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A Funeral Elegy
 
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TO MASTER JOHN PETER0.1
of Bowhay in Devon, Esquire.0.2
The love I bore to your brother, and will do to his memory, hath craved from me this last duty of a friend; 0.3
I am herein but a second to the privilege of truth, who can warrant more in his behalf than I undertook to deliver.0.4
Exercise in this kind I will little affect, and am less addicted to, but there must be miracle in that labor which, 0.5
to witness my remembrance to this departed gentleman, I would not willingly undergo. 0.6
Yet whatsoever is here done, is done to him and to him only. 0.7
For whom and whose sake I will not forget to remember any friendly respects to you, or to any of those 0.8
that have loved him for himself, and himself for his deserts.0.9
W. S.0.10
 
Since time, and his predestinated end,1
Abridged the circuit of his hopeful days,2
Whiles both his youth and virtue did intend3
The good endeavors of deserving praise,4
What memorable monument can last5
Whereon to build his never-blemished name6
But his own worth, wherein his life was graced. . .7
Sith as that ever he maintained the same?8
Oblivion in the darkest day to come,9
When sin shall tread on merit in the dust,10
Cannot rase out the lamentable tomb11
Of his short-lived deserts; but still they must,12
Even in the hearts and memories of men,13
Claim fit respect, that they, in every limb14
Remembering what he was, with comfort then15
May pattern out one truly good, by him.16
For he was truly good, if honest care17
Of harmless conversation may commend18
A life free from such stains as follies are,19
Ill recompensed only in his end.20
Nor can the tongue of him who loved him least21
(If there can be minority of love22
To one superlative above the rest23
Of many men in steady faith) reprove24
His constant temper, in the equal weight25
Of thankfulness and kindness: Truth doth leave26
Sufficient proof, he was in every right27
As kind to give, as thankful to receive.28
The curious eye of a quick-brained survey29
Could scantly find a mote amidst the sun30
Of his too-shortened days, or make a prey31
Of any faulty errors he had done.32
Not that he was above the spleenful sense33
And spite of malice, but for that he had34
Warrant enough in his own innocence35
Against the sting of some in nature bad.36
Yet who is he so absolutely blest37
That lives encompassed in a mortal frame,38
Sometime in reputation not oppressed39
By some in nothing famous but defame?40
Such in the bypath and the ridgeway lurk41
That leads to ruin, in a smooth pretense42
Of what they do to be a special work43
Of singleness, not tending to offense;44
Whose very virtues are, not to detract45
Whiles hope remains of gain (base fee of slaves),46
Despising chiefly men in fortunes wracked.47
But death to such gives unremembered graves.48
Now therein lived he happy, if to be49
Free from detraction happiness it be.50
His younger years gave comfortable hope51
To hope for comfort in his riper youth,52
Which, harvest-like, did yield again the crop53
Of education, bettered in his truth.54
Those noble twins of heaven-infused races,55
Learning and wit, refined in their kind56
Did jointly both, in their peculiar graces,57
Enrich the curious temple of his mind;58
Indeed a temple, in whose precious white59
Sat reason by religion overswayed,60
Teaching his other senses, with delight,61
How piety and zeal should be obeyed.62
Not fruitlessly in prodigal expense63
Wasting his best of time, but so content64
With reason's golden mean to make defense65
Against the assault of youth's encouragement;66
As not the tide of this surrounding age67
(When now his father's death had freed his will)68
Could make him subject to the drunken rage69
Of such whose only glory is their ill.70
He from the happy knowledge of the wise71
Draws virtue to reprove secured fools72
And shuns the glad sleights of ensnaring vice73
To spend his spring of days in sacred schools.74
Here gave he diet to the sick desires75
That day by day assault the weaker man,76
And with fit moderation still retires77
From what doth batter virtue now and then.78
But that I not intend in full discourse79
To progress out his life, I could display80
A good man in each part exact and force81
The common voice to warrant what I say.82
For if his fate and heaven had decreed83
That full of days he might have lived to see84
The grave in peace, the times that should succeed85
Had been best-speaking witnesses with me;86
Whose conversation so untouched did move87
Respect most in itself, as who would scan88
His honesty and worth, by them might prove89
He was a kind, true, perfect gentleman.90
Not in the outside of disgraceful folly,91
Courting opinion with unfit disguise,92
Affecting fashions, nor addicted wholly93
To unbeseeming blushless vanities,94
But suiting so his habit and desire95
As that his virtue was his best attire.96
Not in the waste of many idle words97
Cared he to be heard talk, nor in the float98
Of fond conceit, such as this age affords,99
By vain discourse upon himself to dote;100
For his becoming silence gave such grace101
To his judicious parts, as what he spake102
Seemed rather answers which the wise embrace103
Than busy questions such as talkers make.104
And though his qualities might well deserve105
Just commendation, yet his furnished mind106
Such harmony of goodness did preserve107
As nature never built in better kind;108
Knowing the best, and therefore not presuming109
In knowing, but for that it was the best,110
Ever within himself free choice resuming111
Of true perfection, in a perfect breast;112
So that his mind and body made an inn,113
The one to lodge the other, both like framed114
For fair conditions, guests that soonest win115
Applause; in generality, well famed,116
If trim behavior, gestures mild, discreet117
Endeavors, modest speech, beseeming mirth,118
True friendship, active grace, persuasion sweet,119
Delightful love innated from his birth,120
Acquaintance unfamiliar, carriage just,121
Offenseless resolution, wished sobriety,122
Clean-tempered moderation, steady trust,123
Unburthened conscience, unfeigned piety;124
If these, or all of these, knit fast in one125
Can merit praise, then justly may we say,126
Not any from this frailer stage is gone127
Whose name is like to live a longer day. . .128
Though not in eminent courts or places great129
For popular concourse, yet in that soil130
Where he enjoyed his birth, life, death, and seat131
Which now sits mourning his untimely spoil.132
And as much glory is it to be good133
For private persons, in their private home,134
As those descended from illustrious blood135
In public view of greatness, whence they come.136
Though I, rewarded with some sadder taste137
Of knowing shame, by feeling it have proved138
My country's thankless misconstruction cast139
Upon my name and credit, both unloved140
By some whose fortunes, sunk into the wane141
Of plenty and desert, have strove to win142
Justice by wrong, and sifted to embane143
My reputation with a witless sin;144
Yet time, the father of unblushing truth,145
May one day lay ope malice which hath crossed it,146
And right the hopes of my endangered youth,147
Purchasing credit in the place I lost it.148
Even in which place the subject of the verse149
(Unhappy matter of a mourning style150
Which now that subject's merits doth rehearse)151
Had education and new being; while152
By fair demeanor he had won repute153
Amongst the all of all that lived there,154
For that his actions did so wholly suit155
With worthiness, still memorable here.156
The many hours till the day of doom157
Will not consume his life and hapless end,158
For should he lie obscured without a tomb,159
Time would to time his honesty commend;160
Whiles parents to their children will make known,161
And they to their posterity impart,162
How such a man was sadly overthrown163
By a hand guided by a cruel heart,164
Whereof as many as shall hear that sadness165
Will blame the one's hard fate, the other's madness;166
Whiles such as do recount that tale of woe,167
Told by remembrance of the wisest heads,168
Will in the end conclude the matter so,169
As they will all go weeping to their beds.170
For when the world lies wintered in the storms171
Of fearful consummation, and lays down172
Th' unsteady change of his fantastic forms,173
Expecting ever to be overthrown;174
When the proud height of much affected sin175
Shall ripen to a head, and in that pride176
End in the miseries it did begin177
And fall amidst the glory of his tide;178
Then in a book where every work is writ179
Shall this man's actions be revealed, to show180
The gainful fruit of well-employed wit,181
Which paid to heaven the debt that it did owe.182
Here shall be reckoned up the constant faith,183
Never untrue, where once he love professed;184
Which is a miracle in men, one saith,185
Long sought though rarely found, and he is best186
Who can make friendship, in those times of change,187
Admired more for being firm than strange.188
When those weak houses of our brittle flesh189
Shall ruined be by death, our grace and strength,190
Youth, memory and shape that made us fresh191
Cast down, and utterly decayed at length;192
When all shall turn to dust from whence we came193
And we low-leveled in a narrow grave,194
What can we leave behind us but a name,195
Which, by a life well led, may honor have?196
Such honor, O thou youth untimely lost,197
Thou didst deserve and hast; for though thy soul198
Hath took her flight to a diviner coast,199
Yet here on earth thy fame lives ever whole,200
In every heart sealed up, in every tongue201
Fit matter to discourse, no day prevented202
That pities not thy sad and sudden wrong,203
Of all alike beloved and lamented.204
And I here to thy memorable worth,205
In this last act of friendship, sacrifice206
My love to thee, which I could not set forth207
In any other habit of disguise.208
Although I could not learn, whiles yet thou wert,209
To speak the language of a servile breath,210
My truth stole from my tongue into my heart,211
Which shall not thence be sundered, but in death.212
And I confess my love was too remiss213
That had not made thee know how much I prized thee,214
But that mine error was, as yet it is,215
To think love best in silence: for I sized thee216
By what I would have been, not only ready217
In telling I was thine, but being so,218
By some effect to show it. He is steady219
Who seems less than he is in open show.220
Since then I still reserved to try the worst221
Which hardest fate and time thus can lay on me.222
T' enlarge my thoughts was hindered at first,223
While thou hadst life; I took this task upon me,224
To register with mine unhappy pen225
Such duties as it owes to thy desert,226
And set thee as a president to men,227
And limn thee to the world but as thou wert. . .228
Not hired, as heaven can witness in my soul,229
By vain conceit, to please such ones as know it,230
Nor servile to be liked, free from control,231
Which, pain to many men, I do not owe it.232
But here I trust I have discharged now233
(Fair lovely branch too soon cut off) to thee,234
My constant and irrefragable vow,235
As, had it chanced, thou mightst have done to me. . .236
But that no merit strong enough of mine237
Had yielded store to thy well-abled quill238
Whereby t' enroll my name, as this of thine,239
How s'ere enriched by thy plenteous skill.240
Here, then, I offer up to memory241
The value of my talent, precious man,242
Whereby if thou live to posterity,243
Though 't be not as I would, 'tis as I can:244
In minds from whence endeavor doth proceed,245
A ready will is taken for the deed.246
Yet ere I take my longest last farewell247
From thee, fair mark of sorrow, let me frame248
Some ampler work of thank, wherein to tell249
What more thou didst deserve than in thy name,250
And free thee from the scandal of such senses251
As in the rancor of unhappy spleen252
Measure thy course of life, with false pretenses253
Comparing by thy death what thou hast been.254
So in his mischiefs is the world accursed:255
It picks out matter to inform the worst.256
The willful blindness that hoodwinks the eyes257
Of men enwrapped in an earthy veil258
Makes them most ignorantly exercise259
And yield to humor when it doth assail,260
Whereby the candle and the body's light261
Darkens the inward eyesight of the mind,262
Presuming still it sees, even in the night263
Of that same ignorance which makes them blind.264
Hence conster they with corrupt commentaries,265
Proceeding from a nature as corrupt,266
The text of malice, which so often varies267
As 'tis by seeming reason underpropped.268
O, whither tends the lamentable spite269
Of this world's teenful apprehension,270
Which understands all things amiss, whose light271
Shines not amidst the dark of their dissension?272
True 'tis, this man, whiles yet he was a man,273
Soothed not the current of besotted fashion,274
Nor could disgest, as some loose mimics can,275
An empty sound of overweening passion,276
So much to be made servant to the base277
And sensual aptness of disunioned vices,278
To purchase commendation by disgrace,279
Whereto the world and heat of sin entices.280
But in a safer contemplation,281
Secure in what he knew, he ever chose282
The ready way to commendation,283
By shunning all invitements strange, of those284
Whose illness is, the necessary praise285
Must wait upon their actions; only rare286
In being rare in shame (which strives to raise287
Their name by doing what they do not care),288
As if the free commission of their ill289
Were even as boundless as their prompt desires;290
Only like lords, like subjects to their will,291
Which their fond dotage ever more admires.292
He was not so: but in a serious awe,293
Ruling the little ordered commonwealth294
Of his own self, with honor to the law295
That gave peace to his bread, bread to his health;296
Which ever he maintained in sweet content297
And pleasurable rest, wherein he joyed298
A monarchy of comfort's government,299
Never until his last to be destroyed.300
For in the vineyard of heaven-favored learning301
Where he was double-honored in degree,302
His observation and discreet discerning303
Had taught him in both fortunes to be free;304
Whence now retired home, to a home indeed305
The home of his condition and estate,306
He well provided 'gainst the hand of need,307
Whence young men sometime grow unfortunate;308
His disposition, by the bonds of unity,309
So fastened to his reason that it strove310
With understanding's grave immunity311
To purchase from all hearts a steady love;312
Wherein not any one thing comprehends313
Proportionable note of what he was,314
Than that he was so constant to his friends315
As he would no occasion overpass316
Which might make known his unaffected care,317
In all respects of trial, to unlock318
His bosom and his store, which did declare319
That Christ was his, and he was friendship's rock:320
A rock of friendship figured in his name,321
Foreshowing what he was, and what should be,322
Most true presage; and he discharged the same323
In every act of perfect amity.324
Though in the complemental phrase of words325
He never was addicted to the vain326
Of boast, such as the common breath affords;327
He was in use most fast, in tongue most plain,328
Nor amongst all those virtues that forever329
Adorned his reputation will be found330
One greater than his faith, which did persever,331
Where once it was protested, alway sound.332
Hence sprung the deadly fuel that revived333
The rage which wrought his end, for had he been334
Slacker in love, he had been longer lived335
And not oppressed by wrath's unhappy sin. . .336
By wrath's unhappy sin, which unadvised337
Gave death for free good will, and wounds for love.338
Pity it was that blood had not been prized339
At higher rate, and reason set above340
Most unjust choler, which untimely drew341
Destruction on itself; and most unjust,342
Robbed virtue of a follower so true343
As time can boast of, both for love and trust:344
So henceforth all (great glory to his blood)345
Shall be but seconds to him, being good.346
The wicked end their honor with their sin347
In death, which only then the good begin.348
Lo, here a lesson by experience taught349
For men whose pure simplicity hath drawn350
Their trust to be betrayed by being caught351
Within the snares of making truth a pawn;352
Whiles it, not doubting whereinto it enters,353
Without true proof and knowledge of a friend,354
Sincere in singleness of heart, adventers355
To give fit cause, ere love begin to end:356
His unfeigned friendship where it least was sought,357
Him to a fatal timeless ruin brought;358
Whereby the life that purity adorned359
With real merit, by this sudden end360
Is in the mouth of some in manner scorned,361
Made questionable, for they do intend,362
According to the tenor of the saw363
Mistook, if not observed (writ long ago364
When men were only led by reason's law),365
That "Such as is the end, the life proves so."366
Thus he, who to the universal lapse367
Gave sweet redemption, offering up his blood368
To conquer death by death, and loose the traps369
Of hell, even in the triumph that it stood:370
He thus, for that his guiltless life was spilt371
By death, which was made subject to the curse,372
Might in like manner be reproved of guilt373
In his pure life, for that his end was worse.374
But O far be it, our unholy lips375
Should so profane the deity above376
As thereby to ordain revenging whips377
Against the day of judgment and of love.378
The hand that lends us honor in our days379
May shorten when it please, and justly take380
Our honor from us many sundry ways,381
As best becomes that wisdom did us make.382
The second brother, who was next begot383
Of all that ever were begotten yet,384
Was by a hand in vengeance rude and hot385
Sent innocent to be in heaven set.386
Whose fame the angels in melodious choirs387
Still witness to the world. Then why should he,388
Well-profited in excellent desires,389
Be more rebuked, who had like destiny?390
Those saints before the everlasting throne391
Who sit with crowns of glory on their heads,392
Washed white in blood, from earth hence have not gone393
All to their joys in quiet on their beds,394
But tasted of the sour-bitter scourge395
Of torture and affliction ere they gained396
Those blessings which their sufferance did urge,397
Whereby the grace fore-promised they attained.398
Let then the false suggestions of the froward,399
Building large castles in the empty air,400
By suppositions fond and thoughts untoward401
(Issues of discontent and sick despair)402
Rebound gross arguments upon their heart403
That may disprove their malice, and confound404
Uncivil loose opinions which insert405
Their souls into the roll that doth unsound406
Betraying policies, and show their brains,407
Unto their shame, ridiculous; whose scope408
Is envy, whose endeavors fruitless pains,409
In nothing surely prosperous, but hope. . .410
And that same hope, so lame, so unprevailing,411
It buries self-conceit in weak opinion;412
Which being crossed, gives matter of bewailing413
Their vain designs, on whom want hath dominion.414
Such, and of such condition, may devise415
Which way to wound with defamation's spirit416
(Close-lurking whisper's hidden forgeries)417
His taintless goodness, his desertful merit.418
But whiles the minds of men can judge sincerely,419
Upon assured knowledge, his repute420
And estimation shall be rumored clearly421
In equal worth--time shall to time renew 't.422
The grave, that in his ever-empty womb423
Forever closes up the unrespected,424
Who when they die, die all, shall not entomb425
His pleading best perfections as neglected.426
They to his notice in succeeding years427
Shall speak for him when he shall lie below;428
When nothing but his memory appears429
Of what he was, then shall his virtues grow.430
His being but a private man in rank431
(And yet not ranked beneath a gentleman)432
Shall not abridge the commendable thank433
Which wise posterity shall give him then;434
For nature, and his therein happy fate.435
Ordained that by his quality of mind436
T' ennoble that best part, although his state437
Were to a lower blessedness confined.438
Blood, pomp, state, honor, glory and command,439
Without fit ornaments of disposition,440
Are in themselves but heathenish and profaned,441
And much more peaceful is a mean condition442
Which, underneath the roof of safe content,443
Feeds on the bread of rest, and takes delight444
To look upon the labors it hath spent445
For its own sustenance, both day and night;446
Whiles others, plotting which way to be great,447
How to augment their portion and ambition,448
Do toil their giddy brains, and ever sweat449
For popular applause and power's commission.450
But one in honors, like a seeled dove451
Whose inward eyes are dimmed with dignity,452
Does think most safety doth remain above,453
And seeks to be secure by mounting high:454
Whence, when he falls, who did erewhile aspire,455
Falls deeper down, for that he climbed higher.456
Now men who in lower region live457
Exempt from danger of authority458
Have fittest times in reason's rules to thrive,459
Not vexed with envy of priority,460
And those are much more noble in the mind461
Than many that have nobleness by kind.462
Birth, blood, and ancestors, are none of ours,463
Nor can we make a proper challenge to them464
But virtues and perfections in our powers465
Proceed most truly from us, if we do them.466
Respective titles or a gracious style,467
With all what men in eminence possess,468
Are, without ornaments to praise them, vile:469
The beauty of the mind is nobleness.470
And such as have that beauty, well deserve471
Eternal characters, that after death472
Remembrance of their worth we may preserve,473
So that their glory die not with their breath.474
Else what avails it in a goodly strife475
Upon this face of earth here to contend,476
The good t' exceed the wicked in their life,477
Should both be like obscured in their end?478
Until which end, there is none rightly can479
Be termed happy, since the happiness480
Depends upon the goodness of the man,481
Which afterwards his praises will express.482
Look hither then, you that enjoy the youth483
Of your best days, and see how unexpected484
Death can betray your jollity to ruth485
When death you think is least to be respected!486
The person of this model here set out487
Had all that youth and happy days could give him,488
Yet could not all-encompass him about489
Against th' assault of death, who to relieve him490
Strook home but to the frail and mortal parts491
Of his humanity, but could not touch492
His flourishing and fair long-lived deserts,493
Above fate's reach, his singleness was such.494
So that he dies but once, but doubly lives,495
Once in his proper self, then in his name;496
Predestinated time, who all deprives,497
Could never yet deprive him of the same.498
And had the genius which attended on him499
Been possibilited to keep him safe500
Against the rigor that hath overgone him,501
He had been to the public use a staff,502
Leading by his example in the path503
Which guides to doing well, wherein so few504
The proneness of this age to error hath505
Informed rightly in the courses true.506
As then the loss of one, whose inclination507
Stove to win love in general, is sad,508
So specially his friends, in soft compassion509
Do feel the greatest loss they could have had.510
Amongst them all, she who those nine of years511
Lived fellow to his counsels and his bed512
Hath the most share in loss; for I in hers513
Feel what distemperature this chance hath bred.514
The chaste embracements of conjugal love,515
Who in a mutual harmony consent,516
Are so impatient of a strange remove517
As meager death itself seems to lament,518
And weep upon those cheeks which nature framed519
To be delightful orbs in whom the force520
Of lively sweetness plays, so that ashamed521
Death often pities his unkind divorce.522
Such was the separation here constrained523
(Well-worthy to be termed a rudeness rather),524
For in his life his love was so unfeigned525
As he was both an husband and a father. . .526
The one in firm affection and the other527
In careful providence, which ever strove528
With joint assistance to grace one another529
With every helpful furtherance of love.530
But since the sum of all that can be said531
Can be but said that "He was good" (which wholly532
Includes all excellence can be displayed533
In praise of virtue and reproach of folly).534
His due deserts, this sentence on him gives,535
"He died in life, yet in his death he lives."536
Now runs the method of this doleful song537
In accents brief to thee, O thou deceased!538
To whom those pains do only all belong539
As witnesses I did not love thee least.540
For could my worthless brain find out but how541
To raise thee from the sepulcher of dust,542
Undoubtedly thou shouldst have partage now543
Of life with me, and heaven be counted just544
If to a supplicating soul it would545
Give life anew, by giving life again546
Where life is missed; whereby discomfort should547
Right his old griefs, and former joys retain548
Which now with thee are leaped into thy tomb549
And buried in that hollow vault of woe,550
Expecting yet a more severer doom551
Than time's strict flinty hand will let 'em know.552
And now if I have leveled mine account553
And reckoned up in a true measured score554
Those perfect graces which were ever wont555
To wait on thee alive, I ask no more556
(But shall hereafter in a poor content557
Immure those imputations I sustain,558
Learning my days of youth so to prevent559
As not to be cast down by them again);560
Only those hopes which fate denies to grant561
In full possession to a captive heart562
Who, if it were in plenty, still would want563
Before it may enjoy his better part:564
From which detained, and banished in th' exile565
Of dim misfortune, has none other prop566
Whereon to lean and rest itself the while567
But the weak comfort of the hapless, "hope."568
And hope must in despite of fearful change569
Play in the strongest closet of my breast,570
Although perhaps I ignorantly range571
And court opinion in my deep'st unrest.572
But whether doth the stream of my mischance573
Drive me beyond myself, fast friend, soon lost,574
Long may thy worthiness thy name advance575
Amongst the virtuous and deserving most,576
Who herein hast forever happy proved:577
In life thou lived'st, in death thou died'st beloved.578
 
 
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