Epistolium-vagum-prosa-metricum: or, An epistle at randome, in prose and metre. To be delivered, to all whom it may concern; but, was first intended only, for two or three of the authors friends in authority (if he hath so many left) to mediate in Parliament, the redress of his destructive grievances; in the expression whereof, many particulars of publick concernment are interwoven. The author, is George Wither Esq; who, in writing this address, being transported beyond the sense of his personal sufferings, discovers by a poetical rapture, that whereon the peace of these nations depends; and, what is, and what vvill be, their sad condition; as also, what new-purgatories, and fiery-tryals, they are likely to pass, if God's mercy, prevents not: which that they may endeavour to obtain, their old remembrancer gives them, once more, a fore-warning; resolving, this shall be his last time, of sounding them an alarm.

I begin this Wandring-Epistle, with respect to my present temporal condition onely; without ha∣ving the least thought of the preceding Catastrophe. But, as it heretofore befel Sampson, (and hath oft befallen many of Gods servants in their Frailties) with the Philistines, he must first have occasion given, by an outward injury, before he could be rowzed up to execute GOD's Venge∣ance upon the Enemies of his Country; so, before my Dull Flesh could be capable of admitting that publick-spirit to come upon me, which might sufficiently emholden me to declare what is at this time necessary to be offered to my Country-mens Consideration, she must be first reduced to a great straight, by the hazard of her too much beloved temporal Concernments: And, as Exposi∣tors upon the Psalms, affirm of the Prophet DAVID, it hath now happened unto me. VVhilst he (as they conceive) was contemplating and complaining of those his personal Persecutions and Affli∣ctions wherein he was a Type of the MESSIAS, he was suddenly transported above the sense of his own Sufferings, into Raptures prophetically expressing the persecutions and passions of his and our REDEEMER: In like manner, I, whose present outward Estate, much resembles this Commonwealths

confused, needy, and hazardous Condition, (as I have heretofore particularly demonstrated) ha∣ving a purpose, as aforesaid to express my personal Grievances onely, in order to a timely Redress, was carried by a Poetical Rapture, into an unpremeditated Apprehension, of what may possibly come to pass, and neerly relates to this Republicks well or ill being, as the pre-conditioned means of her wel∣fare shall be neglected or performed; and to touch also upon some Particulars, of a higher con∣cernment; even upon such as relate to the Kingdome of CHRIST and his Saints, with a Hint upon somewhat thereto pertinent; which being misapprehended by many who wait for that King∣dome, may occasion trouble to themselves and others, not without infringement of the Civil-peace, and dishonour to that spiritual Kingdome which we pray for, if they be not wary of those carnal delusions which the Enemy thereof seeks to mingle with their dim Notions of that mysterious Mo∣narchy, to make them thereby somewhat instrumental to prolong his Empire in the mystical Ba∣bylon.

The latter part of this Discourse, was on a suddain dictated to me in the Language of the Mu∣ses: therefore, though Verse be so much grown out of esteem and fashon, more then it was when I first began to versifie, that amongst most men it is in as little esteem as I my self am; and so un∣tuneably accented by most Readers, that in reading them, they mar the sense, and make worse Musick then a Smiths File, or scraping of Trenchers: Nevertheless, I have inserted them as they were received from my Inspirer, as pertinent both to my Cause, and to them who should assume it into Consideration. Farewell: who thou art, into whose hands this will come, I know not: But, if thou shalt accept it, and make use thereof according to my reasonable Requests, thou art one of those, to whom it was originally intended, by thy Servant in all reasonable services,