The wonders of England.
1559.
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WHen date of (1553.) was expirde ful,
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And Gods wrath rypt, ready to fall:
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His sworde from sheath did ferce out pul,
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And to the heavens beganne to call.
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Saying: on England now I shall,
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Plage Prince, Prophet, and People all,
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For contemptes sake.
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Go Death inclose their Kyng in clay,
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And Sunne withdraw the light of day,
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And darkenes make.
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No sooner sayd, but straight was done
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The English Kyng Edward God tooke.
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Light of soule from England gone.
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Darkenes made them blyndely looke,
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Truth and Fayth of People forsooke.
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Their Prophetes taken from the booke,
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And prysoners made.
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The Bats & Owles from holes out came
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Wolves and Beares, and cruel Caim,
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Did England invade.
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When darknes thus echwhere was sen
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And nightly Vermin rulde the rost,
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No Birds might syng in that late even,
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By land, by sea, or by the coast,
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But straight were brought to firy post,
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Or els to Lolers tower tost,
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And kept in cage,
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From meate and frend somtimes so bard
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That lomy wales they fed on hard,
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Hunger to swage.
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Thys darkenes so extremely bode,
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That none from other scarce were known
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On Noble, Sage, Learned and Good,
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These wormes of darknes spared none,
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And pourde their poison abrod so flowne
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On Prophet, People, & Prince their own,
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Whych is by name
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Elizabeth, by God nowe Quene,
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To Englands joy ryght wel is sene,
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They sought to shame.
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The sun thus quentch, & day made dark
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And Cockes in coopes from croing kept,
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Then straight these Owles began to wark,
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And to the Churches fearcely lept,
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And with new broumes them clene outswept
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From God, from King and Scripture set
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Upon the wall,
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And in their stede set ydols long,
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And made people with prayse and song,
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On them to call.
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Thus Vermin darke the mastry had,
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Of Realme, of Prince, of Noble and all:
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And yet not herewith fully glad,
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Away they sought to save theyr fall,
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And counsayle gave a Forayne to call,
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To match our Quene and Crowne royal
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All for their Pope.
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To have their kingdome raygne alway,
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And they themselves to beare the sway,
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And blindly grope.
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Al this not yet their mindes fyllyng,
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Nor no regarde to Native land,
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Fearing again Gods light should spring
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Brought Mershial law forthwith in hand,
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Against al such as would withstand,
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Their wicked raygne and cruell band,
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And Gods part take.
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Or els in privye places founde,
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Praying to God prostrate on ground,
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His wrath to slake.
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Thus rulyng all in darkenes blynde,
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Came miseries with heape on heape,
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No lore was taught to fyl the mynde,
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Godly to lyve and good fruite reape,
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But al for Church they cride and threape
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Restore, restore even as good cheape,
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As ye dyd take.
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And be ye sure ye shall attayne,
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To heavens blysse wythout more payne
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And so mendes make.
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Losses of townes and Holdes came on,
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Ruine of people beganne echewhere:
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Rich men made beggers, & Captains bond
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Armour for warre our enmyes toke clere
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When al thys was sene in this realme here
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Yet (sayd these Owles) we nede not feare
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For all was well.
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No losse have we by Heritikes gone:
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Ne for Calis for whych ye mone
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Whych here do dwell
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Yet God as God styll alwaies one
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Though angry yet began to stay:
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Plaging the Realme and People eche one
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At last with teares beganne to saye:
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Oh England, England sore doest thou stray,
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My Martirs bloud shed out thys day,
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In wofull plyght.
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The infantes yong that fatherles be.
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Wyth wydowes poore crying to me,
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wythdrawes my spyte.
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With that the skies their hue did change
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And light outshone in darkenes steede,
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Up (said this God with voice not strange)
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Elizabeth thys Realme nowe guyde,
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My wyll in thee doo not thou hyde,
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And Vermine darke let not abyde,
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In thys thy Land.
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Straightway the people out dyd cry,
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Praysed be God and God save thee
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Quene of England.
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