Page images
PDF
EPUB

( 65 )

but in carrying her home, they met no man at all, and she saw no dangers stood in her way, for which reason, she thought it folly in my Grandmother, to be so fearful of her walking alone; and after that, within a week or a fortnight, I think it was, my Grandmother heard the news that she was found murdered at the very spot that she dreamt the Serpent met her; and was judged like the former, to be ravished first and murdered after.

THE ANSWER OF THE SPIRIT.
"Now, Joanna, thee I'll answer.

As these women did appear,

Perfect so, I now do tell thee,

Satan's arts in all are here.

The Jews at first like cats did burst,
The howling noise they made,
They spit at me, like cats to be,
My Mother was betray'd,

I say the same, they slew her name,
And ravish'd then the Jews,
Till dead to ME they all did flee,

And let them hear the news:
That they at first like cats did burst,
The howling noise they made,
Against their SAVIOUR they did burst-
Oh men, be not misled.

Like cats appear, they did come there,
And made such doleful cry;

They howling then like cats appear'd—
They said in Blasphemy,

That I was come their priest and king,
A Saviour they'd destroy;
And as I would not yield to them,
My life they would enjoy

It at the stake, they then did break,
And did like cats appear,
Because the noise they all did make
Is perfect like them here.

And now my Gospel you read through,
You'll see the likeness clear;
What cats begin appear'd in men,
What noise they all did make;
Until their Saviour they had slain,
And brought ME to the stake!!!

That sure did come, in love to man,
As she did him behold;

But when he told his bloody plan,
Her trembling heart grew cold;

In agony she then did lay

When by his lust oppress'd,

And then his cursed love did see
Her faithful breast to thrust;
The dagger through, you all do know,
Went through her every soul,
And so she felt the fatal blow-
And now I tell you all,

Just like the Jews, that did refuse
My DYING LOVE for man,
You all may tremble at the news,
For you like him do stand.
You do appear, I tell you here,
You Jews in every sound;
For like the cats you did appear,
And then you struck the wound
To strike ME dead, and then you fled,
I tell you all, from ME.

So like that man, you Jews do stand,
And murdering cats you be:

Like them you howl, like them you scowl,
My blood you then did crave;

Upon your heads you said it should fall-
And now my blood you'll see
Shall now appear, your guilt to clear,
If you in grief do turn;

And like the man you'll now appear,

In conscience for to mourn;

For well I know his grief was so,
His life he could not bear;
He surely felt a Judas' woe,
And died in deep despair.

For like the first his grief did burst,
When ME he had betray'd;
For my disciple he was plac'd,
That brought this on my head.

[ocr errors]

Then now see clear the likeness here,
Her lover he profess'd,

That afterwards he did appear

To wound her faithful breast:

For to betray, her murder lay
Committed by his hand;

And then his conscience him betray'd,
And made him leave the land;
Because that there he could not bear
Longer to remain;

But of his end they did not hear-
And now I tell you plain,
The end of man to all is come,
The murderers all shall flee;
But as you did not know the man,
What end did come to he;
So unto all it now will fall,
Their end you will not know,
But fatal will their ruin be,

To them that strike the blow,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

( 67 )

Or do assume for to begin

To strike the blow once more;
You like the Gardener will be seen,
In your own pits appear;
As he did then, ye simple men,
When digging of the grave;

He thought the woman should be slain,
His honour for to save;

And money too, he then thought so,
For he must then provide

The helpless offspring to bring up,
If he the wife denied:

To make her so, he well did know,
He must the trial bear;
Unto expences this would go,
Which he the whole did fear.
So conscience deep that was asleep,
Then digg'd the pit for all:
Until he found his every net
Had digg'd therein to fall.
So I'll end here, and say no more,
But to the Gentiles come:

For here the Murder must appear,
The Serpent is in them:

Because that he doth silent lie,
And stings them with a spear;
A noise in he you do not see,
Like cats for to appear;
And so 'tis come, I say to man,
The Gentiles they are here,
For to betray, as she did say,
The Serpent with his spear.
I've shew'd you first how it did burst,
The Jews like cats did slay,
And so the woman she was cast,

Her dream came round that way.
But know the last, how that was plac'd,
"Twas by the poisonous spear;
You know in him no noise was seen-
The Gentiles so are here;

They do not break, like cats, to speak,
Like Jews for to become;
Because they had no footing here,
The whole for to condemn.

So silence see in them to be,

Like adders they are found, That are deaf to every mysteryThen tremble at the sound. See how you are plac'd, ye fallen race, Like serpents to become,

That do the Woman now disgrace,

But have no foot to stand.

I tell you plain, ye sons of men,
That footing you have none,

68

The Woman here for to condemn,
But murder is your tone:
"In silence lie, we'll make her die,
"Her blood we'll surely spill:"
As I did then on Calvary,

By Cats, judge as you will.
But now 'tis here, I'll prove it clear,
Like Serpents you are come,
And silent lie that she may die,
Your sting this way is known.
Then of the two, I tell you true,
The Jews are now the BEST:
The NATURAL BRANCH is in my view,
And the WILD OLIVE cast.
So now see plain, ye sons of men,
How these two Women stand:
This very thing I did ordain,
To bring it to the land;
Because that here you can't appear
To prove the Fable wrong;
For see the noise the Jews did make,
When I to them did come;
But now again the SECOND TIME,
Like Serpents you appear;
And I have tried you every way,
No noise in you I hear;
But silent lie, that all may die-
And thousands you will kill,
I tell you, by your silent, spears;
Now judge this as you will:
Your footing's lost, and you may boast
Like the deaf adders here,
No other way, to thee I say,
They ever can appear,
Unless they see the mystery-

The woman then with child;

That just like her they certain be
By Satan's arts beguil'd;

Then they'll see clear he doth appear

To dig the pit for all;

And to go further, such will fear,

That they their end shall fall;

Because they'll see, as deep as thee,
These Parables do stand,

That surely were ordain'd by ME
To bring all to the land.-
So MY EXPRESS must thus go forth,
The HORN to BLOW for all;

I've laid a way you did not see
In bye paths this to call;

A way unknown to man I'm come,
For so I said it should be;
And in a day, I now do say,

The TRUTH they all will see,
Men to appear, as thou said'st here,
Like Empty Bottles come;

3

( 69 )

But if I find them trembling here,
I'll fill them up with WINE.
So let thy Fable now aprear,
I'll answer thee again."

It was a thing that I thought of a lady at Exeter, whom a very empty prodigal man went a courting -to, thinking to gain her fortune, as he was in danger of breaking every day; but the lady was told of his circumstances; and one day when he came to dine with her, the lady asked him what he chused to drink? He said wine. The lady had agreed with her servant before, and ordered the gentleman a bottle of wine. The footman brought a bottle corked close, as if it were full of wine, but no wine was in it, and put the bottle on the side table. She desired the pretended gentleman to draw the cork, and help himself to a glass of wine. The gentleman drew the cork, and said, "Oh, madam, this bottle is full of emptiness." "Yes, sir," she replied gravely," and so are you;" and then laughed at his folly, to make any attempt to come to her. I said Miss Townley might say the same by the Clergy, that they were full of emptiness, by the impudent and ignorant letters they have sent her, which a plough boy would have been ashamed to have sent. This made Joanna see mankind as full of emptiness as the bottle was that the lady produced to the gentleman, that when the cork was drawn there was nothing there; and they have drawn their pens the same, and might well be ashamed to own their names; for how could they answer to see their letters with their broken wisdom, like the gentleman that went to the lady with a broken fortune? And when he missed his aim there, he soon discovered he was as empty as she shewed him, for he broke soon after; and just so will all their empty wisdom break into folly:-" For they will soon find they have a Gon to deal with, and not a simple woman, that they would defile and murder-as the two wo

« PreviousContinue »