The vveeping lady: or, London like Niniuie in sack-cloth Describing the mappe of her owne miserie, in this time of her heauy visitation; with her hearty prayers, admonition, and pious meditations, as the occasions of them offer themselues in her passion. Written by T.B.

THE WEEPING LADY : OR LONDON LIKE NINIVIE in SACK-CLOTH . IERIM . 9.21 .

Death is come vp into our windowes , and entered into our Houses .

LIke tender Plants , beate , with too great a showre , Or like a Tree that 's blasted ; or a Flowre Pluckt from the Roote ; Decembers gloomy shade , The Sunne ecclips'd ; Youth to disease betraid : Or like to any thing , that Chance , or Time Or Heauens iust Anger , scourges in the Prime , Disroabing it of Ornament , of Grace , And seating what 's opponent in their place Sits now the Mistresse , Lady of her kinde ; That Queene , whose Beauty did attract the minde Of All , to see it ; to admire , to loue , And ( in their Functions serue it ) to approue Her worth , and their owne duties : ó like these , Or sadder Figures , of Her sad disease Lies London now ; beate , blasted , wither'd , shooke , Of strangers pittied , of Her owne forsooke . But , to diuide Her sorrowes , and to bring , The wounds , sighes , teares , and each particular sting Of Her afflicted Bosome , to your Eye , Liues not in my Intention . Nor if I Had such a Will , had I the power to speake My Griefe ; for Hers ( too strong ) makes me too weake . Her selfe doe that , for what 's in Sorrowes breast , The Bearer of it , can decipher best : I onely drawe the Curtaine , and thus show , This Queene of Cities , now , the Queene of woe .

London , the Anatomizer , of Her owne miseries , as out of a broken slumber thus speakes . HOw saine would Sorrow sleepe ? But as my Head Would touch the Pillow , of that downy Bed The mournfull sound of sighings , of deepe groues , Vision of Teares , and vniuersall mones That doe present themselues before me , keepe That Comfort from me , and command me weepe .

Her Bells , continually Towling . O Heare the Instruments , my soule did loue , My Bells , that summon to the Spouse , the Doue , The Oracle of Heau'n , Now sadly sound Nothing but frightfull summons to the ground : Nothing but calls to Death ; nothing but Knells ; All notes of Griefe , for All are passing Bells . Nay more to adde , to my Affrights , affright Death , will haue all Times , minutes ; and by Night Towling night and day . Command this dolefull Towling , as by Day : We know who sends him , and we must obey . What change there is in all things vnder Fate ? Digression . How sadly now they found ? And but of late , When their shrill voyces , did proclaime the Gaine Of Englands Heart , out of the Hate of Spaine , What Dulcet sounds they had ? — And while they plaid To th' mounting flame of Bonfires , that were made The King his returne from Spaine Ioying His safe Arriuing ? Since that Time What musicke made they , when the pride and prime Of all her Sex ( MARIA ) in our Land The Queenes arriuall . Made Her most wisht Arriuall ; Hand in Hand Ioyning two royall Sisters , to Aduance The Glories of them both : Great Britaine , France . But I too farre , in this Digression goe , My joy ( almost ) made me forget my woe : The woes of my disease ; — The Sore , that treads My Beauty vnder foot ; — The Sore that spreads O're all my Happinesse ; — The Sore that makes Me , to be loath'd and left ; — The sore that takes My Sonnes and Daughters from me ; And the Sore That makes this mournfull musick sound , all o're My spatious Circuit , round about my Walls ; The neglect of our duties remembred . For round about them , are the dreadfull Calls Of Death , in their sad language . — Had we heard Their Calls vnto the Temple , and prepar'd Zeale , and Diuine affection , that the word Sowne in our soules , might ( as it ought ) afford A fruitfull Haruest of good workes , no doubt , We had not heard these clangors flye about Her Counsell to flye to him , from him we cannot . Thus to affright , to wound vs . — But 't is Iust Those sounds , we would not heare , these sounds we must ; Till Heau'n be pleas'd to still'em . — That He may Le ts flye to meet him ; Weepe , and Fast , and Pray .

The Graues still greedily gaping . O See , ( like wounds digg'd in my tender side ) My multitude of Graues , that gaping wide Are hourely fed , with Carcasses of Men ; Those hardly swallowed , they 'le be fed agen , Gorg'd with my Sonnes and Daughters : as if Hee All things made for man , man for God . All things were made for , were but made , to be A prey to wormes : — As if the end of Birth , Were 〈◊〉 to cry , to labour , and in Earth Haue his eternall period : — As if Breath Were a Childes bubble , and the sport of Death : For so Hee triumphs now ; so now He kills , Deaths Triumph . So empties Houses ; so the Graue he fills , Those Tenements of his . — Where many lye , ( Too many manyes ) not like things that dye Assur'd in their Redeemer , that they shall Rise to a Beeing , whence they ne're can fall ; But — I ha' done ; — Passion , thy power is strong The rest in weeping ; teares are sorrowes Tongue . Sleepe , sleepe in peace my Children , in your dust Wee see what t' is , to brittle life to trust , A great helpe to liue , is , to remember we must die . And Her still fayling Adjuncts : For thus fades The Pompe of flesh : And — enter'd those darke shades From Court , or from the Village , All are one , Degrees in Life there are , in Death there 's none .

Her Houses , their Masters Prison . O See my Sonnes and Daughters , that suruiue Their Houshold massacr'e , ( halfe dead ) aliue , In their owne Houses buried ; or as bad , Enjayl'd , imprison'd ; — In that passion clad , That to behold them , makes Affection wring My Heart to Blood , mine Eyes into a spring ; ( Maternall loues Companions ) — See the Wife The Wife . Sadly bemone , the losse of halfe Her life , I' th' losse of her poore Husband . — See her sit , ( While sighes , doe sighes , and teares , doe teares beget ) Ready to follow him , from this sad vale To His eternall Mansion . — See the pale And gastly seate of death , vpon the face The Husband . Parents . Children . Of Husbands for their Wiues : — Behold the Race Of griefe in Parents , for the sad depart Of Sonnes and Daughters ; Sonnes and Daughters smart , To see the stroake , this strange Disease doth giue Vpon those Liues by which they Be , and Liue. See them debard all meetings of delight , See them debard society , and sight Of Kindred , and Familiars ; — See them there Bard the best pleasure , that doth Passion cheare , Their Recreatiue walkes , losing their share Of what all taste , the sweet and wholsome Ayre , A poore mans only physicke . — See them loose The benefits of those poore Trades they vse : The summ of their misery To summe vp all their miseries in one , See them i' th' Dongeon , of laments and mone . Yet thus it must be , by the Lawes , and Loue Of me , their Citie , and of that Aboue , For 't is by Heau'n commanded . — — Thou great God Yes Prayer . That more delightst in Mercy , then thy Rod. ( Ioyning them both together ) — be to these In their need plenty , in their Languor ease . And in the midst of this infectious flame , Let thy good Angell come , and be the same To them , and me their Mother , that He was To those i' th' midst of burning Flames did passe Vntouch'd , or vnoffended . — In thy Hand , Is Life and Death ; All power in thy Command .

Her Multitude of Crosses . O See me full of Crosses ; see , and weepe To see the Crosse thus like a Gangrene creepe From part to part vpon me . — Nor is t strange Wee weare these Crosses ; they are Heau'ns exchange Of Crosses with 's . — Wee Crosses had before . The Rich-mans Crosse vpon the hungry Poore , Our Crosse dealing one with another . In griping and ingrossing : which to quit , Need ha's agen ( with a dexterious Wit ) Crost them in Cheats and Theeuing . — Woe is me The many Crosses of a Terme to see ; Strange Crosses in strange Cases : — Then a sleight ; The Crosse of Measure , and the Crosse of Weight ; The Crosse of honest-seeming , to deceiue ; The Crosse of Swearing , to make men beleeue What Truth is rackt to looke on . — And for these Our sinnes the cause of our fichnesse . Crosses of Sinne , the Crosses of Disease Sticke like a brand vpon 's ; vpon vs fall The First , on many ; but the Last , on All. But to the Crosse agen , which doth present In all , ( but in my Sorrowes ) all Content . Saint George his Crosse , Englands , the Badge of Ioy , These Crosses the Badge of Death . Is heere the Badge of Him that doth destroy , No Champion euer like Him : — For His power , In thousand Places , Thousands in one Hower Her incitement to Prayer and ●oly duties . Turnes to the Pit before Him . — Gainst this losse O lets petition Heau'n ; and that this Crosse , This Viol full of Anger may bee staid ; Which , till it be ( by the Almighty laid ) Wee patiently must beare it ; 'T is decreed : For Hee for Vs vpon a Crosse did bleed , Has told vs plainly we His Crosse must beare , The necesty of them Or nere ascend His Dwelling . — Where no care , No Chance , no Change , Time or Defection dwels ; But All so full of Glory , it excels The Compasse of Mans thought . — Toth ' Crosse we then Add — Lord haue Mercy vpon vs All. — AMEN . ¶ Her Termes . O See my Termes cut off , in them the Law , ( That eeuen Line , Iustice her selle doth draw , Guiding to pious dealing ) Like a Mute ; Nor hinder wrong , nor help a rightfull Suite , While my Infection spreads . Woes , woe succeed , Of all Demurres , heere s a Demurre indeed . Her Parament . ¶ See how the City ha's disturbd the Court , How my Disease ha's troubled the Import And weighty Businesses of that High Seat , Where Royall Charles and his graue Synod treat The grounds of all our safety . — And at last Dissolu'd that Royall meeting heere , and plac'd LONDON , Westminst. Mine , and my Sisters Dignity and Grace Vpon a Handmaid to vs . — Ore which Place , Oxenford . Her Petition . Thou God of Mercy all thy Mercies spread , And there , and heere , and euery where strike dead This All-deuouring Monster . Let thy loue , Make this an Act , in thy great Court aboue . ¶ O See how my Disease , has seem'd to checke ¶ Her Pageants . The loue , and dutie , is prepar'd to decke My streetes with stately Pageants . Things should weare What they should be . Much Cost , much Art , and in their structures beare The fulnesse of Inuention : where the Eye , May feast it selfe , on the varity Of specious Formes , and Figures , and the Eare , The soule , of all those rich Inuentions heare Deliuer'd , in Choyce language . — I presume What they shall be . That thus they shall be , when they shall assume Their costly Robes preparing . — But ( alas ) They yet stand bare and naked ; and men passe What they are . By them , as by my selfe : for that Disease That dyms my lustre , has denyed it these , And all those Beauties my large Bounds embrace . Repaire sweet Mercy , what sad frownes deface . Her briefe Petitions O see how thicke , these shafts of vengeance flye , How thicke they fall , how thicke Men fall and dye , Of this Massacre in generall Which way so e're we turne vs ! If your eyes Can see for Teares , see how this Tyrant plyes The cruell part Hee 's acting . How He sweepes Whole Familyes before him , and then keepes Whole Families taken away . ( In dismall emptinesse ) Possession there , Where life againe would enter , but that Feare Do's for a time deterre him . For this Foe , ( Inuisible , Inuincible ) a Blow Giues aboue all resist . — O see my Streets To many , Death-beds ; for this Monster meets Men boldly there and strikes 'em : — heere Men tread , To sight , in safety ; there o' th' sodaine dead . See , see , O see , how thicke from all my parts Gallants in Coaches , and their Goods in Carts Flye my poore wounded Body : — where before The Flight of Citizens Her Sons , ●ith her ●ender Hearts an●uish for it . ( That their rich splendor might in mine be more ) They would embrace me , hugge me . — But the Flight Of these moue little ; That would kill me quite , Is , that my Sonnes , ( They that vpon my Brest Haue had repose , ( a long and tender rest ) And from it suck'd the Substance made them grow Great in the Worlds Opinion ) In my woe , Want and distresse forsake me . These , that Hee That was a Bond-man , and by me made Free ; That tooke his Oath to loue me , and submit His best Endeuours to mee , to beget , Guard and maintaine mine Honors . — But no more . Thus Swallowes Winter flye ; the Rich , the Poore .

Vpon Relation of the many Miseries , that many of those that flye the City , doe fall into in the Countrey . Her Teares , Sighes , and Passion augmented . O My full Tyde of Anguish ! Yet myne Eye Drops not so fast , so much to see them flye ; As , in that Flight , to see them headlong runne To greater dangers , then they flye to shun : In multitudes we finde it ; and still thus 1. Her gree● for them that mind not Hers. Deplore their Sorrowes , though they mind not vs . Heere Bils and Halberts meete 'em ; — where , ( as one Had dar'd the Law in some great mischiefe done ) 2. Met and stayed like Fel●ons . They must be staid , examin'd , and there show What place they came from , to what place they goe ; Th' occasions of their trauaile ; and before Some Constable , can hardly tell three score , Must shew their Passes . And from place to place , 3. Shew their Passes like Rogues ( Passing through Villages ) through this disgrace Passe till they end their Iourney . And what then ? What comfort find they ( poore distressed Men ) When ( through these scornes and loathings ) they haue got The place to which they trauaile ? Are they not With great suspition , much amaze and feare , ( As if each part about them seem'd to bearo Their en●tainmēt . Plagues and infections in them ) entertain'd At Halberds point , at distance ? and constrain'd ( In their least pitty ) to a priuate Roome ? Though nere so sound they are ; and in the Doome Of that Imprisonment , some part o' th' load Of what they shun at home , they meet abroad . Marke 〈◊〉 mise●● . But this is but disgrace : See some poore soules Vnder necessities more harsh controules Made strangers to acquaintance ; nay , the Sonne A stranger to his Father ; Brothers shun The Partners of their Blood ; and Mothers 〈◊〉 , Those they haue hugg'd and dandled , ( as they me . ) O let me weepe , ( weepe blood ) and through that glasse Hardly welcome Looke yet a little further ; where ( alas ) Wee may behold some of my Sonnes that here Had soft and easie lodging , lodging there Hard ●odging . In Stables , Barnes , out-Houses ; nay be glad To sleepe in Houils ; thinke no roome too bad That had a couering o're it : some be faine To lodge , where neither 'gainst the Wind , the raine , Nor the Suns fury , they could shelter haue ; Heau'n only couering them , and they their Graue . Then , as a sad Companion to their woe , ( For miseries doe seldome single goe ) ● . Their miseries in their sicknesse . Behold them in these Lodgings , faint and weake , Their Purses many may some comfort speake , But purchase none or little ; and that too , But dealt among them , as a man should doe Such duties to a Lyon , to a Beare , Or some such sauage Creature , in great feare , Fling some poore pittance to them , and then flye : 9. The tendance . Heere 's all their tendance , let them liue or dye . See some o're taken with so faint a breath , 10. Many there , as with vs , dye in the common way , 〈◊〉 & Ditche Ere halfe their Iourneyes done they Inne with Death , I' th' common way they tread on ; as they goe Fall to the ground and dye : great numbers so In Rodes , in Ditches , in the open Field , The debt of Breath , thus to their Maker yeeld ; And wher● they dye , are buried . Some agen ( So bold we are to sinne to adde more sinne ) On Sledges , Barrowes , Dung-carts , any thing ( The wisedome of those places please to bring ) Are borne to places more remote ; and some ( Like Dogges ) are hal'd with Cart-ropes to a Tombe Fit , but for Dogges and Caryon : into which , As they are found , th' are tumbled ; Poore , and Rich: Their rich Apparell , their rich Pockets ; All: Nay , Gold it selfe they bury ; that must fall To' th' place it came from : so that by this Rod , The s 〈◊〉 God , a D●uell . That seemes a Diuell now , seem'd once . God . Oh , I could weepe my selfe into a Stone , Or my , as senslesse Image , in the mone Of my poore Sonnes and Daughters ; that with me Her Apostrophe in Groues & sighing . Had had farre better vsage : But , in vaine I weepe for them : Now to my selfe againe . So , ( as preparing to a Bridall Bed ) In what a Path of Hearbs and Flowers men tread , Which way so ere they wander : For , each Street Seemes now a Garden ; All as greene , as sweet . But Oh , my sad my sicke , my bleeding Heart ! These are no Nuptiall strewings ; heere no part Of such a Ioye 's appearing : For ( O , see ! ) These Paths are for the Dead , and such as be The halfe , dead traine attends them . Euery where Nothing but Graues , but Coffins , but the Beere , And bearing breathlesse Bodies to the Ground ; Delight 's an Exile now , pale Mourning Cround . ¶ See how my Streets are emptied , how my Trade , ( Io which there is another Sicknesse made ) Lyes as 't were dead and Buried . See , ( O , see ) The Shops of those are Dead and those that Flee , So euery where shut vp , a man may say ; What 's all this Time ; but Grim DEATHS HOLIDAY ? ¶ Yet see my emptinesse too 〈…〉 mone , For not a Friend , a Friend without a groue , Sighes and sad Language meet . — See Death destroy All our expected pleasure , all our ioy , Till Heau'n shall stop his Progresse . Vnawares Our Feasting's turnd to FASTING ; Play , to PRAYERS . Most fit it should bee , and most fit , wee praise That Holy KING , that made these Holy DAIES . That has commanded , what his God commands , His Proclamation is Falling an Prayer Niniu . buckler . That Second God to vs , that vnderstands That the best Buckler , to defend the stroake , Heau'n layes on Sinners , which their sinnes prouoke ; I●●eeping Niniuies . That Prayers and Teares , When Hezekiah , was beset with feares , Hezekiahs Prayer . Procur'd an Angell , in his cause to fight , Whose vnresisted power , in one night , A hundred , fourescore , and fiue thousand men Laid dead before him ; Hee who knowes agen , When God had purpos'd this good King to death , By Prayer , He chang'd that purpose , and got breath His life prolonged by Prayer For fifteene Summers longer . He that knowes How ; when the fiery Serpents , wounded those Murmur'd at Moses , when good Moses prayed , Those Serpents lost their stings , that Plague was staied . So Lord stay this , this Serpent , whose sharpe sting Has pierc'd to many ; and let Mercy spring , In thy good pleasure to vs . — From the Deepe 〈…〉〈◊〉 anguish Lord we call , we pray , we weepe , ●nd doe as they did : By this Serpent strooke , Wee on a second ; on our Sauiour looke , Expecting cure . — To which be pleas'd to Bow , And what their prayers did then , let ours doe now .

With this Exhortation to her Sonnes , in the briefe Enumeration , or Repetition of some things formerly spoken by way of Allusion , Shee Concludes . HEare then my Bells , call to the Church , and Death ; Reuiew my Graues : There the full point of Breath ; Know thy proud flesh , a Prison to thy Soule ; The Crosse a Badge , did Death and Hell controuse . 〈…〉 thou the Lawe of Heau'ns eternall Loue , The Acts and Statutes of that Court Aboue ; Loue thou the sights , the blessed Angels see ; Serue thou the God , with whom All pleasures be ; Obey his Royall Substitute , thy King ; Let loue among you , haue an endlesse Spring : Leuell your words , and Actions to the will Of Him , has power to pardon , or to spill , And I shall soone be well ; and you in Me , And I in you , All our best wishes see .

The Authors comfortable Conclusion and thankfull Remembrance of Gods great mercies , in the happy surcease of this dangerous Contagion , and preseruation of those , who are yet liuing .

THus much for this Cloude of miserie , now to that gloriou● Sunne of Gods mercy , which most graciously rising vpon vs , hath begun to dissolue , dissipate , and dispell it , in the decrease of those that dye of this heauily bewayled Contagion : Vpon which looking , let vs say with Dauid , What shall I returne to the Lord , &c. Withall , make this promise , and zealously striue to performe it ; That that God , that in his Anger , remembers Mercy ; That desires not the death of a Sinner , but rather , than he returne and liue , may continue this mercy to vs ; and speedily ( if it be his blessed will and pleasure ) say as he said , to that destroying Angell , in the time of his Kingly Prophet , It is sufficient ; hold now thy hand . That so , we heere at home , and those abroad , that ( as if they could slye from God ) slew from vs , may againe meete ; he decently merry ; Liue louingly , assist one another willingly , and finally that All together , to him that of ●othing , hath made vs ; that lost , hath Redeemed vs ; that erring , reduced vs ; that Ignorant , hath taught vs ; that sinning hath gently chastised vs ; that dispayring hath comforted vs ; that falling hath raised vs ; that standing hath held vs ; that going hath lead vs , that Comming hath receiued vs ; And , that from this and many other dangers hath deliuered vs . Wee may shew our selues euermore thankfull : still pray , still praise him , that so this span of Life ended , we may , ( falling in death ) rise againe to that Life that shall neuer end .

Foure things euer to bee Remembred . Thinke on thy Sinne , That thou maist grieue : On DEATH , That thou thy sin maist leaue : The Last great Iudge , That thou maist feare : On MERCIE , that thou not dispaire .

FINIS .