The HISTORY of the most famous and
most renowned JANNY GEDDES.
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WHEN Janny Geddes, well did mark,
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Black Papery, wrapt, in a white Sark;
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Just when the Service did begin,
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The Belldam, thought it, all o're, Sin;
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Then, up she took, her folding Stool,
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And made the Priest, look like a Fool,
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When she had almost knock'd him down;
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Which made proud Prelates, fly the Town;
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And then, such Mobbing, did commence,
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As prov'd, of fatal Consequence;
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For it produc'd, that dreadful Cant,
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The Solemn League and Covenant---
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Which brought about, so great a Change,
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As was, most wonderful and strange---
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So--- when a scolding Woman, mad is,
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She's called, e're since, A JANNY GEDDES.---
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Again,---Despotick Pow'r commencing,
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And with, all penal Laws, dispensing,
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There was set forth, a Declaration,
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To be proclaim'd, all o're the Nation,
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For universal Toleration---
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That every one, might do, by Right,
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What, should seem good, in their own Sight,
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Which, had they read, in every Church,
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Had left their Priest-craft, in the Lurch:
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Seven lordly Prelates then, had Meeting,
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At Lambeth-House, with doleful Greeting;
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Contriving some Way, for their Glories,
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Like sturdy Whigs, more like, than Tories:
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But, all their Glory was, that they,
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Petition'd, in submissive Way,
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To be excused---Since they could plead it,
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No Priest of Theirs, was safe, to read it:
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Because, against all Law and Reason,
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And might be made, a Sort of Treason:
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Besides, to give them all their due,
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It was, against their Interest too:
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No Wonder then, they did abhore it,
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And suffer, like true Martyrs for it:
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But when absolv'd, as says the Story,
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Both, for their own, and Nation's Glory,
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It did unite, both Whig and Tory---
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Which, brought about,---What, something, sad is,
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Without the Help of Janny Geddes.---
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But lo! those Prelates, stood in Awe,
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Because, it was against the Law!
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Which, we, 'tis certain, cannot plead,
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Since Law, ordains it, to be read:
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Yet we, tho' Lordships disavowed,
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And Grace,---to none of us, allowed;
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And tho' no Lords Spiritual,
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Are true, Arch-bishops, one and all:
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And We---more gloriously, than They,
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In Spite of Law, do boldly say,---
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We---neither can, nor will obey.---
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Shall we, submit to Laymens Laws,
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Such Champions, for The good old Cause?
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No sure! For till We say---Amen,---
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They'll find, such Laws, are all in vain.
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They might as well presume to teach,
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Our Presbyters, to pray, and preach,
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As, penal Laws, to make Us, read,
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It sets the Lubies, well indeed!---
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Christ only, is, Our supreme Head.
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But tho', Christ---bids us, when We pray,
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No vain Tautologies to say;
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And does direct, a Form of Pray'r,
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Which, GOD, will most delight to hear;
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Yet, 'cause it stints, the Spirit's Aid,
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Ev'n Christ himself, is not obey'd:
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How can they think then, we'll obey
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Either, to read, or preach, or pray,
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What saucy Laymen, bid us, say.
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No Form of Words, that can be made,
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Scarce, ev'n The Bible, must be read,
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In Presbyterian Kirks, we say;
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Because, the Prelatick Way.
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And ev'n The Creed, and Ten Commands,
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'Cause, us'd, in proud prelatick Lands,
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Are banished, by Presbytry,
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Which can't endure Morality.---
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When lawful Pow'rs, make lawful Laws,
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Which, we think, for our Kirk and Cause;
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Their Pow'rs of God, we then, allow it;
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But otherwise,---we disavow it.
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They!---render us incapable!
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We'll let them know our Principle,
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Is, that, whoever did ordain it,
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It's Sacrilege---we will maintain it;
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For by late Laws of Presbytrie,
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When two, or three, or four agree;
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Then---a Secession, we can make,
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Both, from the Kirk, and from the State;
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And, Church Judicatories be,
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When we think fit, whilst we agree.
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And should they make it, even High Treason
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Spite of all Law, and Sense, and Reason,
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They'll find, that we will be so bold,
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Our Benefices, still to hold---
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For, tho', all Powers by GOD appointed,
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It's we that make the LORD's Anointed:
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And so, they'll find, old Samuel made,
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Saul King---But when he disobey'd,
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The Prophet, made the King to bend;
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And 'cause, he did the Mantle rend;
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Therefore, he rent the Kingdom, from him,
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And then---great Vengeance fell upon him.
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Since then, the Seer, set Saul aside,
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To give the Right, to Judah's Tribe:
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And since it's so, that we do make 'em;
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They'd best take Care, least we forsake 'em;
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And leave them, as the Prophet did,
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To What the Deil, puts in their Head.
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We scorn all Mitres, Crowns, and Copes,
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Yet claim, as much Pow'r, as the Popes:
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And can proclaim, whene'er we will,
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Now!---To your Tents O Israel.---
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If they, had not at all, decreed it,
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That we should be compell'd, to read it;
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We might have read it, if we wou'd;
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But no Compulsion, e'er did good;
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Except, when we think, it may be,
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For Benefit of Presbytrie:
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But since their Law, so very mad is,
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They'll find perhaps---some Janny Geddes,
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May make the Danger, very great;
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But let the Wisuks, look to that.---
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