Wesley Corpus

Page 6 Wisely escape from hell broke loose, And slip their necks out of the noose. Meantime the resolute crusaders, (No longer psalm-singing paraders) From outrag'd senators returning, Begin their work of chapel-burning; The choicest imps of hell employ To tear, demolish, and destroy, (Themselves at a convenient distance To give their instruments assistance.) "Courage, my lads! 'Tis now, or never: Down with the mass-houses for ever!" 'Tis said: 'tis done; in half a minute The chapel's storm'd: the foe within it, With Gothic, or with Scottish feelings, Batter the walls, or mar the cielings, Compassionate as stones and stocks, And gentle as reforming Knox; Altar and cross their fury feel, On pictures they let loose their zeal, On organs they discharge their rage, On books; nor spare the sacred page: Bibles must aid to feed the fire, Till Popery all in smoke expire. Flush'd with success, without their head The sons of anarchy proceed, Satan anew their violence rouses To gut, and then to burn the houses. In Scotland.3 3I.e., John Knox (1514-72). Page 7 And first they an example make, And vengeance on the wretches take, (All vile informers to deter) Who durst against their comrades swear. And next the men that dared commit them, And like atrocious villains treat them, They justly to destruction doom, And burn them out of house and home. Of neither evidence nor warrant Afraid, as an outrageous current, They now the dams and banks o'erflow, And menace every Popish foe; "Down with the mass-houses," they cry: And Walworth's successor stands by: The city's meek administrator, A tame, not unconcern'd, spectator, Quakes, as the conflagration rages, And pays the devil's slaves their wages, With "Come, my lads, enough is done; Take this and quietly be gone!" The aldermen in corners hide, And wisely for themselves provide; The shrieves4 an awful distance keep, Or sometimes venture at a peep! The justices with dread look on, Till their own houses are pull'd down, Content the mob shall burn their hives, If they will only spare their lives. Wat Tyler's Mayor.5 4I.e., sheriffs. 5I.e., William Walworth, Lord Mayor of London, who struck Wat Tyler, leader of a peasant revolt in 1381. Wesley is criticizing the current Lord Mayor of London (Brackley Kennett) for not similarly resisting the revolt.