A SAD MEMORIALI. OF HENRY CURWEN ESQUIRE, THE MOST WORTHY AND ONLY CHILD OF Sir PATRICIUS CURWEN Baronet of Warkington in Cumberland. WHO WITH INFINITE SORROW OF all that knew him departed this life August: 21. being Sunday: 1636. IN THE FOURTEENTH year of his age; and lies interred in the Church of Amersham in Buckingham shire. OXFORD Printed by W. TURNER. 1638. TO MY HONOURABLE FRIENDS Sir PATRICIUS CURWEN Baronet, and his virtuous LADY, peace and comfort. Right Noble and R. Virtuous, YOu were pleased to put into my hands a Jewel of great price, your only Child, I received him with joy, I lost him with grief. Upon this paper I have spent more tears than ink, sighs than sentences: could my groans have fetched him, the grave had yielded him. But now, you and I must learn, (God prosper the Lesson) We must go to him, he cannot return to us: God hath taken but his own, and we may not murmur; my love to the deceased, my devotedness to You, hath drawn into view the substance of five hours' meditation, and those distracted with sorrows: as love hath composed these lines, so love, I trust, will shelter them: if I may do any thing to You acceptable, to the memory of my Jewel friendly, that day in all my life shall be accounted by me a great day; for no longer shall I live, than I shall also live Yours ever devoted to Your service Ch. C. THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. Gentle Reader, THese papers have lain two years in Cumberland in a Manuscript, which privacy not satisfying the great affection of Noble Parents towards their deceased Son, they are now come to thy view. The memory of the Gentleman (the mournful subject) you will soon perceive was worthy all continuance: Achilles is yet remembered for Homer; but if I Be thought on, it is for worthy CURWEN; Achilles for the excellency of the writer, I of the subject: for I freely acknowledge, the Penman will deserve little of his Reader, but the Gentleman that is described, all imitation. Fruere & vale. job. 14.2. He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down. HOly, but yet afflicted job, from the sad meditation of man's frail condition in general, Man borne of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble: and sharp sense of his own in particular, verse. 3. deprecates very earnestly Gods judgements, dost thou open thine eye upon such a one, and bringest me into judgement with thee? me a man of few days, me a flower, me a shadow? wilt thou look narrowly upon the actions of mortals, saith Pineda, and try them summo jure, in rigour? wilt thou set an appointed day for man to answer thee as at a fearful bar of judgement? wilt thou open thine all seeing eyes to pry severely into this creature? This manner of expression speaks thus much, it cannot be, thou wilt not do this thing. Thou wilt not condemn him that in penitential sorrow judgeth himself; nor afflict beyond measure so weak a creature. but v. 6. thou wilt turn from him that he may rest, and accomplish as a hireling his day. In brief job infers from man's frailty that he standeth in need of the compassion, indulgence, and tender mercies of his maker. A great part of frailty here bewailed, is man's transitory estate, and subjection unto death, man, and doluit, are couched in the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. so long as he is man, he is in pain, he wears away, which momentany condition, job expresseth by resemblances taken from a flower and a shadow, the one withereth or is cut down; the other suddenly passeth away. The one hath a short being, and the other is nothing. This flower may signify either whatsoever is of eminency, strength, vivacity, comeliness in man's life, all which like jonah his Gourd, is withered as soon as grown up: or it may signify the spring, and flourishing time of man's age, his youth, which hath no more privilege against death, than the grass, and flower of the field hath, against the of the mower. The flower to which the most flourishing men are resembled hath two properties here laid before us 1. to flourish, 2. to decay, or to be cut down, it is thus with the flower, it is thus with all the glory of man, hear it and be instructed by it. First, man is as a flower, it may be admitted in the growth, fragrancy, comeliness, beauty of a flower, youth hath much of this, and our blessed friend departed had all of it God hath made of mean matter, of a little red earth an excellent fabric; he hath put miris modis, blood into the veins, into the bones marrow, into the limbs proportion, into the lineaments comeliness, in the complexion beauty, into the hands strength, the tongue pleasantness, the eyes majesty, and the head capacity, that ex venustate & dignitate the beauty of man might be complete. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Basil. in hexam. hom. 6. Understand O man thine own dignity, thou art earth by nature, yet the work of divine hands; the work of those hands, that give the flower out of dust, beauty out of ashes. This beauty, this flourishing of the flower is not a mean favour, if any be lifted up for this gift, we say with Saint Austin. lib. 15. d. c.d. c. 28. it is temporale, carnale, infimum bonum, yet let the modest know, let such as cannot hear of beauty without the beauty of a blush know, it is bonum quid, and given bonis. God gave it to Rachel, and David and joseph. and job cap, 42. verse 15 it is said as a thing to be noted, none were found so fair in all the land as the daughters of job, as those daughter's God gave him for a comfort and reward after his patiented abiding of sorrows. Their beauty is mentioned, as commending and setting them forth unto posterity, as mentioning a solace to comfort those eyes of job, that had seen so much evil and deformity in his own flesh, when c. 2.8. he scraped himself with a potsherd, and sat down among the ashes. Though his body was Leprous by the stroke of Satan, yet he lives to see the most comely issue of his loins, mentioned in Scripture as a gift of God's power, and goodness. The heathen Goddess not meanly did express her power, and kindness to her favourite to whom she would give a fit consort, & pulchrâ faciet te prole parentem, gifts show the donor. Beauty is called by Tertullian: foelicitas corporis, de cult. mulier. animae urbana vestis, a holy day's apparel, which even resurrection will not diminish but augment. But let us hear these things with Sobriety, and add comeliness of life, to that of body. Some read job 42.15. for none so fair, none were found so good in all the land as the daughters of job, beauty is then complete when it is joined with virtue. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, give me to be fair in the inward things, Cl. Alex. out of Plato storm: Lib. 1.269. and whatsoever outward things I have, let them be helpful to things within me. would any know when they have this beauty? go to the looking glass, the word of God, into which all of both sexes should look more carefully for composure of life, than the fairest Bride doth for ornament of body into the clearest Crystal, and never should we think our selves well dressed but by direction of that undeceiving Glass. But now when your beauty is truly amiable like Iob's daughters none so good in the land, like Susanna a very fair woman, and one that feared God. Yet such is God's ordinance, and man's frailty, you must whither, you must like the flower of the field be cut down. Hebr. 9.27. it is appointed to all men once to dye, a decree is gone forth against these beautiful flowers, some lasted a long time, not the Oak now, as the flowers did once, I mean the Fathers before the flood; yet all came under Adam's Epitaph Gen. 5.5. and he died, so that no man now may presume of a long life, no not when the flower is most vernant, Eccles. 14.12. remember that death will not be long a coming, but remember it without sadness, eamus laeti & agentes gratias. Cic. Tusc. 1. In the vulgar it is testamentum hujus mundi est, morte morietur, you have the legacy Gen. 2. in the day thou eatest thereof morte morieris. And this is fall'n hastily upon us, our birth is an entrance upon death, beauty is decayed, Libitina and Venus were the same, eâdem Deâortibus & interitibus praesidente. Plutarch. Moral. wise men never put the remembrance of death fare off, joseph of Arimathea makes his Sepulchre in his health, and strength, and in his garden amidst his pleasures. The glory then of man must go into the dust, and into ashes, as the flower which is cut down, nay as the flower which though not cut down will whither and decay. debemur morti, nos nostraque: not we only that are a mouldering dust, but our stately houses, our curious works, time will gnaw on them, and consume them, and us. Yet have we nothing to complain of; 1 Man is in the hands of his maker, as tenants at the will of the Lord, as money lent, Data est usura vita tanquam pecunia, nullo praestituto die. Tusc. 1. Cic. life is given unto man as money lent without nomination of day of payment, due in Law presently, God hath his divine purpose in it. Si mors certae constituta esset aetati fieret homo insolentissimus, & humanitate omni careret. Lact. l. 1. c. 4. the opif. Dei. were death appointed at a set age, man would be most insolent, and void of all humanity, for that man who is so forgetful of himself now, in this uncertainty, while he may dye in hoc nunc, I while I am speaking, you while you are hearing; O how unbrideled would man be if he had certain assurance that he should not this 20.30.40.50 years be called to account, for things done in the body. 2 we cannot complain that die we must, and suddenly we may, every dieing friend may say to us as dieing Calanus to Alex: then in health, and young, brevi te videbo. neither should it daunt us. Socrates triduo concesso primo bibit, having three days of death given him, underwent it the first, though his Consolation in death was but philosophical, the Athenians have adjudged thee to dye, & then nature: he replieth he knew not that through Christ withering is flourishing, death a passage to life, that life that dieth no more, vita vobiscum est & de morte solliciti estis? Orig. tom. 2, p, 443. with you is life of angels, & are you troubled at the cogitation of death? what is the cause saith he tom. 2. pag, 522, the mind of wise men, of old men, is hardly brought ut cedat naturae legibus, this Hagar of fear must be cast out, if she be immoderate she cannot be he ire with the child of the free woman, Hope of Salvation. Ejus est mortem timere qui ad Christum nolit ire, ejus est ad Christum nolle ire qui se non credat cum Christo incipere regnare. Cyprian. de mortalit. p, 341, it is for him to fear death, who would not go to Christ, and it is for him to be unwilling to go to Christ, who doth not believe that he doth already begin to reign with Christ. But some men happily can resolvedly dye, who cannot without great sorrow look upon death's stroke in their friends, such as was our beloved here taken from us, for which loss, I see your great heaviness, I feel my own. The council is good, Eccl. 22, 11, if we could obey it, make little weeping for the dead, he is at rest, sorne we may, nay great mourning for some dead, Gen, 50, 10, at the threshing flower of Atad was a great and sore lamentation for jacob, and from that sore lamentation I will take my exhortation, that according to Saint Paul none do sorrow as men without hope v, 1. joseph mourning wept over his dead father, and kissed him. Tears do express sorrow, kisses comfort, we must mingle in our mourning, our Tears with Kisses, not as if Corporal presence of dead friends could still be enjoyed. Abraham intreateth room to bury his dead out of his sight, he looked for no more of that content, but no doubt he never ceased upon fit occasions to remember and delight in the manifold comforts once enjoyed: which pious remembrances are as so many Kisses of present and beloved friends, our kisses take not away our moderate tears, mourn we may as sensible of our loss, none have lost more, none may sorrow more than myself: hear a little of his person, and you will be very sensible of my sorrow. This gentleman whose Corpse lieth before us, was the only, and most justly beloved child of Sir PATRICIUS CURWEN Baronet, and his virtuous Lady ISABEL, of a most ancient and noble family in Cumberland: the child I could perceive (for I looked throughly into him, and may be a competent reporter) was modestly sensible of births privilege; & knew (which much his elders forget) that of Cicero, nobilitas est nihil aliud quàm cognita virtus, which posterity is to imitate, and perpetuate; otherwise Et genus, & proavos, & quae non secimus ipsi, vix ea nostra voco. Plutarch noteth of Lysander that he yielded nothing to the posterity of Hercules. unless they did imitate the virtues of Hercules. and Cicero ad Quint. fratrem: vides ex amplissimis familiis homines, quòd sine nervis sint tibi pares non esse. you do see how men of very great families, are not equal to thee an upstart, because they have not other worth. Come we then to what was this gentleman's own, not borrowed from his honourable progenitors, if you consider him in his bodily parts, he was a flower, a Lily, we found it in his fragrancy, I would we had not found it in his withering. gratior est pulchro veniens e corpore vir tus, & such gracefullnesse had he amongst us, he adorned beauty with humility, and modesty, & fortitude even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appeared in his tender years, who carried out a weak constitution, with manly patience. As for his general carriage and gifts of mind, O how beautiful was this Lily! 1 for his piety to God, never did I see the age of 14 so seasoned with piety & devotion, so free from all appearance of faction, or superstition, the common rocks many do now fall upon. This under God we must ascribe to judicious, and careful parents, who bred a son in very remote parts of this Kingdom, almost ultimâ Thule, which for piety, and generous carriage, might be a pattern to the youth of our nation, certainly they were careful to avoid that reproach, magna culpa Pelopis qui non erudierat filium. Cic. Tusc. 1. His delight was in God's house, where he sat as you noted, I doubt not, comely and with attention above the Condition of his years; he profited, as I had cause to observe it, exceedingly; his first morning's work, in which I could discern antecedent custom, was prayer, and a portion of scripture, which he performed with manly and serious attention, he loved the Sunday and the Temple, and he died on the Sunday, and almost in the Temple, having been in reverend manner on that day at morning and evening solemnities in the Temple. I cannot here omit how through God's providence I walking in the fields with him the evening before, (as by reason of his weak body I mixed his study with recreations) we fell into above an hour's communication, not as often we did in rudiments of humane learning, but our talk was then (so God disposed it) about many fundamental points of religion, and some polemical; I found him so apprehensive of reason, so delighting in truth apprehended, so able to discern a weak objection from a strong, so prompt to conceive an answer and give it some addition of confirmation, that Apollonius looked not on his Cicero with more admiration and affection, than I on him. I conjectured then, and by some other marks taken at other times, that some enemies to the truth had attempted him, but Trials are confirmations, to the judicious. For his carriage towards man 1. for parents he joyed at any mention of them, was obedient and Dutiful towards them, his wishes were tender and pious for them, his soul was able to discern they affected really his good, his spirit was captivated to their will, he thought no thing good for him, but what they directed; he was more guided by commands of them absent, than most children are (and yet I know some good ones) by entreatings or threatenings of parents that are present. He well remembered the council of Solomon Prov. 1, 8. my son hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother, some read diminish not the Law of thy mother, and so his life expounded it. 2 for parents of the mind teachers, certainly he divided his soul betwixt the parents of the body and them, they gave him earnest directions to show obedience to me, as to themselves, he yielded all obedience willingly, with love, he was never usually out of the teacher's society, which children and vain youth doth desire to shun. So tractable he was to all my ways, a frown would deject him, a harsh or hasty word would melt him into tears, the man must have been very rough, & most indiscreet, that had used Stripes, sour discipline was not for him who never did in so many months (you are present that know it) the thing vain, light, or childish, and all this obedience was mixed as I said with love, the life of it If at any time craziness and distemper of body came upon him (good God how should I forget it!) he would say to servants tell them not, they grieve too much, I shall quickly be well again, nay when the very stroke of death came, he would have hid it from me and my consort, but God so disposed we were both at hand, in our arms this Lamb of God expired, and in his very dissolution we might perceive his grief for our tears. 3. for his behaviour towards others, if among superiors, it was reverend, if equality, if inferiors with kindness, and with dignity, for his literature and hopes therein, had his body been strong enough for the diviner part, he might have outgone even the great desires and hopes of careful parents; his memory was quick and would have been tenacious, such was his diligence; his apprehension clear, his judgement solid, his invention above his years, savouring of man's age, his speech was discreet, his gesture comely, his wit pleasant, unoffensive, his presence delectable, and the loss of him hath filled us with mourning, judge you what blessed gifts were in him all cannot be set before your view, and all that I have said of this noble gentleman, I have spoke it, and so do you receive it, not as from an Orators desk, but as from a sacred Pulpit. Touching his dissolution I have not much to say, I would I had nothing, I wish that in maturity of his age he might have closed these eyes of mine, that I might have been so happy to have seen some of the glorious actions of his great hopefulness, His death was sudden. julius Cesar desired such a one, were it that even great spirits are too weak to look the prepared assault of death in the face, or that war, in which he delighted, was likely to give him no other death, so that he would seem to turn a necessity into a choice, let him judge that hath leisure. The sudden fatal stroke came from an aposteme engendered about the heart (as the most learned in Physic were of opinion) which not possibly finding passage, soon drowned that vital and noble part, quickly taking, sense, life, motion, from this Lamb of God, by which we are in grief, he in glory. But some may demand, why hath so much been spoken of a youth of 14. years, a child of Adam? I do not willingly exceed in this kind, Cicero noteth 2. the legibus: postquam su mtuosa fieri funera et lamentabilia coepissent, Solonis lege sublata sunt. But a wiser and greater Lawgiver than Solon doth warrant Funeral decencies, 2. Chron. 35.25. and jeremiah lamented for josiah, and all the singing men, and singing women spoke of josiah in their lamentations, set out his excellent virtues: Anthems, Verses, Sermons, are fit means to honour, & bewail the death of God's Saints. And for this gentleman, whosoever knew his ornaments of grace and nature as I did, will rather wonder how in so large an argument I could speak so little, inopem me copia fecit. why is so much spoken? 1. that we may know the goodness of God towards a child of Adam, we are all conceived in sin, we are by nature children of wrath, omnis homo in patre & matre pollutus est. Orig. tom. 2.164. and the mercy is most worthy our remembrance, this gentleman should arrive so early, at such a height of grace. honori tempestivus, qui virtute maturus, let virtue have honour. 2 why so much? it is to stir up young men to imitation, I hope God sent this Flower out of the North for that purpose, they will leave childhood, and vanity, they will certainly aim at such perfections as youth is evidently capable of. children sang Hosanna unto Christ, Timothy is commended from a child, amongst moral men Alexander the great, Hannibal, Scipio, Augustus Caesar, atcheived great things; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it is an age in which we may do all things. 3. why so much? to admonish parents that they make impressions of virtue in their children in youth, when it will stick longest, argillâ quidvis imitaberis udâ, never say, O willingly deluded parents, your children have time enough, they are young enough. Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit: you will find it to your great grief, when it will be too late to redress it. I am not so unreasonable or sour, that I would advise any, to overcharge a child, or prejudice health, of which in this sickly gentleman I was most tender, but when you have the happy opportunities of youth, strength, capacity, use the time, trifle it not away. magni refert saith Erasmus praefat in opera Orig. ubi nascaris, in Turkey or in Christendom, magis à quibus of ill natures or good, maximè à quibus instituaris, that makes the man. 4. why so much? to abash elder ones that in thrice his age have not expressed half his virtues: ju ventutem tuam nemo despiciat, S Cyprian excellently paraphraseth, multò minus senectutem, the Poet expresseth it though to an ill purpose jura senes norint, & quid liceatque nefasque, it should be so. 5 why so much? to see our loss, Cumberlands loss, the righteous perish no man regards it; these are heavy strokes to a people, when God takes away noble and hopeful youth; what an example, what a comfort, what a patriot, might this gentleman have been in his country, what might they not have hoped in him? But he is gone, ergo Quintilium perpetuus sopor urget! it is the Lords doing, it is wonderful, it is severe in our eyes; yet dare we not say why hast thou done this, rather with job, the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name the Lord, as the Lord will so cometh it to pass. This is a hard lesson to learn, to me as hard as to any, but he that gave it to us in his word, of his mercy write it in our hearts by his spirit. To God the father, god the son. etc. Laus soli Deo. The body was borne to the burial by gentlemen that waited on the young nobles. The two former corners of the sheet were borne viz. by Mr George Montague Mr Sidney Montague sons of the right hon. Hen. E. of Manch. L. privy seal. The two hinder corners by M. George Berkley son of G. Lord B. M. William Bridges son of the Lord Chandos deceased. The following verses were upon the hearse. Friends accompanying the body to C. Hennage Proby Esquire. High sheriff of Buckinghamshire. S. David Watkins Knight with their Ladies. S. Thomas Sanders Knight with their Ladies. William Drake Esquire. Henry Hastings Esquire. with Gentlemen and gentlewomen of quality. IN EXIMIAE VIRTUTIS Adolescentulum HENRICUM CURWEN Armig: obiit Aug. 21. 1636. die solis. Domini Patricii CURWEN Baronetti filium unigenitum variorum Tumuli. Iste dies solis socio mala funera praebens Nigro scriptus erit qui fuit antè rubro. Fata tamen scelus est nimiùm deflere Sodalis, Ille etenim coeli culmina sancta petit. George Montague. aetat. 13. fill. illust. comitis Manchestriae. Passer qui matrem latis amisit in agris Quaerit ubique cibum, sed cibus omnis abest. Pipilat incassum, matter fit surda vocanti, Clamitat ut veniat, non tamen illa venit: Sic te dum quaero querulis ululatibus aether Impletur, sed te non reperire queo: Ast ubi te quaeram toto defessus in orbe, Scandisti coelum regna beata Dei. Grego. Norton Baronetti fill. nat. max. aetat. 14. Heu quid agam tristis, summus dolor ossibus haeret, Cor dolet, a nobis noster amicus abest. Ista dies memoranda mihi est quâ, chare Sodalis, Horrendo gladio mors tibi membra ferit. Occupat ossa dolour, stimulant praecordia cura & nostris lachrymis arida terra madet. Heu perii! nostrum non est reparabile damnum. non bona, non nummus, charus amicus abest. O utinam possem precibus tibi reddere vitam, lassarem precibus, nocte dieque deum. Sed quid me macero? quid corda doloribus ango? namque animam coelum, terraque corpus habet. Johannnes Trevour equitis aurati fill. nat. max. aetat. 12. How is that morning flower so freshly blown, Touched with an envious breath, & breathless thrown! Those limbs like Parian marble curious framed, Those eyes like gems it'h silver orb inflamed, Those comely locks resembling Phoebus' hair Those fingers which with Bacchus might compare, Those lovely looks as had ye blushing grace, Ladies, you would but wish for such a face. Those all & better parts which lay within Have paid deaths obligation made by sin. Dust we are all, to dust we must return, But rise we shall again; then cease to mourn Do not exceed as those that quenched have All joy with tears, and sunk all hope in grave. Yet mourn, lest whilst you too strong hearted prove Men Censure you for wanting love. Guil. Short Art. Magist. Si pia pro vestrâ valuissent vota salute chara patri soboles, charior ipsa Deo; Tuque tuâ vitâ, nos te potiremur amate Curwen, boec nobis invida fata negant. Nec tua te virtus, genus, ars,, pietasne colenda aetas, nec facies, pellere morte potest. Sed tam rara fides, & cultus numinis alti, advexit citiùs sedibus Elisiis. Postquam luminibus vidi te morte peremptum praeproperâ & tetigi pollida membra manu. Obstupui, flevi, mea vox et faucibus haesit, attonitusque steti, morte recente tui. Attamen ut sensi divina particulam aurae Tempore festino scandere templa poli, Tum laetus dixi, tua sors coeleste, quid optem quàm tecum ut celebrem numina sacra Dei? Joh. Richardson Art. Magist. So drops the blooming rose, so fades The lily in unwelcome shades. No want of sprightly juice, clear air, T'in large the sweet, to deck the fair. But secret venom closely creeps, To blast the heart whilst nature sleeps. And as the worm which undescryed Nipped Jonah's gourd, so Curwen died. Why thine elected spirit so swift Should quit earth's fabric, & make shift T'ore'top the Stars, thy sudden start Works admiration, and my heart Led by thy trace concludes from hence Heaven is thus caught by violence. Nature invites, but grace denies Thy longer pilgrimage, heaven espies Thy ripened virtue, to which Station, Thy enoch's life finds his translation. Thou'hast paid thy debt too soon, whiles we Must run on score to follow thee. Thou didst more nobly then dull age, Who feels the slow paced Hectics rage. The Gout, or Palsy, yet outlives The long wished legacy he gives. Thy soul like elemental fire, Mounts to its sphere, and thy desire Out strips thine haste; as if delay Had stayed thee here beyond thy day. Oh why so soon (dear Saint) oh hear Thy Father's groan, observe the tear Thy tender mother sheds, thy friend, Whose love admits and brooks no end Of thy society, envites Thy longer day: but Heaven delights Have rapt thine eager soul, whiles we Weep to behold thine obsequy. Farewell brave spirit, I'll not envy Thy glory, he must more than die That means to purchase heaven, thy days Though short unparallelled, we praise Thy pattern, he that lives like thee, Can never dye too suddenly. There needs no Epitaph, thy name Is thine own marble, modest fame Shall sing this distich, here lies he Whose fourteen spoke him sixty three. Stephen Axtill Bac. in Medic. Heu nimium nimiumque patri jucundus ocellus Eripitur, Parcae sic mala pensa volunt. Nec possunt flecti juvenili Tartara vultu, Rumpere saevitiam nec probitatis amor. Invida dic quaeso cur unguibus optima curvis Carpere gavisa es, gaudia nostra malùm. Vernantes quare secuisti falcibus annos, Sub pedibus sternens spemque decusque patris? Cessandumque tibi quid ni violenta putabas Vulnere, namque gravi tota sepulta domus. Respice quid damni nobis inimica tulisti. W Vulnera nam patitur flebilis ista domus. Vix possunt animo luctum tolerare sodales, Et moesti lacerant ungue rigente genas. Nec tales Niobe duxit de pectore questus, Vel Priamus, natus cum raperetur equis. Sis nimium licet vili contenta Sepulchro, Haud erit vili fama reposta loco. Ingenium, probitas, aevo cantabitur omni, Et quem non norunt, secla futura scient. Paul Solomeaux Gallus Vandomiensis. Sweet soul enjoy thy happy rest Prepared for thee, whose harmless breast, ne'er harboured ill, but the disease, That suddenly thy life did seize. So th'apple falls unperfected By that which inwardly it bred: What could be wished to make complete Body & mind in thee were heaped. Such radiant virtues did appear In thy rich soul, which made thee here Shine like a Star, and though but green In years, yet was there clearly seen In all thine actions such a grace, As did proclaim thy birth and place, To be the only hope and heir Of noble parents; and a fair Large fortune did no whit elate Thy wiser Genius, but to fate Thou didst submit, to let us know, Thou valuedst not these things below. These could not tempt the, but away Thou hastes as if th'hadst known the day Of thy solution, being come And spent in meek devotion, With winged speed thou didst address, To meet that coward merciless Pale tyrant death, who in despite Hath ravished us of our delight. Sleep on sweet soul, whose every limb Threatened to conquer death, and not death him. F. K. Heu mors parce precor paulisper, surripis ipsum E gremio puerum delitiasque patris. Non Deus est aliquis fraenet qui jussa sororum? Est, sed parcarum jura dat ipse Deus. Restant grandaevi, multis optata fuisti Cura immaturo flore teratur hama. Vel mors tu timida es nimiùm, aut consector Erynnis, Sternere nam plures non solet illa simul. Cum tu permultos simul, & tot tristia nobis Volvas, quò luct● nunc Schola tota jacet. Rarius aut mitis nunquam, crudelia siste Vulnera, spem multam sustulit una dies. Eludat nullos immunes morte juventus, Nam quae Curwenum sustulit, illa furit. John. Hoare. A Dialogue. Passenger. Poet. Passenger. Tell me I pray what doth this Marble close? Poet. A bud it is of a new blooming rose. A rose that would such an odour infuse, As to walk by none would refuse. A rose bereft of sharp and pricky thorn. A rose as fair, as ever could be borne. Passenger. Why so soon cropped? why was it not let stand, To grace the rest? whose was the fatal hand That did the fact! Poet. A blast, a chilling blast, Did nip it so, though it stood pretty fast. And ere it could its full perfection show Most hastily it was enforced to bow. O cruel wind, oh blast infortunate, To blast that flower kept for to propagate: None of the stock is left, the branch decay, Why didst thou then 'gainst it thy force assay? If thou must rage's, why dost thou not down crush Those empty buds, that are not worth a rush? Passenger. Lament no more, thy complaint & thy moan Is good for naught, for be it late or soon Both good and bad perish & fall away, For every man there is a certain day. Thou must thy lot bear with a constant mind, And yet not think the fates to thee unkind. As for thy bud the scent did recreate Men here below, so it will elevate It still on high, even to the heavens above, Where mercy dwells, peace, charity, & love. And in the place wherein too soon it fell Perpetuate ever its most pleasing smell Poet. I hope it shall, and ever from it rise Nothing but Musk, or Myrrh, or Ambergriese. And let me now this Epitaph engrave In future times to stand upon his Grave. Hold off, I cannot pass this hallowed shrine. Ere I have paid due tribute of my tears. Nothing of Horrour's here, all is divine. Rare melody enchant the listening ears Yielding such sweet content expel all tears; Come nearer friend who in this dead of night Visits with me pale Tombs, see see this light, Regard that voice, for me no tears, no cries. Wast not thy precious drops in vain, thy eyes Ere let be two alimbecks to distil Numbers of tears for thy own passed ill. Paul Solomeaux Gallus Vandomiensis. FINIS.