University of Virginia Library

On Bishop Ravis.

WNen I passe Pauls, and travaile in the walke,
Where all our Brittish sinners sweare and talke,
Old hairy Ruffins, Bankrupts, Southsayers,
And youth whose cousenage is as old as theirs,
And there behold the body of my Lord,
Trod under foot by vice which he abhord.
It wounded me the Landlord of all times
Should let long lives and leases to their crimes;
But to his saving honours scarce afford
But so much Sunne as to the Prophets Gourd,
Yet since swift flights and envy hath best end,
Like breath of Angels with a blessing send,
And vanisheth withall, while fouler deeds
Expect a tedious harvest of bad seeds;
I blame not fame and nature if they gave
Where they could adde no more, the last a grave;
And justly doe thy grieved friends forbeare
Bubble and Alablaster boyes to reare
Ore thy religious dust, but bid men know
Thy life, which such illusions cannot show;
For thou hast dyed amongst those happy ones,
Who trust not in their superstitions,
Their hired Epitaphs, and perjur'd stone,
Which oft belies the soule when she is gone,
But durst commit thy body as it lies,
To tongues of living men, not unborne eyes;
What profits thee a sheet of lead, what good?
If on thy course a marble Quarry stood?
Let those that feare their rising purchase vaults,
And send their statues to excuse their faults,
As if like birds that picke at painted grapes,
Their Judge knew not their persons from their shapes,
Whilst thou assured by thy easie dust
Shalt spring at first, they would not, yet they must:
Nor need the Chancellor boast, whose Pyramis
Above the Host and altar reared is;
For though thy body fill a narrow roome,
Thou shalt not change deeds with him for his Tombe.