To the Lands-lord wheresoeuer

Landslord to thee, addrest to speake I am,
And full as much to thee as any man:
For many Errors and fowle crimes I knowe
That thou art more then others subiect toe,
Which ile in part, vnri, and so make cleere,
As in that day, when all men shall appeare
Before their heauenly Lands-lord, where is had
A dew accompt: This now which I haue sayd
May be a witnesse, and beare record still,
That thou didst know before thy Maisters will,
Which not perform'd thou know'st what thou hast read
"With manie stripes thou shalt be chastised,
But first, ere I proceed, so great's the cries
Of widdowes, and so many tere-swolne eyes
Of Orphanes succourlesse that reach to heauen,
As I'me well-nigh into amazement driuen,
And cannot perfect what I do entend
Vntill I see their sorrowes at an end,
At least allayd (for I am forc't to keepe,
A consort with these silly soules that weep:)
So moouing is their passion (as in briefe)
So strong's compassion, I do feele their griefe.
Wherefore I must (so great is griefes extent)
Perswade these blubbert wretches be content,
And beare with patience, till the Lord shall send,
In his good time vnto their sorrowes end:
Which to expresse the better I will moue them
In mildest tearmes; and thus will speak vnto them.
Cease, cease (poore iniur'd soule) your teres to shed,
Weeping for that cannot be remeded,
'Lasse you are farre deceiu'd; if you suppose
Teres can moue Lands-lords: they are none of those,
Their dispositions are more harder far
Then any other of Gods creatures are:
For tell me (starueling) hath thy trickling eye,
Pale-clourdsage heauen-ascending crie,
Earth bending knees hart throbbing languishment,
Eccoing sighs, souls-fretting discontent,
Famine at hòme, surcharg'd with sorrowes loade,
Debt with a Srgeant dogging thee abroad,
Haue any these whereof thou hast had part,
Been of that force to mollifie his heart?
Haue all thy cries and Orphanes teres together
Moou'd him? ô no: they are as if a fether,
Were here and there tost with each gale of winde,
Thou shalt not finde that temper in his mind:
For h is cauteris'd and voide of sence,
And thanks his God he has a conscience,
Can stand remorcelesse 'gainst both winde and weather,
hough he and's Conscience goe to hell together,
Yea he dth feele no more thy piteous mone,
Then doth an Anuile when its strooke vpon.
Why then shouldst thou thus striue against the streame,
T'importune him that seemes as in a dreame,
Secure of hell, carelesse of thy distresse?
Fie take vpon thee some more manlinesse,
Rouse thy deiected spirits which now lie,
As if surprised by a lethargie;
Wipe, wipe those eyes with briny streamelings drownd,
And plant thy selfe vpon a firmer ground,
Then thus to wast thy griefe enthralled heart,
Which done: pray tell me but, what better art?
Well, if thou wilt but silence thy iust wrong
For one halfe howre, or hardly for so long,
Ile shew the best I can of art and skill,
With an vnbounded measure of good will,
To tell thy cruell lord, that there's a doome
As well as here in after time to come:
Ile tell him boldly though I chance to moue him
For all he's lord, there is a Lord aboue him,
Before whose throne he must come to account;
For Syons-Lord is that Lord Paramount,
Who swayes the massie orbe of heauen and earth,
Brething on euery creature that brings forth,
It's he that giues to each increase and store,
Girdling the swelling Ocean with a shore:
The proudest Peeres he to subiection brings,
And prostrate lies the Diadems of Kings:
By him oppressors feele there is a God,
That can reuenge and chastice with his rodde;
Yea, thy iniurious Lord, I meane to tell
Though he thinks of no hell, he's finde a hell.
And those distreaming teres which thou hast shed,
Are by thy louing father bottled,
For there's no teres, sighs, sorrowes, grieues or mones,
Which come from any of his little—ones
But in his due compassion still exprest
Vnto their cause, he'le see their wronges redrest.
How thinks 't of this? will not these things enforce
In thy relentlesse Lands-lord a remorse,
Sooner and deeper (of that minde am I)
Then puling with thy finger in thine eye.
Well I will make attempt (which if it fall
Out to my wishes as I hope it shall)
The onely fee which I expect of thee,
Is that thou wouldst poure out thy prayers for me,
Meare time pray for thy selfe (while I expresse
Thy grieues, and heauens grant to my hopes successe.)
Now (rent-inhauncer) where away so fast?
Pray stay a little sir for all your haste:
Perchance you may more profit by your stay,
Thn if you should leaue me and goe your way:
For I coniecture whither you are going,
Nay, (doe not blush) to soe poore snakes vndoing,
To oot out some poore Family or other;
Speake freely man do not your conscience smother;
Ist not (you Suck-blood) to oppresse the poore,
And put him and his children out a dore;
Ist not to take aduantage on some thing
Or other for his vtter ruining:
Ist not because thou art not halfe content
That he should sit vpon so easie rent.
And therefore takes occasion vpon naught,
Forgiuing somthing he neither said, nor thought.
If such effects make thee abroad to come,
Thou might with safer conscience stay at home.
For whence be these exactions thus to stretch,
And racke thy Tenants? thou wilt say, t'enrich
Thy priuate Coffers, which in time may, be
A faire estate to thy posteritie.
Or if not to encrease thy wealth, or store,
For to maintaine thy ryot or thy whore.
O thou forlorne and miserable man,
Come these conclusions from a Christian?
Be these the ends whereto thou wert created,
To loue those things which make thy soule most hated?
Ime sorry for thee, (yet vnhappy Elfe)
Why should I grieue that grieues not for thy selfe?
How canst thou thinke thy children shall possesse,
Long that estate is got by wickednesse?
Or how imaginst that it can succeede
Well wih thy short liu'd heires, or with their seede,
When all that welth (was gathered to their hand.)
Came from the cries and curses of the land?
No no, thou greedy spunge that sucks vp store,
Yet more thou suckes, thou needest still the more.
Euill got goods (howbeit neare soe fayre)
Seldome enioyed are by th' third heire
For wauering is that state is raisd by wrong,
Built its on Sand, and cannot hold out long.
Yea I haue seene (euen in that little time
Which I haue liu'd) Som of you in their prime.
And so erected to the height of state,
As you might seeme to be admired at.
For braue attendance, sumptuous attire,
For fare & pleasure what you could desire.
In building gorgeous so as you might be
Styled the heires of Earths felicitie.
Yet 'lasse (againe) how quickly haue I seene,
These men shrunke downe, as if they had not been:
Their pompe decreas'd, their great attendance gon,
And for their many dishes one, or none?
True; for how can it any other's chuse,
Since God hath promisd not to blesse that house,
Which aimes at welth, and honour, for to rise
By Orphanes teares, and woefull widows cries.
Then for the first thou sees how it is vaine,
To thinke that thy posterity can raigne
Or long abide in that estates possession,
Is got by fraud, collusion, or oppression.
Now I will see whereto thy labours tend,
To squize the poore that thou may better spend
On wanton consorts (Souls eternall curse)
The first was ill, but this is ten-times worse.
Its well obseru'd, that when wee doe begin,
One sinne's attended by an other sinne.
They come in paires, which seemes approud to be.
In none opprssor btter then in thee.
Its not enough to prey vpon the Poore,
But thou must spend his state vpon thy whoore.
So that me thinkes I almost might auer,
Its rather he then thou maintaineth her.
Must his night cares and early rising to,
His dayly labours, when and where to sow
His painefull tillage, and his slender fare,
His griefe when's crops the lesse successiue are,
His many howers of want, few of content,
His special care to pay his Lands-lords rent,
Must he that earnes his liuing best we know,
(Being as God command'd) in's sweat ofs Brow,
Must he the sleepes with many a troubled head,
To finde his wife and hungry children bread,
Must he (I say) for all his lifes disquiet,
Maintaine thy whoredome and excessiue riot,
Must he support thee in thy vaine delights,
Thy midnight reuels, and thy pagent sights,
Thy new inuented fashions, and thy port,
Must he at th' Cart, maintaine thy pride at Cour,
If this he doe? this doome to thee is giuen,
Court it on earth, thou's neuer Court in Heauen.
No Ahab no, there is no place for such,
Whom poore mens grieues and sorrowes will not tutch.
Such as will haue compassion, shall be there,
Receiud in mercy that had mercy heere.
But such as thou, who in the Pride of heart,
Had little feeling of an others smart,
Shall heare that Ve, Away thou cursed goe,
"Repent in time, or thou shalt finde it so:
For tell me? why should whorish complement
Force thee to soules eternall languishment.
Why should a minutes pleasure take from thee,
All after-hope of thy felicitie,
Why should a painted cheeke be so sought after,
Beleeu't in common sense it merits laughter
That her complexion should by thee be sought,
That knows its not her owne, but that'twas bought,
Yea one would thinke more reason theres to seeke,
"Complexion in the shop, then on the cheeke.
And better wil't with generous humors stand,
To buy't at first then at the second hand:
Both's to be bought: no difference in the sale;
The one in grosse, the other in Retaile.
O then take heede, mix not two sinnes in one,
Sinnes linkt together make the soule to groane.
Their burdens heauy yea tis such as they,
Draws in in Cart-ropes (as the Prophets say)
But if thou wilt needes to perdition run,
And follow on that chase thou hast begun,
If thou wilt make thy body (in few words)
A filthy Caske, or Cage of vncleane birds,
If that same soule, which should a Temple be,
And dedicated to Gods Maiesty,
Must now be made (it grieues me to expres)
A stew for Harlots and licentiousnesse.
Yet let not thy oppression be the meanes
For to maintaine such prostituted queanes,
That doe expose themselues to publique shame,
"One sin's enough: shun thou oppressions name.
I know indeede what was of Ahab tould
Is growne a story now exceeding old.
His mouldred bones and ashes who can finde,
Yea his example's quite worne out of minde,
Since for most part, mens corps 's no sooner rotten,
Then they and all their actions be forgotten.
The stories old indeed, its true they say,
Yet is the vse experienst euerie day,
" Ech day we see a silly Naboth slaine,
" And euery day a wicked Ahab raigne.
Who if he see one plat of ground that is
Delightfull in his eye, or bordering his;
Whether't be vineyard, garden, or that land,
(The front I mean) where Naboths house doth stand,
He cannot be content till he has got,
By fraud or violence, that same neighbouring plot.
For like an eye-sore, it did euer grieue him,
Nor till ge gain'd it, would he euer leaue him.
Yet for all this, our moderne Ahabs they,
No sooner heare what sacred Scriptures say,
Of that example, then they straight begin,
To giue a curse to Ahab and his sinne.
Who made no bones (poore Naboth to denye him)
To haue one little Vineyard lying by him.
Cruell he was, say they, and well deseru'd
His punishment; for he was rightly seru'd.
To be depriu'd of all, life, realme, and crowne,
That would not suffer Naboth haue his owne.
Yea the reward did fit his Tyrant-hart,
Despoyl'd of all, that spoyld the poore of part.
So their owne iudgements (most vnhappy Elues)
That thus pronounce the sentence on themselues.
Their owne mouthes do condemn them, for by this
Each proue their guilt by th'guilt they show of his.
Wherefore as Nathan did to Dauid say,
Taking Vriahs life and wife away,
Where he proposd this question thereupon.
Of him had many Sheepe, another one:
Wherein indeed the Prophet shadowed,
That fact which Dauid to Vriah did,
Which when that good King heard, as th'Scripture saith
He answered straight, he hath deserued death,
Thou art the man (quoth he) so sure I am,
I may be bold to say thou art the man.
Thou Ahab, thou that by extortion gaines,
Some Skreads of Land to better th demains.
Thou that triumphes in wrongs, and brings the crye
And curse of widdowes to thy Family.
Thou that with dainties dost that carrian feede,
That maw of thine, while such doe begge their bread,
As thou opprest, (to their extremest wrong,)
Thou art the man, Ile sing no other song.
Dost thou not yet relent? no streams of grace,
Thrilling or trickling from thy blubber't face
No signe of reformation? Las I see,
Custome in sinne cannot relinquisht be
Vpon the instant, wherefore I must set
My resolution not to leaue thee yet,
And howsoere thou take it, I will goe,
Yet further with thee Ile not leaue thee so,
Two speciall motiues I might here prouce,
To moue thee to a conscience, and to vse.
A christian-lke respect to such as be,
Ordain'd by God for to liue vnder thee
The first is: to haue eye vnto that forme
O image, which doth euery man adorne,
Euen his creators image, which might moue
Vs to loue him for his creators loue.
The second is: a due especiall care,
Or a consideration what wee are,
Men; and in that we should be humbler still,
" Since best of vs, are Tennants but at will:
On which two branches briefly Ile dilate,
Or rather cursiuely so shadow at,
As seeing his Forme, thy little cause of pride,
This good surueigh may make thee mortified.
The comely feature which is giuen to man,
Implies the place from whence this creature came,
Euen from that fragrant garden of delight,
That Spicy Eden, where in our makers sight,
He did enioy farre more then tongue can tell,
Till from that height he to corrupion fell:
Yet still retain'd his forme which first was giuen him
In Paradise, whence now the Lord had driuen him?
So precious was this forme (as he who made it,
For as we reade in Scripture, where he said it,
Let vs make man after our Image: he
Saw in this forme (I say) such maiestie
As he who (in his mercy fast did make it)
Becomming man of God, vouchsaf'd to take it.
So that what th' first man Adam did before
Christ, th' second Adam as man, did restore.
Thou sees this Image then how it was giuen
And represented by the God of heauen,
Who in his great compassions, thought 't no scorne,
That the Creator take the creatures forme.
And how canst thou (irreuerent wretch) disdaine
That forme which thy Creator did retaine?
How canst despise that image, or presume
To wrong that shape thy Sauiour did assume?
How canst thou presse that soule with discontent,
Which thy Redeemer daign'd to represent?
How canst abuse that type for hope of pelfe,
Which Christ thy louer shadowed in himselfe?
How canst thou see that image rack't to be,
Which in thy Christ was ract and rent for thee?
How canst endure to haue that soule bereft,
Of all releefe, and to haue nothing left,
Driuen from his house, forc't from his Tenant-right,
When he that is the way truth, life and light,
Taking his forme to satisfie for sinne,
Had not so much as house to hide him in.
Birds had their nests, and euery beast his denne,
Yet had not he what was permitt'd to them.
O let me now perswade, be not extreame,
(Its easie saies the Prouerb) to wade the streame,
Where th'foord's at lowest, recollect to minde.
His noble image, and in it thou'l finde,
Such singular impressions of reguard,
As I doe thinke thou'l honourt' afterward.
When thou obseru's, ther's nothing that's in him,
Was not before in Christ excepting sinne.
O then refine the ayme of thy intents,
In raising rents, thinke on thy Sauiours rents.
In taking of aduantage, thinke on this,
If God aduantage take for each amisse,
In what a case wert thou, how woe-begon,
That of a thousand cannot answer one?
If thou to grieue Gods little ones begin,
Thinke therewithall, that thou art grieuing him.
Who in his mercy hares the widdowes crie,
And in his pitty wipes the Orphanes eye,
Which thou hast cause to thinke on, so much rather
Sith God's the widdows Iudge, the orphans Father:
And though earths Iustice, be of th'second sight,
Yet hee's so iust, hee'l doe the poorest right.
But if mans Image, which were strange, should faile,
With thy remorselesse conscience to preuaile,
From that transparent Mirror, Ile descend,
Though it may seeme in it to comprehend
All humane glory, yea I may say more,
The forme of God which he assum'd before,
Vnto that due obseruance, or that care,
Whereby we come to acknowledge what we are.
Man's of a substance meane, hauing his birth,
As his first natiue Mother, from frayle Earth,
Brittle's his composition, and so weake,
Be his resolues, as hee can vndertake
Nought with so firme a purpose as may stand,
Or will not change with th'turning of a hand.
His health's a stranger to him, for when most,
It seemeth with him, it is soonest lost;
For his abiding, hee's as in a Tent,
Wherein hees militant, not permanent.
The world's his campe, his profest enemies,
Wherewith he is to grapple, they be these.
The turbulent affections of his mind,
Which euery houre is seuerally inclin'd.
The goale which he doth ayme at, or th'reward,
After the fight, hee lookes for after-ward:
Thus thou may see, in this same earthly cell,
Though dwell we seeme, indeed, we doe not dwell,
But foiourne: Its no mansion but an Inne,
Syons our home, this pilgrimage is sinne.
As for our states, we are but leacers all,
And shall be put off, when hee's pleasd to call,
Yea I may rather say (and not amisse)
We are the Lessees, he the Lessour is.
And howsoere our Lands-Lords make accompt,
They'r but inferiour Lords, hee's Paramount.
Then if thou wilt but duely looke vpon't,
Thy tenure stands vpon a tickle point,
Yea I doe find thy state not worth a straw,
If I haue any iudgement in the law:
And why shouldst thou bring poore men into suit,
Sith thou thy selfe hast no state absolute,
But for thy terme of life: so as methinks,
When that French gibberish to my braine-pan sinks
Where Iohn a Stiles and 's neighbour Iohn an Okes,
With many other Law-baptized folkes,
Are brought in seaz'd of land, as they doe finde,
In Burrow, English, Soccage, Gauell-kinde,
Fee-tayle, fee-simple (it oft seemes to me)
These Lawyers are the simplest men that be;
Who are perswaded (and would haue vs too)
But let's discent from them:—theres fools enough:
That of al states and Tenures are possest,
Or can bee had, Fee-Simple is the best.
Whereas I thinke, if well they vnderstood,
What specially concern'd them, and their good.
They would conclude, Fee-simple will not doe,
A double-Fee is better of the two.
If we could find indeed a difference,
In th'liues of th'tenures, then there were some sence
To say, that such a tenure were the strongest;
Because by it the Tennant liues the longest.
But tell me, are not all estates that be
Subiect alike to mutability:
To the possessour you will say they are;
If vnto him, why should we further care,
Since as the Prouerbe is, when he is gone,
The world's gone with him, as all in One:
O then thou Earth-bred worme, why shouldest thou vant,
As if thou wert a Lord praedominant.
Why shouldst triumph ore th'meaner sort of men,
Since thour't composd of one selfe Mould with thē?
Thou art but Adams sonne, and so are they,
Both of you fram'd and fashion'd of one clay,
Both haue one image: then compassion take,
If not for them, yet for their image sake.
For though thou canst not one good looke affoord,
To these poore snakes, they'r deere vnto the Lord,
As is thy selfe, as pretious in Gods eies,
Bought and redeemed with as great a price.
And though there be twixt Substitutes and Kings,
Superiour states, and lower vnderlings,
A difference in the world, yet there shall
Twixt them (in heauen) no difference be at all,
Onely what's good shall approbation haue,
With King and subiect, conquerer and slaue.
O then receiue the bowells of compassion,
And beare like mind, as thou dost beare like fashion:
Let thy vnrighteous Mammon get thee friends,
That when thy pilgrime daies of Labour ends,
Thou may possesse a glorious heritage,
After the period of this pilgrimage.
My lessons are but short, pray then remember,
As thou the welfare of thy soule dost tender.
" The best of vs are tennants but at will,
" And stand in hazard of disseisure still.
And though our states seeme firmer then the rest,
They are vncertaine tenures at the best.
In briefe, thou earthly Lands-lord striue to be,
As thou wouldst haue Heauens Lands-lord towards thee
Not too extreame: thou knowst the doome is giuen,
That not extortioner shall enter Heauen.
Resolue what thou wilt doe: for though it grieue me
To leaue thee yet, I am enforc't to leaue thee,
And turne vnto thy Tennant, who dismaide,
Stands heere at doore to heare what I haue said.