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A Funerall Poeme

Vpon the Death of the Most Worthie and Trve Sovldier; Sir Francis Vere, Knight. Captaine of Portsmouth, &c. L. Gouernour of his Maiesties Cautionarie Towne of Briell in Holland &c. [by Cyril Tourneur]
 

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A Funerall Poeme. VPON THE DEATH OF The Most Worthy And TRVE SOVLDIER; SIR Francis Vere, Knight; Captaine of Portsmouth, &c. Lord Gouernour of his Maiesties Cautionarie Towne of Briell in Holland, &c.

Thy Earth's return'd to Earth, from whence it came;
But from thy Spirit rizze thy worthy Fame,
Immortall Vere; and that shall neuer dye;
But with it liue to all Posteritie.
How can the Memory of such a Spirit,
VVhose Actions eu'n of Enuie got his Merit
Acknowledgement, Subscription, Approbation;
And made it clearely shine through Emulation,
VVhich with Contracted Cloudes did interpose,
Betweene the world and him, to darken those


Illustrious honours of his noble worth,
Which his essentiall Souldiership brought forth;
Be euer ruin'd? Nor can Death or Fate,
Confine his Fame to an expiring date;
Since all they can doe, is to kill his Earth;
Whose Dust wip'd of his Soule, a second Birth
Regenerates the honour of his Acts
Vnto Eternity. He that detracts
The dead Mans good, defames his owne intent;
And makes obscured vertues, eminent.
But (Noble Vere) this Monument I raise,
With vncorrupted purpose to thy praise.
All that I speake, is vnexacted, true and free;
Drawne clearely from vnalter'd certaintee.
For heere I doe ingenuously professe,
The nature of this Subiect would oppresse
And trouble my reposed state of Soule,
With contemplating that which should contrule.
Our Licences of Conscience, if the due
Of this I attribute thee, were vntrue.
And you the worthies of our present daies,
Whose Iudgements and experience knew his waies;
Conuersed with his Actions and Intents,
In priuate and in publique managements;
To your true vnderstandings it is knowne,
That he might claime these honours for his owne.


His Minde was like an Empire, rich and strong,
In all defensiue pow'r against the wrong,
That ciuill tumult or inuasiue Hate
Might raise against the peace of her estate.
It was a plentifull and fertile ground,
Wherin all needfull riches did abound.
Labour increas'd what natiuely was bred;
No part was barren, or ill husbanded.
And with the paines of Industrie and witt,
In little time, He made such Benefit
Of Conuersation (the Commerce of Mindes;)
That what his hable obseruation findes
In other knowledges of vse, and good,
Which in his owne was yet not vnderstood;
Through this rich trade (wherby al good is known)
Conuerts them home, and plantes them in his owne.
Which was so sweet and temperate a seate,
Without th' extremities of cold or heate;
That it could easily it selfe apply
To eu'ry vsefull Nature, properlie.
And so did yeeld such prosperous increase
Of vertues qualifi'd for warre and peace;
That not a Mind wherewith He did conferre,
Could vtter speech of that particular,
Though in the waies which other men profess'd;
Wherewith his vnderstanding was not bless'd.


And whatsoeuer He deliuer'd forth,
In serious things, was of a Solide worth;
Commodiously materiall; Full of vse;
And free from ostentation and abuse.
And as that Empire of his minde was good;
So was her state as strong wherein she stood.
Her scituation most entirely lay
Within it selfe; admitting not a way,
Nor any open place, infirme or weake,
By which offensiue purposes might breake
Into her gouernment; or haue accesse
Thorough the most familiar passages
That led vpon him, vnder faire pretence,
Without discouering they ment offence,
Before it was too late to giue retreate
To their proceedings. Nor could any beate
Or violence of such inuasion, make
His passions mutin'; or his pow'rs forsake
Their proper places. Nothing could disband
The strength and order of his minds commaund.
For neuer mind her nature better knew;
Or could obserue a discipline more due
To such a Nature; or was fortified
With workes were more ingeniously applied,
To answere all attempts and iniuries,
In their owne kinde and seu'rall qualities.


And in that scope, (offences to auoide)
The vse of all those forces was employ'de.
Within his Natures lines it might be read;
He was a Souldier borne, aswell as bred.
And out of his owne morall Character,
He might haue learn'd his Mysterie of Warre.
Warre was the Spheare wherein his life did mooue;
And in that course, his actions did approoue,
How well his worth did his employment fit;
Th' vnited prouinces can witnesse it;
And will acknowledge gratefully, that Fate
VVas graciously propicious to their state;
VVhen their most happie Genius gaue their voice
And did direct their wisedomes to make choice
Of one so hable and so fit in all,
To be that worthy Nations Generall;
On the sufficiencie of whose commaund,
The chiefest hopes of their Successe did stand.
And Noble Willoughby, thy Iudgement knew,
And he hath reallie confirm'd it true;
That in his life, thy memorie should liue,
For the iudicious fauours thou didst giue
To his beginnings. VVhich did still produce
Some Action, promising of what high vse
His generous courage, wit, and Industrie,
Practiz'd with Iudgement and dexteritie,


Should be vnto that State. In whose braue Warre,
When he had brought his seruices so farre,
That they deseru'd the chiefest English charge;
His spirit with his fortune did enlarge
It selfe, according to his place. For as
His former carriages did duely passe
Through those right waies by which he should obey;
Now, he did prooue he knew as right away
How to commaund. And suited all his Course,
With correspondent order; life, and force.
He put not on those popular aspects,
Which Greatnes oft obsequiously affectes,
To winne the vulgar fancie. For he knew,
That hum our would distract him from the true
And faithfull Course wherein he should attend
The publique seruice; to a priuate ende.
And with too easie and familiar sense
Make Fauour apprehended. And dispence
With such neglect of dutie as proceedes
From that presumption which remissnes breedes.
But gaue himselfe vnto the publique cause;
And in the due performance of her Lawes,
His fauours had their constant residence;
To th' end he might attract mens diligence
Directly to their dueties; and aduance
The Armies seruice. For his Countenance


Respected men with a Reseruednesse
Refer'd to that wherewith he did expresse
His exemplarie actions. So that none
Could gather from him any Signe whereon
To raise themselues a promise or a hope
Of their preferment, but within the scope
Of their peculiar merites. And the waies
And manner by the which he vs'd to raise
Deseruing men, and did his fauours spread;
Were with as much discretion managed:
And nourish'd industrie no lesse. For whan
He did bestow preferment on a man;
The gift descended from no second hand,
That might diuide a generall commaund;
But from himselfe, as a proprietie
Reseru'd vnto his owne authoritie.
And often (vnrequested) singled forth
Some priuate men, whom for desert and worth,
He did aduance to some emploiment fit,
Before they sought it, or expected it.
Hence, did his troupes not onely vnderstand
Their hopes to rise depended on his hand;
But that he caried an obseruing eie
That would informe him how deseruingly
They bore themselues: which did aswell produce
Endeuour to doe well, as curbe abuse.


And made example, Emulation breed;
Which (leading vnto gen'rous ends) doth feede
The actiue disposition of the spirit,
With a desire to goe beyond in Merit.
In which pursuit, his Action still was wont
To lead the way to honour. And i'th' front
Of danger, where he did his deedes aduance;
In all his gestures and his Countenance,
He did so pleasing a consent expresse
Of Noble Courage, and free Cherefulnesse;
That his assurance had the pow'r to raise
The most deiected spirit into praise
And imitation of his worth. And thus,
By meanes Heroique and iudicious,
He did incline his armies gen'rous part
With loue vnto the practise of Desart.
And in that moouing Orbe of actiue warre;
His high command was the transcendent Starre,
Whose influence, for production of mens worthes,
Did gouerne at their militarie Birthes;
And made them fit for Armes. VVitnesse the merits,
Eu'n of the Chiefest ranckes of warlike Spirits,
Who for our Princes Seruice doe suruiue;
Which from his vertues did their worthes deriue.
Then; to reduce th' affections of the rude
And ill dispo'sd licentious Multitude;


His wisedome likewise did as amplie show.
Tradition and experience made him know,
That men in Armies, are more apt t'offend;
And faults to greater danger doe extend
There, then in ciuill gouernments; and are
More difficult to be suppress'd in warre
Then peace; and that there's nothing can restraine
Their dissolute affections, but the Reine
Of strict and exemplarie punishment.
Since of necessitie, such gouernement
Must bee; his entrance (therefore) was seuere:
Which did possesse them with a timelie Feare.
For when a Chiefe comes first into his place;
Then all mens eies are bent vpon the Face
Of his Behauiour, with a fix'd regard.
In which Attention, they are best prepar'd
To take impression what they ought to doe,
That he would haue them be accustom'd too.
For as his manners, then, report him; So
The reputation of his Name will goe.
And thus his name grew hable to suppresse
The strong'st Commotions of licenciousnes,
Euen in their first conceptions. Or if some
Were still so bold to vndergoe his Doome;
Yet in the terrour of his very name
They were so long proiecting how to frame


And execute their practise safe and free,
Without the danger of seueritee;
That if their doubtfulnes did not diuert
And vtterly disanimate the heart
Of their proceedings; yet their coldenesse brought
The Act so impotentlie from the thought;
And made their strong'st performances so lame,
That they were ouertaken ere they came
To preiudice the publique cause. And now;
When as the few complaints reported how
Effectually his labours prosper'd; and
His men grew well conform'd to his command;
With their obedience, he did slacke the bent
Of his seueritie in punishment.
Yet with so wise a moderation, that
His fame to be seuere, continu'd at
The full opinion. For the pardons gain'd,
Seem'd alwayes difficult to be obtain'd;
As if they rather came through intercession,
Then from the purpose of his owne remission.
And lenitie, (which commonly incites
A boldenes in disorder'd Appetites,
To more offence,) thus wisely managed;
Offensiue mindes were more discouraged
By Mercie, then by Iustice. For when they
That stood to die, by some vnlook'd for way


VVere pardon'd, when they did dispaire to liue;
Th' obseruing Souldiers, instantly, did giue
Themselues perswasion, that vndoubtedly
The next offend our should be sure to die.
And that opinion, like a Centinell
Held watch vpon their Actions; did repell
Th' extrauagant eruptions of offence;
Enlarg'd the scope of care and diligence;
And did not onely hold a regular
And orderly obedience to the warre;
But likewise did as happily preuent
The iust necessitie of punishment
On many liues, which vnder a milder course
Presumption would incurre; and law (of force,
To cut off wayes to dang'rous consequence)
Must execute. Thus, that which in the sense
Of vulgar apprehension, seem'd to bee
A disposition vnto crueltie;
Appear'd a worke that wisedome did proiect
with purpose to a contrarie effect.
That which malignant Censure would suggest
To be a humour cruellie express'd;
That did mens liues regardlesly depriue;
Was of mens liues the best preseruatiue.
But to disprooue that idle imputation,
(that made it seeme a vitious inclination,


Inherent with his nature) and augment
The force of his true honours Argument:
Offences done against his owne estate,
(Which alwayes doth more strongly aggrauate
The weight of iniurie to priuate sense,
Then publique apprehension of offence;
And stirres mens passions more;) haue oftentimes
Subduc'd the Malefactors for those crimes,
Into the hands of Iustice: where he might
With approbation and consent of right,
Haue satisfied that Nature to the full;
Aswell in punishments that iustly pull
On Death, as other grieuous penalties.
And yet his hurt that from those faults did rise,
And nearely touch'd him, neuer did incense
Or mooue his mind, (Since with no reference
They did engage him to the publique cause;)
To prosecute the rigour of the lawes.
But held himselfe sufficiently content,
To learne by one, another to preuent.
Nor neede I from his martiall scope, digresse;
T'approove that, by his morall cari'ges:
Since if we doe proceede to note his course,
We shall obserue; where Mildnes was of force
To propagate the Armies seruice, more
Then stern-nes; with conformitie he bore


Himselfe. As in the exercise of Armes;
(Where terrour alwaies generally harmes;
And dulles the apprehension and conceipt:)
Hee hated roughnes, violence and heate;
And with a most vnweari'd patientnes,
Would labour to insinuate and impresse
His demonstrations. Hence it might appeare;
He had a mind so temperatelie cleare
And free from passion, that he could applie
His Methode to his subiects propertie.
And both approoue, that his seueritie
Was dedicated to vtilitie.
Wherein his Nature did it selfe expresse,
Adapted vnto publique bus'nesses;
That had the strength of patience to dispise
The bitter censures of malignancies,
In managements so subiect to construction;
And fixe himselfe vpon the right conduction
Of his affaires, to publique vse dessign'd;
Nor giuen, nor forc'd, to any other end.
He was not of that soft and seruile mould,
That all impressions takes, and none doth hold;
But his owne Reason in himselfe did raigne;
What she inspir'd, he firmely did retaine.
Hee could not flatter Greatnes; Zanie humours;
Or be obsequious to aswage the Tumours


That in corrupted mindes did rise and swell
Against him: But did residently dwell
Vpon the purpose of a true intent;
In whose successes he was confident.
And as his word was, all his deedes were so;
—Veritate, non obsequio.
Thus did his Armie in obedience stand,
Vnder the Count'nance of a braue Commaund.
Which from the force his wisedome did applie,
Receiu'd more strength then from's Authoritie.
And as the disposition of the Mind,
Was by his gouernement well disciplin'd;
So was the Bodie by his exercise:
Practis'd, and perfect in th' actiuities
And postures, on the which consist the right
Wayes of Agilitie and skill to fight
In Armes, and Armies. Where, his hand did show
As much as Reason and Experience know,
How they should Marshall them. How to compose,
Diuide, transpose, conuert, open or close;
Partes, bodies, figures, aspects, distances;
In quarter, march, attempts, resistances;
According as the grounds capacity,
Or the condition of an enemy
Requireth or admits the fittest course
Of forme or change; with order, speede, and force;


And best assurance from defensiue art,
To'th most aduantage in th' offensiue part.
And all those other partes, whereof consist
The gen'rall worth of such a Martialist;
In him vnited their habilities;
And made him compleate. All his industries,
(aswell in actiues, as contemplatiues;)
Were such as those whence prouidence deriues
Apt instruments to stand in present stead,
According to th' occasion offered;
Which either on the principall dessigne,
Or some adherent int'rests that entwine
And sway the principall; may fasten on
An answerable disposition:
And so worke way to prosperous euents;
Aswell in vnexpected accidents,
As things proiected and premeditate.
In Councell, he was of so temperate
And free a Mind, that Reason in his Soule,
Like an imperiall presence, did controule
And scilence all those passions that haue force
To interrupt the passage of discourse.
While to the cleare and vneclipsed eye,
Of his strong intellectuall faculty,
His well informed knowledge did present
The state and Nature of the Argument:


The partes; th' entire; and eu'ry circumstance
That was contingent, or had reference
Materiall to the thing consulted on.
Which when his free discourse had pass'd vpon;
His iudgement in conclusion, did lay ope
The waies, the meanes, the reasons, and the scope,
What, how, whereby, and when, and where to doe;
And eu'ry due respect annex'd vntoo,
With such demonstratiue and pregnant force;
That, practise without speculatiue discourse;
Nor speculation without practise tried;
Nor both, without great prudence amplified,
To know their vses and applie them well;
To his aduise, could make a Paralell.
Nor did his knowledge and experience stand
Vpon that onely limit of commaund,
That Marshalleth an armie fit to fight;
But had as perfect and profound a sight
Into the iudgement how it should be led;
And with the most aduantage managed,
Aswell through all the Bodie of a warre;
As in performance of particular
Dependent seruices. As They may note,
Who haue perused how his Penne did quote
The margent of our Ages great dessignes,
With his obseruing and iudicious lines.


And in those obiects of the iudgements eie,
(As if he kept a key of Mysterie,)
His vnderstanding had so deepe a sight,
That in dessignes which were without the light
Of practise or example, he hath found
(Oft times) a way, which when he did propound,
Was of so difficult and high a straine,
That eu'n experienc'd sense could hardl' attaine
To find it probable or fit; vnlesse
Approou'd by demonstration and successe.
Yet (of true iudgement constant in pursuit,)
When Action did his Counsaile execute,
The progresse and euent subscrib'd in Act,
His way for largest vse, was most exact.
Nor was his iudgement, onely so mature
In purposes, whose distance could indure
Deliberate aduise; but did expresse
It selfe, as fully ripe, with readines
And order, where the cause would not admitt
The Action any time to studie it.
And had so present a conceipt, (that did
Attend occasion as it offered;)
That when the thunder of a hotte Alarme
Hath cald him sodainly from sleepe to arme;
Vpon the instant of his waking, hee
Did with such life, and quicke dexteritie,


His troupes direct; the seruice execute;
As practis'd Printers, Sett and Distribute
Their Letters: And more perfectly effected;
For what he did, was not to be corrected.
And as his Counsailes shew'd his Iudgements merit;
So did his deedes as infinite a Spirit.
In Action, both (contracted) did embrace;
What one perform'd, was to the others grace.
There, wisedome did his Fortitude direct;
And Fortitude his wisedome did protect.
For in the Heart of actiue seruices,
Where sodaine dangers with a fierce accesse,
Haue made surprise vpon him; vnremoov'd
His Iudgement stood; and there,, was most approou'd
His vnderstandings greatnes did appeare
In perturbations, least disturb'd, most cleare;
And then gaue amplest witnesse of her worth.
All the directions he deliuer'd forth,
Were then, most orderly, assur'd and sound.
The sense of terrour neuer could confound
His Iudgement. Reason did such freedome find,
Within the gen'rous greatnes of his Mind;
And was so guarded by his Fortitude
From eu'ry violence that would intrude.
Which, in such dangers, doth precisely trie
The true and natiue Magnanimitie.


For nothing doth the Iudgement more torment
With rude confusion and astonishment,
Then Feare; which by contraction of the hart,
Doth force the power's of soule from eu'ry part,
Out of their proper seates and offices,
Into a narrow lymitt; where the presse
And vndistinguish'd croude of faculties,
Doth interrupt the passage of aduise.
Hence, not improperly, the word might rise,
That termes them litle minds, which Cowardize
Possesseth. Where, when feare of death doth start
The spirits, and makes them flie vnto the heart,
They want that competent required space,
For eu'ry power in a distinguish'd place,
To worke in order. Consequently thence,
It may be taken in as apt a sence;
Courage is termed greatnes of the minde,
Where Reason with her faculties doth find
Sufficient roome, wherein she may dilate
Their seu'rall properties, with ordinate
Distinction; (when inuasiue terrours rise
Vpon th' exteriour senses, to surprise
Those passages;) by making good their grounds,
Vnto the largenes of their proper bounds.
Yet may we not deseruedly repute
That nature worthy this great attribute,


Where boundlesse Choler doth predominate.
For that extention's rather vast, then great;
And by extreamnes in another kind,
As dang'rously disturbes the powers of mind.
As Feare contrudes; so choler doth disperce.
But Fortitude, nor violently fierce;
Nor coldly dull; as prudence doth require,
Holds them distinguish'd, mutuall, and entire.
For that which is a vertue, will admit
All vertue free societie with it.
And this was that true valour which the spirit
Of this Heroique Worthy did inherit.
Now if malignant Censure quarrels it,
And say it was a Habite, he did get
By custome with such danger; rather than
The natiue vertue of a valiant Man:
Let enuie please to turne her clearer eye
On his Beginnings. They will satisfie;
Or prooue her false. For when he first bore Armes;
Among the first that press'd to front Alarmes;
His Sword thrust formost. And his chiefe desire
From the beginning, labour'd to aspire
Through enterprise and danger. When the face
Of bloodie handed warre, in it's owne place
Did first encounter him; and did appeare
In shapes of terrour to impresse a Feare:


He met it smiling. And did make it yeeld,
That he brought Courage with him to the field.
And when but in a priuate ranque he seru'd;
That vertue made him publiquely obseru'd.
And was th' effectuall Cause that did aduance
His fortunes to a higher countenance.
The first examples of his worth in Act;
Were like to that whose valour did attract
Th' impartiall Eye of valiant Williams; And
In honour of him publish'd with his hand,
In a discourse now extant, then put forth;
Where he to his effect, reports his worth.
Braue Vere was by his Scarlet Cassock known;
Who at th' assaults both of the Fort and Towne,
Stood alwaies in the Head of th' Armed Men.
Where, hauing twice beene hurt and wounded, when
My selfe (with other of his friends desire)
Requested him that then he would retire;
His answere was, that He had rather die
Tenne times vpon a breach; then once to lie
Vnder the hand of death within a House. &c.
Thus at the first, his vndertaking showes
It selfe; and no occasion doth omit,
That might giue witnesse of his worth in it.
And as his Courage, then, was true to'th waies
Through which hee did's deserued fortunes raise;


To his particular and priuate good:
So for the publique seruice when he stood,
It euer was so faithfull to the lawes
Of that integritie he ought the cause
He seru'd; that when occasion did present
His obseruation with some accident
Within the enemie, that did inuite
The side he seru'd in, to attempt a fight;
With promise of good seruice to the state;
Though dangers might make it infortunate
To his particular; and did obiect
Their terrours to disanimate th' effect.
And though the presence of superiour place,
Did show no disposition to embrace
The enterprise. When nothing did enforce
His Courage, but his voluntarie course;
If promise of good seruice did inuite;
Through dangers he expos'd himselfe to fight,
Against all difficulties that withstood;
And wonne his honour, with his losse of blood.
And what his sword could not directly hit;
He circumuented by the power of wit.
Vsing that license (only) which in warre
Hath iust allowance, though irregular.
VVhere he shew'd all wherewith wit can assist
The workings of a Stratagematist;


Without conducting them to their successe,
Through any passage of perfidiousnes.
And th' vndertakings of his indvstrie
VVere caried with such dext'rous secrecie;
That while the Breath of his divulg'd pretence,
Suited with fit ostentiall instruments,
Transported expectation to that face;
And made him look'd for in another place;
His expedition ere it was suspected,
Set forth, ariu'd, attempted, and effected.
And where his purposes requir'd no name;
His Actions euer march'd before their fame.
And (for a cloze) to crowne his worth; Bless'd Fate
Did render all his Actions fortunate.
Witnes the best performances of warre;
Whereby th' vnited Netherlanders, are
Entirely of their owne prouinces possest;
With aduantageous footing on the rest.
Mongst which atchieuments, Nieuport and Ostend
(those famous seruices) doe comprehend
Large interest in the deserts, whereby
They haue attain'd to that prosperitie.
And of those Actions, (They themselues confesse)
He was an instrument to the successe;
Elected by Heau'ns high Omnipotence,
To manifest his gracious prouidence,


In fauour of their cause. Nor did he lesse,
In any of his other seruices.
And when the Glory of the Warre did cease;
Retir'd with Honour. And expir'd in peace.
Leauing his deathlesse memory and Fame,
To be an honour to that Noble Name
And familie, from whence he had descent:
Which by his luster's made more eminent.
And now, Great Britaine, though thou dost possesse
The Soveraigne Ioy of Peace and happinesse;
And feel'st no Reason why thou should'st disperse
Or spend a teare vpon a Souldiers Hearse;
Yet for the sake eu'n of thy blessed Peace,
Thou maist lament this worthy Mans decease.
For Warre's a subiect, that may comprehend
The greatest wisedome, Nature can extend
Vntoo; to manage it. Whose Noblest wayes,
Proou'd Him a Worthy; Heroë of his dayes.
His praise may iustly (then) extend thus farre;
Hee was a Man, fit both for Peace and Warre.
Whose Monument, while Historie doth last;
Shall neuer be forgotten or defac'd.
Cyril Tourneur.