 | Cotton Mather's verse in English |  |
51
A POEM Dedicated to the Memory OF The Reverend and Excellent MR. URIAN OAKES, the late Pastor to Christ's Flock, and Præsident of Harvard-Colledge, in Cambridge, Who was gathered to his People on 25d 5mo 1681. In the fifty'th Year of his Age.
TO THE READER.
Worthies to Praise is a Praise-worthy thing;
Christ did it; and will do it! And to Sing
The Elogyes of Saints departed in
The Rhythm of Elegyes, has always been
Esteemed Reason! David bids me go
My Christian Reader! and like him do so.
Christ did it; and will do it! And to Sing
The Elogyes of Saints departed in
The Rhythm of Elegyes, has always been
Esteemed Reason! David bids me go
My Christian Reader! and like him do so.
Cotton Embalms great Hooker; Norton Him;
And Norton's Herse do's Poet-Wilson trim
With Verses: Mitchel writes a poem on
The Death of Wilson; And when Mitchel's gone,
Shepard with fun'ral Lamentations gives
Honour to Him: and at his Death receives
The like from the [like-Maro] Lofty Strain
Of admirable Oakes! I should be vain
To thrust into that gallant Chorus: Pride
Ne'er made mee such an Icharus: I cry'd
Of good Exemples [Ahimaaz his Thought]
How if I should run after them? And brought
These as a Pattern, and a Plea for what
I do; that my cross Reader blame me not.
But why so late? my Nænia's some will deem
Both out of Time, and Tune! To some I seem
Grief's Resurrection to essay; and bee
Just like the Trojans who came late to see
And sorrow with Tiberius!—Only this
Shall be Reply'd! The fond Bookseller is
Now guilty of this Paper's Ravishment
When long supprest: Give him thy Discontent!
Since Oakes (as Homer) has all Places Claim;
Let Boston too forget its Anagram!
And Norton's Herse do's Poet-Wilson trim
With Verses: Mitchel writes a poem on
The Death of Wilson; And when Mitchel's gone,
Shepard with fun'ral Lamentations gives
Honour to Him: and at his Death receives
The like from the [like-Maro] Lofty Strain
Of admirable Oakes! I should be vain
To thrust into that gallant Chorus: Pride
Ne'er made mee such an Icharus: I cry'd
Of good Exemples [Ahimaaz his Thought]
How if I should run after them? And brought
These as a Pattern, and a Plea for what
52
But why so late? my Nænia's some will deem
Both out of Time, and Tune! To some I seem
Grief's Resurrection to essay; and bee
Just like the Trojans who came late to see
And sorrow with Tiberius!—Only this
Shall be Reply'd! The fond Bookseller is
Now guilty of this Paper's Ravishment
When long supprest: Give him thy Discontent!
Since Oakes (as Homer) has all Places Claim;
Let Boston too forget its Anagram!
| Cotton Mather's verse in English | |