MEMENTO MORI  AN ELEGY On that great Example of Charity and Virtue, The Right Honourable The Countess Dowager of Thanet: Who died on Monday the 14th of August Instant, At the House belonging to that Noble Family in Aldersgate-street.  
AS t'other night perplexed with Cares I lay  
Wishing th' arrival of expected day,  
I saw the Stars grown on a sudden pale,  
Heaven doubly shrouded with a Mourning-vail;  
A doleful Shriek invaded straight mine ear,  
And filled my mind with horror and with fear.  
Frighted I rise, and trembling reach the street,  
Where Throngs of Poor and Needy Souls I meet,  
Whose deep-fetched Sighs and Joynt-united Cries  
Pierced at once my Heart, and rend the Skies.  
In every Look Symptoms of Grief I spy,  
Too great at first to speak the reason why.  
But when an Ebb of Sighs allowed them breath,  
They sadly told me this Good Lady's Death,  
Thanet! whose liberal Hand and open Door  
Has long time been th' Exchequer of the Poor,  
The Public Ordinary of helpless Guests,  
For whom her Bounty every day made Feasts:  
She! She! is snatched away, and we have none  
To keep us now, our great Reliever's gone,  
Gone as a- Pearl drop in the Main, to get  
Which, we may sink, but not recover it.  
I grieved to hear the News, and their Complaint,  
And sat me down in Tears my Grief to vent.  
For such a worthy Gause there's no excuse,  
Sorrow can make a Verse without a Muse.  
What she did here, by great Example, well  
T'inlive Posterity, her Fame may tell.  
Her sweet obliging Charms, her Courtesy,  
Her wary Guards, her wise Simplicity,  
Were like a Ring of Virtues 'bout her set,  
And Piety the Centre where all met.  
Though Streams of Grandeur flowed in her high blood,  
She before Great, preferred the name of Good;  
Her Life so Regular, her Virtue such,  
Some commenced Saints of old with half so much.  
She had a mind as calm as she was fair,  
Not tossed or troubled with fantastic Air.  
A Curl disordered, or a Pin misplaced,  
Could not disturb the serene Peace that graced  
Her Soul; nor would she suffer thoughts to fly  
Out after gaudy Toys of Vanity;  
But by a solid course, this Conquest got,  
To use the world as though she used it not.  
To say she's now an Augel, is scarce more  
Praise than she had, for she seemed such before.  
Whilst Pilgrimaging here, she stood possessed  
Of Heaven in part; for her rich furnished breast  
Was a fair Temple, and her Heart a shrine,  
So purged, that she appeared All-Divine.  
You that the World with Panacaea's vex,  
Knew you no succour 'gainst an Apoplex?  
How happens it, that every day we meet  
The loser sort of people in the street  
From desperate Diseases freed? And why  
Can you help them, and suffer her to die?  
Who was all Virtues in Epitome.  
She in whose Fate the fainting World sustained  
A general Loss, too great to be regained  
In aftertimes: For her Example wrought  
Through each Degree, and glorious Actions taught  
To all mankind, whilst they by Copying her  
In each Relation, learned their own 〈◊〉.  
Beauty and Modesty mixed in her Youth,  
And in her Age Discretion, Grace, and Truth.  
Her H●●●●● dictated Humility,  
And Riches did but feed her Charity.  
How nobly she dispatched each Scene of Life!  
A tender Mother! a most loving Wife!  
A gracious Mistress, an unwearied Friend!  
Whose Love on Fortune's Smiles did ne'er depend.  
Truly Religious, and in every thing  
Fast to the Church, and Loyal to her King.  
She having thus tutored the Standards by  
So well to live, now teaches them to die.  
Nor need we bid her sleep secure, who know  
That God himself rocked her to sleep below.  
Her Soul being sweetly snatched away to Bliss,  
As if some Angel stole it in a Kiss,  
There mounted high, beyond the shades of Death,  
She draws pure Joys and Everlasting Breath,  
Whilst here a generous Odour shall be fanned  
By soft perfumed Winds throughout the Land;  
Which like Rich Essence in the locks of Fame,  
Shall stick, and there Embalm her Deathless Name.  
FINIS.   

With Allowance,  
Aug. 17. 1666. Ro. L'Estrange.   

LONDON: Printed for D. M. 1676. 91.