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The Zealous Puritan

[anon.]

The Zealous Puritan is a 1639 poem from Rump: or, An exact Collection of the Choicest Poems and Songs relating to the late times.—By the most eminent Wits, from anno 1639 to anno 1661 (1662), as cited in Benjamin Hanbury’s book Historical Memorials Relating to the Independents, or Congregationalists (London: Fisher, Son, & Co., 1839).

Peter Bellamy sang verses 1-2 and 5 of The Zealous Puritan in 1982 on his privately issued cassette The Maritime England Suite. He was accompanied by Dorothy Collins on piano and Ursula Pank on cello.

Lyrics

The Zealous Puritan

My Brethren all attend ye!
And list to my relation;
This is the day,—mark what I say,
Tends to your renovation.
Stay not among the wicked,
Lest that here, with them, you perish;
But let us to—New-England go,
And the Pagan people cherish;
    Then for the Truth’s sake, come along; come along;
    Leave this place of superstition:
    Wer’t not for we—that Brethren be,
    You would sink into perdition!

There you may teach our hymns too
Without the law’s controlment;
We need not fear—the Bishops there,
Nor sp’ritual-courts’ enrolment:
The surplice shall not fright us,
Nay, nor superstitious blindness;
Nor scandals rise—when we disguise,
And our sisters kiss in kindness;
    Then for the Truth’s sake, &c.

[ For company, I fear not;
There goes my cousin Hannah;
And Reuben so—persuades to go
My cousin Joyce, Susanna,
With Abigal and Faithful;
And Ruth, no doubt will comes after;
And Sarah kind—won’t stay behind,
My own cousin Constance’ daughter.
    Then for the Truth’s sake, &c.

Tom Tyler is prepared;
The Smith, as black as a coal;
Ralph Cobbler too—with us will go,
For he doth regard his soul;
The weaver, honest Simon,
With good Prudence, Jacob’ daughter,
And Sarah, she;—and Barbary,
Who professeth to come after.
    Then for the Truth’s sake, &c. ]

When we, that are elected,
Arrive in that fair country,
E’en by our faith,—as the Brethren saith,
We will not fear our entry:
The Psalms shall be our music,
Our time be spent in expounding,
Which, in our zeal,—we will reveal
To the Brethren’ss joy abounding!
    Then for the Truth’s sake, &c.