A panegyric, Faithfully representing The proceedings of the PARLIAMENT at Westminster, since their first Sessions to this present: Wherein their wonderful Acts are truly declared; And what is further by them to be expected.  

MOst gracious, Omnipotent,  
And everlasting Parliament,  
Whose power and majesty  
Is greater than all Kings by odds;  
Yea to account you less than Gods,  
Must needs be blasphemy.   

Moses and Aaron ne'er did do  
More wonders than are wrought by you  
For England's Israel:  
But through the Red-Sea we have past,  
If you to Canaan brings at last,  
Is't not a miracle?   

In six years' space you have done more  
Than all our Parliaments before:  
You have quite done the work;  
The Cavaliers, the King, the Pope,  
You have o'erthrown, and next we hope  
You will confound the Turk.   

The heads of Strafford, and of Laud,  
You did cut off, because by fraud  
They would have made us slaves:  
But sure you were ten times more just,  
Who Carew and the Hotham's trust,  
For they were arrant knaves.   

By you we have deliverance  
From the designs of Spain and France,  
Ormond Montrosse, the Danes:  
You aided by our Brethren Scots,  
Defeated have malignant plots,  
And brought their Swords to Canes.   

What wholesome laws have you ordained,  
Whereby our properties maintained  
'Gainst those would us undo?  
Yea both our fortunes and our lives,  
And what is dearer, e'en our wives,  
Are wholly kept by you.   

O what a flourishing Church and State  
Have we enjoyed e'er since you sat?  
What a glorious King, God save him,  
Have you now made His Majesty,  
Had he the grace but to comply,  
And do as you would have him?   

When Hell was not enough to fright  
And make the royal Party right,  
You wisely did invent  
That dreadful Tophet, Goldsmiths-hall,  
And Committees worse than devil and all  
For their full punishment.   

Your Directory how to pray  
By th' Spirit shows the perfect way:  
In zeal you have abolished  
That Dagon of the commonprayer▪  
And next we see you will take care  
That Churches be demolished.   

What multitudes in every Trade  
Of painful Preachers you have made,  
Learned by revelation:  
Oxford and Cambridge make poor Preachers,  
Each Shop affordeth better Teachers:  
Oh blessed Reformation!   

Your godly wisdoms have found out  
The true Religion without doubt:  
For sure amongst so many,  
(We have five hundred at the least,  
Is not the gospel well increased?)  
One must be pure, if any.   

Could you have done more piously,  
Then sell Church-lands the King to buy,  
And stop the city's plaints?  
Paying the Scots Church-Militant,  
That the new gospel help to plant,  
God knows they are poor Saints.   

Because th' Apostles Creed is lame,  
Th' Assembly do a better frame,  
Which saves us all with ease:  
Provided still we have the grace  
To believe th' two Houses i'th' first place,  
Let our works be what they please.   

'Tis strange your power and holiness  
Can't th' Irish devil dispossess,  
His kind is very stout:  
That though you do so often pray,  
And every month keep fastingday  
You cannot get him out.   

Who will not pay with all his hart  
Excise? the fifth, and twentieth part,  
Assessments, Taxes, Rates,  
'Tis easy what both Houses levy,  
Our duties to the King were heavy,  
But all we have's the States.   

For all your sufferings and your pains,  
What in the end shall be your gains,  
You never did regard:  
Some twenty thousand pounds a man,  
An Office too, alas who can  
Think that a fit reward?   

Wherefore as soon as you're dissolved,  
To show our thanks we are resolved,  
The King himself engages,  
Another Parliament to call,  
Which your deserts consider shall,  
And surely pay your wages.   
FINIS.