The Old Protestant's Litany

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Cavalier Ballad; 1647

That thou wilt be pleased to grant our requests,
And quite destroy all the vipers' nests,
That England and her true religion molests,
Te rogamus audi nos.

2. That thou wilt be pleased to censure with pity
The present estate of our once famous city;
Let her still be govern'd by men just and witty,
Te rogamus audi nos.

3. That thou wilt be pleased to consider the Tower,
And all other prisons in the Parliament's power,
Where King Charles his friends find their welcome but sour,
Te rogamus audi nos.

4. That thou wilt be pleased to look on the grief
Of the King's old servants, and send them relief,
Restore to the yeomen o' th' Guard chines of beef,
Te rogamus audi nos.

5. That thou wilt be pleased very quickly to bring
Unto his just rights our so much-wrong'd King,
That he may be happy in everything,
Te rogamus audi nos.

6. That Whitehall may shine in its pristine lustre,
That the Parliament may make a general muster,
That knaves may be punish'd by men who are juster,
Te rogamus audi nos.

7. That now the dog-days are fully expired,
That those cursed curs, which our patience have tired,
May suffer what is by true justice required,
Te rogamus audi nos.

8. That thou wilt be pleased to incline conquering Thomas
(Who now hath both city and Tower gotten from us),
That he may be just in performing his promise,
Te rogamus audi nos.

9. That our hopeful Prince and our gracious Queen
(Whom we here in England long time have not seen)
May soon be restored to what they have been,
Te rogamus audi nos.

10. That the rest of the royal issue may be
From their Parliamentary guardians set free,
And be kept according to their high degree,
Te rogamus audi nos.

11. That our ancient Liturgy may be restored,
That the organs (by sectaries so much abhorr'd)
May sound divine praises, according to the word,
Te rogamus audi nos.

12. That the ring in marriage, the cross at the font,
Which the devil and the Roundheads so much affront,
May be used again, as before they were wont,
Te rogamus audi nos.

13. That Episcopacy, used in its right kind,
In England once more entertainment may find,
That Scots and lewd factions may go down the wind,
Te rogamus audi nos.

14. That thou wilt be pleased again to restore
All things in due order, as they were before,
That the Church and the State may be vex'd no more,
Te rogamus audi nos.

15. That all the King's friends may enjoy their estates,
And not be kept, as they have been, at low rates,
That the poor may find comfort again at their gates,
Te rogamus audi nos.

16. That thou wilt all our oppressions remove,
And grant us firm faith and hope, join'd with true love,
Convert or confound all which virtue reprove,
Te rogamus audi nos.

17. That all peevish sects that would live uncontroll'd,
And will not be govern'd, as all subjects should,
To New England may pack, or live quiet i' th' Old,
Te rogamus audi nos.

18. That gracious King Charles, with his children and wife,
Who long time have suffer'd through this civil strife,
May end with high honour their natural life,
Te rogamus audi nos.

19. That they who have seized on honest men's treasure,
Only for their loyalty to God and to Caesar,
May in time convenient find measure for measure,
Te rogamus audi nos.

20. That thou all these blessings upon us wilt send,
We are no Independents, on Thee we depend,
And as we believe, from all harm us defend;
Te rogamus audi nos.


Mr. Walter Wilkins, in his Political Ballads of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, says, the imprint of this broadside intimates that it was published in "the year of Hope, 1647," and Thomson, the collector, added the precise date, the 7th of September.

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