20 Yet more; the stroke of death he must abide, Then lies him meekly down fast by his brethren's side. These latter scenes confine my roving verse, To this horizon is my Phoebus bound; His godlike acts, and his temptations fierce, 25 Loud o'er the rest Cremona's trump doth sound: Of lute, or viol still, more apt for mournful things. Befriend me Night, best patroness of grief, Over the pole thy thickest mantle throw, 30 And work my flatter'd fancy to belief That Heav'n and Earth are colour'd with my woe; The leaves should all be black whereon I write, And letters where my tears have washt a wannish white. See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels 36 That whirl'd the prophet up at Chebar flood; My spirit some transporting cherub feels To bear me where the towers of Salem stood, 40 In pensive trance, and anguish, and ecstatic fit. Mine eye hath found that sad sepulchral rock That was the casket of Heav'ns richest store; And here though grief my feeble hands up lock, 45 My plaining verse as lively as before; For sure so well instructed are my tears, Or should I thence hurried on viewless wing, 50 Might think th' infection of my sorrows loud 55 This subject the Author finding to be above the years he had when he wrote it, and nothing satisfied with what was begun, left it unfinished. AN EPITAPH ON THE ADMIRABLE DRAMATIC POET, W. SHAKESPEAR. (1630.) WHAT needs my Shakespear for his honour'd bones, Or that his hallow'd reliques should be hid Under a star-ypointing pyramid? Dear son of memory, great heir of fame, What need'st thou such weak witness of thy name? Hast built thyself a live-long monument: For whilst to th' shame of slow-endeavouring art values] 8:14 in Dost make us marble with too much conceiving; And so sepulcher'd in such pomp dost lie, fanciful. That kings for such a tomb would wish to die. ON THE UNIVERSITY CARRIER, Who sickened at the time of his vacancy, being forbid to go to HERE lies old Hobson; Death hath broke his girt, And here alas, hath laid him in the dirt; Or else the ways being foul, twenty to one, He's here stuck in a slough, and overthrown. 5 10 15 'Twas such a shifter, that if truth were known Dodg'd with him, betwixt Cambridge and The Bull. Had not his weekly course of carriage fail'd; But lately finding him so long at home, And thinking now his journey's end was come, In the kind office of a chamberlin Shew'd him his room where he must lodge that night, If any ask for him, it shall be sed, ANOTHER ON THE SAME. HERE lieth one who did most truly prove, While he might still jog on, and keep his trot; Time numbers motion, yet (without a crime Too long vacation hastned on his term. Fainted, and died, nor would with ale be quickn'd; Nay,' quoth he, on his swooning bed outstretcht, 'If I mayn't carry, sure I'll ne'er be fetcht; But vow though the cross doctors all stood hearers, 'For one carrier put down to make six bearers.' 15 20 Ease was his chief disease, and to judge right, That even to his last breath (there be that say 't) 25 As he were prest to death, he cried,' More weight'; Yet (strange to think) his wain was his increase: Only remains this superscription. AN EPITAPH ON THE MARCHIONESS OF WINCHESTER. (1631.) THIS rich marble doth inter The honour'd wife of Winchester; A viscount's daughter, an earl's heir, Added to her noble birth, More than she could own from Earth. After so short time of breath, 30 5 He at their invoking came, But with a scarce-well-lighted flame; And now with second hope she goes, So have I seen some tender slip 20 25 30 35 40 |