Mount-Orgueil: or Divine and profitable meditations raised from the contemplation of these three leaves of natures volume, 1. Rockes, 2. Seas, 3. Gardens, digested into three distinct poems. To which is prefixed, a poeticall description, of Mount-Orgueil Castle in the Isle of Jersy. By VVilliam Prynne, late exile, and close prisoner in the sayd Castle. A poem of The soules complaint against the body; and Comfortable cordialls against the discomforts of imprisonment, &c. are hereto annexed.

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER,

SHut up Close-Prisner in Mount-Orgueil Pile, A lofty Castle, within Jersie Isle, Remote from Friends,* 1.1 neere three yeares space, where I Had Rockes, Seas, Gardens dayly in mine Eye, Which I oft viewed with no small delight, These pleasing Objects did at last invite Me, to contemplate in more solemne wise, What usefull Meditations might arise From each of them, my soule to warme, feast, cheare, And unto God, Christ, Heaven mount more neare. In which pursuite, I found such inward Joyes, Such Cordiall Comforts, as did over-poise My heaviest Crosses, Losses, and supply The want of all, Foes did me then deny; Give me assurance of a sweete Returne Both from my Exile, Prison, and mine Urne: Revive my cold dead Muse, and it inspire Though not with brightest, yet with Sacred fire: Some Sparkes whereof rakt up in Ashes then, I layd aside, for want of Inke and Pen: But now enlarged by the mighty hand Of that sweete God, who both by* 1.2 Sea and Land▪ In sundry Prisons, Countries, kept me so In health and comfort, that I met with no

One day of Sickenesse, Sadnesse, Discontent, In* 1.3 eight yeares Troubles, and Imprisonment: (Which I relate, that all may blesse his Name For his great Mercy, and expect the same Support and Presence of our God in all Those sharpe Afflictions which may them befall, As I have found, by sweete experiment To my surpassing Solace, and Content:) I have blowne up these buried Sparkes a new, And here present them to thy Christian view, (Kinde Reader) to the end that thou mayst be Refresht with those Thoughts, which refreshed me, And Steele thy Soule with Faith, Hope, Confidence, Against all Carnall feares and diffidence, With that which made Me to expect with joy, That blest Enlargement I doe now enjoy. From my long Durance, Censures, Banishment, Which God hath made a fresh, sweete Monument Of his Almighty power, that all thereby In all their Troubles and Adversitie, May learne with Faith, Hope, comfort to depend On God, who in due time Release will send. Thy Comfort, Profit is all I desire, Next to Gods glory; Lord, let the sweete fire Of thy good Spirit by these Lines convoy Such Flames of Love, zeale, Comfort, Grace, & Joy Into each Readers soule, that he may see These Meditations were inspir'd by Thee. If any profit, fruit, thou from them gaine, O pray for him, who ever shall remaine

Thy Unfained
Christian Friend
WILLIAM PRYNNE.

Notes

• * 1.1

  I arrived in Iersy, Ianuary the 17. 1637. and received the Tydings of myenlargement thence by war∣rant from the Parliament November 17. 1640. the same day of the Mo∣neth, I there first landed.
• * 1.2

  Isa 43. 2. Psa. 66. 12. Ps. 139. 9. 10. Josh. 1. 5. 9.
• * 1.3

  I was first committed Pri∣soner to the Towre of Lon∣don, Feb. 1. 1632. where af∣ter two remo∣vals to the Fleete for a short space, I remained Pri∣soner till July the 27. 1637. & was then remo∣ved to Carnar∣van Castle in Northwales, where I arrived August the 5. and was there kept close Pri∣soner till I was by special war∣rant shipped & sent close Pri∣soner for Jersy, Octob. the 10. 1637. where I arrived not till January the 17. following. From whence I departed by Warrant from the Parliament, Novemb. 19. 1640. and lan∣ded at Dart∣mouth Novem. 22. came into London No∣vemb. 28. was presented to the Commons House Novem. 30 where my Petition was read Decem. 3.