University of Virginia Library

To the Memory of the Right Honourable THOMAS LORD NAPIER Who died in FRANCE, Anno DOM. 1686.

A Funeral ELEGIE.

Who without pale Amazement ponder can
The Dissolution of the Frame of Man?
Heavens Master-piece, in whom the ETERNAL drew
His Portracture, for ravisht Earth to view,
That Heavenly, and Immortal sparks, might sway,
The Monarchie of brittle Clods of Clay:
Whose twisted Chains compos'd of Love, and Wonder,
Dissolves like Ice, like Glass does brake assunder;
So that each Man of Low or High Degree,
When weighed is lighter found than Vanitie.
So swifts this span of Frailtie, Life, We know
Eagles compared, are supposed slow:
Posts on the Earth, Ships on the Sea, the Wind,
Motion it self is hovering left behind;
These to our Faith (the Souls enlightned Eye)
Scriptures makes Emblems of Mortalitie.
And by dear-bought Experience, it appears
Youth's downs may fall, as well as grizlie Hairs.
The Patient, and Phycisian, strong and Weak,
To Death the King and Beggar are alike:
If sins add fewel to the fire of Hell,
Thrice happie he in Youth that dieth well.
Then onely NAPIER, Thee We must confess
Plac'd in the Zenith of all Happiness:
To whose Nativity the Fates did owe
All Glories, smiling Fortune can bestow.
A Birth, blest with such Honours, Vertues, Parts,
That Court, or Countrey can boast for their Arts:
A Name, all Albion over (it is clear)
For Learning, Valour, Prudence had no PIER.
Hence they, and onely they, possest that Name,
As a just Donative of Glorious Fame;
Which still from Age to Age no Limits knew,
Till Glories crescent to a Circle grew;
Which passing the Worlds bounds could bounded be
By nothing now, but vast Eternitie.
Scarce four and twenty times the posting Sun,
Through his Cœlestial Inns, the signs, had run
Till Heavens great Privy Council (ruthless fates)
Above the Saphir Rafters him translates:
Where he pure Vertues Pleasures might obtain,
Who only here, had tasted of their pain.
Whose comely Person to our ravisht Eye
Vi'd only with his Soul for Beautie:
Yet handsomness was but the outward Shrin
To vail the Glorious Saint was lodged therein;
His Judgement was so clear, it knew no night,
His Apprehension active as the Light;
Whose Vigour could Discover and Discern
The deepest Mysteries, frail Man can learn.
That had he liv'd, with that same Approbation,
H'had write a Comment on the Revelation,
As that great miracle his Grand-syre did,
Admir'd by all alive, ador'd when dead.
Such was this Noble Lord, where ever known,
Amazing Strangers, loved of his own.
At Home, Abroad, his Vertues prov'd his Name,
H'had NA PIER in the Deserts of Fame;
Yet his short Time deny'd to tell Us what,
Leaving Eternity to open that;
Onely deserv'd such Trophies: at his Urn
That France and Brittain both at once do mourn.
Fælix qui portum subiit, in quem si quis intra primos annos delatus est, non magis queri debet, quam qui cito navigavit;