An Answer to the Lamentation of Cheapside Cross. Together with the Reasons why so many do desire the downfall of it, and all such Popish Relics. Also the downfall of Antichrist.  
By Samuel Lovedeay.  
London, Printed for T. A.   

The Reasons why so many desire the downfall of Cheapside-Crosse, and all such like Popish Relics.  
FOrasmuch as some have undertaken to oppose (by word and deed) such as desired the abolishing of all Images, more especially, that of Cheapside-crosse, showing that it is an ornament to the City, and of antiquity, which reasons are of no great consequence: We desire to give you some Reasons why we desire the extirpation of it and all such like.  
1. Because it is in its own nature a monument of Idolatry, and may suit well with an idolatrous place, and may be compared to Dagon, spoken of in 1. Sam. 5. and the beginning, which when the Ark came ne'er he fell down flat. Intimating unto us that wheresoever the Ark of God comes all Idols and idolatry must be done away: now we have great cause to hope that our Ark is coming home again which the Philistin●s have so long kept from us, and therefore good reason dumb idols should fall before him.  
2. From God's command in Exod. 20. twice repeated in that Chapter, and flatly forbidden, that we should not make any graven Image in the 23. verse of that Chapter.  
And in the 27. of Deutrinomy and the 15. verse, Therr is a curse pronounced against him that should make any Image, and so in Exod. 32. How the wrath of God broke out upon for this sin, and how he plagued them in the last verse them of that Chapter.  
A Third Reason may be drawn from the men that stand for them, upholding of them in their lives and conversations, according to God's Word, the world saith our Saviour loves his own.  
It is prone to our natures to desire a Visible God, we cannot endure to serve a God invisible. Therefore we may be easily drawn to Idolatry.  
The fourth Reason may be drawn from the unsutablenes of them to this City, a place of so much preaching of God's Word. If Solomon describes the attire of an Harlot to be answerable to her person, why not the attire of Idolatry to Idolatrous places, and of Paul in the 5. to the Phillippians, Said, have not covetousness nor fornication once named among them as become Saints, then let not the least thought of Popery be seen among us as becomes Protestant's.  
The fifth reason is drawn from our Nationall Protestation, We desire it may be abolished, otherwise we shall be guilty of breaches of Covenant, if we do not endeavour to suppress and also to abandon all Popery and Popish Innovaons'.  
The sixth Reason may be drawn from the evil consequence of its still continuing both to ourselves and others,  
First to ourselves, it will be smoke to our eyes, and thorns in our consciences, while they remain amongst us, it will also scandalise our pure profession of Religion.  
Secondly prejudicial to others, it will be an occasion to keep them from coming in to look for Christ in an invisible way so long as they see him in a visible, it is credibly reported that some have been sent to worship that Cross.  
Therefore you that plead for it, your grounds cannot be good, it is a fit ornament for Rome or some such place (I mean whilst the Image and Cross remain on it) then for this City. All which had their aims and originals from Rome, all Cross and such like, they may stand with a non-Reformid Nation. Yet I do not say that it is so fit for every one to pull them down, but them them in authority as thanks be to God the Parliament have took it into consideration, and commanded that all in Churches should down, and so now also the rest, for which happy Parliament let our prayers and praises be continued to God always.  
Yours. Samuel Loveday.   

An answer to the Lamentation of Cheapside Cross.  

OLD jaspar Cross of late was wronged,  
As I did hear one say,  
A base affront to him was gi'n  
Upon the King's high way.   

For which his friends do much lament,  
They writ a doleful Theme,  
It grieves them much they cannot find  
Who did this hurt to him.   

They blame the Brownists and such like,  
That did him so abuse,  
But sure I think they cannot tell,  
However they may muse.   

Yet some they free, which I mistrust,  
To be his mortal foes,  
Their names I need not now relate,  
You know them by their .   

But chiefly by their linen sleeves,  
Which thing doth make me muse,  
That they should go in tire so like  
To that which Gregory use.   

But you may know them by their works,  
As well as by their :  
If ears they lack you may conclude,  
The Bishop were his foes.   

But jaspers' grief is for his nose,  
His leg and eke his arm:  
As for his Ears, he says nothing  
He thinks they had no harm.   

But one thing grieves his lovers well,  
Which thing I must not keep:  
The deed was done as they suppose,  
When he was fast asleep.   

For had he been awake, 'tis sure  
His strength was not so small,  
That he should suffer such abuse,  
And not for help to call.   

A Coward sure he must not be,  
That is for your disgrace:  
Who are his friends and take his part  
Against his enemy's face.   

But pray call back, the person that  
Did act this Tragedy,  
No blood he shed in all he did,  
There is no cause to fly.   

Old Charingcross has lost its head,  
And so't may be your fear,  
That jaspers' noddle would be gone  
But for the watchman's care.   

His case is bad, but to conclude,  
If jasper for me send,  
When he assaulted is again,  
No help to him I'll lend.   

Because of that which here I add,  
To aggravate your fears,  
Such lamentation was not heard  
When Goodmen lost their ears.    

The Doctor's judgement upon his Disease.  
THE aforesaid jasper having suffered much by loss of his Members from his body, your delays of relief have proved very prejudicial to his health: for being (as I suppose put into a heat by that sudden encounter, and then being exposed to the violence of the weather, and a cold piercing into his body through the open Pores, and not bleeding currently, I fear it festers inwardly, whereby many radical humours are congealed therein, that in respect of his age, his disease (occasioned by their delays, and obnoxious) will prove very desperately uncutable, without one medicine can be procured to apply to him, and that is a Parliamentary Plaster, as a preservative of his life. You do well to watch with him and pray to him, and comfort him as well is you can. Only use such medicines as may preserve his present life: for as yet the obstructions cannot be removed: if you please you may give him a vomit, and apply a plaster to his sores.   

The downfall of Antichrist.  
Dear Christians, unto whom I writ these lines,  
I doubt not much but that these are the times,  
When Antichrist, according to the Scripture,  
Must yield himself to jesus Christ his sceptre:  
Though he long time hath sat in Regal Throne,  
judging the earth, as none but him alone.  
Yet now he must be made to lick the dust,  
That always hath so terrified the just.  
His Kingdom now we see doth much decline,  
The downfall of the Bishops is a sign,  
Though they did plot, as they will till they live,  
Yet nothing hitherto we see doth thrive.  
The Lord doth fool them like Achitophel,  
That never yet these men could have their will.  
Therefore we now must needs confess and say,  
The Romish Kingdom greatly doth decay.  
But this you say is hard for to believe,  
Because in Ireland he the Saints doth grieve,  
Exposing them to death and cruel pain,  
And they not able for to turn again;  
But there they lie imbrued in their blood,  
Which doth the adverse part, we know much good.  
Yet unto them this eager thirst of blood,  
Can be a sign of but a little good.  
It is a sign they poisoned were before,  
Which to their hurt doth make them drink the more,  
When they were in their greatest height of pride,  
The Lord from heaven will their work deride,  
And strike them, as he did King Pharaohed host,  
That they shall go but slow, that now so post.  
The Lord to England has been good always,  
But most of all in these our latter days,  
By calling first so good a Parliament,  
Which still the foes so much doth circumvent,  
The Papishes have laboured might and main  
To cut them off but all was but in vain.  
The prayers of the Saints have so prevailed,  
That hitherto we see they have not quailed,  
Yet let not England think their sins are less,  
Than Ireland's sins, because of their distress:  
For then the Lord may justly make us know,  
That we deserve as much, though he be slow.  
FINIS.