A garden of graue and godlie flowers Sonets, elegies, and epitaphs. Planted, polished, and perfected: By Mr. Alexander Gardyne |
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To the same honorable Ladie.
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 | A garden of graue and godlie flowers |  |
To the same honorable Ladie.
Melpomine al Murners Tragick Muse,Some vnknowne kinde of sadest sable chuse,
T'invest thy selfe there-with whereby, thou may,
Expreslie more, divulgat, and bewray,
Thy care and cause, all Creaturs to ken,
Thy grieu's more great, nor's ordinar to men,
Convene thy wits, vse all thy Airt and skill,
For words thou wont to write, now Tears distil,
And vnto Tritone that the Trident bears,
Pay triple tribute, of salt brimmish tears.
Desire thy sweet and sacred Sisters sine,
To trim their Harps, to tragick toons like thine,
And pray your Prince, Apollo for to borrow
Some of Neptunus tears, to show your sorrow.
Th'Arrabick gulphe, the East nor Ocean seas,
Shall b'insufficient to suffice your eies.
Although ye should, yea recolect the raine,
And gathred all in drops disgorg't againe,
Yet all this should not plentie, proue, nor store,
Thy departure, dear Ladie, to deplore,
No thought they all, that liue of humane line,
Cœlestiall signes, and Dieties divine.
And all that care can kno, or sorrow see,
Should too tear-wash, this terren Tomb with me,
Though th'Echoing Air it murmour should and mone
Tho light-foot winds shold whissel their grifs & grone,
And though the fire ascend be Nature light,
As sorrowfull to see so sad a sight,
And th'Earth aggrieud her Entrels hudge should teare
Most discontent thy burdenn dead to beare,
Most carefull for thy cause within a cloud.
And though the Clouds lamenting looke and lowre,
And tears for ràine vpon the planes should powre.
Though brutish Beasts should brey, burst, rage & rore,
And schools of Fish seeme t'ambiset the shore:
All mourning in their maner to the end,
Their heavines to haue vs apprehend.
Though Creeping things, and flights of Fowles al-whair,
Deiue with their din, the deiphs, the earth, the Air,
And though that Monster many mouthed Fame,
Thy onely praise should publish and proclame;
Still elevat aboue the Rounds, and rear-it,
And blaz't abroad als far as Fame can bear-it.
And it in Diamonds indent and masse,
Jt into Marble, and in bookes of Brasse.
And last, though Men in numbers infinite,
Should in complaints, consume, and spend their sprit:
And be so sad as never seene was such,
Murne what they may, they can not murne too much.
Although their backs the black doole bages bear's,
Though mournfull minds too testifies their tears.
And though with lynes lugubrious and sad,
Thy Coffin they haue covered and spred.
Yea though they should conglomerat and joine
All th'earthl'-ingens, with those the best abone.
And then draw from the Thesaurie of Arts,
On perfectlie perfect in whole and parts.
Yet should he not ineugh deplore and praise
Thy Death and thy Deserving in thy daies.
| A garden of graue and godlie flowers | |