Part 27

Faire soule, which wast, not onely, as all soules bee, Then when thou wast infused, harmony, But did'st continue so; and now dost beare A part in Gods great organ, this whole Spheare: If looking up to God; or downe to us, 5 Thou finde that any way is pervious, Twixt heav'n and earth, and that mans actions doe Come to your knowledge, and affections too, See, and with joy, mee to that good degree Of goodnesse growne, that I can studie thee, 10 And, by these meditations refin'd, Can unapparell and enlarge my minde, And so can make by this soft extasie, This place a map of heav'n, my selfe of thee. Thou seest mee here at midnight, now all rest; 15 Times dead-low water; when all mindes devest To morrows businesse, when the labourers have Such rest in bed, that their last Church-yard grave, Subject to change, will scarce be'a type of this, Now when the clyent, whose last hearing is 20 To morrow, sleeps, when the condemned man, (Who when hee opes his eyes, must shut them than Againe by death,) although sad watch hee keepe, Doth practice dying by a little sleepe, Thou at this midnight seest mee, and as soone 25 As that Sunne rises to mee, midnight's noone, All the world growes transparent, and I see Through all, both Church and State, in seeing thee; And I discerne by favour of this light, My selfe, the hardest object of the sight. 30 God is the glasse; as thou when thou dost see Him who sees all, seest all concerning thee, So, yet unglorified, I comprehend All, in these mirrors of thy wayes, and end. Though God be our true glasse, through which we see 35 All, since the beeing of all things is hee, Yet are the trunkes which doe to us derive Things, in proportion fit, by perspective, Deeds of good men; for by their living here, Vertues, indeed remote, seeme to be neare. 40 But where can I affirme, or where arrest My thoughts on his deeds? which shall I call best? For fluid vertue cannot be look'd on, Nor can endure a contemplation. As bodies change, and as I do not weare 45 Those Spirits, humors, blood I did last yeare, And, as if on a streame I fixe mine eye, That drop, which I looked on, is presently Pusht with more waters from my sight, and gone, So in this sea of vertues, can no one 50 Bee'insisted on; vertues, as rivers, passe, Yet still remaines that vertuous man there was. And as if man feed on mans flesh, and so Part of his body to another owe, Yet at the last two perfect bodies rise, 55 Because God knowes where every Atome lyes; So, if one knowledge were made of all those, Who knew his minutes well, hee might dispose His vertues into names, and ranks; but I Should injure Nature, Vertue, and Destinie, 60 Should I divide and discontinue so, Vertue, which did in one intirenesse grow. For as, hee that would say, spirits are fram'd Of all the purest parts that can be nam'd, Honours not spirits halfe so much, as hee 65 Which sayes, they have no parts, but simple bee; So is't of vertue; for a point and one Are much entirer then a million. And had Fate meant to have his vertues told, It would have let him live to have beene old; 70 So, then that vertue in season, and then this, We might have seene, and said, that now he is Witty, now wise, now temperate, now just: In good short lives, vertues are faine to thrust, And to be sure betimes to get a place, 75 When they would exercise, lacke time, and space. So was it in this person, forc'd to bee For lack of time, his owne epitome: So to exhibit in few yeares as much, As all the long breath'd Chronicles can touch. 80 As when an Angell down from heav'n doth flye, Our quick thought cannot keepe him company, Wee cannot thinke, now hee is at the Sunne, Now through the Moon, now he through th'aire doth run, Yet when he's come, we know he did repaire 85 To all twixt Heav'n and Earth, Sunne, Moon, and Aire; And as this Angell in an instant knowes, And yet wee know, this sodaine knowledge growes By quick amassing severall formes of things, Which he successively to order brings; 90 When they, whose slow-pac'd lame thoughts cannot goe So fast as hee, thinke that he doth not so; Just as a perfect reader doth not dwell, On every syllable, nor stay to spell, Yet without doubt, hee doth distinctly see 95 And lay together every A, and B; So, in short liv'd good men, is'not understood Each severall vertue, but the compound good; For, they all vertues paths in that pace tread, As Angells goe, and know, and as men read. 100 O why should then these men, these lumps of Balme Sent hither, this worlds tempests to becalme, Before by deeds they are diffus'd and spred, And so make us alive, themselves be dead? O Soule, O circle, why so quickly bee 105 Thy ends, thy birth and death, clos'd up in thee? Since one foot of thy compasse still was plac'd In heav'n, the other might securely'have pac'd In the most large extent, through every path, Which the whole world, or man the abridgment hath. 110 Thou knowst, that though the tropique circles have (Yea and those small ones which the Poles engrave,) All the same roundnesse, evennesse, and all The endlesnesse of the equinoctiall; Yet, when we come to measure distances, 115 How here, how there, the Sunne affected is, When he doth faintly worke, and when prevaile, Onely great circles, than can be our scale: So, though thy circle to thy selfe expresse All, tending to thy endlesse happinesse, 120 And wee, by our good use of it may trye, Both how to live well young, and how to die, Yet, since we must be old, and age endures His Torrid Zone at Court, and calentures Of hot ambitions, irrelegions ice, 125 Zeales agues, and hydroptique avarice, Infirmities which need the scale of truth, As well as lust, and ignorance of youth; Why did'st thou not for these give medicines too, And by thy doing tell us what to doe? 130 Though as small pocket-clocks, whose every wheele Doth each mismotion and distemper feele, Whose _hand_ gets shaking palsies, and whose _string_ (His sinewes) slackens, and whose _Soule_, the spring, Expires, or languishes, whose pulse, the _flye_, 135 Either beates not, or beates unevenly, Whose voice, the _Bell_, doth rattle, or grow dumbe, Or idle,'as men, which to their last houres come, If these clockes be not wound, or be wound still, Or be not set, or set at every will; 140 So, youth is easiest to destruction, If then wee follow all, or follow none. Yet, as in great clocks, which in steeples chime, Plac'd to informe whole towns, to'imploy their time, An error doth more harme, being generall, 145 When, small clocks faults, only'on the wearer fall; So worke the faults of age, on which the eye Of children, servants, or the State relie. Why wouldst not thou then, which hadst such a soule, A clock so true, as might the Sunne controule, 150 And daily hadst from him, who gave it thee, Instructions, such as it could never be Disordered, stay here, as a generall And great Sun-dyall, to have set us All? O why wouldst thou be any instrument 155 To this unnaturall course, or why consent To this, not miracle, but Prodigie, That when the ebbs, longer then flowings be, Vertue, whose flood did with thy youth begin, Should so much faster ebb out, then flow in? 160 Though her flood was blowne in, by thy first breath, All is at once sunke in the whirle-poole death. Which word I would not name, but that I see Death, else a desert, growne a Court by thee. Now I grow sure, that if a man would have 165 Good companie, his entry is a grave. Mee thinkes all Cities, now, but Anthills bee, Where, when the severall labourers I see, For children, house, Provision, taking paine, They'are all but Ants, carrying eggs, straw, and grain; 170 And Church-yards are our cities, unto which The most repaire, that are in goodnesse rich. There is the best concourse, and confluence, There are the holy suburbs, and from thence Begins Gods City, New Jerusalem, 175 Which doth extend her utmost gates to them. At that gate then Triumphant soule, dost thou Begin thy Triumph; But since lawes allow That at the Triumph day, the people may, All that they will, 'gainst the Triumpher say, 180 Let me here use that freedome, and expresse My griefe, though not to make thy Triumph lesse. By law, to Triumphs none admitted bee, Till they as Magistrates get victorie; Though then to thy force, all youthes foes did yield, 185 Yet till fit time had brought thee to that field, To which thy ranke in this state destin'd thee, That there thy counsailes might get victorie, And so in that capacitie remove All jealousies 'twixt Prince and subjects love, 190 Thou could'st no title, to this triumph have, Thou didst intrude on death, usurp'dst a grave. Then (though victoriously) thou hadst fought as yet But with thine owne affections, with the heate Of youths desires, and colds of ignorance, 195 But till thou should'st successefully advance Thine armes 'gainst forraine enemies, which are Both Envy, and acclamations popular, (For, both these engines equally defeate, Though by a divers Mine, those which are great,) 200 Till then thy War was but a civill War, For which to Triumph, none admitted are. No more are they, who though with good successe, In a defensive war, their power expresse; Before men triumph, the dominion 205 Must be _enlarg'd_ and not _preserv'd_ alone; Why should'st thou then, whose battailes were to win Thy selfe, from those straits nature put thee in, And to deliver up to God that state, Of which he gave thee the vicariate, 210 (Which is thy soule and body) as intire As he, who takes endeavours, doth require, But didst not stay, t'enlarge his kingdome too, By making others, what thou didst, to doe; Why shouldst thou Triumph now, when Heav'n no more 216 Hath got, by getting thee, then't had before? For, Heav'n and thou, even when thou livedst here, Of one another in possession were. But this from Triumph most disables thee, That, that place which is conquered, must bee 220 Left safe from present warre, and likely doubt Of imminent commotions to breake out: And hath he left us so? or can it bee His territory was no more then Hee? No, we were all his charge, the Diocis 225 Of ev'ry exemplar man, the whole world is, And he was joyned in commission With Tutelar Angels, sent to every one. But though this freedome to upbraid, and chide Him who Triumph'd, were lawfull, it was ty'd 230 With this, that it might never reference have Unto the Senate, who this triumph gave; Men might at Pompey jeast, but they might not At that authoritie, by which he got Leave to Triumph, before, by age, he might; 235 So, though, triumphant soule, I dare to write, Mov'd with a reverentiall anger, thus, That thou so earely wouldst abandon us; Yet I am farre from daring to dispute With that great soveraigntie, whose absolute 240 Prerogative hath thus dispens'd with thee, 'Gainst natures lawes, which just impugners bee Of early triumphs; And I (though with paine) Lessen our losse, to magnifie thy gaine Of triumph, when I say, It was more fit, 245 That all men should lacke thee, then thou lack it. Though then in our time, be not suffered That testimonie of love, unto the dead, To die with them, and in their graves be hid, As Saxon wives, and French soldurii did; 250 And though in no degree I can expresse Griefe in great Alexanders great excesse, Who at his friends death, made whole townes devest Their walls and bullwarks which became them best: Doe not, faire soule, this sacrifice refuse, 255 That in thy grave I doe interre my Muse, Who, by my griefe, great as thy worth, being cast Behind hand, yet hath spoke, and spoke her last.

[Obsequies to _&c._ _B_, _S96_ _and similarly_ _A25_, _C_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _TCD:_ Obsequies to the Lord Harringtons brother. To the Countesse of Bedford. _1633-54:_ Obsequies on the Lord Harrington, &c. To the Countess of Bedford. _1669_]

[7 mans _1633_, _D_, _H49:_ mens _1635-69 and most MSS_.]

[11 these _1633-69:_ those _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _O'F_, _S_, _TCD_]

[15 midnight, now _1633-69:_ midnight; now _Chambers:_ midnight now, _Grolier_]

[26 that Sunne] this Sunne _N_, _TCD_]

[30 hardest] hardyest _1669_]

[34 end. _D:_ end; _1633-69_]

[35 our true glasse, _1633-69_ (glass, _1633_): truly our glass _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_

see] see. _1633_ _some copies_, _1635_]

[38 Things, in proportion fit, by perspective, _D:_ Things, in proportion fit by perspective, _1633:_ Things, in proportion, fit by perspective, _1635-54_, _Chambers:_ Things in proportion, fit by perspective, _1669_. _See note_]

[39 men; _D:_ men, _1633:_ men: _1635-69_]

living _1633:_ beeing _1635-69_, _Chambers and Grolier_]

[40 neare. _1635-69:_ nere; _1633_]

[44 contemplation. _Ed:_ contemplation; _1633-69_]

[51 on; _Ed:_ on, _1633-69_]

[52 was. _Ed:_ was; _1633-69_]

[53 feed _1635-69 and MSS.:_ feeds _1633_]

[63 would _1633:_ should _1635-69_]

[69 to have his _1633_, _A25_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD:_ to'have had his _1635-69_, _O'F_, _Chambers_]

[70 old; _Ed:_ old, _1633-39:_ old. _1650-69_]

[71 So, then that _Ed:_ So then, that _1633:_ So, then, that _1635-69_]

[76 exercise] exercse _1633_ _some copies:_ encrease _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ exercise: they _S_

lacke _1633-54:_ last _1669_

time] room _A25_, _B_, _JC_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_]

[78 epitome: _D:_ epitome. _1633-69_]

[80 Chronicles] Chroniclers _1669_

can touch.] can touch; _1633_]

[84 he] _om. 1669_, _O'F_]

[86 Aire; _1669:_ Aire. _1633-35:_ Air, _1639-54_]

[87 instant] instant, _1633_]

[98 good; _Ed:_ good. _1633-69_]

[102 this _A25_, _B_, _C_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _TCD:_ the _1633-69_

tempests _A25_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _N_, _S96_, _TCD:_ tempest _1633-69_, _O'F_, _S_]

[106 death, _Ed:_ death _1633-69_]

[110 man] man, _1633_

hath.] hath, _1633_ _some copies_, _1633-39_]

[117 When ... when _1633-69_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ Where ... where _rest of MSS._]

[118 circles, than can _D:_ circles, then, can _1633-69_]

[121 it] that _many MSS._]

[125 ambitions,] ambition, _1669_]

[126 agues, _Ed:_ agues; _1633-69_]

[127-8 _in brackets_ _1635-69_]

[128 As well as lust, _1669:_ As well, as lust _1633-54_]

[130 tell us _1633_, _1669_, _A25_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _S_, _TCD:_ set us _1635-54_, _B_, _O'F_, _S96_, _and Chambers_]

[133 _hand_ gets _A25_, _B_, _C_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _N_, _S_, _TCD:_ _hands_ get _1633-54:_ _hands_ gets _1669_. _See note_]

[135 _flye_, _1633:_ _flee_, _1635-69_]

[138 houres come, _1633-54:_ hour come, _1669:_ hours are come, _Chambers_]

[142 none. _1635-69:_ none; _1633_]

[146 fall; _Ed:_ fall. _1633-69_]

[154 great] grave _A25_, _C_]

[155 wouldst] wouldest _1639-54_

any _1633-35_, _and MSS.:_ an _1639-69_, _Chambers_]

[158 when _1633-69:_ where _C_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _TCD:_ whereas _B_]

[161 was _1633:_ were _1635-69_]

[165 grow sure, _1633_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ am sure, _1635-69_]

[170 and _1633-69:_ or _A25_, _B_, _C_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_]

[176 them. _D:_ them; _1633_, _1639-69:_ them, _1635_]

[178 Triumph; _1633:_ Triumph. _1635-69_]

[184 victorie; _Ed:_ victorie, _1633-69_]

[186 brought] wrought _1639_, _Chambers_]

[192 usurp'dst _B_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _TCD:_ usurp'st _1633_, _Lec_, _S96:_ usurpe _1635-69_, _A25_, _JC_, _O'F_, _Chambers_]

[193 Then _1635-69:_ That _1633_]

[198 acclamations _1669_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD:_ acclamation _1633-54_]

[202 are. _D:_ are; _1633-69_]

[204 expresse; _Ed:_ expresse. _1633-69_]

[212 endeavours, _1633-54_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD:_ Indentours, _1669_, _Chambers_]

[216 'thad] t'had _1633-39_]

[218 were. _D:_ were; _1633-69_]

[222 out: _1635-69:_ out. _1633_]

[224 His _1633-54:_ This _1669_

then _1633-69:_ but _D_, _H49_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_]

[231 reference] reverence _1650-54_]

[239 I am] am I _B_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_]

[241 with _1633-69_, _O'F:_ for _A25_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _N_, _TCD_]

[247 time,] times, _1669_, _B_, _JC_, _O'F_, _N_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_]

[250 soldurii _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ soldarii _1633-69_]

[251 expresse] expresse, _1633_]

[257 Who, _1633:_ Which, _1639-69_]

_Elegie on the Lady_ Marckham.

Man is the World, and death th'Ocean, To which God gives the lower parts of man. This Sea invirons all, and though as yet God hath set markes, and bounds, twixt us and it, Yet doth it rore, and gnaw, and still pretend, 5 And breaks our bankes, when ere it takes a friend. Then our land waters (teares of passion) vent; Our waters, then, above our firmament, (Teares which our Soule doth for her sins let fall) Take all a brackish taft, and Funerall, 10 And even these teares, which should wash sin, are sin. We, after Gods _Noe_, drowne our world againe. Nothing but man of all invenom'd things Doth worke upon itselfe, with inborne stings. Teares are false Spectacles, we cannot see 15 Through passions mist, what wee are, or what shee. In her this sea of death hath made no breach, But as the tide doth wash the slimie beach, And leaves embroder'd workes upon the sand, So is her flesh refin'd by deaths cold hand. 20 As men of China,'after an ages stay, Do take up Porcelane, where they buried Clay; So at this grave, her limbecke, which refines The Diamonds, Rubies, Saphires, Pearles, and Mines, Of which this flesh was, her soule shall inspire 25 Flesh of such stuffe, as God, when his last fire Annuls this world, to recompence it, shall, Make and name then, th'Elixar of this All. They say, the sea, when it gaines, loseth too; If carnall Death (the yonger brother) doe 30 Usurpe the body,'our soule, which subject is To th'elder death, by sinne, is freed by this; They perish both, when they attempt the just; For, graves our trophies are, and both deaths dust. So, unobnoxious now, she'hath buried both; 35 For, none to death sinnes, that to sinne is loth, Nor doe they die, which are not loth to die; So hath she this, and that virginity. Grace was in her extremely diligent, That kept her from sinne, yet made her repent. 40 Of what small spots pure white complaines! Alas, How little poyson cracks a christall glasse! She sinn'd, but just enough to let us see That God's word must be true, All, sinners be. Soe much did zeale her conscience rarefie 45 That, extreme truth lack'd little of a lye, Making omissions, acts; laying the touch Of sinne, on things that sometimes may be such. As _Moses_ Cherubines, whose natures doe Surpasse all speed, by him are winged too: 50 So would her soule, already'in heaven, seeme then, To clyme by teares, the common staires of men. How fit she was for God, I am content To speake, that Death his vaine hast may repent. How fit for us, how even and how sweet, 55 How good in all her titles, and how meet, To have reform'd this forward heresie, That women can no parts of friendship bee; How Morall, how Divine shall not be told, Lest they that heare her vertues, thinke her old: 60 And lest we take Deaths part, and make him glad Of such a prey, and to his tryumph adde.

[Elegie _&c._ _1633-54:_ An Elegie _&c._ _1669:_ _similarly_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _C_, _Cy_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _P_, _S96_, _TC_]

[6 And breaks _1633-54:_ To break _1669_

bankes _D_, _Cy_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _O'F_, _P_, _TCC:_ bounds _A25_, _C:_ banke, _1633-69_, _N_ (s _added_), _TCD_]

[8 firmament,] firmament. _1633_]

[10 Funerall, _Ed:_ Funerall. _1633-69_]

[11 these _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ those _1633-69_]

[12 after Gods _Noe_, drowne _1633-54_ (_No_, _1633-54_): after God, new drown _1669_

our world _1669_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TCD:_ the world _1633-54_, _A18_, _A25_, _JC_, _TCC_]

[16 mist] mistes _Cy_, _L74_, _N_, _TCD_]

[19 embroder'd _1635-54:_ embroderd _1633:_ embroider'd _1669_]

[21 stay, _Ed:_ stay _1633-69_]

[25 which _Ed:_ which, _1633-69_]

[28 then, _1633:_ then _1635-39:_ them _1650-69_]

[34 and both deaths dust. _Ed:_ and both Deaths' dust. _Grolier:_ and both, deaths dust. _1633:_ and both death's dust. _1635-69 and Chambers:_ and both dead dust. _D_, _Cy_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _S96_. _See note_]

[36 loth, _Ed:_ loth. _1633-69_]

[37 die; _Ed:_ die, _1633-69_]

[42 cracks _1633-69_, _A25_, _Cy_, _P_ (crackt): breakes _A18_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S96_, _TC_

glasse! _Ed:_ glasse? _1633-69_]

[44-5 _omitted in 1633 between foot of one page and top of next_]

[45 rarefie,] rectify, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _S96_]

[48 sometimes _1633 and MSS.:_ sometime _1635-69_, _and Chambers_]

[52 teares,] tears _Chambers_

the ... men _in brackets_ _A18_, _N_, _TC_]

[54 Death _D:_ death _1633-69_]

[58 women _1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _L74_, _Lec_, _N_, _P_, _TC:_ woman _1633_, _Cy_

parts] parte _Cy_, _JC_. _This line written in large letters in several MSS._]

[60 vertues, _1633-35_, _1669:_ vertue, _1639-54_

thinke] thinks _1639_

old: _Ed:_ old. _1633-69_]

[62 tryumph _1633-69_, _A25_, _D_, _H40_, _Lec:_ triumphes _A18_, _B_, _H49_, _JC_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S96_, _TC_]

_Elegie on M^{ris}_ Boulstred.