A PANEGYRICK,
Faithfully representing
The proceedings of the PARLIAMENT at Westminster, since
their first Sessions to this present: Wherein their won-
derfull Acts are truly declared; And what is further
by them to be expected.
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MOst gracious, Omnipotent,
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And everlasting Parliament,
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Whose power and Majestie
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Is greater then all Kings by odds;
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Yea to account you lesse then Gods,
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Must needs be blasphemie.
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Moses and Aaron nere did doe
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More wonders then are wrought by you
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For Englands Israel:
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But through the Red-Sea we have past,
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If you to Canaan brings at last,
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Ist not a miracle?
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In sixe yeares space you have done more
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Then all our Parliaments before:
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You have quite done the worke;
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The Cavaliers, the King, the Pope,
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You have orethrowne, and next we hope
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You will confound the Turke.
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The heads of Strafford, and of Laud,
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You did cut off, because by fraud
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They would have made us slaves:
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But sure you were ten times more just,
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Who Carew and the Hothams trust,
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For they were arrant knaves.
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By you we have deliverance
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From the designes of Spaine and France,
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Ormond, Montrosse, the Danes:
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You aided by our Brethren Scots,
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Defeated have malignant plots,
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And brought their Swords to Canes.
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What wholsome Lawes have you ordaind,
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Whereby our properties maintaind
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Gainst those would us undoe?
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Yea both our fortunes and our lives,
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And what is dearer, een our wives,
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Are wholly kept by you.
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O what a flourishing Church and State
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Have we enjoyd ere since you sate?
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What a glorious King, God save him,
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Have you now made His Majesty,
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Had he the grace but to comply,
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And doe as you would have him?
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When Hell was not enough to fright
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And make the Royall Party right,
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You wisely did invent
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That dreadfull Tophet, Goldsmiths-hall,
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And Committees worse then Devill and all
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For their full punishment.
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Your Directory how to pray
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By th Spirit shewes the perfect way;
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In zeale you have abolisht
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That Dagon of the Common-prayer;
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And next we see you will take care
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That Churches be demolisht.
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What multitudes in every Trade
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Of painfull Preachers you have made,
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Learned by revelation:
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Oxford and Cambridge make poore Preachers,
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Each Shop affordeth better Teachers:
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Oh blessed Reformation!
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Your godly Wisedomes have found out
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The true Religion without doubt:
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For sure amongst so many,
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(We have five hundred at the least,
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Is not the Gospell well increast?)
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One must be pure, if any.
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Could you have done more piously,
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Then sell Church-lands the King to buy,
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And stop the Cities plaints?
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Paying the Scots Church-Militant,
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That the new Gospell help to plant,
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God knowes they are poore Saints.
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Because th Apostles Creed is lame,
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Th Assembly doe a better frame,
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Which saves us all with ease:
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Provided still we have the grace
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To beleeve th two Houses ith first place,
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Let our works be what they please.
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Tis strange your powr and holinesse
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Cant th Irish Devill dispossesse,
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His kind is very stout:
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That though you doe so often pray,
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And every Moneth keep Fasting-day
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You cannot get him out.
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Who will not pay with all his hart
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Excise? the fifth, and twentieth part,
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Assessements, Taxes, Rates,
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Tis easie what both Houses leavy,
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Our duties to the King were heavy,
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But all we haves the States.
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For all your sufferings and your paines,
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What in the end shall be your gaines,
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You never did regard:
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Some twenty thousand pounds a man,
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An Office too, alas who can
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Thinke that a fit reward?
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Wherefore as soone as youre dissolvd,
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To shew our thanks we are resolvd,
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The King himselfe engages,
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Another Parliament to call,
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Which your deserts consider shall,
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And surely pay your wages.
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