lionesque skull crowned by a winged time-turner 
MEMENTO MORI  The Memory of the Just is blessed, and is to be had in everlasting remembrance.  
A most Useful( Pithy and Deserved) Commendation of( that Pious and Reverend Minister of the Gospel) Mr. Thomas Wadsworth.  
Who changed this Life for a better, October 29. 1676. Printed in metre to perfume his Name, and keep alive his Memory to future Posterity.  
 poem is framed by images of skeletons, skulls, time-turners, and graveyard implements, as well as two more banners reading MEMENTO MORI  

IS Wadsworth Dead! how can this be resolved!  
Wee'll grant you the Compositum thats dissolved;  
But for his Soul, it Lives among the blessed,  
His Body's but Asleep and gone to Rest.  
He preached and Wrote, o'th Souls Immortality,  
Which Doctrine he finds True, now in Glory.  
If Soul-sleepers, could into Heaven peep,  
They would convinced be, the Soul goes not to sleep.  
For then and there, they quickly would behold  
Holy Wadsworth's Soul, shine more bright than Gold.  
Acting its Part 'mongst that Heavenly choir,  
With lively vigorous Zeal as hot as Fire:  
Where Living, He shall Live and never die,  
No more to Sin, nor Groan through Pain and Cry;  
Of Kidney Ulcer, and ston in Bladder,  
Which to him proved a Happy Jacob's Ladder.  
For though 'twas painful for him to ascend,  
Yet come to Top, it did in Glory end.  
So Death to him, save One, proved his best Friend.  
Which one is Christ, through whose Blood and Merit,  
Alone 'tis that, He's with God in Spirit.  
Which Truth believed, proves Soul Immortality;  
Likewise disproves blind Popes Purgatory.  
And what a joyful Meeting may one think  
Had this blessed Soul upon an Eye-lids wink,  
With that blessed Company which is above,  
With Patriarch's, Martyrs, and Holy Love;  
Also with others of a later Date,  
Who went to Heaven at a cheaper rate.  
As Golden Havilah and Holy Jesse,  
Reverend Caryl, Venning, and blessed Janeway,  
With Learned Wilkison, and Whitaker,  
Whose Names on Earth, still perfumed are;  
With their great Learning, Labour and Holy Life,  
Which whilst they lived, was in them most Rife.  
Their Learning now's ended, their Labour's done;  
They have run their Race, and the prise have won.  
So Reverend West, Pledger, and Sweet Mr. Well.  
Who spent themselves, to save poor Souls from Hell.  
But now are all, to Heaven gone from Earth,  
And blessed Wadsworth last, hath yielded up his Breath.  
And with them all, had a joyful Greeting,  
Where Persecutor can't disturb their Meeting.  
But what was Wadsworth, that thus much is said,  
Of him, whose body, now in grave is laid?  
Was he a man, who in his life, deserved?  
To be at's death, so honourably served:  
Yea he was, a man, whose life, deserved it:  
Let none, therefore, envy his death hath it.  
For th'honour, which to him's given at's death,  
He well deserved, in spending, of his breath:  
●or welf●re, and th'good of mens immortal souls,  
To fit, and them prepare, 'gainst the bell touls.  
When first, he came from University,  
At New●ngton Butts, he lift up his cry:  
To make dead souls, to hear, his Masters voice,  
And so, leave Sin, and serve God out of choice.  
And so loud cried, to sinners, gone astray:  
That many, he brought back, to Heavens way.  
Two Sermons, he did preach, on each Lords day:  
Each Morn, i'th' Week, he did expound and pray.  
Besides, he often visited his Flock,  
And at their doors, most frequently did knock.  
To see, and know, each souls state and condition,  
In which, he shew'd himself a good Physician.  
And' cordingly, his remedy, applied:  
The weak, with strength, the sad, with joy, supplied.  
And's hungry souls, by him, was fed with food:  
So's hungry bodies, with that which was good.  
He sought the flock, more than he did the fleece:  
To do them good, was both his joy and peace.  
To Rich and Poor, he preached impartially:  
With great conversion, God sealed his Ministry.  
And when, for Conscience sake, he was turned out;  
In country, Town, and City, preached about.  
As he preached, in Pulpit, frequent and rife:  
So he preached, in practise, by his holy life.  
His life was perfect, and his death was peace:  
He fed his Flock, but never took the Fleece;  
Therefore let's Brethren, him for pattern take:  
And thence learn, to do more, for th' Lord Christ's sake.  
For though, God gave him great ability:  
Yet still he shew'd forth as great Humility.  
At length God's Providence, which ruleth well,  
At Tibbals placed him, to save some from Hell:  
And there he did not preach nor run in vain,  
Some fruit God gave him, to reward his pain.  
For many, there by him was converted;  
Who from th' Faith of Christ, had much departed.  
Keeping still his Flock he had at London:  
Though for it he was like to be undone.  
Keeping Pluralities, but not for gain:  
But to save more souls from eternal pain.  
And when th' Persecution was most hot,  
Did not neglect to feed his Flocks a jot.  
But preach he would, by day, or by the night:  
Though sometimes rude Souldiers did much him fright.  
And thus he served both places, though by stealth,  
Until he found it did impair his health:  
And then, with counsel, did himself advice,  
That he might not be th' Peoples Sacrifice.  
〈◇〉 〈◇〉 〈◇〉 m●n ●eave, yet ●ot●●ov●d him well;  
He loved them again, therefore could not tell  
Which to forsake, both were to him so dear.  
This thing, to decide, cost him many a tear.  
Likewise, each Flock, a claim to him did lay,  
Whose Shepherd to be, t'guid them Heavens way.  
From whence, some small contention did arise  
Between both Flocks, yet both, were godly wise.  
At length, by counsel, he did come to dwell  
At Pickleherring, a place known full well.  
But when preached two Sermons had at Dead-place,  
His Master sent grim death to look him i'th' face.  
Preaching th' last, he made the people wonder,  
He did, so long and loud, 'gainst Sin thunder.  
And before he ended and went his way,  
Did summon the World to meet him at Judge day.  
And so that proved, for him they'l see no more,  
Till they meet to see him the Lord before.  
For' th Twenty ninth October the Lords one day,  
about two o'th Clock his Lord took him away.  
He hath fought his Fight, and run throughout's Race,  
And now to Heaven's gone to take his place.  
Thus God himself hath ended two Flocks strife,  
By taking from them their dear Shepherds life.  
But what a great loss this is, who can tell?  
( None) till experience to us it spell:  
Great loss to th' Church, no less to his Relations,  
Yea, a great loss toth' whole English Nation.  
He was a man with whom few could compare,  
To find the like, would any man out-ware.  
Therefore let all that doth this sad News hear,  
Endeavour to bedew it with a tear.  
Let all Gods Children in Love unit'd be,  
That he may not from them take their Ministry▪  
Let Sinners all, them of their sins repent,  
Which hath provoked God to make this rent.  
Let Magistry, Ministry, and People all,  
Turn from their sin and upon the Lord call:  
For mercy to be shown to this Nation,  
That we become not a Desolation.  
Let all that go to hear at dead mans place,  
Mourning Remember blessed Wadswort●'s Face;  
And pray his D●ath may Preach now he is Dead,  
That Sinners dying ma● find the Grave a B●d:  
To lodge their Bodies till the Resurrection,  
And then Awake with a good Complexion.  
Let Tibbals Flock improve this loss so well,  
As to come to Heaven and escape Hell.   

HIS EPITAPH.  

HEre sleeps the Body of Holy Wadsworth blessed,  
Disturb him not, his Soul is gone to R●st.  
And this his Dust shall have a Glorious Rising,  
W●en christ comes ●t Resurrection Morning:  
He preached in Life, and Dead he Preacheth still,  
To Sinners, to keep and ob●y Gods will,  
Holy lives to live, all Sin to forsak●,  
That they with him in Glory may partake.   
Memento Mortis.