A sad and solemne Funerall of the right Honorable Sir Francis Knowles Knight, treasorer of the Queenes Maiesties houshold, one of her priuie councell, and knight of the most honorable order of the Garter. Written by Thomas Churchyard |
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 | A sad and solemne Funerall |  |
A sad and solemne Fvnerall, of the right Honorable sir FRANCIS KNOWLES knight, treasorer of the Queenes Maiesties houshold, one of hir priuie councell, and knight of the most honorable order of the Garter.
VVritten by Thomas Churchyard Esquier.
In the compasse of one yeere there died of the cleargy, of the wars, and honorable councellers, so many Byshops, Captaines, and Gouernours whose names follow heerafter. Bishop of London D. Fletcher. Bishop of Winchester. Bishop of Chichester D. Bycklie. Bishop of Chester D. Byllyt. D. Whittakers Master of S. Iohns in Cambridge. Captaines, Sir Martyn Frobishar. Sir Roger Williams. Sir T. Morgan. Sir Fr. Drake. Sir I. Hawkins. Sir N. Clifford..
The somers pride, shronke vp with showers of rain
The birds flue home, the sheepe to fold did run
Men tooke the house, and beasts forsooke the plain
Ech thing fled fast, from fearfull thunder crack
Doems day was come, yong baebs and maydens thoght
Gods threatning wrath, said all should go to wrack
None should be sau'd, saue those that Christ hath boght
When I stept vp, and peeping out apace
Hard rusull newes, and many a heauy cace.
In one yeers course, died many men of marke
Some of the Church, both learned wise and graue
Whose books may not, be buryd in the darke
Because their liues, a crowne of glory craue:
Some Mars his sons, whose saruice witnes beares
Their minds were great, and brought great things to pas
For whose great want, wise world may shed some teares
When need coms on, to trie good gold from glas
Some sat to iudge, like Senats in their seat
Now lyes full lowe, the losse of whom is great.
Some of the Church, both learned wise and graue
Whose books may not, be buryd in the darke
Because their liues, a crowne of glory craue:
Some Mars his sons, whose saruice witnes beares
Their minds were great, and brought great things to pas
For whose great want, wise world may shed some teares
When need coms on, to trie good gold from glas
Some sat to iudge, like Senats in their seat
Now lyes full lowe, the losse of whom is great.
If one yeers wrack, makes all these sorrowes ries,
As one sore plaeg, makes thousands waile and weepe
Then must we all, stand pleasd with angry skies
And kis the earth, wherein our Fathers sleepe
Three sorts of men, are quickly crept away
Like twinkling stars, that shoot from clouds in haest
Seemd fresh and faire, like flowrs loe heer to day
To morrow dead, woorth noght like weeds lies waest
Wisdom and woorth, that wold aspire and clyme
Are but a puffe, and bubble for a time.
As one sore plaeg, makes thousands waile and weepe
Then must we all, stand pleasd with angry skies
And kis the earth, wherein our Fathers sleepe
Three sorts of men, are quickly crept away
Like twinkling stars, that shoot from clouds in haest
Seemd fresh and faire, like flowrs loe heer to day
To morrow dead, woorth noght like weeds lies waest
Wisdom and woorth, that wold aspire and clyme
Are but a puffe, and bubble for a time.
But yet good knight, the lamp and torch of troeth
Sir Francis Knowles, I can not so forget
Thogh corse to church, and soule to heauen goeth
And body needs, must pay the earth his det
Good will of men, shall wait vpon thy toem
And Fame hir selfe, thy funerall shall make
And register, thy name till day of doem
In booke of life, for thy great vertues sake
Thy friends shall mourne, not with long clokes of black
But with sad looks, of doell behinde thy back.
Sir Francis Knowles, I can not so forget
Thogh corse to church, and soule to heauen goeth
And body needs, must pay the earth his det
Good will of men, shall wait vpon thy toem
And Fame hir selfe, thy funerall shall make
And register, thy name till day of doem
In booke of life, for thy great vertues sake
Thy friends shall mourne, not with long clokes of black
But with sad looks, of doell behinde thy back.
The Prince and court, shall mys thee many wayes
Thy honest life, shall lead vs all the dance
Thy faithfull men, whose fortune thou didst rayes
Shall daily bles, thy bones for their good chance
Thy sons shall learn, the fathers steps to tread
Thy kyn shall ioy, that they are of thy blood
The learned sort, in Cronikels shall read
Of thy great race, great things shall do them good
Thy neighbors now, in court, in feeld, and towne,
VVith trumpet shrill, shall sound thy true renowne.
Thy honest life, shall lead vs all the dance
Thy faithfull men, whose fortune thou didst rayes
Shall daily bles, thy bones for their good chance
Thy sons shall learn, the fathers steps to tread
Thy kyn shall ioy, that they are of thy blood
The learned sort, in Cronikels shall read
Of thy great race, great things shall do them good
Thy neighbors now, in court, in feeld, and towne,
VVith trumpet shrill, shall sound thy true renowne.
The Lords and Knights, that at thy table fed
And all good ghests, that thither did repaire
Shall honor thee, and thine, thogh thou be dead
Make of thy praise, an ecco in the aire
Yea drom and fyfe, and all the marshall crue
In warlyke gyes, shall wait vpon thy hers
Fine wryters too, and lawreat poets nue
On thy farewell, shall pen out many a vers
And garlands gaie, shall vestall virgins fling
On thy cold graue, whiles clampring bels do ring.
And all good ghests, that thither did repaire
Shall honor thee, and thine, thogh thou be dead
Make of thy praise, an ecco in the aire
Yea drom and fyfe, and all the marshall crue
In warlyke gyes, shall wait vpon thy hers
Fine wryters too, and lawreat poets nue
On thy farewell, shall pen out many a vers
And garlands gaie, shall vestall virgins fling
On thy cold graue, whiles clampring bels do ring.
Chaest life wins lawd, clean thoghts throw clouds doth mount
True hart gains friends, and makes proud enimies blush
Plain dealing still, coms quickly to account
In shocking world, good minde abides the push
VVho stands vpright, feares neither foile nor fall
VVho fears God well, and Princes lawe obaies
Is happy heer, and hence most blest of all
Liues like a saint, and gains immortall praies
These vertues rare, did blaze like star in thee
VVith greater gifts, in best and highest degree.
True hart gains friends, and makes proud enimies blush
Plain dealing still, coms quickly to account
In shocking world, good minde abides the push
VVho stands vpright, feares neither foile nor fall
VVho fears God well, and Princes lawe obaies
Is happy heer, and hence most blest of all
Liues like a saint, and gains immortall praies
These vertues rare, did blaze like star in thee
VVith greater gifts, in best and highest degree.
The day of death, shoes what the life hath byn
As apples sweet, tels what the tree is woorth
The last adue, doth greatest credit wyn
If it be good, and brings good matter foorth,
The knitting vp, of all things prooueth best,
The date of man, in ballance so is waid
Life, death and all, on good report doth rest
VVhere safely from, all storms, good name is staid
Possesse with grace, that place and ancker hold
More woorth in price, than precious pearle or gold.
As apples sweet, tels what the tree is woorth
The last adue, doth greatest credit wyn
If it be good, and brings good matter foorth,
The knitting vp, of all things prooueth best,
The date of man, in ballance so is waid
Life, death and all, on good report doth rest
VVhere safely from, all storms, good name is staid
Possesse with grace, that place and ancker hold
More woorth in price, than precious pearle or gold.
Thus now I hope, in blessed Abrams brest
(VVhere angels sing, sweet hyms and neuer cease
Before Gods throne, sir Francis Knowls doth rest
From labors all, and liues in endles peace,
And all the soules, that heer before I name
Both great deuines, and captaines in this land
And counsellors, of highest place and fame
In presence now, of great Iehova stand
My hope is such, and so will follow fast
The steps to death, and path that they haue past.
(VVhere angels sing, sweet hyms and neuer cease
Before Gods throne, sir Francis Knowls doth rest
From labors all, and liues in endles peace,
And all the soules, that heer before I name
Both great deuines, and captaines in this land
And counsellors, of highest place and fame
In presence now, of great Iehova stand
My hope is such, and so will follow fast
The steps to death, and path that they haue past.
FINIS.
| A sad and solemne Funerall | |