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Animal Rights History Timeline » [1660-1785] Enlightenment] » Thomas Tryon

Thomas Tryon

Country-Mans Companion

Complaints of the Birds and Fowls of Heaven

[1684] Thomas Tryon, "The Complaints of the Birds and Fowls of Heaven," chap. 5 in The County-Mans Companion (London, 1684; Online at Animal Rights History, 2003.

O Men ! we pray you tell us what injuries have we committed to forfeit? What Law have we broken, or what Cause given you, whereby you can pretend a Right to invade and violate our part, and natural Rights, and to assault and destroy us, as if we were the Agressors, and no better than Thieves, Robbers and Murtherers, fit to be extirpated out of the Creation? (146)

Leave off then, O Man ! for shame leave off they Pride, and thy vain Glory, and boast no more of thy Knowledge and Dominion, and Authority; for in truth thou art poor, and blind, and weak, and helpless, and miserably ignorant ; sink down therefore into Humility, and cease from Cruelty, first against those of thine own kind, and then thou mayst come to see and abhor the Error of oppressing thy Inferiors; for this is the way to retrieve thine Honour and Dignity, to bring back the Golden Age, and that Innocent Estate, which by oppression, cruelty and violence thou hast lost. (170)

The Complaints of the Birds and Fowls of Heaven

Though Nature hath formed most of our kind for Harmony, and endued us with Ravishing Notes, and the warbling Airs of Melody, yet we cannot but now for a [142] while forget our pleasant Singing, and in Sorrowful Tones sigh out our just Complaints, from a deep sence of those Oppressions and undeserv'd ill usage under which we groan. 'Tis not the severity of the Season, nor the harshness of the Weather that so much afflicts us; for to those Inconveniences of the Elements we patiently submit; but 'tis the Treachery and Tyranny that we endure from the hands of Creatures that call themselves Rational, and whom we never injured, but on the contrary have many ways obliged, that enforces us to remonstrate to all the Creation the Injustice of their Dealings and our Sufferings.

Cruel and heard-Hearted Man ! does this Perfidiousness and Tyranny of thine towards us inferior-graduated, yet Innocent fellow-Creatures, look like thy first Estate ? Has not our Creator made and ordained thee his Governour and great Vice-Gerent over all the Inhabitants of the lower Universe, to Rule them with Meekness and Equity ? and formed thee his Image, viz. to live in and under the Government of the divine and friendly Principle of his Love and holy Light, but you have disobeyed the Commands of our Creator, and despised the Voice of Wisdom in your Hearts, and through Cruelty, Violence and Oppression [143] not only to one another, but to all the Host of Heaven have precipitated your selves into the fierce Wrath of God and Nature, whence have been invented all Guns, Powder, Bullets, and other hellish Engines of Destruction, by which you do not only plague and torment and butcher one another, but all other Innocent Creatures, whom the great Jehovah hath made for his Honour and Glory, and to sing forth his Praise, by whose Power and divine Hand we are sustained; for he bountifully gives us our daily Bread without labour of Body or perturbation of Mind; therefore in our way according to our nature, we joyfully chaunt forth Hellelujahs to his Name, and rest satisfied with his good pleasure.

But depraved Man will not suffer us in peace or safety to go on with that Imployment for which we were made, but declares himself our Enemy, and causelesly proclaims War against us, and by force and fraud, open Violence and secret Stratagems endeavours, where-ever he can catch or surprize us, to deprive us of that Life which God hath given us.

And we are more especially astonish't to meet with these usages from those that call themselves Christians, who of late years [144] have found and settled themselves in the Regions and Countries of America, where before their Arrival we lived in a very great degree of freedom and security. But now by this new Neighbour-hood of those from whose, Profession we might promise our selves nothing but Love and good Will, our Condition is much altered for the worse, our Danger and Destruction is daily encreased, and to kill and murder us is become an Occupation and a Trade, for which purpose these peaceable Christians (as they would be counted) have brought with them all kinds of Snares and Engines of War and Violence, which never had before been seen, nor their frightful hellish Noises heard in our Coasts. Now how absurd is it for those who fly from Violence in one place, to begin it themselves on the Innocent in those places where they take shelter ? How much below the dignity of a Man are those cruel and insidious Practices ? How forreign from and contrary to the Doctrin of that Christianity which you profess, where 'tis expressly declared, That whoever useth the Sword shall perish by it: That is to say, he that by any kind of Violence doth awaken the Center of Wrath in himself, shall be precipitated into it; and therefore your most holy Prophet, the first born of [145] the Sons of God, and in and by whom the World was made, saith, My Kingdom is not of this World, for then would my Servants fight. That is, My Kingdom, and that state whereunto I bring my Disciples, does not consist in Wrath, Violence or Oppression, but in Peace, Innocency, Love and universal good Will, doing unto all as they would be done unto. And in pursuance of these Injunctions and Instructions from that adorable Prince of Peace, we have been informed, that divers Christians in the Primitive times, at the first arising of the Day-Star of Gods eternal Light and Love, did deny themselves all the violent Sports of Esau and Nimrod, and bore their Testimony against all oppression and the use of those devilish Engines of Destruction; and many in their own Country will not to this day be seen to practise any violent Exercises, as Hunting, Hawking, Shooting or laying of Snares and Traps to betray the guiltless Inhabitants of the expanded Firmament, but make it a main point of Doctrine to disown Fighting, and use of Arms, and Practices of Violence, as being contrary to the divine Principle; and yet some of the same men coming into our Indian Territories for the sake of a good Conscience, and that they might exercise their Minds [146] and Liberties in peaceable Well-doing, which the Sword of Wrath disquieted and hindered them from enjoying in their own Country, did as lustily provide themselves with hellish Engines of Wrath, Cruelty and Bloodshed, as Guns, Sword, Powder, & c. as if they had been marching into the Fields of Mars, rather than into a Land of Tranquility and Repose.

But tell us, O Men ! we pray you tell us what injuries have we committed to forfeit ? What Law have we broken, or what Cause given you, whereby you can pretend a Right to invade and violate our part, and natural Rights, and to assault and destroy us, as if we were the Agressors, and no better than Thieves, Robbers and Murtherers, fit to be extirpated out of the Creation ? Sure we are, we have not made our selves more Rich than our Neigbours, nor endeavour'd to establish Tyranny over them: We have not taken away their Priviledges, nor laid Cities and Countries waste: We are not guilty of Burning of Towns, nor Deflowring of Virgins, nor Ravishing Matrons, nor of Slaying Old Men, or carrying away Captive the Young: We do not gather our selves into Troops to destroy those of our own kind; nor have we at any time Plundered them, or haled them into [147] loathsom Prisons: Nor are we offended with each other, because our Feathers are not all of a length or of the same colour: We eat not to Gluttony, nor drink to Excess and Ebriety, whilst some of our kind are half starved: Others of larger Bodies or higher Fleight, do not squeeze and oppress the Inferiors with hard Labours, whilst themselves surfeit in Riot and Wantonness: We do not rob one another of natural Rayment, nor grow proud with their Ornaments: Our Foods and Drinks are not the price of Blood, nor do they smell of the Violence and Oppression of Ægypt; but our Liquor is pure Water, and our Food is given us by the divine hand of Providence: Our Love to each other is neither partial or dissembled; nor do we couple for Money, Honour, or any private base Interest.

Consider therefore, O Man ! our Innocence, and thine own high Birth, and fully not thy natural Honour with an unjust pursuit to destroy us, but remember, that all the Inventers of those Engines of War and Violence, which thou useth against us, have brought them forth from the Root of Bitterness; and know this, that none can use them but from the Power of the same black Principle. How unworthy the humane Nature, and how unlike Innocency is it, [148] for thee, O Man, that art made but a little lower than the Angels, to hang a great Iron Sword by thy side, a huge Budget of stinking Sulphur and Nitre and leaden Pellets at thy Girdle, and an heavy Gun on thy Shoulder, and thus loaden with Violence within and without, to run through thick and thin, over pleasant Plains and craggy Mountains, playing at Bo-peep behind Trees, Bushes and Hedges, like a Thief or Trepan, taking advantages to betray Innocency, and unsuspectedly let fly the fierce Thunderbolts of Mars, and the Poysons of Saturn, to deprive us of our harmless Lives, to the great Amazement of all the Peaceable Inhabitants of Heaven; and when all is done, the Summ Total of thy Exploit, and all the Trophy and Triumph of thy War like Expedition, is but this That with the expence of much precious Time, and enduring more extremity of Toil, Hunger and Cold than perhaps thou wouldst have suffered to save the Life of one of thy wanting Brethren, thou hast treacherously Kill'd a poor Innocent Bird, whose Carkass perhaps will scarce yield thee a Penny, whilst in the mean time and with half this pains, thou mightst at thy own needful and lawful Occupation have gotten to the value of six Pence or a Shilling, and yet oft-time the time, [149] charge and trouble of Dressing this thy unjust Prey, is double the value of it when it is dressed; whereas one Pint of Milk of it self, or conveniently varied, would give thee a much more wholsom and nourishing Meal.

Consider further, what an odd, dishonourable and Beggarly Baseness it seems to be in Gentlemen and those of Estates, who live and spend most part of their time in idle Wantonness, Gluttony and Excess, and whensoever they have mind to exercise themselves a little, and disperse the thick Fumes of a late Debauch, then out they must go abroad to offer Violence to some of their fellow Creatures; and they that are content to hire lewd and obscene Minstrils, to divert them at their Revels, with a rude scraping on a parcel of Cats-Guts with their clumsey Fingers, are so far from returning us any thanks for that most pure natural and ravishing Musick that we continually afford them gratis, that on the contrary, with the blackest Ingratitude they study our Destruction: And this their Malice they chiefly execute when it is frosty snowy and severe Weather, when the Sun, the Fountain of Light and Comfort is retreated to the remotest Tropick, when the Earth is stript of Fruits and Grains, and lies bedrid and benumb'd under [150] the Bands of sullen Saturn, and the Heavens with-draw from their sweet and friendly Influences, then instead of relieving us in our Extreamity, and preserving us from the Rigors of the Season, and of the Elements, they take their opportunity to add to our Miseries and Dangers, and rather than fail to do us a mischief, punish themselves with Wet and Cold, lurking in private Holes to circumvent and murder us; and he is the bravest Fellow that can kill most of us, which serves them to boast of amongst their Drunken Companions in their Riotous Feasts, when they make themselves merry at our being buried in their insatiate Paunches.

But why should we wonder at this Violence and Unnaturalness of depraved men, seeing that they do not scruple to do almost the same to those of their own Species ? Nay, we are informed, that in the more Populous Countries, where these Killing Christians live, when there happens a very hard cold frosty Season, there can hardly any little innocent Bird escape their bloody hands, but even the Harmonious Blackbirds, the sweet Quavering Thrushes, and the high soaring Lark (who every Morning sends up a Sacrifice of Melody in the Suburbs of Heaven, and whom all, not [151] stupified into Bruitality, are half ravisht to hear, such are their charming Notes) yet all promiscuously go to Pot and fall Victims to this uparallel'd Barbarity.

And so far as we can perceive, we shall quickly be but in little better Condition, if the Trade of Violence, Killing and Inhumanity be encouraged , as it has been hitherto; for the Europeans and Christians are far more expert in the feats of Arms, and these Murthering Mysteries than our former Masters, the Indians, whom the Christians and others in contempt call Heathens, Barbarians and Savage Wild People which indeed is true, and in their Barbarity they d as much Mischief as they can; but they had not where-with to destroy us in any considerable Numbers, neither are they such cunning Artists in the dark Wrath and Devilish Practices of Killing, nor did they attempt us but to satisfies their Hunger; whereas now they are encourag'd to make a Trade of selling our Bodies for Brandy, Rum and strong Liquors, which the Christians give them in Exchange, though the same proves almost as great a Mischief to the Indians as to us, and in the end will prove of as fatal Consequence to the Christians themselves.

For by selling the Indians Guns, Powder, [152] & c. they grow more expert in all kind of Violence, and practise the same not only upon us, but oft-times on one another, and in time, on doubt will attempt the same on those who furnish them with these Mortiferous Tools, as by Experience is found they have done in other places. Besides, the Christians bring them acquainted with the several sorts of pernicious intoxicating strong Drinks, before mentioned, the use of which makes them Mad, and tenfold more Devilish and Inhumane than they were before; for the more savage, wild and bruitish any Man is, both the more fond is he of such strong Liquors, and the more mischievous Effects have they upon him; so that rather than they will be without those abominable Drinks, after once they have tasted them, they will travel night & day with all Pains and Cunning imaginable, to hunt, kill and destroy us and all other Creatures, not so much (now) for Food, as for the Skins, Feathers or Carkasses to sell, that so they may be able there with to procure those baneful Drinks; whereas before the Christians Arrival they only were able to kill some few of us, and that too, as it were, for Necessity, for Food, and Skins to cover them in the Winter; but since they hunt Fish, and torment all the innocent Inhabitants of the [153] Elements, so that they cannot have any rest or security; for they will sell the choicest of their Skins & Furs to procure a little Rum or Brandy, or a Gun, Powder, Shot, and the like, which only tend to their own Destruction, as well as ours; for as with the one they take away our Sweet Lives, so with the other they ruin their own Healths, contract various Diseases never before heard of amongst them; and besides, put themselves to a World of needless Slavery and Toil to procure to themselves these Mischiefs. And is it not a shame that it should be said, (and too truly) that where the Christians come in new Plantations, they instead of converting, have often debauched the old neighbouring Indians and Heathen-Natives, and rendred many of them worse than they were before ?

But still, tell us (if thou canst) O Man ! wherefore dost thou thus degrade thy self to become a Setter, a Trepan a Snare, a Plague and a Torment to all the rest of the Innocent Inhabitants of the four Worlds, wherein yet thou plaguest thy self more than any of them ? Has not thy Creator made thee in his own Image, indued thee with divine and human Wisdom, substituted thee Governor and Deptuy-Lievetenant over all, and bountifully enricht thee with a thousand Priviledges [154] and Benefits, which we poor inferior Graduates are denyed ? And hast not thou power to command, by Understanding and Art, the lower Animals to serve and labour for thee, as to plough up and till the stubborn Ground (but rendered so by thy Sin) so that it becomes fruitful, and brings thee forth a great number of various sorts of gallant wholsom nurtritive Seeds & Grains, which being wisely ordered may make variety of curious Food ? Art thou not endued with Strength and Art to manure, cultivate and improve the Earth, also by planting innumberable Fruit-Trees, which will afford not only good Food, but likewise several sorts of delicate and refreshing Drinks ? Does not that brave Creature the Cow, pay thee Tribute twice a day, by filling thy Pails with Nectar, which of it self is a sublime Food, and being altered by Care and Art, makes several sorts of excellent Dishes ? Doth not the bounteous Earth, out of her ever-Teeming Womb, by Nature and the help of they Art, present thee with a vast Number of various sorts of beautiful, fragrant and virtuous Plants and Herbs, proper both for Food and Physick ? In a word, has not our beneficent and indulgent Creator freely accomodated thee with the Blessings of all the four Worlds, which almost surpass [155] in Number the utmost reach of humane Arithmatick ? Has he not appointed the Cœlestials to distill continually their sweet Influences upon thee ? Dost thou not command the fine soft Wool of that most innocent and useful Creature, the Sheep, to cover the self-contracted Shame of thy Nakedness, and keep thee from the Injuries of the Elements ? Art not thou possest of all the stately Woods and noble Trees (wherein we are content to spond our selves and build our Nests) but thou takest liberty to cut them down, not only to supply thee with Fires, but also to furnish thee with many other Conveniences, both of Necessity and Ornament, especially to build thee Houses there with to secure thy self from pinching Frost, and violent Rains, and offensive Winds, and parching Sun shine; and yet tho' we are thereby disseized of our antient Freeholds and Habitations, we have never been heard to murmur or repine, who yet enjoy not a thousandth part of these Priviledges and Felicities: We pretend not to command over any of our fellow Creatures, nor have the use of Fire, nor the benefit of Houses; we wear none but our own natural Cloathings, and are continually exposed to all the Injuries of the Elements; neither are we endued with Arts and Sciences, [156] Crafts and Mysteries, whereby to make any Advantages to our selves, so that we have nothing to trust to but only the divine Hand of our Creator; when he gives us a Breakfast, we know not where we shall have a Dinner, nor what it will be; so when we Sup we know nothing of what Food, or where we shall eat on the Morrow, but wholly rely upon our Maker, who never faileth to comfort and feed us; for a few, and simple mean things sufficiently serve our turns, and relieve our wants ,and therefore we need not many; our Desires never wandring beyond the necessities of Nature; our Food is innocent and our Drink simple Water, therefore we are not sick, but live our appoint time in perfect Health.

Wherefore then, O Man ! shouldst thou lie in wait to shorten our days, to disturb our Repose and interrupt our Harmony by the hellish Noise of thy Guns, Arms, Snares and Stratagems ? Or why dost thou teach thine Off-spring, as soon as they are able to handle a stone, to fling it at us, as if we were your Enemies ? Are not those of our winged kind, the inhabit the most sweet and sublime Element, the Air, more Noble than any of the inferior Creatures, that grovel upon the Earth, or hide themselves in the Waters ? And do not all men delight [157] to hear our Melodious Comforts and Musical Notes, filling the Heavens and Earth with our delightful Songs, which we chaunt forth in honour and praise to our Creator, being free from Envy, Strife & Contention, from carking Cares and Vexations, all places being our Home, and we go freely where we please , except when entangled in thy treacherous Gins and Devices, for which there is no pretence of provocation, nor the least colour of Reason why thou shoulst envy our simple innocent Life, seeing we cannot by our Death contribute any thing to thy Happiness, who art already so plentifully stored with the great and gallant Priviledges and Advantages before-mentioned. And, O ! what a brave noble wise Creature would Man be, and what Honour and Glory might his Government bring unto his Creator, as well as Comfort and Happiness to himself and all his fellow-Creatures, if he liv'd innocently, and did but as we poor Creatures do, viz. answer that end for which he was made, and do as he would willingly be done unto.

I have heard, that one of the cunningest of our kind, viz. a Jack Daw, who (like some pretended Christians) loves Churches, more for conveniency and shelter than Worship, having made a Nest in the Steeple, or some [158] part of the House , where a number of them use to meet for performing their publick exercises of Religious Worship, and by means thereof, often hearing a great noise below, was prompted, by curiosity, to enquire the occasion thereof; so listening attentively, he heard the men there met were a reading the Commandments of God where 'tis said, Thou shalt do no Murder: To which all the People answer'd, Lord incline our hearts to keep this Law. And afterwards they proceeded to read many good Prayers to God to forgive them their Trespasses & Mis-deeds, all their Violences and Abuse of Gods Creatures, &c. Which extreamly rejoyced the poor Bird to hear; so he returned to his fellows, and acquainted every Bird that he met with the Airial Plains, of these glad Tidings, That MAN, their Tormentor and vigilent Enemy did not repent of the Evil of his Ways, and would now commit no more Murders, nor Acts of Violence on the Innocent. Which was receiv'd with an universal Acclamation of the Volatile Troops, and now with redoubl'd Notes began to sing louder Anthems of Joy and Gratitude for so great a Blessing, which would give a general Peace to the whole Creation. But their Mirth was but sort liv'd; for the very next day this Daw, with some others abroad seeking for [159] Food, and there comes one of the same Persons whom he had seen so devoutly praying in the Church, and lying in ambush with a long Gun cramb'd with Brimstone and Nitre and murthering Pellets of Lead, as soon as he spy'd his opportunity, let flie at the harmless Bids, and kill'd several of them upon the place, and wounded others; those that escaped acquainted their Fellows what they had seen and suffered, and bid them look to themselves, whatever fair words men might use; for they say, and do not; they pray God would incline their hearts not to commit any Violence, and yet the Profession, the very Trade of Killing is one of the most Honourable Callings amongst them in their esteem: They with their Lips desire the Lord would forgive them their Oppressions and Violences, and in their Hearts resolve upon, and by their Practices continue the same Outrages. Thus vain and depraved Men, through their wanton and extravagant Desires after those things which they need not, nay, which are much more prejudicial than profitable unto them, do draw upon themselves a deluge of Calamities; the more they have, the more they need; for as their Possessions and Enjoyments are enlarged, so continually in proportion are their greedy Desires augmented, [160] like Persons in a Dropsie, coveting after more Drink, because they have ingurg'd too much already; and so through Transgression and Violence that Noble Rational Creature, becomes the most miserable of all Animals, who was made in the beginning not only the Supream, but most Happy, and Wisest of all: and although we are daily subject to all his Snares and Violences, yet still we would not for a thousand Worlds be in some mens condition; for they have made themselves not only subject to a thousand Miseries in this Life, but more especially in the World to come, which has not end; whereas both our Joy and Sorrow terminates with this Life, and extends not beyond the short horizon of Time: And thought we do undergo great Inconveniences, and often lose our dear Lives sacrificed to irrational and ungoldy Violence, yet let him know, That he himself is and shall be thereby the greatest Sufferer: an therefore we advise him to be careful that he do not awaken the fierce Jaws and ravenous Mouth of the Wrath, for fear he be thereby in the end swallowed up, and there be none to deliver him.

Canst thou, O Man ! accuse us for breaking or transgressing Gods pure Law in Nature ? Are we guilty of Cheating, Lying [161] or bearing false Witness, of Gluttony, Drunkenness, or taking the adorable Name of our Creator in vain ? Have we usurpt upon thy Priviledges, taken away thy Lands, or laid waste thy Houses ? Do we not abominate thy Uncleannesses, and observe the proper times of our Couplings ? Are yet our Males tender and loving, and our Females so chaste that they will not admit the greatest Courtier amongst us to touch them out of their proper Seasons ? Are either of us ever jealous of each other ? Where canst thou find amongst all the numerous Inhabitants of the four Worlds, so much Abstinence, Love, Constancy and Chastity as in our kind, our Males taking the like care and Industry as the most sober provident well-disposed Man does for the Preservation and Accommodation of his dear Wife and tender Children; for during the time of our hatching and breeding up, they duly take pains to provide and bring home Food for their Females, whilst they sit, and also for their Young Ones after they are brought forth; neither do they visit the Nests of others, but keep close to their first chosen Loves; therefore Anger, Jealousie and Contention (those Thorns which render most of your Down-Beds uneasie) enter not into our unbounded Habitations.

[162] WE contend not, nor wrangle about our Pedigrees, nor trouble our Heads about Noble Birth and State; neither have we any Law-suites for Rights, Priviledges, Lands or Inheritances; the whole expanded Ante-Court of Heaven our Creator has given in common amongst us, not limiting us by any Land-marks; the vast and spacious Air is our natural City, whereof we are all born free; not have we forfeited our Charter: The Composition and Elements of our Bodies are more brisk, lightsom, agile and pleasant than any other Creatures, as coming nearest to the Cœlestrial Quires than the heavy dull melancholly Earth creepers or Phlegmatick Inhabitants of the Ocean; therefore we can remove many Miles in a very few hours, and mount our selves to the lofty Regions, and there behold the wonderful Secrets of our Creator in the generation of Meteors, how soft Vapours are cran'd up by the Suns strong Beams, and condens'd into Clouds, and thence distill'd into Showers, to enable the Earth to afford us Nourishment; now falling Drops being intercepted in their way, congeal into flakes of Snow; and how not Exhalations imprison'd in surrounding Vapours of a cold and contrary Nature, force their Passage with bright Flashes and terrible [163] Noises which you call Lightning & Thunder ; whilst in the mean time, whilst we survey near hand these Wonders, our fallen Prince [Man] is confin'd to his Earthly Palaces, huzling like Swine in Dang and Dirt, or rather like Moles, always moiling, yet always blind.

This Active Life, joyn'd with our innocent simple Diet, preserves us from being afflicted with Diseases; Your Agues are as unknown to us as their Causes and Cures are to your Physitians; We have no Feavers, because we never burn with unnatural Lusts nor Dropsies, because we never drown our Faculties with over-charg'd Bowls; neither are our Joynts crampt with the Great Pox, nor our Skins deform'd with the Small; Our Young Ones are not tortur'd with the Evil or Rickets, nor those of riper Age with Trembling Palsies, Putrifying Scurvies or any the like cruel Diseases: so that rarely any of our kind dye unnatural Deaths (unless occasion'd by the Treachery or Violence of Man) but we are by the goodness of our Creator blessed with Health and long Life, not subject to Distempers, slavish Labours, Cares, or any other Perturbations either of Body or Mind, because we still continue in the constant Observation of that pure innocent Law of God in Nature, in which we [164] were first created, and do still retain those natural Gifts and Self-preservations which we were endued with in the beginning; for the Lord made all Creatures sound and healthful, and now if any are otherwise it is because they have forsaken Gods pure Law, and depraved themselves; the most fatal Instance whereof if Man, who was in his Creation adorn'd with wonderful Gifts and Graces, both divine and humane, and in every respect made more compleat than any other Inhabitants of the material Worlds; but behold now how miserably is he degenerated and shut up in Ignorance, Folly and Blindness, by his stepping out of that innocent Law God had placed him in, and giving way first to the Insinuations, and by degrees to the Tyranny of the fierce violent wrathful poysonous Spirit, which has not only captivated his Soul to all Evil, and exposed his Body to innumberable Diseases, but also enslaved all the vast Multitudes of the four Worlds; for he being our Angel and Governour, therefore we partake in the sad Consequences of his Transgression and Fall, but none so much as himself, because none sinned, nor broke God's pure Law but himself; for not only those of our kind, but all others (except Men) do still retain that truly Noble and universal Language [165] which our Creator endued us with in the beginning; and though carried or voluntarily flying into remote Climates, many hundred Miles distant, can as intelligibly understand those of our own kind, as nearer home where we were bred; but is it not so with our Prince [Man] for if he travels but four or five hundred Miles, or shifts three of four Degrees of Latitude, he must have an Interpreter, or else he can no more comprehend the Language of those of his own Species than he can do ours; And yet what a clutter does he make about Languages and Scholarship, spending the prime part of his Life (which ought to be entirely imployed in the Study of Nature and Wisdom in learning a few Canting words, of the Basis and true Root whereof he knows nothing; whereas we need no tyrannical Schoolmaster to lash us into the knowledge of Grammer, or teach us the use of Letters, since we can by our Natural Tones communicate whatsoever is needful for the Relief or Preservation of each other, still varying that Tone according to our Necessities.

Do not therefore boast, O Man ! nor grow proud of thy great Knowledge and Parts, not usurp to thy self a License to oppress and domineer over both the weaker [166] of thine own kind, and all other innocent Inhabitants of Air, Earth and Sea: From whence didst thou derive the Authority for killing thy Inferiors, meerly because they are such, or for destroying their Natural Rights and Priviledges ? Is it not from they Fall ? Has not Transgression been the occasion thereof ? And is it not the Effects of the fierce Wrath, where every form hath its motion and operation in Discord; And hast not thou by adhearing thereunto, and being govern'd by the Serpentine Nature, attracted unto thy self a thousand Evils and Calamities ? For what inferior Creature in the World is afflicted with so many Diseases of Body and Perturbations of Mind as thou art ? Also, art not thou the most helpless and forlorn Creature of the Universe, and more subject than any of us to receive Impressions from the Injuries of the Elements ? For art not thou beholding to the inferior Graduates for thy Cloathing, and a great part of thy Food ? And art thou not continually assaulted with inward and outward Enemies ? with perpetual plagues of Suspitions, Fears, Jealousies and unsatisfied Desires ? And dost not thou fear those of they own kind more than all the fierce Savages of the Deserts ?

What Authority dost thou retain over [167] the Elements ? or what favour of kindness will they shew unto thee, more than to us poor Inferiors ? When once they get the Mastery, will not the Water drown thee, the Fire burn thee, and the Earth swallow thee up ? Nor hast thou any more command of the Air; How hast thou lost those spacious Dominions the Creator invested thee with in the beginning ? Examine thy self, O thou Two-Leg'd unfeather'd unthinking Thing ! What canst thou truly boast of now, according to thy common way of Living, more than we ? A Crane hath a longer swallow, and therefore 'tis like takes more delight in receiving its Food and Drink; and yet many of you make the pleasure of your Throats you business, I may almost say, your godd: The Eagle can vastly out-see you, the Vultur out-smell you, every one of us hear more nimbly: for Chastity our Turtles vye with the very best of you; for Paternal Affections towards their Young, our Pelican exceeds you, and for returning Love towards helpless Parents, our Storks may shame you. Dare any of your Songsters, Musick-Masters, Choristers or Organ-Players compare with the ravishing Notes of a Morning Lark or an Evening Nightingale ? What more certain Knowledge have you of the Times, or the changing of Seasons, [168] or any the like secret Operations of Gods Power in the internal & external Nature ? Are not thy Astrological Predictions generally false, and thy Prognostications of the Weather scarce so significant or certain as the Chattering of our Magpies, or the Screaking of a Peacock ? Are not all thy Methods of Physick as fallible ? And dost thou not venture blindfold at these things, by Guess and Chance ?

Consider therefore, O Man ! that thou art the unhappiest of all Gods Creatures, and that thou dost excel all others in Cruelty; for if thou hadst thy Will, thou wouldst hardly leave one of our innocent kind alive to sing forth the Praises of our Creator, and to wellcome in the great of the World, and the delightful Spring, at whose Approach all things rejoyce, and chaunt forth Hyms and Praise to the Creator, every thing according to its kind and nature (Man only excepted) whose Teeth are imbrew'd in Blood, which will not be for his good, but hath therby broken the holy Commandments of his Creator, as the Scriptures of Truth do testifie, I will, saith the Lord, cut off that Soul from the Land of the Living that defileth himself with Blood. Consider also, O Man ! how unpleasing, dollerous and frightful would it be to thee in [169] the pleasant Moneths of March, April and May, when thou walkest in the delightful Fields, if thou shouldst not hear the pleasant and refreshing Charms of those of our kind, would thou not fear, say and think, that the Creator was angry, and that some Judgment was near at hand ? Why then dost thou thus endeavour to bring all joyful Tones, Notes, Sounds and melodious Harmonies into Mourning and Silence, and to root us from off the Earth, and that we should have no Beeing or Habitation in the Elements, which are as much our Right by Elohim's great Charter as thy are thine. Also, how Monsterous, Cruel, yea, and every way Ridiculous doth Man behave himself to all those of our kind? for though many do not, cannot delight themselves with the best Instrumental Harmony those of their own Species can make, yet all men love and delight in our pleasant Tunes and Harmonies; and yet neither our Innocency nor our Ravishing Notes will appease his Fury towards us, but many of them in the hard and severe Winter will rise betimes, and spare no pains to kill us, and on the other side, when Spring comes, the very same men will rise as early to walk in the open Fields, Groves and Meadows to hear our Melodious Songs and pleasant Harmonies. Oh ! [170] manifest unparallel'd Contradiction and Cruelty ! Does this look like Man in his innocent estate, who was made but little inferior to Angels, and an Associate with God himself, who endued him with both divine and human Wisdom? Alas ! No.

Leave off then, O Man ! for shame leave off they Pride, and thy vain Glory, and boast no more of thy Knowledge and Dominion, and Authority; for in truth thou art poor, and blind, and weak, and helpless, and miserably ignorant ; sink down therefore into Humility, and cease from Cruelty, first against those of thine own kind, and then thou mayst come to see and abhor the Error of oppressing thy Inferiors; for this is the way to retreive thine Honour and Dignity, to bring back the Golden Age, and that Innocent Estate, which by oppression, cruelty and violence thou hast lost; for Mercy, Innocence and Well-doing are well-pleasing to our Creator, and agreeable to the noble divine Principle, and attract the sweet Influence of the Cœlestrials, so that the Merciful, and the Peace-Makers and Peace-Preservers shall be filled with all good things; for as Man was created after the Image of God, so in him are contained the true Nature and Properties of all Elements; and since God is both the Maker and Preserver [171] of all Creatures, there is no doubt but Man (his Vice-Gerent here below) ought to imitate his Soveraigne therein; but instead there of he sets himself to destroy not only those of his own kind, but also all other Creatures; so that through Sin and Vanity he is become a professed Enemy to all the Host of Heaven. How many thousands of our innocent kind have been murthered by Guns, Traps, Snares, & c ? and many thousands both of our Males and Females have lost their loving Mates by the like Stratagems, and no Pity or Compassion taken by Man on our miserable Sufferings, but rather they encourage each other to our destruction, and cry, Hang these scurvey Birds, shoot them, destroy them, they are good for nothing but to eat up our Corn: As if God that created us had done it in vain, as if he intended us not a subsistance and Food? What right I pray, has Man to all the corn in the world ? or why should he grumble and repine if we take a few Grains to supply our Necessities, whilst he squanders away such Heaps upon his Lusts?

Wherein I fear he as so much besotted himself, and by continual Practice is become so harden'd, and has so powerfully irritated the dark Wrath in himself, that all our Remonstrances to him to move him [172] to Mercy and Compassion, and to forbear polluting himself with the Blood of the Innocent, will be but in vain, and that we must still sigh and groan under his Cruelty and Tyranny, which at long-run will return seven fold upon his own guilty Head.

The B---ds Supplication.

OH, Thou Great and Immortal Creator ! Cause of Causes, Fountain of Beeing, God of Nature, Author, Preserver and Upholder of this glorious Universe, Parent of Angels and Men, and all other Animals inhabiting the vast Deeps, or the spacious Earth, or the unbounded Airs, Thou hast given a Well-beeing and Self-Preservation unto all thy Creatures; but Man, who thou hast made our Lord, having cast of all Affection towards us, disobeying they holy Commands, has plunged himself into the Fountain of fierce Wrath, and therefore above all things desires and delights in Violence and Killing ; for nothing will satisfie the hungery Wrath but Slaughter and Blood, (for every thing must maintained by its Likeness) so that his Rage is now grown so active, that we have no place that can secure us from his Violence, but he continually pursues, seeking to take away our innocent Lives. The ungrateful and terrible Noise of his Guns drowns our sweet Melody; the whole Air is infected with the [173] stinking Fumes of his murthering Powder; no place is free from hisAmbushes, Nets, Gins, Pitfalls and Snares, that the sight of a Man is become most dreadful and terrible unto us, whereby our Lives being always in danger and fears, are made grievous unto us: Every Noise we hear we are afraid our fierce Hunter is near; And tho' we cry and make our mournful Complaints, no Mortals will hear us or take pity on us, but divert themselves with our Death, and laugh and sport at our Destruction. So that we have no Friend, no Patron on Earth to help or commiserate our miserable estate, and resume us from their Treachery and Cruelty; none to fly unto but thee, O holy Fountain of Light & Life, to whom we send our dolorous Cries and mournful Complaints; for we proceeded from thee, and thou art the Lord our Maker; preserve us, thy poor Creatures in that natural Liberty and Safety wherein thou hast placed us; restrain the hands of Violence, inspire all that profess thy Name with the Spirit of Meekness, Tenderness, Mercy and Compassion both towards each other, and all thy Creation, that theirSwords may be turned into Pruning-Hooks, their frightful Guns into Instruments of Melody, and there may be no more Fighting, Wounding or Killing in all thine holy Mountain. Amen.

FINNIS

__________

The Country-Mans Companion:

OR,

A New Method

Of Ordering

Horses & Sheep


So as to preserve them both

from Diseases and Causalties

Or, To Recover them if fallen Ill,

And also to render them much more
Serviceable and Useful to their Owners
than has yet been discovered, known
or practiced.

And particularly to preserve Sheep
from that Monsterous, Mortifying
Distemper, The Rot.


By Philotheos Physiologus
The Author of The Way to Health, long
Life and Happiness, & c.


London, Printed and Sold by Andrew Sowle,
at the Crooked-Billet in Holloway-Court in
Holloway-Lane, near Shoreditch.