What Peace to the wicked? OR, An expostulatory Answer TO A Derisory Question, Lately made CONCERNING PEACE.  
BY A Freeman, though a Prisoner.  
The AUTHOR spares his Name; not, that he dares not To let you know it; but, because he cares not. George Withers  
Aug: 3d London Printed in the Year 1646.   

An expostulatory Answer to a Derisory Question lately made concerning PEACE.  

ONe, who hath, seldom, in his days,  
From Fools, or Knaves, had love or praise;  
And, who, throughout this Isle, is known,  
With cheerfulness, to have bestown  
His Wit, Paines, Person and Estate,  
The Publike-Rights to vindicate,  
Along imprisonment hath had,  
For calling of a Spade, a Spade;  
Which (if a Court-Card) might have been  
Next to the King, except the Queen.   

As He, in his confinement lay,  
Some asked him, the other day,  
When he supposed this War should end,  
Or what successes would attend  
Our hopes of Peace: which Question, though  
From Levity it seemed to flow,  
Or, scoffingly, to be expressed,  
Received this Answer, not in jest.   

Why ask ye when this War will cease?  
Or, when this Kingdom shall have PEACE?  
As if you thought, I could fore-shew  
What things hereafter would ensue:  
Or, as if when the Truth were told,  
You value, or believe it could;  
Who, nor esteem, nor use have made  
Of those Fore-warnings you have had?   

They that will know what shall succeed,  
Must of Things-past take serious heed;  
And, glean Instructions, whilst they may,  
From Actions of the present-Day:  
For, past, and present Time declares,  
What, for the Future, GOD prepares;  
And, till these quicken their foresights,  
Men sit in darkness, till he smites.   

If to this Question, you would know  
An Answer, which the Truth shall show,  
And, not (with Ahab-like-Desires)  
Wish all your Prophets would be liars;  
Then, ask your Consciences, and they  
Will tell, what things expect you may:  
For, let my Troubles never cease,  
If ever some have other Peace  
Then what their Consciences foresee,  
Though KING and PARLIAMENT agree   

But, lest the Conscience may be seared;  
Or, lest Delusions have appeared,  
Which promise Peace, when she is fled,  
(And Vengeance hangeth overhead)  
Ask your own Fears, and humane-Reason▪  
What they conjecture of the season:  
Ask them, what sign it is of Peace,  
When wickedness doth more increase;  
What may be hoped for of that Nation,  
That sleights her days of Visitation;  
That mendeth not for words, nor blows▪  
That, in reforming, worse grows;  
That suffers them who serve Her best,  
To be most wronged, and oppressed;  
And, on her Face, all tokens hath  
Of desolation, and of wrath.   

When this is well inquired out,  
If still you shall remain in doubt,  
What we may seem foredoomed unto;  
Let me persuade you thus to do.  
Get information, when the KING  
Intends a Palinode to sing;  
When he will their ill-counsells leave,  
Who are deceived, and deceive:  
What settled peace we can devise,  
Whilst Irelands-blood for vengeance cries:  
Whilst they, who sought to have begot  
A Schism betwixt Us, and the Scot,  
Have Trust, or Power: or, else, whilst they  
Escape unblamed, who scandals lay  
Upon that Army, by whose hand  
GOD, hath from Thrall, redeemed this Land;  
Both to the grief, and shame, of them,  
Who, their beginnings did contemn.  
Or, whilst the person of the PRINCE,  
(Which traitorously was sent from hence)  
Is kept in France, to have some fine  
New-foolish-mischievous Design  
Raised thereupon; for, who can tell,  
But, that, he there so long may dwell,  
As, his due birthright to recover,  
And, bring his Peasant-Subjects over,  
To help persuade with us, that we  
Would, here, be slaves, as, there, they be.  
Now, if this be the plot, I fear,  
It will be long, ere Peace be here.   

What Peace can we expect, whilst they  
Who spoilt us, not only may  
Find mercy, (which we could allow)  
But, so imperious, also grow,  
As, to reproach us to our Faces,  
Even in our priviledged-Places?  
Who, once, thought better fruits would come  
By that which we have parted from:  
But mark the end; and judge what Peace  
Will follow, when your friends decrease;  
When more Malignants are returned;  
When they who love the State, are scorned;  
And some, who served it, heretofore,  
Are grown as mad, as they are poor.   

If, yet, you cannot well discern,  
When Peace will back again return,  
Get knowledge, with all speed ye may,  
What game Malignants have to play;  
How fare they have, as yet, to run  
In that wild Course, too soon begun;  
When they are like to call to mind  
What lies before them, and behind;  
What future-plot it may advance,  
To let so many pass to France,  
On their bare words, who careless are  
Of what they either say, or swear:  
What can be hoped-for, of those  
Who are, irrationally, Foes:  
With safety, what we can propound,  
Where, little, save deceit, is found:  
Or, what good Harvest can be mown,  
Where, only, mischief hath been sown:  
And, when these things are truly weighed,  
You'll think as much as may be said.   

If not; then, next, inquire, how long  
Divisions will be raised among  
The Lords and Commons; and, when we  
Shall find both Houses so agree,  
That, to the public detriment,  
Nor House, nor Member shall descent,  
Or be united; but, insist  
Upon the common-interest;  
And, Privilege, nor Custom, strain,  
An Innovation to maintain,  
Whereby they may invade each other,  
Or, separate from one another:  
For, you have heard what lot betides  
A House, or Kingdom, that divides;  
And know, what's likely to succeed,  
Till our Peacemakers are agreed.   

If, waist, Jerusalem was made,  
Who, therein, but three factions, had;  
This Island, how may we deplore,  
Wherein are three times three, and more!   

Some, with the Parliament partake;  
Some, for the King a party make,  
As he is King: And, some, that, He  
A Tyrant might become to be:  
Some, would a Popular-estate;  
Some, Aristocracy create:  
Some, are a faction, for the Pope;  
Some, to maintain the Prelates hope;  
Some, for the Presbyterians vote;  
Some, Independency promote,  
Some, strive for this, and some for that,  
Some, neither know, nor care for what,  
So Wars go on, and get they may  
Freequarter, Plunder, and their Pay.  
Some, fight their Liberties to save;  
Some, that they others might enslave;  
Some, for Religion, and for CHRIST;  
Some, that, they may do what they list;  
Some, for the Commonwealth's avail;  
Some, for themselves, with tooth, and nail;  
And, they that have the basest end,  
As fairly, as the best, pretend;  
Not caring, whether their desire  
Obtained be, by sword, or fire;  
By truth or lies, with love or hate;  
By treachery, or fair debate.   

This is our posture; and, whilst we  
So foolish, false, and factious be,  
(Or whilst affairs continue thus)  
Who knows what will become of us?  
Or, when the man, who these lines penned,  
Shall find good usage, or a friend?   

Ask those who now of peace do dream,  
Who, shall procure the same, for them,  
If many are become their foes,  
Whom they to be their Champions chose:  
If these our substance have bestown,  
To make new fortunes, of their own;  
If they the public wrongs increase,  
To gain themselves a private peace;  
If yet, the people doubtings have,  
What to refuse, or what to crave;  
If they unsettled, yet, abide,  
And constant unto neither side;  
If, scarcely, they resolved are,  
Whether, they would have peace, or war;  
Or, whether re-admit they shall  
Charles to be King, or none at all;  
For, doubtless, if these matters go  
As honest men much fear they do,  
A wise man needs not break his brain  
To search what peace we shall obtain;  
Since, whilst thus blind, and mad we be,  
What will ensue, a fool may see.   

Ask of our Lords, that, were the screen  
Which, anciently, did stand between  
The King, and Commons, what th'entail  
Of titles, without power, avail  
To such an use; And, how the shade  
Of what their Predecessors had  
Shall find sufficiency to do,  
What, oft, the substance reached not to:  
And, having weighed what they are now;  
What they have been; what they may grow,  
And, what we fear, till fixed they are,  
As honourably, in their sphere,  
As heretofore: Or, till the State  
Shall all her spheres anew create,  
And place them so, that, neither Orb  
Each others motion shall disturb;  
Think, what we justly may expect  
Those clashings will, at last effect,  
Which now obstructive are; and may  
Destructive prove, another day;  
If some new mischief should begin  
Without our circle, or within,  
Before the fiends appeased are grown,  
Which, we have almost conjured down:  
For, by considering things like these,  
You may conjecture, if you please,  
(Without a new Prognostication)  
What will befall this Generation.   

Yet, least presumptions may arise  
(To fool you with false hopes and lies)  
Observe the Commons, if, of them,  
None serve two Masters at a time:  
Nay, search if none among them be  
Who, servants are, this day, to three,  
And false to all: Observe, of those  
Whom we for publike-service chose,  
How many failed the Common-trust;  
How vile some are, and how unjust:  
How perilous, and hard a task▪  
It is, those Members to unmask  
That, in affection, are unsound;  
How much more hard when they are found  
To cut them off: what mean effect  
The faithful party must expect  
Concerning peace, while such as they  
The cunning Ambodexters play;  
And what small hope there is of rest,  
While we have Cancers in our breast.   

Ask them, who sit to take Accounts,  
To what their two years' pain amounts;  
Or, what the Commonwealth it betters,  
When they have found who are her debtors;  
If, when their guiltiness is known,  
And published throughout the town,  
A cheating-Sharke may rail at them  
Who justly have convicted him;  
Yea, be employed as before,  
Where he may cheat the State of more;  
And be as confident, as though  
He merited by doing so.  
Ask, if they have not power to call  
Aswell the great ones, as the small,  
To give account; Those, whom we hear  
Cum Privil●gio (as it were)  
Have plundered, at an easy rate,  
Coin, Jewels, Householdstuff and Plate;  
And if you find they have not leave  
To question all men who deceive  
The Publike-Trust, know, we are yet,  
For Peace with Righteousness, unfit.   

Then search, if you have eyes to see  
Paths, that so blind, so crooked be,  
What courses those Committees take  
Which, every where, such rumblings make.  
Mark seriously, if they appear  
Such, as the people say they are;  
So false, so proud, so insolent,  
So careless whom they discontent;  
So scandalous unto the State,  
In prosecuting private hate;  
So bold, from Equity to ,  
By courses merely arbitrary;  
And if you find them to be such,  
You need not then to question much  
What will befall this harrowed Land,  
While these Authorized shall stand.   

Then, mark what favours now some have  
Who sought these Kingdoms to enslave;  
How well-befriended, some appear,  
Who Neuters were, and worse now are;  
How, some exposed be to scorn  
Who, of this war, the heat have borne;  
What scandals are of them devised;  
How their deserts are under-prized:  
And, having heedfully surveyed  
How good, with evil, is repaid;  
Mind well the Doctrine, and the use,  
And think, what these things may produce.   

Inquire, moreover, how you find  
To works of mercy, men inclined;  
How, their poor wives and children far,  
Who for their Countre● slaughtered are;  
How, honest causes are preferred;  
How speedily your suits are heard;  
How Offices conferred be;  
And if some have not two, or three,  
Who for the public, neither spent,  
Nor gave, nor hazarded, nor lent,  
Ought worth regard, whilst they have none,  
Who in your service, were undone.   

Observe, how equally men share  
Those Pensions which allowed are:  
How little Best-deservers get;  
How many of them, ne'er a whit;  
How conscionably, and, how well,  
Rewards, and Punishments, we deal,  
Which are the Pillars, whereon stand  
The Peace, and Honour of the Land.  
Observe, if when we spend a day  
In praises, or to fast, and pray,  
If preaching tend not more to strife.  
Then to sound-Doctrine, or good-life;  
If more we seek not to fulfil  
Our several humours, and our will,  
Then to perform a Thank-oblation,  
Or, duties of Humiliation;  
Or, if the worship we profess  
Be not an outside holiness,  
No deeper rooted than the tongue;  
Forced fruit, that fades as soon as sprung:  
For, as it proveth, when you see  
These things to trial brought shall be,  
You may without much failing, guess,  
What likelihoods we have of Peace.   

Then, if you be not some of those  
Who slight what other men propose,  
How probable soe'er it seem,  
(Unless it may advantage them,  
Or propagate the private ends,  
Of their Confederates, and Friends)  
An ear, and eye, pray sometime have ye  
Upon our Armies, and the Navy:  
An eye, securely to behold;  
An care to hear what hath been told,  
Of some, who much entrusted were  
With Arms, and with provisions there;  
Or, had Commissions to array,  
To furnish, fortify, or pay  
Ships, Forts, or men: And, those in chief,  
Employed for Ireland's first relief,  
And our first Armies; Even, when all  
Did lie at stake, and seem to call  
For faithful, stout, and honest men:  
Observe, how they discharged, then,  
The trust reposed; how, some were made  
Commanders; pay, and titles had;  
But scarce a man: how, others, now,  
Have used the Commonwealth, and you:  
And, if in any, you shall find  
Veceit, in this accursed kind,  
Forgive them not; yea, when at last  
Acts of Oblivion, shall be passed  
For open foes; no grace provide  
For men untrue to their own side,  
Lest, as our Peace, they have deferred,  
They mar it, likewise, afterward:  
But, as occasions offered be,  
Mind them, although you mind not me:  
For, where, in favour, such are found  
When peace is made, 'twill not be sound.   

Inquire, (if you can tell of whom  
To make inquiry) what's become  
Of all the public Protestations,  
Engaged for private Reparations;  
What, of that Vow, which did express  
A mutuall-aid, in all distress;  
What of the self-denying-Vote,  
Which goodly hopes in us begot;  
What of those Orders, whereupon  
Some trusted, till they were undone;  
What of the publike-Faith, in which  
We thought ourselves exceeding rich,  
Though all were lost, so that remained  
Inviolated, and unstained:  
Inquire (I say) throughout the Land,  
In what condition these now stand;  
For, when of these you have obtained  
That certainty, which may be gained,  
It will, undoubtedly, appear  
What we may either hope or fear.   

Inquire yet further, (lest you may  
Expect, perhaps, a Sunshine-day,  
And meet a storm) in what good mind  
That sort of people you shall find  
Yeleeped the Clergy: For, the Stem  
Of all our mischiefs was in Them.  
Their faction, avarice, and pride,  
Did, first of all, this Isle divide.  
From them, at first, the Firebrand came  
That set this Empire in a flame;  
When 'twas nigh quenched again, they blew  
Those coals, which did the fires renew,  
They did the Nations re-ingage;  
The people's vexed minds enrage,  
By feigned shows, and false pretences,  
Abusing tender consciences.  
The course, by them, at first, begun  
Is, to this day, continued on:  
And, therefore, take this Truth from me,  
For, you shall find it true to be:  
That, till you see these more estranged  
From what they were; their posture changed;  
Yea, till they better their condition;  
Confine themselves to their Commission;  
Leave off to jangle, fool, and fiddle  
With what they should not intermeddle;  
And, be as pious, and as wise  
As they are outwardly precise;  
(And, as those few among them are,  
For whose sakes God abates the war)  
Nor King, nor Peers, nor Commons neither,  
Nor these united altogether,  
Shall able be that Peace to make  
Which their contentions will not shake   

Make one inquiry more, to see,  
And search, what most of those men be,  
On whose endeavours you depend  
To bring your troubles to an end▪  
Mark, how their Duties they attend  
In private, how their time they spend;  
What company they most frequent;  
What matters give them best content;  
What conscience of their debts they make;  
What wrongs they do; what bribe's they take;  
What by their neighbours they were thought  
Till they obtained what they sought;  
And, to what purpose they employ,  
The power, and places, they enjoy.   

Then cast an eye upon the Rabble;  
And, taking view (if you be able)  
Of all together, great and small,  
Mark well the Tantamount of all.  
Mark, if we be not like an Host  
That's routed when the battle's lost;  
And, if we deal not gifts, and blows,  
Like madmen, both to friends and foes:  
Mark, how those hypocrites, that here  
Promoters of the truth appear,  
Walk in their masking-suits abroad,  
As if they thought, to cousin God,  
As they do men▪ Mark too, that crew,  
Which is profane in open view,  
How boldly, and how daringly  
(Even when God's thunderbolts do fly)  
They do offend; and, whether we  
May not to those, compared be,  
Who, sawing are those planks asunder,  
Whereon they stand, when Hell is under.   

When these inquiries you have made,  
To see what light may thence be had;  
And when you know, as well as I,  
Those hindrances, and reasons, why  
That VOICE of Peace, yet goes not on,  
Which this time twelve month was begun;  
And, shall observe, with due regard,  
What hath been formerly declared;  
I will disclose a great deal more,  
Then I have told you heretofore:  
But, not till then: yet, lest you may  
Despair, or faint, before that day;  
I will deliver, ere I go,  
A comfortable word or two.   

There may be PEACE, ere long, though y●●  
We nor know how, nor merit it:  
For, GOD oft shows great mercies, where  
The greatest of all sinners are;  
And if self-seekers be descried,  
Before this Isle they more divide;  
If Factions, Wrongs, and Discontent  
Endanger not this Parliament;  
And, if the Faithfull-Members can  
But cast out from them now and than  
A trouble-house: And, timely suage  
The vexed people's rising rage;  
Offer, three more, such peace-oblations  
As that was of th'EXAMINATIONS;  
And out of Counties, Towns, and Cities,  
One Hecatomb of their Committees;  
And, by their prudence, work it so,  
That honest men esteemed may grow;  
That, Priest and People, down may lay  
Their works of stubble, and of hay,  
Their names, and terms, of SEPARATION▪  
And meekly seek the preservation  
Of TRUTH, in LOVE; if, in one year,  
Peace be not firmly settled here;  
My loans, and losses, yet unpaid,  
(With my Arrears, three years delayed)  
I'll forfeit wholly to the State;  
And, live still, as I've done of late,  
By swallowing wrongs, by empty Air,  
And, patience, kept, through faith, and prayer,   

Thus, to the Question made, you have  
That Answer, which our Prisoner gave▪  
Who, other Tales will tell, if He  
Much longer, shall imprisoned be.   

A Spaniel beaten, at your foot will lie:  
An English-Mastive, at your face will fly.   
Take this, and consider of it, till more comes.