Thanks TO THE PARLIAMENT.  

COme let us cheer our hearts with lusty wine,  
Though Papists at the Parliament repine;  
And Rattle-Heads so busily combine  
That thou canst call thy Wife and Children thine,  
thank the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Like silly sheep they did us daily shear,  
Like Asses strong our backs were made to bear,  
Intolerable burdens, year by year,  
No hope, no help, no comfort did appear,  
But from the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

With taxes, and Monopolies oppressed,  
Shipmoney, soldiers, Knighthood, and the rest,  
The coat and conduct-money was no jest,  
Then think good neighbour how much we are blessed  
In the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Were not these plagues worse than a sweeping rot,  
O how unkindly did they use the Scot;  
But those bold blades did prove so fiery hot  
This swinging bowl to them, this other Pot  
To the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Who did regard our poverty, our tears,  
Our wants, our miseries, our many fears,  
Whipped, stripped, and fairly banished as appears;  
You that are masters, now of your own ears  
bless the great Gounsell of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Great pain to till the land ere it be sown,  
And yet the bread we eat was not our own,  
So greedy were those caterpillars grown,  
But now the nest of filthy Birds are flown  
From the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

At Country men, they had a deadly sting  
They would have pulled us bare both tail and wing,  
And all for sooth for profit of the King,  
Are they not found false knaves in every thing  
By the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Had not these thieves an Ore in every boat,  
And still their wicked malice is afloat,  
Would they not now persuade's to cut our throat,  
By printed Proclamations 'gainst the Vote,  
Of the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

See how this wise Assembly they abuse,  
And fill our heads with tittle tattle news,  
As if they were far worse than Turks and Jews,  
Because they are the men whom we did choose,  
For the great council of the King;  
And the King's great counsel.   

The bloody Papists act their tragic part,  
Though covered close with subtlety and Art,  
The Prelates have their Spoke in the same Cart,  
Both aiming now to wound us to the heart,  
In the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Simion and Levy, Twins together joined,  
In Alter-worship, let their flocks be pined,  
Why should men preach who have so little mind?  
This makes these Wolves so eagerly inclined  
'Gainst the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Now tell me Tom, shall we thus cheated be,  
By atheists, Papists, and the hierarchy  
To fall from those who strive to set us free,  
And undergo such care for thee and me,  
That great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Where's our defence if we cut off our hand,  
Shall we to fire our houses light a brand,  
And join with those who would destroy the Land,  
For my part I resolve to fall or stand,  
With the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

They go in fear of poison and of knives.  
Are slaves themselves to free our feet from gyves,  
Neglect their own to save us and our wives,  
I'll lose them all, had I a thousand lives,  
For the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   

Come Drawer quickly bring us up our score  
We will not pay in chalk behind the door,  
The Sun is sleeping on the Western Shore,  
Meet me to morrow I will tell thee more  
Of the great counsel of the King,  
And the King's great counsel.   
FINIS.   

LONDON, Printed for Thomas Underhill, at the sign of the Bible in Woodstreet. 1642.