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The Poems of Thomas Pestell

Edited with an account of his life and work by Hannah Buchan

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1. Elegie on the noble Eliz: Countesse of Hunt
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1. Elegie on the noble Eliz: Countesse of Hunt

Vntimely muse what art thou tempring here
Regardlesse of thy weaknesse & my feare?
Darst thou resume a lustie conque'ring rage
Cross-wrinkled now both with contempt & age?
Alas thy Mercurie and subtile flame
Is fixt and quencht; & my sepulchred name
Appearing on hir venerable Herse
(Tho washt in tears, & wrapt in sheets of verse)
Wou'd hydeous seeme to all the race that came
From royall veynes of this Heroick Dame:
And him offend, whose bloud with hirs entwines
A double twist of two most princely lines.
Or if it not displease, it yet will showe
A vile attempt to lay hir name so lowe
To wind hir Glories vp hir Graces tie
In theise rough knotts of ragged poetry.
Call Godlike Sydney from Elizian shade
(So might a noble Epitaph be made)
Then let the gentle Beaumont rise, & he
Of whom all poëts hold in Capite
Black prince of witts, ye most illustrious Dunn
To make new Seas of praise that vpwards runn
Not like th'old Ocean in Earths durtie holes,
To thwart the Zodiak & new-belt the poles,
Wheron for Mermayds let bright Angells sing
To hir renowne some new trivmphant thing
Which Careys glad muse (for he still surviues
And holds a lease of glorie for 4 lifes)
In copie fair will soone deriue from thence
(For she with heaven holds Intelligence.)

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And Ioyning to the Quyre aboue hir voice
Make all good Soules in heauen & earth reioice
To which my heart (Hell cannot this confute)
Is consonant although my tongue be mute.