Poems On several Choice and Various Subjects Occasionally Composed By An Eminent Author. Collected and Published by Sergeant-Major P. F. [i.e. James Howell] |
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An Elegie upon EDWARD late Earl of Dorset, 1651.
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 | Poems On several Choice and Various Subjects |  |
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An Elegie upon EDWARD late Earl of Dorset, 1651.
Who died about the time of voting down the House of PEERS.
Lords
have been long declining, (we well know)
And making their last Testaments: but now
They are Defunct, They are extinguish'd All,
And never like to rise by this Lords fall.
And making their last Testaments: but now
They are Defunct, They are extinguish'd All,
And never like to rise by this Lords fall.
A Lord whose Intellectuals alone
Might make a House of Peers, and prop a Throne,
Had not so dire a Fate hung ore the Crown,
That Priviledge, Prerogative shold drown.
Might make a House of Peers, and prop a Throne,
Had not so dire a Fate hung ore the Crown,
That Priviledge, Prerogative shold drown.
Where ere he sate he sway'd, and Courts did awe,
Gave Bishops Gospel, and the Judges Law
With such exalted Reasons which did flow
So cleer and strong, that made Astræa bow
To his Opinion: for where He did side,
Advantag'd more then half the Bench beside.
Gave Bishops Gospel, and the Judges Law
With such exalted Reasons which did flow
So cleer and strong, that made Astræa bow
To his Opinion: for where He did side,
Advantag'd more then half the Bench beside.
But is great Sackvil dead? Do we him lack?
And will not all the Elements wear Black?
Whereof he was compos'd a perfect Man,
As ever Nature in one frame did span.
Such High-born thoughts, a Soul so large and free,
So clear a Judgement, and vast Memory;
So princely Hospitable, and brave mind,
We must not think in haste on earth to find,
Unless the Times wold turn to Gold agen,
And Nature get new strength in forming men.
And will not all the Elements wear Black?
Whereof he was compos'd a perfect Man,
As ever Nature in one frame did span.
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So clear a Judgement, and vast Memory;
So princely Hospitable, and brave mind,
We must not think in haste on earth to find,
Unless the Times wold turn to Gold agen,
And Nature get new strength in forming men.
His Person with it such a state did bring,
That made a Court as if he had been King.
No wonder, since He was so near a kin
To Norfolks Duke, and the great Maiden Queen,
He courage had enough by conquering One,
To have confounded that whole Nation:
Those parts which single do in some appear,
Were all concentred here in one bright Sphear:
For Brain, Toung, Spirit, Heart, and Personage,
To mould up such a Lord will ask an Age.
That made a Court as if he had been King.
No wonder, since He was so near a kin
To Norfolks Duke, and the great Maiden Queen,
He courage had enough by conquering One,
To have confounded that whole Nation:
Those parts which single do in some appear,
Were all concentred here in one bright Sphear:
For Brain, Toung, Spirit, Heart, and Personage,
To mould up such a Lord will ask an Age.
But how durst pale white-liverd Death seize on
So dauntless and heroick a Champion?
So dauntless and heroick a Champion?
Yes, To die once is that uncancell'd Debt
Which Nature claims, and raiseth by Eschet
On all Mankind by an old Statute past
Primo Adami, which will always last
Without Repeal; Nor can a second Lease
Be had of life, when the first term doth cease.
Which Nature claims, and raiseth by Eschet
On all Mankind by an old Statute past
Primo Adami, which will always last
Without Repeal; Nor can a second Lease
Be had of life, when the first term doth cease.
Mount, Noble Soul; among the Stars take place,
And make a new One of so bright a Race
May Jove out-shine, that Venus still may be
In a benign Conjunction with Thee,
To check that Planet which on Lords hath lowr'd,
And such malign Influxes lately pour'd.
Be now a Star thy self for those which here
Did on thy Crest and upper Robe appear:
For thy Director take the Star we read,
Which to thy Saviours Birth three Kings did lead.
And make a new One of so bright a Race
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In a benign Conjunction with Thee,
To check that Planet which on Lords hath lowr'd,
And such malign Influxes lately pour'd.
Be now a Star thy self for those which here
Did on thy Crest and upper Robe appear:
For thy Director take the Star we read,
Which to thy Saviours Birth three Kings did lead.
A Corollary.
Thus have I blubber'd out some Tears and VerseOn this Renowned Heroe and his Herse:
And could my Eyes have dropt down Perls upon 't
In lieu of Tears, God knows I would have don't:
But Tears are real, Pearls for their Emblems go,
The first are fitter to express my Wo.
Let this small Mite suffice, until I may
A larger tribut to his Ashes pay:
In the mean time this Epitaph shall shut,
And to my Elegy a period put.
Here
lies a Grandee, by Birth, Parts, and Mind,
Who hardly left his Parallel behind:
Here lies the Man of Men, who should have been
A King, An Emperour, had Fortune seen.
Who hardly left his Parallel behind:
Here lies the Man of Men, who should have been
A King, An Emperour, had Fortune seen.
Totus in Lachrymas solutus sic singultivit, J. H.
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