English Puritan & Reformed

The Poor Distressed People of Holland

Robert Wild (1609-1679) · 510 words · 2 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A96487.0001.001

Project Note

This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

THE Poor Distressed People OF HOLLAND,

Their humble Thanks and Acknowledgement for His MAJESTIES Gracious Favors profer'd them in His late Declaration.

        GReat
        
         Sir,
        
        whilst You these Favors do create
       
        For us, You do our Thanks Anticipate:
       
        There are no merits on our part, can claim
       
        The least from You, Ingratitude's our shame.
       
        What Poets talk
        
         Achilles
        
        Spear could do,
       
         Jove's
        
        threats and smiles are verified in You;
       
        If You but say You will kill or cure 'tis done,
       
        'Twixt
        
         Charles
        
        and
        
         Jove
        
        there's no comparison:
       
        You having Conquer'd by Your powerful Arms,
       
        Straight by Your kindness salve Your Captives harms;
       
        Making Your Conquests double, by these Arts,
       
        You've won the Field, and gained your Enemies hearts.

        Had You dealt with us as th'
        
         Israelites
        
        of old
       
        With the deceitful
        
         Gibconites,
        
        have sold
       
        Us and our Families for slaves, then we
       
        Had known a precedent for Your Clemency.
       
        Our Lives and Liberties to You we owe,
       
        And You to us a Fathers pity show,
       
        When we'd forgot those hands that did us feed,
       
        And gave's relief in greatest time of need.
       
        Yet whilst You such unheard of favors show,
       
        From guilty breasts some jealous fears do flow,
       
        And run in murm'ring streams, these whine and cry,
       
        No favor's offered but there's reason why;
       
        But let such narrow souls repine in vain,
       
        We think Your grace as boundless as Your Main:
       
        Great Princes like to gods no merits know,
       
        From pity or their will their Favors flow;
       
        Since, Royal Sir, you'r pleased to declare
       
        Us Your
        
         Free Subjects,
        
        it shall be our care
       
        To Render double Loyalty to you
       
        By our obedience, and our actions too.
       
        What our Industry hath brought from foreign
        
         〈◊〉
        
        Is ready to attend Your Royal Commands,
       
        Each active hand prepared is to bring
       
        Their richest Treasure to
        
         Great Britain
        
        's King;
       
        No Bank, or Public Faith, being so secure
       
        As is the
        
         Faith-Defenders
        
        Promise, sure.

        Your Actions are so just, it may be se'd
       
         Astraea
        
        from this World to Yours is fled;
       
        So will Your Land e're long be stilled the Burse,
       
        And only Treasury of the Universe.
       
        Thus you will by Chymick Policy attain
       
        What
        
         Lully
        
        and old
        
         Hermes
        
        never could gain,
       
        Whilst the Elixer of Your favors can
       
        Attract the
        
         India
        
        's to Your Ocean,
       
        And make the
        
         Thames,
        
        influenc'd by Your beams,
       
        As once
        
         Pactolus,
        
        run in golden streams.

        Our
        
         Hoogen Moogen's
        
        too will think it meet
       
        To prostrate themselves and Ships before your Fleet,
       
        And lay their Treasures at Your Royal Feet.
       
        Thus with these Favors You the World affright,
       
        Conquering your Enemies, e're they come to fight;
       
        Each Monarch trembles, and of You's afraid,
       
        That with a word their Countries can invade:
       
        They oft have felt the force of
        
         Britain's
        
        Sword,
       
        But never the power Magnetick of Your Word;
       
        The one at random strikes at any part,
       
        But this never fails to force and win the heart:
       
        So shines Your Virtues that the whole world must own
       
        That You're both
        
         Charles le Grand,
        
        and
        
         Charles le Bone.

Nescit Fama Virtutis Mori.