Religion's soundness, and rends it in chinks
Which he daubs up again, with what he thinks
Shall ruin all in time. And is't not hence
He had his means to mar the innocence
Of Rome's first bishops?
Godliness grew strong,
And flourish'd while it was suppress'd with wrong;
But when the worthy emperors embrac'd
The sacred truth, and with their favors grac'd
Their good proceedings, they soon 'gan to leave
Their humble nature off, and closely weave
Under religious shews (not a bare mitre,
It fits not the successors of Saint Peter)
A triple diadem, and such a state
As never any earthly potentate
Enjoy'd a greater (all with humble preaching)
A long degree I take't, beyond the reaching
Of temporal ambition. Heaven, I pray,
Ere the first beast his time be done away,
There rise not up another monster here
'Mongst our ambitious churchmen. I should fear
A second anti-christ, but that I hope
They either shall be kept within their scope,
Or the last judgement, whose nigh time unknown,
Shall cut him off ere he be wholly grown.
Thus much some reason makes me bold to speak,
And there is no man's sight, I think, so weak, But sees the same, Which though (I know full
"Twould better others fit than me to tell,..
Sith all neglect it, I have thus began
To satyrize, and o'er their follies run. tayyo
Yet, by my former words let none suppose
That I th' opinion, do maintain of those
That do our bishops disallow;
Let them that can, for sure I know not how,
Nor would I have the world to understandi.
That I tax all the clergy in the land,
Or the whole hierarchy: think not so;
For why? This present age doth yield, I know,
Men that are truly worthy; and so many, ma
That I believe few times (since CHRIST) had any
More knowing or more painful than some few..
And whatsoe'er men think, yet here to shew
Though I satyrically carp at those
That follow vice, and are true virtue's foes,
I have not such a spiteful canker'd spirit
As to conceal or smother worth and merit.
For I'll in Canterbury's praise be bold,
This on my own experience to uphold,
The see was never governed as yet
By any one more rev'rend or more fit,
For over and above his country's cares,
Wherein he neither time nor counsel spares;
Besides church-business, whereto he applies
His mind to further it, what in him lies,
Besides all this, his public care at large, buca
Few ministers have in their private charge lin
Took greater pain. That now the truth I tell,
London and Lambeth both can witness well.
And thou unhappy wert, O London, then,
When thou didst lose this rare one amongst men.
Yet thou wert blest again, thy fate did bring
In place of such a father, such a king,3d2ad
So vigilant a watchnian in his place! I hit or
That were it not my purpose here to trace
The world's mad humours, I from these had
matter
To make a panegyric of a satire. ja asilo to
Yet is my muse so constant in her frown,
She shall not sooth a king for half his crown;
Nor would she thus much here have sung their
Had she not thought them to be what she says.
But, peradventure, some will now condemn
This my particular commending them.
As if my setting of their virtues forth
Would be detraction from another's worth.
Which cannot be. For as this adds no more
Unto that real worth these had before;
So neither can I lessen, blot nor smother
The good that is apparent in another.
Nor do I wish it should; for might I heren C11
Stand to make bead-rolls of who worthy were,
I could add divers that may claim this day......
As much to be extoll'd by me as they..
Here I could name some other of their place, That cannot basely fawn to win them grace; Nor pick a thank by seeking to condemn Those that are not in place to answer them, I know there's some who seek the churches good, And never at their prince's elbow stood, With their loud whisperings to stop his earj Lest he should what did more concern him hear: I know there's such, and they will praised be,// Though never known, nor mentioned by me. I
But let this pass, whilst I so busy am
About the clergy, some are much to blame ;)
The court is factious grown through the desire
That every one hath gotton to aspire. 669)
None do esteem their own, but by compare;
All would be somewhat more than others are ;
Yet he that's great'st, 'mong those that greatest
seem,biy oqua bloom da si
Is only great in other men's esteem.
And therefore sure he's vain, who for such wind
Can feed a restless humour in his mind,
That's so unprofitable, as at bestali
It makes him only in appearance blest;
But when I weigh it, then I wonder much,
Man's love unto this passion should be such,
As without understanding, to let lie, bo bluco I
A real good for an uncertainty.
Tut dentel
. Those I have seen, that have had riches store,
Great offices and favours, no men more;
Honour and credit, yea, and wisdom too,
But (lo! what an ambitious head will do)
Climing too high, they got so low a fall,
They forfeited their honours, lives, and all:
Me thinks ere they in such an act should stir,
"Twere not amiss to think on Æsop's cur;
Who catching but to get a shadow more, d
Did lose the substance that he had before.
I might awhile upon examples stand Of former times, but that within this land, ted The present age which I will only view, on all Can yield enough to prove my sayings true.*: And here of many in this kingdom shown, to/ I at this present will remember one, And that shall be the late ambitious plot, The like whereof the world sure yieldeth not; I mean the powder treason, an invention Brought (had not GOD assisted) past prevention. And yet, ere they could clime to their desire, Ev'n when they were to mount but one step
(Let God be honour'd for't) down tumbled all,
And gave these monsters a deserved fall.
|