AN APOLOGY FOR BISHOPS OR, A PLEA FOR LEARNING, AGAINST THOSE LYING, RAYLNG, AND SCANDALOUS LIBELS, SO frequent, in despite of Learning and Learned Men.  
DEDICATED TO ALL THE LOVER of Learning and Virtue for the Reformation of the abuses and corruptions of these Times.  
Printed in the year, 1641.   

Introduction.  

To vindicate the truth, now basely shent;  
(But yet not shamed) one muse is forward bend;  
Then give such power and guidance to my Quill,  
(Thou truths defender) that thy glory still,  
May be the end and scope of all my pains,  
Which more delights my soul then worldly gains.   

INjurious times I can these latter days,  
That should devoutly more and more upraise  
Th'almighties honour, whose children should grow  
As th'ponderous world grows more and more in age?  
Can it and we so much degenerate?  
(Oh grief) we do; the world is in no fault,  
But horridly she shakes, and stands aghast,  
To see fond Mortals desperately and fast.  
Gigantikely 'gainst goodness wage a war,  
And set up Ignorance in Learning's chary.  
Bishops whose long and undisputed right,  
For hundred years struck error in a fright,  
In whose successions still there has been found  
Continual props to bear up England's Crown.  
Search Monumental Records and you'll see  
In ancient times muzzled with Popery,  
Still some of them like Atlas, 'gainst stern fate  
In boystering times uphold our tottering State,  
And truly if I might compare, and show  
The blessings which from their industry grow  
God making them his chiefest instruments  
To bring to pass which now's our cheifst contents  
Witness grave Morton whose inditions head  
Found means to join the white rose with the red  
And that good Durham Bishop whose wit did find,  
The means by which England and Scotland's joined.  
But some will say, what traitorous Subjects were,  
These Bishops, Becket, Bonner, Gardiner,  
With many more, I grant it verily  
Many were bad (but yet) I thus reply,  
No order since the world did first begin,  
Were't ne'er so strict, but some were full of sin;  
I can recite such as no man can blame,  
Induced with Learning and Religious Flame:  
Especially since time of reformation,  
And Pope in England had so sore damnation,  
Who like God's faithful servants full of grace,  
Made fire their Graves to see their Maker's face,  
As Crammer, Ridley, reverend Latimer,  
Good Bishop Hooker, zealous Bishop Farrar,  
To lead the Armies of the living God,  
(Like good Ichoiadas) they Antichrist withstood:  
And after that the Marion troubles ended,  
Elizabeth, whom God so long defended,  
(Seated in though English Throne) she quickly cast  
Blood sucking Tyrants into prison fast,  
And in their places placed such shining Stars,  
Who governed decently the Church, held wars  
With Antichrist, and knocked his triple Crown  
To Hell, from whence their Hellish doctrin's flown,  
Since whom, what good men could I name, but I  
Hate guiltiness of partiality,  
And know full well my praise can little skill,  
Since their own works have merited so well.  
The Function's so devout, of such esteem  
It ought to be, though some sinister deem,  
Whose boiling hearts blown up with satins spirit,  
Strike at the Church's Basis, would disinherit  
The Lords own Tribe, and let all Ignorance,  
Schism and Discord, or other dire mischance,  
Come tumbling in, but that high Senate's skill  
And holy Zeal, that which is fitting, will  
Establish and enact, let slanderous pens,  
Scrible their humid rum stuff, fans right or sense.  
Let the foal Co● comb, Mercury's Messenger,  
And that same doughty Ass of Lambeth Fair.  
Go on in this mad mood like dog bolt curs,  
Who think to overthrow with false demurs,  
The Truths just cause; fling Libels all about,  
To scandal, rail, to vilify and slout  
Grave reverend Fathers, each good Presbyter.  
What though Archbishop Laud is prisoner,  
Must that same senseless, soul mouthed graceless rogue  
Deride and scoff, who would, I'm sure, collogue,  
Were Laud in honours, for to get a place,  
Of trencher-scraper, or groom unto his grace,  
Laud has offended, and it is my wish,  
That all offenders taste of laud's own dish,  
But though has done amiss, him to defame  
So impudently ti● a filthy shame.  
And to revile him so 'tis much unfit,  
For such a poetasten (devils chit)  
To all these rogues associates He say thus,  
They ride the devil, not noble Pegasus,  
And wish them whipped and stripped, till their strong lines  
Make them all halters for their doughty rhymes.  
Honour gives life to learning, and the Arts,  
Honour makes man ennobled in all parts.  
Honour excites to virtue every one,  
Honour persuades to get perfection.  
The soldier's fights for honour, makes the ground  
His fastened pillow, and his bed of Down,  
Will boldly stand 'gainst death; look as grim  
As Mars himself, over a river swim.  
Outface a Canons wide-hell-thundring mouth  
Outdare, outstare all objects nor so ruth.  
All this and more for honour he'll passed by,  
For honour fight to live, for honour die.  
A willing prentice, be it ne'er so base,  
Will undergo all work, bear all disgrace,  
Run, fly, and troth, endure any thing,  
In hope of honour, which Liberty may bring.  
And shall not we honour that precious gem,  
Learning which bears from all the Diadem;  
Which makes a man in spite of spite full death,  
Live still renowned, immortal after breath,  
By whose fair help all dark obscurities  
Are ta'en away from sacred mysteries.  
Scripture aright expounded, and whereby  
The good profession sacred Theology  
Is still more graduated, for unless  
Learning be got, all's but emptiness.  
And certes then sigh Learnings so profound,  
So dear, so sweet, there must be fuel found  
For to maintain it, or 'twill suffocate  
Estate and honour, 'tis the needful bait  
That makes ingenuous wits with courage climb  
Up Learning's steepy mountain so sublime.  
A shame it is in any Christian state  
To see a learned Clergy paupertate;  
To see those Academyes, whose renown  
So long have flourished to tumble down.  
But Heaven be gracious to that gracious Court  
Assembled in thy name, be thou a fort  
And a defence to them. Let them go on  
For Church and Kingdom's reformation.  
Reform abuses, beat down slanderers,  
Unto the truth that are such batterers.  
And then, so long as we have any breath,  
we'll praise thy name, and seal it with our death.   
FINIS.