A wonderful Example of Gods Justice, shewed upon one Jasper
Conningham, a Gentleman born in Scotland, who was of opinion that there was neither God nor Devil.
To the Tune of, O Neighbour Robert.
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IT was a Scotch-man,
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a Scotch-man lewd of Life,
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That long had Lived
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unlawful from his wife:
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His name was Jasper Conningham,
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as I did understand;
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Whose dwelling was in Aberdine,
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a town in fair Scotland.
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He had a sister
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which was both fair and bright,
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Worshipfully wedded
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unto a worthy Knight,
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Godly, wise, and vertuous
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in every thing was she:
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A fairer comly Lady,
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in Scotland could not be.
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Her Wicked Brother
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such inward pains did prove,
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That with his fair Sister
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he greatly was in Love:
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He watches time and wooes her,
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he shews to her his mind,
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And still he says sweet sister
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be not to me unkind.
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This comly Lady
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in mild and gentle wise,
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Unto her Brother
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thus modestly replies;
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The Lord forbid dear brother
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I sho[u]ld consent at all,
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To such a damned action
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to bring our souls in thrall.
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Is not great torments
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prepard for hateful sin?
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Is not God as righteous
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as ever he hath been?
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Is not hell prepared
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with quenchless flames of fire,
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To give such wicked persons,
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their due deserved hire.
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Wherefore dear brother
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repent and and call for grace,
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Let not these motions
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within your heart take place:
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Consider how to judgement,
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we shall one day be brought,
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To answer for our folles
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which in this Life we wrought.
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Her brother hearing
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her godly Christian talk,
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Within the Garden
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as they alone did walk
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Blasphemously replied,
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as shameless as he stood,
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Saying she had declared
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a tale of Robin Hood.
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You are deceived
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fair sister then said he,
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To talk of Heavens Glory,
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or hells Plagues to me;
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These are devised fables
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to keep poor souls in fear,
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That were by wise men written,
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though no such things there were.
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You speak of a reckoning,
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and of a Judgement day:
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And after Life is ended,
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and flesh consumd away:
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And of a God most justly,
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will plague all things amiss,
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And those that do believe it,
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are much deceivd I wis.
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Alas, he said, my sister,
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these things are nothing so,
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No God nor Devil is biding,
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in heaven nor hell I know:
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All things are wrought by na[t]ure
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the Earth, the ayr, and Sky,
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There is no joy nor sorrow
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after that men do dye.
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Therefore let me have pleasure
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while here I doe remain
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I fear not Gods displeasure
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nor hells tormenting pa[i]n:
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No sooner had he spoken
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this foul blasphemous thing,
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But that a heavy judgement
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upon him God did bring.
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For in the Garden,
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whereas he did abide,
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Suddenly a fire
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sprang up on every side,
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Which round about inclosed
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this Damned Wretch that Day
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Who rord and crid most grievous,
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But could not start away.
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The second Part, to the same Tune.
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THis fearful fire
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up to his knees did rise,
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Burning blew like brimstone
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in most outragious wise:
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The Lady which beheld it,
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run crying in for aid
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To pluck away her brother
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which in the fire staid.
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But nought prevailed,
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for all that they could do,
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Long staves and also pitchforks
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they reached him unto;
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Because they durst not venture
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neer to the fiery flame,
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He taking hold upon them
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to draw him out of the same.
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But not a finger
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nor hand that he could move,
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His arms hung dead behind him,
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great pains that he did prove,
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And now he bans and curses
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the day that he was born,
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And wishes that his carcass
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by devils might be torn.
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Now feel I surely,
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quoth he, there is a God,
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That sore doth plague me,
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with his strong iron rod.
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O hide me from his presence,
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his looks are death to me,
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Nothing but wrath and vengeance,
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about him I do see.
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I have despised him,
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but can no whit repent,
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My heart is hardned,
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my mind cannot relent,
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No pitty nor compassion,
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nor mercy is in store,
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For me vile wretched creature,
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despisd for evermore.
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I am in hell tormented
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and to endless pain,
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Look how the devils torment me
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in stretching every vain,
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Look how they swarm about me,
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oh what hell fiends are these,
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Wo Worth the time that ever,
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I did the Lord displease.
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I burn in flaming fire,
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yet do no whit consume,
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My conscience doth torment me,
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that did in sin presume.
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Alas my loving Sister,
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now I do know full well,
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There is a God most righteous,
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and eke a devil in hell.
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And with these speeches
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his eyes fell from his head,
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And by the strings hung dangling
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below his chin stark dead.
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See how the devils then he said,
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have pluckt my eyes out quite,
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That alwaies was unworthy
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to view the heavens light.
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Then from his mouth there fell,
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his foul blasphemous tongue,
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In ugly manner
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most piteously it hung.
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And there away it roted
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in all the peoples sight,
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By Lice and filthy vermine,
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it was consumed quite.
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With gastly groaning
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and Shrieks that sounded high,
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Two hours after
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this cursed man did lye,
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And there at length he dyed,
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and then the fire ceast
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His carcase stunk more filthy
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then any carrion beast.
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No man was able
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for to endure the smell,
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Nor yet to come to bury him,
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as true report doth tell;
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Untill he was consumed
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he laid above the ground,
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The doors about the garden,
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therefore was Locked round.
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Let all Blasphemers
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take warning by this thing,
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Lest that Gods vengeance
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they do upon them bring.
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And Lord grant all Christians
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thy holy grace and fear,
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They may think on the punishments
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that Conningham had here.
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