A briefe dissection of Germaines affliction with warre, pestilence, and famine; and other deducable miseries, lachrimable to speak of; more lamentable to partake of. Sent as a (friendly) monitor to England, warning her to beware of, (generally) ingratitude, and security; as also (particularly) other greevous sinnes, the weight whereof Germany hath a long time felt, and at this present doth (and England may feare to) feele. Written from approv'd intelligence, by M. Parker.

A BRIEFE DISECTION OF GERMANIES AFFLICTION . 1. THis Paper ( white before ) hath reason just , In Sable weeds ( these lines ) it selfe to dresse , For what may here be read ( if we may trust Old Natures doctrine ) shewes such heavinesse , That sencelesse things may mourne , why should no● the● White Paper mourne , that beares black deeds of men 2. Such strange ( unheard of ) mischiefes miseries , Disasters , Murder , Sacriledge and Rape , That he who reads , ( or heares ) it with dry eyes ; Shall passe o're what the Writer could not scape . These are the Sceanes of this sad Tragedy ; These make my Paper mourne , and so doe I ; 3. Germany , Soveraigne of th' Europian part , ●eate of the Sacred Christian Empire , hath ●ull twenty ( late past ) yeares , bin pearc'd toth'heart , ●nd still destruction keepes his beaten path , Nor will be stopt , O that my prayers could stay His journey , I 'd ( and so will ) ever pray . 4. Millions of millions in these forenam'd yeares , On either part hath fallen by the sword , By too well proov'd experience this appeares , Time in his brazen booke doth all record , O pitty 't is that Christians thus should spill The blood of Christians , but alas , they will . 5. We have a saying that 's more true then old , He best knowes where the shooe wrings that does wear 't ●o we who here injoy even what we would , And have no warre among 's , nor doe we fear 't . ) Cannot discerne aright the direfull plight , Which th' Commons suffer under warres affright . 6. Let 's with their least of miseries begin , ●magine now a man o're night with wealth Great store , which toile , and care hath brought him in , And that his wife , and children all 's in health , See him ere morne , behold the rape of 's wife , And daughter first , then with his goods lose life . 7. The cruell Souldiers void of all remorse , Take share of each mans labour at command , And what s deny'd or hid , they will by force Of horrid tortures purchase out of hand . The Commons ( though in substance equilent ) To be the Souldiers slaves must rest content . 8. Rest content said I , there s two golden words , Which every man would happy be to finde True at his wish ; but restlesse warre affords , Rest nor content to any , none in minde , Can be secure of what they doe possesse , Where Souldiers can , they take all more and lesse . 9. Yet don't mistake me , I 'me not generall In censuring of Souldiers ; for I know , Some whose due praise for valour is not small , Who in the martiall course will mercy show . But Germany hath had ( and still retaines ) An army whom the devill ( their captaine ) traines . 10. These are the Crabats ( crabbed curres indeed ) Vulgarly called Croats ( barbarous slaves ) These like to Canibals on babes will feede , No quarter they le allow to him that craves . I quake to set the deeds downe ( with my pen ) Done by these fiends of hell it he shape of men . 11. Of other Nations ( that have such hard hearts ) Great numbers be , yet all are Croats nam'd Because in barbarisme they take their parts , By such as these , true honour is defam'd , He who from Mars is borne Legitimate In loving honour , tyranny doth hate . 12. These salvage ( not true ) Souldiers neither care For God , nor man , nor devill , where the gaine The conquest , neither age nor sex they spare , To kneele , or begge , with teares to them 's in vaine . The lives , of women , men , and infants sweete , They weigh no more then wormes under their feet . 13. No Pagan , Turke , Tartarian , nor Iew , 'Mongst all their Tyrannies 'gainst Christians us'd , Such Stratagemes of villany ere knew , Both Male and Female they have so abus'd . 'T is terrible , and odious to unfold What hath ( by them ) beene done to young and old . 14. Some have with match ( or cord ) so hard beene ty'd , That from eares , eyes , and nose , the blood did spring From many of them ( as t is testify'd ) Their eyes have started out ( O horrid sinne ) Some flead off skins alive , as Butchers will , Doe to those Sheep , or Oxen which they kill , 15. Others with chisels had their faces plaind , From th' fingers ends the blood from some did start , To eate their excrements some were constraind , Thus every one did strive to act his part , In cruelty , all others to excell , Thereby to gaine a place of note in hell . 16. But one thing more is to be wonderd at Then all the rest ( O note this hellish art , A Reverend Channon tortur'd with a cat , Fix'd to his naked belly ne're to start , Till man and cat ( through horrid paine and hunger ) Yeelded to death , when they could live no longer . 17. Some had their privy parts , with powder fil'd , And blowne up into th' ayre , have dyed so , Others by a more strange device were kil'd Hangd up on high , a fire was made beloe , Of stuffe combustible , no flame but smoke , And with this policy they many choake . 18. Now Reader if tha 'st read or heard what s told , Of Dioclesian , Neroe , Phaleris , Dost thinke they to these monsters might not hold The candle for invention ; Surely yes , These outstrip them all , and that can be nam'd Although the world for Tyrants them proclaim'd . 19. For rape with Sacrilegious murder , and Robbing and spoyling Churches and the like , We from no ancient times can understand Such actions perpetrated that may strike Men unto terror , and amazement both , To reade of that which I to write am loath . 20. Priests praying at the altars 't is truth , Nuns ravished and with sore tortures kild , ●itch Burgers daughters in their blooming youth Have so beene served , nay when their blood was spil'd And life departed , those ( who nought regard ) Have carnally abus'd them afterward . 21. One villaine having ravished a Mayd , Cut her alive in quarters with his sword , While on his knees her aged Father prayd , To save her life , but got no other word To comfort him , but this , if thou wilt save her . Pray to the Saints , and try if they can save her . 22. ●ome Mayds and Wives ( as sad experience tels , ●o save themselves from sordid villany Have headlong leaped into Lakes , and Wels , ●mbracing death to save their honesty , Though verity condems such desperate facts Woe be to them who cause such dismall acts : 23. Women with childe , nay women in childbed , These miscreants , insatiately have us'd Their husbands , and their friends they 've tortured , Praying with teares to have their wives excus'd . O hatefull to be spoke , as bad to heare , What I could write manhood bids me forbeare . 24. So much of that , too much i ft pleas'd our Lord , Is' t wonder if more plagues from this doe spring , These mischiefes all were brought in by the sword , Now what succeeds all this , a worser thing . Grim meager famine , through decay of tillage , Doth fiercely rage , in City , Towne , and village . 25. Learned Josephus in 's Iudaicke warres Treating of proud Ierusalem her siege ; Writes that by famine more then by the scars O' th Romane swords , the draught of death did pledge That story hath from me extracted teares And so may this from any he that heares . 26. If any difference be ( in my conceite ) It rests in this which after shall insue , Weighing each circumstance this is more great , And might dissolve the heart of any Iew A woman there I reade her childe did eate , Two women here did of their babes make meate . 27. One was a Widdow i' th Palatinate Who had a daughter some nine yeares of age A Lamentable story to relate , Hunger so furiously 'mongst them did rage , They at contention fell one with another , Which should be kild , the daughter or the mother . 28. To render their sad talke would be prolix , But thus ( in briefe ) the girle ( with famine pind ) Her gastly eyes did on her mother fix . Mother said shee , I would you 'd be i th mind To kill me , that my misery might cease . Or let me kill you , you of paine t'release . 29. The woman looking wishly on the child , Sayes what wouldst doe with me if I were dead , Quoth she I de eate you , she with hunger wild Vpon a sudden caught the girle by 'th head Puld off her hairelace ; no long time she wrangles , But with the same her daughter deere shee strangles . 30. Wanting a knife , ( O note what shift she made ) Famine in her maternall love exild ) She cut the flesh in gobets with a spade , Then dressing th' head and some part of the child . She fild her belly , and what did abound , Her neighbours bought ( for porke ) foure sti●ers the pound . 31. Now what became of her when th' childe was mist , How she imprison'd was arraign'd , and freed , There 's no necessity to manifist , And to my selfe I have proposed speede , Therefore I le end this tragicall discourse , And tell another tale as bad or worse . 32. At Hornebash a woman had a childe Of which she had lyen inne not long before , Hunger that wilde things tames , makes tame things wilde , Opprest this woman and her babe so sore , That shee foode lacking , milke it needs must want , And both for nutriment did feebly pant . 33. The woman seeing in what deepe distresse Her tender Infant was through want of food , And famine did her body so oppresse , That what to doe she in amazement stood , Motherly pitty for the babe did plead , Necessity cries out it must be dead . 34. Necessity prevailes , she takes a knife , ( My heart doth tremble while I write of it ) Wherewith she rest the Innocent of life , And of the flesh made many a savory bit . O famine there 's no plague compares with thee , Thou art ( by ods ) the worst of all the three . 35. This being knowne , she was to 'th Magistrates Brought and examined about her deede , To whom ( in decent order ) she relates The motive ; 't was she wanting foode to feede , Her selfe and it , to rid it out of paine , She murtherd it , her owne life to sustaine . 36. Quoth she 't was my owne fruite , and in that plight Ready to perish both my selfe and it , I thought to use it , I had the most right , Yet Law ( for all this ) would not her aquit , She was condemn'd to dye ( for examples sake ) Least others to do the like should undertake . 37. This wofull story , which succeeds in place , Is full as Lamentable as wonderfull , Three Mayds that equall friendship did embrace Together dwelt , this famine did so pull , That mauger former love , which had beene showne They sought each others lives to save their owne . 38. This to effect , two of them did conspire , To kill ( and eate ) the third , ( O pittious case ) And quickly they accomplisht their desire , Fierce hunger swiftly followed the chase , Betweene these two , the third in bed they kild , And with her flesh their empty bellies fild . 39. When this was done and past , note the event , Hearts once obdur'd and hands inur'd to ill , Once flesh'd in mischiefe ; soone the minds assent , Is wonne to any thing be 't what it will . So hapn'd it with these two , the third was slaine , Want wrought conspiracy betweene those twaine . 40. One strangled the other in her bed , ( Thus mischiefe multipli'd , no love , no feare ) And as they serv'd the first ( cut off her head ) This she alone perform'd to her compeere , And having eaten't , she proceeded further , Her heart was hard , she made no bones of murther . 41. She goes one day unto a village neare , A friend to visit ( as she did pretend ) Whose husband was from home ; she lov'd her deare , And bad her welcome , ( like a loving friend ) But in the night ( lying with her in bed ) This murtherous mayd cut off the womans head . 42. And binding the dead body on a board , Brought it to th' place where she did dwell . Fierce famine would not so much time afford , To let her cut it out ( like joynts to sell ) She took both hands and head , which washing clean When they were boyl'd to eate them she did mean . 43. The good man comming home his wife did mis , And for her 'mongst his neighbors did demand , Who could give no intelligence but this , That such a Mayd was with her : out of hand To her he trudges , askes if she did kno What was become of 's wife ? she answer'd no. 44. But such things can't be hid , murther will out , A guilty looke betrayes a guilty heart , He goes into the house and all about He pryeth ( narrowly ) in every part , And in this Inquisition 't was his lot To spy one of the hands sticke out o' th pot . 45. Then being ( no marvell ) in impetuous rage , He threatens her , who soone the fact confest , Saying , it was harsh hunger to asswage , Made her doe that and more , then told the rest , And straight to Stiltzy ( by three Musketeers ) She was conveyed before th' imperiall Peers . 46. While she before the Iudgement seat did stand To be arraign'd , according to the Law , The Sodden hand she held within her hand , And that all other might be kept in aw . Her head was cut off with a sword of steele , Her body was fast bound unto a wheele . 47. There for a spectacle still to remaine That all may shun murther ( that crying crime ) Although necessity did her constraine , She tasting the affliction of the time , Yet having dipp'd her hands in blood so often , T was fit that death her flinty heart should soften . 48. A woman in the village of Steinhause , A girle of twelve yeares , and a boy of five , Did kill and eate for which inhumane cause , ( Being found ) the Law did her of life deprive , And at her execution she told plaine , That she last yeare kild other children twaine . 49. I' th Parish of Swegbruggen there a brother , And sister did survive their Paren●s dead , The sister dies , he eates her and of 's mother , Devours the thighes , Oh horrible to reade , A woefull spectacle to them who see 't , Where starved people fall downe dead i th street . 50. And of the dead , the living make their meate , Out of their bellies , they the intrailes pull Hearts , Livers , Lungs , o' th dead the living eate ( A story true woefull , and wonderfull ) Snayles , Frogs , and Carrion , dead sixe weeks before To this distresse , what can be added more . 51. A woman in the streetes that was found dead , Betweene her teeth a humane rib did hold , And hard by her lay roasted a mans head A wonderous tragicke tale t is to be told ; Children cry in the streetes and dare not goe Home , fearing killing , hunger rageth so . 52. ●ome eating mad dogs have themselves runne mad , And raging dy'd in Lamentable plight , A ministers wife that six sweete children had ●aw them all starv'd to death in her owne sight , So many wanting food to taste , have tasted Of death , that all th' Palatinates devasted . 53. The Countries turn'd into a wildernesse For in three hundred Parishes ( O strange ) Not one is left alive such deepe distresse That Country feeles ; an admirable change ; T was once the Eden of all Christendome , Yet now to utter ruine it is come . 54. ●n the whole Dukedome of Swegbruggen are A live two hundred ninety two , no more ●n all that spacious Province death did spare But these ( to mourne for them that went before ) A wonderous story t is alas ( too true ) Of milions left two hundred ninety two . 55. So furiously this monster ( Famin ) raves , ( That t is no marvell if they eate it fresh ) That people dig'd dead bodies out of graves , And to sustaine their lives have eate the flesh , This is a misery , mystery't may be sed , When by the dead the living must be fed . 56. At Wormes , and divers other places , want Doth tyranniz so o're the common sort , That in high wayes and streets they lye and pant , What shifts they make t is wondrous to report . In Saxony and also on the Rhine , This Plague of Plagues doth many people pine . 57. Horse flesh is common , that I count good meat , ( Taking the place and season as it haps ) But here they ( vermin ) Rats , and Mice doe eate , For which with diligence , they set their traps : Nay dogs and cats , are at the market sold , And glad is he that first of it layes hold . 58. A Bushell of corne ( with difficulty brought ) Eighteene Rix dollers , there will easly yeeld And glad are they by whom the same is bought , T is food ( not money ) that is hungers shield , It is in English coyne , foure pounds , twelve pence To save their Lives they will not spare expence . 59. Our meaner sort in England are so nice , ( Vnlesse by chance there be some dearth of corne ) I have observ'd it more then once or twice How in the markets , they Rye meale will scorne , And other things , which I must overslip , For feare some Scold should take me on the hip . 60. But take heed England , least when th' art full fed Thou doe forget thy God ( I doubt thou dost ) While thou hast foule and fish with fill of bread , Thinke on poore Germany who once could bost Of plenty more then all the Christian world , Yet see into what misery shee s hurld . 61. T is now her case why may not thine be next , Thy sins are equall if not more then hers , And sith our Lord , at every sinner's vext , What is the reason that he thee prefers , And her dejects , be humble least thou feele What she hath felt , thinke on Sapora's wheele . 62. Heaven gently hath scourgd thee not long since , With a small Plague to make thee feare a biger , But Germany hath had such pestilence , That it appeares the viols of his riger Are powr'd on her , O miserable state , Woe is me if thee I don't compassionate . 63 In Switzerland the City Bassile there , In Anno sixteene hundred thirty three , Bury'd full twenty thousand in that yeare , Of the swift pestilence which none can flee ; And in the next yeare following , that in Trent , Full thirty thousand the same journey went . 64. And divers parts in Belgia are distrest , With this contagion whose expansion wide , Claimes Soveraignty ( though an unwelcome guest ) He 'l lodge with wives even by their husbands side , Where ere he comes , he either all doth take , Or else division among friends he 'l make . 65. This foule infection did so overspread , All Germany that scarce a place was free , Potentates from their usuall places fled , Yet safe in any part they could not be . Nimegen , Guelders , Emericke and the Hague , Antwerp , and Bruxels , all have had this Plague . 66. In Bavier so many people fell , The living could not bury all the dead , But Rats , and Mice , ( a misery t is to tell ) Familiarly upon the bodyes fed . A lamentable spectacle to see , Chiefly for they who tender hearted be . 67. And unto such I dedicate my labours . ( As in th' Epistle they may reade who please ) Who with compassion thinke upon their Neighbours , And in their mindes doe seeke Gods wrath t' appease , For Charity , and Verity , doth call Vpon us , that we should doe good to all . 68. ●f we doe not lament with them that mourne And weepe with them that sorrow , is t not just , That if 't ( as God forbid ) should be our turne To have our glory bury'd in the dust , ) That others should not pitty our estate , How can we love God , and our brother hate . FINIS .