The work goes bonnely on

THE WORK Goes Bonnely on.

GOd-a mercy good honest Blew-beard, for giving a Text at least (when Funerall Sermons were not in custome) to these glorious and illustrious Martyrs, sacrificed for their good conscience to GOD and the KING, at Glasgow, St. Andrews and Edinburgh, hurried hence in Seas of Blood, with this your plaudite, The Work goes bonnely on.

But now blessed be God, the Covenant and all belongs thereto hath catch't a fall, a fearfull fall! and the hideous imposturs, in pre∣tence of Reformation, being now ignominiously blasted, may change their tune, but keep the words, The Work goes bonnely on boy's.

It were cruelty to make use of the Text now, when the Cove∣nants Champion is put to a retreat, leaving one Guthry a Remon∣strator Minister, and another Giffin his ruling Elder to follow in a depending way; and yet it's impossible at all such occasions but you shall hear in every ones mouth, The Work goes bonnely on.

One would think (at lest a good Protestant) that the reading of holy Scripture, singing Psalms before Sermons, the using of the Lords Prayer, rehearsing the Apostolick Creed at Baptism, giving glory to God at the end of Psalms, and using of Prayer morning and evening in Congregations, were good and bony works, but the good Synod (which is none of the learned'st) where Blew-beard is a member, hath rejected such works, when tendered to them by a noble Person, for which he dissolved their Synod, and so their work went scurvily on. Now, if these who refuse such things had not need of Over-seers, any man may judge, unless you'l say the sheep needs no Sheepherd, and that's ill again.

May 29. (a day by Order of Parliament, ordered to be kept as a holy Day of Thanksgiving, for the signal Mercy's wherewith it is honoured) the good Town of Edingurgh, after the whole morning had been spent in all the Churches of the Town, and in Scotland, in Devotion, carried on their Work merrily and cheerfully. Sermon ended in the Parliament House before His Grace, and the whole Members, preach't by that Worthy and Loyal Divine, Mr. Robert Lawrie, happy at this time, both in confirming proselyt Royalists and convincing Covenanted Fanaticks. Sir Robert Murray Lord Provost, accompanied with the other Magistrates and Common Coun∣cil, conducted the Lord Commissioner with all the rest of the Par∣liament, to the great Hall of King JAMES His Colledge; where at the entry he was welcomed by Mr. Lighton Principal of the place, with a Latine Speech, which with other pieces of Poetry are printed by themselves. Here was prepared by the City of Edinburgh a most sumptuous and magnificent Feast, that it was thought by many, and these witty Travellers, that all Europe could not out-do it: It's order was admirable, without the lest of confusion, (ordinary at such pub∣lique Solemnities) though the number of the Sitters was very great. The Lord Provost and all other the Magistrates discovered such jollity and chearfulnesse that cannot be exprest, all the Royal healths being accompanied with continual Canonado's from the Castle, and thus The work went bonnily one.

In the Banquet presented to the Lord Commissioner and the Members of Parliament, there was a most rare artificial Orange Tree placed before his Grace, and he pulling the Orange was next him, found within it this following ORATION.

Heroick Sir,

ALbeit I am one of the most sens-satisfying creatures, which owes their birth and being to the glorious Sun, and am one of the Spaniards Rodomontade boasts, when his sarabanding fancy capers in its Zenith; Yet Sir, I was not so vain, as to esteem my native qualities, or ad∣mired value, sufficient to recommend me to your Highness touch, without Robes of suggar: Thereby likewise intending to acknow∣ledge, that your Royal Masters Dominions (whose bowels are so li∣beral

of suggar) can highten the delicacies of Spain. I believe, Sir, the world knows, that those of my tribe, are ordinarily propogated by these rayes, who have in their Commission, to transubstantiat earth in gold (a transubstantiation which Puritanes themselves will not challenge) Yet finding, that in their journey, they are able to gra∣tifie Ladies, Princes, and such Heroes as you. (Great Sir,) By our nativity they imbrace the earth, kisses it, and courts it hotly to concur to our generation. It is alleaged likewise, that the Sun exhals the Beauties of the Ladies both of Portugal and Spain, meerly and most∣ly to beautifie us. And such is the respect we have from the greatest Potentates of the world, that they are most content to admit us to their Table: And Ladies likewise rate our fellowship so highly, that they will not refuse us their hands, when they refuse them to their dearest Gallants: And such is our approven secrecy, that they will suffer us to be near them, when they are imployed most satisfyingly. I will speak nothing of our charity in going about to visit the sick, nor of our skill in healing them; nor yet of our eloquence in perswading the queasie stomacks of green-sicknessed Ladies, nor yet how we are content to fall from the breast of our mother Trees, that we may visit you of these Countries.

Nature (Sir) in requital of that unparallel'd improvement you have made of her endowments, hath, to evidence her gratefull resent∣ment, gone out of the high road of custom; and for your Highness honour and satisfaction, hath fashioned this lovely Tree which you see, and whereof I am a depender: Heaven and Earth, albeit they have of a long time, stood at a great distance, (the Sun looking still but coldly, cloudily and angrily upon this climat) yet both have con∣curred in this complement, Heaven contributing heat, and Earth its most refined substance: And albeit Portugal be our chief mannour place, yet we are grown up here to assure the Subjects of these Do∣minions, that Portugal fruit may grow in this Isle, if the ground be well cultivate: providence intends to send you a Cien from thence, which, when grafted upon a good stock, will (we hope) both Blos∣some and Budde to your admiration, and posterity shall say,

—Non deficit alter aureus, Et simili frondescet virga metallo.

WE may (Sir) pretend some interest in your Royal Master, as in the Uncle of that Noble Prince, whose Progenitors chose us for His princly Title. And in you, Sir, as one whose sword may prove the supporter of His Throne; If the Belgick Lyon should begin to tare at it with his warlike Tusks; And then the Sea should be an Escutcheon, which shall bear two Lyons contre-saliant. For we see that your Prince hath beautified your Shield with a Lyon rampant, to simbolize your courage, and to point at your respect to your Royal Master; that Lyon though rampant, is willing to barrier himself within two threeds (called by the French fillets) of a double trea∣sure, because they are enriched with Flower de luces, from which, as being a part of the Royall Badges, He stands at some distance. Your name doth Caballistically suit with Your Armes, for JOANNES MIDLTONƲS anagrammatized, is, Leo es non imitandus. Par∣don me (Sir) for divesting your name of it's Robes of honourable Titles; for I did it, that it might breath a little the air of Applause. Writers alledge, that the Lyon is still in a feaver of courage; imploy us (Sir) to cool a little that heat: and seing you are now in the Sun∣shine, and summer of peace, quench these unnecessary, though noble flames, till the Winter of War begin to storm; which cannot be whilst your Great Master shines like the Sun in the signs of Virgo and Leo. Your humour doth Janus-like, look with a two faced provi∣dence to Peace and Warre; And since Janus, his Temple was closed, ye have merited moe Lawrells from the hands of Themis, then Mars had to bestow upon you: and these noble Statutes which ye have touched by your Sceptered hand, shall for ever be Novellae Leonis to this Kingdom. And we wish that the Lyon of your Armes, in re∣compense of this service, did like the Lyon which the Venetians bear, carry a book in his claws in-signed with this inscription.

GOD save the KING.

Out of an Ark of Corde-citron, flew a Dove with an Olive branch in its mouth, carrying this ensuing Scroll, with a great many more other cu∣riosities; invented and composed by that skilfull Artest Robert Mein.

My Lord,

MY great Grandam was twice commission at by your Masters great Grand∣father, and common Father to you all, the Soveraign of the second World. She discharged her first Commission honestly, as your Grace did

yours, (and by her I claim some affinity with you) she did not like the Cor∣bie Messenger that went before her; she return'd the first time to her Master re infecta, because she found no rest for the sole of her foot, for the waters were over the face of the whole Earth: Your Grace, in like manner, was first sent out by your Master, to see if the waters of Rebellion were abated over the face of this Land, but you found no rest for your foot, though you alighted upon Mountains as high as Ararat, for the Flood had raised it self above all those too; therefore you did very honestly return, and like my great Grandmother, gave your Master a perfect accompt. But Noah stayed yet other seven dayes, and then again sent my Grandmother out of the Ark, who finding the waters abated, and the Earth ready to receive her Masters Commands, returned with an Olive leaf in her mouth, the true Emblem of Peace and Tranquility.

My Lord, even just so, after other seven dayes, counting according to the Prophets, a year for a day, as if by a Platonick revolution, our times re-acted these of the great Deludge. Your Glorious King, whom, like another Noah, God had marvelously preserv'd as in an Ark, from the universal inundation of these Lands, sent out your Grace the second time with the like Commission as my Grand∣mother had; and indeed she did as much as was possible for any that could not speak, the Olive leaf spake fully for her: But your Grace, I must confess, hath out-gone her wonderfully, you have made the Earth to shout, and the Aire to re∣sound the glad tydings of Peace and Prosperity; you have sent His Majesty before your own return, several Branches of the Olive, you stay a little longer your self, till you levell the Mountains and make the Valies flourish like the Gar∣dens of Hesperiades, and having subdued the watchfull Dragon of Rebellion, you command the golden apples of due obedience to lawfull Authority: So may Jerusalem again have Peace within her walls, and Prosperity within her gates; and so may your Royal Master with the permission of His greater Affairs, desire in better times to revisit the mansions, where one hundred and nine of His Pro∣genitors have been born, and transmitted a Monarchicall Crown to him through the decursion of twenty Centuries.

GOD save your KING.

Nothing was wanting in the Good Town at this splendid Solemnity, whereby they might witness their Loyal Affections: for after the Enter∣tainment, then begun the breaking of Glasses about Bonfires, which were so great, that a Whigumire Elder in going alongst the Streets was cured of a French Scruby, which he had purchased at a Family Exercise, with a Remonstratrix; and so his Work went Bonnily on.

WE carry not on the work alone, for our Loyal Brethren in England performes their part, as may be seen by this following extract, out of their publick Intelligencer, after he had at large descrybed the Order of the Great Montrose his Funerall.

And here we cannot but minde you (and we cannot forbear) that the same day that the bloody Covenanters condemned the immortal James Marquess of Montrose to that bloody Execution (viz. May 20.) was the same day, that the most honourable House of Peers ordered the Solemn League and Covenant it self to be burned by the hand of the common Hangman; the Order it self is in haec verba

Die Lunae, 20. Maii, 1661.

THe Lords in Parliament Assembled, having considered of a Paper sent unto them from the House of Commons, for Bur∣ning of the Instrument or Writing, called, The Solemn League or Covenant by the hands of the common Hangman; Do Order that the said Instrument or Writing, called, The Solemn League and Co∣venant, be Burned by the hand of the Common hangman in the New Palace at Westminster,in Cheapside, and before the Old Exchange, on Wednesday the twenty second of this instant May. And that the said Covenant be forthwith taken off the Record in the House of Peers, and in all other Courts and places where the same is Recorded; And that all Copies thereof be taken down out of all Churches, Chappels, and other publick places in England and Wales, and in the Town of Barwick upon Tweed, where the same are set up.

May, 22.

This day (according to Order of both Lords and Commons) tha•• pernicious Oath, called the Solemn League and Covenant was burned by the hand of the Com∣mon hangman in the New Palace Westminster, in Cheapside, and at the Old Ex∣change: The executioner (to give the hangman his due) did his part perfectly well; for having kindled his fire, he tore that Solemn League into very many pieces: first burn'd the Preface, and then cast each parcel solemnly into the fire; lifting up his hands and eyes, not leaving the least shread, but burn'd it root and branch (what a damnable wicked Covenant was this, that makes us applaud the very hangman for burning it) This is that fatal Oath born in Scotland, and fed in both Kingdoms with the blood and lively hood of more thousand Christians then this Oath had words; for you formerly were told that this Covenant consists of that Beastly number of 666 words, neither more nor lesse.

And while we speak of Bonfires (happy for Great Britain if this Fire had been kindled in 1643.) We must remember that this day seven-night (May 29.) is the Anniversary of the Birth of our most gracious Soveraign King CHARLES the Second, which by Act of Parliament is to be set apart and solemnized through his Majesties Dominions; a Proclamation for that purpose is already in the Press; and let us add one Faggot to the Bonfire, that the 29. of May was the day (1549.) that the Book of Common Prayer was first established, as sure as on that day His Majesty this time twelvemonth (after nineteen years absence) came in triumph to Whitehall, whom God in mercy to these unhappy happy Kingdoms, grant long to reign over us, and a Blister on that tongue that will not say, AMEN.

And to put a greater lustre on the Bonny Work, some Loyal and In∣genious spirit hath composed this Madrigal, which I could wish were apted to the tun of, The Work goes bonnily on: In time our reverend Hang-man Jocky Dunmoor may have such another divertisement by its mother, and then the Work, without doubt, will go bonnely on.

Notes

• Not Sitters at Glory to the Father.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Em∣••••••or wrote ••••••tutes, cal∣•••••• Novellae, ••••••ause writ∣•••••• after all the ••••••er Laws.