His godlike acts, and his temptations fierce, Of lute, or viol still, more apt for mournful things. Befriend me, Night! best patroness of grief; And work my flattered fancy to belief, That Heaven and Earth are coloured with my woe: My sorrows are too dark for day to know: The leaves should all be black whereon I write! And letters, where my tears have washed, a wannish white. See! see the chariot! and those rushing wheels, In pensive trance, and anguish, and ecstatic fit. Mine eye hath found that sad sepulchral rock For sure so well instructed are my tears, Or should I, thence hurried on viewless wing, Might think the infection of my sorrows loud Had got a race of mourners on some pregnant cloud. 330 40 50 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. ON TIM E. [To be set on a Clock-Casc.] FLY, envious Time! till thou run out thy race; Whose speed is but the heavy plummet's pace; So little is our loss, So little is thy gain! For when as each thing bad thou hast entombed, And last of all thy greedy self consumed, Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss With an individual kiss; And Joy shall overtake us as a flood, When everything that is sincerely good And perfectly divine, With Truth, and Peace, and Love, shall ever shine About the supreme throne Of him, to whose happy-making sight alone When once our heav'nly-guided soul shall climb, Then, all this earthly grossness quit, Attired with stars, we shall for ever sit, Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee, O Time! UPON THE CIRCUMCISION. YE flaming Powers, and wingèd Warriors bright! Burn in your sighs, and borrow Seas wept from our deep sorrow: ΤΟ 20 He who with all Heaven's heraldry whilere Entered the world, now bleeds to give us ease; Sore doth begin His infancy to seize! O more exceeding love, or law more just? Emptied his glory, even to nakedness; And that great covenant which we still transgress And the full wrath beside Of vengeful Justice bore for our excess; And seals obedience first, with wounding smart, This day; but, oh! ere long Huge pangs and strong Will pierce more near his heart. AT A SOLEMN MUSIC. BLEST pair of Sirens! pledges of Heaven's joy, With saintly shout, and solemn jubilee; Singing everlastingly; 10 That we on earth, with undiscording voice, To their great Lord, whose love their motion swayed In first obedience, and their state of good. O may we soon again renew that song, And keep in tune with Heaven, till God ere long To live with him, and sing in endless morn of light. 20 AN EPITAPH ON THE MARCHIONESS OF THIS rich marble doth inter The honoured 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, To house with darkness, and with death. Yet had the number of her days Been as complete as was her praise, In giving limit to her life. Her high birth, and her graces sweet, The virgin quire for her request But with a scarce well-lighted flame; IO 20 Once had the early matrons run But, whether by mischance or blame, And with remorseless cruelty So have I seen some tender slip, Gentle Lady! may thy grave Peace and quiet ever have; Sweet rest seize thee evermore, 30 40 50 That, to give the world increase, Shortened hast thy own life's lease. Here, beside the sorrowing That thy noble house doth bring, And some flowers, and some bays, For thy hearse, to strew the ways, Sent thee from the banks of Came, Devoted to thy virtuous name; Whilst thou, bright Saint! high sitst in glory, Next her, much like to thee in story, 60 |