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The Lady-Errant

A Tragi-Comedy
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
TO The Memory of Master Cartvvright.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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TO The Memory of Master Cartvvright.

Crown'd with thine owne Choice Bay, we do not bring
Hither our Cheap and humble Offering,
As by it we could raise up ought to Thee:
There's no Accesse comes to the Deity,
By th' Sacrifices, that to th' Altar fall:
(The God is worthy of his Honour:) All
Those wealthy Vowes not make Him, but confesse:
They Testifie the Greatnesse not Encrease.
That scorns to owe to the poore Votary:
Worth were thence Less, whence it could Greater be.
And such is Thine; not born from Others Fame:
Parent, and Honour th' art, of thine Owne Name.
'Twere Wrong t' attest it. When th' Sun to's Mid-way
Has climb'd, who needs bear witnesse to the day?
'Twere to suspect his Lustre, and betray
The Truth, and Evidence of his own Ray.
Cleare as That Fire, and High as is that Fire;
Which did as That, break forth, as That, aspire,
Thine was: Took Wing; disdain'd, and left the ground;
Great, and Unusuall, and with wonder Crown'd:
Reach'd at, & gain'd the Height; touch'd the bold Thyrse;
Made known the Power, and the high Rage of Verse:
All, but th' short Life of Rage; (like th'Lightning's Ray,
Which shines, and dyes; glances, and darts away:)


Thine Lasting was; as that Continuall Fire,
Which t' after Ages wakes i'th' Sepulchre:
With Fancies (like Night-Triumphs) Once we see:
They Shoot, and blaze; but i'th' Presentment dye.
Nor was there Light, and Heat alone; but thence,
That Act of Both, a Quick, Strong Influence
Through all the Parts divided, made them One:
Gave to each Part, t' it self Proportion:
And to the whole; and, in that Union,
Made Life, and Order; Strength, and Beauty joyn.
Nor did this active Mind, and Influence
Reflect upon it self alone; but thence,
(As the Sun's quickning Operation can
Perfect the Mass begun, and finish Man;)
Informe the Hearers; Raise, and Inspire them, with
Those Numbers only; that high, and greater Breath:
(As did the happy Thracian's Powerfull Song,
Which forc'd the Lion, and his Den along;
And plac'd a Soul there:) as if each had been
The Issue and the Creature of thy Pen.
That Life, which Thou on Others could'st confer,
Assume Thy self, and know no Sepulchre:
'Tis to thee, both thy Crown, and Recompence:
The Glory, and Reward of Eloquence.
Live then, (Great Shade) and 'spight of Time and Death,
Take of thine own, another farther Breath.
Rich. Goodridge.