Boni ominis Votum: A GOOD OMEN To the next PARLIAMENT, Expressed upon occasion of those extraordinary
Grand Juries,
lately summoned out of the most eminent
Baronets, Knights, Esquires,
and
Gentlemen,
in some
Counties,
to serve at the summer
Assizes,
this year, 1656. By a faithful Servant to this Republic.
London,
Printed for
John Hardesty,
at the black
Spread-Eagle
in
Duck
Lane, or at his shop in the Strand nigh
Worcester
House.
Boni ominis Votum.
A good Omen to the next Parliament,
&c.
GOod speed
to this Republic; and, increase
Of happiness, to those who seek her
peace.
Sad things
are threatened, and a
lowering sky
Seems to portend, great
storms
are drawing nigh:
But look
above them,
and good courage take,
The
Sun
still shines, although the
clouds
be black,
And
beamings
through their
darkest parts
appear,
Whereby, discernible
good Omens
are,
With
Symptoms
of the
Blessing
we expect,
If,
we ourselves,
obstruct not their effect,
And turn them to
ill signs:
which to prevent,
That, which here follows, gives a needful
hint.
As both
abroad,
and here within
this Land,
Public
and
private men's affairs,
now stand.
This
year
is likely to be
critical,
About the time in which the leaves will fall,
If,
preconjectures,
may be built on
Things
put in action,
with things
left undone,
Speld both together; and from some of these,
We may deduce
good cautions,
if we please.
Whether it were the
policy
of some,
In hope, it an Obstruction might become
To
Concord;
or, the prudence of the
Shreeve,
Or,
special providence,
which did contrive
Those
Grand-grand Iuries,
that must represent
Their
Counties,
we, shall best know by th' event:
For, whether cheerfully they come to do
That service which their
Call
invites them to,
Or, by a
willful non-appearance,
wave
That duty, which the
common cause
doth crave,
It will be
signal;
and, to many a one,
A
Test,
as virtual as the
Lydian stone:
And, also, give an
intellectual view,
Of some
Results,
which thereon will ensue
At their
next meeting,
who, to represent
This
Nation,
shall be summoned and sent.
For, those
Grand Jurors,
are now chosen forth
Of
them,
whose gifts, estates, degree, or birth,
Hath ranked them with the
best:
yea, out of
those
(Excepting such as have been
open foes
To this
Republic
) who, have been suspected
Meer
Newters,
or, else,
persons disaffected,
As well, as from among them, whose true zeal
Hath kept them constant to this
Common-weal;
That, they, whose
faiths
yet questionable are,
May to this
Government
themselves indear
Some way; and, from henceforth, enrolled stand
Among the noblest
Patr'ots
of the Land,
Endow'd with all their
Liberties,
and freed
From those
distinguishments,
which, either breed
Or nourish secret hat red, to th' increase
Of
Quarrels,
and deminishment of
Peace;
If, they, shall not imprudently contemn
That means thereof, which, now, is offered them.
And, who can tell, what
providence,
by these
(Though some dissent in judgment) will now please,
In season to effect, for preservation,
Or settlement of
Peace
throughout this
Nation?
When things are acted, by a moderate
Expostulation, in a
joint debate,
Where, everyone, may freely speak his thought;
And, when it is considered, as it ought,
That, no man can of safety be assured,
Untill the
Public well-fare
be secured.
We know, that
diffring simples
put together
To qualify, and to correct each other,
(Though some of them be poison) purge away
Malignant humors,
which would else destroy
The life of man: So, they, who formerly
Did in their
singular capacity
And
private judgment,
sometimes,
act
or
speak,
What might, at least, endanger, if not break
The
Common peace,
may, when they gathered are
Into one
fellowship,
be helpful there,
Both to
themselves
and
Countries,
ten times more
Then they have been, or could be, heretofore.
Yea, as the fat
Lime
and the barren
Sand,
When they are mixed, make a stronger band
To bind together rough or hewed stone,
Then either of them could have done alone;
So, may by them who are
dissenters,
now,
Our
public buildings
much the stronger grow,
When, they, into one
Structure
shall be fixed
Well qualified, and rationally mixed;
And, prove a happy
Omen
and presage,
To those, who, now are summoned to engage
Within a higher
Orbe,
and, shortly must
Become our
Trustees,
in a higher trust.
For, he, who hath considered it, believes
That, if those
petty-Representatives,
By
loving prudence,
shall prepare a
way
Thereto (as in good likelihood they may)
That nobler
Body,
which to its perfection,
Must (for the most part) rise by their
election,
Will be so moduliz'd, and tempered so,
That,
discords,
into
sympathy
shall grow:
And, all our fears and dangers, in the close,
Quite vanish, to the terror of our
foes.
We see,
unlike
and
disagreeing matter,
Such as the
earth
and
air,
the
fire
and
water,
Makes perfect
natural bodies:
wherefore, then,
May we not hope, that
diffring minded men
Themselves, may reason forth, out of a
sick
Into a
healthy body-politick
By GOD's assistance (when our discontent
Is cured, and, our malignant humor spent)
Before we feelingly, by
Sense
perceive,
What,
Reason,
cannot make us yet believe?
It may be thus, and will be thus, if, yet
Men's
Wilfulnesse
hath left them any wit:
For, why should they, who now may be at rest,
Run hazards to advance their
interest,
Whom nothing else could satisfy, but
pour,
All others, at their pleasure to devour,
And spoilers of their
own estates
become,
To make a
fortune,
for they know not whom?
Why should they venture, their
respects
to lose,
Who, have been ancient friends, to get
new Foes?
Or, seek to have that
game
afresh begun,
By which,
all may be lost,
and,
nothing won?
I hope we shall be wiser, and, that
we,
Whose
weal and safeties
much concerned be
In this
expedient,
shall so cautiously
Proceed; and, act with so much prudency,
That, whatsoever others do intend,
Or put in practice, we, shall seek that end
We ought to prosecute; and, at the last,
Our
Anchor
in a peaceful harbor cast.
I wish it heartily; and (since I see,
Wishings
in vain, without
endeavors
be)
That, those whom it concerns, provoke I may
To seek this blessing, and help make the way
To what I wish for, I, composed this SPELL:
Let him, who moov'd me to it,
speed it well;
And, make it so considered by this
Nation,
(Before things grow beyond consideration)
That,
words,
which to their
safety
do pertain,
May not be always spoke to them in vain;
For, they are
fools,
who, still pursue a course
Which makes a
sickly-being
to be worse.
And, they are also, somewhat more then
mad,
Who would exchange a
good-one
for a
bad,
Or, put in hazard, a
possessed LOT,
In hope to get, what never can be got.