A nose-gay for the House of Commons.: Made up of the stincking flowers of their seven yeares labours, gathered out of the garden of their new reformation. ... / By Mercurius Melancholicus.

A Nosegay for the House of Commons.

Smell, smell I pray, sirreverence unto the lower House, And if from it there comes a stench, pray take it in your mouth.

WAs there ever Garden in this world so soone overrun with stinking and banefull weeds, that not long since flourished with all the choisest flo∣wers both for scent and colour, that Flora watered with pearle drops, and Titans warming beames gave birth unto, whose roots twin'd in chast imbraces, as if they sympa∣thized of each others vertue, that Nature her selfe was prided to walke into the twined Meanders of her curious Mazes; heere might you see the Princely Rose [the King] so full of fragrancy, that for its smell and colour, it was the envy of all the world; yet guarded so with its sharpe pric∣king Thornes, [Militia,] that no rude hand durst touch it; there might you see the Lilly, [Queen,] whiter then Inno∣cence it selfe; a fruitfull Vine bearing such tender Clusters, as might tempt the Gods to taste; there might you see the Olive-plants, [the Royall Progeny,] placed round about a ta∣ble, where Kings and Queenes did feast, and there might kisse those fruits that their owne hands had planted: Here grew hearts ease, there pretious Time, guarded with herbe of grace, and Winter-savoury, the curious Tulips, Posies, Pinkes, and Mary golds, [Nobility and Gentry,] strived to e∣mulate each other, and to excell it sweetnesse, [Loyalty,] and with their spicy breaths to bloom each other, and beget the blushing heats of love; heere grew the Physick hearbs,

there those for nourishment, that nothing wanted to adde perfection to a compleat Paradice, that might reblesse the sinne scorched earth, caused by our first Parents crimes, and regaine the blessing that they lost by disobedience; so set a period to all the thorny cares and weedy troubles that ••••m∣passe weake humanity. In the midst of this Garden stood the Tree of Life, [pure Religion,] for hungry soules to feed on; then stood a Fountaine, [Baptisme,] in whose Chri∣stall streames, Angels like Swans might bath their silver wings, so pure and cleare, that you might read your name at bottome, so shallow that an infant but of eight dayes old might wade, and yet an Elephant might swim; next to whose banks was planted by Heavens curious workeman∣ship an Arbour, in the midst whereof was a Table furnished with all delicates, Manna, [Lords Supper,] that God might feast on, the reverend Attendants [Bishops,] weare white robes, the emblems of true innocence, the inscription over the Arbour was, Hoe, come every one that thirsteth, buy milke and wine without money; run, run my soule one drop from thence will quench the fire of hell, make thee for ever happy in immortallity, and never thirst againe On the other side stood an Angell holding a flaming sword [Justice prefigured in King Charles the chiefe Minister thereof, and to render justice on all offenders,] to kill all venomous and uncleane creaturs that durst approach this place of happinesse. The Angell was as a God to distinguish between good and evill, vertue and vice, the one by him cherished, the other punished; to whose praise you might heare contending Nightingals, and sky mounting Larks [Poets,] warbling out anthems to his earthly Diety; there the two Tuttle-doves of peace and truth to kisse each other, prosperity and plenty danced u∣pon the downy frets of this blest Albion, the people of which thrice happy Island in their white standard of peace might give this Motto, beati populi, a blessed people, no I∣land under Heaven so stored with all the chiefest treasures of nature, being for martiall atchievements not onely hono∣rable through the whole world, but famous in the producti∣on

and government of many glorious Kings and Princes, where peace did spread her silver wings, and Christian uni∣ty from the root of unseigned love, did branch it selfe into the furthest boundaries of this happy Island, that all Neigh∣bouring Nations might participate, and tast the fruit therof.

Now being at the height of all our happinesse, surfeiting with excesse of blessings, being full of bread we kick the heele against Heaven by our pride, which breakes out in∣to contention, and so by evill and pestiferrous vapours blasts all this happy Island the Garden of the world; nothing vi∣sible can be permanent, all things are sublunary and sub∣ject to change; who would seven years agoe have thought to have seene this flourishing Kingdome embraced in the armes of destruction; here could I breake this brittle glasse of nature, when I see we are certaine in nothing but uncer∣tainties; by times mutability turned and tossed on fortunes angry wheele, unconstant as the Sea, sometimes billowing up, and by and by calme; or like a ship, sometimes floa∣ting, sometimes sinking, sometimes running, then whee∣ling about; the Suns most glorious Body sometimes is E∣clipsed; truth may for a time be clouded over, and loyalty in a shade, but shining forth they are more glorious made, and if these glorious creatures suffer, pray what must trea∣son suffer? what must paricide, Sacriledge, blood, theft, and such foule crimes suffer? Good Parliament resolve me, you that have by your cursed rage, ambitious to shew your Omnipotency ruined all this happinesse, shut in our day of beauty, love, and peace, within the black and dismall clouds of contention, blasted all our Roses and Lillies of happines, and long enjoyed amity with noysome and pestifferous showres of sanguinolent, and bloody warres: but this as a parhenthesis.

The Keeper or chiefe Lord of this Garden, being of a credulous and tractable nature, committed the care of this Garden to some servants, through whose negligence some weeds sprang up, and a breach was made in the fence [Monopolizers] thieves entred and stole away some flowers

a Lambe or two was missing; the Lord perceiving the ne∣gligence of his servants, and their ambition for self-ends, which had caused a murmuring in the people, which he no sooner perceived, but he summoned together all the chief of the Land to advise with him which way this Garden might be weeded, and how this breach might be made up & to help him execute justice on his servants, that had betrayed their trust, and so shew himselfe the most willing in this great worke; he began to weed with his owne royall hands, plucked up the thistles, the Mayweed, and Darnell that cho∣ked the corne [Ship-money, and other monopolies, high Commi∣sion, Star-chamber.] and committed the sole care and gover∣nance of this Paradice to these unskilfull Gardiners, who no sooner were by this royall authority convented, but presently every frog began to swell into an Elephant, to lift up their heeles against their head, and to kick at that power that had given them being, and in stead of putting their hands to help him wo••ke, lifted up their hands against him, and forced him to flie for safegard of his life, and instead of making up the breach, made the breach wider, and instead of pulling up the weeds, sowed seeds of strife and dissention, [feares and jealousies,] when present∣ly in rushes the Wolfe, the Tygar [Anababtists and other Se∣ctaries now under Fairfax,] the slye and crafty Fox, [Presby∣ter,] and the wilde Boare, who all conspired the ruine of this most happy vineyard, rooting up the tender Vines, and the fattest Olives, rooted up with their round snouts the rose-tree, spoyled the curious knots and bor∣ders, made holes through the fence, [broke the lawes,] that all manner of uncleane beasts entred, rooted up the Arbors, over threw the Tables, [the Commandements] spilled the Man∣na, mudyed the fountaine, [old Ford saints,] and quickly made that which was a Paradice of pleasure, a wildernesse of woe, barenesse, and famine: that which was the Phoe∣nix of Christendome [London] they made a habitation for Owles and Jackdawes; that which was the paragon of beauty [the Church] now the patterne of deformity, and

that which was lately the Crowne and pride of all Europe, now to be the scar-crow and scorne of the world.

And this hath beene the seven yeares labours of this bles∣sed Parliament that will hereafter be inroled in the monu∣ments of fame for the most Traytorous that ever was [Trea∣son never went without a just reward.] who instead of curing the nationall maladies of this Kingdome, have added fresh fuell to their encreasing flames, disinthroned and impriso∣ned their Leige Lord and Soveraigne, raised a most dread∣full and bloody war, layd more heavy burdens on the peo∣ple then ever Pharohs task-Masters did on the Israelites, and finally have brought a generall ruine and destruction on the whole Kingdome: all this is reall truth, so help us God.

Now instead of a Postscript, give me leave to speake a word or two to a stioking Kingdome, and a disconsolate City, and he that hath guided my hand in composing this Nosegay, which I know will not be favoury to the Saints; guide your hearts and understandings to that resolution that you shall be instructed unto by one that had he ten thousand lives would ve••••u••e them all for the reestablishing of his Majesty, the freeing him from his abhorred imprison∣ment, the procuring of a personall Treaty, obtayning of an act of Oblivion, and his Majesties gracious generall Par∣don, the Souldiers their arrears, and every man his owne, and truth and peace established in the Land, with a favoura∣ble regard to tender consciences.

Which till this bee obtayned, let all true subjects keepe their mony from these pr……ers over our lives and estates, endevour to preserve and defend his Majesties Royall per∣son, the power and priviledge of Parliament, and the Laws and liberties of the Subject, and by all good wayes and meanes oppose and endeavour to bring to exact triall, all such, as eyther by plots or conspiracies have done, or shall doe any thing to the prejudice of the purity of Religion, the Lawes, Liberties, and Peace of the Kingdome. And further withall just and honourable wayes endevour to preserve u∣nion

and peace betwixt the three Kingdomes; doe this and expect a blessing, otherwise assured destruction.

The NOSEGAY.

A Little Hemp, Hemlock, wormwood, and Rue Would make a Poesie fit for such as you, Rebels, and Traytors, Cut-throates, men of blood, Fitter to hang then do the Subject good; Others by fit election, you by Fate Are made the Executioners of State, And not distinguisht from the rank of those Who only know you are, not whence you rose; You countenance give to Error and, and curb in, Bold Reprehension, make all truth a sinne, L••ve uncontroul'd, and in contempt of Law Do kill, do rob, Tyrannize, and over-awe, Yet this your comfort is the more you strive To Ruine us, the better do we thrive,

Like Hearbes, the more you bruise us, wee the better sent, Plaine truth can nere be stain'd, but may be shent.

FINIS.