English Puritan & Reformed

Thanks to the King for Declaration of Liberty of Conscience

Thomas Cheesman (fl 1688-1707) · 538 words · 2 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/B08741.0001.001

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

TO THE King's Most Excellent Majesty, Giving Thanks for His ROYAL DECLARATION FOR LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE.

        NO Monument, though made of Solid Gold,
       
        As high as the proud Pyramids of old;
       
        No Marble Statue, reaching to the Skies,
       
         Great CAESAR
        
        can do more to Eternize
       
        Your Memory, and make Your Royal Name
       
        Sound in the Trumpet of Immortal Fame,
       
        Through all succeeding Ages, than this thing
       
        So wisely brought to pass; the World shall ring
       
        With loud Applause, and Children yet unborn,
       
        Your worth shall strive to set forth and adorn:
       
        While with Triumphant Joy they Celebrate
       
        The Day, when first You wore the Crown in State.
       
        That happy Monarch, in whose Nuptial Bed,
       
        The White Rose grew united to the Red,
       
        Shall not so famous in our Annals stand,
       
        As You for making Peace throughout the Land.
       
        And Your Progenitors, which did advance
       
        Victorious Ensigns in the Heart of
        
         France,
        
        Never such Honor, nor such Glory won,
       
        As by this
        
         Declaration
        
        You have done.
       
        Mercy in its soft Bosom carries Charms,
       
        More Potent to prevail, than war-like Arms;
       
        And Kings, like God himself, appear to Shine,
       
        When they are Deckt with Clemency Divine.
       
        No Thoughts can reach, much less can Words declare,
       
        What the sad Miseries of the Nation were;
       
        Till like a wise Physician, You had found
       
        This Sovereign Balm, to heal our bleeding Wound.
       
         Orpheus
        
        they say, in Music had such Skill,
       
        That he could Tame fierce Tigers at his will;
       
        The Hound would court the Hare, and Lions play
       
        With tender Lambs, forgetful of their Prey.
       
        This Fable is made good by You in part,
       
        For cruel Men that have the hardest Heart,
       
        If they but listen to your Counsel Sage,
       
        'Twill calm their Spirit, and restrain their Rage.
       
        Were I a Poet, whose rich Fancy stood
       
        Up to the Chin in the
        
         Castallian
        
        Flood:
       
        Yet my enlarged Soul could not express
       
        The thousandth Part of
        
         England
        
        's Thankfulness.
       
        Nor might this Verse of mine presume to show
       
        To You, how much both Church and State must owe
       
        For such Transcendant Grace, by which You have
       
        Raised up many from their very Grave,
       
        Which there lay Dead in Law, and Slain before,
       
        But now Your Bounty doth to Life restore;
       
        You give them Rest and Safety, and have broke,
       
        From off their Necks, the Iron-Galling Yoke.
       
        Freedom for Conscience will create a Heaven
       
        Here upon Earth; there's nothing can be given
       
        More Sweet and Precious; this, and this alone,
       
        Even in the Hearts of Men, sets up a Throne
       
        For Princes there to Reign, and win such Love,
       
        As may their strongest Guard and Fortress prove.
       
        What though Self-seeking Men at this Repine,
       
        Such as can gladly Feast and swim in Wine,
       
        While others swim in Tears, and still would fain
       
        By public Loss, increase their private Gain:
       
        Yet all true Friends of Peace must needs rejoice,
       
        And give You Thanks with One consenting Voice.
       
        Upon Your Sacred Head, let Heaven pour
       
        The choicest Blessings in a fruitful Show'r.
       
        Let all Success and Happiness attend
       
        Your Glorious Reign, and Crown it to

Thomas Cheisman a Nonconformist Minister, living at Ilsley in Berkshire.

The End.

LONDON: Printed for Richard Janeway in Queens-Head-Alley, in Pater-Noster-Rom. MDCLXXXVIII.