Page:Anne Bradstreet and her time.djvu/108

92 Mine heart obdurate stood not yet aghast. Now sip I of that cup, and just't may be The bottome dreggs reserved are for me.

To all you've said, sad Mother, I assent, Your fearful sins great cause there's to lament, My guilty hands in part, hold up with you, A Sharer in your punishment's my due. But all you say amounts to this affect, Not what you feel but what you do expect, Pray in plain terms what is your present grief? Then let's joyn heads and hearts for your relief.

Well to the matter then, there's grown of late 'Twixt King and Peers a Question of State, Which is the chief, the law or else the King. One said, it's he, the other no such thing. Tis said, my beter part in Parliament To ease my groaning land, shew'd their intent, To crush the proud, and right to each man deal, To help the Church, and stay the Common-weal So many obstacles came in their way, As puts me to a stand what I should say; Old customes, new prerogatives stood on, Had they not held Law fast, all had been gone; Which by their prudence stood them in such stead They took high Strafford lower by the head. And to their Land be 't spoke, they held i' th' tower All England's Metropolitane that hour; This done, an act they would have passed fain No Prelate should his Bishoprick retain; Here tugged they hard (indeed), for all men saw This must be done by Gospel, not by law. Next the Militia they urged sore, This was deny'd (I need not say wherefore), The King displeas'd at York himself absents, They humbly beg return, shew their intents; The writing, printing, posting too and fro, Shews all was done, I'll therefore let it go;