A LETTER OF M r. Casaubon. WITH A MEMORIAL OF M ris Elizabeth Martin, late deceased.

MICAH 7.8.

Reioyce not against mee, O mine Enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in Darkenesse, the LORD shall be a Light vnto me.

O te Beatum Cespitem tanto Hospite!
O cui invidere cuncta possint Marmora!

LONDON, Printed by NICHOLAS OXES for GEORGE NORTON. 1615.

ADMODVM REVEREND. ET ILLVSTRIBVS VIRIS, DN o. IOHANNI, EPISCOPO SODORENSI; DN o. CLEMENTI THROGMORTON DN o. IOHANNI REPINGTON Equitibus Auratis. DN is & Amicis Honorandis: L. M. Q. D. D. D.

To the Reader.

HAppening vpon this Letter of M r. CASAVBON [...], (writ (as may appeare) vpon Ex­traordinary Occasion) together with some Funerall Lines, which (in regard of the Subiect) were a Piaculum to smother; Quis Thrax defunctis, in Christo [...] neget? I here offer them to thy courteous view. It is Piety (saith Naz.) to publish the deceaseds Vertues; yea, it is a meanes to increase grace in our owne selues. Vale; & sanctas Vmbras, Ani­mam (que) planè diuinam, quâ par est Ʋeneratione, sequere.

I. M.

Eruditissimo & Magnae Spei Adolescenti, (*⁎*) Amico Singulari & Honorando.

BInas paucis diebus à te accepi: prio­res rei magnitudine quam narra­bant dederunt me in stuporem: nam certissimum Miraculum quae scribis conti­nent. Caeterum à Deóne sit [...] an [...] nostrum non est pronuntiare, illorum est qui rei gestaefuerunt aut testes aut testium fami­liares, qui (que) de eo quod accidit [...], pe­ritiam habent voluntatis diuinae circa mira­cula. Quare praestantissimis Theologis illu­stris Academiae vestrae hoc [...] relinquo tractandum: mihi volupe fuit cognoscere [...]: illi quaerant [...]. Quod si quid ab ali­quo eorum fuerit super ea re sane mirabili scriptum, magnam inieris à me gratiam si id mecum communicaueris. Ego Operi instituto Dei gratiâ finem his diebus imposui; iam (que) [Page] me habet cura illiberalis de conficiendis in­dicibus: quos confecit homo & doctus & bo­nus, sed ei negotio parum aptus: ita (que) magna pars illius operae in humeros meos recidit, prae­sertim quod ad Auctorum indicem qui vel il­lustrantur vel emendantur in hoc opere. Ha­bebunt mei inimici in quo exerceant: irrita­ui enim totam [...], eo quidem a­lacrius, quia confido non defuturos mihi in Anglia defensores aduersus illorum putidas calumnias. Iam vir insignis, Rector Pride­aux, eximio opusculo declarauit quodnam es­set doctorum in hoc regno de meis studijs iu­dicium. Ita (que) amorem, vestrum pluris facio quam omnes omnium [...]. Sed moror te. Hoc tantum addam, optare me scire quibus in studijs nunc sis, & quid porrò mediteris. Vale & me ama vir eruditissime, [...]. Londini. VI. Eid. Feb. incunte ante paucas horas Natali meo LVI. [...] qui vtinā quod praeterijt vitae meae, tegat; quod superest regat. [...].

The same Englished. To his Singular and Honored Friend, &c.

I Receiued lately two Letters from you: The first trans­form'd me wholy into Won­der: without doubt the thing you write of, is miraculous: But WHENCE, I cannot affirme. They may best coniecture, that were Eye-wit­nesses, or of their neerest acquaintance, & they that haue the Spirit of Discerning, &c. In which regard I leaue the discussing thereof to the Most Excellent Diuines of your Illustrious Vniuersity. The Know­ledge of it was pleasing to me; the Cause I referre to them, whose Iudgements on such an Admirable Euent, I should be ve­ry glad to heare. I haue at length (by Gods Helpe) ended my Work ( against BARO­NIVS) and am now busie in gathering the Index of Authors that are Illustrated or Corrected. I haue stirred a whole Hor­nets-nest of Aduersaries; the more con­fidently, [Page] in that I doubt not but some in England wil defend my Name from their base and vnsavory Calumnies. M r. Do­ctor Prideaux hath lately shew'd in an Ex­cellent Worke, what the Learned of this Kingdome iudge of my Labours. Your Loue is of more force with me, then all the Spirits of Detraction. I desire to heare further from you, &c.

LONDON, the VI. of the Ides of Fe­bruary: the 56 t yeare of my Age, by the Grace of my Mercifull God, whom I be­seech to couer what is past, and gouerne what is to come.

  • Iacobus Martynus.
  • [...].
  • Casauboni Myrtus.
ISAACVS MARTINVS, GERMANVS, fecit.

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL AND WOR­THY, MY MOST ENDEA­RED AND EVER HONO­RED MOTHER-IN-LAW, MISTRESSE MARY GREY;

I CONSECRATE THIS, DEVOTE MY SELFE, WISH ALL THE COMFORTS AND BLESSINGS OF THIS LIFE, AND A CROVVNE OF GLORY IN THE NEXT.

D. O. M. S. LECTISS ae. FAEMJ­NAE. CONJƲGI. SEMPER. COLENDAE. ET. VSQVE. ET. VS­QVE. DEFLENDAE.

DN ae. Elisabethae. Martinae. SVFFOLCIENSI. SINGVLARI. SEXVS. SVI. ORNAMENTO. E. NO­BILI. GRAIORVM. PROSA­PIA. ORIVNDAE. AETER­NAE. BEATITVDINIS. CANDIDATAE. CVIVS. COR­PVS. GLORIOSAE. RESVRRECTIO­NIS. EXPECTATIONE. HIC QVIESCIT.

I. M.

MARITVS. MOESTISSIMVS. HOC. PIETATIS. SVAE. QVALECVNQVE. SYMBOLVM. L. M. Q. P.

Pijssimè in Christo obdormiuit (ex Occulta Tabe) A o MDCXIV Decembris 7. Climax vita fam. senarijs desvnt. aetat. 24. Vitae Climacterico. [...].

On the Decease of my Incom­parable Sister, Mistresse ELIZABETH MARTIN.

TO the deare Memory of the most Deare,
I set apart this Inke, more sad then Teares:
These are the Cypresse-branches that I beare,
The mourning Habit that my sad Soule weares:
This the Impresa that my Sorrow beares:
If This, not feelingly define my Smart,
'Tis not defect of Woe, but want of Skilfull Art.
Within the Center of my Troubled Soule,
A Monument vnto thy Name I'le build,
And there with Teare-fil'd Characters inroule
Those Bright Perfections that thy Life did guild;
The Grace-full Good that all thy Actions fil'd.
There shall my Loue thy sad Losse memorize,
When all the World shal cease to mind thy Obsequies.
Then deigne to take of the Obscurest Hand
These well-deserued Attributes of praise;
I know thy Trophies not the higher stand
Because my Hand desir'd thy Name to raise:
Faire Angelized Soule, these humble Laies
And worthlesse Numbers giue thy Light no luster,
But shew those Shapeles Woes that in my Bosom muster.
MARY.

To her Soule-loued Sister, M ris E. M.

THough Marble, nor the Proudest Monument,
Can Splendor adde to thy Starre-crowned Fame,
That now triumph'st aboue the Firmament,
Where Glorious Lights all Mortall Sparkes out-flame:
Yet deigne (Sweet Saint) t'accept these lines of mine,
Which here I offer at thy Sacred Shrine:
EPITAPH.
VVHo living was Her Sexes ANADEM,
Heau'ns faire IDEA, Natures rarer GEM,
Needs not the Lustre of DIVINEST PRAISE,
Tho Golden Statues KINGS to Her should raise;
Since that Her Name is registred on hye,
In th'Happy ANNALS of ETERNITY.
ANNE GREY.

PARODIA.

SO downe the Siluer Streames of ERIDAN,
On either side bank't with a Lilly-wall,
Whiter then both, rides the Triumphant Swan,
And sings his Dirge, and prophesies his Fall,
Diving into his watry Funerall;
As SHE (whose Gold-beam'd fame shall neuer date)
Fore-warn'd in sleepe, did prae-diuine her Fate.
So fairest Phosphor the bright Morning-starre,
But newly wash't in the Greene Element,
Before the drowzie Night is halfe aware,
Shooting his flaming Lockes with dew besptent,
Springs liuely vp into the ORIENT;
As Globes of Winged Angels, swift as Thought,
ELIZA's Soule to her deare SAVIOVR brought,
Why spend we Teares (that never can be spent)
On her that VALE of TEARES no more shall see?
Why send we Sighes (that never can be sent)
To her that dy'd to liue, and would not be,
To be there where she would? here bury we
This Heau'nly Earth; O let it softly sleepe:
"Let's not for Her, but for our owne Sinnes weepe.
Had I a voyce of Steele to tune my Song,
Were euery verse as smoothly fil'd as Glasse,
And euery Member turned to a Tongue,
And euery Tongue were made of sounding Brasse,
Yet all that Skill, and all that Strength, alas,
Should it presume to guild, were misadviz'd,
The Place, where now she reignes Imparadiz'd.
Impotent Words, weake Sides, that striue in vaine,
In vaine, t'emblazon that so heauenly Sight,
So Heau'nly Sight, as none can greater feigne,
Feigne what he can, that seemes of greatest Might,
Might any yet compare with Infinite?
Infinite sure those Ioyes, my words but light;
Light is the Palace where she dwelles. O Blessed Wight!
‘ Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord.’
PENELOPE GREY.

TO THE SOVLE.

PErfections faire Idea, that art crown'd
With more rich Attributes of Excellence,
Than all the Wonders of this spacious Round;
Of more Regard, of Higher Consequence;
Aboue them all thou hast Preheminence,
In thy most pow'rfull Makers armes embrac'd,
And with his owne Endowments amply grac'd.
Iust, Holy, Righteous, Innocent and Wise:
Such is the Soule, Iehouahs sole belou'd;
These are the Lusters of her Sphaery Eyes
That her to him vnparallel'd approu'd.
Angels, at this amazed, stand vnmou'd
To see the Glories that do her indow,
As Heau'n it selfe to abiect Earth should bow.
Then banish hatefull Passion vnto Hell,
That vailes with Cupids Scarfe the clearest sight,
And doth True Iudgement from his Throne expell,
Circling with shades Heau'ns loue-deseruing Light,
Making Obscurity then Day more bright.
Disdaine this seruile Yoke of base Subiection,
For drossie Earth deserues not thy Affection.
Heau'ns brightest Abstract, canst thou condiscend
These mundane vanities to meditate?
Why dost thou not thy best Devotions bend
Thy Mighty Makers Power to contemplate?
To Him, thy Loue and Seruice consecrate,
Whose euer-gratefull Truth knowes no Defect,
But giues for Loue a more than deare Respect.
Mary. q. G.

*⁎* ⁂

THe Church doth not solemnize the Birth of Saints; it makes the day of their Death a Festiuall: Diem Fatalem, Natalem; which is another kinde of Birth then the first; there being no more pro­portion betwixt the World out of which they goe, and Heauen whereinto they enter, then there is betwixt the Wombe out of which they goe, and the World whereinto they enter. Wee must drinke Thu Cup IOYFVLLY when God presents it. Christ himselfe, his blessed Virgin-Mother, all the Saints in Heauen haue begun to vs. Christians, that haue a firme hope (in Christ) of Eternall Life, should not bee skared with a Temporall Death. 1. Thess. 5.9.10. God hath not appointed vs to wrath: but to obtaine saluation by our Lord Iesus Christ, who died for vs, that whether wee Wake or Sleepe, wee should liue together with Him.

FINIS.

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