Page:Cameronian's vision.pdf/3

 In a vision, it seem’d that the chariot of time

Was roll’d back till I stood in the ages of erimecrime [sic],

When the king was a despot, who deem'd with his nod

He would cancel the bond, bound a nation to God.

The religion of Christ, like a lamb took its flight,

As the horns of the Mitre wax’d powerful in might,

And the prelates with priesteraftpriestcraft [sic] men’s spirits enchain’d,

Till they fear’d to complain when their heart s blood was drain’d.

Stern law made religion no longer a link

The soul to sustain on eternity’s brink;

But the gold of the gospel was ehangedchanged [sic] to a chain,

The spirit of Scotland to eurbcurb [sic] and restrain:

A political bridle the people to cheekcheck [sic],

When the priest or the prince ehosechose [sic] to ride on their neekneck [sic];

For churchmen a chariot in splendour who roll'd,

At the poor man’s expense, whose salvation they sold.

From the eourtcourt [sic], over SeotlandScotland [sic] went forth a decree—

“Let the Kirk of the north to the king bend the knee:

To the prince and his priesthood divine right is given,

A seeptresceptre [sic] to sway both in earth and in heaven.

“Let no one presume from the pulpit to read

The Scriptures, save euratescurates [sic] by courtiers decreed;

At their peril, let parents give precepts to youth,

Till prelates and prayer-books put words in their mouth.

And none ’mong the hills of the heather shall dare

To meet in the moorlands for praises and prayer;

Nor to Heaven in private prefer their request,

Except as the prince shall appoint by the priest.”

The nation of Knox held the mandate accurs’d:

(He the fetters of popery and priestcraft had burst-

With the stamp of his foot brought their towers to the ground,

Till royalty trembling shrunk back when he frown d.

And Melville, the fiery, had fearlessly dar’d,

In a prince’s own presence his priesthood to beard.

On the archbishop’s head made his mitre to shake.

And the circle of courtiers around him to quake.)

So Scotland’s Assemblies in council sat down,

God’s word well to weigh with decrees of the crown: