IT was a heavy case, when the dead bodies of Gods Servants were given for meat to the Foules of the air, and the flesh of his Saints to the beasts of the field; when their blood was shed like water on every side of Hierusalem, and [Page 2] there was no man to bury them. If this (as yet) be not our case, who thereby must not think them greater sinners then our selves, it is Gods doing in the midst of judgement to remem­ber mercy, and it is marvellous in our eyes, for these wretched times have already seen many holes, no graves, many graves, and no burials, but thanks be to God, and praise thou the Lord O my Soul, and all that is within me praise his holy name, as for all other blessings, so in par­ticular for this publick and pious meeting in that wee are now come to the last period of a sad and solemn Funerall long since begun, and ever since not more expected by any, then desired by those whom it most concerns And now least any here present should mistake the meaning of this solemnity, or report it for a dumb shew, give me leave to ask them in our Saviours language, What went yee out to see? Tor­ches, Mourners, Escotcheons, the Hearse, the Grave; all these are but silent expressions of his condition and mortality, to whom such Ob­sequies, justa funerum, do of right belong.

But since by his death and this imployment. I may say (with Iob,) My Harp also is turned into [Page 3] mourning, and my Organ into the voice of them that weep: suffer me a little from a troubled foun­tain, renovare dolerem, to pour a few tears upon his dry bones; though I cannot revive, yet I may bewaile his worth,—his worth, who dying amongst the schooles of the Prophets above nine years since, and being there imbalmed with sweet Odours, and all this while preserved in a Colledge Chappell, the very place of his former educati­on, & that under such state as became a Person of his quality, is thus brought hither to his resting place, his long home, the antient Se­pulchre of his Fathers.

Where now you may behold a Sceleton, a glimpse of that body, which (being alive) was the Cabinet of a religions soule, a deep under­standing, a sound judgement, a noble mind, a high & commanding spirit. Hence he became wise in his designs, obedient in his principles, just in his actions, valiant in his resolutions, and temporate in his whole life and conversation; which (being adorned with comlinesse of per­son and behaviour, with affability of carriage and a courtly presence,) made him a compani­on for Princes at their pastimes, for Magistrates [Page 4] at their Benches, for armed men at their wea­pons, for learned men at their books, for holy men at their prayers and devotions.

These were the vertues of a son, whose father dyed in his childhood.

These were the vertues of a child, brought up by his mother in her widowhood

These were the vertues of a young man, the only son, the only child of his Parents.

These were the vertues of one, who by anti­ent worth and descent was a Champion.

And these be the vertues of a Champion, who by his place & title had no equall, no sha­rer, not one like him in the whole Kingdom: Nay, the hazard is too great, there will never be the like again.

The subject was such without all question, the vertues may be questioned unlesse they be further justified.

And yet we may behold thē bred (as it were) in the bone, nursed up in the Cradle, and flou­rishing in his youth, such as (no doubt) had brought forth abundance of fruit in due season, had his strength of body, and the command of his fortunes, been answerable to the courage [Page 5] and magnificence of his spirit; Nay, all these ver­tues (though springing like himself to a great height) were yet enlightned, not consumed, by the flames of these times, these unhappy times made them more beautifull and exemplary, in that he was not carried away with every wind of doctrine, but upon mature deliberation, and consultation too, setled in the ways of truth and sobernesse, so that in the midst of these divisions & distractions, I do not wonder to see him dye as he lived, not by the sharpnesse of the sword, but subject to infirmity and sicknesse, a christall vessell soon broken by divine providence; Nay I consider it (with others of like merit, vessels of honour) taken away from the evill to come, as being fitter for the glory of a new Hierusalem, which is at unity in it self.

Only (methinks) this rich Cabinet of flesh and bloud wanted an exchange to set it forth, (I mean) an exchange of like nature & quality, a conjugall society, that so a living representati­on of it self might have commended it, from generation to generation.

For my part I labour not to advance his worth, beyond the reach of envy: as being him­self [Page 6] more vertuous then to escape it.

Nor will I say, but amongst so many Flowers of note, there might be now and then some spotted leaves, to obscure a little the lustre and brightnesse of his proceedings; He may well die without a friend, who lives without a fault.

Only I cannot say, God speed the plough, which ploughed upon his back, and made long furrows, as though he also were earthly min­ded, and (there by) stood in need (like his land) to be tilled himself, and turned upside down; whence perhaps it came to passe, that whilst some thought him not so careles of his fortunes, as their craft could wish: others thought him not so open handed, as his condition, or their necessities required; and so the report stuck close to him, (of sticking close to himself) a report which some others made too common by their credulity, thus tearing in peeces that reputation, which they could neither write nor read: But if we may judg by way of comparison, & every one set forth in their proper colours, the ploughers (no question) had not then so much mistook their soile, as (now I presume) they did, for, ex melioriluto, experience found, he was [Page 7] not a greater Heir of land, then discretion how to use it, had he but lived to see (by the faithfull­nesse of his servants) as much experience of the one, as of the other.

The truth is, his predecessors freedom be­came afterwards a heavy burthen upon his shoulders, which (together with other mens harms, and a wise example) made him seem a little partatueri, willing to know his own e­state, and by knowing to preserve it, answera­ble to that wisdom of Solomon, Be diligent to know the state of thy Flocks: and might not this be well done for example sake, the better to shew him­self carefull, and to make others the more in­dustrious, for how can a man think to find his kindnesse worthily accepted, or his friend suffi­ciently thankful, who knows not himself what he gives or grants?

Sure I am this body wanted not (as many doe) a free and bountifull hand, when either the honour of his reputation, his love of learning, or his patronage required it. Instances of this nature might once have been drawn from the breath of our Nostrils to the soles of his Feet, (being like that pretious oyntment, which from [Page 8] the top of Aarons head, ran down to the skirts of his clothing) but now the poore mans box, and the legacies which he gave his servants, are the best witnesses, together with his care & readines not to pull down but repaire Churches, this by name, as being the place designed by himself, for a more lasting monument of his predeces­sors being, his own well-being, and devotion.

Here (methinks) before I go hence, I could willingly call to your remembrance, the riches of his Library, the glory of his buildings, the orders of his family, and the provisions of his house; were it not, that when the Qu. of Sheba came, and saw the wisdom of Solomon and his building, the neat at his table, the sitting of his servants, the attendants of his Ministers and their apparrell, tis said, there was no more spirit in her. So I fear a relation of this nature, though quali­fied with all respects of civility and discretion, would make some spirits droop or raise up o­thers beyond their due proportion.

But let it suffice, time was when I might have told you in the day time, he had the favor of his Prince, the loyalty of a subject, the prayrs of the Church, and the decent buriall of a good [Page 9] Christian; buriall did I say? yes, that's past already: a burial not daubed with untempered morter, but solemnly performed according to the pub­lick service of the Church of England, upon like occasion; from which form of divine service, we now only borrow this eccho, Earth to Earth, Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, and so we cover him with his own mould, the bowels of his Ancestors, a noble and renowned family.

Thus then in a word you may see and apply too, he who once was clothed in soft raiment, is now wrapped up in sheets of lead, and he who was so frequently brought up in Kings houses, and loved them too, is now ex congruo, lodged in one of Gods houses, the blessing of a goodly heritage, his own patrimony; where we leave him with this memoriall, worthy to be written in letters of gold, He died Champion to the King and Crown of England, and now (like his title) lyes in the dust expecting a speedy and glorious Resurrection, which that we may all obtaine, The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us, and let all the People say, Amen.