CELESTIALL ELEGIES o …

CELESTIALL ELEGIES of the Goddesses and the Muses, de­deploring the death of the right honourable and vertuous Ladie the Ladie FRAVNCES Countesse of Hertford, late wife vnto the r [...]ght honorable EDVVARD SEYMOR Vicount Beauchamp and Earle of Hertford.

WHEREVNTO ARE ANNEXED some funerall verses touching the death of MATHEVV EVVENS Esquire, late one of the Barons of her Maiesties Court of Es­chequer, vnto whome the author hereof was allyed.

Propertius Eleg. 5. Lib. 3.
Haud vllas portabis opes Acherontis ad vndas
Nudus ad infernas stulte vehere rates.
Hor. Lib. 1. Ep. ad Quint
Mors vltima linea rerum est.

By Thomas Rogers Esqui [...]e.

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Imprinted at London by Richard Bradocke, for I. B. and are to be sold at her shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bible. 1598.

❧ To the Right Honourable his singuler good Lord▪ the Lord Edward Seymor vicount Beauchampe Earle of Hertford.

BEhold (Right Honourable) in this Theater of mortalitie a Tra­gedie, with a solemne funerall, at which the Goddesses are chiefe mourners, and the Muses attendants, wherein death plaies the Tyrannicall King or the kinglie Tyrant, your de are Ladie and wife the sub­iect of his furie, which in a dumbe showe is heere presented by me: whereof I desire your [Page] Lordshippe to be a spectator and a Iudge: If I haue wittilie plaide the fooles part in contriuing the matter (I thinke I haue plaid the wisest part:) And then I hope I shall haue your Lordships applause. And that is all I expect.

Your Lordships euer at commaund. T. R.

Celestiall Eligies for the late death of the right Honourable▪ the Ladie Fraunces. Countesse of Hertforde.

QVATORZAIN. 1 Berecynthia.

DRawne in my Royall chariot, crownd with To wes,
Through all the kingdoms of the centred earth
With a great Traine of the celestiall Powres
That from my wombe tooke their immortall birth,
Descend I as chiefe mourner from the skye,
To solemnize this Countesse funerall,
And crowne her fame with immortalitie,
Although her bodie now to death be thrall:
My daughter Cynthia whilome lou'd her deare,
Noble she was by vertue, birth, and match,
Match'd with a Peare, yet matchles without Peare,
For Peareles she, did others ouer match,
Wherefore the Fates growne enuious of her praise
For vertues sàke, ab idg'd her earthlie daies.

QVATORZAIN. 2. Iuno.

I that am both Ioues sister and his wife,
The Queene of heauen, whom Gods & men adore
Hearing the fame of this braue Ladies life,
In mournfull habit now her death deplore:
She hath putt of all earthly ornaments
And cloth'd her soule in glories spotlesse robe,
She hath exchang'd these mixed Elements,
For that pure Quintessence, the heauenlie globe,
Loe how her spright infranchised from thrall,
Of sinfull flesh, ascends the Christall skye,
Scorning to dwell long in this earthly vale,
Where all men rise to fall, and liue to die:
Therefore she soard aboue a humane pitch,
And with her vertues doth my Realme inrich.

QVATORZAIN. 3. Pallas.

THe pompe of this vaine world she did despise,
Weighing the slipperie state of earthly things,
Therefore aboue the Spheares of heauen she flies,
To sing and ioy before the King of Kings:
Her vertues that did militate on earth,
Against the flesh, the deuill, sinne and hell,
Now triumphe in the heauens, and conquer death▪
And in Ioues holy monarchie doe dwell.
I rue the losse of true Nobilitie
Whilome inuested in her noble breast,
Wisedome with honour link't in amitie,
VVere both in her, and she in death supprest:
How can I chuse but waile for her decease,
Sith by her death my kingdom doth decrease.

QVATORZAIN. 4▪ Diana.

AY me; my vestall flame is now extinct,
My flowre of Chastitie doth fade away
In Lethes flouds true noblenes doth sinke,
My Empyre runnes to ruinous decay;
Pittie, Almes-deeds and charitie is fled,
Fidelitie beyond the seas is gone,
True friendship now and faithfull loue is dead,
And Priapus vsurpeth Cupids throne:
She that did seeke my kingdome to maintaine,
By sanctitie, religion, faith, and zeale,
Through enuie of the Destenies is slaine,
Death robs th'Eschequer of my common weale,
For all those rites which I was wont to haue▪
Are fled to heauen or buried in her graue.

QVATORZAIN. 5. Venus.

IF that I am a starre, Ile loose my light,
And fall from Heauen, vpon the earth to morne,
Because her lifes faire day is turnde to night,
My ioye to griefe, my loue to hare shall turne.
If that I am a Goddesse▪ as men say,
Whom louers tearme Celestiall and d [...]ine,
With humaine teares Ile wash my ioyes away,
And on the earth no more by day-time shine:
If I be beauties Soueraigne, and loues Queene,
Ile put a maske of clouds before my face,
Hating to loue, louing to liue vnseene,
I will obscure myselfe in some darke place:
And if I be a Planet, while I raigne,
Ile frown on th'earth where my delight is slaine.

QVATORZAIN. 6. Thetis.

FRom th'vnknowne kingdome of th' Antipodes,
And from the farth est bonds of th'Ocean maine,
Attended with troopes of Nereides,
And charming Syrens, that supporte my traine:
Mou'd with the gentle murmure of the streames,
That seeme [...] [...] humane miseries to weepe,
I that doe kisse the Sunnes transplendent beames,
When he in Neptunes bosome falls a sleepe;
Come to this famous land in waues of woe,
Like to a Queene in mourning weedes araide,
Crowned with cares, because mans mortall foe,
The Tyrant death, his tragick part hath plaide;
Sea more lamentes than all the worlde beside,
His true loues losse that late in England dyde.

QVATORZAIN. 7 Ceres.

MY wealth decaies for want of Somers heat,
Somers heat fades, because the Sunne is fled,
The Sunne is fled, because his griefe is great,
His griefe is great, because his ioye is dead,
His ioye is dead, since his deare ladie dyde,
And since his lady dide he euer mournde,
He euer mournde, for losse of Natures pride,
For Natures pride, is now to ashes turnde,
To ashes turnde, that was a Phoenix rare,
A Phoenix rare, of whom no other bred,
No other bred, that breedes the more my care,
The more my care, sith all in her is dead:
O Heauēs, why do you bring this land such dearth,
As for to take a Phoenix from the earth.

QVATORZAIN. 8. Fortuna.

I that do turne the rowling wheele of chaunce,
The blinde light Goddesse of vnconstancie,
That sometime did the Romaine Peers aduance,
To sway the worlds imperiall Monarchie:
I that doe kings enthrone, annoynt, and crowne,
And ofte depose them from the Royall seate,
I that on mightie Baiazeth did frowne,
And made the baseborne Tamb [...]laine so great:
Lament that death hath got the victorie,
While I am faine to flie away for feare,
For where death raines, there ends my soueraintie,
He casts downe Trophees which I did vpreare,
This Ladie whome I raisde to high degree,
Dyde not by chaunce but fatall destenie▪

QVATORZAIN. 9. Nemesis.

REdhote with rage whose heart with griefe doth bleede,
I come from Ioue fell Atropos to chide,
That cut too soone this Countesse vitall threede,
Where with her soule and bodie were fast tide:
While wicked men long liue in Ioy and pleasure,
She liu'd long time in sicknesse and in paine,
Who still accounted vertue her chiefe treasure,
And losse of worldly wealth heauens richest gaine:
Wherefore she fled to heauen, from whence I came,
And with reuenge to scourge mens insolence,
And those same ruthlesse destenies to tame,
That by this Ladies death Ioues wrath incence,
Who let the wicked long time liue in pride,
While she that best deserued, soonest dide.

QVATORZAIN▪ 10. Bellona.

THough I am fearefull Goddesse of dread warre,
That hate to liue Idly at home in peace,
With humane cries allured I come from farre,
In streames of bloude to rue this dames decease,
This Lady was a Howard and did springe,
Out of the antient Duke of Norfolkes race,
Whose ofspring did subdue the Scots stout king,
And from the field rebellious foes did chase,
Her brother still restes loyal to the Crowne,
And Scepter which faire Cynthia now doth wield,
By Seas he hath obtain'd his high renowne,
The other by his conquest in the field,
Wherefore I vow by land and Sea to raise,
Eternall triumphes to the Howards praise.

QVATORZAIN. 11 Flora.

CRowned with wreathes of Odoriferous flowrs,
Whose sent perfumes the Empire of the Ayre,
Among the rest of the immortall powers,
Vnto the land of Albion I repaire.
Where I with garlands will her Toombe adorne,
And make death proud with ceremonious rites,
That for this Ladies sake I doe not scorne,
To decke her Graue, with th' earths faire flowers delights;
For sith the world was sweetned by her breath,
That breath'd rare vertues forth, as then aliue,
Ile beautifie her Sepulcher, since death
Of her sweete sowle her body did depriue,
For this braue dame was a sweet springing flower,
Bedewde with heauenly grace till her last howre.

QVATORZAIN▪ 12. Proserpina.

FRom the black kingdome of infernall Dis,
All circumscrib'd with Characters of woe,
And from the dungen of the darke abysse,
Wherein the Ocean Seas of troubles flowe,
Idoe ascend vpon this worldly stage,
In this sad Tragedie to act a part,
Sith she that was a light to that last age,
Is now confounded by deaths fatall darte;
The cruell destinies were much to blame,
To cut her three de of life ere throughly spunne,
Her life burnd out like to a Tapers flame,
And thus the howrglasse of my ioyes is runne:
Wherefore the Farall sisters shall repent
Her bodies death, and faire soules banishment.

QVATORZAIN. 13. Aurora.

I now shall blush to kisse the Sunns faire face,
Or bid bon Iour vnto this hemyspheare,
I rather will lament in dolefull case,
The losse of her whom I did loue so deare,
I am the Muses euer constant friend,
And sith she was their Matrone while she liu'd▪
I will bewaile for her vntimely ende,
By whom the sacred Sisters were releu'd:
I muse what Muse there is that will not weepe
When I shall tell this lamentable story,
That she is dead and now in dust doth sleepe,
Although her soule is crown'd with lasting glory:
I thinke the world wilbe dissolu'd to teares,
When this said tale shall penetrate mens eares.

QVATORZAIN▪ 14. Nox.

Attyrde in black spangled with flames of fier,
Imbroidered with starres in silent night,
While Phoebus doth the lower world inspire,
with his bright beames & cōfort breathing spright,
I come in clowds of griefe with pensiue soule,
Sending forth vapours of blacke discontent,
To fill the concaue Circle of the Pole,
And with my teares bedeawe each continent:
Because that she that made my night seeme daye,
By her pure vertues euer shining lamps,
Now makes my night more blacke by her decay,
Wandring with Ghosts in the Elisian Camps:
Wherefore I still will were a mourning vaile.
For she is dead and humane flesh is fraile.

QVATORZAIN. 15. Gratiae.

ADewe faire Venus Ladie of delight,
Welcome pale horror griefe and discontent,
Come let vs wander to the vaile of night,
And for this Ladies death fighe and lament,
Our hopes late deade ingender liuing feares,
Our griefes awake doe bringe our joyes asleepe,
Now we from Thetis streames will borow teares,
And teach the rockes by Netleys shores to weepe,
Our faire complexion is with sorrow chang'd,
We haue bin fellowe Mates with beauties Queene▪
But from our selues we now are so estrang'd,
We are but shadowes of what we haue beene,
And thus in vaine we daily doe deplore,
For losse of life which we cannot restore.

QVATORZAIN▪ 17. Horaae.

WE that are calde Tymes goldē winged Howres:
And are the Porters of Heauens Christall gate▪
Come from the Pallace of Celestiall powers,
This Countesse death with pompe to celebrate;
By shutting vp Heauens gate we send downe rayne,
Darking the triple region of the Aire,
And when we list opening the doore againe,
Dry the moyst clowdes & make the weather faire,
Weepe now O clowdes vppon the grassie earth,
With often drops fret through the hardest stones,
While we in sorrowe for this Ladies death,
Flie back againe to the Celestiall thrones:
And locking fast the great Porte of the Skie,
Send downe more showres for her mortalitie.

QVATORZAIN▪ 18. Pandora.

I bring a box wherein all woes are closde,
Mingled with teares distild from sacred eyes,
And not so much as hope for me reposde
Is left behinde but quite away it flies.
The graces where with all the Gods indue me,
Are gone from me and to Ioues throne resort,
The blessings which vntill this day pursude me,
Forsake me now and I stand all amort.
Like Niobe that euer till death still mourn'de,
For her deare childrens losse whom Phoebus slue,
And to a sencelesse stone at last was turnde,
That in her life did most extreamely rue:
And thus transformde I will become a Toombe.
T'enclose her vertues in my dying woombe.

QVATORZAIN. 18. Pales Dea pastorum.

IF kingdomes waile shall not the Cottage weepe?
If the Court greeue shall not the Country grone?
If they doe morne that doe strong Lions keepe?
Shall not I, that keepe tender sheepe, bemone?
If faire Elisa monarch of this Ile,
This Ladies losse doth gratiously lament,
It ill becomes a country swayne to smyle,
Or me that am the Shepheards presidente:
O thou rare Queene that makest the femal gender,
By much, more worthie then the Masculine,
To thee all praise and glorie I surrender,
Whom I esteeme as sacred and deuine;
Had not thy life giuen shepheards sweet releefe,
I should haue well nigh perished with greefe.

QVATORZAIN▪ 19. Feronia.

EVen in this sad and melancholy moode,
With Siluan Nimphes which on me daily tende
Mated with sorrowe come I from the woode,
And to faire Cynthias kingdome now I wende,
Where the immortall Goddesses arriu'd,
At Troynouant, by which Thames waues do glide,
Where late a Ladie of great honour liu'd,
But greater vertue, that vntimely dyde:
Thither goe I among the rest to mourne,
And offer vp my teares vpon her shrine,
My loftie trees I will cut downe and burne,
In witnesse of her death for which I pyne:
And as my trees consume away with flame
So doth my heart with griefe, and ioy with shame.

QVATORZAIN. 15. Libitina.

IN dreary accents of a dolefull verse,
Ile speake her praise though I haue long bin dūbe,
In sable weedes ile decke her dismall hearse,
And sacrifice my tears vppon her toombe;
With golden Statues shall her toombe be gilte,
Like King Mausolus stately monument,
Which his deare wife the Queene of Caria built
To be the worldes eternall wonderment,
Or else I will her sencelesse corps interre,
In some faire graue like the Pyramides,
And will enbalme her bodie with sweete Mirrh
With Cassia, Ambergreece and Aloes
That th' Ayre perfum'd therewith shall sweetly smell,
While heauenly powers shal ring her wofull knel.

Annotations vpon the Celestiall Elegies of the Goddesses

BErecinthia alias Rhea Cybele Ops Ve­sta, Tellus, &c. as Hesiodus saith was the daughter of Coelum and Terra the wife of Saturne commonly called the mother of the gods & goddesses of the earth; whome Poets faine to be drawne by foure Lions in a chariot with a crowne of Towres on her head and a royall scepter in her hand, she is also re­puted the founder of Cities and Towres for defence.

Iuno called Pronuba and of some Lucina the daughter of Saturne and Ops, wife and sister of Iupi­ter, Queene of heauen, and goddesse of riches, im­pelled with the celestiall diademe, drawne in her chariot by Peacockes, she is accounted to predomi­nate mariages, and the birth of children.

Pallas otherwise called Minerua as Hesiodus af­firmeth is the daughter of Neptune and Triton, poe­tically [Page] also fayned to be engendred of the braine of Iupiter: She is the Goddesse of wisedome, learning, and the liberall sciences, She is the sister of Mars and is said to be the Goddesse of warres and martiall stratagems, and for that is often called Bellona.

Cynthia called also Diana and Phoebe the daughter of Iupiter and Latona the sister of Phoebus she is the Goddesse of hunting and fishing, who addicting her selfe wholy to virginitie obtained of Iupiter there­fore to liue in the woods. Virgil▪ Lib. 11. Alme tibi hāe nemorum cultrix Latonia virgo.

Venus termed also Cytherea poetically fained to be bred of the froth of the Sea, excelled all other Goddesses in beautie, she is the Goddesse of loue, pleasures and lasciuious delightes, she rideth in a cha­riot drawne by doues, she is the mother of Cupid and is accounted one of the seuen planets

[Page] Thetis called also Amphitrite the wife of Peleus King of Thessalie, daughter of Nereus and mother of Achilles was esteemed Goddesse of the Sea: of Nereus all the Nymphes were called Nereides.

Ceres the daughter of Saturne and Ops sister of Iu­ [...]iter & Pluto, is the Goddesse of Corne drawen in her [...]hariot by dragons, crownde with she aues of wheat [...]he wandred about the world to finde her daughter Proserpina whom Pluto stole a way, she first taught [...]he vse of the plough and to till the land.

Aurora the morning, the daughter of Hyperion [...]nd Thia in the iudgement of Hesiodus, or as others [...]ay of Titan and Terra whom for her faire vermilion [...]olour Homer faineth to haue fingers of damaske [...]oses, and to be drawne by bright bay horses in a golden charriot, she is said by Orpheus not only to be [...] most comforrable Ladie to men, but also to beasts [...]nd plants and is a great friend to the Muses.

[Page] Nox the night, bred of Chaos as Poets faine whom they cal the most auntient mother of all crea­tures, because there was no light but darkenes be­fore the Sunne and the heauens were made. And she possessed all places before the birth of the gods, she is cloathed in blacke rayment, with a sable vayle vp­on her head, transported by blacke horses in her e­ben chariot, she came from Erebus and the infer­nals obscuring this Hemysphere when the Sunne [...] gone to the Antipodes.

Flora called also Chloris the wife of Zephirus is deemed the goddesse of Flowres:

Bellona the goddesse of warre called also Pallas▪ which to expresse both the valour and the wisedome of the honorable race of the Howardes I haue twise expressed in seuerall sonnets, whom Virgil nameth the president of warre.

[Page]Armipotens belli praeses Tritonia Pallas

Fortuna as some suppose was the daughter of Oce­anus, albeit Hesiodus writing of the originall birth of the Gods, makes no mention of her, yet she is vainely reckoned among the number of the Gods as Iuuenal witnesseth.

Nullum numen abest si sit prudentia, sed te
Nos facimus Fortuna deam Caelo (que) locamus.

She is the Goddesse of chance and inconstancie she is saide to be blinde and to be rouled about vp­on a wheale as Tibullus in 1. Elegiarum. Versatur celeri Fors leuis orbe rota.

Proserpina called also Persephone and of some He­cate is the daughter of Iupiter and Ceres, the wife of Pluto Queene of Hell, she hath soueraigne power of dead bodies.

[Page] Nemesis the daughter of Oceanus and Nox may be called the Goddesse of reuenge, who was sent from Iupiter to suppresse the pride and insolence of such as are to much puft vp with arrogancie for the fruitiô of worldly felicitie▪ and therfore Aristotle Li▪ de mun­do, affirmeth Nemesis to be the deuine power and iustice of God to punish malefactors for their hay­nous crimes, and to distribute to euery one accor­ding to his demerits.

Libitina is the Goddesse of Funeralls.

The Graces called Gratiae or Charites the Graces daughters of Iupiter and Eurynome whose names are Aglaia, Euphrosyne and Thalia, they were beautiful and the companions of Venus.

Horae the howres, daughters of Iupiter and The­mis, are by Homer and other Poets saide to keepe the gates of heauen, and by opening of them to make faire weather, and by shutting them to make foule [Page] weather, they fauour learning and associate Venus and the Graces: They are imagined to haue soft feet and to be most slow of all the Goddesses, and still to worke some new matter, they moderate and de­uide the succession of times.

Pandora, a Ladie imbellished with all fayre orna­ments of bodie and minde on whome euery one of the Gods bestowed a seuerall gift of grace, was sent by Ioue to Prometheus with all euils inclosed, fast in a box or little cofer, which gift being refused by Pro­metheus was by her brought to Epimetheus, who o­pening the couer of the box, perceiuing all those e­uils to flie out suddenly shut the same, reseruing only hope in the bottome thereof reposed which he kept fast: which hope you must imagine now that Pan­dora hath lost in the cariage by reason of this most noble Countesse death.

[Page] Niobe the daughter of Tantalus waxing insolent beyond measure for the beautie and goodly propor­tion of her children, insomuch that she compared or rather preferred her selfe in opinion of glory before Latona and her sacred ofspring was therefore by the decree of the Gods metamorphosed into a stone, and so became her owne bodies sepulcher; and her chil­dren were slaine by Phoebus and Diana with ar­rowes as Poets fayne.

Pales is the Goddesse of Shepheards in honour of whose diety Shepheards did celebrate certain games called Palilia▪

Feronia the Goddesse of woods or groues whose temple (as Strabo writeth) was famous in the Citie Soractes, and she with great deuotion was there wor­shipped, of whome there is no mention made touch­ing her birth or education, notwithstanding she is reckoned soueraigne of the woods as Virgil writeth.

Et viridi gaudens Feronia luco.

QVATORZIAN. 1 Clio.

GReat princes actes I vse to royalize,
And from the Stigian stouds their fame to saue,
And in the Cristall mirror of the skies,
With wits faire Diamond I their praise ingraue▪
By me Alemenus sonne is made deuine,
And faire Calisto turned to a Beare
Now in the Starrie firmament doth shine,
And with her light adornes this Hemysphere▪
And I will raise to heauen this noble dame,
Aboue the purest Element of fire,
And so in Starres characterize hir fame,
That time shall not her glories date expire,
And yet my heart in pittie takes remorse,
For her deare soule and bodies late diuorse.

QVATORZIAN. 2 Melpomene.

KNowing her life what shall I sound her praise?
Or musing of her death fall in a sounde?
Shall I recorde her fame in my sweete laies?
Or by my sorrow make her death renownde?
I know not what to doe, I am amazde,
I wander in a Laborinth of woes,
Her praise alreadie through the world is blazd,
And now her death with greefe I must disclose;
Wherefore I register her death with teares,
Which doe turne blacke with sorrowe in the fall,
Wringing my handes renting my golden heares,
And with these reliques grace her funerall,
Exclaming thus with euerlasting cries,
Vertue grows sicke, shame liues, true honor dies.

QVATORZAIN. 3 Thalia.

I That in Princes Pallaces was bred,
And did delight in euerie comicke sport,
Whose daintie feete on carpets vsde to treade,
And dance the measures statly in the court,
Will turne my mirthfull songs to dolefull cries,
And fill with teares the Heliconian brooke,
My louely cheekes besmeard with weeping eyes,
Like fleshlesse deathes Anatomie I looke,
For she that brought new reuels out of France,
When she returned to her natiue soyle,
Who sought my glory chiefly to aduance,
Hath now by death receiued a fatall foile,
Thus by her losse I am compeld to rue
That she to soone hath bid the world adewe▪

QVATORZAIN. 4 Euterpe.

COme sisters let vs sing sad roundelaies,
And strew green Cypres boughs vpō hir Tombe
Crowning her image with immortall bayes,
Oh sacred of spring of Latonas wombe,
Play on thy seauen-strunge harpe and sadly warble,
The wailefull murmur of celestiall spheares,
And while thou doest engraue her fame in marble,
Ile digge her graue with showres of sacred teares;
My pipe shall make the stones to weepe for pitte,
As great Amphions Lyre did make them dance,
To build againe the ruynes of that Citie,
Which did maintaine the Grecian puisance,
And yet not Thebes but Troynouant shall mourne
For her whose flesh to Elements did turne.

QVATORZAIN. 5 Terpsichore.

VVHat dolefull Diapason shall I make,
What mournfull songs of sorrow shall I sing
What comfort in sweete Musicke can I take,
Sith death hath broke this Ladies vitall string:
My sacred Lyre that did resound of yore,
Celestiall harmony, like Phoebus Lute,
Such ioyfull accents now shall sound no more,
For inward sorrow makes our consort mute;
Sith death hath broke that string that did vnite
In mutuall loue her bodie and her soule,
My dulcimers shall make no more delight
And I will liue in euerlasting dole
For how can Musicke solace humaine eares,
Whē strings are broke & harts are drownd in tears

QVATORZAIN. 6. Erato.

YE that like Iulius Caesar seeke to measure,
The spacious clymates of the centred round,
To fish for kingdomes and to purchase treasure,
Oppose your liues to euerie fatall wound:
Behold euen in the map of my sad face,
A true Cosmographie of humane woes,
For since foule death his Trophees heare did place,
In quiet rest I neuer could repose,
Vnto th'Antarticke Pole what need ye saile,
At home in safetie better may yee sleepe,
Consider by her death your flesh is fraile,
Sit downe by me vppon these rockes and weepe,
For Albion now more sorrowes doth containe,
Then there is wealth in all the Ocean mayne.

QVATORZAIN. 7 Calliope.

VVEre it nor that Eliza did reuiue,
My drooping spirits that are like to perish,
If that worlds myrrour onely she aliue,
Did not with bountie still my Poems cherish,
I should goe languish in some obscure caue,
Or with rude Satyres, & wood-nymphs should dwel
Learning should lie in base Obliuions graue,
And flow no more from Aganippe well:
But since this Ladies soule is vanished,
Out of this world (her corps to death enthrald)
She to a starre is metamorphosed
And with the golden Twinns in heauen enstald
Or like the Pleiades enthron'd on high
She may be term'd a Phoenix in the skie.

QVATORZAIN. 8. Vrania.

I Sawe no fearefull comet in the Skye,
Nor firie Meteors lately did I viewe,
Whose dread aspect threatens mortalitie,
And losse of some great Princes to insue:
Nor by Astrologie did I deuine,
That death so soone this Paragon should slay,
That she who did in grace and vertue shine,
Aboue her Peeres before them should decay,
I thinke while all the Gods in counsell sate,
To canonize some Saint, that late did die,
Not being mindfull of this Ladies state,
Whose fatall howre did then approach so nigh,
Death stole vppon her with his Eben darte
And vnwares did strike her to the heart.

QVATORZAIN. 9. Polyhymnia.

SIth I am tearm'd the Muses Oratrix,
My pen shall wright the Iliades of my greefe,
My tearefull eyes vppon her beare ile fixe,
My tongue shall tell a wofull tale in breefe:
My hands shall act the passions of my minde,
My ruthfull lookes bewray my pensiue thought,
I will complaine the Fates are too vnkinde,
Frō bad to worse the world still growes to nought:
Wherefore I thinke that Plato's wondrous yeare,
(When as the Orbs of Heauen shalbe reuolu'd,
To their first course) approcheth very neare
The bands ofth' Elements shalbe dissolu'd:
And till those daies of consummation come,
Cares make me passionate & sorrowes dombe.

The Authors Conclusion.

NOw Goddesses and Muses giue me leaue,
In this sad Tragedie to acte a part,
I haue more cause for her decease to greeue,
Though you more wit to shew your sorrows smart:
Yee for affection doe extoll her praise,
And for mere pittie doe her death lament,
I both for loue and duetie striue to raise
Her fame aboue the starrie firmament:
And death for enuie did abridge her daies
T'enritch his kingdome with this vertuous dame
But I for griefe that death the Tyrant plaies,
Impouerisht haue my wit t'enrich her fame
While I performe these rites which are most fit,
Death waxeth rich in spoyle, I spoild of witte.

Annotations vpon the Celestiall Elegies of the Muses.

THE nine Muses which are the presidents of Po­ets and first authors of Poetry Musicke & other sciences, are the daughters of Iupiter & mnemosyne alias memoria whose names are Clio, Melpomine, Thalia, Eutepre, Terpsichore, Erato, Calliope, Vrania & Polihimnia▪ Clio exerciseth her wit & skill chiefely in Histories and recording the actes & monumēts of worthie persons, Melpomine in Tragedies, and lamentable Elegies, Thalia in Comedies, comely gestures, and sweete speeches▪ Euterpe in the pipe & such like instruments, Terpsichore in the Citterne or Lute, Erato in Geometrie, or Chosmographie, Calliope in heroicke verses, Vrania in Astrologie and contemplation of the starres, and Polihimnia in Rhetorick and Eloquence.

Deuine sonnets dedicated to the said Lady not long before her decease by the said Author.

Of Gods holy name, Iehouah, or Tetragrammaton.

THat name which Moses on his forehead bare,
I in my heart doe worship and adore,
That name which Iewes to name did seldome dare,
May I presume for mercie to implore?
That name which Salomon vppon his breast,
In his diuine Pentaculum did weare,
With great Iehouah Characters imprest,
That name I loue I reuerence and feare:
That name which Aron wore vpon his head,
Grau'd in his holy Miter made of Golde,
That name which Angels laude and furies dreade,
Whose praise no tongue can worthily vnfolde,
That name which flesh is to impure to name,
My sinfull soule with sacred zeale inflame.

Of the Starre which the Magi did worship at Christes Natiuitie, and of his death.

I blaze that starre, which was no blazing starre,
But the true figure of eternall life,
The prince of peace was borne then ceased warre,
His birthes beginning ended mortall strife,
This glorious starre did lead the aged wise
To worship th'Infants Godhead in the East,
Which came with gladsome heart & ioyfull eyes,
To see that Babe that made all Israell blest:
O light of Heauen thou wast extinct on earth,
Yet to our soules Celestiall life doth giue
Thy death our life, thy rising our new birth
Thou three daies dead didst make vs euer liue,
Yet at thy death obscur'd was th' earth and skie,
Because he that was God, as man did die.
FOuntaine of grace from whom doth only runne,
Water of life to saue our soules from death,
O sauiour of the world, pure virgins sonne,
That in red earth infus'd first vitall breath.
Oh thou whose name was calde Emmanuel,
Ioyning thy Godhead with humanitie,
Thou that for our sakes didst descend to hell,
And ouer death did'st get the victorie:
Oh womans seede that didst from God proceede,
By Prophets said to breake the Serpents head,
Thou that in grace and vertue doest exceede,
Content to die that thou mightest quicken deade,
Thou that didst rayse the dead men frō the tombe.
Earths kingdoms passe, oh let thy kingdome come.
ANtient of daies, and yet still young in yeares,
Oh God on earthe, Oh man yet most deuine,
Poore in this world, yet chiefe of heauenly Peeres,
Whose glorie in th'infernall pit did shine,
Borne since old Abrahams daies yet long before,
(For Abraham reioyc'd to see thy daies)
He saw by faith, whom now all powers adore,
The Cerubins doe daily sing thy praise,
O God of tymes, and yet in time a man,
Before all times thy time of being was,
And yet in time thy humaine birth beganne,
Least we should fade vntimely like the grasse,
Oh thou that doest all times beginne and ende,
Graunt all our workes may to thy glory tende.

Of the instabilitie of Fortune and worldlie prosperitie.

VVHere liues the man that neuer felt a crosse?
Whō Fortunes wheel did neuer tumble down
Where liues the man that neuer suffred losse?
On whome the starres of heauen did neuer frowne?
Where liues the man that is in all pointes blest?
Wise, valiant, mightie, wealthy, fayre and strong.
If such a one vpon the earth doth rest
His date of life Heauen doth abridge ere long
Such was King Edward in his youthfull prime
Who might by Phoebus Oracle be deemd
One of the wisest Princes of his time
For wit and learning excellent esteemde
But cruell death maligning his great praise
That in fewe yeares so highly did aspyre
With yron dart infring'd his golden daies
Whom nations farre away did then admyre
Weedslong time growe, the fayrest flowres do fade
The ripest wits grow rotten at the last
All these faire things which God and Nature made
[Page]In this huge Chaos, shall at length lye waste
Where is king Salomon the wisest wight
Of mortall men that liu'd vpon the grounde
Doth he not wander in the shades of night,
Whose wisdome through the world was so renound?
What difference betwixt the rich and poore
Irus with Cresus boldly may compare
Both equall are when death standes at the doore
That maketh proudest kings like beggars bare,
Then let the wealthy men respect their end
Not counting themselues happy vntyll death,
Sith heauen to them this wealth doth only lende,
Which they must pay with losse of vitall breath
This made that king of Lidia to crye
When he was by king Cyrus ouercome:
O Solon now thy saying true I trie
No man is happie till his day of dome.
That Monarch now is dead that did possesse,
The golden sands of bright Pactolus waues,
And Tamberlaine whom Fortune so did blesse,
[Page]That he a Shepheard made great kings his slaues,
Dead is that mightie king of Macedon,
That wept whē of more worlds he hard some talke,
Sith his victorious sword as then had wonne,
Scarce this one world, where we like pilgrims walk
Who being wounded fell vpon one knee,
Fighting against an hoast of barbarous foes,
Said I am mortall by these wounds I see,
For no such bloode from powers Celestiall flowes?
In beautie Absalon did farre excell,
Most part of men that sprung of humaine seede,
But when against his Sire he did rebell,
Then heauen did power downe vengeance on his head:
The sacred scripture truely doth expresse,
That Sampson did surpasse all men in strength,
But he that did thowsands in fight distresse,
Was by a womans wiles subdu'd at length,
Beautie is like a faire but fading flower,
Riches are like a bubble in a streame.
Great strength is like a fortefied Towre.
[Page]Houour is like a vaine but pleasing dreame,
Wee see the fayrest flowers soone fade away,
Bubbles doe quickly vanish like the winde,
Strong Towers are rent, and doe in tyme decay,
And dreames are but iliusions of the minde,
Let none puft vp with insolence deride.
My Fortunes Autumne in my prime of yeares,
Sith many dismall chances do betide,
To royall princes and State-ruling peeres,
I am content with my disaster chance,
To follow fate sith princes lead the daunce,
Ludit in Humanis diuina potentia rebus.
Et certam praesens vix habet hora fidem.
FVNERALL LAMENTACION …

FVNERALL LAMENTACIONS VPON THE DEATH OF his most worthy and reuerend vnckle Maister MATHEW EWENS Esquire one of her Maiesties Barons of her High­nes Court of Eschequer.

*⁎*

PERIIT ET INVENTA EST

LONDON, Printed by RICHARD BRADOCKE for I B. 1598.

Ouid. lib. 2. Fasti.
Est honor, & tumulis animas placare paternas.
Parua (que) in extructas munera ferre pyras.

Funerall lamentations vpon the death M. MATHEVV EVVENS Esquire. &c.

LET Numas death be still deplorde in Rome,
Licurgus end let famous Sparta waile,
Let Athens weepe on Aristides toombe,
For there religion lawes and Iustice faile,
But let faire Cinthias Troyueuant lament,
This Barons death whose flesh returnes to dust,
Whose soule is fled aboue the firmament,
Who liu'd on earth religious, true, and iust.
Now ioye O heauen t'enioy th'earths ornament,
Whose heauenly part to the third heauen is fled
His earthly part to earth doth now relent
Both heauen and earth loue him aliue and dead,
His flesh to Elements resolu'd doth dye,
His soule aboue the Element doth flye.

QVATORZAIN. 2.

I Know not whether I should ioy or weepe
His louing soule doth triumph in the skie,
But his dead corpsin dust a while doth sleepe,
Till heauen shall rayse it from mortalitie,
He lost his olde life and hath gaind a newe
Loosing his care he gainde a glorious crowne,
The world lost him, therefore the world doth rue▪
He lost the world yet wins for aye renowne,
I lost a friende and therefore I lament,
My friend lost me and I haue lost my selfe
Sith I for his losse liue in discontent
He loues heauens ioyes and leaues all worldly pelfe,
O England now bewaile this fatall crosse,
He lost this world, we gainde a world of losse.

QVATORZAIN. 3

HE that did seeke the poore mens wrongs to right
He that maintain'd his natiue countries lawes,
He that in trueth and iustice did delight
Is now consum'd by deaths deuouring iawes,
Was it by heauens high court of Parliament,
Decreed that his lifes date so soone should ende,
Oh then let vs vpon the earth lament
That we haue lost in him a publique friend
The ioy of many in his graue now lieth,
And he in heauen enioyes immortall blisse,
His care is vanisht and in him now dieth,
And liues in others that his life doe misse
Thus death strooke many with this fatall stroke
And keeping natures lawes, our lawes he broke.

QVATORZAIN. 4.

LEt not the world thinke I doe partialize,
In that I doe extoll my vncles fame,
And striue his glorie to immortalize
By these sad accents which my muse doth frame,
But let men know that he deserues more praise,
Then my poore muse is able to bestow,
Though she doth crown his death with glorious baies
And through the world the breath of fame doth blow
Which breath by multiplying the sweete ayre
May mount the sacred Throne of heauenly powers,
And cause the winged Cherubins repayre,
To mourne his death from their celestiall bowres,
His vertues merit Homers golden pen
To print his praise with teares of Gods and men.

QVATORZAIN. 5

LEt all men iudge how iust a Iudge he was,
That late was iudged by heauen sacred doome,
To suffer death, that when this life should passe
He might obtaine in heauen a glorious roome,
For he among the blessed saints must dwell
Where Patriarches and the Apostles sit,
Which shall iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel
According as to their deserts is fit
As here on earth this Iudge was magnifide
Aboue the vulgar sort in high degree,
In heauen he shalbe much more glorifide,
And shall enioy the full felicitie,
And all such Iudges as here iudge aright,
Shall haue their place in heauē with Angels bright.

QVATORZAIN. 6

THe sacred word doth say thou shalt not kill
Yet Death thou here doest kill a magistrate;
Dost thou not then infringe Gods holy will
Nor yet the lawes of Moses violate?
And wheras mightie kings establish lawes
Thou by thine owne lawe mighty Kings doest slay,
And taking thus away th'efficient cause,
Th'effect, which is the Lawe must needs decay,
Thus now thou takest away a publique guide,
That did maintaine all equitie and right
Wherefore heauen shall correct thee for thy pride
And shall subdue thy all-flesh-killing might,
And thou that dost all creatures ouercome,
Shalt be atlast destroyed by heauens iust doome.

QVATORZAIN. 7

IF that the soule (as some supposed) might goe,
Out of one bodie to an others brest,
Would that meeke spirit which from him did flow,
In euery Lawyers heart were now imprest
His lifes integritie and zeale was such▪
He more esteemd of honestie then gold
Which many now a daies doe loue too much
For loue is oft with money bought and sold,
This rightly may be termde a golden age,
With gold is fame and reputation bought
Yet Salomon that was most wise and sage,
For wisedome praide, esteeming gold as nought,
Gold vnto drosse and flesh to dust must turne,
For this mans losse let the Eschequer mourne,
Aurea mun [...] verè sunt secula plurimus amor.
Venit horos, auro conciliatur amor▪

¶ In obitum Patrui sui colendissimi Mathei Eueni illustrissimi Baronis Scaccarij T. R. nepotis Naeuia, siue carmen funebre.

TRistia Melpomine lachrymarum fiumina funde,
Sit cum perpetuo iunctus amore dolor▪
Ille pater patriae pollens pietate, Patronus
Pauperis, & Plebis, per mala fata perit,
Spiritus ascendit splendentis culmen Olympi,
Diuitias coeli, quas cupie bat, habet.
Non rapuit fiscus, quod non vult Christus habere.
Non plus quam licuit conciliauit opes.
Ille mihi Patruus charus, patriae (que) patri (que),
Ergo suus deflet funera mesta nepos.
Dectus erat, facilis natura, mente be nignus,
Moribus humanus, deni (que) morte pius.
Lege Solon, grauitate Cato, sed Tullius ore,
Nestor consilijs, & pietate Plato.
Membra tegit tumulus, viuit post funera foelix,
Fama viget mundo, spiritus astracolit.
Purpureos spargam flores, opobalsama fundam,
Et plenis manibus lilia pulchra dabo.
His saltem exequijs & munere fungar inani,
His animam donis accumulare velim.
[Page]Non grates expecto tamen, nec proemia cure▪
Non hominum laudes: hoc pietatis opus.
Cogit amor patriae patriae lugere parentem
Defunctum, tantò debitus vrget honos.
O decus, O patriae nuper lux, at (que) columna
Natalis (que) soli gloria magna vale.
O longum venerande vale, vale, inquit Euene
Qui tuus est semper fidus amansque Nepos,
Sic viuam & moriar semper tibi certus amicus,
Musaque cum fatis est moritura tuis
Iurisconsultus, naturae iure peremptus
Nunc stabit aeterni Iudicis ante Thronum
Qui viuos homines diuino iudicet ore,
Iudex istius Iudicis almus erit.
Sic pia vita fuit, nunc ter (que) quater (que) beatae,
In rutilo viuit, nobilis vmbra Polo.
FINIS.

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