The black bastel, or, A lamentation in name of the kirk of Sscotland [sic], composed by M. Iames Melvil, when he was confined at Berwick anno 1611. ; Abridged by N..

THE BLACK BASTEL . THe thousand yeare , six hundred & eleven . When as the Sun entred in Sagittarie , Orion rising in the east of heaven , Diana's court then Gemini did carie , And Ioue in the Meridian did tarie , Saturne severely rolling o're the night , Mars , Venus , Hermes bringing home the light . The aire was cold , but calme , no cloud in sky , The fields all white , and the great Ocean still ; Yet the hard frost making the ground as dry , I quickly stir'd my selfe to walk at will Along the shore ; at length I came untill A braue white place , where had ben built a castel , And commonly is called , the Black Bastell . I took me to a caue where was some hay , The mouth whereof lay open to the Sun , There did I rest me warme , as into May : And after some deep meditation , I stept , and thought I saw a vision , A sight which griev'd me at the heart right sore , And unto death will ever more and more . A woman of most comely countenance ▪ With farded face , and garish in attire , A crown of glasse upon her head did glance , Her clothes were colour'd contrare her desire ▪ A heavie yoke upon her neck and lyre , Of Reed a scepter in her hand she boore , Rich in attire , yet silly , leane , and poore . Rais'd up on high upon a royall Throne , Did awfull sit aboue the womans head , Commanding everie thing for to be done , As pleased him , a rampand Lyon red : This Lyon craftie Foxes two did lead , ●ow 14. And round about him thirteen wolues did dance To keep her sheep , whom he was to advance . Her sheepheards all in hundreds stood near by , With dog & staffe , who somtime bold had been , But now were carelesse , though they heard her cry , And used just like to a captiue Queen ; Her heavie case some few in heart did meen , But could not helpe , so many couch'd for feare Of Wolfe and Lyon , or were snar'd with geare . Her Torches , Tapers , Candles were put out , And none there was that durst renew their light : Great flocks of sheep lay folded round about , Well pluck'd and clipped bare into my sight , If once on them she cast her eyes full bright , The Wolues to yell , the Lyon fell to roare , Which did affright that Ladies heart full sore . Vpon a table spr●●● 〈…〉 green , Did lye two bookes , all 〈◊〉 gilt , but closed , That not one word within them might be seen : For mens conceits were then to be imposed , And that no good occasion might bee losed , Me thought assembly summon'd was & called , Glasgow assembly 1610. Of huble buble sheepheards hir'd and thralled . Apes , horses , hounds met there , with many a rod , The Leopard with aromatick smell , Du●bar . As Lyons great Lieutenant with his nod , And mangled speech , the Lyons will could tell , Fenced the court , threatned if any mell With matters there , but as he had directed , That they should rue , & soundly be corrected . Then stood there up a Wolfe all clad in silk , Spois●●● A Wolfe indeed , yet lisping like a Lambe , And made a sermon all of wooll and milk , To move the sheepheards hired for the same , Consent the Lyon there should win the game . Causing all beasts and sheep for to beleeue , Nought could be done without the lyons leaue . And then forsooth the Wolfs must be advanced , Seeing it was the Lyons will and pleasure : To sheep no greater curse there could haue chance● Yet did the Lyon like them out of measure , His royall crowne , his dignitie and treasure , Without such statesmen could not stable stand , Nor could he freely reigne within the land . With one consent the beasts about applauded , None of the sheepheards there would contradict , For hirelings rents the Lyon was collauded , No limitation , threatning was so thick : Some for to say intended sick and sick , But fear and geare , and falshood all convoyed , And so the Lyon what he would enjoyed . The dogs shal have their wonted cotes in cure , The wolfs aboue the dogs high shal be placed , To make the Lyons crown stand firm and sure . This being done , & wolfs thus greatly graced , Reel'd to and fro till they had all defaced . The wofull woman in her bitter passion , Powr'd out with tears this heavie lamentation . I was of late a Queen of great renowne , My fame was spred abroad all Europe through , In everie province , and in everie towne , I was well served both in land and Burgh . No person high or low , so rude , so rough , My lawes or precepts rashly vilipended . All stood such aw that I should be offended . Through all the land my congregations For to behold it was an heavenly sight , The like whereof was not in other nations , Such lively force , and such a lampe of light , Such evidence of all spirituall might , By divine doctrine throwing down the proud , And feeding hungry souls with healthfull food A thunderbolt from pulpit , as from heaven , You should have heard a fearful noise to make , By force whereof a hard heart rent and riven , The stubburn sinners stallward stomake quake , The members tremble , and the head to ake . With such a shout when doctrine was applied , As would have made the stoutest courage flied . Thus knocked first my Knox , and terrified The Zanzummins , and all the hounds of hell , My Lowson , Craig , and Durie magnified That message which did scarre all fiendes fell , My Bruce , my Rollock with a heavenly smell Of fervent zeale and true sanctification , Perfum'd the hearts of many in that nation . My Presbytries had such a comely order , That all light Levits , and the lewdest limmer , Either in Hieland , or the utmost border , Did them regard : yet was it not farre trimmer , When Synods met in winter and in summer ? Try'd Presbytries , and if peradventure , Ought was amisse , redrest it by their censure . My generall assemblies terrible , Like to an armie with displayed Banners . Control'd all were incorrigible In lower Synods for their vitious manners , With care suppressed all corrupt explainers Of Scriptures ; Papists , and all heretickes Were curbed , and contending Schismatickes . With wine & honey did my Schools ore-flow . When Melvil and his fellows had the charge , Then did the youth in zeal and learning grow , From thence I had Barjona and Boanerge , When shepheards stipends were not half so large , Such were prefer'd as rightly were affected , But Dogs & Swine , if known , were all rejected . That lownes are now made Lords my heart it galls , Worthies exiled , & the worst rewarded , To see false knaves to governe , sore me thralls , The grave and godly not to be regarded : I mocked am while they me thus have farded , My gold in glasse , my searge is turn'd in scarlet , Not like my selfe , but like to Babels harlot . My crown and solid scepter they haue re●t me , And drest me up in bruckle glasse and reed , And rest the rights wherwith my king infe●t me Without the which my flock I cannot feed As it becometh , with that heavenly bread . They haue upon me laid this heavie yoke Of bite-sheep Bishops , as I were a stocke . This stumbling-block hath made from heaven to tumble Some seeming stars , & made them change their tongue , My weakling hogs & lambs are made to stumble , Pastors to hear from point to point impugne , That which before as truth from pulpits rung , Are so offended , that in their hearts they murn , Cast so in doubt , they know not where to turn . Never was nation so solemnly sworne , Vnder the pain of fearfull condemnation , To discipline defend , which now with scorn , Is tramped under foot with fierce oppression . For perfidie , and for such foul defection , I am so stonisht that I cannot stand For horrour , but do tremble foot and hand . Prayer and preaching are they not prophan'd , And hireling pastors love to live at ease , Sinceritie and zeale all where disdain'd , Who is not luke-warm nick-nam'd is precise , Or not conform unto the Kirks decrees . Say libertines , althogh their cause be wrongous , The rod is rent wherwith before they dang us . O that my people their apostasie Would yet perceive , & seek to God their guide , Would yet confesse their vile hypocrisie , Foresee at last what shall at length betide , Flourish shall poperie in its greatest pride . This is but doubt the foretold day of tryall : Lord save thine own from filthy foule denyall . Consider , Lord , with pittie , my complaint , My glore is gone , I mourn for Elies fall , And captive ark , I wish my life were spent . Gone are the great assemblies generall , And few , or none , for their return do call . The holy vessels are carri'd far away , Wolfe , hogge and dogge do what they please or may . Me to comfort there is none of my lovers , My friends are fled , and look to me a farre ; Yea many of them are become reprovers , They turn aside , and glance on me a skarre , And some , like barking dogs , begin to gnarre , By craft , by coin , by Kings authoritie , What pleases men , is brought to passe on me . I cry as if I felt some sharp incision , When I beholde the present miserie , I cry as if there were some great division Into my bones , with pain to torment me . Wilde Boars and swine dwell in the sanctuarie Even bastard Bishops , worse than Moabites . And more malicious than the Ammonites . Like subtile foxes they have entred in . Pretending me to honour and enrich , Wild wolfs well wrapped in a weathers skin , Have dealt by craft till I fell in the ditch : Now on my belly they their tents do pitch , And reign like lyons o're my sheepe and hogs . Convert them Lord , or let them die like dogs . My candlestick is like to be removed For sins of Pastors and of Congregations , Which thee , ô Lord , have unto wrath commoved ; And have brought on these fearfull desolations , Pastors for gain and glore have left their stations . Their wealth and honour is not worth a louse , If Christ with grace be banisht from the house . Are these the fruits , O Scotland , of thy field ? Are these the grapes of such a glorious vine ? Are these the captains cast away their shields ? Are these the souldiers vowd their lives to tine ? I am ashamed that they are call'd mine . They feeble are , I cannot say bewitched , That thus do faint & flee , when scarsly touched It is well seen the dastard spirit of slaverie Hath made thee for to quite thy libertie , It is well seen the craftie spirit of knaverie Hath spoyld thee of thy magnanimitie , And brought thee under this servilitie . No Kirk so glorious was in any land , But now it seemes it builded was on sand . Wilt thou return to beastly Babylon ? Wilt thou returne againe to Egypt land ? Wilt thou forsake thy holy mount Sion ? And joyne thy self unto that cursed band ? Shall Antichrist thus have the upper hand , And all my faithfull servants never see Returne againe their late captivitie ? Then wish I Lord , that thou shouldst make my head A running well , whose waters ever grow , Or that mine eyes were zetting spouts of lead , Wherout my gushing tears may ever flow ; Yea some great floud , where barges great may row That aye the earth may drink my tears as raine , And aye my eyes may make it moist againe . O that I had the wings of some faire Doue , That I might flee forth to the wildernesse , Lest I should seem their doings to approue , Or beare with such professed wickednesse ; But since ( alas ) I can it not redresse , I will go hence , and hide me in some hill , Or in some hole where I may weep my fill . Nor will I cease from sighs , O Lord , each day , Till of my pains thou have compassion , And do repaire the breach and great decay Of Sion , and her desolation , And to my mourners send some consolation : For I cannot permit an earthly King , Or paughtie Prelates o're my head to reigne .

CONCLVSION . Now certainly I thoght she would have spended Moe dayes and nights into her lamentation , If that a fierie dragon had not ended Her mournfull moan in a most ugly fashion , With horrible and fearfull perturbation , He spouted flames , and troubled all the aire , That she noght spake , and I could hear na mair . But suddenly down with a mightie hoast Come MICHAEL with all his Angels cleare . And beat him down for all his fearfull boast . And carried thence with him his Ladie deare . Sure I was put into a fellon feare , I found me faint , come home , and yet the vision Made in my minde and heart a deep impression .

FINIS