On The New Forcers Of Conscience Under The Long Parliament

Because you have thrown of your Prelate Lord,

And with stiff vows renounc'd his Liturgy,

To seise the widow'd whore Plurality

From them whose sin ye envi'd, not abhorr'd,

Dare ye for this adjure the civill sword

To force our consciences that Christ set free,

And ride us with a classic hierarchy

Taught ye by meer A. S. and Rotherford?

Men whose Life, Learning, Faith and pure intent

Would have been held in high esteem with Paul,

Must now he nam'd and printed Hereticks

By shallow Edwards and Scotch what d'ye call:

But we do hope to find out all your tricks,

Your plots and packing worse then those of Trent,

That so the Parlament

May with their wholesome and preventive shears

Clip your phylacteries, though bauk your ears,

And succour our just fears,

When they shall read this clearly in your charge,

New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ large.

John Milton

John Milton was a 17th century historian, journalist and poet born on December 9th, 1608 in London, England. He was best known for his writing of Paradise Lost. Milton first planned to become a priest. He studied at Cambridge University and afterwards decided to abandon this path to become a full time writer and poet. Milton became very active in politics, and often wrote political pamphlets along with his other writings. As a protestant who believed in freedom of worship, Milton was often at odds with the Roman Catholic Church, an organization strongly opposed to the protestants. Eventually, John Milton would work for the English government under Oliver Cromwell after the removal of the monarchy.

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Il Penseroso L'Allegro Let us with a Gladsome Mind Hymn On The Morning Of Christ’s Nativity A Masque Presented At Ludlow Castle, 1634. (Comus)

On The New Forcers Of Conscience Under The Long Parliament

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