A Funeral ELEGY, Upon the much lamented Death of the Right Honourable, and Eminently Virtuous Lady, and exemplary Pattern of Piety, Charity, and Humility, MARY, Lady Dowager, Countess of WARWICK, who died April 12. 1678.  
IF Tears could aught prevail, I'd weep amain,  
And wash my blubbered Eyes in brinish Rain:  
Though wet Wings cannot fly aloft, nor soar,  
Yet ardent Love may make one Poet more,  
And him constrain (this once) to make a Verse,  
As Homage due to this Renowned Hearse;  
And him (not used) a Poet now to turn,  
To pay a Tribute to this Sacred Urn.  
Her Parents, Husband, both were Noble: She  

* Earl of Cork.  By Birth was Noble, and 
‖ Earl of Warwick.  Affinity:  
But Divine Graces crowned her high Degree,  
Much more ennobling her Nobility.  
Though she descended from a Noble Stem,  
Yet Grace she valued as Her chiefest Gem.  
Her New Birth she esteemed more than the Gold  
Of Ophir, or aught else, a hundred fold.  
On Earth she lived in Heaven: For her Heart,  
With MARY, 
Luke 10.42  made choice of the better Part.  
She oft walked forth into her Wilderness,  
And in Her walking found happy success.  
She walked with God: 
Gen. 5.24.  she'd observation make,  

Gen. 6.9.  How often to Her Soul God comfort spoke.  

Hos. 2.14.  Even in a Wilderness God made his Word  
Good to Her, Joys and Comforts there t' afford.  
In 
* Ambulavi in Claustro Cordis mei. Bern.  Her Heart's Cloister she took many a turn,  
And with Seraphic Love to Christ did burn.  
She loved God's Word; it was Her Heart's delight:  
And in the Law of God, 
Psal. 1.2. , both Day and Night,  
This Blessed Saint spent time in Meditation;  
God's Service was her Joy and Recreation.  
Such as feared God, 
1 Pet. 2.17.  and honoured the King,  
She prized more than any Earthly Thing.  
In all Times to own such She did not fear,  

Ephes. 4.24.  In whom the Image of God did appear.  
Public Assemblies She frequented: such  
As faithful Preachers were, She honoured much:  
Her Charity shined forth in Word and Deed,  
To such as were in Troubles and in Need.  
Another Dorcas she was, 
Acts 9.36.  doing good,  
She clothed the Naked, gave the Hungry Food.  
The Sick She visited; in their condition,  
Was Alm'ner, Surgeon, and Physician.  
Her Closet-Cordials, Purse, and tender Heart,  
Were opened to give ease to any Smart,  
Of such as were afflicted, and in grief,  
Her care was quick to contribute Relief.  
How she loved Learning, many Learned tell,  
To whom Her signal Bounty did excel.  
She laboured to prevent, or heal all Strife;  
She was a Grand Peacemaker all her life.  
Humility was Orient as the Crown;  
Of all Her Graces, a Pearl of Renown.  
Goodness and Greatness met in high degree,  

Prov. 15.33.  Before Her Honour was Humility.  
Sarah was praised 
1. Pet. 3.6. , who called her Husband Lord;  
Her practice with that Princess did accord:  
In Health, and Sickness, as a faithful Wife,  
She showed her great Love to preserve his Life.  
Like Hannah, it was this choice Saints desire,  
Delight, and Practice, often to retire  
Into Her Closet, 
1 Sam. 1.13.  and pour out her Heart  
To God, who to Her Comforts did impart.  
There She enjoyed Communion with the Lord,  
In Her Recess, more than Earth can afford.  
Such Time so spent in secret She 'steem'd more  
Than any Riches, or the Indian Oar.  
She fasted, Wept, prayed on her bended Knee,  
And so prepared for Eternity.  
For the Lord's Supper, she set time apart,  
To Hear, and Read, and Pray, and search her Heart;  
To which she joined Fasting to prepare  
Her Heart for that Great Feast beyond compare.  
What shall I add more? E'ven all's too little,  
Though I'll not vary from the Truth one tittle.  
Faith, Hope, and Meekness, Prudence, Charity,  
Rendered Her Nobler than Her high Degree.  
The Poor will miss Her as a daily Friend,  
Who did Relief unto them often send.  
Poor Scholars whom she did at School maintain,  
(Who valued Her Life as their best Gain)  
Will now much miss Her Bounty, and Her Love,  
(For few there are who like to Her will prove.)  
Servants will miss Her Love, and Bounty great,  
And good Advice, which she did oft repeat,  
For their Eternal Good: She did afford  

Jos. 24.15.  Choice means for all Her House to serve the Lord.  
At present, and before, she did maintain  
Choice Chaplains in Her House, hoping to gain  
Souls unto Christ: Her Heart's desire was free,  
To go to Heaven with a great Company.  
The Poorest had access unto Her; She  
Showed Candour, and sweet Affability.  
She studied Scriptures much, and Her own Heart,  
Her rare Experiences she did impart  
To Ministers, and others: By such Talk  
So useful, they might be stirred up to walk  
Closer with God, and order their ways right,  
As in their walks having God in their sight.  
Before the Sun was up, she often gave  
Her Morning Thoughts to God: And She did crave  
God's Grace, and Blessing: And so the whole Day  
She did more comfortably pass away.  
She lived desired, and now's lamented much,  
I wish surviving Ladies were all such.  
She's now a Saint in Glory, freed from pain;  
What's Loss to many, is her chiefest Gain.  
She told some Ladies, Though I love you well,  
Yet Heaven all Earthly Comforts doth excel:  
Heaven I prepare for, and Heaven is my Home,  
From thence to you I'll never wish to come.  
What she believed, and hoped for, she doth see,  
And shall enjoy to all Eternity.  
Sabbaths on Earth she ' bserved with much delight,  
In them she had of Heaven some glimpse and sight.  
The Blessed Trin'ty, her Soul's happiness,  
She seeth fully in eternal bliss,  
And keeps one everlasting Sabbath there,  
Where not the least disturbance shall appear.  
Now she knows more of God than any Man  
On Earth (though greatly Learned) ever can.  
Here in a Glass darkly, 
1 Cor. 13.12.  now Face to Face,  
In Heaven she fully sees that Glorious Place;  

1 Joh. 3.2.  She sees God as he is immediately,  
And now is blest to perpetuity.  
Ye Living lay these things to heart, prepare  
To meet with Christ, 
Col. 2.3.  in whom all Treasures are.  
Like the Wise Virgins, have not Oil to buy,  
When Christ shall come: 
Mat. 25.4.  But with them have supply  
Of Oil of Graces: Live prepared to die;  
So when you die, you'll live eternally.  
Prepare to follow this Blessed Saint in Grace,  
Who now triumphs in the most Holy Place;  
Where Praises she, and Allelujahs sings,  
To the most Holy God, the King of Kings.  
Leave weeping for Her, who in Heaven doth dwell,  
Weep rather that you cannot parallel  
Her Virtues: And let Writers pen her Story,  
And her Record, who was The Lady's Glory.  
Let her good Life live in you: For though dead,  
She speaks that you in her footsteps should tread.  
From Ev'ls to come, 
Isa. 5. n  in Mercy's took away:  

Isa. 35.10.  She's freed from Sighs and Sorrows in that day.  
Now she enjoys an Everlasting Rest,  

Heb. 4.9.  Wherewith God's People shall be ever blest.  
She now enthroned with the Powers Divine,  
Shall in the Spangled Ceiling ever shine.  By an Admirer and Honourer of Her Excellent Virtues.  

London, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and 3 Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside. 1678. 106.   

With Allowance.