OSEAS

The will of the Lord be done. Iniquity seeks out companions still, And mortal men are armed to do ill: London look on, this matter nips thee near, Leave off thy riot, pride and sumptuous cheer. Spend less at board, and spare not at the door, But aid the infant, and relieve the poor: Else seeking mercy being merciless, Thou be adjudged to endless heaviness. Where hateful usury Is counted husbandry, Where merciless men rob the poor, And the needy are thrust out of door. Where gain is held for conscience, And men's pleasures is all on pence, Where young Gentlemen forfeit their lands, Through riot, into the Usurers hands: Where poverty is despised & pity banished And mercy indeed utterly vanished. Where men esteem more of money then of God, Let that land look to feel his wrathful rod. For there is no sin more odious in his sighed, Then where usury defrauds the poor of his right. London take heed, these sins abound in thee: The poor complain, the widows wronged be. The Gentlemen by subtlety are spoilde, The ploughman lose the crop for which they toiled Sin reigns in thee oh London every hour, Repent and tempt not thus the heavenly power. Pride hath his judgement, London look about, 'Tis not enough in show to be devout, A Fury now from heaven to lands unknown, Hath made the Prophet speak, not to his own, The wantons fly, this pride and vain attire, The seals to set your tender hearts on fire. Be faithful in the promise you have passed, Else Cod will plague and punish at the last. When lust is hid in shroud of wretched life, When craft does dwell in bed of married wife. Mark but the Prophets, we that shortly shows, After death expect for many woes. Fly Judges fly, corruption in your Court, The Judge of truth, hath made your judgement short. Look so to judge that at the latter day, You be not judged with those that weened astray. Who passerh judgement for his private gain, He well may judge, he is adjudged to pain. Where whoredom reins, there murder follows fast, As falling leaves before the winter blast. A wicked life trainde up in endless crime, Hath no regard unto the latter time. When Lechers shall be punished for their lust, When Princes plagued because they are unjust. Foresee in time the warning bell does towle, Subdue the flesh, by prayer to save the soul. London behold the cause of others wrack, And see the sword of justice at thy back. Defer not off to morrow is too late, By night he comes perhaps to judge thy state. When disobedience reigneth in the child, And Princes ears by flattery be beguiled. When laws do pass by favour, not by truth, When falsehood swarmeth both in old and youth. When gold is made a God to wrong the poor, And charity exiled from rich men's door. When men by wit do labour to disprove, The plagues for sin, sent down by God above. Where great men's ears are stop to good advice, And apt to hear those tales that feed their vice. Woe to the land, for from the East shall rise, A lamb of peace, the scourge of vanities. The judge of truth, the patron of the joust, Who soon will lay presumption in the dust. And give the humble poor their hearts desire, And doom the worldlings to eternal fire. Repent all you that hear, for fear of plagues, Oh London, this and more does swarm in thee, Repent, repent, for why the Lord does see. With trembling pray, and mend what is amiss, The sword of justice drawn already is. Where servants gainst masters do rebel, The Commonweal may be accounted hell. For if the feet the head shall hold in scorn, The Cities state will fallen and be forlorn. This error London, waits on thy state, Servants amend, and masters leave to hate. Let love abound, and virtue reign in all, So God will hold his hand that threatens thrall. If warned once, the Ethnics thus repent, And at the first their error do lament: What senseless beasts devoured in their sin, Are they whom long persuasions cannot win. Beware you western Cities where the word Is daily preached both at church and board: Where majesty the Gospel does maintain, Where Preachers for your good, themselves do pain. To dally long, and still protract the time, The Lord is joust, and you but dust and slime: Presume not far, delay not to amend, Who suffers long, will punish in the end. Cast thy account o London in this case, Then judge what cause thou hast, to call for grace. You Prophets learn by Jonas how to live, Repent your sins, while he does warning give. Who knows his masters will and does it not, Shall suffer many stripes full well I wot. Woe to the trains of women's foolish lust, In wedlock rights that yield but little trust. That vow to one, yet common be to all, Take warning wantons, pride will have a fallen. Woe to the land where warnings profit nought, Who say that nature, Gods decrees hath wrought. Who built one fate, and leave the corner stone, The God of Gods, sweet Christ the only one. If such escapes o London reign in thee: Repent, for why each sin shall punished be. Repent, amend, repent, the hour is nigh, Defer not time, who knows when he shall die? Longer lives a merry man then a sad, and because I mean to make my self pleasant this night, I have put my self into this attire, to make a Clown afraid that passes this way: for of late there have appeared many strange apparitions, to the great fear and terror of the Citizens. O here my young master comes. Look London, look, with inward eyes behold, What lessons the events do here unfold. Sin grown to pride, to misery is thrall, The warning bell is rung, beware to fallen. You worldly men whom wealth does lift on High, Beware and fear, for worldly men must die. The time shall come, where least suspect remains, The sword shall light upon the wisest brains. The head that deems to overtop the sky, Shall perish in his human policy. Lo I have said, when I have said the truth, When will is law, when folly guideth youth. When show of zeal is pranked in robes of zeal, When Ministers powle the pride of commonweal? When law is made a labyrinth of strife, When honour yields him friend to wicked life. When Princes hear by others ears their folly, When usury is most accounted holy. If these shall hap, as would to God they might not, The plague is near, I speak although I write not. Lord. The will of the Lord be done. When Prophets new inspire, presume to force And tie the power of heaven to their conceits, When fear, promotion, pride, or simony, Ambition, subtle craft, their thoughts disguise, Woe to the flock whereas the shepherd's foul, For lo the Lord at unawares shall plague The careless guide, because his flocks do stray: The axe already to the tree is set, Beware to tempt the Lord you men of art.