspired, and strove to prejudice  
With all their Might, the New-mans' Sacrifice.  
For this design, their Malice to effect,  
They seized the wits of Annas and his sect.  
They first played on the souls of Saducees,  
●nd gulled such Brains as idolld Golden Fees:  
●hrist in his Limbs to Crucify again;  
And all for Pomp's support and worldly Gain.   

THe Cripple raised in jesus Christ his Name,  
●y Fishermen, that wonder put to shame  
The jewish Scribes, so that they burned for Ire,  
And feared lest Christ might di●● their Levites Fire,  
Or quite abate their Old Traditions Gain,  
Which holp their present Glory to maintain.  
At first they silenced them, and then with Gall  
They thundered out big words ses●uipedall:  
That if thenceforth they acted Miracles  
In jesus Name, they would as Spectacles  
Of Infamy their Bodies publicly  
Afflict, or make them in jaile-shackles lie.  
But since th' Apostles them regarded not,  
Nor cared for Threats, nor scourging, than they shot  
Their Church-Darts out of Excommunications,  
Till a Law Doctor calmed their Combinations.  
By this Advice, that no Devise of Man  
Might stop the Will of God, do what they can.   

ON this the Levites rested for a while,  
And ceased their hand with Murder to defile.  
The which Advise if Rome's late Catholics,  
Had weighed for them whom they called Here tickes,  
Rome might have held a Reverend Mother's Sway,  
She had ere this turned Eastern Nights to Day:  
Where ministering now scandal to the Turks,  
Both they and we detest their Bloody works.  
For Ten Years space, till Claudius Caesar reigned,  
The Scribes lay still, their spleen a while restrained,  
And seemed to wink at the Apostles Fame,  
Whilst in that breathing Truce the Christian Name,  
The Church increased, had all her wants relieved,  
Antioch received, S●maritans Believed,  
Ioppa ●rejoyc'd, Caesare a gained Grace,  
●●d many jews joyed of the Christian Race;  
●well the Gentiles, as the Circumtized;  
●n'd in One League for Christ to be Baptised.   

●hat Good Time Saints gaped not for Gold,  
olived in Common, their Possessions sold,  
●●d without Guile the Price did distribute,  
●hereby they barred the Cause of wrangling suit,  
● Mine and Thine. Their Care was Bread and Wine  
〈◊〉 sacred use, and for the Heavenly Vine;  
〈◊〉 build Christ's Church upon the New-mans' Rock,  
〈◊〉 on the Sand, False Keys, or stumbling Block.  
●●at Wonders wrought they of stupendious sort  
●●ove frail Sense? Or Carnal wits Report?  
〈◊〉 Words they made the Crippled wight to walk,  
●he Dead to Rise, Blind see, the Dumb to talk.  
〈◊〉 Words they struck a Lying Couple Dead,  
●nd Blinded One, who men by Charms misled.  
Through jesus Name they wrought such Miracles,  
And freed themselves from Tyrant's Manacles.  
The Fame of such fair deeds in Salem rung,  
As Nettle pricks the Envious Clergy stung.  
That Gentiles should partake with Israel's Tribes  
Of Gods good Grace, they brooked not without ●i●es  
They flouted that the New-mans' Troops aswell,  
As their Old Scribes should ●ame the Fiends of Hell  
And the most part, like unto snarling Curs  
In Manger laid, found fault with Others Cures.  
Repining thus at Progress of the Word,  
Since that no Tricks could stop it, by the Sword.  
zebedees son they caused to lose his breath,  
As they by stoning wrought the Deacons death;  
By Caesar's Minion King they woven their Plot,  
Who would have cast on Peter the like Lot,  
But that an Angel came to free his Chains,  
To Plague with worms the Tyrant for his Pains.   

●His puts my Muse in mind of Phillip's Queen,  
●ho wreakd on Saints her Gall with swelling spleen,  
●ill with her Gods, her States, and Calleis Loss,  
●e felt the weight of a more heavy Cross;  
●nd of the Royal Brothers styled Valois,  
●ho died in Blood for Blood, and Bloody joys,  
●riaes Rings can testify likewise,  
●hat they have got by Belgiaes' bloody Cries.   

MOre mild yet dealt Agrippa with Saint Paul,  
●ot barring him from Rome's Appeal at all,  
●t would have joined with Feftus to enlarge,  
●nd save for his Appeal him to discharge.  
Much less would once that sage Praetorian Peer  
●or Words & Names the jews mad Clamours hear.   

HOw many Snares with Tumults, spite, and Rage  
Did they spread forth for Christians in that Age?  
By all the means, which Satan could devise,  
Men sought to stop the New Man's Sacrifice.  
But all in vain, like trod on Cammomell  
It grew the more, and with a fragrant smell.  
Not Elimas, nor Magus with Hell Charms,  
Nor could Diana's Smith knock down their Arms,  
Or quench in them the Holy Spirits Flame,  
Which they conferred in Jesus Christ his Name,  
That like themselves at first Enthusians rapt,  
For Holy Trances they made others apt.   

Unwearied they in their Vocation went,  
And acted Deeds to Arts astonishment.  
No by-respects to Glory, Wealth, or Ease,  
No Emulations Sting could make them cease  
From the Pursuit of the Immortal Prize;  
No servile Fears, Detraction, nor surmise,  
Could let their main intent, and Ghostly Race,  
From setting forth God's Charter of free Grace.  
No Chollers Heat, Debate, nor Casual Brawl.  
As fell betwixt Saint Peter and Saint Paul  
For jewish Rites, as likewise came to pass  
For Choosing Mark 'twixt Paul and Barnabas;  
Or as it chanced to Abraham and Lot:  
Their Passions swayed not so, that they forgot  
The Progress of the Word, the work in hand,  
But that they ran, and toiled by Sea and Land.  
In Accidentalles, though as Men they erred;  
Yet, as Divines, the substance they preferred.  
Their Elder Man they stooped in spite of vice,  
And their Newman went on to Sacrifice.  
Here Paul and Silas Preach, Apollo's there,  
While Barnabas and Mark, do teach else where.  
Mathias, jude, and Simon burned alike  
To execute their Charge Apostolic.  
With the like zeal all the Apostles rapt  
Transformed souls for Mystic Trances apt.   

THey Catechised, and sought their Saviour's Praise,  
Their Sovereign joys were to reclaim some Straight  
With Constant Faith the Gospel they did blaze,  
And daily wrought great wonders of amaze;  
Till by Rome's Mace the Type of Antichrist,  
Which slew their Master Christ, they died for Christ.  
In all their Deeds they were so far from Pride,  
That when some Gentiles would have Deified  
Good Barnabas and Paul with glorious shout  
In stead of yielding thanks they ran about  
With clothes all rent among the wondering throng,  
And begged of them the Deity not to wrong,  
Nor by detracting from their Maker's Grace  
With Sacrifice his servants to disgrace.  
They vilified themselves, took up the Cross,  
Contemning Pomp and Gold, like seumme or dross.   

They varnished not Gods Word with Gloss of schools  
But sought the wholesome spring, not Muddy Pools,  
And spared their New built Church to interrupt,  
With knotty doubts of Fantasies Corrupt.  
Now for a Type of their essential Gare,  
● will produce this One Example rare,  
When Proselytes of Pharisaical sort,  
Would Gentiles to strict Moses Laws exhort:  
●● Salems' Council the Apostles sat,  
And in few lines resolved their Questions state:  
Whereas by some ye were perplexed with Fear  
●bout Old Rites, we warn you to forbear  
From Meats Profane at Idols Sacrifice.  
From beastly Lust, or Wives Pluralities,  
From strangled Flesh, and shedding Humane Blood,  
●f as your own, ye Carke another's Good:  
And do abstain from the said sins withal,  
Ye shall do well. By Barnabas and Paul.  
And two of the Chief Brethren moe they sent  
These Pithy Acts the Gentiles to Content.  
Whereby I note on Weaklings they impose  
No heavier Yoke than what the Newman chose.  
They cumbered not the Church with Needless Laws,  
Nor with Traditions Superstitious Flaws.  
They could not brook Food dressed with Satan's 〈◊〉  
Nor at Christ's Feasts to glut their hungry Maws.  
Thus we observe how easy is Christ's Yoke,  
That to clear doubts Faith bears the Sovereign 〈◊〉  
Faith linked with Love requires us to forbear,  
And not for Toys Christ's seamelesse Coat to tear.   

HOw wondrously did the Good Spirit breathe  
The New-mans' Gifts, from darkness & from death  
To raise up souls? and Heathen Clouds to clear?  
Dispersing Christ's Disciples here and there?  
By visions He Immediate lighted on  
Cornelius and Saint Peter, both for One  
●●fect, to let the wavering Gentiles know,  
●●at God took care within their Hearts to sow  
●s seed of Grace, which stubborn jews abused,  
●●d Christ their Head, God's husbandman refused:  
●●d that without respect of high or low,  
〈◊〉 loves all them, who to his Service bow▪   

●Hat Travels did good Peter undergo?  
Sea and Land he did undaunted go,  
●●ough wanting means, unfurnished of Money,  
●t for himself to gain a Patrimony  
〈◊〉 corruptible mould, or brittle Mass▪  
●●ich like fond dreams in time away do pass?  
〈◊〉 for his Master Christ souls wrapped with mists,  
〈◊〉 Ignorance he made good Catechists,  
●od Catholics apostolics he made,  
●●●tructing them in his Soule-fishing Trade.  
●●d as some write, when Simon with his Whore.  
●●ene bragged, he like a God would soar  
Above the Clouds, by Peter's vows he fell,  
And broke his Neck, left by his Guard of Hell.   

TO jews and Gentiles He the Gospel taught,  
But chiefly he the jews conversion sought;  
Deputed for the Circumcisions Charge,  
Unto the Elect, dispensed he showed at large  
The Patent of his ●eald Apostleship;  
Yea, and, if Fame belies him not, his Ship  
And Fishing-nets he left at Tiber's stream,  
Where some then so journed of jerusalem,  
As in the Acts we read; there he baptised,  
(If there he was) till Nero tyrannised.  
Now whether Rome hath cause of him to boast,  
As for his seat more than the Holy Ghost,  
Which living Peter gave to men of Faith,  
Some since have striven, not following Peter's path●  
'Tis certaint, that he w●re no Triple Crown:  
None kissed his Foot, nor ●rod he Princes down.  
'Tis known, that Gold and silver he hast none:  
A Tanner's house was of his Lodgingss One.  
'Tis credited, that to the Cross he bowed,  
A kind of Death which only Rome allowed,  
Till: Constantine in love to Christ for bad  
This cruel pain and spectacle most sad;  
That being Old against frail Nature's will,  
Others did Peter lead his Blood to spill,  
As Christ foretold; but his Crosse-fixed place  
(Rome's Empire lay so large) I dare not trace.   

BUt sure I am Saint Paul in bloody Rome,  
When Nero reigned, endured Martyrdom.  
There, having twice before that Tyrant stood,  
His Faith's Defence he sealed with his Blood  
About the time when that mad Bouteseu,  
Had fired the City with his wanton Crew,  
Because he longed to sing the sack of Troy,  
And by such Types would execute his Toy,  
To cloak the Fact, and stop the Mutiny,  
Yet not repenting of his villainy,  
He authoured Christians of those dismal cries,  
And butchered them to blear the People's eyes.  
Among that guiltless Troop than suffered Paul,  
Who had fore-wrote what should him there befall.  
This chosen Saint hath left brave Monuments  
Unto the Church, which Satan's Ambushments  
Can never trap, nor Canker-fretting Age  
Consume, but they stand firm in spite of Rage.   

IN Albion's Orb an arched stately Room,  
The chiefest Pile, I think, in Christendom,  
Of Paul's sole Name, revives his memory,  
Till Doomesdayes blast the River Thames shall dry;  
In the mean time grave Saintlike Ministers,  
Accompanied with Asaphs Choristers,  
Sing praise to God for gracing of Saint Paul,  
Who once had been a bloody-minded Saul.  
Of late repaired it shines with zealous Fire,  
●s erst with flames raged the stupendious spite.  
Blessed be their Zeal, their Cares, and good Intent,  
Which have rebuilt this famous Monument,  
Resembling that of Salems' Second one,  
Renewed by jews, first built by Solomon.   

LIke these, so did all Christ's Apostles Fish,  
And on some Coast or other never mist  
To catch for Christ some choice and dainty Prey,  
Bartholomew and Thomas knew the way  
●nto the East, and there engraved their Names.  
●aint Mathewes Paines seven flouded Nilus' fames,  
And precious john the Bel●ll Abissine,  
From him and Philip claims Christ a Faith Divine.  
Achaia vaunts of good Saint Andrew's Cares,  
With whom he pawned his Bones, till those rich wares,  
Some Scottish Saints by a Greek Monk redeemed,  
Them and their worth, like precious Gems, esteemed.  
While Mark from Peter's mouth God's Word compile,  
To leave it her, Niles Alexandria smiles,  
Sea-spousing Venice too did sacrifice  
Unto Saint Mark a goodly Edifice.   

The latter James, Christ's kinsm●n by the flesh,  
In Salem lived, disorders to redress,  
Where he, though styled just, as spectacle  
Of shame, was thrown down from the P●●●a●le,  
Which Satan moved to Christ. There he expired,  
And Roman Force the place soon after fired,  
Yet hath his Fame to after-Ages spread,  
His Bishop's Seat with Christians flourished,  
By Princes graced, and for Antiquity  
Puts Antioch down, and Rome's Priority.  
At the First Council Iame● ●a● Precedent.  
There, S●in●t closed up the Circumcised Ren●.  
In Salem ●ate the High Commission Court,  
Where they decided doubts of most import.  
Galicians since built up a sacred 〈◊〉  
At Compostell, which later Wits profane,  
Adoring ●●mes, as if Humanity  
Should offer Vows due to the Trinity.   

ABout the Time of james his death, to 〈◊〉  
The Fatal Web for sinful Salem spun,  
Upon the Siege the Christian Iewes forewarned  
By Oracle from Christ, fled thence una●●'d  
With Humane helps, but guarded by Divine  
Supplica, themselves to ●ella they confine,  
Where they on I●rdans B●●ks securely lay,  
While Rebell-Iewes were slain, and fold away.   

SO stood the Church with them, who flourished first,  
Next Christ's Ascent most pure, until accursed,  
The jewish Nation for their Crying sin,  
And hardened Hearts deep woes were plu●ged in,  
And then God pleased for jewries' unbelief,  
The Gentiles to adopt to jewries' grief,  
And our Church seems to them a stumbling sin,  
Till all th' Elected Gentiles be come in:  
As unto them of Antichristian Race  
She seems, till Babel feels her last disgrace.  
But why were Saints, like Christ, so foully slaint:  
Because the more they suffered here, more Gain  
They reap, the Nobler Crown in Heaven they gai●●;  
And shall judge those, who put them hereto pain.   

IF you would know by Time's Gradation m●c,  
Domitius and Domitian yields you store;  
Read Tacitus, when Rome lay waste with fire,  
How Christians felt the Former's Frantic Ire:  
Some crucified▪ some burnt, and some were ●as'd  
In wild beasts skins, by Mastiffs torn and chasd  
So cruelly, that who did them contemn,  
In hate to N●●●●s spleen than pitied them.  
Though Christians were to manifolded pain,  
Throughout the twelfe year put of Nero's Reign,  
●et like to Palm suppressed, the more they grew;  
The Church the more by Martyrs did renew.   

Athmos with Rome's whole Empire tells what pain,  
The Church endured in the last Flavians Reign,  
●ith greater Numbers Martyrs Calendar  
canonising then in mad Nero's year:  
●uring which Rage some Brethren false did rove,  
The Deacons Sect, lewd Family of Love;  
●nd he that durst afore Christ's Darling bath,  
●ut felt the Doom of his incensed wrath;  
The Bath-walls fell, crushed Cerinthe underneath,  
As soon as john had menaced him with death.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE SECOND AGE From the year of our Lord 100 until the year 200. At which time Severus reigned Emperor of Rome.  
The Argument.  
Saint John deceased, Fiends Seeds of Error sow,  
Yet doth the Church, though persecuted, grow,  
And from her Womb spring up a Learned Crew  
Of Saints, who with their blood do Truth renew.  

HE that desires a Saintlike Life to lead,  
Let him the steps of ancient father's tread,  
Who nearest lived unto th'Apostles times;  
Thence I collect the Course in Raptur'd Rhymes,  
Which Christ his Church then for her members held  
What Paths they traced, and wherein she excelld,  
If we mislike her Plainness, or their Marts,  
Love bids us chastely gaze, and wink at Warts;  
For like the Moon at full, sometimes the Church,  
Reigns known from her, who lives upon the lurch,  
Dispersed through the World, Apostolic,  
Yet, like our God in Three, one Catholic,  
In sundry shapes replete with sacred Fire;  
With many Tongues, in Spirit yet entire  
And Essence one; who, though diversified  
For Rites or Form, 〈◊〉 yet justified  
By Faith with Him, who tries men's Consciences,  
Bears with their ●●ips, and hears her Grievances.  
Return, quoth he, Ye● people full of strife,  
Who Me have wronged, like a rebellious Wife.  
Alluding to which challenge in his Word:  
Before the Lord and Ange●●s I record,  
That I believe no Church on Earth this day,  
Then Britain's Church goes a more knowing 〈◊〉▪  
In substance pure, and in her good intents,  
Sealed rightly with the newman's Sacraments.  
And with the Best her Elders I confer,  
Yet dare not say her Troops do never err,  
Nor brag that she hath neither Mole nor Wen,  
While she cohabits here with mortal men:  
But pray, that she in Fruit more pregnant thrive,  
As she in shape is like the Primitive;  
And that with flames of mutual Love we glow,  
As forward as in height we seem to grow.   

One thing I add against her Foes in brief,  
And therewithal to ease our Weaklings grief;  
Although I honour with my heart and Pen,  
The Couneclls, Fathers, and the Ancient men,  
Who wrote before the seventh Century  
Became bewitched with Babel's Mystery,  
Yet we no more give credit to their Lore,  
Their Matter, Tropes, and Topick Maxims store  
Derived from Old Adam's double Tree,  
Nor further than we find them to agree  
With Gods own Word, or Oracles Divine,  
Dare we consent with them in every Line,  
For men may err, yea, Learned Countells err  
By Faction● swayed, as other whiles they were;  
And, as Eusebius marked, the Church began  
To be unchaste, soon as th' Apostles ran  
The Hourglass out of their lives Pilgrim age,  
By Cerinths' Toils, and Nicholaites Rage;  
Or by those Fogs, which Epiphanius brands  
For Heresies of Antichristian Bands;  
Or Sects, whose Augustine expels the mists,  
Be they Pelagians, or the Donatists.   

AT the New Rising of the Second Age,  
In the First year came Trajan on the Stage,  
Adopted Caesar by good Nerv●es choice,  
Broils to prevent, and Cares to counterpoise.  
In his precedent Reign Domitian's Act  
Against the Church in Rome was somewhat slacked;  
But otherwhere the Praetours for their Gain  
By Christians goods escbeat, renewed again  
The Old Decree, and in their Liberties  
Practised on Saints their former Cruelties.  
But leaving them a while to rack and rage,  
I now glance on the Wonder of that Age.   

OF Him I sing, who would have kneeled down,  
But was forbade, unto an Angel, known  
Of all the Apostles longest to have seen  
The Church's course eclipsed by Tyranis spleen.  
One while assailed, anon strong Militant  
john saw her curb Conetits exorbitant.  
Thou haft, O glorious Saint, beheld her Pure,  
Like to the ●unne dispelling Clouds obscure.  
When Shepherd Pan deceased, than Oracles  
From that time ceased through Christian Miracles;  
For when Tiberi●t swayed, Fiends wailed their loss,  
While they shipped Tam●● forced to bruit ●he Cross,  
And to proclaim in Midland Seas with dread:  
That Pan, the great God Pan, was newly dead.  
Thou hast surviud thy Brethren, and thy Mates,  
Thou hast beheld strange Turns of worldly States,  
The Temple sacked, jerusalem destroyed,  
Thy Native soil all harried and annoyed,  
Thou liv'st to see weeds of black Heresies,  
Amidst the Church spring up, Apostafies  
Grownerife, the Saints with Persecutions flame  
Scorched every where, and put to open shame,  
Thou hast outdared a dozen Emperors,  
Since thy good Lord triumphed over powers,  
When thou beganst to shine, Tiberius reigned,  
They saw thy Life's sunset, whom Trajan pain.  
What dangers, wracks, and buffet of Fiends,  
Hast thou oft felt? What snares of glozing Friends?  
Portents to make the Patient●● job dismayed;  
Thou hast outlived thy Charge, the Widow-Maid,  
Thy Mother dear adopted on the Cross,  
To thee his Minion left, to ease thy loss,  
When therehence out thou tookst her to thy house,  
As a true Nun, to help thy Christian vows.   

HOw long she lived with thee, to calculate,  
An Angel must the certain Time relate,  
Or name the Place where her Blessed Body lies,  
Whether she was in Body Enoch-wise,  
Immediately to Heaven assumed up?  
Or dwelled with john till Age made her to stoop?  
And paid her debt as other Mortals do  
To Nature, much it skills not us to know?  
Since now with Christ her Soul Triumphant rests,  
And as her Life deserved with him she feasts:  
Admitting no such Mediatrix style,  
Or Goddesses, as some themselves beguile,  
That she doth oftentimes command her Son  
To hear a Sinners suit, or Orison?   

SAve that I might be into Whirlpools brought,  
Or for my Guests be too Sagacious thought,  
I would Conjecture at the Time when john,  
Before the Siege of Salem undergone,  
Departed into Corinth, Ephesus,  
Or other Coasts, where Titus and Timotheus,  
Were by Saint Paul ordained to Oversee,  
There, to confirm each Saint in his Degree,  
As they by Him, who all those Churches bare  
Upon his shoulders first, were bred with Care.  
There, he consumed the Remnant of his Age,  
Until to Pathmos by Domitian's Rage  
Confined, he saw in spirit Christ again,  
Who then and there by Revelations plain  
To his Rapt Sense, though hid from Carnal Brain,  
Did prophesy the future Church's stain.  
For Comfort of th' Elect the Lord appeared  
Unto this Saint, and his Wits Senses cleared,  
To understand what plagues he will effect  
In the last days for his true Words Neglect.  
THese Mysteries Christ opened unto john,  
Whom he reserved so long. And thereupon  
I humbly glance by leave of Holy Wits,  
To whom my Muse her Raptures here submits:  
That when One asked Christ, what john should do?  
Whether he should remain behind or go?  
His Answer was unto this bold Assay.  
If my will be to have him here to stay  
Until I come, what matters that to thee?  
And long he stayed, as all may clearly see.  
Before his Death he did so settle things,  
That Greece his Praise aswell as Asia rings.  
In Norvaes' Reign he came with his Release  
To Ephesus, where he deceased in Peace,  
While Trajan swayed, as Grecian Clerks relate,  
Having escaped an Oily scalding Fate,  
Imposed on him by fierce Domitian's Rage,  
Who then exiled him to Pathmos Cage,  
Where, though cubed up a while from Christians sight,  
He saw what cheered his Soul, His Masters Light.   

BOth in his time, and after, soon began  
The Devil's Plots to scare the Christian man,  
Which Valentinian and Menander spread,  
And many more, which Weaklings then misled:  
For whose Mistakes Saint Irenaeus grieved,  
Two hundred years ere Epiphanius lived,  
To blazon them and other Heresies,  
Which then obscured the New Man's Sacrifice,  
After Saint john's decease, till Adrian reigned,  
The Roman Praetours still the Christians Pained,  
Who so confirmed were for the Fiery Cross,  
They feared not Death, nor Pain, nor Fortune's Loss.  
The Truth when racked by Inquisition strict,  
That Christians much were wronged by Rome's Edict,  
Great Trajan then did unto Pliny write,  
To mitigate the Fiery Trials Spite;  
Yet not to spare them, if they were brought in.  
(Damned policy so cloaking Bloody Sin)  
In which implicit Snare Ignatius bound,  
Like Christ's fine Corn, by Lion's Teeth was ground.   

NExt after this, the Second Century  
Points at some Saints of Glorious Memory,  
As Pillars of that Age, with whom as Chief,  
Succeeding those forenamed I rank in Brief  
A Martyred Sire of Naples Palestine,  
One that foretold his death to Antonine,  
When shortly after did a Cynics Hate  
Conclude with Flames the Swans Prognosticate,  
Having first wrote, to calm the Emperor's  
Spleen his Defence, and to Rome's Senators.  
In justines' time, which by the years account,  
Since Christ's Ascension up from Olives Mount,  
One Hundred shone, good Christians lived content  
With simple Means, and scorned the Blandishment  
Of Gain or Pomp, with all false worldly Wares:  
But fixed on Christ, and Cure of Souls their Cares.  
Plato's and Moor's Eutopiaes Commonwealth,  
Compared to them seems but Promethean stealth,  
Phant asticke Dreams, or Speculations Flame,  
Which being unpractized breed the Authors shame,  
They taught and wrought with Real Charity,  
As if that day they were arraigned to die;  
Not like to Stoics dissembling Looks austere;  
But against Sin with Discipline severe,  
With Vows and Fasts the Outward man to tame;  
Not for Repute, or Superficial Fame,  
But with intent to keep their Vessels pure,  
And to seal up their Christian Calling sure,  
They promised not but what they did perform,  
And squared their Deeds to the Apostles Form,  
Such Pious Deeds with Zealous Sparks beset,  
As I for Saints have in my Preface set.  
From Justines' Works likewise I apprehend  
The Eucharists Religious Use and End:  
We take no Common Bread nor Common Wine,  
(Saith he) but like as Christ by the Divine  
Bright Word became true Flesh, and for our Good,  
took on him our Attire of Flesh and Blood,  
So we by Virtue of his Word, Record  
That Food to be the Body of the Lord;  
Yet Sacramental Wine and Sacred Bread,  
Which have our Souls by the Remembrance fed.  
With this short Course the Presect of the Feast,  
Insinuates Vows into each Sacred Breast;  
They fed with zeal: the Throng Thanksgiving sing,  
And Deacons did unto the Absent bring  
The Consecrated Food, that they likewise  
Might have a Taste of the Soule-sacrifice:  
Such was the Ancients Form, to distribute  
The Holy Food without Quirks or Dispute.   

IN those Day's Cross to Food blest by the Word,  
Was Sacrifice of Flesh at Heathens Board  
To Idoll-Gods, which Christians did refuse,  
By reason of the Cursed End and Use,  
(As we likewise that Carnal Food despise,  
Which some Create a God at Sacrifice)  
And yet the Food, ere it was so disgraced,  
Could not pollute the honest Takers taste.  
So when God's Word hath blest Ours to record  
Our Saviour's Cross, it quickens by that Word,  
Which full of Life breathes Spirit, Life, Relief,  
If it be ta'en by Souls firm of Belief;  
For otherwise the present Ectasy  
Doth vanish, and away those Blessings fly:  
They at their Feast Emanuels' Presence lose,  
His Presence, whose rare Form some Clerks appose.  
Though they believe, that Christ is God and Man,  
And styled God with us, his Form they scan,  
And question, how could Paul and Stephen see  
Emanuel, while on Earth Men living be?  
As to the Pure this Mystic Trance turns Pure,  
So 'tis Damnation's Bait to the Impure.  
And when Faith's Feast becomes a Sacrifice  
To Idol Gods, it tends to prejudice;  
For this grave Cause good Christians do refuse  
False Altars Meat, where Satan Poison screws.   

WHat shall I write of Mark Aurelius Reign?  
When all his Camp distressed for want of Rain,  
Were at the point to perish, Christians then,  
By Miracle gained showers to save his Men?  
While hopeless Pagans digged, by Prayers they  
Gained in One Night what they had toiled by Day.  
Such wondrous Deeds of the Church Primitive,  
Like those Blessed Showers, will cause our M●se to thrive,  
If therewithal we moisten Thirsty Souls,  
Which long to taste of our Nectarean Bowls,  
In hope from Bruits to be trasnformed anew  
To better shapes, than Ovid could renew,  
Or Samian Forge. Our Newman sings more strange,  
Of Manners, not of Bodies, the Exchange.   

WIthin this Age lived Irenaeus known  
A Bishop, where France built her Lion's Town.  
He stoutly did the Marriage-state defend,  
Whose Foes, he writes, blame God and Natures End.  
He taxed Romish Victor's Lightnings Flash,  
And qualified his Squibs denounced rash,  
Which he presumed against the East to throw,  
For Easters Date with Supercilious Brow:  
(Or did perhaps not excommunicate,  
But bar with them Rome to communicate.)  
So likewise did Grave Polycrates blame  
His Censure-causing Schism, and Christians shame.  
This Reverend Man, to win the more Applause  
For his Defence of that propounded Cause,  
Demonstrated, that his seven Ancestors,  
And he the Eighth from those progenitors,  
Were Bishops all of Ephesus, and held  
Their yearly Course of Easter unrepeal'd,  
Implying, that his Lineal Holy Race,  
Confirmed the Truth to clear that wrangling Case.   

NExt unto those shone Athenagor as,  
Tatian, and He, who with his Sire would pass  
To Martyrdom, and but for Mother's Tears  
Partake, like Adamant, not shrunk with Fears.  
He glossed God's Word, & would have been more prized,  
If he had not too much allegorized.  
Severus sent for him (such was his Fame)  
To Antioch, where he stuck to Christ his Name,  
And blazed his Word with such rare Eloquence,  
That he returned by Caesar graced from thence,  
Dismissed with Gifts, and Courtiers good report,  
He came again to the seven Flouded Port,  
Where he much Oil in Alexander's Town,  
Consumed, until his Error put him down.  
Where well he wrote, no better Writer known:  
Where ill, none worse than Origen is shown.  
Famous for this: he terms Christ's Flesh and Bl●●●●  
The Spirit's Type, his Word Soule-quickning Food;  
Most infamous for this: that first he Gelt  
Himself, and then for fear he should have felt  
A Buggering Rape by a Black-hired Moor,  
He Sacrificed to Idols (a far more  
Scurfe-spreading sin) for which with Bolts accursed,  
By Alexandriaes' Church, to Tears he burst,  
Whenlighting on a Text in Psalms Town,  
And there desired to Preach, he found his own  
Unhappy Act by Lot, nay by Divine  
Appointment: How the Precepts which are mine,  
Dar'st thou presume within thy Mouth profane  
To teach or read, O thou ungodly Man?  
Upon which Text poor Origen abashed,  
With Tears his Crime and his Presumption washed.    

THE STATE OF THE BISHOPS OF ROME DURING THE TIME OF PERSECUTION, and while they were subject to the Emperors.  

IT may be here some Curious Wits expect,  
That I their Lives and Deeds should recollect,  
Whom Priestly Votes h●ve voiced for Roman Popes  
In Peter's Chair, on whom they sixth their Hope●  
To bind and lose their manifolded Cri●e●  
Both then and now, and in ensuing Times.  
But such a Task I dare not undergo,  
Nor will I have with Fraudful Styles to do:  
The Servant when of Servants One proclaims  
Himself, and yet a Monarques Power claims.  
Let them who build on Flesh and Blood's Desires,  
Entangling their Belief with needless Fires  
Of High Ambitious Thrones, not warranted  
By God's dear Lamb, who for our sakes here led  
An Humble Life: Let them I say bow down  
Before the Gold-crossed Shoe and Triple Grown.  
But I am sure they no Record shall find,  
Nor Chronicle, that mentions in that kind  
The least Reflex of Royal Majesty  
Due to Rome's Popes with Both Sword's Sovereignty,  
Until the French the Lumbards' overcame,  
Till Charlemagne did Desiderius tame  
Since Phocas Time they Nine score years before,  
Above all Priests the Chiefest Mi●er wore:  
Since Constantine's, who Phocas did precede  
Three Hundred years, a Patriarches sway I read  
They had here in our West. But till that Time  
They scarce found space to breath, much less to climb,  
Or claim a Mace, and to be called Lord,  
A Style, which Christ forbade, and Saints abhorred;  
For till the Reign of Constantine the Great,  
Thirty they were, which graced Rome's Pastors Seat,  
And of those Thirty Bishops there were None,  
But they were slain, or did through Troubles groan.  
As English Saints were in Queen Mary's days  
By Tyrant's spleen distressed sundry ways,  
Imprisoned, racked, and put to Open shame,  
Deprived of all their Goods, and burnt in Flame:  
So Christ's New Church, though with rare Dowries blest,  
near for Three Hundred years was sore oppressed.  
Caefars without, and Herteickes within,  
Did persecute, and plunge her Members in  
So many Toils, that hardly they could meet  
In Private Place, nor one another greet  
With Common shows of Neighbour's Amity;  
How then could they think on Priority?  
And stand on Points of Prelate's Primacy,  
Without distrust of some Conspiracy?   

THe Truth is this: who were styled Bishops then,  
They fished not for frail Wealth, but Souls of Men,  
Not to enrich themselves with Private store,  
But like Saint Paul, the Cross they thought on m●●●  
From Christian Caesar's they got Liberties,  
But not so great to claim Regalities,  
About the Year Six Hundred sixty six,  
We find that Rome began to play more Tricks  
Than she durst act within the Ages past,  
As Paul and John foretell her Breach at last)  
And never left to lift her Lofty Crest,  
Till she God's Word had darkened in the West,  
And dared upon the Caesar's State to prey,  
The main great Let to her Prodigious Sway.  
She never ceased to stir up raging Fires,  
Till she at Trent concluded her Desires,  
Repugnant to the Vow, which she professed  
At her First Rise, Six Hundred years at least,  
At such wild Fits I only glance, not carp;  
This Task I leave for an iambics Warp.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE THIRD AGE, From the year of our Lord 200. until the year 300. At which time Dioclesian and Maximinus reigned Emperors of Rome.  
The Argument  
Next to the greeks the Latin Scribes begin,  
Idolaters unto Christ's Church to win▪  
Rome's Tyrants fret, and Saints they martirize.  
Saint Anthony into a Desert flies.  

WIthin this Age the Church most Militant  
And Cautious, strove to shun exorbitant  
Attempts of Foes; one while to secret Caves  
Constrained to retire; sometimes to tame the Braves  
Of her own Tribe, Domestic Mutineers,  
She used the Spirits Sword; 〈◊〉 the Jeers  
And Flou●ing Stuffs of Foreigners to daunt,  
Which did at her Poor Robes and Altars taunt,  
She fought against Caetilius and his Train,  
And proved their Vaunt for Outward Glories vain.  
Her State was then unsettled▪ New, and Poor,  
But Time to come might make her flourish more.  
A thousand of such Taunts and Fiery Darts,  
A Thousand of great Dangers, Envious Arts,  
By Satan's Plots she daily underwent,  
While Caesar's sought their Pagan-Gods Content.  
The nearer that the Church drew to her Time  
Of Liberty, lest that too high she climb,  
Satan suborned his Agents in this Age,  
Against her Race to show their utmost Rage.  
He knew her Thraldoms Date to john foretold,  
Would shortly end. And that made him so bold.   

AS otherwhiles a Woman chaste and Fair.  
Dishevelled seems, or with loose dangling Hair:  
So without Art, and in her Native Dress  
The Church at first for want of Time to dress,  
And to compose her Outward Ornament,  
Came forth to spread her Saviour's Testament,  
Not carking much for Superficial Wea●e,  
But in the Heart the New Man's Gifts to bear;  
And yet both Chaste and Fair She comely shone,  
With Constant Faith built on the Cornerstone.  
And though she lived and reigned of Men unseen  
With Carnal Eyes, yet of Good Angels seen,  
Herd in the Choir, which to the Lamb belongs,  
Answered by Saints with Sympathising Songs,  
Nay, seen and known of Men Reborn anew  
Both then and now, who never kneeled to Baal,  
But to One Christ, the Saviour of us all,  
Who by his Word, and bright Diurnal Light,  
Hath late dispersed the Tempests of the Night,  
Saved us, like Peter, out of Her●ds jail,  
From Babel's Powder-traine, for Saints avail.  
For which sweet Grace, redintegracious Love,  
The Saints on Earth with Those of Heaven above,  
United in One League shall ever sing  
Melodious Songs to our Triumphant King.   

OUr Latin West unto the Church of Greece,  
Acknowledge must herself in some degrees  
Inferior and obliged, From her she had the Form  
Of Christian Rites false Altars to reform,  
As she the Substance from jerusalem,  
More near to Greece then Rome, the Church Supreme,  
From her she borrowed her prime Words of Art,  
Those Second coined Intentions, to impart  
From Man to Man by Terms, Discourse, and Tongue,  
What otherwise would dormant lie unstrung.  
Her Noblest Name of Christian Catholic,  
The Eucharist, the Faith Apostolic,  
Types, Symbols, and Ecclesiastic Laws,  
What be they but Greek words for Christian Cause  
Disguised in Latin Robes Faith to express?  
And to work on Mild Hearers more or less?  
The seventy Soribes translated jewries joys  
To the Greek Tongue by Philadephus' Choice.  
Saint Paul and Luke divulged in Grecian Tone  
Christ's Mysteries, yea, and Saint john wrought on  
His Auditors in Grecian Vestiment,  
Fit in that Age to further his Intent.  
Greece more to praise, ere Rome saw Christ his Light,  
Some greeks of Philip crayed his Master's sight.   

NO marvel then, that Greeks, ere Latinists  
Did publish Works, fought in our Christian Lists  
With Infidels against their Rites obscene.  
Towards the Period of the Second Scene,  
To celebrate this Age, Tertullian rose,  
With Tullian Phrase to daunt the Church's Foes,  
False Heretics and Jews, whom he refells;  
And but for Dreaming Fasts his Part excels,  
Whilst he, 'gainst Martion makes Christ's Body good,  
Truth's Figure, not Imaginary Food,  
Since Figures show not false, but things indeed.  
And in another Place, quoth he, We feed  
By Hearing on the Word Incarnate blest,  
With Understanding chew, through Faith digest.   

SAint Cyprian him succeeds, who famous made  
By Monuments, which cannot fail nor fade,  
The Church's Union; and the Martyr's Crown,  
Which since himself received in Carthage Town.  
This Saint bids us the Holy Bread to part,  
And break by Faith, not with sharp Teeth nor Art,  
While we confess: That, which is broke to Parts,  
Divine-Humane both God and Man imparts.  
Out of his Books we cull, at Carthage Town  
How he did fr●t, and all the Council frown  
To hear, that any should Rome's Pope install,  
The Bishop of all Bishop's General.   

NExt after him Minucius Foelix came  
In Roman Robes, Caecilius overcame  
With Dialogues, and foiled his Heath'nish Dreams.  
So did Arnobius by the Spirits Beams,  
In the like Garb the Gentiles Rage's abate;  
And shows the Cause, why Christians Idols hate.  
By Fabian Bathed He graced this Centre's Age,  
Who first of Caesars wore the Christian Badge.   

LOng had the Church been racked with bitter woes,  
In travel, like a Woman tired with Throes,  
To bring that fair Light forth, and Blessed Birth,  
Which in th' Elect shines with Harmonious Mirth,  
The Inward Man, I mean, whose Praise we sing,  
Graced to that end with Will by Heavens King.  
Through all the Roman Empire tortured,  
And by fierce Tyrant's hands sore Martyred  
In every Age during her Pilgrimage  
here in this World, until Maxentius Rage,  
Became suppressed by zealous Constantine,  
She felt what Dioclesian, Maximine,  
And what their Praetours could impose of Force  
Upon her Limbs without their least remorse  
She felt, Christ in his Members felt again,  
What Hangmen could inflict of Hellish Pain,  
And what their Predecessors could inflict  
Upon her Lambs by Proclamations strict,  
(Prefiguring our late New Christian Fry,  
Whom men professing Christ in Flames did fry)  
And yet they failed by their Decrees severe,  
Or Wolvish Decius them to daunt with fear,  
But that in midst of Pain, by Satan stung,  
They to the Lamb Allelujaes' sung.  
Slighting the Gridiron through the Holy Ghost:  
Now choose thy Flesh, quoth Laurence, Raw or Rost.  
Fair Theodora to the Stews confined,  
●er Friend holp her to scape in Masked kind,  
●ay'd in her place, He thralled, she came again;  
●et did the judge for Martyrs both arraign,   

Maugre all Racks and Flames Saint Alba● here  
●n Britain first, and Noble George appear,  
Who armed on Horseback with a Sangaine Cross  
Leagued Salems' Knights, and oft feared England's Foes,  
As Ancient Wits conceived their Airy Sign,  
Like that, which meteoured once to Constantine.  
Which Sign they might more fitly to their Head  
Impute then with his Members quartered.  
Their Crimson Gore transformed to Robes of White,  
By virtue of their Faith Beames-darting-bright.  
With Amphibale they live yet in our West  
And with those Twain, whom of her Martyrs Best,  
With sacred Bays at Vsk Carleons' Town  
Saint Aaron, and Saint julius still doth Crown.   

WIthin this Age, like to th' Essences Sect,  
Good Men of Life austene did Cells erect  
Of Christian Hermit's or Anachorites,  
In Egypt's Deserts, there, that Convertites  
Might solitaty dwell, from Passions free,  
And from those Baits, wherewith we daily see  
The greatest Part, even of the Church's Brood,  
Ensnared (a Mystick Point not understood  
By Libertines in these our Carnal Days)  
There, cloistered up from soul Temptations stays  
Alone and far from Mortals Company  
The Holy Saint, the long-lived Anthony,  
His life sustaining only by the Fruit  
Of one Palmitoe Tree, whose Rind did suit  
And clothe his Limbs, as did the Fruit him feed.  
His Pattern then good Saint Macarius traced,  
Whose Presence since the Nicen Council graced,  
O happy Types▪ If Superstition since  
For Hypocrites Some came not to convince;  
As Savoys Hermit through Confessions shroud,  
Since Cuckolded the Best of all the Crowd.   

ABout the end of this Third Century,  
When Dioclesian's Rage and Butchery  
Did persecute the Saints, God raised up  
Lactantius to confirm them not to droop,  
For now their Time of Liberty drew near,  
Which by God's Grace did after soon appear:  
For saving Philip, whom Pope Fabian blest,  
All Caesars hitherto Christ's Flock oppressed.  
The Church as yet fixed on no Constant Forms  
Of Government. So grievous were the Storms  
Of Persecution raised by Tytants' Rage,  
The First three Ages of her Pilgrimage,  
That she could not Correct, but now and then,  
Judge, nor with Tithes reward Industrious men.  
As Lollards were by our Lancastrians curbed,  
And Huguenots in France by Kings disturbed,  
So her awed St●rres durst scarce a Synod call  
By stealth, much less a Council General,  
Where her Chief Watchmen of the Christian Race,  
Might Congregate in one convenient Place.  
Popes stood not then on high Prerogatives,  
Glad oft to fly, to lurk, and save their lives:  
But Christians now began to be more bold,  
The Time in the Apocalypse foretold,  
The two and Forty Months being full expired  
(Months counted for Years Sabbaths') they aspired▪  
By the Imperial Leave to settle things  
In Order without Gall, or Envious stings,  
As shall appear after Licinius Death.  
Mean while I'll rest, so to resume more breath.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE FOURTH AGE, From the Year of our Lord 300. until the Year 400. being the Second Year of the Reign of Arcadius and Honorius the Sons of Theodosius the Roman Emperor.  
The Argument.  
The Glorious Church, which Constantine ●uil● up.  
At his Decease, by Arrians vexed doth droop.  
For Schools Restraint of Julian she complains▪  
Which Rise again through Theodosius Paines.  

THough I be slow the Strumpet to 〈◊〉,  
Yet I contend to blaze the New-man● Task,  
And to perform enough to satisfy  
My Noble Friends, where the True Church did lie.  
Since Christ his Time until our present Age,  
Maugre Hell's spite during her Pilgrimage:  
Because she did on no Foundation stand  
But Christ, none shall her Name with Error brand;  
Because she built upon the Living Rock,  
Which Peter vouched, she shunned the Fatal shock  
Of the fierce Dragon's Flood, in Darkness shined,  
Though to a Desert rude she seemed confined.  
Because she squared her Doctrine and her Rites  
According to God's Word, her Opposites  
Can never black her Fame and Memory,  
Nor need she fear Proud Babel's Mystery,  
That Errors spirit can obliterate  
The Gospel's Text, which she enjoys of late.   

I Will make good, that though some Curse & 〈◊〉,  
Yet by God's Rays, or his Saint Michael's Banner;  
She spreads Christ's Name, in Saints and Martyrs blest,  
In Dangers oft, and seldom times at Rest;  
One while in Tents, in Wars against her Foes:  
Another time beleaguered, feeling woes,  
When seeking Christ in time of superstition,  
The Watchmen smote her in the Inquisition,  
As Solomon sung in his Canticles;  
As Christ himself by Scribes Conventicles,  
And Roman Doom in person felt what Grace  
His Limbs with Men find in their Holy Race.  
By Martyr's Blood and spoils of the Old Man,  
Our New man first his Sacrifice began,  
Continues still his Feast, though some conspire  
To mar the same, and Our Good Church to fire.   

ANd yet for all men's Hate, our Mother lives,  
Yea, from her Flames the New Man buds and thrives,  
Not much unlike the Phoenix, whom they say,  
That being burnt her Like revives always,  
Though always not so Vigorous or Fair,  
By reason of the Climate, Food, or Air,  
Too high Conceit of her splendidious Worth,  
Or of the Keys to shut the stubborn forth;  
Or other Accidental Le's she seem  
But vile, or lacking Tithes, in poor esteem,  
Nipped with hard Winter's Frost, or scorched with Hear,  
Course Diet, or with changing Soil or Seat.  
Yet at the last the Bridegroom in extremes  
Shows her the way to his spiritual Streams,  
To pray with Zeal, more cautiously to watch,  
Lest Fiendlike Pride her or her Brood attach,  
To feed his Flock, though they ungrateful be,  
Combining to keep back his Tithes, her Fee.  
For whether Poor or Sick by dankish Air,  
She sleeps not, till she doth to Christ repair  
With contrite thoughts, and Lust's Mortification,  
With the New-mans' and Souls Resussitation,  
Of whom she begs, and humbly sues for Grace,  
Which on her Tears she gains, then sees his Face,  
The splendour of his Spirit working wonders;  
With mildest Gales restraining Sinaies' Thunders;  
And thereupon is throned on a Hill,  
With large Command, according to his Will.  
To Bind or Lose her children's Sins to keep,  
To watch, and Feed, but not to Flay his Sheep,  
Like her with Triple Crown on seven Hills,  
Who with false Fires now sits as God, and fills  
men's Consciences with Smoky Pardons, Wares  
Of the Beasts Mark, with Lies and Bug●e are Cares,   

A 'Bout three hundred Years the Gospel's Light,  
Had through our Saviour's Blood acquired Might  
And rooting, when restrained it faster spread,  
Enlightening Souls whom Forged Tales miss.  
When die had foiled Maxentius, Maximine,  
And to a Nook Licinius did confine,  
The Christian Church was reared by Constantine,  
Most Glorious on a Hill, with Rires Divine,  
And decent States, as well from Foes Contempt,  
As from home-scandalls to become exempt.  
Soon as that Sign had meteoured in the Air,  
Which Conqueror him styled, he did repair  
The Ruins of the Church, recalled home  
Those whom late Tyrants had proscribed from Rome.   

SUch Grace she found: But soon her Sons forgot  
To thanks our God the Author of their Lot,  
Who had inspired th' Imperial Majesty  
With Zeal to serve One God in Trinity,  
And at the Nic●ne Council to restore  
By Public Acts what prostrate lay before,  
To build up Temples with large Liberties,  
There, to serve God with Vows and Sacrifice,  
To choose Grave Mitred Sires to oversee,  
Lest Christ his Flock by Wolves should scared ●e,  
And by Decree to quashall Idols down  
At Synod held in Eliberi● Town.  
This Course he took by his Good Mother's Lore,  
Whose Birth much Fame to Britain's did restore;  
And Helen's Name deserves to be engilt,  
For finding Christ his Cross, for Temples built.   

Five Bishoprics he raised to mighty Height,  
Whereof each One possessed a Several Right;  
And None of these in one another's Charge  
To meddle, but their own Task to discharge,  
O're-seeing their Proper Flocks. The Chiefest Room  
He gave the Popes of New and Ancient Rome:  
The Third he granted to Jerusalem:  
Then Antiochs fell and Alexandriaes' stem.  
This stinted Course they long observed, and None  
Swerved from the Stem at Nice agreed upon,  
But Brethren-like lived in true Amity,  
Not striving for more Seats Priority,  
Then Constantine out of his bounteous Grace  
Allotted them in their distinguished Place.  
The First, that sithence kicked, was He of Rome,  
Who at Bizantiums' Council would become  
The Chiefest Priest as of Old Rome the Pope,  
Sometime the Empire's Head of spacious scope;  
The which the Pope of Newbuilt Rome gainsaid,  
And there to hold the Prime Place he assayed;  
At which Vigilius did so powte and frown,  
He would not meet with them, though then in Town.  
Thus they, who should a Lowly Mind possess,  
Began to climb to Lordly Loftiness,  
Perverting to wrong Sense the Living Rock,  
God's Word, the Keys, and Feeding of Christ's Flock.  
That they might reign here in this World a while,  
For a few years puffed with a Princely Style:  
When they know in their Consciences they Err,  
That after Death they fall, like Lucifer.  
But they for Faith leaned unto Humane worth,  
And scattered Doubts against God's Spirit forth.  
They mutined against the Holy Ghost;  
Apostate Arrians ranged through every Coast.  
They soon forgot the Mystic Crosses sense,  
The New-mans' Views, and the Words Excellence.  
Their Plenty puffed them up, and the Sun's Light  
Bedazzeled them, like Gazing Birds of Night.  
For the True Substante, Shadows they adored,  
For the Creator, Creatures they implored▪  
The late Baptised enured to Pagan Rites,  
To Saturnalian Feasts, and Idol sights,  
Could not away with that Religion's Form,  
Which typing Christ's their Lives aught to reform,  
Their Flamives grudged, that the New-●lergy held  
The Conquest over Souls, themselves expelld.  
The Laymen waved betwixt the Old and New,  
Like aethiop's loath to change their pristine Hue.  
To punish these, when Constantine was urged,  
Not so, said he, Mad men should rather purged  
By Physic be. We must, though Curs do bark,  
With Gentle Gales to Port bring Christ his Ark.  
This Prince, when he Paphnutius saw at Ni●e,  
His Hollows kissed, whom Focs deprived of Eyes.  
The Roman Empire was most fortunate  
Under his Sway. He raised Rome's falling state  
To such a Height, that never Kingdom since  
His Parallel enjoyed, nor any Prince  
Succeeded like to him in Piety's  
True Practice, far exempt from Avarice  
And Crying sins. His Palace with the Poor  
Then with Praetorian Bands abounded more.  
He was not served in Gold or Silver Plate,  
Though he might set on all the World a rate,  
But Earthen Vessels or of Wood he chose.  
He curbed himself, because he would not lose  
His wavering Subjects hearts. And what he spared  
Above the Pensions of his Soldiers, Guard,  
The Public Troup, and his own Private Charge,  
He yearly did confer the same at large  
To Pious use, and Temples up to build,  
But more Christ's Living Temple to rebuild.  
Blest was the Church while▪ his good Monarch raign●  
Having Peace, Freedom, Wealth, and Honour gained▪  
But after his decease by Arrians vexed,  
She like a Widow stood long time perplexed,  
But not with Open Force, for Satan then  
Was for a Thousand Years from Murdering Men,  
For the Faith's sake begun to be restrained,  
Yet so, that Saints for Trial might be Pained.   

SInce I my Task for Constantine have spun,  
I must not leave Constantiaes' Web unspun.  
This zealous Princess, whether Fancies Flame,  
Or to become Cortivall of her Fame▪  
Who late had found the Cross in Calvary,  
Or Satan's Plot into her Creed to pry,  
Whether these Tempting Baits wrought on her Will,  
To shake her Faith, and her Best Part to spill:  
She sought the Picture of our Saviour Christ,  
As if her Creed did on the same consist  
To bring to pass her Project frivolous,  
She wrote unto Euscbius Pamphilus,  
Requiring him to send it her to Greece,  
To make her happy in that Graven Piece.  
The Holy Father with disdainful Eye  
Perused her Lines; he feared Idolatry,  
Lest the Connivance at such Passages,  
Might blur the New-mans' Ghostly Images.  
He therefore answered her with Piety,  
In Zealous Lines, not without Majesty:  
Your Grace desires, Christ's Portraiture to have,  
But which of his Two Persons would you crave?  
Which do you mean (quoth he) His Shape Divine,  
That bears the ●●kenesse of the First in Trine?  
Or else the Image of a Servants Form,  
To which for us he did himself transform?  
If you aspire his Godheads Shape to see,  
Take heed you touch not on Old Adam's Tree;  
None knows the Father but the Son alone,  
And none but by the Father knows the Son.  
But if that Persons-Picture you demand,  
Borne of our Flesh, you must then understand,  
That none by Art and Oily Colours died,  
Can limne His Bodies Frame now Glorified;  
For since that his Disciples could not see  
His shining Face at Tabor, how shall we  
View his bright Face and Persons Lineaments,  
Which till Doomsday he hath removed hence?  
On this Monition the Good Empress stayed,  
And of such Carnal Types became afraid.   

WHile Lukewarm Thoughts contended much with Zeal,  
False Arrius crept into Christ's Commonweal,  
Where Six score years his Sect Good Men so grieved,  
That in those days the Most part misbelieved.  
Two Counsels then the Arrian side preferred,  
The Milan strayed, the Ariminian erred:  
Yea, Bishops both of New and Ancient Rome,  
Subscribed, and to Heretics gave room.  
Against them all did Athanafius war,  
And therefore may be styled That Age's Star.  
By his true Zeal and Pen the Arrians quailed,  
And Truth at last with Victory prevailed.  
During Souls Time of Blindness, Satan's War  
Began again both near at hand and far.  
Against false Hearts, not by Blood's violence,  
But by fly Arts to try Saints Innocence.  
To dim the Church's Splendour, he sent out  
His slyest Fiends to compass them about▪  
Mad julian he stirred up, till he perforce  
Did yield unto the Galileans Force:  
Where Magic Spells, nor his Dear porphyry,  
Could stop God's Doom due for his Treachery,  
Which unto Christians interdicting Schools,  
Made Wits more ho●, his Counsellors but Fools.  
As bade proved Valens, since to Arrians sold,  
But Goths by Fire purged his Presumption bold.   

WHat julian spoilt, did Valentinian raise,  
And Gra●ian grace. But Theodosius Praise  
Deserves much more. He by Pope Damasus,  
And Milans star did Arrian Tumults crush.  
Blessed be his Name, who barred for his Amiss  
From Church refrained, till he gained Ambrose bliss,  
And though a King of Kings, yet not withstood  
Checks for rash Doom of Thessalonians Blood.  
O Godly Prince! who when he might command  
A Pardon, yet most humbly demand.  
Of him One sung: Each thing with him prevails:  
So Winds Conjured descended to his Sails:  
For him the Heavens fought, the Waves went back,  
And Nature's course for all his Foes ran slack.  
This Claudian blazed with Panegyric strain,  
And Ambrose of his Death did much complain:  
I loved this Prince, quoth he, because he cared,  
More for the Church then his own we'll regard.   

MUch owes the Church unto his Memory,  
For after he had chasd Idolatry,  
And calmed the Arrians Rage to Catholics  
Content, he settled Christian Bishoprics▪  
And lest the Church for want of Means should ●ade,  
Confirmed the Act which Good jovinian made  
For Tithes to Pastors, which hath ever since  
Revived the Fame of this Religious Prince.  
What Good this Act hath done in Ages past,  
Till Mongrel Monks the Churches Hire defaced,  
Encroaching on the Clergy Seculare,  
For their Support of Sloth and Private Care,  
Let Godly States observe, and weigh what Loss  
Ensues of Souls by such as do engross  
Impropriate Tithes, while many Thousands pine  
For want of Means to spread the Seed Divine.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE FIFTH AGE, From the year of our Lord 400. until the year 500 At which Time Anastasius Reigned Emperor of Rome.  
The Argument.  
Priest's Marriages Confirmed. Fowl Heresies  
Burst out. False Christians plagued by Enemies.  
What wondrous Wits that Age brought forth Divine.  
Now bloomed the Irish Church and Abissine.  

THat Parcel of false Babel's Mystery,  
Broached at the End of the last Century  
Inhibiting Priests Marriage, in the Rise  
Of this New Age returns to Hell, and dies.  
For while the Arrians Heat began to slake,  
Siricius made Rome's Clergies hearts to ache,  
When he would them in the last Age constrain,  
To live without their Wives in Tantales Pain,  
Without their Plightd Mates, whom Christ had joy'nd  
As Type of his Church-Mystery, enjoined  
From Strangers sheets, as well with Holy Seed  
To store his Church, as to partake some Meed  
For Solace of their Lives anxiety,  
While they soiled not chaste Society,  
Like Heathen Men, with Wife's Pluralities,  
Or haunted Whores in surreptitious wise.  
But quickly was this Cloud dispersed and gone,  
As not by Mortals to be undergone,  
When Wiser Men condemned his Decree,  
And proved the Marriage State for all men free,  
Aswell by Lessons out of Sacred Story,  
As Nicens' Warrant to Paphnutius Glory,  
Who though himself had never married been,  
Yet he to bar Priests Marriage deemed it Sinne.  
And so the Council held at Gangrene past,  
The like Decree for evermore to last,  
That Married Priests might safely Minister,  
And who enacted otherwise did err,  
With thundering Doom accursing every Wight,  
That dares maintain that Tenets Opposite.  
Saint Nazianzen sung that he was borne,  
The third Year since his Si●e a Priest was sworn.   

THough this and other Fire-drakes choke in snuff,  
Yet did not Other Clouds leave off to puff  
And poison Souls. Each One must have his Guard  
Of Angels two both Good and Bad, to ward  
Or tempt his Soul, that the Sect Manicbee  
Might conjure them, but not without a Fee.  
To aid them with freewill and Merits Charms,  
Pelagius offers now to lend them Arms.  
For these two Sects together with the Mists  
Breathed forth by Arrians and the Donatists,  
The World then suffered condign Punishments,  
In Lives and Fortunes with distracted Rents.   

THat Age's Church was so with Heresies  
Beset, and from the Truth seduced with Lies,  
That though she fled into a Wilderness,  
To sojourn there safe from their Wickedness,  
And damned Plots, yet did the Dragon spew  
A Flood of 〈◊〉 in hope to 〈◊〉 he●hew.  
But missing her he persecutes her Seed,  
And seeks by Open Force to slay her Breed.  
Which though he failed because of his restraint,  
Yet he prevai'ld her Lukewarm Race to taint.  
For this great War he raised up Bloody Foes,  
Goths, Vandals, Huns, all pressed at his dispose,  
By Rhadagase, Alaricke, Totilas,  
By Him, whom, Aetius foiled, proud A●tilas,  
Who had proclaimed himself the Scourge of God,  
To chastise Mortals with an Iron Rod;  
Besides the Vandal Arrian Gensericke,  
Who sacked at Austin's Death his Bishopric.  
By these whom Rome had sometimes kept in Thrall,  
God suffered Fiends for Sin to work Rome's Fall,  
To let lewd Worldlings know, that when they fail  
In Zeal and Love, than Satan will prevail.  
Before these Storms, when as the Church was like  
To perish quite, God graced her Catholic  
Again by Means of Athanasius Creed,  
By Ambrose, Jerome, and good Austin's Deed.   

BEsides those Four, how many radiant Lamps  
Did the Good Spirit raise against the Damps  
Of Hellish Fiends in that famed Century?  
From Gratians Time, till Zenoes' Empery?  
No Age before nor since hath ever seen  
Such Lights to Crown Theology a Queen,  
No Age more wise, more Learned Wits brought forth,  
Since the Apostles Time of better Worth  
Than those forenamed, then famous Hi●●ary,  
Theodoret, Eusebius, Gregory,  
And Basil his dear Mate, than Chrysost omes  
Rare Hogsties, whose fluent Golden Tomes  
Ravish the dullest sense, Or who can share  
With Epiphanius? Or for skill compare  
With both the Cyrills', or with Emissene?  
And Others, who renowned that Age's Scene?  
Extirping Arrians, and the Manichees?  
Daunting Donatus, and his Complices?  
And striving to keep down Pelagians Pride?  
Orfor a time to stint their swelling Tide,  
Which but for them had sooner made the way  
For sale of Souls, and Antichristian Sway?  
These shone as Stars within the Firmament,  
And did then Satan in that Age prevent  
From his deep Reach. And we might do as much,  
If next God's Word upon their Stone we touch  
Discreetly without Passion, or self-love,  
Since Men are pro●e the worst things to approve.  
Tempted by Fiends, which wheel about the Brain,  
To misconceive the Right for Worldly Gain.  
Such bred in Error from their Infancy,  
Will hardly see the Truth's resplendency.   

BUt soon relapsed that Age's Proselytes,  
They whored again as did the Israelites.  
On which Relapse He that for Abraham's Seed  
Could raise up Stones, a Stonyhearted breed,  
Stirred from the North his Blessings to partake,  
Which Christians soiled. These did in time forsake  
Their Pagan Gods, and the True Faith embraced  
In milder Climes, which Hypocrites disgraced.  
At last they fell likewise through pamp'●ing Ease,  
And with gross Sins their Saviour did displease.   

SO stood where Caesar's reigned the Church's state:  
But now I must look back where Belul sat,  
The Southern Queen's Successor, Sabaes' Heir,  
Who was Baptised in the Fourth Hundred Year.   

LOng had the Church of th' Equinoctial Line,  
Candaces' Clime, since styled the Abissine,  
Been tossed on Nilus' Lakes by Mongrel Windes,  
Composed of jewish Rites and Heath'nish Minds.  
But now those Storms allayed, atonements made,  
That Christians might through Circumcision wade,  
And each partake of Others Laws and Love,  
Both leagued, both vowed Baptised to approve  
The Christian eunuchs Faith by Philip taught,  
And long before to Ethiopia brought.  
Above Three Hundred Years the Gospel's Spring  
Had cheered their parched Zone, and every thing  
Began to grow with various fair Increase  
Of Ghostly Gifts and Homilies of Peace  
By their Abunaes' Care, and Clergies Toil,  
Only the Great Ones still did them embroil  
With Carnal Snares to cross their good Attempts.  
Like as the Roman Caesar's Saints intents  
By Tyranny had interrupted long,  
Till Constantine redressed the Churches wrong.  
So likewise Saints among the Abyssines  
Were trod upon, or by sore Mulcts and Fines,  
Oppressed, that some kept close, some fled away,  
Some as it were in hugger mugger lay:  
Others for fear recanted from the Light,  
Dissembling what they knew to be the Right,  
As many here glozed in Queen Mary's days,  
And some in France with our Reformed ways;  
Until their Foes were calmed, and Liberty  
Of Conscience signed to the New Christian Fry;  
About which time Hell's Rage became allayed,  
Which for Three Hundred Years the Saints oreswayd.   

BUt now on the Approach of this Fifth Age,  
By his Grave Counsel and Abunaes' sage.  
The Emperor of Ethiopiaes Land  
The Gospel more began to understand,  
And raised the Christian Faith with Public vows,  
Yet mixed with jewish Rites and Levites shows,  
And though their Forms appear extravagant,  
In Substance yet their Faith is Protestant,  
And little differing from the Primitive  
Which we profess. Like Ours their Clergy Wive;  
They Minister the Cup unto the Lay;  
They honour Saints with a Memorial way,  
But worship not Shrines, nor Imagery,  
Lest they might fall to flat Idolatry.  
Sound Christians, were it not that theny too much  
On Moses Laws the Observation touch:  
Or else that they for their Dispense do plead,  
That to eat Bacon, Hares-flesh, or the like,  
Might make them Leprons, and their Bodies sick,  
Their Climates Sun diseasing Blood and Brain:  
That what agrees with us procures them Pain.  
Perhaps they rank their Circumcisions use,  
And shroud it with Indifferent things excuse.   

DEvout they are, when in the Church they meet,  
They spit not there, nor come with dirty feet.  
Their Lent is long, which by their Foes observed,  
They oft surprise them through their Feasts half starved.  
Some Ancient Books among us lost they hold,  
Which they esteem as Gems, more dear than Gold,  
The Oracles of Enoch, and the Book  
Of the Apostles Canons they o'erlook,  
And the lost Acts of one of Calcedons  
Old Counsels they retain like Precious Stones.  
The Patriarch still of Alexandriaes' Bay  
Claims from Saint Mark their Sacerdotal Sway.  
These Negroes here for Christians I assign,  
To show that Christ his Church doth elsewhere shine,  
And that she might grow strong within the South,  
When in our West she seemed a Dwarf in growth.  
Out of the Christian Church exiled by Rome's  
Fierce Caesars for the Faith some left their Homes,  
And fled for shelter to Remoter Climes,  
In hope to shun the malice of the Times;  
To shun the ten great Persecutions Rage,  
Many were forced their Fortunes to ●ngage,  
Some past the Bosphors straits, some Gibraltars,  
Others reti●'d themselves where Sunne-burnt Cars,  
Twice yearly touch on both the Hemispere●,  
That they might live secured from worldly Fears.  
The like, whilst that mad Dioclesian raved,  
Our Britons did, and Neighbour's succour craved,  
Who giving them Corporeal Nourishments,  
Were by their Guests with Soule-Food recompensed.  
A Saintlike Bounty, where both Parties Blest  
Partake of Love, the Greatest with the Least.)  
Among these Nations, now my Muse invites  
The Reader to review some Neighbour Lights.  
THat Humid Western I'll, whose Soil resists twists,  
Snakes, Toads, and Moules, whose Wood no Cobweb  
Stored with true Saints a Saintlike Style now gains,  
Trampling Pelagians down by Patrick's Pains.  
For while they skreamed in Britain, France, & Rome,  
He Preached free Grace to reeling Christendom;  
He Preached sweet Peace, dehorting men from Jars,  
From Crying Sins, from Murder, Spoils & Wars;  
Though some of late in Printed Legends tell,  
That by his Word he Thousands packed to Hell.  
(A strange Narration, that a Saint should act  
So opposite to Christ a Bloody Fact.)  
But after his Decease, Hybernia lost  
Within few Years the Style which graced her most:  
And then mad Broils her Members pricked like Goads,  
Worse than the Stings or Bane of Snakes and Toads.  
Yea, God with Wolves plagued her Back-sliding Fry,  
Because they like Samarians went awry:  
In mingling with God's Worship, Idol sights,  
Traditions Flaws, and Superstitious Rites.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE six AGE, Chiefly what happened in the I'll of Britain after the Arrival of the Saxons from the Year of our Lord 500 until the Year 600. being the Sixteenth Year of the Reign of Maurice the Roman Emperor.  
The Argument.  
The Christian Church, which Greeks & Latins reared,  
In Britain lies with Pagan Rites besmeared,  
Trod on by Saxons Troops, and Wodens' Brood,  
But worse by her Own Natives shedding Blood.  

FIve Hundred Years from Christ not fully told,  
When Arrians stopped, then stepped Pelagians bold  
With more sly Tricks of Humans Worth to boast  
Then tha● Dull Sect, which wronged the Holy Ghost.  
Wherefore New Broils infested Christ endome,  
To chastife men for Schism, as to make Room  
For Antichrist the Head of Heretics,  
Which Mystic wise from Mongrel Catholics  
Derived his Birth, and will a Tyrant grow.  
Because Men loved Lies, such Plagues did flow.  
Great Plagues indeed; which since defiled the East  
With Carnal Baits by an Arabian dressed,  
And with Soule-tainting Charms by Popes professed,  
Cooked by Pelagians first within the West,  
Confounding Faith by Whimsies of the Brain  
With Flesh and Blood's Desires, and Merits stain,  
So that Our Isle her Former Glory lost;  
There was no Room left for the Holy Ghost,  
Pelagi●s had her Motions so engrossed  
And then her North to Hu●ler all was lost  
By Scots and Ficts usurped with dismal woes.  
Because she Grace blasphemed, God sent her Foes,  
Which like a Del●ge broke through Adrians' Wall,  
Till Strangers came with Arms to end the Brawl.  
Yet ended not her stink of Ghostly sin,  
Nor Carnal Snares, where she involved had been.   

THe Sun had run One Hundrid Years at full,  
Ere Heathenish hands could all her Feathers pull,  
Or part asunder her Old Seamelesse Weare,  
Which Christ his Font had dipped with Reverend Fear,  
In Dies sent her from Eleuthere in grain,  
And by Great Helen's Son Confirmed again;  
Plain without stain, I mean, and free from Pride,  
Or that foul Schism, which did her since betid  
By her Abortive Brood, Pelagian Crew,  
The Sect that made Millions of Souls to rue.  
Plain Robes she wore without Embroidery,  
Or Worldlings Garb, when Ancient Hillary  
Greeted his Brethren here in Britain▪  
Those whom Faith linked to Saints sweet Company.  
So well had Damian and Fugatius bore  
Christ's Ensign here two hundred years before,  
That at the Council Grave Theodoret  
Rejoiced to see our British Elders met.   

WIth Purest Flowers Our Britain Church did bloom,  
Till in Honorius Reign, Goths ransacked Rome.  
She flourished under Roman Legions long,  
But those being gone, she faded and went wrong;  
And then Fiends watched the Time while Heresy  
Possessed weak Albion's Brain with Lunacy.  
They saw how she cosseted her Child  
Pelagius, how she was by him beguiled,  
They loathe to lose advantage, nursed the Hate  
Betwixt her and her Aids. Although of late  
The Remnant which the Roman Caesars left  
Of Soldiers here to guard this I'll from Theft,  
Were with the ablest British Youth to France,  
Transported there to lead a Warlike Dance  
Against Rome's Foes, where by Warres-casualties  
Few lived to see their Home-Calamities:  
Yet Britain's rather here for Empire fought  
Then to gain Souls for their Redeemer sought,  
Or rather Roman Fry in Britain borne,  
Their Factions made Our British Church a scorn:  
Their Church, which late with Twenty eight did tower  
Since counted seven, and ebbed to Bishops four.  
Their Temples and Rome's Legionary Towns,  
Were quartered out for Teutons Garrisons;  
Before the Sun had Forty years his Race  
Run through, since Hengist raised Old Wodens' Mace,  
Those Germans than did them, like Wolves, devour,  
Since Home and Foreign Saints did fail to scour  
Their Vessels clean from Filth, since both did fail  
Saint German and Saint Lupus to prevail.   

AFter these Stars declined to Nature's Course,  
For Thirty Years the Church oft fared worse,  
Some times aloft she mounted; other times  
She stood amazed at Change of Worldly Climes;  
Peace settled her in a Calm Air again,  
When Dubrice did Pelagian Blasts restrain,  
About the time of Great Justinians' Reign,  
And then a while Our Church renewed again,  
When after home bred Jars and Civil strife,  
Our Petty Kings chose Valiant Arthur Chief  
Over their Troops in Britain's Western Lands  
Against fierce Wodens' Race, and Saxon Bands,  
But soon relapsed the Britons, proud of spoils,  
Not caring for Devotion, all for Broils.  
They one another strove more to supplant  
For Elbowroom, than Christian Faith to plant.   

SUch impious Blurs observed by Hellish Fiends,  
They sowed Debate betwixt them and their Friends,  
Made them so slight their Patriarches grave advice,  
That in despair he from Carleon flies;  
Whence cause he brooked not the Silureses Crimes,  
Demetia begged his Crozier, Hapre, and Chimes.  
But why didst thou, Saint David, fly from Usk,  
To smell of Herrings, when thou mightst have Musk  
And Frankincense to offer unto God,  
Nearer than where thou fixest thy Abode?  
Amidst the Craggy Hills and Foaming Flood,  
So far remote to do the Saxons good?  
Why mightst not thou beat down Idolatries,  
As thou didst daunt Pelagian Mysteries?  
Which by freewill had strove God's Grace to rend,  
And on Man's own Poor Merits to depend?  
Fear caused thy Flight, or else thy Clergies Hate  
Brooked not the Glory of a Rising State;  
Or Discontent to find the want of Love,  
Among thy Flock procured thy Remove.  
Mean while behold thy Countrymen at odds,  
Struggling for brittle Sway, like Demigods.   

AT the Decease of that brave Martial Prince,  
Whose Tomb was found in Glastenbury since,  
All went to wrack, like Alexander's State,  
They parted that which he had gained of late,  
And by their Strife with fell intestine Rage  
The Victor's lost the Saxons Vassalage.  
While they obeyed One Sovereign General,  
Nor Scots nor Picts could work their final Fall.  
Their Foe-men paid them Tribute, and the East  
Of Wodens' Brood cringed to the Britons West.  
But Sussex now outbraves proud Constantine,  
While Vortipore South Cambria makes to whine,  
Look how the Nymphs of Dee and Severne groan  
To bear the yoke of Conan and Malgon;  
How Moon and Man with the Lancastrian Lass  
Cry out: Alas, that they serve Cunoglasse,  
Who, though the Greatest of the Britain Kings,  
Shames Christians more than Humber's Pagan stings.   

THese leagued with Arthur late for State's Defence  
Against their Foes, now for Pre-eminence  
Contend, and kill their Kin, like Sheep or Beefs,  
And, which to blaze as yet my Nation grieves,  
More prone to smother Truth with glozing Cards  
Then hear their Twnysogs Fall by honest Bardhs:  
Two harmless Youths of Arthur's Princely Ligne  
Were slain in Wintons' Church by Constantine,  
That Cornish Wolf, who had usurped their Right,  
He slew them there in their own Mother's sight,  
Without regard unto that Sacred Place,  
To Christ his Altar, or their Noble Race.  
And as their Kings, so did their judges rave.  
Shedding Inferiors Blood, whom Christ forgave.  
They sit on Thiefs, themselves the greatest Thiefs,  
Deflower the Daughter, whilst the Father grieves.  
Their Plighted Mates they murder or divorce,  
And spare not Altars to profane with Force.   

THe Bruit of these Misdeeds inhuman strikes  
Such Odiousness, such Horror, and Dislikes,  
That their own Blood, whom Brinish Seas divide,  
Gauls Britonants, disdain with them to side;  
And their Old Friends of Patrick's Island scorn  
To aid a wicked State through Discord torn;  
Nay worse, instead of aid Gurmundus came  
From thence for Spoils, and soon them overcame,  
The Britons thus forlorn, Nor humbria gains,  
Mercia starts up, and the West-Saxon Reigns,  
Which Last will last, and shall chalk out the way  
In times to come for a Monarchique Sway.   

NO wonder that rude Strangers gained room,  
And banished them from their best Native Home,  
Sith neither Dubrice, David, nor such Stars  
Could them reform, God sent them bloody Jars;  
Not all at once, but by Degrees he sent  
His whips of Wrath whereby some might repent;  
But all in vain. No Threats could Britain's tame,  
They did those Sins which Paini●s blush to name.  
Hengist at first did but East Britain 〈◊〉,  
And Thirty Lustres passed ere Angles Press  
Durst Severne pass, and longer Years than tho●●,  
Ere Offa could his Marches Mere enclose  
During which Term had Britain's tr●●●he Path  
Of Penitence, they might have calmed God's Wrath,  
Exchanged with Foes the Chain of Thraldoms yoke,  
And scaped what since they felt, Bellon●es stroke.   

SO sung a Swan of Claud us Caesar's Town,  
Whose Birth fell out that Year, when Britain's won  
The Day with Trophies at the 〈◊〉,  
And did their Trench with Saxon Courses fill.  
He not a Rush did for lewd Tyrants pass,  
But against Five stood like a Wall of Brass.  
He showed what heavy Plagues would them befall,  
How they and none but they caused Britain's Fall;  
Their Incests, Thefis, and their loud Crying Sins,  
Which to commit they cared no more than Pins,  
With Tragic Buskin and Prophetic strain,  
He feared not of their Treasons ro complain,  
Who though but weak against the Common Foe,  
Divided Kings, at home yet raged so  
With Bloody spoils, that through their Tyranny,  
They lost the most Part of West Britain,  
For all, which they possessed from Winchester  
To Cornwall, Pagans got with Gloucester.  
Now Sussex, and the Mercian Kings arise  
On Seve●●es shore to plant Dutch Colonies.  
Such Threnes of thine, Good Gildas, proved true,  
As Christians felt ●q that which did ensue.   

THeir Champions then to Woods & Mountains fled,  
Where Savage bent, and with such Rancour led  
For the long Knife's Complot, which like a Torch  
From time to time did their galled Entrails scorch,  
Their Clergy at no hand would join to Preach  
The Gospel, not the Saxon Rout to teach,  
Unless they would to them again restore  
Their Country back, which they had snatched before:  
Until at length Rome's blessed Gregery  
Dispatched a Monk of Famous Memory  
To England's Kent, where soon he did convert  
Prepared by his Fair Queen King Et●el●ert.  
Whence thousands more with all their Kings became  
By Austin's pains Baptised, to Britain's shame.  
For which neglect of theirs, and Neighbours scorn,  
Their State all rent, and through Dissension torn,  
Northumber's since did to West-Chester rush,  
Slay Bangors Monks, and B●o●maels Forces crush  
So deadly, that thenceforth they seldom dared  
To try the Fields Event with Foes prepared.  
And this sore Blow in Judgement them befell,  
As Gildas first, and Austin did foretell.   

THus stood the case with Britain's Commonwealth,  
Because they gave themselves to Rapines, Stealth,  
To Fraud, Revenge, and chiefly to contemn  
Those, whom they might have made good Christian men  
Without the help of more Competitors,  
Brought from proud Rome to build up Babel's Tow●es,  
For Austin, when he came, began to strive  
With them for Rule, and Rome's Prerogative,  
Which complied not with Saints of Christian sort,  
As an old Hermit guessed by Austin's Port,  
Who Pope-like set disdained to rise and greet  
Sev'n Christian Bishops with Love-congies meet.  
Such harsh Salutes, or Inhumanity,  
So far remote from sage Urbanity,  
What could they but distracted Rents produce?  
Ending in Schism, and Holy things abuse?  
Our Saviour Christ was meek, all made of Love:  
The Devil proud, and so his servants prove.  
O what ado they kept? what Coil? what stirs?  
With Synods Pleas, with Quillets, and Demurs?  
Like Turks for Turbans, Monks for prizes Hue,  
So Christians than did one another sue.  
The Easters Time procured this Factious Brawl,  
The Romish Claimed from Peter and from Paul,  
The British by Prescription from Saint john,  
And their Feasts Date the Greek Church grounded on.  
But nothing could appease the Adverse side,  
Till Force at last the Quarrel did decide,  
Until Saint Colman and the Scottish Clerks  
For Unions sake were fain to yield to Quirks,   

POpe Foelix now signed the Last Unctions use,  
Which did in time a Sacrament produce,  
That by more Fees Priests might enrich themselves  
For sacring Oiled Feet from airy Elves.  
One thing of Note must not forgotten be,  
How in the Year Five Hundred Fifty Three.  
Then at a Council in Byzantium held  
The Roman Pope Vigilius was refelled  
For Heresy, Judged Excommunicate,  
And doomed to be deprived of his State.  
For which and murders proved the Emperor,  
With slender diet starved him in a Tower,  
A just reward for claiming all that Scope  
Of Liberty's due to the Western Pope,  
Which Nicens' Council under Constantine,  
Did long before betwixt Five Popes assign,  
Betwixt them of both Rome's, of Salems' Flock,  
Of Antioch, and of Alexandriaes' stock,  
So that our Popes in the West Franchise watched  
The Souls, which Peter's Net for Christ then catcht,  
Not with Hell's Husks, Traditions, Dreams, and Lie●  
But them to feed with Scriptures Homilies.  
So wily was the Serpent to begin  
With our Prime men and Stars, to plunge them in  
The Gulf of Worldly Pride and Avarice,  
That by their means they Others might entice,  
For when the Head feels Pestilential Flame;  
How soon puts it the Members out of frame?  
If, like Saint Peter, He that claims his Place,  
Had lived, Rome's Church had stood in better Case.  
But how should then the Prophecies of Paul,  
And of Saint john been verified at all?  
●n vain the Man of sin, Perditions Son,  
Long time by Caesar's Pomp barred in that Throne  
To sit as God, and in God's Temple too,  
The use of Meats and Marriage to undo;  
To wrong the Church by Carnal Sacrifice,  
Of Souls and Bodies making Merchandise;  
In vain Great Babel's Whore the Scripture hath  
Described, if Rome had kept her Former Faith:  
By thralled Vigilius mark, that Popes were then,  
Even for Six Hundred Years to Mighty Men,  
Eaths Lords, enthralled aswell for Life as State;  
Yea, Christ our Head to Caesar paid a Rate  
Both for himself and Peter from a Fish  
Without excuse, Grudge, or repining Pish,  
As they did since, which challenge Peter's Chair,  
Under pretext Rome's ruins to repair.  
And herewithal let all true Christians know:  
" As long as men are kept in awe and Low,  
" At some High Powers beck, whom they do fear,  
" So long they virtuous are, or so appear.  
This of the Popes may well be verified,  
" While they were by the Caesars terrified,  
" And subject to the Laws, so long they thrived  
" In Goodness, Preached the Cross, in order lived.  
But when they once obtained the Primacy  
Above their Peers, and the Supremacy  
Above the Caesars, than they wantonized,  
Grew Avaricious, Proud, and ill advised.  
But this great Flame will not break throughly out,  
Until th' Eleventh Age shall wheel about,  
When with False Christ's, like Capernaites Chymeres,  
The Dragon more will charm Great Babel's ears.  
Think on these Sparks, ye States and People all,  
From the King's Bench to the poort Cobbler's Awl.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE SEVENTH AGE, From the Year of our Lord 600. until the Year 700. in which Tract of Time the Roman Pope got the Style of the Universal Bishop, and Mahomet's Sect began.  
The Argument.  
What Heresies sprang up ere Antichrist  
Broke from his Swaths into the Church of Christ.  
He grows. but not to full maturity,  
Till he hath got the Twofold Sovereignty.  

NExt to God's Word, or Oracles Divine,  
Contemplating on Matyrized justine,  
Tertullian, Irene, Tatian, Clementine,  
Lactantius, Euphreme, Jerome, Origen,  
Eusebius, Leo, Cyrill, Nazianzen,  
On Epiphanius, Basil, Hillary,  
Theodoret, Ruffinus, Gregory,  
And their more Ancients Cyprian, Chrysostome,  
With those of Af●rick, Asia, Greece or Rome,  
Whither they in th' Abyssines Libraries,  
Or Vaticans immured for Antiquaries;  
Whether in Pri●●, or Manuscripts they be,  
Musing, I say, on them with insight free,  
Who wro●e within the First Six Hundred Year,  
Besides the Synods of the Sacred Peers,  
Chiefly at Nice (to sort New things with Old)  
I wish this Post serit set in stamps of Gold:  
Those Wits, who can Grave Epiphanius scan,  
May help to fan Rome's Church from the Old Man,  
Like Wheat from Chaff, or Gold from dust and dross.  
I wish this done, but dare not it engross,  
Or undertake my wishing to fulfil  
Or want of time, of Strength, of Levites skill.   

THough while proud Caesar's raved, some Christians pained,  
Yet Pliny shows their state when Trajan reigned;  
Nor could their Rage, nor Victor's thundering schism,  
For Easters Rites impeach Faith's Catechism.  
Cursed were those Weeds sprung of Idolatries,  
Which by Truth's Flame Good Epiphanius tries:  
And Blessed the Flowers, or herbals of the Fields,  
For Quintessence which Epiphanius yields.  
There, Millenaires, and gross Monothelites,  
With other Clouds dim the First Church's Lights.  
There, see wise men than ●ire Drakes more unsure,  
Yet others there more sure than Cynosure,  
Though Origen and Cyprian in some things  
Have erred, yet Saints by Union Calmed their stings.  
While Arrians Rage's Chief Rulers of the Roast,  
The Orthodox proclaim the Holy Ghost.  
While Capernaites Christ's Flesh most grossly take,  
True Saints by Faith that Mystic Food partake.   

Where Ebionites and Manichees tax Marriage,  
There, God's Elect dissolves so strict a Carriage.  
Where Montanists for Merit Fasts erect  
At Times prefixed, there, Saints a snake suspect.  
Priscillians teach men to Equivocate,  
But Christian Saints all Double-dealing hate.  
Caianes' Sect did Angels Help implore,  
And with fond Vows their mystic Shapes adore:  
As likewise did those doting Heretics,  
Whom some in Austin's Time termed Angellicks.  
But Saints Christ's Father serve, that Mighty One  
In Persons Three, and three in One alone,  
Not Creatures, nor the Members, but the Head  
Of Creatures Life, the judge of Quick and Dead.  
All others Help they utterly disclaim,  
Save that, which they through Christ his Merits claim.  
Some to Our Lady offered Sacrifice,  
But Epiphane blames them of Heath'nish vice,  
Suits women's Cakes for her Idolatrized  
With Trash, which to heavens Queen were sacrifieed,  
Equals their Deed to that which snared Eve,  
Yea, to the Serpents which did Eve deceive,  
And likewise tears the Veil where Christ was painted  
Forbidding Dead men's Pictures to be Sainted;  
Wherewith by Letter he upon this Theme,  
Acquaints the Bishop of jerusalem,  
Advising him not to endure the like  
Scandal, or Crime within his Bishopric.  
This of the Veil at Anablata hung  
Was then from Greek turned to the Latin Tongue.  
Novatus damned men after Baptisms Breach,  
But no Despairing Fate Mild Christians teach;  
They rather will raise up the Bruised Reed,  
Then Thunder out what is not in their Creed.   

SUch Lamps this Holy Work of Ancient Date  
Exemplifies for us to imitate  
Such Damps likewise expressed in that Work  
May warn th' Elect, where doth the Dragon lurk.  
There, Heretics in sundry Forms appear,  
There, Christ his Church you may discern most clear,  
And how good Christians lived in Days of Yore,  
With what they taught before that Rome turned whore,  
Or which of Either Church are grown of late  
In Faith, or Manners more Adulterate,  
There, with some Pains we might gain knowledge more,  
Which Work I wish, but want the Lydian Lore  
To touch, to try the Spirits, and apply  
The Extracts to the Modern Policy.  
Let some Grave Elder with Seraphic Love,  
Indifferent, Just, and Mild, the Spirits prove.  
Let Usher, Hall, or Learned Montague,  
My Mate sometimes in Eton those renew,  
Which, if my Minds presaging Augury  
Fail not, will yet to us more News descry;  
Or if Affairs afford them not the leisure,  
To levy, rate, and draw the hidden Treasure,  
Some Good Professor of Judicious Brain,  
Which wants a Flock, may undergo the strain;  
Orsome brave Spirit of our Academes,  
Start up blaze those sacred Theorems,  
Which adding wings to our Reformed Flights,  
Would serve to guard our Newborn Lambs from Kites  
And show them Gentle Baths, when to the Brim,  
Old Tiber filled cause Elephants to swim;  
While Honest Swains them greet: God bless the weak,  
And grant they not their Christian vows do break,  
While Saints do Saints salute: God speed the Blow,  
And make us all content with what we sow.  
So that their Seed be pure, full well we know,  
They with Increase and Peace shall reap and Mow.  
The Harvest great, no doubt but Christ enough  
Of Workmen will provide, though I be slow.   

I now review another Century:  
About the seventh of Christ, the Mystery  
Of Ghostly Sin began to domineer,  
And here-hence-out a Pilot false will steer  
The Church's Ship exalted by his Mace,  
Who durst usurp his Lords Imperial Place,  
Bereaving Him, his Wife, and Babes of Life,  
(An Omen sure portending future Strife)  
From Phocas first received Pope Boniface  
Investiture of his Supremest Place,  
And to be styled, The Churches Sovereign Lord,  
Which some have wrested since to Peter's Sword,  
Which smote off Malchus Eare. In the mean while  
Hypocrisy did all the World beguile,  
For from the Year since Boniface began,  
The Dragon wrought upon the Brain of Man,  
With more sly Tricks then in the Times before  
On Heretics, or Wits of weaker Lore.  
Pope Gregory foresaw this Mystic Cloud,  
And New Rome's Patriarch therefore warned aloud:  
That who aspired to be the Sovereign Priest,  
He was forerunner of False Antichrist.  
THis Gregory foretell, although himself  
Had left his Ship on a suspected Shelf;  
When here in England he gave Austin leave  
To wink at Heathen Feasts, to interweave  
Their Stuff with Faith, which some resemblance had  
With Christian Forms, to wean them form their Bad  
And damned Garbs, that so by Easy steps  
They might ascend, and not by sudden Leaps.  
These Pagan Rites by Saints connived at first,  
Like tainted Vessels savoured of the Worst,  
And long retained their mixed Religions Taint,  
Till the Last Age, on the New man's Complaint,  
Had purified what the Good Spirit knew  
Expedient in the Church Christ to renew.   

THat Monster, which since the Apostles Age  
Crept Mysticke-wise, grew big, began to rage,  
And Reign soon after Gregory's Decease,  
Under the Keys pretence disturbing Peace,  
And shall for Gold assume jehovahes Might,  
To Thunder, Bless, or Curse each Mortal wight;  
For now henceforth a Mixed Religion flows,  
To mar Good Seed the Tempter Darnell sows.  
With Dreggish Dreams, which here Pelagians first,  
And Monkish Brains had brewed, they quench their Thirst.  
With Relics, Shrines, and Lies, Monastic Cells  
Abound, and Darkness now the Light expels.  
Fowl Sodomy instead of Lawful Flames,  
And now our West Black Superstition shames.  
As Mongrels of Samaria Sacrificed  
Some unto God, some Creatures Idolised:  
Some this besaint, that Image they observe,  
But really the Most Part Mauzzim serve.  
On Creatures they the Godheads Right confer,  
And while they kneel to Shrines most grossly err;  
The sun's Eclipsed, The Gospel they misprise,  
And slight the Cross, the New-mans' Sacrifice:  
The Fiery Cross they slight, and hope by Deeds  
And Humane Craft to blot out all Misdeeds.   

BOth East and West, since Mahome● began,  
Since Mecha roared the Moorish Alcoran,  
Find much ado their Credit to excuse,  
But must confess the Newman they abuse,  
While the Old Man with his Voluptuous store,  
Traditions, and his Trident they adore;  
While Dust and Ashes they extol too much,  
God's Word concealing, where they inly grudge  
At Him, who did Poor Fishermen inspire  
With sundry Tongues appearing then, like Fire,  
Unless they will mad julians' cause support,  
Restraining Light from all the Vulgar Sort,  
Who burned the Scriptures, interdicted Zeal,  
And forbade Schools to Christians Commonweal:  
As from the Year Six Hundred Sixty Six,  
Rome did obscure God's Word to raise her Pixe▪  
And what more Sign of a Tyrannic Sway  
Could be, then with One Tongue to oversway   

The Christian Church composed of many Sounds?  
The Catholic of unrestrained Bounds?  
Within this Age likewise the Agarens,  
By changing of their Names to Saracens,  
Intruded on the Right of Abraham's Heir,  
On Christ's as Moses Laws, and on the Fair  
Possessions of the Church in Siriaes' Land,  
With Egypt, which to his Arabian strand  
Now Mahomet doth add, that by those Three  
The Horns in Daniel might accomplish be,  
With Hodgepodge-Dreames Cooked for a Fairy Feast.  
And so himself of those Three Realms possessed  
Dared to spew out the most Presumptuous thing,  
The Alcoran, I mean, against our Christ,  
Whereby he grew One of Great Antichrist  
His Chiefest Limbs to Lord it in the East,  
As Pope's already crept into the West;  
And save for Christian Name, which they do bear,  
Shall over-match him in our Worldly sphere,  
For as the One himself styles Lord of Lords:  
So Ours shall go beyond him by loud Words,  
And Thundering Bulls accursing men to Hell,  
Dethroning Kings, and seating Souls aswell  
In Heaven, as in Purgatory-Cells:  
In which Attempts the Pope the Turk excels.   

BUt whether for Pelagian Heresy,  
Or for her Fraud Rome's great Apostasy  
Fell out? (For though Pelagius she may blame,  
Yet his Conceptions with implicit Flame  
She hugs) Or when she turned Courtesan?  
Or when was Satan curbed? I leave to scan,  
Loath to resolve such Questions Scrupulous,  
Till Fresher Gales, for their more clear discuss,  
Shall quicken up my graveled Intellect  
From Ancient Scribes the Truth to recollect.   

I Had almost forgot here down to quote  
Among these Broils one memorable Note;  
About the Year Six Hundred Sixty Four,  
When Saracens and Popes began to roar,  
A Female-Saint of York did Prophetize,  
And speak against Rome's New Enormities:  
She stood against the Shaving of the Crown,  
Which then the Romish Church, to know her own  
False Prophets by, as Public Mark or Seal,  
Had forced on Priests with a loud thundering Peal.  
Against the same, and Easters Roman Date  
Good Hilda spoke, but Popes said she did prate:  
For since they durst the New-mans' Course exchange,  
Why might not they all Ancient Orders change?  
Add to the Church New Sacraments, as Lights?  
And alter Times aswell as Outward Rites?  
He, that presumes above all Counsels, Kings,  
And States, will do far more prodigious things.  
Thus Popes have done. Therefore I strongly fix  
Upon the Year Six Hundred Sixty Six.  
When Gog with Force advanced the Alcoran,  
When Magogs' wiles set up the Outward Man:  
Then did those Foes, though differing in their ways,  
Begin with Filth to soil the Church's Rays.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE EIGHTH AGE, From the year of our Lord 700. until the year 800. At which Time Irene reigned Empress of Constantinople, being the Mother of Constantine and Nicephorus. About which Time Ecbert began his Monarchy in England.  
The Argument.  
The Church's Brood seduced with Monkish Lies  
And Mechaes Dreams, the Gospel they misprise;  
Mongrels themselves, then Mixed Religions flow,  
Yet some reclaimed, their Mother's Voice did know.  

ABout the Year Six Hundred Sixty Six,  
Strife dimmed the use of the true Crucifix.  
For Pictured Saints the Greek imperialists  
Began to tax our Western Latinists,  
Whose Right or Wrong Serenus, Gregory,  
And Epiphane did long afore descry.  
Some prized those Types, like Books, to edify:  
Some them defied, least Gulls them Deify.  
Some thought their sight did quicken much the sense,  
Whilst others held they dulled the Conscience.  
But to sum this: we must our Bodies yield  
As Minds to serve the Lord, or lose the Field.  
We outwardly must to God's Rites attend,  
As inwardly on his Good Gifts intent,  
For what the Heart adores, the Tongue sounds out,  
The Knee bows to, the Sight puts out of doubt.  
Then, Agars' seed prevailed to Tyrannize,  
Popes to usurp, and both to Sympathise  
With Satan's Genius, by false masked zeal  
To oversway Christ's Church and Commonweal,  
Fraud taught them first to crouch and to dissemble,  
Then Fiends trained them to make their Foes to tremble.  
Thus darkened stood our Western Hemisphere,  
Till She that's with the Sun clothed did appear.  
By Trumpets sound, and Printings Mystery,  
Recalling home her Strays from P●pery.  
Among which Lutes harmoniously Divine,  
Would I could thrust this Oaten Pipe of Mine.   

BUt was Our Church on Earth invisible  
Till Luther's Time? No sure. Most visible  
She lay to Saints, though to some Romish hid,  
Like Diamonds in Mines, yet clearly did  
She breath in Christ, although not eminent  
To Carnal Eyes, or on a Hill transparent,  
Yet Catholic, and through the World diffused,  
She sojourned with Holy Rays infused,  
Like a Poor Pilgrim, one while in the East  
She lived retired. Another while the West,  
She put in mind of Jeremiaes' Threnes:  
Anon the Northerne-Iles, and Ister's Fens  
She visited, and oftentimes the South,  
Or all at once she wakened from their Sloth,  
Which fruitful Greece, and rich Arsaces' Land  
Could testify with Ethiopiaes Strand:  
Which C●●ms Tartary and the Moguls Ground  
Could blaze how she Nestorians did confound.  
Which Snow● Mos●ho●s Clime could justify;  
Yea, many in our West could verify,  
That she, Good Soul, with Tears and Doctrine soun●  
Sought to red●●me them in Hell's Fetters bound,  
And on Christ's Merits only to rely  
Without Distrust or Ambiguity,  
Tendering her Gloss Christ's Gospel to expound,  
But most were deaf, or would not hear her Sound,  
For either in a Tongue unknown, by rote,  
Or carnally they would her Dictates note.  
Nay, when she would indifferent things to use  
Permit her Babe's, her Love they would abuse;  
And for her Care, her Champions they would raze  
Out of their Files with Cursed Anathemaes.  
Yet some of better Mould attentively  
Ga●e ●are; and these I praise deservedly▪  
SOme Godly Mo●kes, and the Old Saxon Bede  
Show us what Life a Christian ought to lead.  
He d●ing wished, a● Cutber● wrote, that Men  
Would read God's Word, and humane dreams contemn  
To which Good End himself in English To●e  
Christ's Gospel left according to Saint john.  
Those Holy Monks lived not on others sweat,  
Nor idly did by Strangers Tithes get Meat,  
But earned repast in Gardens by the Spade,  
Or in foul weather by some Household Trade.  
To keep their thoughts from sensual Plots they wrought,  
And on High Days or Festivals they taught  
Their Auditors what sense Christ's Mystery  
Bears to imprint his Passions Memory;  
Or Catechised the weak and tender Brain  
With Scriptures Text, and intelligible strain▪  
But when the Lumbards' were by Cha●lemaine  
Repressed, than Popes raised up their Peacock's Train▪  
With Carnal Sense and Carnal means support,  
Transforming Rites engross stupendious sor●,  
And by Degrees transferred to Catholics  
Traditions hatched by Former Heretics.  
What Wheel is this? what strange Extravagance?  
Religious Rome, like Dina, god's to Dance.  
Nay more, she paints her Face, like Jezabel,  
Darkening those Gifts, wherein she did excel,  
She that most Honoured was next Salems' Church,  
Spreads Lying Dreams, and now lives by the lurch.  
She, that was once the Westernes sacred Dame,  
Converting Heathen Souls unto the Lamb,  
Usurps Saint Peter's Place with Lofty Style,  
Depraves Gods Gifts, and rears up Babel's Pile.  
She, that was chaste, delights to play the Quean,  
And more than Good to practice Deeds obscene,  
But these are Tri●les in respect of those  
Great Sins, to which she will henceforth dispose  
Her Whorish will, for wicked Sodomy  
She will commit, cheat men with Alchemy;  
She will proud Nembr●d from Damnation free,  
And will besamt false Magus for a Fee.  
She will Create New Christ's, burn Saints, force Hell,  
Mew up God's Word, and Virtue quite expel.  
She Christendom will topsie-turvie turn,  
Dethrone her Kings, and make their Subjects mourn,  
But here the Comfort lies: though Rome plays false,  
And Nero-like, debauched, yet all her Brawls,  
Plots, Menaces, and Tortures cannot stop  
The Pens of Some the Truth to underprop  
With Learned Works, to blaze in every Age  
Her Breach of Faith, and tyrannising Rage.   

THe strong Conceit of the State's Holiness,  
Saint Peter's Keys, and Shrines did so possess  
Remoter Brains, that Rome they did prefer  
Before all Climes. Thither Cadwallader  
Our British King for Refuge in Distress,  
And sundry Others went for Happiness,  
As they then dreamed: Some for Monastic Rest:  
Some to become there by such Merits Blest.  
And if Ravennaes' Fear, and Lumbards' Sway  
Had not then blocked them in their Pilgrim's way,  
With dangers by Banditi in some Strait  
About the Alps, where Thiefs for Preys await,  
(Such was the Blindness of that Age's Zeal)  
Rome's Mart had greater been; more loud her Peal,  
As sithence for her Merchandise encreafe  
Fell out, though to their Loss of Inward Peace.   

WHile Rome thus vaunted of Imagery,  
Greece seconded her Sinful Mystery.  
And though New Rome long struggled with the Old,  
Yet now her Keys then Ice become Cold:  
And so prevailed damned Error at the last,  
That Nicens' second Council made aghast  
Our Christian Church, when that Rome's glorious Head  
She saw Accursed, and yet themselves misled  
Would set forth Acts for Images Adore,  
Which their Greek Church condemned had before.  
Honorius was most justly Censured,  
But Idols use they ill determined.  
For Heresy the Roman Pope they quailed,  
Yet Heresy within themselves prevailed;  
And what the Former Age brooked as a Book,  
An Image now like to a God they took,  
And held an Idol in no l●sse esteem  
Then Pagans did to honour Dagon seem,  
This Age's Grief I point at, that the East  
We may conclude as faulty as the West.  
None can excuse themselves. Aswell New Rome,  
As did the Old, for Antichrist made room.  
Because, like Rome, a Mongrel Faith they those;  
The Greeks their Fame of Iconomaches lose.  
Yet this stole in but like an Ague Fit,  
They soon recovered, and confounded it.   

THey did not since so Superstitious grow,  
To vow that Service which to Christ they owe,  
They kneeled not down, nor oraved d●a●● Idols aydt,  
As if their Church to Baal they had betrayed.  
They minister the Cup unto the Lay;  
Their Clergymen do Marry to this day;  
And in the Mother-Tongue the Gospel read,  
Not like the Westernes Rome so much misled.   

ANd yet no doubt their Church went much astray  
In many points, though not so gross away,  
As Rome. They held, and made apparent Boast  
Of idle Quirks about the Holy Ghost,  
That they might share, and be in tangled in  
The Mystery of the Lewd Man of Sinne.  
For which Fowl Crime, and Depravation, Christ  
Did then withdraw his Grace, and in that Mist,  
The Dragon did work on their Enemies,  
As on their Wi●●, their Empire to surprise,  
And to prey on their Chief Metropolis,  
As Turks still do. And all for their amiss.   

ERe I conclude this Ages Century,  
I must not overslip, how Zachary  
The Roman Pope against God's Word gave way  
From Childerick the Crown to put away,  
And to Depose the French men's Lawful King  
On Pipins' Plea, and for no other thing  
Then for a slothful Life, and that a Bee  
Was fitter than a Drone to Oversee  
And Rule a Realm, that he took all the Care,  
While Childerick lay still in Pleasure's Snare,  
Or lulled a sleep, not caring but for Ease,  
Whereby he did the Commonwealth displease.  
On this surmise; the Pope gave his Assent,  
That the Poor King be to a Cloister sent  
And shorn a Monk, that Pipine wear the Crown,  
The lawful Heirs from Native Right quite thrown.  
For this good Turn the Pope to gratify,  
The Franks New King combined to fortify  
Saint Peter's Seat against the Lumbards' strength,  
That he Ravenna forced to yield at length.  
The Year of Christ Seven Hundred Fifty Six,  
When men did much on Outward Objects fix,  
Then Constantine to Pipine in the West  
Sent first the use use of Organs from the East,  
In imitation of King David's Harp,  
A Godly Use, though Some thereat do carp,  
Which though Pope Paul the First did not abhor,  
Yet afterwards he dared that Emperor  
With Curses for opposing Images:  
On these Popes doted so with Passages  
Of Glorious Shows, that Adrian Peter all  
In Silver clothed, and Paul with Golden Pall.   

THus by Degrees Rome that was famed for Chaste,  
Began to paint her Face, and prove unchaste.  
But though Pope's daubed, & were more proud become,  
Others went Plain like Old Religious Rome;  
And in Our West will so continue still,  
Till to adore False Christ's, Fiends bane their Will.  
All were not Bad; although the Head was crazed,  
The Lord yet some of Rome's poor Members graced.  
No doubt, He blessed some of the Roman Brood;  
Caiphas was Bad, but Nichodemus Good.  
When that Elias thought the Church down reeled,  
Sev'n Thousand were to Baal that never kneeled.  
As in the East, so in the West there were  
Thousands which then from Idols did forbear,  
Fixing their only Faith on Mary's Seed,  
The Church's Head, which ransomed Evaes' Deed.   

Now the first use to Christian Bells began,  
Whereby (I think) they Baptism did profane,  
When they depraved the Rites of Sacred Font,  
Wherewith to type the Newman we are wont.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE NINTH AGE, From the Year of our Lord 800. (About which Time Charles the Great of France after his Conquest of the Lumbards', was Crowned by Pope Leo the Third Emperor of the West) until the Year 900. About which time the Danes sore afflicted England.  
The Argument.  
Charles builds New Schools, subjects the Western Broils,  
And with the Pope shares Fair Ravennaes' Spoils.  
Though some rare Wits renowned then that Age,  
Two Monstrous Deeds yet shame the Roman Stage.  

BRave Charlemagne, like Rome's bifronted Sire,  
Whom Pagans at the Former Years expire,  
And at the News Approach renewed with Bays:  
So merited this Prince redoubted Praise,  
For clozing up in the Last falling Age  
Our Western wounds made by Barbarian Rage.  
No Fate of Worldly Wheels, nor length of Years  
Shall cancel martels Deeds, nor the Twelve Peers  
Dim, nor expunge from Honour's Calendar,  
For their Exploits and Memorable War  
Against the Moors, with whom they did so cope,  
That they quite lost their proud Ambitious Hope  
Of Conquering France, as they subjected Spain,  
But left behind Two hundred Thousand slain  
Of Moorish Courses for a Pawn or Sign,  
That none shall France but Christians make to whine.   

Charles' after Broils in this Ninth Age began  
Three Academes to found for the Newman,  
To propagate in France and Italy,  
By whose fair Pattern Moe did fructify  
In other Christian Lands, from whence Some rose,  
Some Rome to aid, and some her to oppose:  
For though the Head of the Vertigo wheeled,  
Some Members yet there were, which never reeled.   

ANd surely Charles the Name of Great deserves  
Aswell as Constantine, but that he serves  
Too lavishly in my Conceit to prop  
Rome with more States, when she had need of stop.  
He Desiderius for her sake immured,  
And her with him to share the Spoils endured.  
He did to her that Patrimony sign,  
Which since she falsely forged from Constantine;  
For which henceforth we must expect but Force,  
Spiritual Rapes, and the New-mans' Divorce,  
Truth crying out, that they the Lumbards' wronged,  
And that the Fee to Irens Son belonged,  
Great Constantine's Successor, New Rome's Lord.  
But how should then proud Babel be adored?   

Alas, that such Effects from Kings did stream,  
To taint the Springs of New jerusalem,  
Since what they gave out of their Love and Zeal,  
Redounded to corrupt Christ's Commonweal▪  
The more Rome had, the more she coveted,  
(Ambition perkes with reins unlimited)  
And never will the Pope in quiet rest,  
Till he rides on a Scarlet coloured Beast,  
Till he Crowned with a Triple Diadem  
Shall both his Mates and Emperors contemn.  
But the Red Dragon yet works covertly,  
He spews not all his Drags but lees them lie  
At random, whilst this Age amazed doth pass  
Like to a Dream; and that the Next an Ass  
Shall turn, extinct of Light, and Learning's Fruit,  
Which Charles had left for Honours fair pursuit:  
Whereby more Room shall for ambitious Rome  
Enlarged be for Souls abroad to roam.  
About the Year Eight Hundred Sixty Six,  
Rome's Church being grown of late a Meretrix,  
chaste Marriage more to bring into Decay,  
And to promote the Antichristian Sway  
By Sodomes' Snares and Brothelries accursed,  
Consented that Pope Nicholas the First,  
With Lucifers and all the Monk's applause  
Should then enact these gross Tyrannicque Laws:  
That no Laymen receive the Sacrament  
By Married Priests, though with devout intent;  
As if God's Mystics from John Baptists Sire,  
Or Peter savoured of Profaner Fire;  
And that thenceforth no Priest should celebrate  
Within Precincts of all the Christian state  
God's Service in the Vulgar Mother Tongue,  
But in the Latin, which did all belong,  
As he surmised, to Peter's Government,  
And so to him by reason consequent,  
Excepting only the Sclavonian Rout  
And Polanders, whom he of Grace left out▪  
Thus hath Rome's Lord the Devil's Doctrine broached,  
And falsely on the New-mans' Right encroacht.  
Where was Christ's Church the while? gone from that  
Elsewhere (perhaps a Thousand Years) to chime,  
That so Rome being for her unthankfulness  
Cut off, the Gospels Sound might Others bless.  
But while this Eighth Centurion Age did last,  
Some Wits barred Sin from spreading too too fast.   

OF these I praise good bertram's Unity  
And Haymons Cares, because the verity  
Of our late Doubts about the Sacrament  
Of the Lords Feast they quote, and what is meant  
By that Divine and Mystic Ordinance,  
Which Carnal Clerks by Transubstantiate Trance  
Broached to confound our Weaklings Apprehension  
For his true Body's Form, Site, and Dimension:  
Ae●●gera than glossed the Sacrament  
〈◊〉 them, from which our Modern Pope's dissent.  
So learned Raban did, and Isidore,  
Who held those Points, which Bertram held before.   

NO Clarks then cloyed Christ's Flock with heavy Mast  
But dressed his Feast fit for the New-mans' taste:  
They Christ Received by Intellectual Trance,  
And upwards taught by Faith Souls to advance.  
They taught their Flock the Old Man to deface,  
And to embrace the Holy Spirits Grace:  
The Chain 'twixt Christ and us incorporate,  
Christ's Flesh and Blood with Ours Regenerate:  
The Sacrament not taken in One kind.  
(Who would bar Wine from Guests but men unkind)  
The Real Form whereof unspeakable  
If I describe, the Saints will say I babble,  
For Carnal Reason knows not to define,  
How Christ descends at our Great Feast Divine.  
Upon our Faith the Holy Ghost alights,  
And He with Christ our rapt-up Souls unites,  
Makes us in Mind and Body Sympathise  
With Christ his Humane Nature Mystick-wise,   

BUt then before this Century expired,  
The Romish Church two Monstruous Meteours fned,  
And by their Damp gave warning to those Times,  
That Vengeance was at hand, unless betimes  
They would New Babel shun with her false charms,  
And damned Plots po●tencing after-harmes.  
The One fell out when the Whore Moguntine  
In a Man's habit played the false Divine,  
So bleared the romans Eyes, that they for Pope  
Elected her, to show how they did grope,  
And stumble in re-building Babel's Walls,  
Which they should let, lest they become her Thralls.  
A real Sign, that Rome then turned Whore  
With Carnal soiled, with Ghostly Traffic more.   

THe Other Prodigy Pope Sergius spread,  
When he the Corpse of Pope Formosus dead  
Digged from his Grave, beheaded him with shame,  
And into Tiber's Stream than flung the same.  
How well Rome's Head deserves the Name by John  
foretell of Old: The Whore of Babylon?   

BY these two Flaming Brands and Papal Jars,  
Good Watchmen may dissever Fiends from Stars,  
And by the Fruit proud Antichrist discern,  
If foggy Mists impeached them not to learn.  
His Empire's wound which long since Goths had made  
By Constantine's Remove, had for his Trade  
Of Souls been soon recured, yea, Antichrist  
Been sooner known: But God that Cloudy Mist  
Permitted by degrees the West to blind,  
Which grew of wild degenerated kind,  
Until Rome's Cup of Fornications full  
Were mounted to the height the World to gull,  
That so his Word fulfilled, her fearful Fall  
Amaze them more, who her a Queen install.  
While she defers her Coronation Day,  
The Next far duller Age prepares her way,  
To climb above all Christian States and Kings,  
And to invert for Gold God's sacred things.  
Mark, Reader, but with Fear; and Glory not  
In that Old Churches Fall, lest that thy Lot  
For thy proud Peacocks vaunt of thine Own Worth,  
May hap, like her, from Grace to be cast forth.   

While thus the Popes their Monarchy contrive,  
Within the Year Eight Hundred Ninety Five:  
In imitation of brave Charlemagne,  
Who founded Schools poor Students to maintain,  
And likewise of the Saxon Sigebert,  
Who reared the like in Cambridge to convert  
Two Ages past rude Wits from Ignorance:  
King Alfred built for Scholar's Maintenance  
An Academe, or University  
At Oxford, which with Men of Piety,  
Men skilful in the Tongues and Arts he stored,  
Such as could well expound Gods Sacred Word,  
Whereof himself a present Patterne was,  
And might be styled true Virtues Lookingglass;  
Even as our james was Learning's Oracle,  
Styled Faiths Defender, Britain's Miracle;  
For as the One clad Part of David's H●mnes  
In Saxon Garb, wrote Books, and Carechismes:  
So did Our King of Famous Memory  
New-clothe those Psalms in Verse, and Popery  
Convince with sundry Books, and Babylon,  
For which Our Age inscribes him Solomon.   

IN Turn of Time, as Faith did ebb and flow,  
Or as the Moon eclipsed, or Winds did blow,  
Religion waved, sprung up another Fry,  
Which grounding Faith on vain Imagery,  
And their own Merits puff, for Penance sake,  
Or with Great Rome to part Vaineglories stake,  
Took up Good alfred's Task, to build more Rooms  
In the Oxonian Town, upon whose Tombs  
Fair Violets and Roses sithence grew,  
Because they living strove Arts to renew.  
This moved Wainflet, Wickam, Chiches●ey,  
And Others with more Fabrics to supply  
That Nursery; Some brought in Wood, some Clay,  
Some Stone, aswell the Clergy as the Lay.  
Hence as from Sinon's Horse Minerva's Knights  
Came forth, well skilled in Fences and in Fights.  
Hence as from Saplings shot up Goodly Trees,  
Hence as from Hives came up Industrious Bees,  
Whereof some did the Conscience edify,  
The Commonwealth some Others beautify.  
Hence Wickli●se rose, Bale, and laborious Fox,  
Who holp to build Our Temple Orthodox,  
Though not in Zeal to match the Primitive, thrive,  
Yet by such Good men's Cares through Grace we  
By Martyrs Acts fetched from Old Registers  
To stop the Mouths of false Interpreters,  
As by those Wits nursed up with Food Divine  
On Oxford's Paps, which now in London shine,  
And likewise by a Thousand Other Stars,  
Whose Radiant Rays excel the Sunny Cars,  
At whose rare Gifts and Voice our Britain's wonder,  
When they strike Sin, like to the Sons of Thunder.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE TENTH AGE, From the year of our Lord 900. until the year 1000 At which Time reigned Emperor Otho the Third, whom the Almains call the World's Wonder. About which Time King Et heldred Reigned in England.  
The Argument.  
The Dullness of this Age. The Pope Supreme  
In Rule unto the Latin Tongue binds them  
Who are his Th●alles. Yet to the Truth some stand  
Most firm. Th' Electours now grace Teutons Land.  

O Who can count the Churches doleful Teare●,  
Her Woes, Her Fits, and Manifolded Feare●  
By Saracens, the Popes, and Heathenish Bands,  
Who foraged, and racked all Christian Lands?  
No sooner had Victorious Charlemagne  
Parted with Popes the Sceptre Sovereign,  
Adding unto the Keys a Diadem,  
But Rome grew proud of that brave State Supreme,  
Although as then it was a single Crownc,  
And not, as since, like Gerion's, Triple grown;  
So seemed to have her former wound healed up,  
Which Caesar's gave by their Remove; her Cup  
Overflowed, her Mac● reneweed, which Gorhes had rend.  
She frolicks now, forgets her Banishment;  
She hopes, that the like Blow shall never light  
Upon her Limbs, nor work her more despite.  
She stands secure, and builds up Babel's Walls,  
And by New Kings, her Tributary Thralls,  
Whom she hath trained with Fetches into serve  
Her Turn, and as their God, her to observe,  
She stores her Palace with the price of Blood,  
With Sinful Spoils veiled with an Angel's Hood.  
While thus she vaunts of Carnal Dignities,  
And slights the Serpent, which concealed lies,  
Religion goes to wrack: and few there be,  
Which will, or dare the Gospel's Splendour see.  
Dumbe are her Priests, and muffled are the Flock;  
Both Honour Stocks more than the Living Rock.  
Instead of Scriptures now, Traditions strange,  
The Devil's Husks, dispersed. Lord! how those range!  
Which though but light at first in Wise men's Eyes,  
None fans them, lest they might disgrace the Keys  
Usurping Lord, who, whilst he graced those Toys,  
Stopped Strangers murmur at the Latin Noise.   

O Tyranny, worse than Our Norman Kings!  
Such was Great Henry's Spleen, and such his stings  
Towards the Welsh or British Nation bend,  
Because they had by their Troops Ambushment  
Near Snowdon Hills defeated in their Woods  
And straits his Forces, in his angry Moods  
He meant, if hesped in a Victor's way  
Old Camber's Tone quite to exile away,  
And force the Vanquished from their Native Tongue  
To learn the English Tone. But of this wrong  
Consulting with an Hermit, when he heard  
How hard that Plot would prove, he seemed afeared:  
That though their Persons he might subjugate,  
Yet he could not that Tongue obliterate,  
Which was so Ancient, but it should endure  
Till Doomsday came, the Pure from the Impure  
To separate, and that this Sound among  
The Chief should vent Allelujaes' Song.   

MUch then hath Rome to answer for this wrong,  
And they have Cause to wail, who were so long  
Barred from Soules-Comfort in the Mother-Tongue  
By Rhapsodies unknown, or Parrot's Song.  
Before this Ninth Centurion Age began,  
Although the Head turned giddy, the Newman  
Forsook not to reclaim the Chiefest Parts  
Of the Church-Body from the Serpents Arts.  
In all the Course of the Church-Pilgrimage,  
From the Apostles Time until this Age,  
I apprehend no Pleas in that long Tract  
Of Time, nor real Motives to subtract,  
(Some Schismaticques excepted, and some Few,  
Who seized on Rights to their Creator due)  
From her Essential Worth, and Purity  
But that Rome's Church leagued in Integrity  
With Cyprian, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine,  
For the Resolve of Mysteries Divine;  
And that with those, whom I have named last,  
We hold True Faith in spite of Babel's Blast,  
The Faith, which they did Catholic profess;  
Yea, and the very same untowardness  
Of Factious Spirits, which they scorned, we scorn,  
Hating to see our Master's Raiment torn.   

DId any Farnous Writers from Christ's Age?  
Or in Eight Hundred Years since Christ engage  
Their Auditors to credit those lewd Points,  
Which with lewd threats Trents Council late appoints  
Did either Popes, or Counsels than ordain  
From Wedlock Bonds the Clergy to refrain?  
Did they compel their Flocks Gods Word to hear  
In a strange Tongue, as if they senseless were?  
Did they without their Troop Communicate?  
Or let them without Wine participate  
The Holy Bread alone? with cursed intent  
So maiming half our Christian Sacrament?  
Did they kneel down to Images or Shrines?  
Or offer Bribing Gifts? Or pay them Fines?  
Did they believe the Pope dispensed with Oaths?  
Or could dispose of Realms to Franks or Goths?  
Did Popes within seven Hundred Years exempt  
States from their Kings, or Kings hold in contempt?  
Did they believe that Popes could Pardons sell?  
And ransom Souls from Purge Flames of Hell?  
Or do the Greeks, the East, or Abissine  
Hold to this day, like Rome, their Rites Divine?  
But rather join with us in most of these▪  
Holding her Sick of Schismaticques Disease?  
Did they before the Council Popes prefer?  
As though, like Other Men, they could not err?  
No Romainist, although he loves the Pope,  
Unless he racks too much, will prove I hope,  
That any Doctors broached that Dostrine out  
Until the Sun the Ninth Age brought about;  
Or till indeed long after by degrees  
Popes thundering Spells forced Monarques on their knees  
Against Christ's Rule, who never grudged to pay  
Caesarean Toll, nor Pilate did gainsay.  
And if they should by Rome's Type patronise  
Those Errors, which the True Church doth despise,  
Let them look back upon the Word Divine,  
And see if there they can such Points define;  
Or if before, or after Constantine,  
Till this Tenth Age from Pureness did decline,  
They apprehend that Saints did Sympathise  
With those gross dreams, which now they dearly prise.   

Only some Shrines in Augustine's Time began  
To be in some request, by their Old Man  
Devised to soil the New, but not, as since,  
That they might from God's Adoration flinch,  
With an All Hail to the Triumphal Wood,  
To Martyr's Ashes, or Saint Benet's Hood.  
Though in our West Some used thus to comply,  
The East remembered yet Saint Anthony,  
Who at his Lives last gasp, Sin to prevent,  
Required his Friends, that not with Monument  
They would enclose his Corpse, but secretly  
Conceal the same, lest men might foolishly  
It Idolise in Zeal to do him grace,  
Which would redound at last to their disgrace.  
To john the Twelve now Caesar Homage swore,  
And that the Mid-time of this Age did gore.   

OF all the Ages since the Word made Flesh  
First rose on Earth none for the Church had less  
Of Learning's Light then this Tenth Century,  
Dulled through the Damps of Hell's great Mystery.  
Full Fourscore years os Ignorance prevailed,  
That Knowledge seemed extinct, the Gospel failed.  
Who could repeat the Paternoster, Creed,  
And Ave Maries oft, though with small heed,  
Or glossed on Shrines, or mumbled Latin Mass,  
In Schools he did for a good Graduate pass.  
But if he made Monastic Legends known,  
A Doctors Cap became his shaved Crown.  
Whether this chanced by Rome's deep Policy,  
That none might dive to her Supremacy,  
Which she had newly Crowned, or that the Wars,  
Anxiety embroiling Souls with Cares  
Prevented Learning's Growth, we find small Signs  
In that tempestuous Time of Virtuous Lines,  
Or Monuments to move Posterity  
Not to accuse them of Impiety.  
Such was the Blindness of this darkened Age,  
That none scarce acted on the Muse's Stage  
Parts to be seen of Gotams Auditors;  
So busy were Old Fools in building Towers  
And strong Monastic Cells, where they found Peace,  
Or to defend their Relics from the Press  
Of Soldier's storms, which from the North did fall,  
Norwegians, Danes, and Pirates robbing all.  
Only some Foppish Tales they left behind,  
Thereby to cheat, not edify the Mind:  
What Miracles were wrought in such a Place,  
Which they conceived their Monkish Haunt to grace,  
How Dunstan hooked, catcht Satan by the Nose,  
With many moe absurd Lies then those;  
Like Oberon's imagined Fairy Dance,  
Or Arthur's Knights, or the Twelve Peers of France;  
How Patrick killed Five Hundred Years before  
Thousands of Irish Kerns by Charmed Lore;  
How David did a mighty Mountain move,  
And by his Word the Massy Earth remove.  
With such Fond Tales they gulled the Multitude,  
That 'tis no marvel we account them rude.   

YEt o'er his Church the Spirit vigilant  
Neglected not their Dreams extravagant  
To interrupt, by raising up the Wit  
Of Aelfrick to reform their raving Fit,  
Which work perhaps not useful for that Age,  
But for our Doubts we do conceive them sage,  
I mean for Christ his Body in suspense  
With Some, which till this Age in Ghostly Sense,  
I dare be bold to say, Saints ever took,  
Not Carnall-wise, but by the New-mans' Book.  
This Reverend Clerk in ancient Saxon Style  
Describes what Blots the Sacrament defile,  
And proves the Sense and Manner of the Feast  
To suit with None, but with the Spirits Guest.  
From the tenth Chapter of the Corinth's First  
He thus compares: The Israelites a thirst  
Drank of Christ's Rock with a Spiritual Taste,  
And on his Flesh, though Clouded, broke their Fast.  
As our Newman, or zealous Catechist  
Admires Christ's Body in the Eucharist:  
So they praised God for Manna and Rock-water,  
Types of the Church's Twins, how he begat her.   

OUt of the Forest of this Century,  
Excepting, Rudeness, Broils, and Butchery,  
I apprehend no memorable Course  
To beautify my Lines; But worse and worse  
All things decline. This only I conclude  
Imperial Otho to extinguish Fiend,  
And mortal Jars for Choosing Emperors  
On Sev'n conferred the first Elective Pow'res,  
Eternising the Period of this Scene,  
Whose Former Acts we count Rude and obscene.  
This Otho by Pope Gregory's Assent  
Did to assure the Almains Government,  
And to content the Rhines Count Palatine,  
Because he next of Charlemagne his Ligne  
Deserved that Honour, which his Race hath held,  
Till Force of late the Golden Bull expelled.  
For this brave Act the Author got the Praise,  
To be enstiled the Wonder of those Days,  
As they, who do that Order violate,  
Shall be proclaimed Usurpers of the State.   

FOr an Appendix to my Register,  
I must not overpass Pope Sylvester,  
Who by Hell-Charmes, Spells, Necromantic Lies,  
And Magic Arts defamed the Papal Keys,  
Preparing room by that Catastrophe  
To the Next Age tossed with a Sinful Sea.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE ELEVENTH AGE, From the Year of our Lord 1000 until the Year 1100. About which time Godfrey of Lorraine became King of jerusalem, and Henry the First Reigned King of England.  
The Argument.  
Hell's Highest sleights a Thousand Years restrained,  
Break out, when Priests the Scarlet Hat had gained.  
The Clergy barred of Wives. The Masses Cake  
Turns Flesh. The Holy Land now Christians take.  

NOw to glance on the Churches Darkened wane,  
Who can deny but Rome became profane?  
When Satan was let lose a Thousand Years  
After St. john's Prediction, as appears  
Even till these Times with Curses, Fire, and Sword,  
And secret Slights to martyrise God's Word?  
Both Sun and Moon stood then eclipsed of Light,  
And Starlike Men from Grace declined quite.  
The heavens were moved, Strange Meteors scared the East,  
But Earthquakes most appalled the troubled West.  
men's Consciences p'erclouded were with Mists,  
When Satan ranged from his Confined Lists,  
With leave to prey upon those Romanists,  
Who had forsook Christ's Word for Antichrists,  
In giving heed unto Erroneous Spirits,  
Cashiering Marriage, and their Saviour's Merits:  
Yoking their Flocks, not of Necessity,  
But to subvert true Christian Liberty,  
(I mean the Spirits Freedom, and God's Word,  
Not that which Fools do to the Flesh afford)  
By Pilgrimage to Saints, Idolatry,  
With wonders wrought by Fiends their Faith to try,  
By Lies and Dreams bred in Scholastic Brain  
For Belly-work, Ambitious Ends, or Gain:  
With Carnal Sense advancing Superstitions,  
And spotting Faith with needless men's Traditions.  
With such Flim-Flams, since Satan was let loose,  
And since Rome's Clergy Christ his Rival chose,  
Were there False Church possessed; and to this day  
Some go in those strange Labyrinths astray,  
Not willing to be won; nor to decide  
By Scriptures Light the Quarrels of their Side.   

ABout this Time the Cardinals arose  
Unto their Sway, till then a Secret Close,  
For though the Name were known of Cardinals,  
Yet were they ranked but Deacons, Principals,  
Or Parsons of Rome's Parishes to serve  
The several Cures, not Prelates to conserve  
The Papacies Resplendent Majesty,  
As since they grew by Satan's Subtlety.  
On each of these his Holiness confers  
A Scarlet Hat, to Higher Place prefers,  
And amplifies with Bishoprics their State,  
Whereby they might live eminent, from Hate  
And Envy safe, the better to support  
Their Princely Pomp, and his Magnific Port.  
At their Enstall he so much scarlet shares  
To clothe their Mules, that by those Scarlet Wares  
Saints may divine where Babel's Whore abides,  
Which on a Beast of scarlet Colour rides.   

THese Men shut up within the Conclave close,  
And having by most Suffrages him chose,  
Who stands for Pope, they then his usual wear  
Pluck off, and in their stead bring glorious Gear:  
A Scarlet suit, Red stockings, and Red shoes,  
On which, because he claims that he can lose  
Or bind men's Sins, a Golden Cross they place,  
That some might kiss the same whom he would grace  
A Girdle red then they about him clap  
With Buckles all of Gold, and a Red Cap  
Present to him with Band of Gold and Pearl,  
Wrought and engirt fit for a King or Earl.  
Thus trimmed, they put him on a Scarlet Cloak;  
And to puff up him more with Glories Smoke,  
Upon his Head the Triple Crown they set  
With Carbuncles and Diamonds beset.  
At last they mount him, though a mortal Clod,  
And on an Altar Throne him, like a God,  
The Holy Place, where their Masse-God remains:  
There none of them to kiss his Foot disdains.  
His Chaplains now turn Politic Divines,  
More prone to spoil then prop up Zions Vines.   

THus every Age hath added Royalties,  
Since first the Pope affected Sovereignty's  
In Ghostly things above his Ghostly Mates,  
To scandalise the Church. This animates  
The Turks and Moors to counterpoise his Crown  
With the like Tares by their Arabian swoon.  
For when they saw Religion mixed with Themes  
Of Humane stamp, they forged idler Dreams,  
That by such Carnal Baits their Sect like those  
Of Christian Name, might with such Worldlings glo●e  
As loved Pomp, and by their Muffry hope  
The like Soule-blisse as Christians from the Pope,  
Whereby both Sects make up the Antichrist,  
Turks openly, Popes sl●ly crossing Christ.  
The Former raved, and quickly were revealed,  
The Latter grew by stealth, so lay concealed  
In Mystic sort from Carnal Drowsy Brains,  
Because God's Word was hid, none took the Pains,  
Or durst indeed proclaim with open Lips  
The Pope Christ's Foe, or by th' Apocalypse  
Depaint him out in Colours, lest that Hire,  
Which Saints reaped since, they should have felt by Fire.   

BUt who would once suspect within the Church  
A Grave Divine to live so by the lurch,  
As to deprave the Holy Spirits Gifts?  
And in a Saintlike shape with Satan's shifts,  
Wherewith he tempted in the Desert Christ,  
To take the place of a Monarchique Priest?  
And by the Keys pretence for Gold to sell  
men's Souls? and to dispose of Realms, aswell  
As to encroach upon the Church's Ark,  
That None should preach of Christ without his Mark?  
Not only in the Western Enpery,  
But o'er the World he claimed Sovereignty;  
And not alone he claimed this Massy Round,  
But Other Worlds, and the Abyss profound,  
To order there, like Heathens Rhadamant,  
Souls Torment due for Deeds extravagant.  
How on the Psalmists Clause have Schoolmen glossed?  
Thou hast all things under his Feet disposed?  
As cattle Living men, as Fish pained Souls,  
As Airy Fowl High Saints the Pope controls.   

AMong the rest of Antichristian Blots,  
I may not overpasse Rome's damned Plots  
About th'inhibiting of Nuptial Rites  
Unto the Clergies Rank by Romish Kites;  
That Devilish Doctrine of the Latter Days  
By Paul forewarned now Babel's Strumpet weighs  
In a false Balance by Hell's Oracle,  
Slighting the Type of Cana●s Miracle;  
And, as from Christ by Revelations New  
Authentic firmed, she doth the same renew,  
Although that Plea Three Hundred Years before,  
Had ordered been against the Remain Whore  
By the Sixth Council in Byzantium held,  
And by th' Apostles Canons there upheld:  
That Deacons, Priests, or Clergymen might marry,  
And if they should from this Position vary,  
The Priest not with his Wife cohabiting,  
They censured him with Deprivations sting;  
And if he should his Wife repudiate,  
They then judged him for Excommunicate.  
But notwithstanding all the Counsels Three  
At Gangrene, Nice, and This, they would decree  
Suborned by peevish Monks to lay that Yoke,  
Which they in Younger Years could hardly brook.  
For quenching of this Sodomiticque Flame,  
We find two Works under Volusians' Name,  
To prove the Weakness of that Canon's worth,  
By Ausburgs' Bishop Hulderick set forth.  
Pope Nicholas the Second of that Name  
By this and other Acts quite out of frame  
Set Rome's weak Church. Even he by Hildebrands'  
Lewd Counsel scorched the Church with burning Brands  
And coram nobis brought good Berengare,  
That Babel's Mass might prove as Market Ware.   

ABout that Time Rome framed a God of Bread  
Turned into Flesh, like Him, whom she had read  
In Genesis Created of Red Earth,  
Unto which Wight she Motion gave and Birth.  
To this New God with supercilious Brow  
She strictly charged her Subjects all to bow.  
Her Courtiers, and the Multitude confused  
Obeyed the Charge, but Gods Elect refused.  
Good Men refused, and Berengarius sought  
With Monks support and Prelates underwrought,  
To contradict the Transubstantiate Mass,  
Or not to leave it unreformed pass.  
But Factious Wits with Worldly Policy,  
took that to clinch and pinch Rome's Primacy.  
Yet this Good Soul, though since for fear of death  
Enforced to recant, consumed his Breath  
With Reason's sound, and Arguments profound,  
Till Tyranny his Patience did confound,  
In opposition to their Sacrament,  
Which derogates from the Man Christ's Ascent;  
And left behind what Hell can never blot,  
The Sense of that, which seems to Some a knot.  
Nor wanted he Applauses in that Age  
Of Abbots, Monks, and Prelates wise and sage;  
And Hildebert a Norman Bishop wrote  
His praise at large, which Time shall never rot.   

'tIs strange to me how Faction then prevailed,  
That they had not in Disputations quailed,  
Ashamed of their Ghostly Man's relapse,  
Having been nursed upon the Church's Paps,  
As they supposed, and of the Spirit borne,  
Yet they the Sense did Intellectual scorn  
Of that Blessed Food, which Christ himself fed on  
Before his Death, and gave thereof Construction  
Spiritual plain, as all the Fathers did,  
That Saints might find with ease the Treasure hid.  
But what they spoke by Oratories Trope  
Rome wrested since her Mass to underprop.  
Sometimes the Fathers by Synecdoche,  
By Metonymy, or Hyperbole  
Spoke to advance the Sacred Mystery,  
Thereby to print in ravished Memory  
Souls healthful Cure against Passions Insurrection  
Typed by Our Saviour's Cross and Resurrection.   

TOwards this Ages End Pope Hildebrand  
Attempted by main Force and armed Hand,  
To wrest from Caesar's Gift the Papacies  
Elections Grant, and Paramounting Sway,  
Which Popes received from them until that Day.  
At least they took their Confirmations we'll  
Not sure without the High Imperial Seal,  
And so did other Bishops in his Land,  
Assume their Worldly States from Caesar's Hand.  
But now the Pope by Rome's New Cardinals  
More pow'refull grown into his Party calls  
Aswell the Lay, as Clergymen to aid  
Him in his Wars, which Caesar sore dismayed;  
For by his Bulls he gave his Realms away,  
And blocked from him and his the Heaven's way.  
Thus he that took himself to be the Head  
Of Christ his Flock claimed Rule unlimited  
Above all Kings, and Earthly Potentates,  
And by the Keys would alter worldly States.  
The Emperor accursed, he sends a Crown  
To Rodolfe with this Posy written down:  
The Rock to Peter gave the Rule Supreme,  
And he to Rodolfe gives the Diadem.  
Upon this Warrant of his Ghostly Sire  
Against his Lord proud Rodolfe did conspire.  
The Members raved, and turned irregulare,  
As if they felt the Cramp or Riding Mare.  
Then, Thousands raged with Frenzies Calentures,  
Till Thousands let them Blood, or took their Cures.  
This Quarrel made all Germany to quake;  
With Rodolfe Some, with Henry more partake.  
The Cross and Eagle reared for Bloody Signs,  
Yet Caesar foiled Saint Peter's false Assigns;  
And Rodolfe in the last great Battle fought,  
Lost his Right Hand, which to him dying brought  
He showed it to the Bishops standing by,  
Lo, here the Guerdon of disloyalty,  
That Hand, quoth he, which did to Caesar vow,  
I lost by your Advise. Behold it now.  
But notwithstanding all these cruel Broils,  
Proud Hildebrand, late Gregorized, embroiles  
Himself again, will hazard Soul and Body,  
But he will prove the Emperor a Noddy,  
His Sovereign Self comparing to the Sun,  
And Caesar's Person to his Vassal Moon.  
So long he played, till Caesar sacked Rome,  
Doomed him, and set another in his room:  
As Others his Successors Herod's Sword  
Drew out so oft cross to their Master's Word,  
That now of late Pope's odious in their place,  
Twice Bourbon did and Alva Rome deface.   

ABout this time our Rufus to enlarge  
New Forest, there to have a Chase more large,  
Pulled many Churches down. But while he plies  
The Game, into his Heart an Arrow flies.   

ER● I proceed to the Next Age's Stem,  
I must reflect upon jerusalem.  
Our Westernes now by Rome's Croisadoes spurred  
Made a brave League; and like good Brethren stirred  
With Christian Zeal, they having Antioch won  
To Salem went, and took that Famous Town,  
Maugre the Forces of the Saracens,  
Erected there the Cross for Christian men's  
Encouragement then living in those days,  
Wherewith the sight they might, as Starlike Rays,  
Behold a glimpse of some Pathetic Love  
Home-frozen there renewed, of force to move  
Compunction in their hearts on Calvaries  
And Olivets' survey, a Sacrifice  
Well pleasing unto Christ, while they with Tears  
Mused on his Griefs, his Bloody sweat, and Fears,  
His Passion undergone for their Amiss,  
His Father's Wrath for Sin appeased, and Bliss  
Restored to them, and to the Penitent  
By his Deserts alone and Punishment,  
Who without help the Bloody Winepress trod,  
And sealed for us a New Contract with God.   

THis City by victorious Godfrey gained,  
When all his Host would have him there constrained  
As King to wear a Golden Crown: Shall I  
Most Sinful Man, quoth he, unworthily  
Yield to be Crowned with Gold in that same Town,  
Where Christ was forced to wear a Thorny Crown?  
far be that Thought from me, weak Mortal Clod,  
To slight his Cross, my Duty unto God.  
Such Carnal Pomp I utterly contemn:  
Pitch we our Thoughts on New jerusalem,  
Where every Saint the Vassal as the King,  
Shall Crowned with Bliss Alleluiaes' sing.    


The New-mans' Complaint in the Name of Our Saviour Christ for the Roman Church's Apostasy and Adulterate Religion.  

WHilst in thy Name I vent this just Complaint,  
Bear with my Song, O Christ, my Sovereign Saint.  
But thou, Rome's Cause of Sin, thou Dotards Clod,  
Pack hence, or humbly weigh the Word of God;  
I am Truth's Light, yet None from r●aming cease:  
I am the Prince of Peace, yet None loves Peace:  
I am the Hill, yet None climbs Zions Mount:  
I am the Spring, yet None drinks of my Font:  
I am the Shepherd, yet None hears my Call:  
I am God's Priest, yet None heeds me at all.  
I am Sin's Death, yet None from Sin will rise:  
I am Souls Health, yet None me gratifies.  
I am the Way, yet none will tract my Pace:  
I am Life's Vine, yet none affords me Place:  
I am Faith's Quintessence, yet none partakes me:  
I am Souls Manna, yet aright none takes me.  
I am Most true to Man, None true to me:  
I am Raised up, yet None my Form will see:  
I am Man's Bail, yet None doth con me Thanks:  
I am Hell's scourge, yet None hates Satan's Pranks:  
I am the Golden Mean, None weighs my Centre:  
I am Heavn's Door, yet None the door dares enter.  
I am God's Word, yet None will hear his Word:  
I am their judge, yet None regards the sword:  
I am Heaven's strength, yet None sticks to my Fame:  
I am Zeales-Mover, yet None heeds the Flame.  
I am the Star of the New-Eastern Morn:  
I am the New-mans' Head, yet None's newborn.  
I am the Thunder, yet None fears my stroke:  
I am Freehearted, yet None bears my yoke.  
I am the Lamb, None will my Nature take:  
I am the Sun, yet None Sins Clouds forsake.  
I am Truth's Rock, yet None will now believe me:  
I am men's Hope, yet None will cease to grieve me;  
But in these Times with colour of my Rock,  
The Dragon's seed doth persecute my Flock,  
And all Rome's Clergy now do listen more  
Unto the Pope's Decrees then to my Lore.  
No wonder with Hell's Plague that Souls are stung,  
When such foul Mists rise from the Monsters Dung.  
O wretched Man! whom neither Christ his Path,  
Nor Gospel moves, nor yet his Threatening Wrath!  
[Nemo]  
Yet if the Roman None thou backward spell,  
[Omen]  
I may to thee a Converts LUCK foretell,  
Thou soon shalt chase our Airy Foes to Hell,  
If thou by Faith seek'st in the Heavens to dwell,  
And by the Cross the Old Man to expel.  
Here lies our Task: think on it, and Farewell.    

The same Complaint reiterated in Latine Measures.  

DUm novus erumpo vates sub nomine Christi,  
Da veniam justae, Rex Sacrosancte, Querelae.  
Sed, Romae Terrene Senex, tu causa malorum,  
I procul, aut humili pende haec Oracula ment;  
Sum Lux, sed Nemo Tenebras Latebrasque relinquit:  
Sum Rex Pacificus, sed nemo est Pacis amicus.  
Sum Mons, sed Montem conscendit Nemo Sionis:  
Sum Fons, sed potat Nemo de Fonte Pere●●i.  
Sum Pastor, sed Ovilis adest mihi Nemo vocanti:  
Sum Mystes, sed Nemo tenet mea Mystica ment.  
Sum Mors Peccati, Nemo expergiscitur insons:  
Sum Rediviva Salus, sed Nemo rependit amorem.  
Sum Via, sed Nemo sequitur vestigia nostra:  
Sum Vitis vitae, sed Nemo hanc Corde reponit.  
Sum Liquor, at Nemo me spiritualiter haurit:  
Sum Panis Coelestis, edit sed Pectore Nemo.  
Sum Fidus, sed Nemo fidem mihi praestat ad-●●●●  
Sum Sursum positus, sed me vult Nemo videre.  
Sum Datus Obses, agit mihi Grates Nemo libe●ter:  
Sum Satanae Domitor, sed vitat Nemo Gehennam.  
Sum Modus & Centrū, tamen hac duo Nemo revolvit,  
Sum Pia Porta Poli, sed Nemo precatur, ut int●et.  
Sum Praeco, sed Nemo sacris accommodat aures:  
Sum Judex, sed Nemo fugit modò vindicis Ensem.  
Sum Coeli virtus, sed adhaeret Nemo vigori:  
Sum Zeli Motor, sed flammis Nemo movetur.  
Sum Matutinum Sidus, vates que Diei:  
Sum Restaurator Populi, sed Nemo renat●●.  
Sum, Deus Altitonans, melior sed Nemo fit●ictu.  
Sum Mitis, sed molle jugum fert Nemo modernus.  
Sum Patiens Agnus, sed me vult Nemo Patronum.  
Sum Sol exoriens, sed nubila Nemo retractat:  
Sum Rupes Fidei, sed Nemo sideliter orat.  
Sum Spes sola hominum, sed Nemo lacessere probris  
Meque meumque Gregem Petrae sub imagine cessat.  
Sic hodie Semen solet insanire Draconis,  
Ut Papae Decreta magis quam Dogmata nostra,  
jura Hominum non jussa Dei bibit aure Sacerdes.  
Nec mirum; Nubes ortae de stercore Monstri  
Inficiunt animas: Ecclesia pestc laborat;  
O vetule infoelix! qui Christi Calle, nec Aris,  
Nec sacris Monitis, nec moveare Minis!  
Sin nomen NEMO supplex inverteris, OMEN  
Destinat, & Christo sic Anagramma placet.  
Aëreos Hostes cit● profligabis in Orcum,  
Si modo rimaris Caelica Claustra Fide,  
Proditor ille Senex tunc evanescet in Auras,  
Succumbit Christi cum tu● Massa Cruci.  
Hoc Opus, hic labor est; Perlege, pende, Vale.     

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE TWELFTH AGE, From the year of our Lord 1100. until the year 1200. At which Time King John reigned here in England, who to be absolved of the Pope's Excommunications made himself Tributary to His Holiness.  
The Argument.  
The Council Lateran confirms the Mass.  
The Canon Laws for Rome's main Profit pass.  
The Pope mounts up on Caesar's humbled Back.  
Schoolmen new use. And Salem goes to wrack.  

THose whom Rome styled the Berengarian Sect,  
Because her Mass they ventured to correct,  
Were censured at the Council Lateran,  
As at l'ercellis the like Act profane  
Against them past that Politician Wh●re,  
For her Trade's sake, in the last Age before.  
And here likewise such Labours went to Pot,  
As Joachim a Latian Abbot wrote,  
To prove: the Man of Sin, the Antichrist,  
And Babel's Whore jumped with the Roman Priest,  
O Valiant man! who for this Mystic Point  
On Truth's behalf adventured his best Joint!   

NO better sorts the Church's Pilgrimage  
In this obscure Eclipse, and Carnal Age:  
Popes struggling still for Worldly Dignity  
With Emperors, and for Priority.  
Amidst these Broils, although Eugenius storm,  
Yet Bernard dared his Popedom to inform,  
How he in striving Both the Swords to hold,  
Might lose them Both for his encroachment bold.   

ANd sure if Popes had not on Princes played,  
Nor warred with Worldly States, but only Prayed,  
And sought the Health of Souls by Lenity,  
They might have reigned in long Prosperity,  
And by their Doctrine linked with Holy Life  
Drawn wrangling States from Faction, Blood & strife.  
Whereas for Peace they rather Quarrels spun,  
Not caring by what sleights they Places won.  
So that some call him Pope a Year or two,  
And that great Kings or Dukes do kiss his shoe,  
Old Adrian wreaks not how he came to mount,  
Nor by what Means, so he his Peers surmount.  
And yet this Fate with a repenting Breath  
This Pope perplexed lamented at his Death,  
And said, that he, who got the Papacy  
By Murder, traced the Steps and Policy  
Of Romulus, who slew his Brother Rhine,  
Alone to wear Rome's Newfound Diadem.  
When that Eleven Hundred Years and Ten  
Had wheeled from Christ his Birth, a Bishop then  
Of Florence preached, that the Proud Man of Sin,  
The Antichrist, who long concealed had been,  
Was surely come, and in God's Temple sat,  
Pretending Right to sway the Christian State.  
The Mystick Let of Caesar's Glorious Train,  
Which made him hide his head, and did restrain  
His haughty Thoughts and Plots unlimited,  
Was thrust away, and near extinguished  
By the Pope's Tumults, Threats, and Stratagems,  
Subjecting Bodies, Souls, and Diadems.  
Priests Ghostly Charge into an Earthly changed:  
The Spirits Gifts Simoniously exchanged:  
The Words Eclipse: Idolatries increase  
And Sodomies: with want of Christian Peace:  
These Hellish Crimes, or Deeds irregulare,  
Demonstrate, who the Church's Foe-men are.  
When Pope Paschalis Second of that Name  
Had heard divulged his Hierarchies shame,  
Most Politic to stop the Bruit at first  
Of such New Sparks, by his Old ways accursed,  
He sent his Briefs at Florence to appoint  
A Council there to right things out of joint,  
As he surmised, where Coram nobis brought  
The Bishop there was forced to be new taught,  
With Babel's Gloss to palliate what he knew,  
The Coal-black for Snow white, the False for True,  
And so to leave the Pope in Peter's Chair  
Chaffering for Souls, till Saints disturb the Fair.   

BUt in the midst of all these brandling Cares,  
Which racked the Church, succeeded other Snares,  
Souls to subject unto the Vulture's Claws,  
Renewed with Gloss Voluminous of Laws  
By Azoes', Gratians, and Accursius Paines,  
That so men's Wits by such divertive Trains,  
In hope of Worldly Fees to●ld might not pry  
Into Sins deep concealed Mystery,  
But nimbly help to execute the Bulls  
And Briefs, wherewith his Thralls the Tyrant gulls,  
Emptying their store, sacking their Substance dry,  
That he might joy at Client's Misery.  
And though the One the Elder Sister were,  
The Younger yet and Canon Law did bear  
The primest Sway, and Kings durst not gainsay  
But must appear at Rome on a set day.  
For when the Pope enthralled the Emperor,  
Rome's Keys then Caesar's Laws did over-towre.   

TO fortify the Canon's glozing Gloss,  
About that Time Our Schoolmen then arose,  
Acquaint Wits, who spun Divinity anew,  
And by Distinctions would the Gospel mew.  
Such Knots and Wiles did Curious Wits compose,  
That they to Rome might all the World transpose,  
And so heal up, and close the grievous Scars,  
Which she sustained deservedly for Jars.  
And for her Breach of Faith at Christ his Spring  
Vowed, that to him she against the World would cling.  
But in the next Ensuing Age shall rise  
Bald Friars Sects to help Baal's Sacrifice.  
To temper, or to stint these Busy Brains,  
There shall start up Men of unwearied Pains,  
Who seem to raise Devotion at a pinch:  
'Mong which I rank Poor Francis Sainted since,  
Who innocent in Life, by Poverty  
Would fain restore the Old Integrity,  
To imitate, as much as in him lay,  
The Ancient Monks, or the Essences way,  
Or rather Benet's Rules; but afterward  
The Dragon bribed his Mates to be his Guard;  
His Sect soon strayed, and his Fraternity  
With Merits boast corrupted Purity,  
Pestering the Church and Christian Commonweal,  
With Dreams adverse unto the Founder's Zeal.   

OUt of their Dung did other Orders grow,  
Austere in Life, of Sanctimonious show,  
Pretending Holiness in Outward Sight,  
But inwardly in Melancholic plight,  
Now spending Days and Nights near in despair,  
Anon blown up, like Bladders in the Air,  
With Meritorious Wind, Pelagian Worth,  
And Humane Works they set their Doctrine forth,  
They lashed their Flesh to keep the Old man down,  
And, like that Sect from crazed Montanus flown,  
They stupefied through Fasts their Brawny Sides  
In hope of Grace, and Worldly Fame besides.  
Mean while the Blood of Christ they frustrate made,  
And by such blasted Buds Faiths Tree did fade.  
Yet by their Deeds, and seeming Sacrifice  
The Scarlet Whore thought to redeem her vice;  
And that their Works of Supererogation  
Sufficed at least to win a Prorogation  
Of Vengeance due for her high Pampered Pride,  
If not to purge what Christ had left untried:  
Like those who bought, to ransom judas Sin,  
Blood's Hire, a Field to bury Strangers in.   

O What a Rabble doth my Muse descry  
Of Croakers from the Dragon's mouth to sly  
Within the space of the Next Age's Roll!  
All bend the Praise of Babel to enrol!  
The Domini●ks, Cartbusians, Augustine's,  
The Carmelites, Capouchins, jacobines,  
Besides the Order of the Jerome Crowd,  
To whom of late Castile's great Monarch vowed  
His Marbled Palace of th' Escurial Mount,  
Whose Structure cost him many Millions Count.  
These Orders, though of despicable Form,  
In Beggar's Rags, yet holp they to reform  
Some things amiss at their first shooting up,  
Or else the Whore's Abominations Cup  
Had quickly been by Kings descried and spilt;  
Her Flock had flinched, and soon espied her Gild.  
But the Conceit of these men's Sanctity,  
And manner of their Lives Austerity  
Gained them Repute of Wiss Prophetical,  
Whose Vows would shroud Sins ne'er so Capital.  
Yea, though a man had both his Parents slain,  
Rome's Pardons and their Vows salved all again.   

THis blindness lasted long, till Christ his Spouse  
Returned from the Desert Souls to rouse  
From Superstitious sleep, and Ignorance,  
To brighter Light, and a more Lively Trance.  
Like Ravens, Frogs, Scritchowles, and Dismal Fowl,  
Whose Auguries type Weather Fair or Fowl,  
So did those Flying Spirits of that Age  
Seal up Dark Minds a Prey for Satan's rage,  
And on th' Elect betoken Calmer Gales  
To blow, when tired with Old fanatique Tales,  
They should in Time to come God's Spirit see,  
The Martyrs slain revived, from Sodom free.   

WHile Canonists, the Schoolmen, and those Swarms  
Of Lawyer's rose, the Roman Popes with Arms  
And Curses still, leaving the Laws dispute  
To spur their League, did Caesar's persecute.  
No Treaties, Wars, nor Spoils the Popes could tame '  
Till One of them of Alexander's Name  
On Caesar's humbled back got on his Mule,  
As Footstool to a a Lord of mad Misrule,  
Detracting from Christ's Power: Thou shalt tread  
On Basilisks, and bruise the Serpents Head.  
I do to Peter this, and not to thee,  
Said Caesar: Both to Peter and to me,  
Replied the Mounted Priest; for Peter's Throne  
On Earth I hold, and he and I are One.  
O where was then Rome's Boast of Innocence?  
Of Catholic Consent, and Penitence?  
Their Actions show what Spirit reigns in them,  
Who durst assume the Triple Diadem,  
And manage both the Swords with more disdain  
Than Bajazeth complained of Tamburlaine.  
But had not Caesar's Son in Naval Fight  
By the Venetians been Captived, such spite  
He could not have endured so patiently,  
Nor let such wrongs long unrevenged lie.   

NOw for this Age to wind up Babel's height,  
One Thousand, and one Hundred Eighty Eight,  
About that Year the Machiavellian Pope,  
To settle surer his Imperious Hope,  
And to confirm his proud Investiture,  
Found out a Plot his Rapines to assure,  
And to employ his Neighbours far from Rome,  
Lest they more pry into his Arts at home.  
By his Croisadoes Charms Cried Sanctified  
In Christ his Name, but by his Word untried,  
He packed from hence many a Valiant Band,  
Under pretence to Conquer jewries' Land,  
And there to build Jerusalem again,  
Like jericho sometime not Cursed in vain,  
And to regain it back from Saladine,  
Who late had won the Land of Palestine.  
But as no Good flows from a Tainted Spring.  
So hence then Loss ensued no other thing.   

CAESAR Rome's Curses thinking to compound,  
Took up the Cross, and by the way was drowned.  
Yet could not so the Father's Death appease;  
The Popes his Sons by Curses bar from Peace.  
And to redeem their Bloody Spoils with Deeds  
Of Merit, they spread Meritorious Seeds,  
As that Fond Age than dreamed, they prostitute  
To Meloch first, and then they institute  
The Orders of the Begging Friars, so  
To calm God's Wrath, which kept such loud ado  
At Rich men's Doors, that Superstition more  
And more confirmed Baal's Power then before.  
About this Time my Learned Countryman  
Archdeacon Girald wrote, by whom I can  
Disprove out of his Books of Pilgrimage  
Which he set forth of Cambria in that Age,  
The Wonders of the Well of Winifrid;  
Which Friars Brains in Aftertimes descried,  
When the Fourth Henry reigned, that then, even than  
They coined those Tales to gull poor Simple men,  
To haunt their Cells, and impious Sacrifice  
Graced from the Pope with Novel Liberties,  
And Leave to build a Chapel or a Fane,  
As Men were wont for the like use profane;  
And as they did in this Fond Age erect  
Most Stately Shrines to Becket and his Sect.   

BEcause some Monks Night Apparitious saw,  
Which K●aves or Fiends invented there to draw  
Concourse of Pilgrims, and Oblations store,  
They built such Shrines, and noised their Dreams the more.  
But Our Newman slights all such Miracles,  
As derogate from Scriptures Oracles,  
Not ignorant of the Old Serpent's sleight,  
That he may seem an Angel of the Light.  
Because Men loved Lies more than God's Word,  
And tried them not by the Spiritual Sword,  
He suffered Satan to pervert their Will,  
That they believed what did the Spirit kill.  
To let our Blinded Strays to know their Crimes,  
Derived from the Course of faltering Times,  
I warn them to look back into this Age,  
And there to weigh what Cunning mixed with Rage  
Popes practised then by more of Counsels store  
To raise their Crest then in the Times before,  
How many Counsels did the Romish Clerks  
Assemble in our West for their vain Quirks  
Support? what Age before hath ever seen  
Of Counsels held One Hundred and Fifteen?  
(For just so many did this Century  
Produce) Some to confirm Sin's Mystery  
With Attributes of the Divinest Style:  
That as the Head conspired to enstyle  
A Wafer Cake a God, so they likewise,  
As Members would a God him solemnize  
With Power raised above the Caesars far,  
Since he could Souls from Purgatory bar.  
Some Counsels leagued to send Croisadoes out  
To Palestine against the Persian Rout.  
Others were called the Married Priests to curb;  
And some were held the Caesars to disturb,  
Exempting from their Laws the Clergies Crew,  
Though ne'er so faulty, whence great scandals grew.  
Some Counsels did against all Kings contest  
Of Bishops their Investiture to wrest  
Unto the Popes. And some Pluralities,  
Of Popes restrained and their Enormities.  
And which seems most uncharitable, foul,  
And Schismatic, some Counsels did control,  
Nay, put to silence the Reformed Flock,  
Who built their Faith upon the New-mans' Rock,  
I mean, that Flock, which Lions Waldus won  
From Darkness to look on the Gospels Sun.  
Such Acts above One Hundred Counsels Tomes  
Contained to please the Popes, like Hecatombs,  
Within the space of the Twelve Century;  
And all to prop Great Babel's Empery.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE THIRTEENTH AGE, From the year of our Lord 1200. until the year 1300 At which Time King Edward the First reigned here in England.  
The Argument.  
The Waldois and Albigians Room oppose,  
Caesar's with Popes for R●le contesting lose.  
The Grandsire, Sire, and Nephews feel the Smart.  
Pope Celestine is gulled by Waly Art.  

IN woeful Case remained the Church of Christ,  
Through Bloody Broils, that how she could subsist  
On Earth, while this Age lasted, it might dull  
A Sparkling Muse, but that I learned at full  
The Cause of her Retire, the Difference  
Betwixt her Wane, and her Lights excellence,  
Her Catholic, and her Subordinate  
Commanion, which false Rome would fain persuade  
That she alone doth own without respect  
Unto her Mat●s, or Betters grown by Grace,  
Where none can see her Universal Face  
Save God himself. The World is large, our skill  
At stint: How then know we her Spacious Hill?  
The Waldo is and th' Albigians in our West,  
The Abyssines, and Others do suggest,  
That they partake her Influence, and her Head,  
Even Him that shall dispose of Quick and Dead.  
Peter and Paul we know. But who are ye,  
Who Mere the Church of Nembrods' proud degree?  
POpe Innocent in the last puddled Age  
By Canons strict, but neither wise nor sage,  
Our English Clergy now did here so gore,  
As Hildebrand and Lanfrank did before.  
That they without more Shifts, Delays, Dispense,  
Or hopes to calm Rome's Spleen through bribing pennies  
Must turn away their Plighted Mates to grass,  
Or be Accursed, and to refrain from Mass;  
A heavy Doom, and not to be recalled.  
This made our Clergy winch, when they were galled,  
And causelessly thus curbed without remorse  
Of that, which Christ condemned the Divorce.  
Against this Flash Walter de Mapes wrote  
Oxford's Archdeacon stout; he taxed the Blot  
And Scandal which the Roman Church encurred.  
He showed the Flames, which her poor Guard endured  
By such unlawful Acts, those very Flames,  
Which Popes themselves not without branded Names  
Could well avoid in their more youthful Years,  
Nor Cardinals, nor any of their Peers,  
They did enjoin for tolerable Pain.  
This moved Mapes in Old Roman Strain  
To gird and nip the Pope's usurped Decree,  
And to prove Marriage for the Clergy free.  
But now my Muse more Bloody Deeds must tell,  
Which then the Church endured from Fiends of Hell.  
About the Year Twelve Hundred Thirty One,  
The Greek and Latin Church could not atone  
Their Difference new sprung up for Christian Rites,  
But a sore Schism than chanced, for Romish Kites  
Would rake even to the bone all Churches else.  
They would yoke to Rome's Sovereignty excelse  
The Eastern Church, and force investiture  
Of all their Bishops, and their Ghostly Cure  
Under the Keys pretence to Rome's proud Mace.  
But they would not subject, nor so abase  
Their Pastors' Staff, alleging Old Decrees  
Of Synods made for ordering of their Fleece  
And Liberties in their prefixed Sphere,  
At Chalcedon, at Nice, and other where:  
That every Patriarch in their proper Charge,  
Should only deal, and their own Place discharge,  
Not meddling with Another's stinted Cure,  
But watching still their own Flocks to secure,  
Not striving for high Seats of Prelacy,  
As Gregory then did for Primacy.  
To this Effect Bizantiums' Patriarch wrote  
To Gregory the Ninth, that he could not  
Consent to thrall his Church unto his Will,  
Which, as a Tyrant's Law, might spill or kill.  
At which Resolve Rome's Lofty Prelate frowned  
And by his lowing Bulls accursed Sound  
Anathemated him and all the East,  
Because they would not bow to his behest,  
And there withal proclaimed the Cross to fight,  
And to deprive them of God's Blessings quite.  
According to his Will false Christians went,  
And Martyrs did with Cypriots Blood augment.   

Before this Rupture both the East and West  
Till then agreed, on Union fixed their Rest,  
And though for Clericks Wives, and Masses Rites  
They varied, yet Rome's Popes played not the Kites  
Till then on them, as in our Western Sphere,  
From whence they raked much Treasure every year;  
They Both agreed, acknowledging One Head,  
One Christ, One Faith, One judge of Quick and Dead,  
One Universal Church, One Bond of Love,  
And that One Spirit ought them all to move:  
All Patriarches linked in mutual Amity,  
Coequals graced with Honour's Parity.  
But through this Rent by Babel's Whore begun,  
A Bloody Flag was for Both Churches spun.   

THis Schism 'twixt East & West obscured the Cross  
And to them both foredoomed a twofold Loss,  
Of Worldly States to Greece in time to come;  
But Loss of Ghostly Gifts to haughty Rome,  
Together with the Loss of Both the Swords,  
As Bernard to Eugenius well records;  
When she shall see how many Potentates  
Will flinch from her, and free themselves and States;  
When she shall hear One with a Dreadful Tone  
Proclaim the Fall of Whorish Babylon.   

WHen Babel saw, that her Croisadoes mist  
jerusalem to win again for Christ,  
As she, but in Disguise, suggested then,  
Now she proclaims them against Christian Men;  
The Waldois and Alb gians feel her Spite,  
For against them she is resolved to fight.  
Some yield unto the Fiery Crosse. Some stay,  
Some stray, recant, and Others fly away  
With all their Kin into Calabriaes' Soil,  
Where till of late they lived safe from Rome's Broil.  
Nor could that Age, nor yet the Ages since  
Extirp their Seed, nor cause their Faith to fl●nch.  
Ye Darkened Ghosts of those inveagled Times,  
Who merit well Damnation for your Crimes,  
Do what ye can, these New-sprung Waldois shall  
With their good Mates Albigians you appall,  
And shall outlast your Cursing Thunder-blasts  
Till Luther comes and gives you more distastes,  
At which appointed Time with louder Crack  
Your Comrades shall tremble, or fall back  
From Ralaams' League unto a Nobler Head,  
Whose Spirit them will into Zion lead.   

WEll near 300. Years the Popes have fought  
With Emperors and Kings, their downfall sought,  
Deposed the Sire, and raised a Rebel Son  
Unnatural the Father to dethrone.  
They poisoned some, and Others by degrees  
They forced to cry Peccavi on their knees;  
And all for worldly Rule. Nay, Kings durst not  
Curb Homi●ides (such was the Clergies Lo●)  
In those Days, that if they to Rome appealed,  
They were exempt, and had their Pardons sealed.  
While Rebel Be●ket for poor things withstood  
His King, the Pope his Shield most firmly stood;  
And Others of his Rank haled to their Nets,  
Two English Kings of our Plantagenets.   

WHen Milan rose against the Emperor,  
With other Towns, though not to Babel's Tower  
Subject at all, yet did Pope Gregory,  
Because the Rebels sought his Amity,  
Accurse the Third Time Caesar's Majesty:  
And though some pleaded then a Nullity,  
Yet no submission served Frederick,  
But he stands barred from the Church Catholic.  
About the Year Two Hundred Thirty Eight  
With the one Thousand past, for his own Right  
The Emperor was then compelled to Fight,  
The while the Pope all Caesar's League did smite  
With Thundering Darts pretended from Saint Paul  
And from Saint Peter to affright them all.  
But seeing that such Blasts small terror struck,  
He then proclaimed the Cross, and thereby shook  
Th' Imperial League, yet not so fatally,  
But that his Gibellines stood really,  
As with the Pope remained the Guelphian Side,  
Which Two did long all Italy divide.   

Here ends not all this Centuries Complaint:  
With far more dismal Stirs the Pope did taint  
Those Cloudy Times. The Father dead, he shoots  
Upon the Son his Bolts. It little boots  
Him to submit. The Son alike must bear  
His Father's Curse, and so to Sway forbear.  
Conradus dead, he doth for Conradine  
As much and more, for him he doth confine  
Not only from the Empire; But his Own  
Of Naples Realm with the Sicilian Crown  
He gives away for Prey to Charles of France,  
Whose Banners there Pope Clement did advance,  
And never left (such was his Chollers Flame  
To Conradine for his dead Grandsire's Fame)  
Till he and Austriaes' Prince by a sly way  
Were taken and beheaded in One day▪  
Judge, Readers, now, if Popes lived like to Christ,  
Or whether they resembled Antichrist.   

SO Sly and Cautious were this Ages States,  
That None for fear to have with Pope's Debates  
For Seventeen Years durst hazard on the Mace  
Imperiall, but the same lay for that Space  
Still vacant. For Alphonsus' King of Spain  
Had flat refused the Cumbers to sustain,  
Lest of an ancient Friend, his Ghostly Sire  
Become his Foe, and so his Love expire;  
He would not leave, he said, Astronomy  
Which he then studied, for all Germany.  
Th' Electours than chose Richard Cornewalls Duke,  
The romans King, but he with some rebuke  
Was since put off, because his Holidome  
Expected more of Others for that Room;  
And thereupon he Hasburgs' Earl enthrones,  
Since Austriaes' Head, with him the Pope atones  
In Old Lausannaes' Town; but could not get  
Him once to Rome, lest that his footing set  
In that unlucky Place, some Jealous Fit  
Might nip the Pope's rash Brain and crazed Wit,  
That he from thence should never more return,  
But perish there, except he served his turn,  
As Caesar's were before his time to do  
Constrained, or else his Wrath to undergo.  
And to that end the prudent Emperor  
Rehearsed the Tale, how to the Lion's Bower  
Who feigned him sick, the Fox saw many Beasts  
To enter in as Complemental Guests,  
But not the steps of any coming back.  
And that made him to Rome his Visit slack.   

NOw at this Age's Period Celestine  
The Romish Pope was cheated by a fine  
And Cunning Sleight, the Popedom to resign  
To Boniface, himself and to confine  
Into an Hermit's Cell, to end his Days  
With Prayers, Fasts, and such Religious ways.  
This by a whispering Cane or hollow Reed  
He acted, and his wish did so succeed.  
Thus Boniface began. But as such Plots  
Thrive seldom, so entangled in those knots,  
Which he for others warped, he waged Wars  
In Italy. In France he moved Jars  
Against the King, with Fulminating Darts  
Against his Realm, till spite of all his Arts  
His Holiness Captived, in Prison fast,  
For very Grief than he deceased at last,  
With this Memorial fixed on his Clog:  
He came a Fox, Reigned a Wolf, died a Dog.  
But to increase Rome's Superstitious store,  
Before his Death he coined one Custom more,  
The Jubilees great Tear, wherein all such,  
Who came to Rome, were ●as'd of Sin and Pouch:  
Eased of Sin's Pain from Purgatories Flame,  
Eased of their Gold as Ransom for the same.  
This Pope decreed it first with Balaams' Fire,  
When that One Hundred Years did full expire;  
But since to Fifty Years Popes changed the Course,  
That they might reap more Gain by Gull's recourse,  
And Pilgrim-Visits of the Lateran,  
And other Sainted-Fanes late made profane,  
Since Freedom was proclaimed by Romish Sires  
For many Thousand Years from Purging Fires.  
So doth the Mystic Whore entangle Souls  
To credit Dreams, which raise her Market Tolles.  
And now likewise for her God's Adoration  
Popes first Decreed the Messes Elevation.  
Thus I wind up this Popish Age, the while  
I warn thy Wits to greet, O Patrick's Isle,  
Thy Prelate Fitz-Raphe, Primate Armachan,  
Who against the Upstart Friars played the Man,  
And proud their Begging Orders Vain and False  
Before the Pope and all his Cardinals.  
So shone that time this Learned Man's Renown,  
That when his Death was through Avinion known,  
A Cardinal was heard of Him to say:  
The Church hath lost a Pillar strong this day.   

ANd yet for all such Good men's Prophes●es,  
Rome would not quit her Pedlar's Merchandise,  
Which to her use those Croaking Frie●s trucked,  
But by their Li●s she all our Horey sucked.  
(Their Legends wrought such Superstitious Fear.)  
They saw Our Lady here, Our Lady there,  
At Mountserrat, Lorrette, Walsingham,  
Whereby they got, as to th' Ephesian Dame,  
To Isis, Baal, and Moloch Temples built,  
And Images with Gold and Azure gilt,  
By which false specious Shows, old Satan's Mists,  
Rich Offerings they procured to Romish Priests.  
Then, Miracles were rife, of Wise men known  
For Ghostly Wiles, now to a Proverb grown;  
That to conclude Some for Notorious Liars,  
It is enough to say, that they are Friars.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE FOURTEENTH AGE, From the Year of our Lord 1300. until the Year 1400. At which time Henry the Fourth Ra●gned King of England.  
The Argument.  
The Fratricells soon up, and quashed. At Mass  
By Papal Plot than Caesar poisoned was.  
Pope John maintains, he can all Kings depose.  
Our Wickliff now Rome's Doctrine doth oppose.  

ABout the Dawne of this New Century,  
The Fratricells of Anabaptists Fry  
In Germany dispersed their Arguments,  
That Christians should not perk to Governments;  
But that all things lay Common to the Poor  
As to the Rich. No Creature less or more  
Than Others must possess. Equallity  
They taught of States and Lives Conformity,  
Much like to that, which Plato Chymerized,  
Or the Utopian Weal, which Moor devised.  
But their Opinions vanished into Smoak,  
And they themselves endured the Church's stroke,  
Censured for Bedlams of Corrupted Zeal,  
Offensive to the Church and Commonweal,  
Which without hope of Gain would slothful grow:  
Yet by the Fruit a Christians Faith we know.  
I wish in Wealth a Mean, from Miser's store  
A Miracle extended to the Poor.  
O how my Heart doth grieve to see their Cures  
Neglected, whilst our Dronish Epicures  
Most idly waste what Godly Families  
Would save from Dearth, and serve as Sacrifice  
To cover Sins. We car●y hence no Gold  
Nor Land▪ Eight Foot alone a Coarse will hold.   

A Friar's Act yet happened to his Liege,  
Great Luxemb●roughs Caesar, at the Siege  
Of Florence more prodigious by the Pope's  
Procurement, which quashed suddenly the Hopes  
And Life of the Imperial Majesty,  
(Deciphring Babel's black Iniquity)  
By a Black Friar with a Masses Cake  
Envenomed, and taen his Heartstrings broke.  
And so whom Force, nor Flashes could outbrave,  
One hallowed Bit dispatched him to his Grave.   

NOr did the Next succeeding Emperor  
Much better speed, for he likewise the sour  
And crabbed aspect felt of proud Anti br●st.  
He Lewis dared out of the Church of Christ  
By Thundering Bulls to shut, and made his Boast,  
That he had Power through the Holy Ghost  
Both Emperors and Princes to dispose,  
And at his Will their Kingdoms to transpose.  
Thus John the Two and Twentieth of that Name  
On Caesar played, and Scriptures did defame,  
Until some Grave and Learned Men arose  
In that Tempestuous Age him to oppose.   

AMong which Occam started up with Quill  
Of Cherubs Wing, and proved that Doctrine ill.  
He proved the Rule of all this Earthly Ball  
To appertain unto States Temporal,  
And by the Light transferred from Holy Scrolls,  
How Truth exempts no privileged Souls,  
No not the Pope himself from Caesar's Doom,  
Since Peter felt by Nero Martyrdom.   

SO to the Glory of the English Race,  
Who with the First withstood the Papal Mace,  
He, whom the Godly for his Learned Works  
Then styled, The Hammer of the Romish Church,  
On Grosted I reflect, Grave Lincoln's Sire:  
He stoutly wrote against his Forged Fire,  
Which nettled him so much, that out of hand  
He would have cited him before his Band  
Of Pharisees at Tiber to appear,  
But that admonished by his Council there,  
Sage Cardinals, he was content to pass  
Him over, lest the Bishop might surpass  
Them by his rare incomparable Lore,  
And wind them in more Mazes than before.  
Two Ages passed had Abbot joachim  
Against Rome's Gain a Prophet been to grim.  
O Glorious Isle, most happy is thy Fate,  
Which hadst the Luck first to descry thy State,  
Thy Churches doleful state by Babel torn,  
And with the First to be in Christ Newborn,  
To shake her Yoke quite off, and to fly out  
From her Dark Jail, maugre her Guardians stour.   

FRom time to time we read in Antiquartes,  
God raised up some to sound forth Rome's Vagaries.  
Before that Wickliff stretched his Lion's Paw,  
One Robert Gall Soule-rapt in Paris saw  
The Romish Church by Name with Head like Death,  
And with a Body lean, and scant of Breath:  
An Angel then, while this sight did appear,  
Bade him the Romish Church mark standing there.   

SHe in our West was then of small extent,  
Perhaps retired elsewhere, like Abraham's Tent;  
Or She fared in that Antichristian Age,  
Like Babel's Jews, or Saints through Nero's Rage.  
heavens Path is Narrow, Stiep. Hell's Broad, down hill,  
Good men but Few, the Greatest part are Ill:  
Yet of those Few 'tis hard to know their Scope:  
Some sick, some weak, or of Potential Hope,  
Yet of those Few the True Church is composed,  
And of those Few some were, like Stars, disposed  
By our Good God of Dangers to foretell,  
Whereby the Rest might save themselves from Hell.  
So Petrarch sung in twofold Latian Style,  
And others did in Learned Works compile  
Glancing, nay Striking at Rome's Antichrist,  
And drawing Souls from dark Cimmerian Mist.  
So Boccace had, although with Tales disguised,  
The Friar's wanton Thefts Epitomised.  
As likewise those Three Nuns Canonised Saints,  
Like Babel's jews, or Sibyls made Complaints:  
Good Katherine, Bridget, and Hildegard  
foretell our New-mans' Arms of safest ward,  
And that a New Reformed Presbytery  
Their Liturgy should quash and Popery.   

THus by Records the Church's Race I try,  
And by Faith's Light her Orient Face descry,  
Like the New Moon approaching from the Wane,  
And shine more bright in Consciences Humane.  
By which and by Rome's own Historian Platine,  
I find how lived the Head of the Church Latin,  
By Simony, and lewd Magicians Spells,  
By Murders, Fraud, and Coining of New Hells,  
By setting all our Christ endome at odds,  
Because they kneeled not to his Mammet Gods.  
With Factious Guelphs, his hurliburles Assigns,  
He warred against the Imperial Gibellines.  
Amidst these Broils and Crimes exorbitant,  
Christ whistled home his Flock extravagant.  
Some knew his Sound, and to his Fold returned,  
Some stayed behind, and Refractories turned.  
The First he linked with his Church Catholic,  
But left the Latter of the Staggers Sick,  
And for a Prey to Fiends, because his Call  
They slighted, and his Cures Angelical.  
Such to be gulled he left by Airy Elves,  
But his True Ark he steered free from Shelves.   

Now with fair Light from famous Oxford rose  
Our Wicklisse, Rome's Foundations to oppose,  
By certain Lords and Londoners Support,  
Which though some crossed, yet gave a loud Report,  
So loud, that hus and Icrome heard from Prague  
The Noise, and learned to fly from Babel's Plague,  
And left to Aftertimes such Fruitful Seed,  
That the True Church now glories in the Breed.   

THen Chaucer by the Freedom of his Rhymes  
Unsilenced scanned the Darkness of those Times:  
(Of such strange Force are Tunes of Raptur'd Wits,  
That they have charmed and stilled wild Tyrant's Fits)  
He plainly pointed at Rome's Antichrist,  
Admiring at the Clergies stormy Mist,  
Which did so long our West exagitate.  
Like them in Zeal, though with unequal Fate,  
Did the Lord Cobham since, the Bohemes hus,  
And those Good Souls in Britain's I'll discuss  
Religion's state, those whom the Papists then  
nicknamed for their Faith Just and Fast Men.  
Whose Manner near was such as Pliny writ  
To Trajan erst. They, as did Saints befit,  
Assembled in the Night, sung Psalms, Received  
The Holy Food, and with sweet Trance conceived  
Christ's Mystic Gifts, the New-mans' Sacrifice,  
The Spirits Flame, which Carnallists despise.  
They lived as Brethren, leagued in Unity  
With mutual Love, and Goods Community,  
Relieving One another's Need always,  
Their own Just Fast men's Need without delays.  
For Paul's Epistles, or th' Apocalypse  
In English penned, because there Babel's slips  
Were prophesied, they grudged not to defray  
Five Sterling Marks, a Scrivener's Royal Pay,  
If we regard the scarceness then of Coin,  
Before Castille did Perues Oar purloin.  
And which is strange, they seldom mixed their Seed,  
But with their Mates, lest they might taint their Breed.  
Fools styled them then, as they now Lutherans,  
The Known Men, or Wicklevian Puritan,  
The Just and Fast, or with a Brow more sour,  
Them Lollards marked, from whence came Lollaras' Tower.   

IN Wales, About this Ages latter end,  
Did Blasts from Hell to Friar's Brain ascend;  
False Miracles these Merit-●onging Crew  
Pretended done by Winifrid did brew  
near to a Well derived from Rocky Lime,  
Which Holy they enstyld in that Dark Time,  
Because the Blood of that good Virgin there,  
As they surmizd, was shed, and not elsewhere:  
Lord, how they roamd, like wild Geese, on the Fame!  
And unto Baal with fat Oblations came!  
All to enrich the Forgers of the Bruit  
With what they never toiled for, Strangers Fruit!  
Before which Feat for their Monastic Weal,  
Their Beggars Wants they knew not how to heal.  
'Tis strange to see how soon the World turned Whore,  
When Girald past Two Hundred Years before  
That very Place with an exact Survey,  
Yet could not learn what men did since display.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE FIFTEENTH AGE, From the year of our Lord 1400. until the year 1500 At which Time Henry the Seventh reigned King in England.  
The Argument.  
Our Churches slighted state. Byzantium lost.  
The Papacy in strife. The Hussites crossed  
For hus raise War, with Ziscaes' Conquests crowned.  
Strange Lands by Gama and Columbus found.  

AS I of late Old Rubbage diggd, I felt  
(With Flaming Force my Perturbations melt,  
My Passions curbed, my Outward Man of Might  
Deprived. And then I had a Ghostly Sight  
Of Robert Galls Parisian jack-a-lent,  
Whereof the Pope by Carnal Minds Consent  
Is Supreme Head on Earth. But soon I saw  
Both Head and Body burn away like straw;  
For Both indeed wore brittle Ornaments,  
And so dissolved to the First Elements,  
His Soul descending into Lower Spheres  
Then those of Purging, which he farmed for Years.  
Anon I saw with Intellectual Eyes,  
From a Dark jail a comely Dame arise,  
When seeing me She stopped her Modest Pace,  
And like my Saviour's Mother, full of Grace,  
Thou Mortal Man, quoth She, dost wonder now,  
Why on Poor Thralls my Favours I bestow,  
And not on Scarlet Robes in midst of Plenty?  
I dwell not with the Proud; Not one of Twenty,  
That spends the time in Carnal Jollity,  
Enjoys my Love, Heat, or Society;  
Which Caiphas-like, Pope Adrian true confessed,  
He saw not how Rome's Sceptre could be blest,  
Since He, to whom Christ left the Church's Care,  
Shunned worldly Rule, Pomp, and Simonious Ware.  
The Consciences, where I frequent me most;  
Are styled The Temple of the Holy Ghost.  
And there, no Swine, no Beasts of prey, nor Curs  
Dare enter once, nor any thing that blurs.  
Notorious sins with Penance I commute,  
But Common slips to Nature I impute.  
I never sold the Holy Spirits Gifts,  
But I receive Strays gratis without shifts.  
Though I enjoy the Keys to bind or lose,  
I seldom Curse, nor Yielding Reeds do bruise.  
Against Heretics I war, but not with Sword,  
My Fence is Vows and Tears, my Sword God's Word.  
For my chaste Faith to Christ I am beloved,  
And by his Fiery Cross I am approved.  
If thou desirest then to find me out,  
Look, VAUGHAN, not for me among the Rout,  
But with my Babes, which bear a loving Mind,  
Wise, Constant, sad. And there thou me shalt find.  
With such I liv d in Superstitious Times,  
And so proclaim me in thy New-mans' Rhymes.  
With such I dwelled by Worldlings scorned, the while  
My Beldame Foe Christ's Altars did defile,  
With Carnal Sense and Sacrilegious Rape  
Moulding th' Immortal in frail Mortal shape.   

THus stood Our Church, though not so fair of Face  
As she seems now, yet by Elections Grace,  
Christ's Merits, and his Blood's Prerogative  
She breathed free from Sins imputative,  
And though her Seed were not so pure as Our,  
Nor Ours, as Saints, yet may the Man-Gods Power  
For their Faith's sake Old Passions purify,  
When Doomedayes Flames shall Bodies change or try  
Or rather at Death's Gasp to Paradise  
Convaigh them like the Thief, with Saints to rise,  
The judge will clothe them with his Robes of Grace,  
And them enrol with his True Church's Race.  
Thus stood Our Church most visible to Saints,  
Ere Luther broke into his Just Complaints.  
Here in Our West she persecuted lay,  
While Rome made sale of Souls and open Prey.  
She in the House of Mourning at the Stake  
Lay Patient, while Rome forged the Masses Cake.  
How did they her with Racks and Tortures touse  
Within their Jail●● and Inquisition House?  
How in Old Times did Berengariu● far,  
For daring to control cotrupted Ware?  
Nay, how in Spain● do they speed at this day,  
Who Christ alone for Advocate display?   

A Thousand Years the Dragon with Restraint  
Of Bloody Force ●y Close. Till then a Saint  
Possessed his Conscience free from Tortures Fi●e,  
Or Hell's Constraint. No Synod f●ll of Ire,  
Till the Fourth Henry reigned, did sign a Law  
By Massacres poor England to withdraw  
From preaching Christ. No Council General  
Doomed Saints to Flames to end Religions Bra●le,  
Till Sigismond at Constance suffered hus  
And Jerome to be burnt without discuss  
Of their true Cause. Yet Sautre first  
Of Martyrs did appease the Bloody thirst  
Of Antichristian Priests in the First Year  
Of the said Henry's Reign. Next Badby here  
Thorpe, Purvey, Taylour, White, and Hoveden,  
With the Lord Cobham, Flower of Noblemen,  
Who did before the Bishops of this Land,  
With burning Zeal the Romish Church withstand,  
For the Faith's sake, and the Wicklevian Sect  
Did by their Blood, and Martyrs Seals erect  
An Altar up in honour of our Christ  
As Members of their Head against Antichrist,  
How many Souls were forced to abjure  
And to recant▪ No Saint then lived secure  
In the Three Henry's Sway of Lancaster,  
Who preached God's Word, as He of Chichester  
Grave Peacock felt, and many more, that fared  
As bad because they Babel's Whore outdared▪  
Kent, Hereford's, and Norwich Diocese  
Saw men styled Lollards then with like success  
Take up the Cross, and yield for Christ their Breath.  
(So Prelates Saints pursued with spite, and Death)  
And not content the Living to torment,  
They one Degree beyond the Pagans went,  
For Wickliffs' Bones from out the Grave they tore,  
And burnt, which lay there Forty Years before.  
With solemn Pomp and Degradations Mask,  
Those Gotam-Scribes performed that Gothish Task.   

O Would the Lines of this Epitome  
Could move our Strays, which haunt the Romish Sea,  
To meditate on Times Old Monuments,  
And there to mark what Savage Punishments  
One Hundred Years, ere Luther rose, were then  
Inflicted by mad Priests on Christian Men,  
For seeking to reform Old things amiss,  
And by God's Word to win blind strays to Bliss:  
I might then hope some would relent and turn  
To our Newman, and with New Zeal would burn,  
Not heeding Dreams and Superstitious Mists,  
Which spread abroad by false Massemonging Priests,  
And Idolised by haughty Hildebrand,  
Lay yet on Rome an Ignominious Brand;  
But noting what the Newman put in ure  
The first Six Hundred Years, they hold most pure.  
For such our Martyrs did, and such I know  
Great Britain now extols, at least in show.   

BUt to review the Church's History,  
The Lookingglass of Sacred Memory:  
Whilst half this Age with doubtful chance embroils,  
Which France shall feel, or England Bloodier Broules?  
The Centre of this Age melts into Tears,  
And cries out shame upon 〈◊〉 Westorne P●●res,  
For suffering Turk's Byzantium to possess,  
And by that means quite to subvert the Peace  
Of all the Eastern Church, and there for Christ  
To fiixe a mighty Limb of Antichrist.  
Had they in time bu● seconded the Duke  
Of Burg●ndy when he Thralls a rebuke  
With a Checkmate received in Hungary,  
The Ottomans had not fair Bulgary  
Subjected, nor the Grecian Isles since won  
To Christians Loss, and Mahome●s renown.  
But as with Cunning Plots the Dragon razed  
Our Westernes Faith, so than he there defaced  
With Open Force the Easternes Primest Seat,  
The City of New Rome; in which Defeat  
He glories, that the same with Salems' Town,  
And Antioch he from Servile Christians won.  
Their Sins them servile made, that so before  
The judgement Day their Fall might Others more  
Rouse up from Sloth and Dull Security  
To Watch, lest they feel more Indignity.   

ANd then near Thirty Years were passed, since Pope's  
Branding each Other for false Antipopes  
Copartners, at a Council General  
By Sigismonds' good Cares they stint the Brawl.  
At which I cannot in my Zealous Trance  
Unnamed leave a Chancellor of France,  
Grave Gerson, whom our Chronicles record,  
That for Truth's Rights to be again restored  
He motioned to bring back the Light Divine,  
As in the Days of Paul or Constantine.  
This he craved in the Council General  
Most Zealous, but the State Pontisicall  
Would not assent to hear of Reformation,  
Lest they might clinch their Court of Augmentation,  
Like Politics, who wink at Thiefs or Stews,  
At Spoils or Bribes, at Barrators or jews,  
Increasing Sin, and what to Vengeance tends  
For Private Gain, and their own Idoll-ends.  
This Motion made that Clerk Magnanimous  
About the Time, when there they burned hus,  
That hus, who sung, that though they broiled the Goose,  
Within One Hundred Years should be let lose  
A Swan out of those Flames, as white as Snow,  
Whose powerful Tune would make more Ear●● to glow.  
Which Prophecy fell true, for the Events  
Gamaliels-like since answered the Contents▪  
Yet did that Council do one piece of Worth,  
For they deposed Three Popes, and chose a Fourth.   

BUt afterwards the Caesar Sigismond  
For Breach of Faith by dear Experience conned,  
That though, as Toys, wrongs Mortals overpass,  
Yet God will them not unrevenged pass,  
For of the Breach soon as Bohemia heard,  
The Safeconduct infringed, the Cause unheard,  
And that the Council had condemned hus  
And Jerome to be burnt without discuss  
Of the main Points of Faith, for which they 〈◊〉  
By Safeconduct signed in th' Imperial Name:  
And now affronted with this fond Reply,  
Or rather jeered with a Priseillian Lie:  
That Promise, Faith, and Vows to Heretics  
Were void in Law, if made by Catholics;  
The Taborites repined, fair Prague laments,  
And all Bohemia moves with sudden Rent●,  
For their late Prophet's Death, and Guil●l● 〈◊〉 Blo●d  
Shed for no cause, but that they Rome withstood.  
Then Valiant Zisca, like the Son of Nun,  
Heads against Caeser, many Battles won,  
And with small Numbers to all the Papists Wonder  
Great Armies daunts, as struck with claps of Thunder.  
The Bohemes so against their Foes prevailed,  
That they their Loss, and Breach of Faith bewailed;  
And to this day those Rites in Boheme last,  
Which first to hus from English Wickli●●e past.   

NOr was that Doctrine in Bohemia close,  
And England kept alone, but to oppose  
The Romish Sid● by Virtue of the Light  
Derived from thence there daily came more Might.  
The Bishop of Cr●atia then did rise  
By Wickliff's Lamp, and did Rome's Fall comprise  
In Measured Lines, which with Prophetic Gloss  
〈◊〉 did for that Dark Age disclose.  
Cameracums' Good Cardinal than wrote,  
And laid on Rome an everlasting Blot,  
As others in those Days the like revealed  
What from Old muddy Pates stood long concealed.  
So M●ntuan did and Savonarola,  
Clemangis, and the Count Mirandola  
Boldly declaim against Great Babel's Pride,  
Ere Luther rose to write against her Side.  
For now had God in his appointed Time  
Refined more Wits the Gospel out to chime.   

THough for their Sins he Pius took away  
The Best of Popes, who whilst he lived, gave way  
Some Errors to reform, and meant that Wives  
Should licenc'd be to Priests, yet still he lives  
For his Good Will enrolled in Lines of Fame,  
That Silvius thought to cover Babel's shame.   

FOr like Effect God sent the Printers Press,  
That with Good Books we might his Truth confess,  
For till this Age fair Printing lay unknown,  
And so for want of Works Truth was pressed down.  
Guns likewise came within this Ages List,  
Invented by by a Friar Alchemist▪  
Now Beads came up, where Sixtus was not wary  
For Penance sake to link the Ave-Mary.  
And after him, by the next raving Pope,  
Who for his Fact was worthy of a Rope,  
Rome's Stews came up, for whom he builded Rooms,  
And got the Whores to pay him Yearly Sums,  
Under pretence to keep some Women Chaste,  
But more for Gain, and for his Priests unchaste,  
As though the Brothels could Knaves tempt let,  
By suffering Ill, Sin Hidra's to beget.   

WHat now hath Rome to plead? what Colour? Shift?  
Or false Demur to cloak her wanton drift?  
That she be not indicted hereupon  
A Bawd? and styled the Whore of Babylon,  
Not only Ghostly, but a Carnal Whore  
She stands arraigned; for, as ye heard before,  
A Whore indeed, a Woman Moguntine  
Sat Pope in Rome, and acted Rites Divine.  
If this be not sufficient Evidence,  
Examine well their Lives and Fraudulence,  
What Paramours Popes keptd what Bloody Da●ce  
They led? what Plut● their Bastards to advance?  
That very Pope, which shall close up this Age,  
Can testify with what tumultuous Rage  
He raised his Son and Daughter to great States  
Caesar made Duke, a Duke Lucreti● mates.  
About the Year Six Hundred Sixty Six,  
The Antichristian Fiend began his Tricks  
And Lullabies to act through Carnal Ease,  
That men might fall to Scorbuts Foul● disease,  
Or to some Prantick Fits. Nor was it long  
But at the Time foretold, who did belong  
To the Great Cities D●●●, by Sea and Land  
Played the fond Bedlams at their Heads command.  
Her huge Impostume broke out at the last,  
That is Five Hundred Years she made ●uch waste  
Of Rags for Tenes to keep her Issuer running,  
To serve her still it past our Westernes cunning.  
The Prince of Fiends such Humours, Spleen, and Gall  
Envenomed had this Mystery withal,  
That for Gu●iat●m she must India riste,  
For Europe's Drugs seemed to her Limbs a Trifle.  
Who durst oppose her what she went about?  
She had the Keys of Heaven and Hell to boot:  
Of all the World she was Chief Governess,  
And of what Christ scorned in the Wilderness.  
Only there wanted to supply her State  
The Gen●●es Map, and Isabellaes' Fate.   

BEfore her Wane God's Glory to extend,  
It chanced about this Ages Latter End,  
That Gama first from Lisbon tried the Course,  
To pass by Sea to the East-Indian Shores,  
Where having found the Loadstone since in use,  
He Pilots did from the Polestar reduce;  
By which and Printing was the Gospel's sound  
Dispersed, and Both within this Age Newfound.  
West-India then was was by Columbus seen,  
At the Expense of that Castilian Queen;  
Who pawned her Jewels for the finding out  
Of those New Lands, whose Gold made Spain so stout,  
That aiming at the Western Monarchy.  
She Musters, Fights, holds Kings in Jealousies  
And Babel's Whore hopes in that Newfound Soilo  
By Mart of Souls to keep more revel Coil,  
And what She here hath by the Gospel lost,  
That to repair in India's Sunburnt Coast.  
Our Seventh Henry might have made his Boast,  
Had he but been as prone as Ferdinand  
To take the tendered Map of that New Land.  
But though the Tract was large, yet Portugal  
And Castile's King contended, till the Brawl  
By the High Priests Imaginary Lines  
Umpired, they claimed more than their Right confin●●.  
And so Rome's Rites erected in that Coast.  
Satan repairs what he in Europe lost,  
Unless our Isle, to countepoise his Craft,  
Had lately aimed into that North a Shaft,  
Which may perhaps some Consciences so wound,  
That Savages may hear the Gospel's Sound,  
Which others Damps with Superstitious Fire  
Have there concealed, and hindered to inspire.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE SIXTEENTH AGE, From the year of our Lord 1500. until the year 1600.  
The Argument.  
Where lay Our Church ●re Wickliff first arose:  
By Prodigies Rome warned ere Luther rose.  
No Tyrant's Plots could let Our Churches Sound,  
But England's Queens did all her Foes confound.  

FRom Age to Age I showed the Church's race,  
Her Wane, her Wens, & her rèfulgent Fa●e;  
And some I named for Prophetizing Wits  
Times against our Beli●ls Fit●,  
 
 
 
Who laboured to suppress what Christ prescribes?  
Besides th● Abyssines under Precious john,  
Th' Armenians, greeks, and Some in Babylon,  
Or otherwhere (For who dares bound our Guest?  
Since we are tied likewise to Judge the Best?)  
And not to bind Gods free unbounded Grace  
To any certain Climate, Time, or Place?)  
Christ had his Church, a Remnant saved by Grace  
Always inspired in some or Other Place;  
Whether our Scribes pretend them Coloieros,  
Nesto●●n●, M●nkes, or Saint john's Cavoll●res;  
Whether they hold of Persian jacobites,  
The Hinnies' Form, or of Georgiaes' Rites;  
Of Maronites, or Coftics of the East,  
Or Catbelicks so craking in the West,  
Or Hermit's, Nuns, and l'olyntaries 〈◊〉,  
Whose humbled hearts then Pomp Saints honour more  
Because they side with Christ, bear Christian Name,  
Though much in Blame, yet I will spare their Fame;  
And let our Weaklings know, that some were Wise,  
And did of Old in Babel Sybillize;  
By special Signs and Symptoms general,  
But most by Sacred Stars Authentical,  
Denouncing for her Slips God's Wrath, her Fall,  
Unless she would Repent her at their Call.  
And so things came to pass, as they Divined,  
Her Spires for Rookes we now demolished find,  
Some by the Force of furious Ottoman,  
Some forfeited for what the Laws did scan:  
Her Chapels turned to Barnes, or Nests for Owls,  
Her Nunneries first built for harmless Souls  
Lie waste with her Rich temporals and Rents;  
Yea, and Gods Tithes, Our Church-emoluments,  
By what just Warrant let the Law's dispute,  
Some keep away as yet; and I am Mute,  
Because I see sometimes that Innocence,  
Aswell as Vice, dies of the Pestilence,   

An Order laid Pope Alexander down  
For the New World. But shortly of his Own  
Most wretched States and Life shall be bereft,  
And for Usurpers an Example left.  
For after this usurped Partition made,  
His Bastard Son to try his Former Trade  
Of Poisoning Those, whom he supposed would bar  
The Proud Designs of his complotted war,  
His Motto blazed, the Hazards Die is cast,  
Caesar, or Nothing, now by Poisons Taste  
He meant to rid Suspected Cardinals  
Out of the way, but hereby both their Falls,  
His Fathers and his Own, he sudden wrought,  
For he soon as the Fat all Wine was brought,  
Charged his Page, that he the Bottle watch,  
And when he called for Wine that he should reach  
It for his Guests; the Pope came in the while,  
And thirsty called for Wine: the Page the Wil●  
Not knowing, thought the Wine reserved was Choice,  
And without more ado, or Answers Noise,  
Filled him a Cup of the Empoisned Wine,  
And by just Doom, as writeth Gui●ciardine,  
Came in the Author, his accursed Son  
All thirsty too, and tasted thereupon  
The Cup which he for Others brewed, and lost  
His Father out of hand, himself almost  
Ran the same Fate, but that by Nature strong,  
He for that time escaped to do more wrong,  
Still quarrelling, till he was thralled and slain.  
So Caesar Borgia lived and died a Caine.  
Pope Julius now to Tiber slung his Koyes,  
Then fought, and lost by French his Enemies.  
A Token that Rome's Church to wrack began  
To fall, as you may by the sequel scan.   

THe Ourward Cross in Teutons Soil appeared  
Of Martyr's Form, and with that Sign besmeared  
Their Palaces, and Household Ornaments,  
Their Windows, Doors, and Bodies Vestments;  
A sign to show the Fiery Trials Doom  
By Factious Gogs and Magogs' Force to come,  
Veiled with the Cross, the Keys, with Peter's Net,  
With jesus, with the Laws, or Mahomet.  
This Miracle in Maximilians Time  
Fell out, not long before the Gospel's Chime  
At Wittemberge with Motions life began  
By Luther's Zeal, that good Samaritan,  
Who, when most shunned to help the wounded Man,  
Cheered up, and Bathed Christ's Members pale and wan.   

ANd after this another Prodigy  
Befell to Rome, which no Apology  
Of Idolists can cover the mishap;  
When little jesus from his Mother's Lap  
Was in the Church removed, and Peter's Keys  
Thrown from his Pictures hand, Both in a trice  
Without respect of Persons by the stroke  
Of Thunders Crack and sacred Sulphur's Smoke  
Just in that Church, where One and Thirty Priests  
With the Red Hat that Day, like Minstre●●ists,  
Installed were by Leo there with state  
In the same Year, when Lutber to abate  
His Loftiness began with greater Fame  
Than Cardinal's support, in Christ his Name.   

OUr Kings and States of Western Christendom  
Complained and sought for some Redress to come  
Of Faith's abuse, and Rome's Impiety,  
But still the Head was deaf to Piety,  
He would no Member be, but the Church whole,  
Himself sole judge, and Church, without one Mole,  
Or Sinful Spot, by which Prerogative  
He tyrannised so, that none could thrive;  
He watched with Vultures Claws all Stakes to sweep:  
He watched to flay, but not to feed the Sheep,  
Like Maltaes jew, or those of Lawless kind,  
Who under Mask of Law cease not to grind  
Christ's Members, till they feel Hell's measures heaped,  
Or till they reap what Old Massmongers reap●.  
So blinded were the Popes by Doom Divine,  
Till a Poor Man, a Friar Augustine,  
Since started up to do that Glorious Deed,  
Which Gregory's, and Austin's doth exceed,  
Which Kings afraid, but failed to perform:  
Nay, Kings durst not what Luther did reform.  
Would God that some like Prophet took the Pains  
To bring back Love for which our Church complains.  
This Wonder God wrought in our Latter Days,  
That before Doom he might recall some Strays,  
That Satan's Pride he might by Sucklings tame,  
And by the Weak the Worldly Wizz and shame.   

WEll near upon our Luther's Sacrifice,  
Grave Reuclin did and Valla break the Ice,  
As London was prepared by Golets Flame,  
And Dutch-land by the Clerk of Rotter da●●;  
As Swisser Land, when Luther first began,  
By Zuinglius was stirred up Rome's zeal to scan.  
But none then our Just Fast Men triumphed more,  
Whose Race had held full Sixscore Years before  
With Faggots Fire, and Lollards branded Pain  
Pursued till now, and now rejoiced again,  
To see that Faith, which with the Hussites they  
Had long maintained, found out an open way  
By Luther's Zeal, Stigelius ravish● Mus●,  
And by Melancthons' Flowers with blooming News.   

BAbel her Fall in Henry's Time foresaw,  
When Praemunire England's ancient Law  
Her Clergy racked. But most the quaked for Dread  
To hear him styled the Churches Supreme Head:  
For by that Style what Rome usurped here  
Of Aunates, Far●●s, and Duties every Year,  
Our Parliament had on the King conferred  
To aid him in his Wars. These Spoils transferred  
From Foreign use to help the Natives want:  
'Tis strange to mark how soon men did recant  
Their Carnal Dreams; and blind Idolatries,  
To celebrate the New-mans' Sacrifice.   

Blessed be Young Edward, Our josiaes' Name,  
Who next commenced this Work of Pio●● Fame.  
But as the Former Brood, when Constantine  
Deceased, then proved ingrateful, the Next Lig●e  
Of Caesars fell to Arrian Heresy,  
And their Old Vomits with Apostasy:  
So wavering England in the Marian Reign  
Quickly returned to Babel's yoke again,  
Until some Martyr's Blood, the Church's Seed,  
True Members of their Head in time of Need  
Had through God's Grace behind them left a Fire,  
As Latimer foretold, which would inspire,  
And never be extinct in Albion's Isle,  
Whilst that Our Kings bear Faith's Defenders Style.   

This by our Virgin Queen of Tydirs Race,  
Great Deborah, was since made good to raze,  
And quite demolish here Rome's strongest Fort,  
And chiefest Nerves, which did her Pride support.  
And surely, if Rome's Tributary Thralls  
Would take that Course, she on a sudden falls.  
Her Lofty Towers would yield so loud a Crack  
That they, which Court her now, would soon go ba●k,  
When slartled up at the New wondrous Sight,  
They see a Church more Catholic of Light:  
They would avouch no Advocate but One,  
And build their Faith upon the Corner Stone,  
That was hewed from the Mountain without hand,  
Male-borne without Male-Sire in jewry Land.  
They would exalt Our Church Apostolic  
Above their Own, the Carnal Catholic,  
And by God's Word, Truth's ground, the Church's no●e,  
They would conclude what now they ●on by rote.   

ABout the midst of this strange Century,  
Iniquities prodigious Mystery  
Began at Trent, or City Tridentine,  
Again to play upon the Word Divine  
By Canons propped with julians' Tyranny,  
More fit for Moors then Counsels harmony.  
Lest that the Gospel should Rome's Captives free  
From their Old doting Dreams, they did decree,  
That all such Books, which Protestants had penned  
To blaze God's Word, they should in pieces rend;  
Or if they touched her Carnal Copyhold,  
To Martyr them, since Babel aims at Gold;  
And that who did gainsay in Word or Deed,  
Or took it not as parcel of their Creed,  
That the whole Mass both for the Dead and Quick  
Sufficed, those Men they doomed no Catholic;  
That, who believed not all the Romish Crewes  
Traditions, they were worse than Turks or jews.  
Such Acts at Trent were last determined  
By the Fourth Pi●s, Rome's most impious Head,  
With Thundering Threats. From whence arose those Jars,  
Combustions, Powder-plots, and Bloody Wars,  
Which ever since embroiled Christendom,  
And will (I fear) until the Day of Doom  
Endure, unless our headstrong Strays afford,  
While Time remains, more Passage to God's Word.   

NOne can deny, but that this Council gave  
More Liberty for Papists too outbrave  
The Church Reformed by Inquisitions strict  
To rack poor Souls, and by severe Edict  
On Forfeiture of Life and Goods Escheat,  
If they would not adore the Papal Seat.  
From hence began the Civil Wars in France,  
Which ended not but by most Bloody Dance.  
And various sort of Massacres and Spoils.  
They ended not for all their Leaguers Broils,  
Until their Kings, the Guisians, and their Chiefs,  
Who sided in the Quarrel, died in Griefs,  
In Anguishes and Blood. And this the Star  
In Seventy Two, which past all Comets 〈◊〉  
For strange Portent and Blazing-hearded Rays,  
Did then denounce with woes to stubborn Strays,  
For Belgiaes' injured States did thereupon  
Incensed by Alv●es Duke, and Austria●● john,  
Who would have forced to Mass men's Consciences,  
Break into wars against Spain's Out-r●●es;  
Which last as yet. So likewise Portugal,  
With her Sebastian did in Africa fall.  
Enduc'd to fight with Moors by Jesuits Train,  
That Philip by his Death might cease all Spain,  
Excluding Don Antonio and his Race  
Quite from the Sway of Lis●ons Royal Mace.  
But to retire to our French Leaguers back,  
How Fatal proved their Plots? They thought to sack  
And ransack all the Towns, which Protestants,  
For their Defence then held. But in their wants  
God aided these, and on their Foes returned  
The Tragic Flames, wherewith they would have burned  
Their Neighbour's Roofs. Guise armed aghast his King,  
The King against him, till Both felt Judgements sting,  
Both died in Blood, yea, which appeared most rare,  
The King was caught in the same Bloody Snare,  
Where he in time forepast had leagued the Death  
Of Saints, whereby Catillion off his steach,  
For in that very Room the King was slain  
By Friar's hands, where first was laid that Train.   

LOng lived Our Queen to build things out of square  
A Virgin vowed to Christ, of Dowries rare,  
Excelling in the Gifts of Tongues and Arts;  
But more than all ●●one her Diviner Parts.  
Church-Elders She propped up, when Some their Fall,  
As if their State touched not the Temporal,  
For Lucre sake had plotted to deface  
Our Church's Form, her Frame, and Outward Face,  
Whereby her Sway had proved an Anarchy,  
Of scorned stem, the House of God a Sty,  
And Learning held in vile Contempt for lack  
Of Wages due; yea, all had gone to wrack,  
If this Good Queen had not supported them,  
Who holp to build our New jerusalem.   

IN her Buddes-time, to counterpoise, or let  
Our Church's Growth, or in her Te●ts beset  
To ruin● some of our good Souldi●rs, sp●●●g  
The jesuits' Sect with the False Serpent's Tongue  
Disguised with Zeal, and promising to Youth  
Mountains of Rules, New Documents for Truth.  
Upon which News, and Newness of their Name,  
Degrading Antioch, and the Christi●● Fame,  
They wan Repute in Babel. But of ●are  
Discreeter States their Bloody Doctrine hate.  
Among these Frogs croaked Mariana first  
Against all Kings, who were by Pope's Accursed,  
And by Black Rules derived from Hell's Abyss,  
dethroned them of their States for their Amiss.  
Yea, and their Lives subjected unto Slaves.  
With such lewd Points, wherein this Jesuit raves,  
He Campians Brain so stuffed, that Ireland's Realm  
And Desmonds' Crew he poisoned with the stream;  
For which his Plots and false Conspiracies,  
Himself became a Damned Sacrifice;  
As well deserved the Author for his Books  
Entangling Christians with such Hellish Hooks▪  
But all their Plots of Pistols, Poison, Swords,  
Nor Romish Bulls, nor Briefs loud thundering words,  
Could shorten or impeach Eliza's Reign,  
But that she thrived in spite of Rome and Spain,  
While they prevailed with Fatal wound to sting  
One whom they took for the most Christian King;  
Which Deed so pleased Pope Six●●●, that he durst  
With judith rank the Malefactor Cursed.  
THis Sixtus dared to Excommunicate  
Our Famous Queen, her Empire to translate,  
As much as in him lay, and Leave to gore  
Her Person gave, as Pius did before.  
But all their roaring Bulls and Thunderclaps  
With Interest returned, with heavy Raps  
Upon themselves, their Faction, and on those,  
To whom they dreamed her Kingdoms to transpose  
Under his shroud, who from a Fishes Craw  
Did Toll for Christ and his own Person draw.   

IN the mean time fair England's Zealo●s Queen,  
Like Charcoal sparks, contemned their flashing spleen.  
And for her Zeal God blest her brave Attempts,  
That she cried Quittance for his slight Contempts  
Of Neighbour's Love with the Great King of Spain,  
Who suff●ed still his Inquisitions Train,  
Under pretext of their Religion's Laws,  
To pray upon her Merchants without Cause,  
And on their Goods: or shedding of their Blood;  
Or Galley-slaved; or to wear Benet's Hood.  
These wrongs by Drake and Candish she redressed,  
And feared not to encounter him at Best  
With all his Naval Force in Eighty Eight,  
And afterwards at Cales she showed her Might.  
Nor went his Indies free from her Revenge,  
Nor Belgiaes' Soil, but that she did avenge  
Her Quarrel full, by Force of Arms transverse  
The Belgian State, and free the Hollanders  
From th' Inquisitions Yoke by Alva laid,  
And sithence trained their Milksops by her Aid  
To turn brave Soldiers both on Sea and Land,  
To weary Spain, and on their Guard to stand.   

AFter that Bloody Feast in Seventy Two,  
When Zions Church French Herod's would undo,  
Besieged Rochel with Munitions store  
By Sea she furnish●, and Relieved her Poor.  
Again, France tasted of her Lenity,  
As Bourbon tried and his Posterity,  
Which but for her good Cares, and Troops Supply,  
Had stooped unto Iberiaes' Tyranny;  
And Lorra●nes League then mammo●kt into Parts  
Had thralled all France to Spain's Superior Darts.   

SHe planted Ireland, civilised the Rude,  
Rebellious, Wild, and Kernish Multitude;  
And near her Set by Valiant Mountjoyes Cares,  
With Triumph there o'er Spain she closed her Wars.  
So stood out State of Church and Commonweals,  
In spite of Romish Bulls, Spain, and Oneale,  
Secured from Schisms, Home-broyles, and Hostile Train,  
As long as Great Elizabeth did Reign.   

HEreby Our Strays, who tax the Gospel's Sound,  
May fear how they God's Church do meore and bound  
Within Rome's Fold by Pope's Prerogative,  
As if our Faith were pinned unto his Sleeve.  
Here they may see what ignominious Spoils  
Rome's Champions reaped for all their Bloody Broils;  
Whilst that Our Princes in set Peace have stretched  
Their Limbs, in Blood their latest Gasp they fetched.  
Not Austria, France, nor Rome with steely dint,  
Nor Marian Fire could Christ his Gospel stint,  
Nor could they raze the Name of Huguenots,  
Or Protestants for all their Bloody Plots.  
Much less could their School-Doctors plead her Cause  
Against the Brightness of the Spirits Clause,  
Which by Saint john had prophesied her Fall,  
And likewise her forewarned by Saint Paul,  
That she, whom for her Faith Renowned Fame  
Then blazed, should be at last cut off with shame,  
If she continued not, as she begun,  
chaste to her Spouse the Great jehovahs' Son.  
God's Charter still goes with a whilst, or If  
Thou honour me, I will remove thy Grief.  
Not her Decline could all her Clergy stop,  
Nor Canonists her Doctrine underprop;  
Not Gratian, nor her Best, Panormitan,  
Nor all her Routs of Thalmudists profane;  
Not Wolsey, Poole, nor learned Cajetan,  
Kings-mating Cardinals in Pomp Humane,  
The Mystic Remnant of the Dragon's Band,  
Could vengeance stay, nor judgements Lees withstand.  
Their Martyr's Urns can no way parallel  
Our Holy Ones, nor can their Legends tell  
Five Bishops burnt for their Religion's sake,  
Where we can name consumed at the Stake  
Great Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, Latimer,  
And Ferrar Sainted in our Register,  
With many more, whom the Force Secular,  
Hell's Magogs', hoist to Martyr's Calendar,  
Though them they knew to be the Church's Seed,  
By hearing at their Death their Christian Creed:  
Which Creed, lest it might move a Conscience soft,  
Their Torturers have interrupted oft  
In midst of Flames, by hurling Staves or Stones,  
To wound the more their Heads and broiling Bones.  
O Valiant Men, true Members of our Head!  
Who like to Him for Him to Death have bled!  
O Glorious Saints, who left such Monuments  
Surpassing far the sevenfold Wonderments!  
Who to prevent Souls Dearth built Granaries,  
Like joseph's store, enough for Sacrifice!  
Whose Martyrdoms refulgent Memory  
Puts down Rome's Palles, and Shrines Imagery!  
Who have, like Stars derived from Heaven's Light,  
Left Spectacles and Torches for our Sight!  
God grant they may increase Devotions Flame,  
And dull those Schisms, which the next Age will shame.  
In Brief, no Age since Christ saw greater Change  
Of Manners, Knowledge, States, and which is strange,  
Great Rome twice sacked. The Common Foe more bold,  
Whilst our Chief West waved with the Spanish Gold.    

THE OCCURRENCES OF THE SEVENTEENTH AGE, From the year of our Lord 1600. until this present year 1640. Being the 16. of King Charles his Reign over Great Britain.  
The Argument.  
Our Church escapes the Dragon's Powder-traine;  
And is confirmed in James, and Charles his Reign.  
Abroad the Bloody Cross her Members s●ites;  
In Britain some blame Types, and Outward Rites.  

THe third Year passed of this our present Age,  
Our Sunset Queen expired her Pilgrimage  
A Virgin on our Virgin Lady's Eve▪  
To see her Star Death did her hence b●●●av●.  
Elizabeth then folding up her Reign  
Of Forty Four, Triumphant over Spain,  
The Popish Side, Tirone, and Irish Kerns;  
Fair England's Crown to Him whom it concerns  
By Right of Blood descends, to Solomon,  
Our Phoenix james, who like the radiant Sun  
Shot forth his Rays, of Kings the Paragon;  
A Writer most acute, for Natives Tone  
Unparalleled by any Regal Scribe,  
Next to that Star, the Honour of his Tribe.  
Whether in Prose or Measured Lines he steers,  
The Loadstone of his Labours still appears  
Directly aimed unto the New man's White.  
His David's Psalms our Belials so appall,  
None dare them now Geneva-jigges miscall.  
This Posthume Fruit hath Learned Sterline late  
Set forth, the Fainting Soul to recreate.  
His Works endure the Light, his Lamp the Night  
Of Ignorance repels, and None our james,  
His Bockes, his Life, or Reign, save Envy blames.  
He Vorstius foiled, restrained Superfluous Doubts,  
And by his Pen convinced Scholastic Routs.  
While here he lived, O how did Knowledge shine!  
The Church renew her Hopes, the Grave Divine  
Afford us daily Manna for Soule-Food,  
And by his Royal Rays all things did Bud,  
Yea, his Rays made the Wildest Red-shanks tame,  
Dried Irish Bogs, and spread Virginia's Fame.   

NOr lacked this King the Gift of Prophecy,  
To pry into the Jesuits Secrecy,  
Whereby they thought to blow up Albion's State  
With Powder-Traine Hells next obnoxious Fate.  
For though that Tressams' Lines seemed intricate,  
Flowing from Sphynx, or Coedipus his Pate,  
A Riddle, dark, and scorned by Other Men,  
Yet this Wise Prince the same did not contemn,  
But pointed at the Mine, and their Intent,  
Which they kept close sworn on the Sacrament.   

THis Peaceful King upon the least disgust  
Among his Neighbour States, or Wars mistrust,  
Spared for no Pains nor Charge to mediate  
A Christian End, their Passions to abate.  
How many Treaties hath Vienna seen?  
What Embassies to calm fierce Austriaes' Spleen?  
That without Blood the Palatine might gain  
His Own, he sent his only Son to Spain.  
In hope to shun th'Events, which happened since,  
To Dangers he exposed our Darling Prince,  
That by that gentle Course or Sacrifice,  
He might prevent ensuing Prejudice.  
No Age paints out, nor points at the like Type  
Of Princely Love, Offence away to wipe.   

LIke james in Zeal came Young jehosaphat,  
Our Royal Charles, whose sweet and moderate  
Condition yield us Hopes, that, like his Sire,  
He will retain unquenched the Sacred Fire,  
Which in his Soul burns calmly by the Heat  
Of Heaven's Flame, the Holy Paraclete.  
Now in his Reign we plant Virgini●es North  
With Colontes, and hope by setting forth  
The Gospel there the Savages to win  
In Christ his Name from Lust and Bloody Sin:  
Our Drones turn Bees in his Auspicious Reign,  
Removed to Foreign Isles in hope of Gain,  
And by his Famous Glass, who built of Old,  
For Tharsus Ships to fetch thence Ophirs Gold,  
This Prudent Prince preparts a Warlike Flees  
To scour the Seas, and Force with Force to me's,  
As testify of late his Admirals,  
Which forced Moores to yield home English Thralls.  
But more than all, the New man he doth grace,  
And the Divine holds in his Counsel Place.  
While M●●s went on the Electours wings to pull,  
Against the Charter of the Golden Bull,  
Distressed Teutons Limbs found both relief  
And Succour of our Charles, to ease their Grief.  
And while their Church with Tortures lay oppressed,  
Her Babes exiled: our Britain Mother blest  
Thrives by the Cares of our Religious Charles,  
Secured from Schism, and Superstitious Snarls.   

O Happy Britain, couldst thou know thy Good  
Where Neighbor-states o'erflow with Spoils & Blood!  
To calculate who were by Wars extinct  
In Belgia, France, and Germanies' Precinct,  
Or the late Troubles of the Valroline,  
The Grisons Griefs, or Rochels' to define,  
A Buskin craves more than Poetical,  
Or Algebraes Points Mathematical.  
Nay, he that counts the Scars in Christian Lands,  
On Christian Folks late made by Tyrant's hands,  
Shall sooner tell the Names of Magogs' Bands,  
Which john compares unto the Ocean Sands.  
All which the Saints, though in their Tents beset  
By Fiends, yet them from Vows no Crosses let.  
All which Gods Church, though oftentimes she fears,  
And vents forth Angels Moans, with Patience bears.  
Our King bewails their Case, stands on Defence;  
He Arms, and yet not ministers Offence.  
We feel their Griefs, with them we sympathise,  
And pray for Cure, which Passion mollifies.   

WHen Austriaes' Caesar had with Eagles Wings  
Aspired, and lift against the King of Kings  
His lofty Head, and mustered all his Force  
To trample on Christ's Flock without remorse,  
Having begun the Electours Plumes to pull  
Against the German Laws and Golden Bull:  
Even then (O Wonder!) unexpected Aide  
Was by the Lord from Swethens Land conveyed,  
From the far North brave King Gustav●s came,  
Who came like Thunder, fought, and overcame.  
And though this Heros perished for our Sins  
In Battle late, yet to the Philistines,  
Like Samson, he full dear sold his Breath,  
Confounded them, and Triumphed by his Death;  
Yea, from his Cinders since sprung up a Flame,  
Which Tyrants Threats, and Turncoats puts to shame.  
Long may thy Trophies last, Great Maccabee,  
All Terror to our Foes, until they see,  
That they who wittingly shed Christians Blood,  
Like Roman Pilate, and the jewish Crowd,  
Stand guilty all of Christ his Death again,  
And cannot Purge, or wash away the stain  
With Bribes, or Ransom of Sophistick kind,  
Besides the Scandal which they leave behind,  
That Tearing Bonds of Christian Unity  
Confirms the Turk by their Hostility  
To flout, and them with feigned Leagues to wind,  
As shortly his Confederates may find.  
Mean while they wast a Christian Monarchy,  
And Teutons Land becomes an Anarchy.   

BUt leaving them with Fire and Sword to skuffle,  
I saw Our Church's F●es begin to shu●●●e  
Strange Cards, in hope by Arts Legier-de-maine  
To win. The Stake is Soul prodigies Gain●,  
Which God avert, and grant that we take heed  
Of Sheep-skined Wolves, who sacrifice their Seed  
To Moloch, and expect for jovial Nuns  
To be Confessed by Rome's unmarried So●●●s.  
This Women styld the jesuitrices,  
Did lately press, that they by their Access  
To Ladies might for their Conversion speed,  
And work upon their Own frail Sex's Creed  
With greater sleight, and with more fervency  
Than Priests oft blurred for carnel Privacy.  
This Female Sect, before it grew to height,  
Was by the present Pope, Urben● the Eight,  
Dashed in the Spring. A prudent Actinde●d,  
To stine the Growth of Antichristian S●●●.  
God grant him more such Sparks, that as his Book.  
Of Poems bruits his skill, so he the Hook  
And Fishers Ne'er convert to better use  
Then Other Popes have done to Faith's abuse,  
The which he may, like Peter or Saint Paul,  
Soon bring to pass by Counsel General;  
Yea, and perhaps he may there Reconcile  
Thòse Worldly Jars, which blur Old Antiochs' stile.   

FOr what poor things would some disguised with zeal  
Disturb the Peace of Christ his Commonweal?  
Some startle at the Altars Ancient Name;  
Others our settled Form of Vows defame.  
Because they want some business from without,  
To make their Badies' sweat, or smart, they pour,  
And peevish grow, not knowing what they ail  
Within their Sickly Brain, till Eits prevail;  
Like idle Maia's with the Green-sickness vexed,  
They loathe what's good, and in ward are perplexed  
With brackish Fleame, with Moods extravagant,  
And Longings oft from Reason discrepant.  
Because they cannot have their own Chymeres  
And whimsies of their Will, they wast with Fears,  
Repining at their Neighbour's store of Grace,  
And yet their Crazed selves will not embrace  
The tendered Form, nor join in the Soule-Cure,  
As Others do, and with sweet Sauce procure,  
Whereby they may with Understanding Pray,  
And not by rote, nor rashly Vows rep●●.  
Glutted with Quails, and Ma●maes precious Fare,  
Their stomaches long for Onions, homely ware,  
And Simple Trash, which may the Blood iuflame  
More than that wholesome Food, which they defame.  
Have we not seen more Pride in Course Attire  
Then in Rich Robes? Yea, some, who did aspire  
Under the Mask of plain Sincerity,  
Yet afterwards strove for Priority?   

LEt him, that blames the Surplice comely wear,  
Look how the Saints in long-white Robes appear  
Before the Highest Throne, and then no doubt  
At such a Sight he will no longer pout.  
And who is he so frowardly severe,  
That rails at Graduate's Hood of Minnivere?  
The Scarlet Robe? or at the Corner'd Cap  
In Academes Matriculated Lap,  
Like Laureate Wreaths, borne and produced to grace  
Industrious Wits, the Churches hopeful Race?  
That with such Types and Tokens garnished  
The Bees from Drones might be distinguished?  
And that by Virtue's Hire, fair Honour's Crown,  
Some might, as Stars, from Lesser Lights be known!  
Much more distinct the Sacred Rank had need  
From Vulgar Garbs of Grave and Reverend Weed,  
Aswell to move regard by Outward Hue  
Of Surplices and Mitres, as to show  
To hardened Roman Strays, that without stings  
We join with them in all Indifferent Things,  
And that to shun Offence, Faith's Essence said,  
We can for bear, and yield to them that raved  
In clozing Rents, for some Traditions, Rites,  
And Outward Forms, so to renew their Lights.  
The jews lost not by Aaro●● Bells their Hopes:  
And what lose we by Mitres Sight, or Copes?   

THus stands our Church be●et with Schismatics,  
And Romish Routs pretended catholics:  
The Former raising Jars for Trivial things,  
The Latter seems to taint the New man's Springs.  
And yet she shines most bright, while like a Storm,  
The Former's Faction quails, and may reform  
Their slips with Ease, at least, when mellow Age  
Shall by Degrees compose their Passions Rage.  
And there is Hope the Other will renounce  
Dependencies on Saints, and so pronounce:  
(As did those Saints themselves) Faith Justifies,  
And Christ his Blood alone doth us suffice  
Without our Own, or other Merits Boast,  
To gain Salvation through the Holy Ghost.  
For want of Tithes the One a Sect contrives:  
And Discontent tempts Babel's Fugitives.  
THus hath our Christ●an Church by Grace Divine,  
Past through the Seventeenth Age till Thirty Nine,  
And Sixteen Hundred Years from Christ his Birth  
Are fiftly told by Mortals here on Earth;  
In spite of Tyrants, Schisms, Idolatry,  
The Dragon's Flood, and Babel's Butchery.   

O would my Muse knew ways to ●●oncil●  
The stubborn Straye● and Hotspurs of this 〈◊〉  
That, as We all extol One Christian Creed,  
And what wer● in Six Hundred Years decreed  
By the First Synods of the East and West,  
So we might meet at our Communion Feast  
In mutual Love, without distrust or stings,  
To pay our Vows unton the King of Kings,  
Like Brethren with Harmonious Ravishment  
In Spirit, with One Will, and One Consent.  
Accounting Copes, Bells, Organs, Surplices,  
Or shaved Grownes, a● Rites, not ●●●●ances  
To bar the Faith or Conscience of a Saint,  
As Some with such Conceits the Church would ●aint.  
" A Christian should be mild in Temporal Things,  
" Which breeds not Sin, nor Soul-sick Scandal brings.  
" So that God's Word be preached and Faith increase,  
" I will accept what Outward Garbs they please.  
" Il●●kneele, sit, stand, or else in Sackcloth Fast;  
" So that I may win Souls, no Flesh I'll taste,  
" i'll wear the Sa●t● Robe, Saint Be●●●s Hood,  
" Or Friars Cow●e, to do our Weaklings good.  
" Such shapes I take for harmless Policy,  
" As Adi●p●ors with 〈◊〉  
" Expedient for some Persons more then Other,  
" So to shake hands, and wrangling Quillets smother;  
Not like Old 〈◊〉 of corrupted Zeal,  
Who racked sometime the Romish Commonweal,  
And wanting Wit to choose Frige Black, or Grey,  
Or White, at last they made a Bloody Fray.   

ABout such Outward Forms the Fiend of late  
With Bloody Broils thought to enwrap our State.  
But He, that left at his Departure hence  
Against M●ll. ●l●t ● Gods Spirit for Defence,  
Inspired our King with Mercy, to forgive  
Them for whose Faul●s he more th●n they did griev●.  
When Some for Fam●, and Others for their Hir●,  
When some for Spoils glad of Cambustions Fir●●  
And some for Doubts with swelling Spleen did hope  
In Savage Fight with Martial 〈◊〉 & to cop●●  
Our Charles, though strongly 〈◊〉 extended the●●  
In Christian Love Grace unto ●●●ing Men.  
Like Him, who 〈◊〉 chose O●e Citizen  
Tus●●e then S●●y ● Thousand H●stise Men.  
By this rare Act of sacred Clemency  
He parallels, nay, gets Precedency  
Above all Kings that sway this Worldly Sphere,  
Whose Subjects more their Frowns and Rigour fe●●  
Then honour them for Balanced Equity,  
Or Real Deeds surmounting Quality.  
Had Theodosim so his Passions squared,  
He surely had the The ssalonians spared,  
And not been warned by Ambrose to refrain  
Eron villains Church, till conscience wrought some Pain  
O Happy Prince, that knewest thy Saviour's Will  
O Happy Land where sooner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Kill  
Now, ye that vaunt of Al●ious Al●●nact,  
Or of Fergusim Sway, appla●d' this Act  
With thankful Lays set forth in Charles his praise,  
Who when he might destroy forgave your Savoyes.  
But O what doleful News 〈◊〉 in my B●●es  
That Discords Flame, late quenched, again appears?  
We shall, they say, Have War●s, and bl●●dy 〈◊〉,  
New Master's, Taxes, Toil. Ou● Wizzards stars,  
And Malt-worm Brains inculcate like Bugbears,  
In Lukewarm Breasts effeminated Fears.  
My Censure now of our late Vulgars' Bruit,  
Who blinded in their Own would seem acute  
In Heavens Affairs, is this: that if Our God  
Smite them or us, who can resist his Rod▪  
Some Rank of Ease-require Pblebotomy:  
Some Crazed: Some Lean, like an Anoatmy:  
Their Sins are great, and we excuse not Our.  
Our Feasts, Rich Rob●s, Law-suites, and Humours flore  
Blood-letting need, and purge of Hellebore.  
But, if as oft as Me● offend, God pour  
The Vials of his Wrath and Vengeance down,  
Who now had lived to have his Mercies known?  
Whether we die at Sea, or on the Land  
By 〈◊〉, Plague's, or Blows from Butcher's hand,  
That 〈◊〉- stringed Whip, which doth us here attend  
For Temporal Revenge, or Trials End,  
Gods Will be done. Yet whilst his Church on Earth  
Stands ●●me, I fear ●o Wars, no Pl●g●e nor D●●rt●;  
For Worldly things (so Fates have weaved the Plot)  
Roll, reel, and squierme like Eels within a Pot.   

HOw shall we then wear out these Worldly Broils?  
So voluble of Course, so full of Toils?  
Just as some deal● with a cumultuous Crew  
Of Leaguered God●s. When first the Quatre●● grew,  
And Shepherds met with mind to trounce them all,  
A Swains did thus their so deign Doom recall:  
What shall we do● with these bold Animals:  
Which pill our Ple●ts, and spile our Vegetals?  
Which gathering into Hoards ca●e not for words?  
Nor with their ●aliant Tappe● do fear our Swords.  
As if they would out-beared, they threaten us,  
That Cats enraged may turn as perilous  
As greater Beasts. Some thiede them to immure,  
Lest other Beasts to Follies they enure.  
They Custo●● claim, and Native Li●erties,  
To pill our B●●k, and browse on Grafts of price,  
But what bald Custom can their Bucks infer  
(Not in their R●tring time, for then to err  
Was Frenzies Fit) the Peace to violate?  
With Skreames to sear our Melt●●●● State,  
When Prudent P●● with Councehance severe  
Assayed by Law the Mutineers to fear▪  
What shall we do with this long bearded Kind  
Of Castle, which presume to read the Ri●●  
And Beauty of our Woods without to●●roule?  
Slighting our W●●s like a vain Blank or Scroll?  
These Outrages are great. Yet 〈◊〉  
With Pity mixed warns our Pi●●gerency  
Over God's Crea●nes to provid●some Course,  
That Beasts of Gain may thrive, no● fare the worse.  
Fire and Blood-latting are the last of Cures:  
So, to be Mild hurts not, but u●secures;  
And though it seems ● while, like to a Block  
Contemned of Frogs, yet lasts it like the Rock.  
The Ox must not he muzzled, no● these Goats  
Deprived of Food, ●or Horses tobed of O●tes.  
What Forests are reserved for straggling Deer,  
Which retribute small Profit in the Year?  
We foster greedy Hounds and swilling Swine:  
And shall we now less hurtful Beasts confine?  
What Cares take we for Drones more than for Bees?  
And yet to Kids grudge a few Sapling Trees?  
If we hem in their Dams, Both dye of Dearth,  
And so we lose some of the Best on Earth  
For Profits Breed. They rough and hardy are  
In Airs Extremes, content with simple Fare:  
(A Gift which many Beasts, nay men do want,  
A Gift which lessens Crimes exorbitant.)  
A little them sustains. And yet their Does  
Yield store of Milk to countervail some Cows.  
They do bring forth two or three Kids a piece  
Within the Year; their Milk doth cordialize,  
Natured like what they eat. Feed them with Spurge  
Or Lettuce, than their Milk doth Humours purge.  
The Male-Goats Blood refines the Diamond;  
It breaks the Stone, and makes the Graveled sound.  
When it is baked, or into Powder done,  
And strewed on Liquid Food, it Cures the Stone  
Sooner than Leeks, or Alisanders' Broth,  
Which seems with it compared but skummy Froth.  
A Hivers Pastry tastes like Venison;  
The Buff defends from Frost as from the Sun.  
I skip the Stuff wrought of Goats stately Beard,  
Lest not a Goats-haires worth be what I heard;  
Nor mention I Borrachoes' Spanish Case,  
Which Pilgrims vow with Healths to Bacc●us Grace;  
Nor yet their Flesh, which Portingalls do dress  
And lay with Salt for India's Voyages.  
So useful are these Goats that none for want  
Of them in wild and Newfound Lands can plant:  
Which is the Cause that Britain's Colonies  
Thrive not there like the Spaniards Progenies.  
Now for my Vote or Close particular,  
Which I submit to your more Silver Hair:  
It is not safe the moody to constrain;  
Tread on a Worm, and it will turn again.  
The Fits overpassed: we may cull out the Bad,  
Divide their Troops, and Cure in time the Mad.  
If we permit the Weanelings of their Flocks,  
Their tender Kids, which cannot shift on Rocks  
For stronger Food, to champ on weaker Boughs;  
And their Moonesick on Plants sometimes to browse:  
Both these will, when their Constitution grows  
To abler Nerves, eat Hay in time of Snowes,  
And be right glad to taste of stronger Food  
Aswell to our Content, as for their Good.  
And let the rest live in their Craggy Soil,  
In hope they will no more keep revel Coil;  
Lest if we thence provoke their Wilder Whelps,  
They may turn mad with Tupping and with Yelpes,  
Unless in the Midsummers Moon we chain  
Those whom we find most Crazed in the Brain.  
'Twere well we could their Teeth with safety file,  
And not our hands with Streams of Blood defile  
If they disband, and of their Crimes repent,  
And will with Grief redeem their Punishment,  
Let's suffer them to spend their windy Breath  
Upon the Rocky Hills and Barren Heath,  
That it may be ingross'd in After-Rowles:  
We left them there, where bustling Boreas cools  
The hottest Spleen, in hope that they would grow  
More useful far than we do find them now.  
When Riper Time shall Humours purify,  
They will conform themselves, at least their Fry.  
Since Foreign Coasts to Bears & Wolves submit,  
I think we may less harmful Goats admit  
To their Old Haunts our Deigns to increase,  
So that henceforth their Bucks from Tupping cease.  
Let us not then root out these Beasts with Beards,  
Weakening our Stock (an Honour to our Herds)  
Lest we give Cause of Jeering to our Foes,  
Who, if our Stock decays, may work us woes.  
They pill our Bark: that's it you now will says  
So did our Iron-men and Tanners play:  
So Others have by causeless Brawls and Fees,  
And Heathenish Spoils, forced men to sell good Trees.  
But here one whispered him: Touch not that Note,  
Lest you be termed a rash-promoting Goat,  
Incurring Scorn with hoobubsand out-cries,  
For glancing at our Moderns Robberies.  
The Swain sbashed, his Face to Crimson died;  
And the Goat's Cause lies in suspense untri●●:  
Where though Great Pan an Higher skill relies,  
Yet scorns he not a Rustics poor● Supplies,  
In all Extremes on this I set my Rest.  
Of Ills to ●●use the Least, of Good the Best,  
And if I miss the Latter to attain,  
Yet I will hope the Golden Me●ne to gain.   

COncerning other Points of Faith's abuse,  
As Purgatories Pain, false Idols use,  
Courting of Saints, to Christ's apparent wrong,  
God's Sacred Word kept from the Vulgar Tongue,  
Additions to the Mass, the Papal Keys,  
And Priests debarred of Wives: Let him that waight●  
The Dreams of Balaams' Priests, this Passage know:  
Pride made the Pope a Simon Magus grow,  
And then he changed the Spirits Gifts for Gain.  
For after the Decease of Charlemagne,  
Who Sceptred Popes, in the ensuing Years,  
They to maintain their Pomp, the Christian Meere●  
Of Modesty transcended, got elbow room  
To spread the Devil's Husks in rampant Rome.  
Which to reform, as we of late have done  
In Britain's Orb, by Wickliffs' Cares begun  
About three Ages past, so let all them,  
Who hope to see the New jerusalem,  
Look back upon the first Six Centuries;  
Or if that seem too tedious to revise,  
Let them the next Six Ages well review,  
And they shall find Rome's Faith then patched anew,  
That by Degrees the Popes by Phocas first,  
And by Great Charles since raised, became accursed;  
And that Our Church the very same of Old,  
Which was at Nice, and Chalcedon enroled  
For Orthodox, is Catholic and True,  
Only, because new-scoured, enstiled New.   

LOhere, Dear Countrymen, in Pithy Phrase,  
What some have whirled about with winding Maze,  
And some, I hope, these short Analyses,  
Will relish more than long Remonstrances,  
Since Substances ye like, I simply show  
Where lay our Church Pure, Catholic and True,  
Before we took the Name of Protestants  
At Auspurg late, which Our Extravagants  
By Transmarine and false exotic Glo●●e  
Would soil, like Pitch, with Appellations gross  
Of Hugueno●s, or Luther's Heretics;  
While they usurp the Name of Catholics,  
Like Hagars' Brood, which Moor's term Saracen;  
Like Hypocrites; who pass for Godly Men.  
For why should they alone be in our West  
Called Catholics, when Thousands in the East,  
The Abyssines and Others do contend  
For the like Name in Substance, Use, and End?  
Why should the Parts above the Whole presume?  
One Sister Church the Mother's Style assume?  
The Catholic, which spreads in every Coast  
With Mutual Gifts poured by the Holy Ghost?  
Why should the Beams against the Sun compact?  
The Branches from the Oaks Good Name detract?  
Our Churches are (weigh the Comparison)  
As Boughs or Beams: Christ's Spouse the Oak or Sun.  
And for Our Church, more yet I could relate,  
To manifest her Wane, Eclipse, and Fate  
In Popish Times, but that each Novice knows  
What means the Desert, where she poured her vows  
During the Reign of that great Mystic Whore,  
Which preached False Christ's by the red Dragon's Lore.  
But maugre Constance, Trent, and Lateran,  
The Night is passed of Skreeching Ignorance,  
And we embrace the Spirits Countenance,  
Which at this day shines bright in Britain's Isle,  
And may do long, if we eat Hate and Guile.  
Not Ecchius, Moor, Poole, Fisher, Posstvine,  
Not Dowayes Fry, nor Copious Bellarmine  
Can match our Calvin, Zanchius, Bullinger,  
Frith, Jewel, Fox, Fulkes, Raynolds, Whitaker,  
Andrew's, Usher, and those whose Melodies  
Mount up to Christ, like a New Sacrifice,  
With many more in our Great Britain's Orb,  
Surviving yet, and able them to curb:  
Whose Praises Web more Curious if I spun,  
I should then light a Candle in the Sun;  
Or undertake Saint Michael's War to pen,  
A Task more fit for Angels then for Men.  
Yet by that Mystic Type Saints may descry  
The Battles Issue, and our Victory:  
For such a Palm the Fiery Crosses Sign  
Hath gained, as in the Days of Constantine.  
But now in Embers clozing up my Fire,  
I silently into my Thoughts retire,  
Oft looking back to Babel's Mystery,  
Oft musing on Fair Stones Victory,  
Where first Six Hundred Sixty Six I fix,  
One Thousand then Six Hundred Fifty Six,  
Time's Pedigree from Man's Creation cast,  
Till Fatal Showers for Sin the Earth defaced,  
I ruminate in Mind, least suddenly  
While I defer my Duty to supply,  
The last great Trumpets Sound concludes the Day  
To Worldlings woe, and Sinners sore Dismay.  
Wars in Faith's House proclaimed, and Babylon  
Discovered show great Doomesdayes signs near gone:  
From which Extremes, Lord, save our Church as well  
As thou Elias didst from jezabel,  
That with the Spirits stream she quench her Thirst  
Until that Day, while Babel lies accursed.  
As long as Sun and Moon, or Rainbows sign  
Shall last, preserve our King like Constantine,  
Assigning us from Stewarts Regal Ligne  
Good Stwards still to oversee what's Thine.  
Remove not hence our Church's Candlestick,  
While firmly we to Thy Son's Pledges stick,  
But for his Sake who paid the Costly Price  
In Judgement due for our Enormities,  
Whereas some led by Fiends as yet do stray,  
If they Repent, reduce them to thy way,  
That Ismaels' Brood henceforth no Christians flout  
For Lutherans, or the Wicklevian Rout,  
For Huguenots, Novatians, Schismatics,  
For Puritans, or Mongrel Catholics.  
When these with Peter vouch Gods Living Son,  
With Paul One God, One Advocate alone  
Exploding School-mens Dreams, Hypocrisies,  
Soules-Marchandize, and winding Fallacies,  
We then shall soon for Other Points agree,  
Without recourse to Eden's curious Tree.  
This Fruit the Church reaps by her children's Peace:  
When they from jars, than Foes from jeering cease.     

THE PICTURE OF THE TRUE CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH Represented in English and Latin Numbers.  
The Argument.  
The Author last this Corollary knits,  
To help Our Church against mad wrangling Wits:  
Till the Sixth Age the Spouse of Christ 〈◊〉 Pure;  
So doth our Church. And here's her Portraiture.  

THe Spouse of Christ shone in her Prime  
〈…〉 lived near th' Apostles Time.  
But afterwards Eclipsed of Light,  
She lay Obscure from most men's Sight▪  
For while her Watch hugged Carnal Ease,  
And loathed the Cross, she felt Disease.  
Because they did God's Rays contemn,  
And Maumets' served, Grace fled from them.  
Then Stars fell down, Fiends blacked the Air,  
And Mongrels held the Church's Chair.  
But now dispelling Errors Night,  
By Christ his Might, our New-mans' Light,  
She may compare for Faith alike  
With famous Rome's first Catholic,  
And Paragons for Virtue bright  
The Royal Scribes sweet Sulamite,  
Who trained to Zeal, yet without Traps,  
Her poor Young Sister wanting Paps;  
Without Traditions she trained her,  
Or Quillets, which make Souls to Err.   

SO feeds our Church her Tender Brood  
With Milk, the Strong with stronger Food.  
She doth contend in Grace to thrive,  
Reformed, like the Primitive.  
She hates the Dark, yet walks the Round,  
And joys to hear the Gospel's Sound.  
She hates their Mind in Judgement blind,  
Who swell with Merits out of kind.  
In Christ alone lies all her Hope,  
Not craving Help of Saint or Pope.  
Poor Saints, to show her Faith by Deeds,  
She fills their Souls, their Bodies feeds.  
She grants no Weapons for Offence;  
Save Vows and Fasting for Defence;  
And yet she strikes. But with what Sword?  
The Spirits Sword, God's Lightning Word.  
indifferent Toys, and Childish Slips  
She slights, but checks gross Sins with stripes.  
Yet soon the Strays her Favour win,  
When they Repent them of the Sinne.  
So mild is she, still loathing Ill,  
And yet most loath the Soul to kill.   

SUch is the Lady, whom I serve;  
Her Goodness such, whom I observe,  
And for whosee Love I begged these Lays  
Borne from the Spheres with Flaming Rays.  
But who can paint the Dowries forth  
Of this New Mary to the Worth?  
O let us for her Gifts restored  
Then Sacrifice to Heaven's Lord  
Our Hearts with Psalms, like Trumpets loud,  
For sending her to curb the Proud,  
And to bear down Rome's Antichrist,  
As she types her that brought forth Christ,  
The Object of our Second Birth,  
And the Prime cause of all our Mirth.  
Thus is Our Church in Essence like  
The Ancient True Apostolic.   

GOD grant this Dame, our Britons long to sway,  
Whereby they may to Christ new Vows repay;  
And bless thee, Reader, with like Happiness,  
To hold his pledges firm with Godliness.   

CAndidore Fides lustrabat Lumine Mund●m,  
〈◊〉 propi●s tetigit Saecula Prima 〈◊〉▪  
Lumen at Ecclipsin 〈◊〉 labenti●●● 〈◊〉  
Reddidit obscuram, quae fuit 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉  
Nec mirum Turbans tantas senfisse 〈◊〉,  
Carnem plus Vigiles quam sap●ere 〈◊〉;  
Seria cum nugis miscentes Sacra prof●●●▪  
Idolis Flame● post posuere Dei.  
Stellarum Laps●s, 〈◊〉 Fra●●, Nubil●● 〈◊〉,  
Haec t●ia Corrupti Causa fuers Thro●i.  
Sed●●d● dispers●● Tene●● is No●● De●●uit A●●●,  
Spo●sa●●dit Christi, Cr●scit & Altar Home.  
Crescit sponsaredux Hominis fulgore Novati,  
Dum legitur Christi Pagina Sacra Choro.  
Nec minùs est sponsa Salomonis Nostra pudica,  
Vel Grege Primaevo quem pia Roma tulit.  
Uberibus vacuam Parvam Prior illa Sororem  
Allexit zeli Lacte; sed absque dolo,  
Absque venena●is Prudens allexit Elenchis  
Gentes quae tenebris delituere diu.   

Quin & Nostra Greges solet enutrire tenellos  
Lacte, magis Fortes sed refovere Cibo.  
Odit Nostra nigrà Mentis Caligine Captos  
Coetus, qui Meritis intumuere suis▪  
Non Carnale sapit, nec Papae Numen adorat,  
Horret enim Christi commaculare Thorum.  
Pectora Con●i●●is, Sanctorum Corpora victa  
Pascit, ne fieret Fabula vana Fides.  
Arm● virago gerit: sed Qualia? Flaminis Arma  
Enthea, nempe Dei Mystica, Metra, Preces.  
Condonat facili leviuscula Crimina v●ltu,  
F●eda sed Orbilii vindicat Acta Minis.  
Non animam jugulat (tanta est Clementia Divae)  
Sed resipiscentes Laeta reducit Oves.   

Talis Imago Dei sponsae, nostraeque Magistrae,  
In cujus Laudes Aetheris igne feror.  
Tanta Novae fulget virtus Divina Mariae;  
Sed sua quis Calamo pingere Dona potest?  
Sat wehee pro Donis tantum si Psalmata dentur,  
Dum placet Aethereo Cor Holocauma Patri,  
Qui nuper sponsam naevis maculisque solutam  
Transtulit, ut Fidei Roma nitore ruat,  
Utque Novi Dotes Hominis Caeloque renati  
Liberiore canam Pectore, voce, Tubâ.  
Sic & Nostra viget similis jam Sponsa Priori,  
Quae visit quondam Tempora prisca Patrum.   

Det Deus, ut longum regat haec Sulamitha Britannos,  
Que possint alacres nova vota rependere Christ,  
Concedat que purem ribi, Lector Candid, Sortem,  
Ut pi● Christigene conserveses Pignora Sponse.    

Another Hymn to the same Effect, as how to discern the True Catholic Church.  

THe Cross, on which our Saviour died,  
For many Years lay undiscried  
With Rubbage soiled in Calvary,  
Till, to renew Christ's Memory,  
The Mother of Great Constantine  
Searched, found, and left it for a Sign,  
That Converts then might understand,  
Christ died for them in Jewries Land.  
In the like sort the Church of Christ,  
Lay long Eclipsed through Carnal Mist,  
Resembling Gold obscured with dross,  
As was with Earth that Wooden Crosse.  
And though some wished to find her out,  
They could not bring their wish about,  
(So strong of Might, so full of sleight  
Was Babel's Whore to blear their Sight)  
Until God's Word performed the Deed  
With Martyr's Blood, the Church's Seed;  
Till Wickl●●●e first, and Luther next  
Stepped up, her Babes stood sore perplexed.   

NOw (O look up) this Gracious Queen  
On Zions Hill is to be seen,  
With her New man, God's hopeful Son,  
Rays darting like the Glorious Sun.  
But they, who would descry her right,  
Must her descry with Inward Sight,  
Not like the Old Brasse-Serpent, which  
Idolaters did erst bewich,  
But like the Cross, which Saints took up  
E'er Some to that since found did stoup.  
Thus stands the Church seen and unseen,  
Unseen of Sots, of Saints well seen.  
These by God's Word her Presence weigh,  
Those by false Dreams and Worldly Sway.  
Now, Brother, mark, which of these Crew  
Of Christ his Church are Children true?  
The One kneel to the New man's Rock,  
The Other to an Outward Stock,  
Like Manichees, which they do paint  
For Angellick, or Guardian Saint.  
There, they meet men, who live by Lurch,  
But never Saints of the True Church.    

THE CONCLUSION TO THE READERS.  
The Argument.  
The Author here from the Newman derives  
The Church's Web, condemns the Dronish Hives,  
Blames Laban's Saints, and false Poetic Dreams,  
Which he reforms, and so concludes his Themes.  

I Blunder forth no Quirks, nor Captious Themes,  
No trivial Toys, nor fond Lascivious Dreams.  
While Carnal Wits were pleased to wove such Tales,  
Of late I found the New-mans' Worms in Wales,  
Whose Entrails spun in my retired Home  
For me some Silk, which suits with England's Loom,  
Without engagement to a 〈◊〉 shore,  
For 〈◊〉, Rome's, or the Hesperian 〈◊〉.  
And now my Silkwormes store Domestic spun  
I have divulged before the Fates have run  
Their Period out for my poor 〈◊〉 of Life,  
Before strong Passions wave my Thoughts with strife,  
My Senses with more Grief, or what might ●et  
The serious Task which Christ on me had set.  
Though Hydr●es hissed, and 〈…〉 brayed,  
Yet could not all their Coil 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉,  
Nor daunt my Freeborn Muse from setting forth  
To public view some useful w●res of worth;  
Nor could Rome's Canons Noise ●oa●'d out from Trent  
Deter my Zeal, nor sear my fair intent;  
Where they have doomed the Books of Protestants,  
The New-mans' Fruit, for wild Extravagants.  
Such ●●●ick Goblin Fears I leave to them,  
Who slighting Truth the Spirits Rays contemn.  
Not tempting Wine, nor Feasts delition; Bait  
Could make me sound a Cowards base retreat;  
Nor could the Storms of our late Adverse Times  
Disturb, or shake my Form of Sacred Rhymes,  
Where I have limned in a twofolded Frame  
Our Saviour's Life, and his True Church's Flame,  
Whereof the Latter here I first produce  
To usher that of the Divinest Use.  
No pampered Sloth, nor Households nettled Care,  
Nor Nature's Nets could my Resolves ensnare  
To hide from you her Tents, and Warfares Ways  
From Christ's Ascent until our present Days,  
But that I would to yield you some Content,  
Strew her good Tents with Leaves of Rosy scent,  
And to recure the Saulish Moonesick Brain,  
I would enchant the Sense with Musuks' Strain.  
I lock not up my Use of Laboured Hours,  
Nor post it o'er unto Executours,  
Like Miser-churles', who worldly Goods conceal,  
And wrong thereby the Christian Commonweal,  
Who at their death the same most madly leave  
To such as may their hoped Trust deceive.  
The Author dead: who cares to mend his Books?  
No Stepdame well to Orphan's Breeding looks.  
No Nurse respects a tender Suckling Wight  
Like Her, who claims the Native proper Right,  
As judaes' wisest King long since descried,  
When he gave Doom on the True Mother's Side.  
Unhappy are those Scribes, who catch no Souls  
For Christ, if so they may, by Holy Scrolls;  
And much too blame are those of Carnal Brood,  
Who loathe to taste of Intellectual Food,  
Yet surfeit on Old Tales of Robin Hood,  
Of Friar's Cowls, or of Saint Benet's Hood,  
Of Patrick's Broils, or of Saint George's Lance,  
Of Errand Knights, or of the Fairy Dance.  
But Ye, who are borne of Immortal Seed,  
Scorn your Best Part with Honey'd-Gall to feed.  
Fly, Readers, fly, and shun such Baits as these,  
Which though they for a time the Senses please,  
At last they breed a Soul-sick ravery,  
Which will from Truth distaste your Memory.  
Fly from such Cates, which shining Sins suggest,  
And from their Sauce, though by a Prophet dressed,  
Like that, which on the may the Man of God  
From Bethel took, although by him for bod.  
Read virtuous Books, which Manners rectify,  
And may help up the Soul to edify;  
For even as the Spirits clear and fresh  
Excel in worth the massy Pulp of Flesh:  
Much more essential Joy and true Delight,  
We must conceive, spring from the New-mans' Light,  
Where we by Grace may hap to be like Paul  
In Spirit rapt above this Earthly Ball,  
To Paradise, or the Third Fleaven, where  
He learned more Nemes than he away could bear.  
O do not then the Spirits Gifts suppress,  
Since they bear up the Soul, beat down the Flesh.   

THey mount the Soul tho●e the Chris●dlli●●  
And Starry Orbs to view with Sight Div●●●  
Those Mysteries, for which the Greatest G●●●k;  
Unless 〈◊〉 imes he stoupts, gropes in the 〈◊〉,  
And never shall attain to that brare Pi●ch,  
Because his wings are soiled with clammy Pitch,  
Or borrowed of the Peacocks ●ately Train,  
Which either lead him to Despair and P●●●e,  
Or to Presumptuous s●●●e, 〈◊〉 L●●●●ers,  
And then, as Lamps, false Mereours he prefers  
Before the Light of God's Etarnal Word.  
And the Souls Bauquet, at his Sa●ed 〈◊〉.  
Then, Humane shrines, and Monk's Mythology  
He more be●●ints then true Theology.  
For as the Greeks Plurality of Gods  
Devised, whom they confessed to live at odds  
Among themselves: so Superstition since  
Cr●pt in ●●●ng the 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 at a 〈◊〉,  
To further Hell's 〈◊〉 like to fall,  
When Rome's Great Empire won'd, if 〈◊〉 shall  
Had not been 〈◊〉 with Fait●● Resterati●●  
By Satans-Craft, to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉  
With Calendars of Canonised Saints,  
To whom they framed instead of Christ Complaints,  
As in Old time those Poets did approve  
The Lesser Gods, as Advocates to jove.  
And by the like Distinctions in the Schools  
Would them Create Subordinated Fools,  
Or Courtiers of th' Olympian Majesty  
To intercede, or ay● Mortality.  
To which they kneeled in various Idol-shapes,  
Like Babel's Head of Gold, Calves, Cats, or Apes.   

SO Babel's babbling Daws Saints Help exact:  
Saint Margaret Lucin●●● Part must Act,  
Saint Anthony relieves them of the Po●  
With Relics Charms fetched from Old alarms Box.  
For the Twin-Brother Gods they consecreate  
Saint Nic●●●●s at Sea their Advocate▪  
Saint Eu●●ace must uphold the Forest Game,  
For which Old Pagans used Dian●es Name.  
With a huge Club Saint Christopher they please,  
As with the like those painted Hercules.  
Yea, every Soil possessed Teutelares,  
Small Gods, to ease them of their heavy Cares.  
jun o holp Carthage, Mars Rome, Pallas Greece,  
Ceres' blessed Corn, Pan sheep, Pomona Trees.  
So Denis France, George England, jago Spain,  
And the like Saints to guard their Coast they feign,  
The Scottish Folks were of Saint Andrew's ward,  
Ireland of Patrick's, Wales of David's Guard.  
Unto Saint Mark the Rich Venetian bends,  
And he that Venice wrongs with Mark contends.  
But above all Saint Peter bears the Bell:  
He Rome protects, and Rome must all excel.  
Nùm●es Aegeria Peter hath suppressed,  
With Romul●● Saint Peter doth contest.  
Nay, Peter's Keys the Eagle bruised, out mist  
Ian●● his Peaceful Do oars to shut for Christ.   

BUt we, which are of God's Spirit borne  
Lament to see Christ's seamelesse Raiment torn,  
Or parted from the Fashion Primitive,  
But join, like Saints, in Sacred Love to thrive.  
We fly vai●e Dreams, which oft enchant the Sense  
From worshipping the Godheads Excellence.  
We slight the Tales of Poet's rank Vagaries,  
As Vows to Saints with needless Ave-maties'.  
While Others steal to Paths unknown, or ●●ay  
To Stranger Coasts, we go the surest way  
For fear of Wolves, or what may else ●●tide  
A man that loseth Christ, his Chiefest Guide.  
While some in Tongue unknown, like 〈◊〉, ●h●●,  
And ask of God by ●oat they know nor what:  
Our Churches, Ba●●s do pray in Christ his Name  
For what they want, 〈◊〉 He doth grant the same  
For his dear sake, who pleads for Humane Race,  
While they with understanding crave his Grace;  
And having gained their Suit they sing his Praise  
With cheerful hearts, new Tongues, & thankful Lays:  
Not grounding Faith on Saints Pluralities,  
On Angels, powers, or Principalities.   

AS for the Garbs of Poets Antic Fables,  
They are but vain, though Moralised Babbles,  
Vain like themselves, who piped for Hire, or Fame,  
While Saints of Zeal set out their 〈◊〉 Name.  
So David rap● with Bliffe composed his Lays:  
But Horace broached for need M●cen●●s Praise.  
So jeremy jerusalem's Annoyed  
Bewailed of Zeal; when Homer begged for Tr●y.  
Our Strains therefore sprung from Celestial Light  
Shall Scurrile Songs scourge hence, like works of night;  
Our Truth shall soil their Dreams; our 〈◊〉  
Their Ap●s, our Faith their Heathenish Consciences.  
And in their stead, to help Devotions Heat,  
Our New man here cooks various sorts of Mea●,  
With Music apt thy Spirits to refresh,  
If thou suppress the Motions of the Flesh.  
Our Adam first shall hurl Prometheus down;  
Then, noah's Flood shall their Deucalion's drown,  
With Titan's Brood, whom they for Giants hatch;  
And Babel's Tower will Pelions Mount o'ermatch.  
By Hemors' Son our gadding Dinaes' Rape  
Doth unto Sires a fair Example shape  
What foul Effects by Cock'ring Love ensue,  
Since Indulgence both Parties than did rue;  
More true than Helen's Rape, by Theseus first,  
And last by Paris of old Trojans cursed.  
Our Moses shall convince their feigned mistakes,  
As did his Rod th' Egyptians charmed Snakes.  
For Niobe into a Stone estranged,  
We sounds Lot's Wife to a Salt-Pillar changed.  
For Ioves descent to be philemon's Guest,  
Our Abram for Three Angels made a Feast;  
And for the Former's Gift from jupiter,  
Our Solomon did Wisdoms choice prefer.  
Our Samson with the Jawbone of an Ass,  
Doth Hercules and his Twelve Labours pass.  
Our jepthes vow for his Maid-Child too grim,  
Doth the Grek Prince his Iphigenia dim.  
Our zealous David's Sling doth far exceed  
Their Persem Shield, and Ariadne's Thread.  
If Hylas they and Hercules object:  
Or Theseus and Pirithous Loves select;  
Our David loved his jonathan more dear,  
As may yet by his Epitaph appear.  
If they fetch Rites from Babel, Rome, or Crect:  
Gods Laws from Sinai we and Salem greet.  
If Midas they with Ass' Ears bewray:  
We Humane Speech in Balaams' Ass display.  
If they gaze on the Coach of Phoebus' Son,  
We josuah sing Commander of the Sun;  
Ot else we can the Sun's Degrees produce,  
Backward to go for Hezechi●es use.  
But while they lift the Creatures Excellence,  
We glory bring to our Creator thence.  
Thence we derive a Subject to commend  
God's Friendship shown ●o Man as to his Friend.  
If they ●●ne Odes in Aes●●lapius praise,  
Because from Death He These●s Son did raise:  
From Holy Writ we many can transfer,  
Who really to Life restored were.  
If they insist on Delphic Oracle's;  
True Prophecies confirmed with Miracles  
We can from God's choice Servants more rehearse,  
Then may be couched, or s●ng in stinted Verse.  
And if they chant Love's Rapes by Carnal Jave:  
We Canticles sing of Divinest Love:  
And with our Vows prevent Asmode●s Craft,  
Maugre Love's Golden Wings and Poisoned Shaft.  
Let Haltion grieve for C●ix her Husband's death,  
Till fabled for a Bird Sobs stop her Breath:  
We for slain Bethlems Babes count Rachel's Tears.  
Or the sad Badge we sing, which Salem wears?  
Or else our Churches Threnes for her late Loss  
Of Christian Blood spilt causeless at the Crosse.  
Whilst that they bath in Aganippe's Spring,  
Of Jordan we and of Bethesda sing.  
And while they climb Parnassus' forked Hill,  
On Zions Mount we show our sacred skill.  
Instead of Pagan Baits with Calvary,  
And Olives Fruit we sauce our Poetry  
According to Christ's Gifts infused new,  
We leave those dregs, which the Old man did brew.  
As Oracles ceased after Christ his Death  
Among the Gentiles by the Apostles Breath:  
So fail those Lees, which Satan since did brew,  
By our Religion, of some termed New.  
So that for their false Metamorphosis  
Of men to Earthly Forms, our Purpose is,  
Souls to convert into Immortal shapes  
By our New man, that foils their Apes and Rapes.  
And for that Dame Ephesian Idolised,  
We Christ his Mother-Maid Evangelized  
Do bl●sse and praise, but worship not of lat●  
As Goddess, lest from God we derogate.  
For Hermes, Pall●s, or Ap●llo●● Lore,  
We crave the Holy Ghost to bless our store,  
For Tantalus in Hell, or ixion's Wheel,  
We Dives Preach their racking aine to feel.  
Souls judges they served Minos, R●adamant,  
And Aeacus: But Christ our judge we chant,  
Christ we look for to Doom both Dead and Quick,  
The Dead in Faith and the Church Catholic:  
Mean while his Spirit reigns in every Place,  
Yet craves as Man for men his Father's Grace.  
With this Prime Saint we satisfy ourselves,  
And for him scorn all Shrines, and Laban's Elves;  
Whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost,  
One God in Three, we found through Britain's Coast,  
As we were bound at our New Second Birth,  
God's Angels all applanding us with Mirth.   

NOw, Eyes, pack hence, whether Elysian Greece,  
Th' Hesperides ye faigle, or Colcheses Flecce:  
Whether ye gull weak Souls, or them control  
With Benet's Hood, or the Franciscans Cowle;  
Whether ye ●low spring Pools Poeticull,  
From Tophets' Lake, or Streams Papistical;  
And Farewell Dreams, whether from Ch●llers stea●●,  
From Dragon's Gull ye ●low, or Blood and Fleame.  
And in their stead, come Truth, thy Name we bla●e,  
For thy Bright Lamp doth Men and Fiends ama●e.  
Thou art the Life of a True Prophet's Song,  
And they who slight thy Sound, God's Spirit wrong.  
Then come, O Blessed Truth, Correct our Odds,  
As thou long since hast quailed the Pagan's Gods;  
And suffer not the Dragon's Sorteries  
To be commixed with Christian Mysteries,  
Nor Legends of vain Men to prejudice  
The Gospel's Light, or Our New Sacrifice.  
On thee I built the Church's History;  
By thee I found, that Babel's Mystery  
Eclipsed the Church from the seventh Century,  
Till Wickliff did into Rome's Whoredoms pry,  
And by his Pen that Subject more dilate,  
Which Thousands now as copiously relate,  
Which I among the rest, as they began,  
Have warbled forth to daunt the Outward man,  
Who by Nicknames doth tax Our Church for New,  
And to her Spouse outface to be untrue.  
Now to wind up my Task, I add this Ode,  
In hope no Saint will my intent explode:  
Lest I the Doom of Wrath incur,  
Which Slugges doth for bad Stewards blur,  
I look about with watchful Cares  
To see who wants some Holy Wares.  
My Talents use I freely give  
To clothe some Souls, whilst yet I live.  
Divide the Web, Friends, as ye please;  
The Wear is light producing Ease.  
The Hue not ga●dy, nor yet base,  
But like White Robes, which Temples grace.  
From Our New man I fetched the Stuff,  
Let none then take the Gift in Snuffe,  
Or tax the Matter for the Form,  
Since what I could I did perform,  
They came from Love, the Spirits Dove,  
Let that suffice Good Minds to move.   
FINIS.   

Imprimatur,  
Tho. Wykes. Decemb. 20. 1639.