Now in this sin-flood age not only in East Did the impious imps the faithful persecute, But like affliction them pursued in West, And in all parts the good trod under foot; For Faith in some was cold, from others fled, And fear of God dislodged out human hearts; Astrea flown to skies, and in her stead Iniquity enthronized; in all parts Violence had vogue, and on sathanized earth Fraud, Mischief, Murder martialled the camp; Sweet Virtue fled the field: Hope, out of breath; And Vice, all-stainer, every soul did stamp; So that it seem’d World drew to’s evening tide, Nought else expecting but Christ’s second coming; For Charity was cold on every side, And Truth and Trust were gone from earth a-mumming. All things confused ran, so that it seemed The World return would to his chaos old; Princes the path of justice not esteemed, Headlong with prince ran people young and old. All sainct confederations infringed, And for light cause would prince with prince enquarrel; Countries bestreamed with blood, with fire besinged, All set to each, all murders sorts unbarrelled. No wight his own could own; ’twas current coin Each man to strip, provided he were rich. The church sacriledged, choir made cot for swine, And zealous ministers were made to scritche. Robbing was made fair purchase, murder manhood, And none secure by land ne sea could pass; The humble heartless, ireful hearts ran wood, Esteemed most who mischief most could dress All lubrick lusts shamelese without comptroll Ran full career; each would a rider be; And Heaven’s friend, all sainct Continency, Was banished quite: Lasciviousness did roll, Frugality, healthful Sobriety No place could find; all parts enquartered were With Bacchus-brutes and Satyres-luxury. All lawless games bore sway, with blasphemes roare, ’Twixt Clerk and Laick difference was none, Disguized all, phantastick out of norme; But as the Prophet says, as Priests do run, So run the people, peevish in disform. The Bishops graded once, dumb dogs become, Their heads sin vyncting, flocks abandon soon; Princes applauders, person-acceptors, The good’s debarrers and the bad’s abetters; Fleshly all, all filthy simonized, Preferring profit ’fore the Eternal’s praise. The church enschismed, court all atheized, The commons kankred, all all in distrayes; The plotting politician’s pate admired, Their skill consisting in preventions scull, Pathicks preferred, Cyprin ware desired, Ocean of mischiefs flowing moon-tide full: So that it seem’d that all flesh desperately Like wolf-scared sheep were plunged headlong down In pit of hell: puddled all pestfully The court, church, commons, province, city, town; All haggards; none reclaimed once could be, Ne by the word, the word ’bused by organs bad, Ne yet by signs that spotted chrystal sky, Ne other prodigies, presages sad, Neither gust shakings of this settled globe;