That not a line-to the most critick he Offends with flashes, or obscuritie. When thou the wild of humours trackst, thy pen So imitates that motley stock in men, As if thou hadst in all their bosomes been, And seen those leopards that lurk within: A lover, when thy Slave but seemes to dye, Thus, thou thy thoughts hast drest in such a strain As doth not only speak, but rule and raign; So soul's shine at the eyes, and pearls display Thou art the man, whom great Charles so exprest! Then let the crowd refrain their needless humme, When thunder speaks, then squibs and winds are dumb. TO THE BEST, AND MOST ACCOMPLISH'D B COUPLE LESSINGS as rich and fragrant crown your heads As the mild Heav'n on roses sheds, When at their cheeks-like pearls-they weare The clouds that court them in a teare; And may they be fed from above By Him which first ordain'd your love! Fresh as the houres, may all your pleasures be, Sweet as the flowres' first breath, and close As th' unseen spreadings of the rose, When he unfolds his curtain'd head, And makes his bosome the sun's bed. Soft as your selves, run your whole lifes, and cleare As your own glasse, or what shines there; When without mask, or tiffanie ;1 In all your time not one jarre meet 1 Gauze-veil. G. Like the daye's warmth may all your comforts be, Untoil'd for, and serene as he, Yet free and full as is that sheafe Of sun-beams gilding ev'ry leafe, And his cool'd locks breath milder fires. And as those parcell'd glories he doth shed. Which ne'r so distant are soon known And when no more on Earth you must remain Then may your vertuous, virgin-flames So you to both worlds shall rich presents bring, And gather'd up to heav'n, leave her a spring. AN ELEGIE ON THE DEATH OF MR. R. HALL, SLAIN AT PONTEFRACT, 1648.1 KNEW it would be thus! and my just fears Of thy great spirit are improv'd to tears: Thy fame above all clouds of obloquie, Charge through that darkness to the last of dayes. 'Tis true, fair manhood hath a female eye, And tears are beauteous in a victorie, Nor are wee so high-proofe, but griefe will find Through all our guards a way to wound the mind; But in thy fall what addes the brackish summe 1 CROMWELL left Pontefract Castle to be taken by Lambert, and to avenge the lamented Rainsborough's murder by the Royalists. See account in Clarendon's History of the Rebellion, Book xi: also our edition of the Works of Thomas Brooks (6 vols. 8vo.) where will be found his striking sermon for Rainsborough. G. More than a blott unto thy martyrdome ? Which scorns such wretched suffrages, and stands More by thy single worth, than our whole bands. Yet could the puling tribute rescue ought In this sad losse, or wert thou to be brought Back here by tears, I would in any wise Pay down the summe, or quite consume my eyes. Thou fell'st our double ruine; and this rent Forc'd in thy life shak'd both the Church and tent; Learning in others steales them from the van, And basely wise emasculates the man, But lodged in thy brave soul the bookish feat, |