Londons Metamorphosis: OR, A DIALOGUE BETWEEN London & Amsterdam.  
Discoursing compendiously of the change of Government, alteration of Manners, and the Escapes of Sectaries.  Amsterdam. 
in me both Jews and Gentiles licensed be,  
For to adore a several deity.  London. 
cobblers preach here, as 'twere in Amsterdam,  
Scorning, Nè suitor ultra crepidam.  
July .22. Printed in the year 1647.   

Londons Metamorphosis: a Dialogue between London and Amsterdam.  London. 
SO may my basis be for ever fixed, if I wonder not ●t my own Metamorphosis, in nova fert— o Ovid thou hast sung the change of bodies, in whom shall thy soul abide, to record my wondrous alteration?  Amsterdam. 
Thy loud acclamation hath reached my ears, faire London, that like a Bride, who when Sol peeps through the thin curtains, viewing her in soft skirmish with her Lord, blushest for shane, and wondrest at thy unrouth change: thou wert desirous of novel truths, at which while thou hast too hastily catched, thou hast embraced error, and instead of Juno hast embraced a cloud, thou hast asked a fish, but hast received a serpent.  London. 
I wonder at my own shane, and yet I confess it my merit, had I thought instead of lightning my heavy pressures, such an unwieldy load should have surcharged me, I would never have bowed down my back to bear, I couch like Issachar, between two burdens, while a rabble of Sectaries get up and ride, and are at point to fall together by the ears while they vie, who who shall attain the saddle.  Amsterdam. 
Fata volunt, thou reelest with thy own weight, thou includest a kingdom within thy walls, but divided, thou ambitiously aspirest, hiding thy head in the clouds, yet like Grantham-steeple thou standest awry: dost thou conjecture thou canst hardbour so many men, of so various religions, and yet not suffer an eclipse of thy glory, and a diminution of thy strength.  London. 
Be thou my president; are not within thee a mixed multitude of several nations, worshippers of the true God, of Mahomet, and of no God; and these occasion no garbo●les in thee, no Petitions are put up, the contents whereof are dangerous and destructive to the ●ntagonists; they toss not each others limbs on the swords of their tongues, nor damn each other with invective oratory, even to the profundity of abyss.  Amsterdam. 
No sister: for in me inhabit no Presbyterians, capable of calumnies, all my inhabitants are the supporters of anarchy, Independents.  London. 
But thou hast order in the midst of disorder; I am daily almost ready to be overturned; every man here hath this conceit of himself, that he is fitter to bear rule then those in Authority: so the silly Furbush thought itself fit to be a King; and the Thistle would have the Cedars daughter to marry his son.  Amsterdam. 
The Hebrew Writers note, that the devils name beelzeebub signifieth a great flesh-flie, or a master-fl●e, flap him away never so often, he will still fly thither again; therefore S. james counseleth to resist him with vigour; so while thy Governours play at pit pat, and think to silence the tongues of disturbers with words, and to bind their hands with threads, they leap to and fro, but again return to their first station, 'tis no more then if you should cause a Fast for the removal of errors, Heresies, and Blasphemies, and yet on that very day suffer Gorton to broach errors, lamb to confirm heretics, and Green to utter blasphemy.  London. 
I lately beholded myself in Archimedes glass, and to my wonder by a reflection, I saw the palace where royal Charles was wont to reside, strangely metamorphosed to an Inn, I took it for some hospital, for it was full of beds and basins, where were entertained a great company of Clerks and Lay-men, who promiscuously striven who should slumber in that bed was nearest the privy Chamber: I saw a number of Courtiers feeding on as poor orts, as they were wont to bestow on their Beagles, while some Citizens fleered, as if their gums had been new washed with vinegar.  Amsterdam. 

Now that with madness all men are possessed,  
Vile Ate having robbed the world of rest,  
Sing we as madly sister, let our rhymes,  
Be as irregular as are the times.   land. 

Then thus Ile chant my own decay of bliss,  
Let all admire my Metamorphosis:  
I was the pride of Europe, once the glory  
Of all the earth; but now my tragic story  
affords as dire occasion to relate  
As when great virgil sung faire Latiums fate,  
The Bat, the owlet and the Whistler shrill  
With harsh unpleasant tunes, mens ears do fill,  
Which they with all applause accept as well  
As if they heard the voice of philomel.   Amst. 

I will with thee condole thy loss of good,  
Yet so, that Ile by few bee understood,  
It is delightful to the ear, 'tis sweet  
When a whole consort in one tune do meet;  
When first I saw thy eagles tallans pa'd,  
And the stout mastiff of the sheep affeard,  
When I beholded one alms-house to hold  
So many mens estates, when I was  told  
Juno's faire birds were pulled for ravens, who  
Decking themselves, seemed faire unto the view,  
I said, my sister London now I see,  
Begins to feel confusion like to me.   London. 

Faire ranks of Cedars are eradicated,  
And shrubs and bushes in their place instated,  
Who sprout so high, and spread their branches so,  
They snatch a fleece from all that by them go;  
Lions are yoked, and forced to draw the plow,  
While Dogs are coached, and Garlands deck their brow;  
And I that wont be president to all,  
In Ills am onely, now their principal.   Amsterdam. 
It rejoiceth me greatly, faire sister, that thee and I are the beast and his image, and differ no more then the two sisters Aholiah and Ahoblibah: but I am thy elder in evil, thou art but a young sinner, if compared with me, thy alteration hath been but since crisp abrogated the Law, avowing the filthy error of the Antinomians, that the Law or Commandements of God, given on Mount Sinai, have no more to do with a believer, then the laws of spain have to do with an Englishman abiding in his own country: I smile to think how a brother of that Sect, harkened to the tenant of the deluded Doctor, and accounting it not so much as venial to break the seventh Commandement, mingled limbs with a sister of the Fraternity, whose husband was ploughing the ocean while his faire wife followed her occupation, and at his return presented him with a young Antinomian, he not well pleased with the object, in requital of her love, sold up all his goods and household-stuff, and put to Sea again, the sister rejoicing hereat, caused a bill to be put up, mentioning thanks to be given to God, that had by his providence, separated her from an unbeliever; the sa●e couple after went into Holland, where it seems the spirit forsook them, for there shee became the mistress of a Brothell-house, and he a doorekeeper, &c.  London. 
My walls have trembled ever since that wandring Levite divulged, that the Creed must be purged, and the Lords Prayer not used, the same Gadite was afterwards taken rem in re, with another mans wife, of which being convicted and ashamed, he left London, and with her sailed to Newcastle, where being descried by his large ear, emphatical garb, with his presumptuous caterwauling in private corners, he and his doxy were laid hold on at the command of the Mayor, and whipped out of the town.  Amsterdam. 
But say faire sister, do the Anabaptists still rebaptize, and dip in their new Jordan? O fine sport, when Mrs. Ellis the Spinster, and Mr. Cockeram the tailor were let down together in one bag, and therefore ever after tumbled in one bed. Do the Familists still meet together in an upper chamber, and there solace themselves as the Spirit inspires them: of those were they that were taken in a barn at Newington, whilst an honest Farmer lay perdieu to hear their complementing; when a sister something squeamish, and tired with the fulsome sport, wished some respiration, her conscience wounding her, with the horror of her crime, a zealous Brother encouraged her to prostrate herself boldly, saying, sister, I hope you are not ignorant, that God sees no sin in his servants; but if he do, let's repent, and then with safe conscience we may to't again.  London. 
Most certain it is, they keep their old wont, and are as presumptuously sinful as ever.  Amsterdam. 
No more now then need my wide gates be unhinged, to let in thronging Sectaries, who when expulsed from thee, took me for their city of refuge: now in thee they may abide, and there revile, backbite and blaspheme Cum Privilegio, Hagio Mastix, divine light, Christ upon his Throne, godly party may scourge the Saints uncontroulled, go about with his light placed in a dark lantern, and f●nd no more honest men in London, then Diogenes did in Athens, may sit in Christs stead and damn as many thousands as he converted, may cause a separation, and call the authors of confusion, and broachers of heresies, a godly party.  London. 
They may my sister, the Physitians obsequiously observe mans climacterical year, which they will have to happen according to the time of life, but my climacterical yeares are united all in one, I faint and am crazed for want of a purge, which no Galenite hath ability to administer, it must be a Paracelsian that can constrain me to evacuate, I must vomit upwards and exonerate downward, neither am I diseased alone, my breath hath infected the whole kingdom with an epidemic heat.  Amsterdam. 
We two are like Judah and Samaria, thou retainest still something of God, some truths thou mixedst with abominable errors, I am wholly estranged from God, and worship him represented in golden calves, Judah was a City after Samaria's ruin, so mayest thou have a name when I am an heap of stones, yet certainly if thou do not repent, expulse and erect, forsake thy errors, extirpate heresies, and set up Gods true Religion, I shall but be thy president, and it shall be said of thee, even as babylon.  

Amazed and amated much I am,  
To see this kingdom turned to Amsterdam;  
Six years ago we had of Sects fourscore,  
Which are increased now to one hundred more:  
A book that's called the Gangrene, printed late,  
Their authors and opinions doth repeat,  
Nine score opinions that book sheweth clear,  
Lord, what a harvest hath the devil made here!  
These every one can Scripture wrest and wring,  
Most of them contrary to God and King.    
FINIS.