White-Hall. A Poem. VVritten 1642. WITH ELEGIES ON The Right Honourable FRANCIS Earl of BEDFORD. And HENRY Earle of Manchester, Lord Privy Seale: both deceased during this present Session of Parliament. WITH An Anniversarie on the timelesse death of M rs. Anne Kirk, wife to the truly Noble Geo. Kirk, Gentleman of the Robes and of his Majesties Bed Chamber, drowned unfortunately passing London Bridge, Iuly 6. 1641.
The Authour Hen. Glapthorne.
London, printed for Francis Constable, 1643.
To my noble Friend and Gossip, Captaine Richard Lovelace.
Sir,
I Have so long been in your debt, that I was almost desperate in my selfe of making you paiment, till this fancy by ravishing from you a new Curtesie in its patrondge, promisedme it would satisfie part of my former engagements to you. Wonder not to see it invade you thus on the sudden: Gratitude is aeriall, and like that Element▪ nimble in its motion and performance; though I would not have this of mine of a French disposition, to charge hotly and retreat unfortunately: there may appeare something in this, that may maintaine the field courageously against Envy, nay come off with honour; if you, Sir, please to rest satisfied, that it marches under your Ensignes, which are the desires of
Your true honourer Hen. Glapthorne.
White-Hall.
WHat Earthquake's this? that with such fury shakes
My lofty Turrets from their Base? and makes
My marble pillars totter, as they meant
To sink into the Centre? the event
Of these strange terrours certainly must be
Sad prefaces to th' book of misery,
Which now is opend in me; every page
Of which is able to affright the age
To heare it read, make Nature mourne and keep
My Obit, nay the worlds great Genius weep.
How vaine are humane glories? why, should men
Repine to meet a dissolution, when▪
Even in an instant, such vast frames as I,
Castles, and stateliest marble fabricks die?
Nay Monarchies, such as have seen (the light
Of the whole world) the Sun rise faire and bright,
And set within their limits, quickly, have
Had all their reatnesse shrowded in the grave
Of that sterne tyrant Destiny, who flings
His various stormes on Kingdomes, nay on Kings,
Who though they heavens immediate figures be,
Cannot evade this sad fatality:
[Page]When like loud thunder violent, or the North,
Its sudden tempest hideously breaks forth,
As't has on me, who have for many yeares
Out-shin'd the state and lustre of my Peeres.
Great Hampton Court, faire Greenwich, Richmond, and
The pleasant None-such; that I seem'd to stand
Equall with
Lo'uure, or that work of all
So much admir'd, Spaines costly Scuriall;
Who since that prince of Prelates,
Woolsey, laid
My firme foundations, have as Empresse swaid
O're all the Birtish pallaces, and beene
The constant Residence o'th'King and Queene,
That with their presence royall, did adorne
My well-built Fabrick: As continued Morne
Had dwelt about my cheeks, whose every ray
Appeard sufficient to creat new day
Forth of the Chaos; As if t'had begunne
Here to doe Homage to the Easterne Sunne,
Which never more shall red with blushes rise,
To see himselfe out-shin'd by th'orient Eyes,
Of those pure Constellations: that still went
About me, made me seeme a firmament
Of moving starres: and unexampled I
Was held the seat where Earths best Diety
Ioy'd to reside. As I had beene the summe
Of pleasure, the worlds sole Elisium.
Then were the times, when in my infant pride,
Great
Henry (who my buildings dignified
First with that supreme honour) did resort
Hither, entituling me his Soveraigne Court.
When he his conquering Ensignes did advance,
Over the bowels of insulting France:
[Page]When
Turwis trembled at his fierce Alarmes,
Where
Maximilian his Emperiall Armes,
The Roman Eagles bravely did display
Without dishonour, taking Englands pay.
When conquered
Tournay sent his spoiles to adorne
My walls for such Illustrious trophees borne.
Then who like me was happy when that King
To me did all his mighty triumphs bring.
That Honours owne brow could not beast more Bayes,
More wreathes of Palme, then in those happy dayes
Grew to my temples: And when silken peace
Had ty'd wars surly rage up; what encrease
Of blessings flow'd about me then? as Thames
In its curl'd waves, had swallowed the foure names
Of those sweet Rivers that did once surround
Eden, and I had beene that happy ground
Pregnant with Aromatick Balme and spice,
The first created, long lost Paradise.
Then did the worthies of that famous Age,
Make me the constant, the continued stage
Where they did act their Revels, Mirth, and Sport,
Being the harmlesse Genii of the Court:
When tilts and turnaments did to the life
Imitate without blood-shed, wars, hot strife.
Then gentle Love did all his Cupids arme,
To wound the Ladies (such wounds cause no harme)
And struck the stubborne and more marble hearts
Oth'gallant Heroes with his flaming Darts.
And when that King had ran his mortall race,
The thronging stars striving to make him place
Among their weaker fires: his hopesull sonne
Edward (whose vertues all affections wonne)
[Page]That little Eye of Nature, the Delight
Oth'Kingdome, by his bloods undoubred right,
Weilding this Scepter, did confirme to me
The former Charter of my Soveraignty.
So did his Sister
Mary, though her raigne,
(Cause fraught with trouble) scarcely did maintaine
Me in my wonted ornaments, when she,
Who was the very soule of Majesty,
That virgin Queene, whose unexampled glory,
Gives truth to same, and miracle to story;
In whose pure frame, as in their sphears were set
The starres of
Tudor and
P
[...]ntaginet.
Eliza. rul'd, then I began to weare
A dresse of Excellence, more rich, more cleare,
And full of wonder, then Fames bounty coud
Ere clothe her brazen pillars in. I stood
The envy of all Nations; then in me
All blessings striv'd to make an unity.
Then from the whole world, I did tribute take
Brought into me by that great Neptune,
Drake,
Who furrow'd up the threatning Oceans face,
(And swift as billows doe each other chace)
Pursu'd the steps of honours through the maine,
Rifling the treasures of scarce known
New Spain:
Whose Mines and Townes he ransackt, and ran on
(Big with a noble brave Ambition)
Through all opposing dangers, till he
[...]rl'd,
As twere a girdle 'bout the spacious world.
Then did I groan under the unvalued weight
Of spoils cast on me in that Eighty Eight;
When that same huge Armado did invade
The British Seas with terrour, and displayd
[Page](In forme of a vast Crescent on the flood)
Itselfe as if t'had beene a tall growne wood:
Till our small Navy did it selfe advance,
(Resolv'd to stand the utmost storme of chance)
Against that monstrous Fleet, that even defide
Heaven in its infinite ambitious pride,
And boldly led on by that sonne of
[...]ame,
Our valiant Admirall, noble
Nottingham,
Gave them fierce battell; then in fire did flie
Like thunderbolts in lightning from the skie
The deathfull bullets, splitting with their stroak,
The knotty ribs of their tough Biscaine Oak:
Cracking their Masts, and with their sulphurous breath
Giving their Ships fresh wounds to let in death:
Which as they sunk cast forth a purple flood,
And drownd in water, drownd the waves with blood.
The waves that by th'forc'd motion wrought so high,
As they had meant to hang teares ith' Suns hot Eye,
Who in a maze obscur'd his golden light,
While clouds of smoak transformd the day to night.
The affrighted Mirmaids flockt in sholes to see
That dissolution of Mortality.
And as it were in pitty did instead
Of their false Charms, chant requiems to the dead.
The seas blew Sexton,
Triton, making graves,
Did work so hard he sweat amidst the waves:
And
Proteus now a constant visage weares
Of sorrow, shedding pearles in stead of teares.
Then what was rich and precious in that Fleet,
With it the joyfull Conquerours did greet
Me at their home returne from these brave broyles,
As I had beene the temple where the spoyles
[Page]Of that renouned sea fight ought to be
Hung up as Trophees to white victory:
Nor were all these all triumphs that did fall,
During this reigne, on me (then blest White-Hall)
A thousand ornaments my rooms did gaine,
Fetcht from the richest Cities of proud
Spaine.
When that same joy of manhood whom his fare
Did afterwards render unfortunate,
Illustrious
Essex with auspicious sailes,
Set forth to th'conquest of Hereculean
Cales.
Where great
Alcides fixt his pillars, and
Writ
Non plus ultra to the then knowne Land:
That City glorying in the Indian ore
As low as earth humbled her head before
That conquering Earle, while her tall towers and spires
Burnt (as 'twere Martyrs) in those hideous fires
Themselves made for themselves, till their huge frames
Consum'd to ashes in their owne bright flames.
Then did I flourish, then my spacious rooms
Were hung with Arras, nay with Persian looms.
Then did my walls drest in rich colours vie▪
With Roman Pallaces for Imag'ry:
Mosaick paintings (though I'm now forlorne)
Did then my costly gilded roofs adorne.
Statues of Parian Marble such as might
The amorous Pigmalion invite
To laugh at his dull workmanship, did grace
My walks and gardens: then in every place
The wheat crownd Ceres (with her head unshorne)
Freely advanc'd her plenty bearing horne:
The most delicious viands in full state
Serv'd to my tables in huge antick Plate:
[Page]While plumpe
Lyaens with green lvie crownd,
Danc'd up to th' eyes in precious wine, a round
Through my large Lobbies: then those sons of chine
And pith, the Guard carowsd black Iacks of wine
In stead of single beare; then did they eat
Wi
[...]hout controule that emperor of meat,
The lusty chine of Beefe; while I did seeme
With magazines of plenty still to teeme
Without least feare of barrannesse: the spring
To me her beauties did as offrings bring,
The glorious summer and rich Autumne paid,
Their blessings as my tribute: while this maid
Was my imperiall mistrisse winter's breath,
Had not the force to freeze my youth to death:
Which then like the Arabian yeere was seen,
With gorgeous face still flourishing and green.
No civill broile or forraigne feare did fright
Me from my daily practise of delight;
Iustice was then return'd agen to earth,
Those blissefull times gave no sinister birth
To fowle oppressions; then within my frame
Nere had been heard that so detested name
Of a Monopoly; nor by Patent made
Lawfull, were iniuries to every trade;
But each one then did under his own vine,
Eat his bread freely and carouse his wine;
Which knew no Medium, then 'twixt those extreams
Of white and claret; then the common theams,
Of the glad people were full of joy and praise,
Of those superlatively happy dayes.
There were no clamors heard within my gates,
Of men iniustly rob'd of there estates.
[Page]By powerfull Favourites: no faction then
Reignd, lesse an emulation amongst men
Who should doe worthiest things. As in a hive
The Bees small pallace, where each one does strive
Which shall most honey to the store-house bring,
Defllouring those chaste virgins of the spring
The azure violets, that hang downe their heads,
While they suck all their sweetnesse from their beds:
With which their thighes fulfil'd, they nimbly flie
(Carrying that victim of their industry)
Into the common dwelling, where they sing
Triumphant peans to their ayrey King:
So'twas in me, each striv'd who should excell
Others in acting the States businesse well,
Who could most frequent by th'worlds eye be seen
Ready in service to that virgin Queene.
No tumults then, attempted were by th'rude
And many-headed beast, the Multitude:
(To whom the present times seeme ever worst,
Praising the past they never knew) they durst
Not then in mutinous troops have past by me,
As if they meant to fright bright Majesty
Out of my bosome; then there was no strife
Ith' Common wealth about religion rife.
But all was peace and justice, which then grew
Together like the Gemini. I knew
No gawdy fashions then from giddy
France
Brought hither since to be the Courts mischance,
Sick of that sorraigne pride, whose various dresse
Has ushered in effeminate wantonnesse.
The Lords then in their native habit went,
Which was as comely as magnificent.
[Page]The Ladies then their genuine beauties ware,
Ignorant of the imposture of false haire:
Nor did they their owne red and white attaint
With that foule treason against Nature, paint:
But each one striv'd with cunning art to finde
New wayes of vertue to adorne their mind.
Such was my fate, so temperate and just,
It ne'r knew riot, nor convers'd with lust.
Nor did my glories, when that virgins breath
Expiring seemd to bring the Island death,
End or diminish. A new starre brake forth,
As bright and quickning from the boisterous North,
Darting its cheerfull influence through my rooms,
Which did from mournfull solitary tombs
Resume their pirstine lustre: when great
Iames
Had past the Twede to view imperiall Thames,
Whose swans, in stead of their own dirgies sing
Triumphant welcomes to the long wishd King;
Whose each look was a starre, and every smile
The Sunne that quickned, with new life, this Isle.
This
Iames who the two Kindomes did unite,
As happy
Henry the red rose and white:
This
Iames the darling and delight of fate,
Borne for the
Solomon oth'British State.
This King of more then Kingdoms, all mens hearts;
Monarch of letters, Emperour of arts:
When he his happy peacefull reigne begunne,
What plenteous streames of joy and blisse did runne
Through all my veines! what a full throngd resort
Did beautifie each corner of my Court!
When armes, as uselesse, were hung up, no jarre
Was heard, no noise of home or forraigne warre.
[Page]The Muses then did florish, and upon
My pleasant mounts planted their Helicon.
Then that great wonder of the knowing age,
Whose very name merits the amplest page
In Fames faire book, admired
Iohnson stood
Up to the chin in the Pierian flood,
Quaffing crownd bowles of Nectar, with his bayes
Growing about his temples; chanting layes,
Such as were fit for such a sacred Eare
As his majest
[...]ck Misters was; to heare,
Whom he so oft pleasd with (those mighty tasks
Of wit and judgement) his well laboured Masks.
Then those two thunderbolts of lively wit,
Beamont and
Fletcher gloriously did sit
Ruling the Theater, and with their cleane
Conceptions beautifying the Comick Scene.
And noble
Donne (borne to more sacred use)
Exprest his heavenly raptures; As the juice
Of the Hyblean roses did distill
Through the Alembeck of his nectard quill.
Chapman-like
Homer in me often reads
His Odisses, and lofty Iliads.
That I did rather then appeare to be
The worlds best furnishd learnedst Academy,
Then the Kings pallace: who when fatall fire
In its malicious fury did conspire
To ruine part of my faire buildings; He
Great
Iames renewd with State and Majesty,
Like to himselfe, that goodly Fabrick, which
Is for materialls, as invention rich;
On polishd marble pillars, which shall stand
To speak his fame, white this renowned Land,
[Page]Free from the invasion of all forraigne harmes,
Is walld about with Oceans watry armes.
For which faire ornament I must bestow
My graitude on worthy
Inigo,
Whose skill in Fabrick did direct each part
Of that excelling srame with powerfull art.
Yet should I silent be, the very stones,
So quaintly laid, will speak the praise of
Iones.
But now the sands of his full glasse being run,
In the Imperiall chayre his royall Son
(Whom heaven protect, and with a prosperous reign
Grant to rule this faire Island, and maintaine
It in tranquillity and happy peace,
To Justice and Religions full encrease)
Brave
Charles succeeded. Then my joyes renewd,
As Eagles their old feathers being mewd.
I with his vigorous presence warmd, grew yong,
My witherd frame appearing farre more strong
Then at its first foundations; mirth and sports
Like fayries trippidg through my happy Courts.
When
Englands Charles the great in me was seene,
To give a gracious welcome to his Queene,
That flower of
France, her sexes fairest pride,
Maria Henrietta his deare Bride,
Who with a numerous progeny has blest
The british Kingdom; which in peace and rest
Was pregnant with felicity, untill
Like torrents falling from some lofty hill,
Or like some sudden strome out of a cloud,
Mischiefe came thundering from the North so loud,
As'twould have wakend death; thence thence did rise
Those teares which dwell in seas about mine eyes.
[Page]Then 'gan my stately world admired head
To shrink, when
Charles a puisant Army led
Into the field, with resolution hot,
To tame the daring valour of the Scot:
Who urgd (it seemd) by some Imagind wrong,
Their confidence being as their force was strong,
Came marching hitherwards: but yet white peace
By its all powerfull goodnesse causd to cease,
Those so lamented discords; and did bring
In safety to me, home my much lov'd King:
And as a Taper which ere it expires,
Collects together, its concluding fires;
As 'twere to light it selfe to death, displayes
Ere it extinguishes a sudden blase;
More flaming glorious then it's perfect shine
Could ere expand; so did those beames of mine
Break forth, exteading a gay sickly light,
And now's obvolv'd in an ere-lasting night:
Since
Charls his absence; as you've seen the ayre,
Which yesterday was so serene and faire:
Heavens fore-head wore no wrinkles; curle its brow
Into a thousand duskie furrows now:
So tis with me, who am enforc'd to shroud
My face, which yesterday contemnd the cloud:
That now obscures it; timorous to see
That which encreases still my misery.
Where are those beauties now from whose each eye,
Flew winged flames of love and majesty,
That trope of Ladies, who so oft did gild
My starely roomes with their own looks, which fild
All my Dimensions with rays pure and bright
As was in Paradise, the worlds first light?
[Page]Vanish'd like shadowes, they no more appeare,
The Sun being set; death now inhabits here,
And a continued dulnesse, now instead
Of those soft measures which so oft were led
Over my spacious floores there does intrude,
Its meager selfe, that nothing solitude:
In stead of Musick, such as by the Spheares,
And tunefull Orbs is breathd to inchant all Eares:
Vpon my Turrets nightly there does howle,
The most prodigious and portentous Owle:
Nothing but feare and terrour in me dwels,
Such as is resident in those dark cels,
Where nought but death raigns; what contagious sin
Of mine committed, 'gainst Great
Charls has bin
The cause of his long absence, I am sure
I'm in my innocence as cleare and pure,
As in my infancy: why then should he
Inflict upon me, this sad destiny?
Why should I languish like a faire young bride,
Thus desolate, being causelesly deni'd
The comfort of my spouse, who now in arms,
Exposd is to the dangerous alarms
Of a rude civill-warre, which if a prayer
Has power to qualifie; Ile fill the ayre
With Orisons, as zealous as my faith,
Wit, or religion; nay invention hath
Forc'd to produce: may these Domestick broyles,
Like morning dew dry up, without those spoyles,
Of Kingdomes fire, and bloodshed: May there be
'twixt King and Subiect such a Sympathy,
As'twixt the soule and body, as each part
By strickt relation beares to th'head and heart.
[Page]May the King love his Subiects, they obey
His iust behests, till his great Empires sway,
Be fixt and lasting in his name and blood,
While this faire Island over looks the flood.
Showres of continued blessings softly fall
Vpon him, that the wishes of White-Hall
May prove true and prophetick: who must mourn
In widdow'd sadnesse, till best
Charles return.
On the Death of the Right Honourable Francis Earle of Bedford.
ELIGIE.
WHat apparition's this? who is't that weares
About him wrapt a Christall shrowd of tears:
Who is't that in deaths mansion breathlesse lies
In stead of tapers, having griefe swolne eyes,
Stuck round about his Hearse, what an amase
Begot by griefe and wonder, here displayes
Sorrow in's blackest Ensignes; as if all
Mankind intomb'd were in this sunerall:
My admiration leaves me now each breath,
Sighes in sad accents, glorious Bedfords death.
The Iron Souldier that 'ith rage of warre
Nere wept, when all his body was one scarre:
Nor sigh'd at groanes of Infants, now does keep
His Obit, and, like a soft Virgin, weep:
[Page]The Courtier whom religion scarce would win,
Ere to diffuse a drop for his loose sin:
Now unconstrain'd part in this sorrow beares,
And weares no other Iewels, but his teares,
Wrapt in sad Cyprisse, misseltoe, and yewe:
Their Daphne layd aside the noble crue
Of Phebus Priests lament him; till their cries
Turne all to Epicedes and Elegies:
Nay in this sad distemper of the State,
When most mens sostnesse varies into hate,
All now contend in mourning to be chiefe,
And know no other passion but their griefe:
He whose Illustrious vertues with his blood
Ioynd, did intitle him both great and good:
Who with a modest sweetnesse striv'd to win
All mens affections, as if there had bin
In his pure essence multiplyed, every part
Of true nobility fixing in his heart;
Which seemed the spheare where honour did reside
Without the least formality or pride.
Not like those curious great ones, who create
Factions and strange distractions in the state,
Who by malignant Councels strive to bring,
Distempers on the Kingdom and the King:
Who though their violent Councels overwelm
The vessell strive to be advanc'd to th'helme.
Like the Suns daring off-spring, nere content
Till they've atchivd the Chariots government;
Which when their feeble sorces cannot guide
Like him they boast in great attempts to've di'de:
No he was wise, and from ambition cleane,
Esteemd the truest safety in the meane:
[Page]His actions being temperate and free
From crime, except too much humanity.
Who shall like Bedford now, instruct the age
Both by example, and the patronage
Of true religious piety, how to be
Fruitfull in works of publike charity:
Who with a noble and ambitious zeale,
To encrease the glory of the Common-weale;
Did those two works of wonder (which shall stand
To speak his fame in after times to th' land;)
Built Covent-Garden and (that spacions plaine.)
The Fens his cost and industry did gaine,
From the surrounding waters, where to show
What a devotion his Intents did owe
To heaven, (lest men its worship should neglect▪)
In each a Church his bounty did erect:
Such was his life,
In Covent-Garden, at Thorny Abby in the Isle of Ely.
it never did enforceThe great mans envie, or the meaners curse.
And now his essence by that mortall warre,
'gainst nature deaths translated to a starre:
His Name shall live, while never dying verse
Has power to hang fresh glories ore his hearse
Which shall ex
[...]oll and dignifie his Name
Among the Nobles Hero'es, which old Fame,
Has in its lasting Chronicles inrold,
In characters of rust contemning gold:
Till to perpetuat Bedfords merited glory,
He be his houses, nay this Nations story.
On the right Honourable Henry Earle of Manchester, Lord-Privie-Seale.
ELIGIE.
VVHat reverend ghost is this which to my view,
presents the shape of noble
Montague:
As if 'twould beckon me to's herse, to come
And sing his honoured Epicedium:
I doe obey thy summons, nay and boast
The glory cast on me by thee faire ghost.
Which I perceive now, to be truly he
Who living bore the stile and dignity
Of Earle of Manchester, and for the weale,
Oth' Kingdom sat long time Lord-Privie-Seale.
He who when living truths example stood,
To teach great men how to be great and good:
Nay to be wise and learnd to act each part,
Of their lives scene with vertue and with art,
Which he made vertues handmaid, and with skill
Manag'd his greatnesse without greatnesse ill:
Who is't that has not in the faire pursute,
Of honour read the name of
Montacute,
That boasts it selfe derivitive to be,
From those great ancient Earls of Salisbury,
That did our English glories so advance,
In all our Conquests over vanquishd France:
From whence this Earls descended, who did draw
Conscience with silken chaines to kisse the Law:
All whose great Offices to his lasting grace,
He passd exalted from Recorders place,
[Page]To be th' Kings Serjeant, who did then prefer
Him first chiefe Iustice, then Lord Treasurer;
And after by his gracious free consent,
Confirmd him of his Councell president.
Hence knowing his integrity and zeale
To Iustice, made him last Lord Privie-Seale.
Can he then fall unpitied, and not have
A thousand fluent eyes to wash his grave:
Those men must mourn him surely who did by
His Iudgements gaine long banishd equity;
As if divine Astrea at his birth,
Had flown on Turtles wings back to the earth;
Her own just precepts freely to impart
To him, and multiply them in his heart.
And now he is immortall; loe from far,
Me thinks I see the aged Manchester,
Shine a new starre in heaven, and with his bright
And gilt refl
[...]ction, beautifie the light;
Where he shall live for ever, and be read
Here is in his works of piety, though dead
His mortall frame be, yet his noble name
Shall live eternizd, by the tongue of fame,
And while th'world lasts, his
Al-Mondo shall
Stand canditate for honour, even with all
The works of learned Writers, and his prayes
Be by time's hand adornd with wreaths of bayes.
Thus vertue can secure men dead, and give
Life to their memories which shall ever live.
On the Noble, and much to be lamented, M rs Anne Kirk, wife to Mr Geo. Kirk, Gent, of the Robes and of his Majesties Bed-Chamber, who was unfortunately drowned passing London Bridge, Iuly 6. 1641. an Anniversary.
ELEGY I.
VVHat tumor's this, that on the tongue of same
Flies like a prodigy? as if it came
To fright the Genius of the world with feares,
Nay change its moving effence into teares:
Now, now irrivocably flees the sound
Her sexes pride; illustrions
Kirk is drownd.
See how bright troops of virgins, who from farre
Appeare, resembling every one a starre
Drownd in a sea of pearle, doe sadly rise
From her lov'd urne, each one without their eyes,
Wept out, or there left burning as they'd lent
Those lights for tepers to her monument.
See how the Matrons lay their tires aside,
And only in their sorrow take a pride,
Their sorrow which now beautifully weares,
In stead of diamonds, carcanets of teares.
Where shall we find a frame so fully grac't
With vertues in so rich a body plac't?
That it was truly held the unmatchd shrine
Of humane beautie
[...] mingled with divine:
As if the heavens and nature did agree,
In her to fix the greatest sympathy
Could be between them; what was faire and good,
Inclusive possibly in flesh and blood.
[Page]Who with her gentle 'haviour and deport,
Did gaine the love, not envie, of the Court.
And yet she fell untimely; like a rose,
Which in the morning sweetly does disclose
Its purple beauties, till the winds in love
Doe with their frequent boisterous kisses move
Its fragrant leaves so rudely, that ere night
They witherd fall; so she did, the delight
Of womanhood and vertue; in whose grave
Lie more then ere mortality shall have.
Agen to boast, whose glories shall (when all
Her sexes Legends unapochryphall
For truth and beauty) in fames book be writ,
As a large preface fix ith' front of it.
That when posterity reads the rape has bin
Acted by death on this bright Cherubin;
The virgins may her annuall Obit keep,
And big with noble emulation, weep
To understand their fexes richest store
Consum'd on her; Nature's become too poore
To frame her equall beauty, or display
Such art and wonder in succeeding clay.
And though this Ladie fell, the spoile of fate,
Who with too rigorous haste did antidate
Her day of destiny, nothing could be found
Cruell enough to give that desperate wound,
But the false waves, who as they meant to inshrine
Her (whom they took for sea borne Ericine)
In watry armes, officiously did skip
With fluent motion from each lip to lip,
Till being enamourd on her balmy breath,
(Cruell in love) they kist her even to death:
[Page]And viewing then no more life to remaine,
Like Crocodiles they wept ore her they'd slaine.
ELIGY II.
THe year's revolv'd, and now once more is come
The day in which she suffered martyrdome,
And 'gainst the usuall custome did expire
In water, holily as those the fire
Did sanctifie for heaven, who usd to take
Delight to runne to the flame-bearing stake.
Had she like them beene to've receivd her death,
Ere the weak fire by the winds pregnant breath
Could have beene blown into a flame, our eyes
Should have preuented tyrant deaths surprise,
And let fall such a huge contracted teare,
Able to quench fires element in its spheare
This was the day, when that same subtle thiefe
Fate stole earths comfort hence, and cast a griefe
Perpetuall as her virtues, ore the face
Oth mourn
[...]ull world, which can afford no place
For mirth or sport, till celebrated be
The annuall requiems to
Kirks memory:
Which grows more precious, like rich mighty wine
By being long kept; or reliques in a shrine
Preservd as sacred, which inviolate hold
The Charter of their fame though nere so old.
Wi
[...]h what a serious griefe doe men relate
Losses in their particular Estate;
The toyling husbandman will many years
After rehearse unto his rustick Peers
His past misfortue, when the Somers heat
Did blast his fruit, or mildews hop'd for wheat.
[Page]The greedy Merchant, if he doe sustaine
A losse by shipwrack in the
[...]lattering maine,
Sighes at its memory; which does still renew
His wealth then drownd to his vext fancies view.
And must wee not lament, are we not bound
Upon the day when glorious
Kirk was drownd▪
When natures sweetest fruit did blasted fall,
To solemnize with teares her funerall:
Yes to diffuse a deluge, that as shee
By water met her pitied destiny,
That element to expiate its black crime
May spend its moisture on her dust, till time
Dissolve; and we translated to the skies,
(Where teares are wip't away from all mens eyes,)
Exalted to her fellowship may be
Her blest companions ith' felicity
She with the Saints possesses; but till then
Her losse must be the griefe of all good men.
FINIS.