To a virtuous and Judicious Lady, who (for the exercise of her Devotion) built a Closet, wherein to secure the most Sacred book of commonprayer, from the view and violence of the Enemies thereof, the Sectaries and schismatics of this kingdom.  Written by a most Orthodox, Moderate, and Judicious Divine, A banished Minister of this miserable kingdom. 

SInce it hath pleased our wise and newborn State  
The Common-Prayer-Book t'excommunicate:  
To turn it out of all, as if it were  
Some grand Malignant, or some cavalier:  
Since in our Churches 't is by them forbid  
To say such Prayers, as our Fathers did:  
So that God's House must now be called no more  
The House of Prayer, so ever called before:  
As if those Christians were resolved to use  
That House, as bad, as ever did the Jews:  
Since that of Christ, may now of Prayer be said,  
It wants a place whereon to lay its head.  
I cannot choose but think, it was your care,  
To build your Closet for distressed PRAYER;  
Which here in mourning clad, presents itself,  
Begging some little corner on your shelf:  
For since 't is banished from all public view,  
There be none dare it entertain, but you.  
How times and men are changed! who would have thought  
T'have seen the Service-Book thus set at nought?  
A Book worth Gold, if rightly understood;  
Composed by Martyrs, sealed with their blood.  
Once burned by Papists, merely for this cause,  
It was repugnant to their Popish laws.  
Now by our zealots 't is condemned to die,  
Because (forsooth) 't is full of Popery.  
And thus we see the Golden mean defied,  
And how (twixt two extremes) 't is crucified.   

¶ But 't is no matter, we see stranger things,  
Kings must be Subjects now, and Subjects, Kings.  
The meaner sort of men have all the power;  
The upper end is now beneath the lower:  
The head below the feet; they'll wear the Crown:  
who would not think the world's turned upside down?  
Learning must now give place to Ignorance,  
So must a Statute to an Ordinance;  
Religion to profaneness, and vainglory;  
The Common-Prayer-Book to the Directory.  
All things are out of order, and I fear,  
Are like to be, till we are as we were:  
Till Bishops do return to end the stir  
Twixt th'Independent and the Presbyter.  
Till Kings be Kings, and till we (wished) see  
The Church enjoy her ancient liturgy.  
Till Loyalty be had in more regard:  
And till Rebellion hath its just reward.   

And that these things may be, we'll not despair:  
All this, and more, may be obtained by Prayer.   
FINIS.