A View of Englands Present Distempers

Present Distempers.
Occasioned by the late Revolu-
tion of Government in this Nation.
(Amongst others) these following
particulars are asserted: (Viz.)
That the present powers are to be obeyed.
That Parliaments are the Powers of God.
That the generality of Gods Enemies are the
Parliaments Enemies; Et contra.
With some Motives, Grounds, and
Instructions to the Souldiery; how, and
wherefore, they ought to subdue by Arms
the Enemies of the Parliament in Eng-
land, &c.
Printed for William Raybould, at the Uni-
corne, neer the little North doore in
Pauls Church-Yard, 1650.

PUBLISHED FOR William Raybould


[Page 54]
  1. They are vexing Midianites, the troublers of our Israel: the old ones vexed Israel twenty yeeres; and how many yeers suppose ye have the young ones vexed and troubled England? How many yeeres hath this intoxicating drink of Civill warres been brewing? and now to what passe have they brought us? To divide the head from the body first? the body politicke, and then the Members of Christs body also from one another, the body mysticall?

    How truly may distressed England take up that of the Psalmist psal. Many a time have they aefflicted me from my youth up (may England now say) yea many a time have they afflicted me from [Page 55]my youth up; but they have not prevailed against me, the plowers plowed upon my back, & made long their furrows, but the righteous Lord wil hew their snares asunder.

    The old ones destroyed the fruit of the Earth, and left no sustenance for Israel: And what have these done lesse? have they not destroyed where ever they have been? Is there not a scarcity of provision every where? but especially in the north? and what is the famine and the sword (yet devouring) but the print, and direfull footsteps of their Malignity?

    So that though the Midianites be dead, and Moab and Ammon be cut off, yet their malice doth yet remain alive, and it is but vetus fabula per novos histriones. An old Tragedy of Malignant Midian newly acted over by our Malignant English and Irish.

  2. They drew them to sin in the wildernesse, which brought upon them much misery and many judgements: and what a great lump hath the Leaven of Popish doctrine leavened in these three Dominions? what a deal of mischief hath this Toleration and Union with them, by Marriage and Co-habitation wrought upon this nation? how are many countreys pestred with [Page 56] these Locusts? how are they overspread with them? here is sinne right parallell to Midians sin, Idolatry as grosse and superstitious as ever theirs was, provocations as highly daring heaven and vengegeance, as ever they were guilty of; And is our punishment lesse? or our miseries fewer? or rather do not we exceed them in all in sin and misery?

This is a selection from the original text


body, drink, earth, locusts, misery, sin

Source text

Title: A View of Englands Present Distempers

Author: William Beech

Publication date: 1650

Place of publication: London

Provenance/location: This text was transcribed from images available at Early English Books Online: http://eebo.chadwyck.com/home Bibliographic name / number: Wing / B1683 Physical description: [12], 124 p. Copy from: British Library Reel position: Wing / 1396:11

Digital edition

Original author(s): William Beech

Language: English

Selection used:

  • 1 ) Tp, 54-6 (They are vexing Midianites … sin and misery?)





Encoding checking by: Hannah Petrie, Gary Stringer, Charlotte Tupman

Genre: Britain > pamphlets
