The Poetical Works of William Drummond of Hawthornden ::

No Wonder now if Mistes beclowde our Day,
Sith now our earth lakes her celestiall Ray;
And Pho̧bus murnes his preest, and all his quire,
In sables wrapt, weep out their sacred fire;
Far well of latin Muses greatest praise,
Whither thou red graue proses or did raise
Delight and wonder by a numbrous straine;
Fare well Quintilian once more dead againe;
With ancient Plautus, Martiall combined,
Maro and Tullie, here in one enshrined.
Bright Ray of learning which so cleare didst streame,
Fare well Soule which so many soules did frame.
Many Olympiades about shall come,
Ere Earth like thee another can entombe.

250

lix. D. O. M. S.

[_]

What was mortall of Thomas Dalyell of Binnes lyeth here. Hee was descended of the auncient race of the Ls. of Dalyell now deseruedlye aduanced to be Earles of Carnewath. His integritie and worth made him an vnremoued Justice of Peace, and ..... yeeres Sherife in the Countie of Linlythgow. Hee lefte, successoures of his vertues and fortunes, a Sonne renowned by the warres, and a Daughter marryed to William Drummond of Reckertown. After 69 yeeres pilgrimage heere on Earth, hee was remoued to the repose of Heauen, the 10 of Februarye 1642.

Justice Truth, Peace, and Hospitalitie,
Friendship and Loue, being resolued to dye
In these lewd Tymes haue chosen heere to haue
With just, true, pious, kynd Dalyell their Graue;
Hee Them cherish'd so long, so much did grace,
That they than this would choose no dearer place.

T. Filius manibus charissimi patris parentauit.

251

lx. Epitaph.

If Monumentes were lasting wee would raise
A fairer frame to thy desertes & praise;
But Auarice or Misdeuotiones Rage
These tumbling down, or brought to nought by age,
Twice making man to dye, This Marble beares
An Embleme of affection & our teares.

lxi. To the Memorie of the vertuous Gentlewoman Rachell Lindsay,

Daughter of Sir Hierosme Lyndsay, Principall King of Armes, and Wyfe to Lieutenant Colonell Barnad Lindsay, who dyed the .. day of May, the yeere 1645, after shee had liued .... yeeres.

The Daughter of a king, of princelye partes,
In Beautie eminent, in Vertues cheife,
Load-starre of loue, and load-stone of all Hartes,
Her freindes and Husbandes onlie Joy, now Griefe,
Enclosed lyes within this narrow Graue,
Whose Paragone no Tymes, no Climates haue.

Maritus mœrens posuit.

252

lxii. To the Memorie of ---

As nought for splendour can with sunne compare
For beautie, sweetnesse, modestie, ingyne,
So shee alone vnparagon'd did shyne,
And angelles did with her in graces share.

Though few heere were her dayes, a span her life,
Yet hath Shee long tyme liud, performing all
Those actiones which the oldest doe befall,
Pure, fruitfull, modest, Virgine, Mother, Wife.

For this (perhaps) the fates her dayes did close,
Her deeming old; perfection doth not last,
When courser thinges scarce course of tyme can waste;
Yeeres liues the worthlesse bramble, few dayes the Rose.

Vnhappye Autumne, Spoyler of the flowres,
Discheueler of Meades and fragrant plaines,
Now shall those Monethes which thy date containes,
No more from Heuens be nam'd, but Eyes salt showres.

253

lxiii. To the Memorie of the worthye ladye, the ladye Craigmillare.

This Marble needes no teares, let these be powr'd
For such whom Earths dull bowelles haue emboured
In chyld-head or in youth, and lefte to liue
By some sad chance fierce planetes did contriue.
Eight lustres, twice full reckened, did make Thee
All this lifes happinesse to know; and wee
Who saw thee in thy winter (as men flowres
Shrunke in their stemmes, or Iliums faire towres
Hidde in their rubbidge) could not but admire
The casket spoyled, the Jewell so intiere;
For neither judgment, memorye, nor sence
In thee was blasted, till all fled from hence
To thy great Maker; Earth vnto earth must,
Man in his best estate is but best Dust.
Now euen though buryed yet thow canst not dye,
But happye liust in thy faire progenie
To out-date Tyme, and neuer passe away.
Till Angelles raise thee from thy Bed of claye,
And blist againe with these heere loud thow meet,
Rest in fames Temple and this winding sheet:
Content thou liu'd heere, happye though not great,
And dyed with the kingdome and the state.

254

lxiv. D. O. M. S.

[_]

What was mortall of W. Ramsay lieth heere. Hee was the Sonne of John Ramsay, L. of Edington, Brother to the right honorable William, the first earle of Dalhousye, a linage of all vertues in peace and valour in warre, renowned by all tymes, and second to none; a youth ingenuous, of faire hopes, a mild sweet disposition, pleasant aspect, countenance; his Kinreds delight and joy, now their greatest displeasure and sorrow; hauing left this transitorye Stage of cares, when hee but scarce appeared vpon it, in his tender nonage.

So falles by Northern blast a Virgine rose,
At halfe that doth her bashfull bosome close;
So a sweet flowrish languishing decayes
That late did blush when kist by Phoebus rayes.
Though vntymelie cropp'd, leaue to bemoan his fate,
Hee dyed with our Monarchie and State.

His Mother out of that care and loue she caryed to him, to continue heere his memorie (some space) raised this Monument, Anno 1649, mense ...

Immortale decus superis.

University of Virginia Library

EPITAPHS.

lviii. To the Memorie of his much louing and beloued Master, M. F. R.