TO IMMORTALIZE THE NOBLE MEMORIE OF THE right honourable young Lords IAMES and CHARLES Egerton, both Vicounts of Brackley, both onely Heires to the Earledome of Bridgwater, and both onely sonnes to that Noble Earle, by his gracious and Princely Ladie, Frances Countesse of Bridgwater, a fruitfull branch of the ancient house of Darbie, and Noble familie of the Spencers.
ABRAHAM DARCIE Consecrates these French and English verses to their Etermizing and worthy remembrance, wishing to the third Lord Vicount of Brackley now liuing, Nestors long and happie yeares, and all prosperitie to all that illustrious and religious Familie.
FAire beames of short continuance, yet most bright,
If your wisht luster, and desired light,
Hath had too sudden and vntimely end,
Such destiny doth on faire things attend.
A morning is the Roses chiefest prime,
And flower-de-luces dye in blooming time.
There's nothing that is permanent on earth,
The Sunne whose operation gaue you birth,
And did produce you in this worldly stage,
To be reformers of this vicious age.
That splendent lampe as time will proue it true,
Shal haue his setting, loose his light like you.
It is a lucky chance in stormes and wind,
If neare the shore we do an harbour find,
For since necessitie doth so ordaine,
That our fraile ship must perish in the maine,
It's best, when as such shipwrack soone betides,
Ere a sharpe rocke haue split her wodden sides.
Faire fires, when I your palled ashes see,
All I can do, is to blame destinie:
And to condemne the fatall vniust ire,
Which would not suffer me as I desire,
To pay vnto your life that seruice, I
Do now performe to your dead memorie.
Euen as the Salamanders do expire,
Taken a litle from the ardent fire,
And liue best in the greatest heate of flame,
So your rare Beauties, whose admired frame,
Drew nourishment from heau'n, here soone did die,
Being so farre remoued from the skie.
Either your molds shold haue bin lesse diuine
Or else your formes eternally should shine.
For the more pleasure that a worthie thing
Vnto the mind of any man doth bring,
When thereof one doth the fruition lose,
Griefe stronger is, and teares are more profuse.
BEaux Rayons plus clairs que durables,
Si vos lumiers desirables,
On eut leur fin en commencant,
C'est le Destin des belles choses.
Vn matin est l'aage des Roses,
Et les Lis meurent en naissant.
Icy long temps rien ne peut estre,
Le beau Soleil qui vous feit naistre,
Duquel en siecle si meschant,
L'Orient vous fut necessaire.
Subiect à la reigle ordinaire,
Comme vous aura son couchant.
Cest beaucoup d'heur quand il arriue,
Qu'on trouue le port dés la riue:
Car puis qu'aussy bien le vaisseau:
Doit perir, cest nostre aduantage,
S'il aduient qu'il face naufrage,
Auant qu'il face encore l'Eau.
Beaux Feux en voyant vostre cendre,
Ce que ie puis c'est de reprendre,
La Rigueur inuiste du sort,
Qui n'a permis à mon enuie,
Que ie fisse pour vostre vie,
Ce que ie fay pour vostre mort.
Comme les Salamandres meurent,
Quand vn moment elle demeurent
Hors du feu, qui les fait durer,
Voz Beautez de qui la Nature
Du ciel auoit sa nourriture,
Hors du ciel n'ont peu demeurer.
Mais vous deuiez naistre moins belles,
Ou vous deuiez naistre immortelles:
Car tant plus qu'vnbien est plaisant,
Et qu'il donne plus d'esperance,
Quand on en perd la iouissance,
Le regret en est plus cuisant.
The Lord IAMES was borne at Yorke house the day of Anno and was christned there, King Iames one of his Godfathers, and at the age of foure yeares three dayes he returned to heauen parting from this world at Bridgwater house the day of Anno
The Lord Charles was borne in Bridgwaters house the day of Anno and was christned there, Prince Charles being one of his Godfathers, and at two yeares of age contemning [...]he world, he followed his brother, and died at Bridgwater house the day of 1623.