Poem by Alexander Brome

The Saints Encouragement

Written in 1643.

FIght on brave Souldiers for the cause,
Fear not the Caveliers;
Their threatnings are as senseless, as
Our Jealousies and fears.
'Tis you must perfect this great work,
And all Malignants slay,
You must bring back the King again
The clean contrary way.

'Tis for Religion that you fight,
And for the Kingdoms good,
By robbing Churches, plundring men;
And shedding guiltless blood.
Down with the Orthodoxal train,
All Loyal Subjects slay;
When these are gone, we shall be blest,
The clean contrary way.

When Charle• we've bankrupt made like us,
Of Crown and power bereft him;
And all his loyal subjects slain,
And none but Rebels left him.
When we've beggar'd all the Land,
And sent our Truncks away;
We'l make him then a glorious Prince,
The clean contrary way.

'Tis to preserve his Majesty,
That we against him fight,
Nor are we ever beaten back,
Because our cause is right;
If any make a scruple on't,
Out Declarations say,
Who fight for us, fight for the King,
The clean contrary way.

At Keynton, Branford, Plymmouth, York,
And divers places more;
What victories we Saints obtain'd,
The like ne'r seen before!
How often we Prince Rupert kill'd,
And bravely won the day,
The wicked Caveliers did run
The clean contrary way.

The true Religion we maintain,
The Kingdomes peace, and plenty;
The priviledge of Parliament
Not known to one of twenty:
The ancient Fundamental Laws,
And teach men to obey;
Their Lawful Soveraign, and all these,
The clean contrary way.

We subjects Liberties preserve,
By prisonment and plunder,
And do inrich our selves and state
By keeping the wicked under.
We must preserve Mecannicks now,
To Lecturize and pray;
By them the Gospel is advanc'd,
The clean contrary way.

And though the King be much misled
By that malignant crew;
He'l find us honest, and at last,
Give all of us our due.
For we do wisely plot, and plot,
Rebellion to destroy,
He sees we stand for peace and truth,
The clean contrary way.

The publick faith shall save our souls,
And good out-works together;
And ships shall save our lives, that stay
Only for wind and weather.
But when our faith and works fall down,
And all our hopes decay,
Our Acts will bear us up to heaven,
The clean contrary way.

1. To his Mistress (LAdy you'l wonder when you see)
2. The Damosel
3. On the Kings Return
4. Plain Dealing
5. The Wary Woer

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