







 
   
     
       
         The prisonsers observation by way of complaint.
         Mussell, Francis.
      
       
         This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A89433 of text R210324 in the  English Short Title Catalog (Thomason 669.f.10[17]). Textual changes  and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more  computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life.  The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with  MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish.  This text has not been fully proofread 
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         EarlyPrint Project
         Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO
         2017
         A89433
         Wing M3164
         Thomason 669.f.10[17]
         ESTC R210324
         99869132
         99869132
         162558
         
           
            This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of
             Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal
            . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.
          
        
      
       
         Early English books online.
      
       
         (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A89433)
         Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 162558)
         Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 246:669f10[17])
      
       
         
           
             The prisonsers observation by way of complaint.
             Mussell, Francis.
          
           1 sheet ([1] p.) : ill.
           
             Printed,
             [London] :
             Feb. 4. 1645.
          
           
             Signed at foot: By Francis Mussell.
             Place of publication from Wing.
             In verse -- "Stay gentle Passenger and take a view,".
             Annotation on Thomason copy: "1644"; the '5' in the imprint has been crossed out.
             Reproduction of the original in the British Library.
          
        
      
    
     
       
         eng
      
       
         
           Prisoners -- Great Britain -- Poetry -- Early works to 1800.
        
      
    
       A89433  R210324  (Thomason 669.f.10[17]).  civilwar no The prisonsers observation by way of complaint. Mussell, Francis 1645    958 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 A This text  has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription.  
        2007-07 TCP
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        2007-09 Mona Logarbo
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        2008-02 pfs
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           The
           
             PRISONERS
          
           Observation
           by
           way
           of
           
             Complaint
             .
          
        
         
           
        
         
           
             Stay
             gentle
             Passenger
             and
             take
             a
             view
             ,
          
           
             perhaps
             of
             passages
             you
             never
             knew
             :
          
           
             Hoh
             ,
             looke
             about
             you
             ,
             and
             pray
             please
             to
             heare
             ,
          
           
             see
             something
             like
             a
             Prison
             very
             neere
             .
          
           
             What
             say
             you
             so
             ?
             now
             I
             will
             looke
             agen
             ,
          
           
             what
             makes
             thus
             peeping
             all
             these
             honest
             men
             ?
          
           
             Pray
             ,
             what
             's
             the
             matter
             that
             you
             here
             are
             staid
             ,
          
           
             In
             these
             sad
             Times
             ;
             for
             Debts
             ,
             will
             they
             be
             paid
          
           
             With
             being
             so
             restrain'd
             ?
             No
             ,
             for
             this
             way
             ,
          
           
             will
             bring
             Men
             ,
             Wives
             ,
             and
             Children
             to
             decay
             :
          
           
             Kinde
             Friend
             be
             not
             displeas'd
             ,
             't
             is
             for
             no
             ill
          
           
             I
             speak
             ,
             Reade
             this
             ,
             and
             then
             doe
             what
             you
             will
             .
          
        
         
           ARe
           not
           those
           men
           compos'd
           of
           cruelty
           ,
        
         
           that
           crow'd
           us
           Debtors
           up
           in
           misery
           ;
        
         
           Starving
           us
           quite
           ,
           as
           much
           as
           in
           them
           lies
           ,
        
         
           not
           minding
           either
           wife
           or
           childrens
           cries
           ,
        
         
           Our
           Times
           ,
           our
           Money
           ,
           Persons
           ,
           and
           Estates
           ,
        
         
           wasted
           unmanly
           ,
           coopt
           in
           iron
           grates
           ;
        
         
           Our
           liberty
           infring'd
           our
           Trades
           decay
           ,
        
         
           we
           lockt
           in
           prison
           yet
           they
           still
           crie
           Pay
           ,
        
         
           A
           thing
           so
           farre
           beyond
           mans
           reach
           or
           care
           ,
        
         
           as
           is
           to
           build
           a
           Castle
           in
           the
           ayre
           ,
        
         
           And
           to
           performe
           it
           ,
           pris'ners
           are
           so
           farre
        
         
           disabled
           ,
           as
           from
           Heaven
           to
           pull
           a
           starre
           ,
        
         
           Can
           men
           make
           this
           Religion
           thus
           to
           doe
           ,
        
         
           which
           guides
           them
           as
           they
           would
           be
           done
           unto
           ?
        
         
           No
           such
           beleife
           have
           I
           ,
           for
           doubtlesse
           then
           ,
        
         
           their
           actions
           would
           expresse
           them
           milder
           men
           .
        
         
           But
           by
           firce
           mallice
           ,
           mischeifes
           cursed
           broode
           ,
        
         
           which
           hath
           dependance
           on
           the
           devill
           shoode
           ,
        
         
           So
           farre
           transports
           them
           ,
           that
           the
           evill
           brought
           ,
        
         
           against
           some
           others
           ,
           their
           owne
           losse
           hath
           wrought
           ,
        
         
           For
           such
           as
           some
           mens
           fortunes
           have
           withstood
           ,
        
         
           oft
           in
           conclusion
           doe
           themselves
           no
           good
           ,
        
         
           And
           that
           such
           men
           are
           crost
           it
           is
           no
           wonder
           ,
        
         
           which
           strive
           to
           rend
           mens
           livelihoods
           assunder
           ,
        
         
           But
           walke
           they
           ne're
           so
           close
           ,
           the
           supreame
           power
           ,
        
         
           can
           bring
           to
           light
           their
           hatred
           everie
           houre
           ,
        
         
           And
           so
           unmaske
           them
           ,
           that
           at
           distance
           farre
           ,
        
         
           men
           may
           discrie
           
             Grym
             Gripe
          
           the
           Vserer
           .
        
         
           Harke
           how
           the
           Beagle
           barkes
           at
           those
           that
           Hayle
           ,
        
         
           this
           helplesse
           sonne
           of
           
             Adam
          
           to
           the
           Iayle
           ,
        
         
           Vnmonefi'd
           and
           freindlesse
           stuft
           with
           greife
           ,
        
         
           not
           knowing
           when
           or
           where
           to
           have
           releife
           ,
        
         
           His
           cloke
           ,
           his
           hatt
           ,
           and
           band
           ,
           are
           drove
           astray
           ,
        
         
           and
           all
           his
           wit
           at
           once
           another
           way
           ,
        
         
           His
           wife
           and
           children
           now
           must
           seeke
           their
           bread
           ,
        
         
           and
           everie
           one
           whereon
           to
           rest
           his
           head
           ,
        
         
           Caus'd
           by
           hard-hearted
           men
           ,
           nay
           ,
           Monsters
           which
           ,
        
         
           forsake
           all
           goodnesse
           to
           be
           worldly
           rich
           ,
        
         
           The
           Officer
           stands
           fitted
           at
           the
           doore
           ,
        
         
           to
           shop
           him
           where
           he
           never
           was
           before
           ,
        
         
           Thus
           being
           hous'd
           his
           adversarie
           then
           ,
        
         
           may
           in
           one
           quarter
           wish
           him
           forth
           agen
           ,
        
         
           For
           why
           ?
           his
           money
           spends
           his
           house
           lies
           wast
           ,
        
         
           and
           now
           to
           pay
           ,
           no
           meanes
           ,
           no
           time
           ,
           no
           hast
           ,
        
         
           If
           this
           can
           raise
           a
           Force
           ,
           or
           force
           a
           way
           ,
        
         
           to
           strengthen
           debters
           their
           iust
           debts
           to
           pay
           ,
        
         
           I
           'le
           leave
           it
           to
           the
           Creditors
           to
           thinke
           ,
        
         
           whose
           coine
           must
           passe
           for
           lodging
           meat
           and
           drinke
           ,
        
         
           Empting
           our
           purses
           fills
           our
           hearts
           with
           paines
           ,
        
         
           ruines
           our
           stocks
           ,
           and
           brings
           the
           prison
           gaines
           ,
        
         
           All
           debts
           unsatisfied
           ,
           men
           made
           so
           poore
           ,
        
         
           they
           cannot
           pay
           a
           part
           ,
           though
           all
           before
           ;
        
         
           Marke
           what
           imprisonment
           doth
           still
           produce
           ,
        
         
           some
           greatly
           pine
           with
           greife
           ,
           some
           are
           profuse
           ,
        
         
           For
           sparkie
           spirits
           spend
           at
           first
           most
           brave
           ,
        
         
           no
           thought
           of
           any
           future
           want
           they
           have
           ,
        
         
           some
           doe
           revive
           from
           dulnesse
           ,
           and
           say
           ,
           le
           ts
           ,
        
         
           be
           merrie
           ,
           sorrow
           never
           paid
           mens
           debts
           :
        
         
           Thus
           are
           whole
           families
           brought
           low
           and
           poore
           ,
        
         
           being
           curb'd
           within
           a
           noisome
           prison
           doore
           ,
        
         
           Which
           have
           liv'd
           bravely
           ,
           and
           might
           doe
           so
           still
           ,
        
         
           might
           not
           hard-hearted
           men
           have
           all
           their
           will
           ,
        
         
           Of
           force
           the
           creditor
           must
           greatly
           leese
           ,
        
         
           for
           
             Ned
          
           and
           
             Dick
          
           and
           
             Will
          
           must
           have
           their
           fees
           ,
        
         
           Then
           all
           is
           spent
           the
           poore
           man
           made
           a
           slave
           ,
        
         
           guarded
           with
           troopes
           of
           vermine
           to
           his
           grave
           ,
        
         
           Now
           may
           his
           foes
           whose
           hearts
           are
           hard
           as
           stones
           ,
        
         
           for
           debts
           receive
           some
           dice
           and
           all
           his
           bones
           .
        
         
           Which
           if
           such
           men
           as
           are
           restrain'd
           for
           debt
           ,
        
         
           had
           but
           large
           time
           and
           daies
           of
           paiment
           set
           ,
        
         
           Their
           freinds
           ,
           their
           means
           ,
           and
           all
           they
           muster
           could
           ,
        
         
           to
           gaine
           their
           freedome
           thus
           Eclipst
           they
           would
           ,
        
         
           And
           might
           obtaine
           it
           too
           ,
           and
           in
           effect
           ,
        
         
           give
           brave
           content
           ,
           as
           creditors
           expect
           ,
        
         
           And
           might
           with
           valour
           truly
           serve
           the
           State
           ,
        
         
           in
           these
           sad
           daies
           our
           Rights
           to
           propagate
           ,
        
         
           Not
           fearing
           might
           set
           forth
           by
           fleshly
           aide
           ,
        
         
           but
           serving
           God
           ,
           why
           should
           we
           be
           afraide
           ,
        
         
           Who
           will
           protect
           his
           people
           that
           indeed
           ,
        
         
           seeke
           him
           for
           succour
           in
           a
           day
           of
           need
           ,
        
         
           Whose
           promises
           are
           iust
           ,
           and
           will
           indure
           ,
        
         
           in
           spite
           of
           opposition
           firme
           and
           sure
           ,
        
         
           Why
           should
           we
           then
           despaire
           though
           here
           kept
           in
           ,
        
         
           as
           men
           quite
           dead
           ,
           in
           trespasses
           and
           sin
           ;
        
         
           I
           tell
           you
           faint
           not
           ,
           for
           God
           hath
           in
           store
           ,
        
         
           for
           those
           that
           love
           him
           ,
           mercie
           evermore
           ,
        
         
           
             By
          
           Francis
           Mussell
           .
        
         
           FINIS
           .
        
      
    
     
       
         
           
             Printed
          
           Feb.
           4.
           1645.
           
        
      
      
  

