Dr. Wild's eccho, or, A full answer to his poem on the imprisonment of Master Calamy.

Dr. WILD'S ECCHO , OR , A full Answer to his POEM on the IMPRISONMENT OF MASTER CALAMY . FAir Umbra , I salute you , who wert made ( Ex nihilo nihil fit ) Doctor of a shade Poet in rhymes , great Oratour in sense , Score up a man for his intelligence . Whose Pulpit-Rhet'rick finds a Poetick aire To damne the Sinner without book or prayer , His Poetical Droll upon a Sinner , is well remembred . Clear words but misapply'd t' a sense most vext , As if the Application slew the Text . Well , 't is resolv'd , that I do rout your rhymes : Ev'n as the Gout doth recollect your crimes ; For ev'ry limb a grief : oh ! here 's the Sinner , Who then must be the Man for t' Devils dinner . This is your Pulpit stuff , then baste your roast And turn , least you become a burned toast And so Don Calamy shall be your hoast . Methinks you sympathize , conversion small , Where the first turning findes no grief at all , Imprisonment , oh ! that 's a thing of price Adam in prison was , in Paradise . Imprisonment , thus Danae was in hold , When Jupiter came raining down with gold . Imprisonment , a stain , oh , that 's a grace : Black spots add beauty to the whitest face . Imprisonment , who would not prisoner ly , That he might fare , as once Don Calamy ? Thus I have sav'd your humour , and your cause But can't abide the breaking of our Laws . Tell me then ( Sir ) wherein did lie his glory , That He is made our Ages talk and story , For his Imprisonment : All things observe A rule in doing duty , and ne're swerve . When that the Sun doth rise , and brightest shine It still maintains its progress by the line . When that the Stars do in heav'ns roads appear , They regulate their motion by the sphear . The beasts are grateful , and receive direction From that hand , which doth give them a protection The senceless Eccho hears the mouths confession , And doubles or'e the speech in the expression . The Sun may teach the factious Rout to shine , And yet observe external discipline . The Stars may learn the Presbyterian Seers For to move regular within their sphears . The Beasts may teach them for to take direction From that kinde hand , that gives them a protection , The hollow Eccho may learn them their shares , To make Responsals to our Church's pray'rs . Then save your Complement in the first Rhyme , A punishment is nat'ral to a Crime . If that the Sun should wander from its roade , Darkness , it s brighter Brow must strait-way loade . If Stars should wanton it without their sphear , They must not in heavens Gallaxy appear . If Beasts are stubborn , and won't take direction From th' Masters hand they must receive correction . If Ecchoes don't repeat our voices or'e , Wee 'll stile them Mutes , and speake to them no more . And thus you see each thing observes a Rule , The Sun , the Stars , the Eccho , Horse and Mule . And when they won't be to a rule confin'd , They 're punished according to their kinde . And doth he less deserve a prison , then they Correction , when they from their orders stray ? Imprisonment is proper to a lust : And who so fowles his Coat must have it brusht . Paine commonly accompanies a halt , A prison is the sequel of a fault . What bore he there for to perfume the place , Himself , his wife , or any of his Race ? Or carried he the Church's pray'rs in 's breast , Such sweets as these , might have perfum'd that Nest , For private pray'rs bear but an incense small , But publick ones do carry most of all 't is question'd then , if hee 'd there longer stood , Whither he had not done more hurt then good . For had those Newgate-birds observ'd his traces They'd ev'ry one been turn'd out of their places . And being past for breaking Law , might fly , Escape ( as He ) for non-conformity . His lying-in call'd his wife to the Bet And so her hungry stomach well did get , He Her did feed , she him again did nurse , She gat her belly full , and he the purse . And since you judge 't a mercy great , and free I wish you all such lying in as He And I shall envy 〈◇〉 , then you our p●… ces , The Bishops ornaments , or richer faces . But tell ( my Lords ) how you such faces got ? What do rich faces fall to you by lot ? Or came they from Jack Presbyters cutting tricks , Who found such Shavers for your Bishopricks ? Or are they rich compar'd to their pincht jaws , Whose narrow Conscience cries oh ! at our Laws ? And can't conform : for why ? it is a fault : 't will make their tender spirit limp and halt . At what command then pray ( Sir ) will you fall ? I w●… h you do not stumble or'e them all . Th●… r faces are not ( as yours ) rich or known By ●… at which properly is not their own Th●… 've not so big a swallow , as your lust W●… ch strains at their Lawn sleeves , and eat their dust . Th●… can't with conscience consume a Nation , A●… live on others rights by sequestration . Th●… cannot frame a pious gloss to rant , A●… kill the King by th'force of Covenant . N●… devour steeples , as you did the flock , Y●… neither spar'd the fleece , nor yet the stock , B●… ●onsum'd all , forct Pastors from their sold , A●… Churches unto private uses sold M●… ing the steeples look like empty sockets . A●… putting up the means into your pockets . Pre●ending highly to most greedy raptures Ea●… th' Contents , and lay'd aside the Chapters Ruining all , to build your Babel high As if you meant a Gygantomachy To merit by injustice , and by odds To go to heaven , and there displace the gods . And shall Smeck's Egypt Tyranny be a Law ? Who kept the Brick themselves , left us the straw . And must our Church then lean upon a Crutch ? We love their grace , but do their greatness grutch . Bishops look to 't old Smeck is still alive , And , in him here , stands representative , Complains of wrong , and yet behold the b - lest - east By 's keeping up a while is much encreast Thus the Body nat'ral doth often fret Its own estate , that so the Wen may get . As for his preaching when that he was dead , So once did speak Fryar Bacons brazen head . Time is , when thou a non-conformist art , And sleep'st , when thou should'st answer to thy part . Time was , when thou didst once conform to mee , And study'st how to make me eccho thee Time is to come , when if thou on me call , I 'll be to thee a head Canonical . Which being said , the Head did bow and fall , Humbled it self , and spake no more at all , With that the sluggard straightway did arise , Instead of reverencing , did it despise . Strongly affirm'd , that the head set up for merit Was possest throughly with an evil spirit . And that the Priests that were by It elected , Were drunkards all , and Popishly affected , Suspend it then : for th' Devil doth in 't speak , Condemn its follow'rs , and the head let s break . But stay , thou man of tongue : what will you rave , And ne're leave rayling at us in your grave ? Uncannon'd crime , pride grown , are you so far From rule , that your dust turns irregular ? A Presbyterian 〈◇〉 most strongly draws I'S t crime canonical to break our Laws ? What is 't your virtue for to make a rent In State , and carp at the Church-government ? Now for our stealing Sermons , so you bawle , That 't is with us a crime Canonical . But is 't forgot , that you our lands did lurch ? 't is your crime Classical to rob the Church . We th' Antient Father's words do sometimes cite , To give unto our Doctrine greater light . But they 're unpriviledg'd with you , no pledge , 'Cause they condemn your pride , and sacriledge . Of what stuff then is made your pulpit prose ? Of so much of a Presbyters Hum ; or Nose . A novel Writer with th' Assemblies Note , Considered , as strained through your throat , Stands for as good Divinity with you , As any of the Father's Writings do . He that our sermons reads , in them o'relooks Seas of divinity , yours shallow brooks . A modern blast , blowing the Assemblies fire , A pack of them being burnt will stame the higher . 't is fit , words , that were darker in your breath , Should become true Enlightners at their death . And since they serve for nought , but to provoke Should turn to vapours , and possess a smoak . Now to conclude , I wish you all your due , Such Bishops as the Gout is unto you . For Non-Conformists heretofore were known To be most dreadful Drawers from the Crown . Old Smecks proud Foot did claim the highest Seat , Thence th' Presbyterian toes did swell so great . They are with sturdy humours puft and grown The greater they , the weaker is the Crown , Let 's then agree to bring their proud flesh down . Starve their high humours to a humiliation And bring their greatness low by deprivation . And thus the Foot , and Toes may loose their pain , And the Crown Mitr'd may its own regain .