To his ingenious Friend, C. I. S.
HAMPDEN, thou canst not live in Jet so long
As in this
Threnothriambentique Song,
The Surgeons spice cannot perfume thy Herse
So well as doth thy Souldiers fragrant verse:
That's thy immortall balme, by that thy name
Will last, and he eterniz'd by thy fame.
I. H.
To the Author, my fellow Souldier.
HAmpden still lives (deare friend) in spight of death,
Thy gratefull Muse hath given him second breath:
And though thy willing stock cannot erect
A brazen Statue (answ ring the respect
He hath deserved) to his worthy fame;
Yet hath thy verse eternized his name.
R. M.
To his worthy friend Captain I. S. on his Elegie.
TIs unresolv'd, though questioned of old
Whether
Achilles, or his
Homer hold
The more of Fame: and tis as hard of proofe
Whether this pious Builder, or his stuffe
More earne a moderne thanks: both I confesse
A part, yet no comparing makes them lesse.
Hampden is rais'd; nor can the Muse fall downe
That mounts along with his immortall Crowne.
I. G.
To the deare and pretious Memory of that accomplish'd Gentleman, Colonell Hampden.
THough my malicious fate debar'd my will
From waiting on your vnlour, when the shrill
And hasty Trumpet bade your Honour goe,
With disadvantage, 'gainst the subtill foe;
When treachery and oddes, crown'd with successe,
Did triumph over our unhappinesse:
Yet give me leave (Renowned dust) to send
My gratefull Muse in mourning to attend,
And strew some Cypresse on, your Martiall Herse;
There her milde griefe, in elegiake verse,
Shall
[...]ell the stupid Age 't hath lost, in thee,
More worth than e're can be repair'd in three:
That when the wilfull blinded of the Land
They're much-concerning-losse shall understand
They may reclaime their folly, and with me
Justly-deplore thy sad Catastrophe.
No doubt Detraction, and those twinn'd Adherents,
E
[...]vie and
Faction, her best-worst-Vicegerents,
Predominate o're ill-affected-spirits
Whereby to cloud mens most
[...]pparent merits,
And we have found their working, but I dare
The many-headed-Monster to repaire
And view thy worths true Charracter, that when
Shee swels at thy deserving, shee may then
B
[...]rst with her ventlesse-venome, so maintaine
Thy vertue 'gainst all scandall soveraigne.
Was he not pious, valiant, wise, and just,
Loyall and temp'rate? ev'ry thing that must
Make up a perfect harmony? yee know
His constant actions have declar'd him so.
That he was pious, his firme zeale of heav'n
Hath to the world cleare testimony giv'n,
For if Religion had not been the ground
Of this great quarrell, his sheath'd sword had found
No way to opposition; but since that
Arm'd Popery hath proudly levell'd at
The Churches ruine, then bold
Hambden, none
More bravely active, or more forward knowne
In its resolv'd defence: he only can
Prove the stout Souldier that's a righteous man;
So was he truly valiant. I have seene
Him in the Front of's Regiment-in-greene,
When Death about him, did in ambush lye,
And whizzing shot, like shewres of arrowes flye,
Waving his conqu'ring steele, as if that he
From
Mars had got the sole Monopolie
Of never-fayling Courage; and so cheare
His fighting men, that they still chased feare
(Through his example) to the enemy,
And bring them off with joyfull victory.
His wisdome and his justnesse did appear
[...]
Inseparable, in that fatall yeare
Of our begun distempers, when he might
(Fondly as others) have past o're the right
Of the free subject to an unknowne law;
But his well-read experience kept in awe
The brib'd Maintainers of that impos'd rate
And freed his Countrey from its grievous weight.
He might, since civill discord did breake out
To open warre, have poorely fac'd about
According to base presidents, but that
His firmer faith did much abominate
Such temporizing instability.
No (Noble soule!) his purer thoughts were free
From all corruption: had he valew'd friends,
A faire estate, or selfe-propounded ends,
Ayrie preferment, or ought else, above
A quiet conscience, and his Nations love,
[...] had not beene strange't have fallen from the trust
Repos'd in him: but he was wise and just;
And rather chose, by Death, to testifie
His faithfulnesse, then live with infamy.
Wonder of honour! yet his temperance
And loyalty joyn'd to the rest, advance
His worthy commendation; for when force
Rashly did run five Members to divorce
From the States Body Politick, did he
Staine, with loose passion, his staid gravity,
Oppose, or raile at his impeache
[...]s? no,
He, in humility, submitted to
Desired justice, for his innocence
Was proofe against their groundlesse violence.
And after that affront to priviledge,
When close contrivers, yet continue siedge
Against their loyalties, though he foresaw
Their aime was the subversion of the Law
And its supporters, yet did he intreat
His Majesty home to his Regall Seat
From that destructive Councell, that he might
Appeare more glorious in all Princes sight.
Such Patriots will prove his reall friends,
When Formallists shall perish with their ends.
What sayes Detraction now? Oh, are you dumbe?
Yet go and write, thus, on this Hero's Tombe,
Hampden
rests here approv'd in every thing
Vpright to Heaven, his Countrey, and his King.