EX EUPHORMIONE. O Dea syderei seu tu stirps alma Tonantis &c. be ; Or Jove a father will be made by thee) Even to the naked'st vowes. thou art my fate; An Elegy upon the Death of Mr. Stanninow, HA Ath aged winter, fledg'd with feathered raine, To frozen Caucasus his flight now tane? Doth hee in downy snow there closely shrowd His bedrid limmes, wrapt in a fleecy clowd? Is th' earth disrobed of her apron white, Kind winter's guift, & in a greene one dight? Doth she beginne to dandle in her lappe Her painted infants, fedd with pleasant pappe, Wch their bright father in a pretious showre From heavens sweet milky streame doth gently powre? Doth blith Apollo cloath the heavens with joye, And with a golden wave wash cleane away Those durty smutches, wch their faire fronts wore, And make them laugh, wch frown'd, & wept before? If heaven hath now forgot to weepe; ô then Wt meane these showres of teares amongst us men? These Cataracts of griefe, that dare ev'n vie With th' richest clowds their pearly treasurie ? If winters gone, whence this untimely cold, That on these snowy limmes hath laid such hold? What more than winter hath that dire art found, These purple currents hedg'd with violets round. To corrallize, wch softly wont to slide In crimson waveletts, & in scarlet tide? If Flora's darlings now awake from sleepe, And out of their greene mantletts dare to peepe : O tell me then, what rude outragious blast Forc't this prime flowre of youth to make such hast To hide his blooming glories, & bequeath His balmy treasure to the bedd of death? 'Twas not the frozen zone; One sparke of fire, Shott from his flaming eye, had thaw'd it's ire, And made it burne in love: 'Twas not the rage, And too ungentle nippe of frosty age: 'Twas not the chast, & purer snow, whose nest Was in the modest Nunnery of his brest: Noe. none of these ravish't those virgin roses, An Elegie on the death of Dr. Porter. Stay, silver-footed Came, strive not to wed Thy maiden streames soe soone to Neptunes Fixe heere thy wat'ry eyes upon these towers, Unto whose feet in reverence of the powers, That there inhabite, thou on every day With trembling lippes an humble kisse do'st pay. See all in mourning now; the walles are jett, With pearly papers carelesly besett. Whose snowy cheekes, least joy should be expres The weeping pen with sable teares hath drest. Their wronged beauties speake a Tragedy, Somewhat more horrid than an Elegy. Pure, & unmixed cruelty they tell, Wch poseth mischeife's selfe to Parallel. Justice hath lost her hand, the law her head; Peace is an Orphan now; her father's dead. Honesties nurse, Vertues blest Guardian, That heavenly mortall, that Seraphick man. Enough is said, now, if thou canst crowd on Thy lazy crawling streames, pri'thee be gone, And murmur forth thy woes to every flower, That on thy bankes sitts in a verdant bower, And is instructed by thy glassy wave To paint its perfum'd face wth colours brave. In vailes of dust their silken heads they'le hide, As if the oft departing sunne had dy'd. Goe learne that fatall Quire, soe sprucely dight In downy surplisses, & vestments white, To sing their saddest Dirges, such as may Make their scar'd soules take wing, & fly away. Lett thy swolne breast discharge thy strugling g To th' churlish rocks; & teach the stubborne s To melt in gentle drops, lett them be heard Of all proud Neptunes silver-sheilded guard; That greife may crack that string, & now untie Their shackled tongues to chant an Elegie. Whisper thy plaints to th' Oceans curteous eare Then weepe thyselfe into a sea of teares. |