The plain case stated of old--but especially of New-England, in an address to His Highness the Prince of Orange

The PLAIN CASE STATED Of Old — but especially of New-England , in an Address to His HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF ORANGE . HAil noble Prince , in whom our Joy and Love Unite , and ( as to their own Center ) move . In whom those Royal Qualities combine Which may erect a Second Constantine . Among the Songs which Britain's joyful dayes To You present , accept New-England's Praise : We also boast our selves of English Race : And from our Ancestors , who stock't this place , The name of stricter Protestants derive , And in Your faith and favour hope to live . We heard , ( and it to us did Sorrow bring ) The much-lamented death of the late King ; . And , with but too much Truth , did calculate From thence of all our woes , the wretched Date Then James , with Papal Benediction And Popish principles assum'd the Throne : A Prince whom Nobler Vertues ne're did yeild Fitter , the Sceptre of the World to wield : But to what Ills can Popery perswade ! And to what Ruin do its Maxims lead ! And what a Hackney is a Bigot made ! Under his umbrage did the Birds of Night Sing their damm'd notes , and sang them with delight ; And Locusts of the Pit , grac't with his Smile , In swarms invaded our ( once happy ) Isle . Heroick El'sabeth for us , in vain , Bafled the fraud of Rome and pride of Spain . Whilst Jesuited James did readvance The twisted policies of Rome and France . A Nuncio from the old Rogue of Rome Must with Applause to England's Palace come , A Nuncio , which a Century or more Of reform'd England never saw before ; And we , in grateful sort , must send again On humble Embassy good Castlemain , And , by a Proxy kiss his Worship's Toe , Whence unknown streames of unknown Blessings flow . From Innocent our plotted Ruin came , Guilty in Fact , tho Innocent in Name . From France's Don , whose Papal-Romish trade Of Blood and Ruin has such havock made , That his one Persecution has done more Than the ten under pagan-Rome before . From Jesuits a brood , hatch't by the Devil , To be the Propagators of all evil , Incarnate Fiends , to Lucifer ally'd , And heirs to all his cruelty and pride : From these , our James , devoted to the Cause His Measures took , their Counsels were his Laws : Our Sanguinary Laws , tho' few yet good , And justly merited by men of Blood , And those with milder penalties inforc't . Were with a Prorogation indors't . Those Laws , which Parliaments had made to live , Were laid in dust by Grand Prerogative ; And Tests were useless grown , Dispensing Power Disarm'd their Force , that they could strike no more . Popery bare-fac't stalk't our injur'd streets , Justled the Reformation where it meets , And Cells of Mass under our noses grew , And daring Priests did eagerly pursue Their Patron's Orders with unbounded joy , Or to deceive us Her'ticks , or destroy . Dissenting Protestants they strove to please And wheadle , by a short delusive ease . Th' establish't Church trampled , against all Law , And , Jehu — like , drove where they could not draw . Whilst Renegado-Papists were preferr'd , And had their King's peculiar Regard . The Snare was laid , the pointed hour drew nigh , Wherein our Name and Cause was doom'd to die . Great were his hopes ( who , when the Stroak was given Claim'd for Reward a double share of Heaven ) To sacrifice in one brave funeral Pile , The numerous HERETICKS of either Isle . Nor could the Vastness of this damn'd design The Limits of his Popish Rage confine , But or'e the Ocean to this world it flew ; Reform'd America must suffer too . That we were must'red in this bloody Roll Our Suffrings tell ( who then could us cajole ? ) We , by Papistick wiles , may well believe Were mark't a lingring Ruin to receive . They grug'd that we should harmlessly possess With Ease and Freedom this our Wilderness . Which our religious Ancestors ( who sought God in a Desart Countrey ) dearly bought . Our Charter , which freely we had injoy'd In three successive Reigns , is first made void ; Condemn'd for forged Crimes we never knew . Nor at this distance could er'e answer to . Condemn'd unheard ; their fraud would not admit A clear Defence and Legal ; nor was 't fit In a Court where Astraea nere ' did sit . And thence were we annex't t' a Popish Crown , By which we were design'd to be undone . Then came a man to be our President , As well against the Law as our Content : But he , Alas , did only smooth the way For a Superior Lord , who made no stay . Soon came the Jersy Knight , crafty and Stout , And for his Master's Interest cut out . Soon did he and his Creatures let us know Whence all our miseries were like to grow . Knaves , Beggars , Papists form'd the triple League Which carry'd on the ruinous Intreague . We were not treated by th' insulting Knaves As free-born English , but as poor French Slaves . Taxes were rais'd , without Mercy , or Measure , To keep us low , and fill our Tyrant's Treasure . To MAGNA CHARTA we coul'd claim no Right , Neither our own , nor English Laws would fit , But such as by Distortion , and Abuse , Would still advance the Plot to ruin us . New Laws by a small shabby Juncto fram'd , And then so surreptitiously proclaim'd , As if they chose ( Oh when were Laws so made ! ) They rather should be broken than obey'd : So , if we kept or broke them , 't was by chance ; They made advantage of our Ignorance : Strain'd their own Laws beyond their true Intent , To our great Cost , Sorrow and wonderment . All that we counted dear was made a Prize To th' raging Lust and hungry Avarice Of a few tatter'd Rascals from New-York , More insolent than ever was Grand Turk . Their debauch't tricks the harmless Countrey saw , But vainly sought a just redress by Law . The Law , which ev'n our smallest Trips could find Distinguish't Friends , and in their Cause was blind . Their Lust on Honour strange Excursions made : Their Avarice did our Estates invade . Our Lands , for which we to the Natives gave Their own Demands these new-come Beggars crave , Our Lands , which we had peaceably possess't For Sixty years , they with strange flaws molest . It would disturb our Father's peaceful Graves , Saw they their poor Posterity made slaves , Or knew our Lives or Liberties betray'd , Or knew our Lands to forreign Foes convey'd . Yet thus with grief might poor New-England cry , We our own Lands with our own Coyn must buy ; And Patents take , or else some sordid Knave Soon intercepts , and nee●● but ask and have . The Secretaries House of Office told ( And Courts of Justice ) where our Rights were sold , New Tricks they found , and Fetches with rare skill , To bring more Grist to their insatiate Mill . Money we paid , for what we could not know , Except to Feed their ever-craving maw , But never full , for fill we might , as well , As soon the gaping mouthes of Death & Hell . Law at a price , and Justice we must buy , Each small Court-Officer gapes for his Fee , Else Law would be deny'd , and Right delay'd , Whatever Madam MAGNA CHARTA said , Our Penal Acts their scores & hundreds slew , Through cursed aid of an informing Crew . These in our hated Courts did boldly tread , Villains , who daily damn'd themselves for bread : Rogues , who for mony ( I in plainness think ) Would swear the Sun a bottle full of Ink. These , Juries must implicitly believe , And by their Testimonies Verdicts give , The Sense of Thinking-men they must forego , And , as the Court directs them , blindly do , Else they 're turn'd back , and for their honest Strife Must forfeit the Conveniences of Life . Juries were pack't out of their own vile lump To serve a Turn , and turn them up a Trump , Men of small Sense , and smaller Honesty , Their knotty roguish Causes to untye . From Freedom of Discourse our Tongues were mor'd , For we were made Offenders for a word . When , Mighty Prince , we of Your Landing heard , Tho Hopes & Wishes were on Tip-toes rear'd Yet we our Hopes could whisp'ring only tell ; And bold was he who dar'd to wish You well : Him shall I style true Ben , who hither came , To save his Life & an untainted fame ; Harris was he , whom Parliaments had known T' have been by Popish rage & frauds undone , Yet here he could not scape the Lion's Paw , Only for wishing well to WILLIAM o' Nassau . Our last great Grievance , which we could not bear ( With Grief we tell , and Oh , with Pity hear ! ) Was a perplex't mysterious Indian-War , For which with mighty Forces we prepare . We , who a Hundred , in the dayes of yore Could beat a Thousand Indians and fight more , An Army now a thousand strong must send , With a poor Handful Hundred to contend ; In horrid Woods where no Provision grew , Sneaking moneths after moneths to ly perdue . Our Officers were Popish men of blood , Whose Principles could nere consult our Good . Our Scatt'ring-Foes but seldom came in sight , Or if they had , we had no power to fight ; No War was ere proclaim'd ; what could we do ? We dare not kill , the Law would then pursue . Mean time a tedious Winter past our head , Our Suffrings such , we envy'd ev'n our dead . And they not few by sore Diseases went . Hunger and Cold , and how could this content ? And thus things stood , and thus the Plot went on , From earth to root our Her'tick Nation Here , and in our beloved Native Isle ; Till Heaven on us cast a propitious smile ; Piti'd our wrongs and on their Counsels frown'd , And rais'd a man their Empire to confound . 't was YOU , Great Sir , whom Heav'n did elevate To make more famous this our Eighty Eight Than that wherein brave El'sabeth did quell The jointed pow'rs of Spain & Rome & Hell . YOU , us with gallant Forces did Invade , ( By long Successes formidable made ) Our wishes join'd and met our hearts half way , Whilst Terror seiz'd our popish foes that day . One bloodless month our happy Nation freed From popish Plots , by which we fear'd to bleed ; Pounded a crew of mercenary Knaves . Jesuits & Priests , tools us'd to make us Slaves . Frighted our stubborn King , who would not part From his dear Bantling , nor his Bigot-heart . Conven'd our Countrey's Representative , By whose sage Counsels we now hope to live . This hearing , by Your great Example sway'd , A just Attempt opprest New-England made , Not to revenge our wrongs but set us free From arbitrary Power and Slavery : This did Heav'n bless , and on our Action smile , Befool'd our foes , and brought them to the Toyl . Sir , Your Protection we hope and crave ; Condemn not the Success Your Courage gave . For this our Songs shall Your brave Triumphs meet , Laying our Lives and forunes at Your Feet : For this Your Name will consecrated be In English Hearts to late Posterity . May still Success Your great Atchievements crown ! Go on to Conquer , as You have begun .