Aetatis Suae 48
AN ELEGY, Consecrated to the inestimable MEMORY of our late most Famous MONARCH, CHARLES the First, by the Grace of God, King of
England, Scotland, France, and
Ireland; who was Beheaded on
Tuesday, Jan. 30. 1648.
Together with the manifold Miseries and Calamities that since have lamentably afflicted these Three Nations, and the MEANS now left to procure a speedy, and a safe Redress.
WEep, ENGLAND, weep; help all to raise our Cry,
Here ENGLANDS Glory, and her Shame doth lye!
Who Innocent was to the Scaffold lead,
And low as Death stoop'd his Anointed Head:
Who did a willing Sacrifice become,
To expiate those procur'd his Martyrdome.
And by rude Hands being brought upon the Stage,
Lost his own Life to please the Peoples Rage:
So loud his Vertues do his Praises sing,
As if not onely he had been the King
Of
England, Scotland, Ireland, and of
France,
But King of Prudence, Justice, Temperance,
And noble Fortitude: and thus had more
Crowns, then all Kings of
Europe had before.
And though i'th Dayes of his Serener Reign,
We did not so much suffer, as complain:
Yet since his Death we feel the Times far rougher,
And still the more we plain, the more we suffer.
So much we suffer, we have seen of late
Religion run to Ruine with the State:
That Sleeves of Lawn may now in pity stand,
To wipe the Blood off from Religion's hand.
We Superstition fear'd, when all in haste,
Profaneness enter'd, and laid all things waste:
And Schisme of no Religion now admits
But what the Feaver of her Fancy fits.
Thou didst not dye alone, Great
CHARES, thy Fate,
Involv'd Three Kingdoms, and the Churches State;
That now without a Shepheard we do stray,
And are to every Wolf become a prey:
Nor is there Hope of any sound Redress,
(So desperate are all our Griefs) unless
Heav'n shall be pleas'd, our Shepheard being gone,
To send soon to us our dear Shepheards Son.
London, Printed by R. W. for R. G. 1660.