THE CITY.
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DRaw neere you factious Citizens, prepare
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To heare from me, what hideous fooles you are,
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What lumps of sordid earth; in which we finde
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Not any least resemblance of a minde
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Unlesse to basenesse, and Rebellion bent,
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Against the King to ayd the Parliament.
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That Parliament whose insolence will undoe
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Your Cities wealth, your lives and safeties too.
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Are you so stupid dull you cannot see
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How your best virtues, now are treachery:
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Apparent treason Murther, and the like,
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How with unhallowed hands you strive to strike
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Him whom you should your Loyalty afford
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(Great CHARLES) the blest anoynted of the Lord;
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How you do daily contribute and pay
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Money, your truths and honors to betray.
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Bigge with fanaticke thoughts, and wild desire,
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Tis you that blew up the increasing fire
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Of foule Rebellion; you that only bring
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Armies into the field against your King,
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For weret not for supportment from your bags,
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That great and highest Court that onely brags
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Of your vaine folly, long ere this had bin
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Punnished for their bold sacrilegious sine
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Of actuall treason, there had never come
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Upon this Kingdome such a Martirdom.
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Armes had hangd up as uselesse, and the State
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Retaind its freedom, had you kept your Plate:
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No Keinton Battailes had made Mothers curse,
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Made childlesse there the treason of your Purse,
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The Publicke purse oth City, which must be
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Esteemd the cause oth publicke misery.
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No Drums had frighted silken Peace from out
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The Neighbouring Countries, nor neede you about
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Your City with your guilded Musket goe,
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Trayning not for good service, but for show,
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That the whole towne may see your fethers spred
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Over your Hatts, as the Hornes do ore your Head,
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The Humble Parliament had never dard
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To have prescribd Lawes to their King but spard
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Their Zeale in bringing Innovations and
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Distractions, ore the butious face oth Land.
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They would not then have so supreamely brought
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Their Votes, to bring the Kingdoms peace to nought.
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Nor with so slight a value lookt on him
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King Charles, and only doted on King Pim,
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Nor for Authenticke Doctrine have allowd
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As Law, the precepts of ingenious Stroud,
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Hambden, nor Martin, had not then lookt bigg
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Upon their King, nor Arthur Haslerigge;
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Nor yet Kimbolton, on whom we now conferre
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The stile of trayterous Earle of Manchester:
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Securd by you the patrons of the cause
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Contemnd his Loyallty, and the Kingdoms Lawes
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Nor misled Essex, had not you beene, nere
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Had acted on this Kingdoms theater
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So many tragedyes, nor Warwicke sought
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To ingrosse the Navall honors, no nor thought
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Upon any action, so unjust unmeete
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As keeping from his Majesty his Fleete.
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Tis you have done all this, yave been the head,
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The very spring from whence this River spread
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The streames of foule Rebellion, which we knowe
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At last will drownd you with its overflow.
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You the arch traytors are, you those that stew
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The Kingdoms happinesse, and the aleagance due
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To his sacred Majesty, you you that have
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Betrayd this Nations honour to the grave
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Of lasting obloquye you that have destroyed
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The smiling wealth of th Ciry, and made voyd
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The good opinion which the King before
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Had of your Loyaltyes, of the faith you bore
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To th Royall steeme, which still has to your great
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Advantage made this City their Chiefe Seate,
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Fond and and seditious fooles, do you thinke you be
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Wiser then all times numerous progenye,
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That have adornd your City, when did they
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Your harmelesse ancesters strive to give away
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Their wealth. and duty from their Soveraine Lord,
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To make themselves Traytors upon Record,
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When did they their Plate and Coyne bring in,
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To be the cause of their owne [runn]ing ruining,
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They never usd to fright their King, nor draw
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Tumults together to affront the Law,
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No nor good houses, their Corslets slept and all
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The Armes they usd hung up in each mans hall,
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They did not then Ennameld Muskets carry,
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To trayne in Morefields, and at Finsbury,
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But did in comely Archery Excell,
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Like honest grave Children of Adam Bell
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And Climme oth Clough, now each of you will be,
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More then a furious William Cloudes-lee.
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And trace the Streets with teror as if Ven,
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With Fulk,and Manwaring, were the onely men
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Whome you did owe allegience to, as if they
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Could give you priviledg to disobey.
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The Royall Mandate, which does them Proclaime,
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Guilty of Treason, and you of the same,
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As deeply stand Inspeacht, and will at last
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Pay derely fort, when your vaine hopes are past
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All Succors, which you credit for your merit,
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will be afforded you by the helpe oth spirit,
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That is the devill you serve, for heavenly powers
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Can never Patronize such acts as yours,
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Poore bafled City, but bafled by a crue
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Of men, which are as arrant fooles as you,
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Surely your braines can never be so dull
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As not conceive this, which each empty Skull
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Must needs resent, how that their onely ayme,
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Is to create your City all on flame,
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And as the smoake and sparkes up aspire,
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Theyle sit and Laugh like Nero at the fire,
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Themselves have made, unlesse your heads be all
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Hornes and no flesh, you needs must see the fall.
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That threatens you, like Lightening to Eschue,
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Which Ruine twould be wisedome to renue,
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Your lost alleagiance, and Repentance bring,
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As a fresh victim, to appease your King,
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For be assured who to the Kings untrue,
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Must in their nature needs be false to you.
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