A wonderfull wonder,
Being a most strange and true relation of the resolute life, and mi-
serable death of Thomas Miles, who did forsweare himselfe, and wished that
God might shew some heavie example upon him, and so it came to passe for as
hee sate at his Meate hee choked himselfe, and died in short space after, which hapned
the 8. of August last, 1635. and being ript up by the Chirurgions of S. Bartholomewes
Hospitall, was found to have a gub of meate sticking fast in his throate, which was
the cause of his death. Written to warne all rash Swearers to forsake their
evill wayes, which God grant we may. To the tune of,
Aime not too high, etc.
|
LOoke downe O Lord upon this sinfull Land,
|
Guyde, and defend us with thy mighty hand,
|
Against the fiery Darts of Satans power,
|
Which seekes our Soules and Bodies to devoure.
|
This World is full of envy and debate,
|
Neighbour to neighbour beares a deadly hate:
|
Brother gainst Sister, friend against each friend,
|
Which shewes the World is very neare an end.
|
Vile blasphemie is usd against the Lord,
|
By old and young at every trifling word:
|
Some in their angry moode will Curse & Sweare,
|
As if they would their God in pieces teare.
|
But let them know that doe the Lord provoke
|
By cursed oathes, on them to strike the stroke:
|
Know that allthough he suffers them a space,
|
He will at last confound their wicked race.
|
As for example, here I meane to tell
|
A strange relation which of late befell,
|
Of one a forsworne wretch as is well knowne,
|
On whom the Lord a wonder great hath showne.
|
This wretched man of whom these lines are pend,
|
Denid a truth, a bad cause to defend:
|
And rashly wishd in place whereas he stood,
|
That he might never eate meate to doe him good,
|
Now marke Gods Judgements how they strangly fell,
|
A short time after, griefe it is to tell:
|
Hee with some others more to Dinner went,
|
To give their hungry stomackes some content.
|
But as they sate at Table with their meate,
|
Having made bargaine fort they fell to eate:
|
This forsworne wretch Tom Miles calld by name,
|
Fed very greedily upon the same.
|
And thrusting in a bit that would not passe
|
Quite downe his throate, his lucklesse hap it was
|
To choke himselfe, the very truth was so,
|
While all the rest beheld him with great woe.
|
Unto a Surgent then he ranne with speede,
|
Desiring him to helpe him in his neede:
|
But all in vaine, no helpe for him could be,
|
His breath was stopt, and he dyd presently.
|
|
|
|
|
The second part, To the same tune.
|
ANd being dead the Surgeons tooke in hand,
|
To rip him up, that they might understand
|
The truth and reason how he lost his breath,
|
And how he came by his untimely death.
|
Which having done they found with woe at last,
|
The gub of meate sticke in his throate so fast,
|
Which was the cause of this his lives decay,
|
Because it could not thence be put away.
|
Within the Hospitall his corpes doth lye,
|
Men of good credit can it testifie,
|
His body buried was without controule,
|
But God grant mercy to his soule.
|
Let this example warne us to amend,
|
That we by oathes may not our God offend:
|
O let each Man and Woman now refraine
|
From taking of Gods holy name in vaine.
|
He that delights in Oathes and Curses vild,
|
And hath therewith his spotted Soule defild:
|
May now bewaile the time that he was borne,
|
Sinne is the cause that makes a Land to mourne.
|
Hie time it is for us to watch and pray
|
Upon our bended knees both night and day,
|
Unto our God, that he will mercie take
|
On us poore soules for Jesus Christ his sake.
|
For surely this we well may understand
|
The Lord is angry with this sinfull Land:
|
His judgements hath so many wayes bin showne
|
Throughout our coasts as is to many known.
|
What visions in the Ayre, and fearefull sights
|
Have bin of late, which wonder may affrights,
|
Thunder, and Lightnings, to procure our feares,
|
Enough to make each flintie heart shed teares.
|
All those are signes to warne us to repent,
|
Which God as messengers hath to us sent
|
For to reclaime us from our former sinne,
|
Which we so long have slept and wallowed in.
|
But to conclude, sweet Jesus give us grace,
|
That we on earth may runne a godly race:
|
That when by death our life is taken away,
|
We may through thee eternall life enjoy.
|
|
|
|
|