THE Dismal Day, at the Blackfriars.  
Or, A deplorable Elegy, on the death of almost an Hundred Persons, who were lamentably slain by the fall of a House in the Blackfriars, being all assembled there (after the manner of their Devotions) to hear a Sermon on Sunday-Night, the 26. of October last passed. An. 1623.  
 Figures of Time, Death and? the wheel of fortune  

FRom the vast Chaos of distempreed Minds  
My Muse doth flutter forth her moistened wings,  
Upheld with Gusts and Gales of sighing winds,  
In this sad Swanlike Elegy she sings,  
For inbred griefs her heart so nearly stings,  
That from thee (gentle Reader) we must borrow  
Some Tears of pity in such Threanes of sorrow.   

Oh grave Melpomene assist my Pen,  
Whilst I in doleful manner do recite  
The heavy death of near an hundred men,  
Whose Tragic ends my Soul doth much affright,  
With fearful horror of that dismal Night.  
Ah, Fatal Vesper; whose like hath not been  
Since the Sicilian Vespers ever seen.   

Though Gods great Mercies, (which so boundless are  
And infinite) his other works transcend,  
Where he might strike he oftentimes doth spare,  
In expectation when we should amend;  
(Yea, though we daily, hourly, do offend)  
Yet are his judgements likewise just and true,  
To give to Sinners their deserved due.   

Such is the might of our All-powerfull God,  
That those which dare his Greatness to resist,  
Shall feel his furious scourge and Iron Rod,  
His wrath can overtake them when he list,  
At whose Commands the Winds and Seas are whist.  
Let Christians all that his dread voice shall hear,  
Serve him in faithful heart and trembling fear.   

View here a Spectacle of mournful ruth,  
Which (for our crimes) the Lord hath lately sent,  
London can witness well it was a Truth,  
A strange, untimely, fearful Accident,  
Which well may make a stony heart relent;  
In the Blackfriars, (black disastrous fate!)  
A heavy woeful Story to relate.   

That Sunday Night, led by their deep Devotions,  
Three hundred Persons were assembled there,  
Of diverse Sects, sundry Degrees and Nations,  
Some English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish were,  
Prepared (it seems) a Sermon for to hear,  
Which there a jesuit was to solemnize,  
One Drury fitted to that Exercise.   

And having Crossed himself in public view,  
He enters strait the Chair and Preaching-place,  
The people yield him reverence, as was due,  
And to his Sermon numbers flocked apace,  
He being (with them) a Man of chiefest grace;  
Who there his Text did open and unfold,  
Showing such doctrines as their Church did hold.   

Thus while he Preached, delivering forth at large  
Such Points of strange Belief as they are taught,  
The People's weight the Chamber did surcharge,  
Which breaking down their sad Confusion wrought  
When of this Accident they never thought:  
The Chamber full three Stories from the ground,  
Which braced in sunder with a hideous sound.   

And when the upper Floor that first did break,  
Falls on the second, where they hoped to stay;  
Yet on the sudden ere a man could speak,  
They on the ground all bruised and smothered lay,  
Some stifled up with Lome, Stones, Dust, and Clay:  
And some for help and succour loudly calling,  
All broken, bruised, and mangled in their falling.   

The Husband cries out, Oh my loving wife,  
The Wife cries out, Oh save my Husband dear,  
The Father cries, Would I had lost my life,  
His children's woes do touch his heart so near,  
All things so rueful, dreadful, do appear:  
Thus Tyrant death with his all-peircing dart,  
Acts many a fatal Scoene, and bloody part.   

The Brother bids the Sister quite adieu,  
The Sister cries, Farewell my loving Brother,  
The Infant's loss doth make the mother rue,  
The Child cries out, Oh where's my careful Mother?  
All these (alas) stones, lime, and timber smother.  
Yea many there which on their friends had gazed,  
Yet knew them not, they were so much amazed.   

The Servant cries, Oh I have lost my Master,  
The Master for his Servant doth complain,  
The faithful Friend laments his Friend's disaster,  
Wishing that for his sake himself were slain:  
Thus tears gush out on every side amain.  
Some swound with fear, unable for to speak,  
Which might a Christians heart with sorrow break.   

Thus some were buried up alive in dust,  
Some mangled, bruised, wounded with the fall,  
Some brained with Timber, some in pieces crushed,  
Of those that scaped the number was but small;  
A fearful Doom and Summons to us All:  
Calling us to repentance many ways,  
Considering well the shortness of our days.   

O Lord defend thy Church and Commonweal,  
Maintain thy Gospel free in this our Land,  
And since to us thy Truth thou dost reveal,  
In zeal unto it let us ever stand:  
Protect our King still from his Enemy's hand:  
And when we must resign our vital breath,  
Save us (O Lord) from strange and sudden Death.   
Math. Rhodes.  
FINIS.   

A Catalogue OF THE Names of such persons as were slain at BLACKFRIARS.  


Master Drury, the Priest.  
Master Rediate, Priest.  
Lady Webbe.  
Lady Blackstones daughter.  
Tho: Web, her Man.  
William Robinson, Tailor  
Robert Smith an Apothecaries Man.  
Mr. Davisons' Daughter.  
Anthony Hall his man.  
Anne Hobdin.  
Marry Hobdin.  
Ioh: Galoway.  
Mr. Peirson, his Wife & two Sons.  
Mistress Vdal. Abigall, her Maid, and two more in her House.  
john Netlan.  
Nathaniel Coals.  
john Halifax  
Mris. Rugbic.  
john Worrals Son.  
Mr. Becket.  
Thomas Mersit, his Wife, Son and Maid.  
Mris. Summel Marry her Maid.  
Andr: Whites Daughter.  
Mr. Stakers.  
Elizabeth Sumpner.  
M. Westwood.  
judith Bellowes.  
S. Lewis Pewbertons Man.  
Elizabeth Moor.  
john james.  
Morris Beucresse.  
Davy Vaughhan.  
Anne Field  
Mr. Ployden  
Robert Heisime.  
One Medalf.  
M. Maufield.  
M. Simons.  
Dorothy Simons.  
Thomas Simons.  
Robert Pawerkes.  
Mistress Morton and her Maid.  
Francis Downes.  
Edmund Shey.  
josuna Perry  
job tully.  
Robert Drury.  
Thomas Draper.  
john Staiggs.  
Thomas 〈◊〉.  
Michael Butler.  
Edmund Rivals.  
Edm: Welsh.  
Bartholomew Bavin.  
Davy.  
Rich: Price.  
Tho: Wood  
Christo: Hobbs  
john Butler.  
Ioh: Brabant.  
And M. Buckets man. etc.     

Imprinted at London by G. ELD. 1623.