1In Mainz
, when corn
was grown excessive dear
2By rats and mice, which in huge swarms appear,
3The hypocritical bishop
of the place 4Did seem to pity much the people’s case;
5And them unto a gallant
feast invited, 6As if in charity he had delighted;
7But when he had gotten them to his desire
, 8He (O, inhumane!) set the barn on fire.
9And thus these wretched creatures all did die,
10For which his curséd soul in Hell did fry
. 11Then, pointing to them burning, said, “Look here!
12These are the vermin make our corn so dear!”
13But see, God’s judgments doth this wretch pursue,
14Which made him soon those curséd actions rue
. 15For nasty rats still after him did run,
16Not to be scared by talisman
or gun. 17At last he built a tower in the seas,
18Hoping that there he might remain in peace.
19But infinite ugly rats did thither swim,
20And, to his horrid pain, devouréd him.
21First, let this teach us to compassionate
22(If we abound
) those whose disastrous fate 23Have made them miserable. Next, we may see
24From God’s revenging hand no place is free;
25For each despiséd reptile or insect
26He can empower, when we his laws neglect.
27Pope Alexander was choked with a fly
; 28Sulla and Herod by a louse did die
. 29Cruel Popiel and his curséd wife
30By the same dismal stroke
did end their life. 31’Tis neither earth, nor sea, nor air, nor sky
32To which a sad despairing soul can fly
; 33For should I take Aurora’s
golden wings 34And fly her shining circle, still it brings
35Me whence I came; or should Night’s sable car
36Me hurry where is neither moon nor star,
37Yet would (my glorious God) one ray
38Of Thine involve
my soul in endless day. 39Then, seeing no place will hide my sins and me,
40I’ll from Thy justice to Thy mercy flee.