Regale Lectum Miseriae: or, a Kingly bed of Miserie In which is contained, a dreame: with An Elegie upon the Martyrdome of Charls, late King of England, of blessed Memory: and Another upon the Right Honourable The Lord Capel. With A curse against the Enemies of Peace, and the Authors Farewell to England. By John Quarles |
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 | Regale Lectum Miseriae: or, a Kingly bed of Miserie |  |
—But know, my dearest, Heav'n will be
A fitter husband for thee far than me.
Thou need'st not fear thy foes contriving harmess
They cannot keep thee from his folding armes,
As they have done from mine; oh may wee meet,
I dare not say, within a winding sheet;
For I am sure those weeping Babes will misse
Th'unwelcome absence of so great a blisse;
But when thy husband, heav'n shal please to bring
Thy soul into his Quire, oh then wee'l sing
Prolonged Anthems, where we shall combine
Our souls together, in a place divine;
Till then—oh why, why does thy trembling hand
Freeze within mine? Ah me, why dost thou stand
And gaze upon me? are thy veins afray'd
To entertaine thy blood? has grief betray'd
Thy fainting heart to death, wilt thou precede
My resolutions, give me leave to lead
The way to heav'n; Alasse, and wilt thou die
Because I cannot live? cast back thine eye
Upon thy Royall Issue, doe but see
How fast their sighes doe saile in tears to thee,
Oh let the sight of them revive thy heart,
Cheer up, and give me courage to depart;
For they that dye because another dyes,
Usurpe a Death, and make themselves a prize;
Doe not, oh doe not, thus torment thy soul
For my departure, if you must condole,
Condole my stay, my soul desires to be
Disolu'd (Indulgent God) and rest with thee;
A bed of Roses; that's a fading sweet,
Oh there's no comfort to a winding sheet,
A Grave's the best of Pallaces; for there
Is neither whining grief, nor pining care:
Why should we scorne this earth that entertains
Our wearied bones, and hides us from our paines;
Earth is a place of worth, yet would I have
Not any dote upon't but for a grave:
A fitter husband for thee far than me.
Thou need'st not fear thy foes contriving harmess
They cannot keep thee from his folding armes,
35
I dare not say, within a winding sheet;
For I am sure those weeping Babes will misse
Th'unwelcome absence of so great a blisse;
But when thy husband, heav'n shal please to bring
Thy soul into his Quire, oh then wee'l sing
Prolonged Anthems, where we shall combine
Our souls together, in a place divine;
Till then—oh why, why does thy trembling hand
Freeze within mine? Ah me, why dost thou stand
And gaze upon me? are thy veins afray'd
To entertaine thy blood? has grief betray'd
Thy fainting heart to death, wilt thou precede
My resolutions, give me leave to lead
The way to heav'n; Alasse, and wilt thou die
Because I cannot live? cast back thine eye
Upon thy Royall Issue, doe but see
How fast their sighes doe saile in tears to thee,
Oh let the sight of them revive thy heart,
Cheer up, and give me courage to depart;
For they that dye because another dyes,
Usurpe a Death, and make themselves a prize;
Doe not, oh doe not, thus torment thy soul
For my departure, if you must condole,
36
Disolu'd (Indulgent God) and rest with thee;
A bed of Roses; that's a fading sweet,
Oh there's no comfort to a winding sheet,
A Grave's the best of Pallaces; for there
Is neither whining grief, nor pining care:
Why should we scorne this earth that entertains
Our wearied bones, and hides us from our paines;
Earth is a place of worth, yet would I have
Not any dote upon't but for a grave:
Now death; march bravely on, and let thy dart
Sing as it flies unto my obvious heart,
What? art thou daunted? dost thou feare to kill
Because I am a King; what? daunted still?
Why dost thou look so pale? what, art thou charm'd
By Majesty: or has thy self disarm'd
Thy self, or else art thou asham'd to doe
So foul a deed, or wil't thou not imbrew
Thy shaft in Royall blood? Come, lay aside
Thy feare, and shoot, or else my foes will chide:
But hold a while (nor doe I bid thee stay,
Because my soul's desirous of delay)
Once more thou sole-Commandresse of my brest,
Draw nere, before I fall into my rest,
Approach unto me, let these lipps of mine
In{t}aile a farewell on those cheeks of thine,
Weep not, but let thy tender knees salute
The ground with mine, let's labour to confute
Our sorrows with our prayers, and recommend
Our souls to heav'n, whose glory knows no end;
Thou great, thou glorious, thou all-ruling King,
Thou Rocke, thou fountaine, thou eternall spring
Of Grace; we that are cloathed with the night
Of sin, present our selves into thy sight,
And with unfained hearts devoutly pray
That thou wouldst send thy Son to chase away
Our soul-absconding cloudes, that thou mayst take
A pleasure to behold us, for his sake
We begg this needfull grace, in whom we know
Thou art well pleased, and to whom we owe
A debt unpayable, oh therefore let
Thy satisfying mercy pay our debt;
Oh hear our prayres, which strongly do importune
Thy gracious pardon, though it was our fortune
To be unfortunate, yet let us be
Indulgent Father, fortunate with thee,
Forgive our youthfull sins, and speak some peace
Unto our souls, and as our sins encrease,
So let thy mercy, more, and more abound,
That having lost our sinnes, thou may'st be found;
Heale our back-slidings, guide us in thy way,
That so our feet may never goe astray;
Oh blesse these blessings, which thy blessed hand
Bestow'd upon me, let them fill the Land
With good examples, guard them from their foes
And send them patience, when thou send'st them woes.
Hear me for them, oh God, & them for me
And hear our Saviour for us all, and be
A father, and a husband to them all,
And let me rise in mercy when I fall;
Strengthen their soules, and teach them to renew
Their patience, when my soul shall bid adue
To this infatuated world, oh let
Their hearts seclude all grief, for 'tis a debt
That must be pay'd, let thy exchequer take
Such ill-coyn'd treasure, as my soul can make,
Oh grant (dear Father) this my great request,
Then take me when thou pleasest to thy rest:
So; now my Ioyes, be cheerfull, let's create
A heav'nly mirth, and let our sorrowes waite
Upon our pleasures, let our watchfull eyes
Observe our makers great imunities.
Let's first observe how his free hand provided
For us, before we were, how he devided
The water from the land, and made it drie
To entertaine our feet, and made the skie
To give us light, and afterwards, he made
Poor helplesse Man, that suddenly betray'd
Himself to ruine, and by deviation,
Abus'd the glory of his free Creation,
But see the bounty of our God above,
Who quickly turn'd his fury into love,
And sent a speedy balsome to make sound
The deadly anguish of so deep a wound;
And shall we be ungratefull? shall wee not
Remember him, that never yet forgot
To pitty us? and shall we waste our dayes
In vaine contentions, and not give him prayse
That gave us his owne Son? whose willing breath
Redeem'd our souls from everlasting death.
Alasse how miserable had we been,
Had his spontanious death not stept between
Veng'ance, and us, and shall we then deny
What he requirs, if he command that I
Retire unto him, shall my soul refuse
To run unto him, and imbrace the newes,
Oh no, it must not, hee's accurst that shall
Desire to stay, if heav'n be pleas'd to call,
Death has no ears to hear complaint, 'tis vaine
To weep for that which teares cannot regain:
Sing as it flies unto my obvious heart,
What? art thou daunted? dost thou feare to kill
Because I am a King; what? daunted still?
Why dost thou look so pale? what, art thou charm'd
By Majesty: or has thy self disarm'd
Thy self, or else art thou asham'd to doe
So foul a deed, or wil't thou not imbrew
Thy shaft in Royall blood? Come, lay aside
Thy feare, and shoot, or else my foes will chide:
But hold a while (nor doe I bid thee stay,
Because my soul's desirous of delay)
Once more thou sole-Commandresse of my brest,
Draw nere, before I fall into my rest,
37
In{t}aile a farewell on those cheeks of thine,
Weep not, but let thy tender knees salute
The ground with mine, let's labour to confute
Our sorrows with our prayers, and recommend
Our souls to heav'n, whose glory knows no end;
Thou great, thou glorious, thou all-ruling King,
Thou Rocke, thou fountaine, thou eternall spring
Of Grace; we that are cloathed with the night
Of sin, present our selves into thy sight,
And with unfained hearts devoutly pray
That thou wouldst send thy Son to chase away
Our soul-absconding cloudes, that thou mayst take
A pleasure to behold us, for his sake
We begg this needfull grace, in whom we know
Thou art well pleased, and to whom we owe
A debt unpayable, oh therefore let
Thy satisfying mercy pay our debt;
Oh hear our prayres, which strongly do importune
Thy gracious pardon, though it was our fortune
To be unfortunate, yet let us be
Indulgent Father, fortunate with thee,
Forgive our youthfull sins, and speak some peace
Unto our souls, and as our sins encrease,
38
That having lost our sinnes, thou may'st be found;
Heale our back-slidings, guide us in thy way,
That so our feet may never goe astray;
Oh blesse these blessings, which thy blessed hand
Bestow'd upon me, let them fill the Land
With good examples, guard them from their foes
And send them patience, when thou send'st them woes.
Hear me for them, oh God, & them for me
And hear our Saviour for us all, and be
A father, and a husband to them all,
And let me rise in mercy when I fall;
Strengthen their soules, and teach them to renew
Their patience, when my soul shall bid adue
To this infatuated world, oh let
Their hearts seclude all grief, for 'tis a debt
That must be pay'd, let thy exchequer take
Such ill-coyn'd treasure, as my soul can make,
Oh grant (dear Father) this my great request,
Then take me when thou pleasest to thy rest:
So; now my Ioyes, be cheerfull, let's create
A heav'nly mirth, and let our sorrowes waite
Upon our pleasures, let our watchfull eyes
Observe our makers great imunities.
39
For us, before we were, how he devided
The water from the land, and made it drie
To entertaine our feet, and made the skie
To give us light, and afterwards, he made
Poor helplesse Man, that suddenly betray'd
Himself to ruine, and by deviation,
Abus'd the glory of his free Creation,
But see the bounty of our God above,
Who quickly turn'd his fury into love,
And sent a speedy balsome to make sound
The deadly anguish of so deep a wound;
And shall we be ungratefull? shall wee not
Remember him, that never yet forgot
To pitty us? and shall we waste our dayes
In vaine contentions, and not give him prayse
That gave us his owne Son? whose willing breath
Redeem'd our souls from everlasting death.
Alasse how miserable had we been,
Had his spontanious death not stept between
Veng'ance, and us, and shall we then deny
What he requirs, if he command that I
Retire unto him, shall my soul refuse
To run unto him, and imbrace the newes,
40
Desire to stay, if heav'n be pleas'd to call,
Death has no ears to hear complaint, 'tis vaine
To weep for that which teares cannot regain:
You my sad standers by, when death shall send
A Message to my heart, forbear to spend
Offensive teares, but rather joy, that I
Am gone before you to Eternity,
Where now methinks I see you all, and heare
The lofty Seraphims salute my eare
VVith heav'n-bred raptures, which does even woe
My soul out of my eares, I long to goe
And fill my self with melody, and sing
Perpetuall halalujahs to my King:
So; now my wasting lampe begins to blase,
Come Death, and put a period to my dayes,
Let out my life, that I may fly unto
My God, and bid this loathed world adue:
Adue vaine pleasures of unconstant earth,
Adue false Ioyes, and world-derived mirth:
My dear Relations, I must now expresse
A farewell to you all, and then adresse
My self to Heav'n, within whose Court I shall
(My soul now tells me) shortly meet you all.
Till then enjoy what heav'n shall please to give,
And rather study how to dye, then live;
Make use of time; and lavish not in vaine
Those houres which cannot be recall'd againe,
Comfort each other, and if fortune frowne,
Smile you at fortune, lay your sorrows downe
Before the face of Heav'n, and hee'l releeve
Your pining wants; oh let your hearts not grieve
For food, and raiment, labour to be true,
And he that feeds the Ravens, will feed you;
Oh let your morning thoughts be sure to mount
To heav'ns high Altar, give him an account
Of all your Actions, they which every day
Make their accounts to God, prepare a way
To goe to Heav'n; But time will give me leave
T'expresse no more, my soul begins to cleave
Unto a blest eternity, my heart
Declares unto me, that I must depart;
Time whets his sithe: oh doe not ring my Knell,
With sighs and sobbs, farewell, my Ioyes, farewell:
A Message to my heart, forbear to spend
Offensive teares, but rather joy, that I
Am gone before you to Eternity,
Where now methinks I see you all, and heare
The lofty Seraphims salute my eare
VVith heav'n-bred raptures, which does even woe
My soul out of my eares, I long to goe
And fill my self with melody, and sing
Perpetuall halalujahs to my King:
So; now my wasting lampe begins to blase,
Come Death, and put a period to my dayes,
Let out my life, that I may fly unto
My God, and bid this loathed world adue:
Adue vaine pleasures of unconstant earth,
Adue false Ioyes, and world-derived mirth:
My dear Relations, I must now expresse
A farewell to you all, and then adresse
My self to Heav'n, within whose Court I shall
(My soul now tells me) shortly meet you all.
41
And rather study how to dye, then live;
Make use of time; and lavish not in vaine
Those houres which cannot be recall'd againe,
Comfort each other, and if fortune frowne,
Smile you at fortune, lay your sorrows downe
Before the face of Heav'n, and hee'l releeve
Your pining wants; oh let your hearts not grieve
For food, and raiment, labour to be true,
And he that feeds the Ravens, will feed you;
Oh let your morning thoughts be sure to mount
To heav'ns high Altar, give him an account
Of all your Actions, they which every day
Make their accounts to God, prepare a way
To goe to Heav'n; But time will give me leave
T'expresse no more, my soul begins to cleave
Unto a blest eternity, my heart
Declares unto me, that I must depart;
Time whets his sithe: oh doe not ring my Knell,
With sighs and sobbs, farewell, my Ioyes, farewell:
So: now the Load-stone of this world shall have,
No art t'atract my soul, I'le not enslave
My self to earth, shall transitory toyes
Surrept my soul from heavens eternall joyes?
Oh no, they shall not; now I'le dedicate
My self to thee (my God) who didst create
Both soul & body; thou that knowst the thoughts
And hearts of Kings, and numerates their faults,
Pardon what I have done amisse to thee,
Forgive my enemies; Thou know'st I'm free
From what I suffer for; thou know'st my hands
Are clear from blood, thou know'st that my commands
Were not tyranical, thou knowst my brest
Was never stain'd with Treason; My request
Oh God is this; That thou would'st make them know
(And timely feel) what a most wilful blow
Th'ave given to their Consciences; oh turne
Their flaming hearts to thee, which daily burne
Against thy servants, cause them to relent;
And let their griefs induce them to repent,
Be mercifull to them, as they were cruell
To me, and mine, oh quench the blazing feuell
Of their desires, give them not their deserts,
But wash my blood from their Infountain'd hearts;
And as for me, presented to thy eyes
Suppos'd (as an attoning Sacrifice)
By them whose seav'n yeers mallice have contriv'd
My downfall; when my body is disliv'd
Receive my soul into thy glorious Tent,
And mak't a member of thy Parliament;
Now farewell world, and dirt-composed Crowns
Farewell earths smiles, & fortunes surly frowns.
Farewell to you that thus my life expell,
Oh may my farewell, make you all farewell.
No art t'atract my soul, I'le not enslave
My self to earth, shall transitory toyes
Surrept my soul from heavens eternall joyes?
42
My self to thee (my God) who didst create
Both soul & body; thou that knowst the thoughts
And hearts of Kings, and numerates their faults,
Pardon what I have done amisse to thee,
Forgive my enemies; Thou know'st I'm free
From what I suffer for; thou know'st my hands
Are clear from blood, thou know'st that my commands
Were not tyranical, thou knowst my brest
Was never stain'd with Treason; My request
Oh God is this; That thou would'st make them know
(And timely feel) what a most wilful blow
Th'ave given to their Consciences; oh turne
Their flaming hearts to thee, which daily burne
Against thy servants, cause them to relent;
And let their griefs induce them to repent,
Be mercifull to them, as they were cruell
To me, and mine, oh quench the blazing feuell
Of their desires, give them not their deserts,
But wash my blood from their Infountain'd hearts;
And as for me, presented to thy eyes
Suppos'd (as an attoning Sacrifice)
By them whose seav'n yeers mallice have contriv'd
My downfall; when my body is disliv'd
43
And mak't a member of thy Parliament;
Now farewell world, and dirt-composed Crowns
Farewell earths smiles, & fortunes surly frowns.
Farewell to you that thus my life expell,
Oh may my farewell, make you all farewell.
| Regale Lectum Miseriae: or, a Kingly bed of Miserie | |