When we were come to Bridewell, we were 1662. not put up into the great Room in which we → had been before, but into a low Room in another fair Court, which had a Pump in the Middle of it. And here we were not thut up as before, but had the Liberty of the Court to walk in, and of the Pump to wash or drink at. And indeed we might eafily have gone quite away if we would, there being a Paffage through the Court into the Street; but we were true and fteady Prisoners, and looked upon this Liberty, arifing from their Confidence in us, to be a kind of Parol upon us; fo that both Confcience and Honour food now engaged for our true Imprisonment.

Adjoining to this Room wherein we were, was fuch another, both newly fitted up for Work-boufes, and accordingly furnished with very great Blocks for beating Hemp upon, and a lufty Whipping-poft there was in each. And it was faid, That Richard Brown had ordered thofe Blocks to be provided for the Quakers to work on, refolving to try his Strength with us in that Cafe; but if that was his Purpofe, it was over-ruled, for we never had any Work offered us, nor were we treated after the Manner of those that are to be so used. Yet we fet ourselves to work on them; for, being very large, they ferved the Taylors for Shop-boards, and others wrought upon them as they had Occafion ; and they served us very well for Tables to eat on.

1662.

We had also befides this Room, the Use of our former Chamber above, to go into when we thought fit; and thither fometimes I withdrew, when I found a Defire for Retirement and Privacy, or had something on my Mind to write, which could not fo well be done in Company. And indeed, about this Time my Spirit was more than ordinarily exercifed, tho' on very different Subjects. For, on the one hand, the Senfe of the exceeding LOVE and GOODNESS of the LORD to me, in His gracious and tender Dealings with me, did deeply affect my Heart, and caused me to break forth in a SONG of THANK SGIVING and PRAISE to Him And, on the other hand, a Senfe of the Prophanenes, Debaucheries, Cruelties, and other horrid Impieties of the AGE, fell heavy on me, and lay as a preffing Weight upon my Spirit. And this drew from me a close Exprobration, which my mournful Muse vented in the following Lines to which I ; for a Title,

gave

Speculum

Speculum SECULI:

OR, A

LOOKING-GLASS

FOR THE

TIMES.

Which began with this Expoftulatory Preface.

HY fhould my modeft MUSE forbidden be,

WH

To fpeak of that which but too many fee?
Why should be, by conniving, feem t' uphold
Mens Wickedness, and thereby make them bold
Still to perfift in't? Why should she be shy
To call them Beafts, who want Humanity?
Why should be any longer Silence keep,
And lie fecure as one that's fast asleep?
Or, how indeed can it expected be,

That she should hold her Tongue, and daily fee

Thofe wicked and enormous Crimes committed,
Which he in Modefty has pretermitted?

N 3

1662.

Which

1662. Which but to name, would with their Filth defile

Chafte Ears, and caft a Blemish on her Stile:
Yet, of Jo many, he cannot forbear

To mention fome, which here detected are.

L

OUD were the Cries, which long had
pierc'd mine Ear,

Foul the Reports, which I did daily hear.
Unheard of, new-invented Crimes were brought,
By Fame unto my Knowledge, which I thought
Too foul and loathfome to have found a Place
In any Heart, though ne'er fo void of Grace.
This made me take a more obfervant View,
Whether Report fpake what of Men is true.

But as the celebrated Southern QUEEN,
When the the Court of Solomon had seen,
And had, with more than usual Diligence,
Obferv'd his Splendor and Magnificence,
Confider'd well his Pomp, his Port, his State,
The great Retinue that on him did wait;
As one with Admiration fill'd (no doubt
Not able longer to contain) burst out
Into fuch Words as thefe; Thrice happy King!
Whofe Fame throughout the Universe doth ring,

Though

Though of thine Acts I thought Report too bold,
Yet now I fee one Half hath not been told.
Juft fo did I, though in another kind,
After I had intently fix'd my Mind
Upon Mens Actions, and had duly weigh'd
Not only what they did, but what they said:
A while I ftood, like one that's struck with

Thunder,

Fill'd with Astonishment, and filent Wonder.
At length my Heart, fwelling with Indignation,
Vented itself in fuch an Exclamation.

O hellish Doings! O infernal Crew!

Of whom, who says the worft he can, fays true.
O Herd of luftful Satyrs, Monsters, Brutes!
For fuch a Name to fuch a Nature futes;
What Ink is black enough to write! what Pen
Fit to delineate fuch Beafts, not Men!
Words are too fhallow to exprefs the Rage,
The Fury, Madness of this frantick AGE.
Numbers fall short to reckon up the Crimes,
Which are the Recreations of thefe Times.
Was Sodom ever guilty of a Sin,

1662.

Which England is not now involved in?
By Custom, Drunkenness fo common's grown,
That most Men count it a small Sin, or none.
Ranting

N 4