The Prancing Swearer; Or, Perjury Militant. An HEROIC Poem.  By C. M. 

 
AS Babylon of Old was fertile grown  
In Perjuries, enough to cloud the Sun;  
So has our Age (unhappy 'tis to tell!)  
To Her approached the nearest Parallel.  
Unheard of Villains, in our Matchless Age,  
Publicly came on the Tribunal Stage;  
Whose Poisonous Breathes endeavoured to defame  
The First of Rank in Sacred Honour's Name:  
But as they are, so ever may they be,  
The scumm and dregs of open Infamy.   

IN that Proud City, (to whose Sovereign Sway  
The Eastern World did humble Homage pay)  
Imperious, Haughty Babylon, by name,  
Dwel● 〈…〉, a man of 〈…〉.  
To Him, as well deserving, was by Heaven,  
For a  Wife, the Fair Susanna given.  
Susanna! Whose unspotted Life and Grace,  
Showed her the Daughter of good Chelcias.  
In Piety matchless was the Parallel,  
Whether the Child or Father did excel.  
Besides the Blessing of a Virtuous Mate,  
Heaven blessed him with a Large and Fair Estate.  
His goodly House, his Grotts, his Garden fair,  
Invites the Jews to walk and take the Air.  
Where must they go, but to good Joacim?  
He loves them All, as All he thinks loves him.  
But Oh! no Pleasures here below are found  
To be complete; but an Eternal Round  
Of changes, flow: Thus does a sudden Ebb  
Stop Joacim's Tides of Joys o'th' Marriagebed.  
The Time was come, that Babylon must name  
Two of her Elders, to support the Fame  
And Grandeur of her Laws; who Judge and Hear  
All the Events of the Ensuing Year.  
Chosen unhappy Choice, cried Heaven! who knew  
That Punishments must Babylon pursue,  
When her old Judges, judge not what is True.  
At Joacim's House these Two did much abide,  
And all depending suits of Law decide.  
It chanced (the Business of the Hall being done,  
And Crowds of People all returned home)  
Susanna in her Garden walked alone:  
The Elders this observed, (so sharply bend  
Are lustful Eyes upon the Innocent;)  
The more they gaze, the more they do desire;  
Her Beauty Fans their Feavourish Coals of Fire:  
Hot burns the Calenture; no Med'cin's found;  
Susanna gave, Susanna cures the wound.  
These wretched Elders jointly do conspire  
In chaste Susanna's Arms to quench their Fire:  
Secret they lie purdeiu, and watch the time  
I'th' Garden, for to act their horrid Crime.  
And lo! unguarded Innocence comes in,  
(Her Maids attending,) thinking no design,  
Was 'gainst her Honour laid: (They only fear,  
Whose Crowding Ills the sting of Conscience bear.)  
The fervent day, fraught full with Phoebus' Beams,  
Invites Susanna to the cooling Streams;  
Willing to bathe, thinking no mortal Eye  
Uncovered Innocence was there to spy.  
Then on her Maids she forthwith laid Commands,  
To fetch her Oil and Washballs for her Hands;  
To shut the Garden Doors, lest any one,  
Whilst bathing, should approach to her alone:  
The which, no sooner she to them had said,  
But her Commands were willingly obeyed.  
No sooner left, but from the secret Grove  
The Elders rush, swelled full with poisonous Love  
Tell her their purpose; bid consent or die;  
Death is your Lott, except with us you lie:  
If you refuse, against you we will swear,  
That a young Youth in your Embraces here  
You did Caress, all naked as you are.  
She wept, and said, What Land or Sea is free?  
What Refuge now remains for Wretched me?  
Surprised! Betrayed! by Two cursed Villains Rage!  
Nought but Almighty Power can it assuage.  
If I consent, and grant you your desire.  
 
Oh! better 'tis to suffer by your Hands.  
Than Violate th' Almighty's High Commands.  
This said, her Tears and Sorrows spoke the rest;  
But nothing moved Compassion in their Breast:  
These Shamming Elders seize the Innocent;  
And to take Life, and Honour, both are bend.  
The noise being heard, the Servants all did run,  
To know what in the Garden then was done:  
The Elders blast Susanna with a ;  
(What Innocence is safe from Perjury?)  
'Tis noised, and Rumours still in telling grow;  
As rolling Snowballs ever gather Snow.  
The People flock where Joacim doth dwell,  
To hear these Judges their Shame story tell:  
Who, in the Presence of the People, sent  
For  Susanna, who was Innocent.  
She comes, attended with a numerous Throng  
Of Kindred, weeping at her wondrous Wrong:  
Herself serene, and beauteous to behold;  
Framed by Angelic Art, in Heavenly Mould.  
But, Ah! what help can Beauty her afford?  
'twas that, at first, unsheathed the Villain's sword;  
The sharpest sword, the Villains Perjured Word.  
Laying their hands on fair Susanna's head,  
In public to the people, thus they said:  
As in good Joacim's Garden we did walk,  
Of Truth and Justice privately to talk;  
This Woman, and her Maids, mean time came in;  
(Alas! we little thinking 'twas to sin:)  
But her Attendants, she soon sent away,  
And shut the Doors, lest they should Her betray.  
Then to Her came a Youth, whose lustful Charms  
She gladly clasped within her willing Arms.  
This Wickedness we seeing with our Eyes,  
'Cause 'twas Susanna, strangely did surprise;  
Then made we hast to seize th' Adulterous Man;  
But he forced ope' the Door, and from us ran.  
Susanna then we took, who now stands here;  
But her Adulterer she would not declare.  
This, and much more, we both can Testify:  
Therefore 'tis just, Susanna forthwith Dy.  
Now the Assembly did these Men believe,  
Thinking that Judges never would deceive,  
And spotless Innocence of Life bereave.  
With a Loud Voice, Susanna then did Cry;  
O God, in whom alone's Omnisciency!  
Lo, here I am, by Villain's Perjury,  
For what I never did, Adjudged to die.  
Almighty Lord, Thou Know'st my Innocence;  
Thou Know'st, they swear under a false Pretence;  
And Perjury's their only Evidence.  
Th' Almighty heard the Innocent thus Cry;  
And as they led her to her Destiny,  
A Sprightly Youth cried out, (Daniel by name)  
Why do you thus the Innocent defame?  
The Crowding People turning, asked the Truth,  
And Meaning of those words, spoke by the Youth?  
To whom; Your Folly I must plainly tell:  
Are ye such Fools, ye Sons of Israel,  
Thus rashly to Condemn the Innocent,  
Without examining these men's Intent?  
Return, return, unto the Judgement place;  
Where you shall hear these wretched Elders case.  
At which the Judges to him did reply,  
Come public speak, where lies the villainy  
Put these, says he, in separate Rooms aside,  
And the whole matter I will soon decide.  
Then calls he one, and to Him thus did say;  
Thy wicked Perjuries appear to day:  
Thou hast maliciously false Judgement given;  
And blacked with Lies, what is as clear as Heaven.  
But harken now to what the Lord doth say;  
The Innocent and Just thou shalt not slay:  
Under what Tree did You this Woman see,  
Committing with the Youth Adultery?  
Who Answer made, under a MASTIC TREE.  
The Other being brought, thus he began;  
Of Judah Thou art not, but Canaan;  
Beauty to You has proved a Golden Bait;  
And drawn upon You an Impending Fate.  
Under what Tree did You this Woman see,  
Committing with the Youth Adultery?  
His answer was, under an OAKEN TREE.  
Your Oaths, says Dan'el, are more false than Hell  
Can ever broach, to make a Parallel;  
And heavens Revenge has justly found this Day,  
Your Crimes with equal Punishments to pay.  
Th' amazed Assembly, with Confused Noise,  
Praised her Deliverer with Heart and Voice.  
The Elders from their Honours were displaced,  
Proved Perjured Men, abandoned and disgraced:  
And as themselves endeavoured, were they served;  
Suffering that Day Susanna was preserved.  
Then all Her Friends to God did Praises sound,  
'Cause no Dishonesty in Her was found.  
And from that Day the People did Proclaim,  
Daniel most Wise, and  Susanna's Fame.    


THus Reader, hast thou seen the blasted Times  
Of Israel's Honour, and her causing Crimes.  
Here, not the Low and Humble do devise  
To cut off Life and Fame with Perjuries:  
But the great Rulers, (whose peculiar Care  
Is Mercy, Truth, and Justice) falsely swear.  
Unhappy Land, and People; for what Curse  
Than Perjury can fall on Nations Worse?  
What shield has Innocence, if that the Fiend  
Will perjured be, Herself for to defend?  
None, none, but Heaven, could poor Susanna find;  
To Innocence may Heaven still prove so kind:  
And for Revenge to perjured men, may Heaven  
Decree the Elders portion to be given.    

Licenced, and Entered according to Order.   

LONDON, Printed by T. M. in Jewen-Street. 1686.