Thestylis atrata: or A funeral elegie vpon the death of the Right Honourable, most religious and noble lady, Frances, late Countesse of Warvvick who departed this life at her house in Hackney neere unto London, in the moneth of June last past. 1634. By Henrie Peacham.

Thestylis atrata: or A funeral elegie vpon the death of the Right Honourable, most religious and noble lady, Frances, late Countesse of Warvvick who departed this life at her house in Hackney neere unto London, in the moneth of June last past. 1634. By Henrie Peacham.

Table of contents

Title page

§

TO THE TRVLY HONOVRABLE, Sir IOHN WRAY Knight and Baronet, Sir CHRISTOPHER WRAY Knight, and Master EDWARD WRAY Esquire.

The Epistle to the Reader.

Epitaphium. Verè piissimae, ac illustrissimae Heroinae, D. FRANCISCAE Comitissae WARWICENSIS Aedibus suis propriis HACKNEIAE propè LONDINUM, Mense Junio, denatae. 1634.

A Funerall Elegie.

[Page]

[Page]

A Funerall Elegie.

IN what place of the Heavens, upborne from hence,

Pure Soule,

Aegelorum ministerio, Luc. 16.

keep'st thou thy happie residence,

That thither our swift-winged Zeale may flie,

To gratulate thy full felicitie:

Not bring thee back with teares, our prayers, or vowes

Accuse the Fates, or call for Cypresse boughes

To veile thee sleeping (borne to bed by Death)

When thou in vaine art sought of us beneath:

Heavens glorious Palace more adorning farre,

Than Cassiopeia,

Cassiopia wife to Cepheus, who co [...]nded in beautie with the Nymp [...]t of the sea, and was turned to a signe in Heaven.

or bright

Fac jubar ut semper Capitolia nostra so [...]umque. Divus ab excelsa prospectet Iulius [...]. Ovid [...] 15.

Caesars starre.

No, honour'd Lady, be it farre from me,

These ill-tun'd accents should solicite thee,

Bewaile thy state or fate, who do'st possesse

A Crowne and Kingdome with that happinesse,

Tongue never yet hath uttered, nor can

Pierce the dull thought of fraile and mortall man.

I take but time and leave a while to summe

The parcels of our losses in her tomb,

As in an Ocean, that are sunk and fled,

And never more shall be recovered.

A losse wherein so many had a share,

That Townes and Tenants well-nigh undone are:

A losse for which faire LINCOLNE from her hill,

Doth to her Citie streames of teares distill;

It weepes, and by her River doth convay

Her salt-abundant sorrow everie way;

[Page] And as a Mother, who hath lately lost

Her dearest daughter, whom with care and cost,

She from her tender infancie hath bred,

And in all goodly Science [...]:

With bitter teares, and wringing oft her hands,

Amidst her neighbours dumb and sobbing stands,

Incapable of comfort, and would faine,

Even with her imgers dig her up againe:

Such griefe (and it not greater) doe I ghesse

The heart of all this Countie doth possesse:

LINCOLNE, whose soile hath ever fertile be [...]ne

Of such Heroique Spirits, that betweene.

Earth-bounding

The Iles of Orkney beyond Scotland Ukima Thule, Virg.

ORKNEY, and the

Hodie, Thylensell: two Ilands without the streights of Gibraltar, in the farthest part of Spaine next to Africa.

Godes of Spaine,

They may for merit scaree be matcht againe:

Who, while a time I leave her Honours herse,

Embellish with your glorious names my verse,

Her name to Fame I may the more endeare,

Withall advance the honour of the Shire.

Lincolne anciently by Bede and others called LIND [...]COLLINUM (from the situation upon the top of an [...]ill, and also LINDUM, whence that part of the Shire beyond the River of WITHAM was called LIND [...], or [...] By the Normans it was called NICO [...]-shire, by a Metathesis or transposition of a letter, as wee finde in a certaine deed made by IOHN of GAUNT, be [...]inning thus: [...] [...].

I will not turne the Anuals (as I might)

Of antique ages, bring againe to light

Those warlike natives, who by [...] floud

So oft imbru'd their swords in Danish bloud,

Nor that religious King of Mercia, who

Here kept [...] Court eight hundred yeares agoe.

OFF A King of MERCIA, who kept his Court in [...] Castle of Stallingburgh in the Countie of Lincolne, now being part of the inheritance of that Noble and right worthy Gentle-man, Sir Edward A [...]scough Knight: here also was Saint E [...]kenwald (sometime Bishop of London) borne, [Page] as I was informed by Master Linall, a great Searcher of Antiquities in this Countie.

With many a learned, many an holy man,

Wherewith this spacious Shire abounded than

Rest they in peace, some few Ile onely name

Of later times, deserving equall fame:

Then for her home-borne; first, this soile may vaunt

Great BOLLINGBROOKE, the son of JOHN of GAUNT.

Henrie Plantagenet (who was Henrie the fourth) borne at Bollingbrooke in Lincolnshire, son and heire of JOHN of Gaunt, by BLANCH daughter and co-heire of Henrie, the first Duke of Lancaster, who tooke to wife MAR [...], daughter, and one of the two heires of Hump [...]rey de Bol [...]n, Earle of Hereford, Essex, and Northampton, and Constable of England. He lieth buried by Marie his wife, in the Monasterie of Christs Church in Cantuarburie, under a pillar in the North Ile. To this Church King Henrie, with Thomas Arundell, Arch-Bishop of Cantuarburie, were great benefactors: he died, Anno 1412.

Then that brave Worthy, WILLOUGHBIE the Great,

Who wily PARMA,

Du [...] Parmensis insignis dissimulandi artifex. Cambden in Elisabetha.

did so soundly beat

From BERGEN, with his ever honour'd Son,

Earle LINDSEY living, lov'd of everie one.

It was in the yeare 1588. PARMA lying before BERGEN two whole moneths together, was beaten thence by the valour of the L. Willoughbie Governour, Sir William D [...]urie, Colonell Morgan, and many other resolute and brave Commanders being then in the Towne, at what time were knighted for their valour, Sir Francis Vere, Sir Thomas Knolles, Sir Nicholas Parker, and Sir Iohn Poolie, &c.

But how can my weake Muse thy merit crowne,

Great President of honour and renowne,

Thrice-Noble [...], the survlving glor [...]

Of Eightie eight, and subject of that storie,

When thy enraged thunder-belching BEARE

SPAINES floting Castles did to peeces teare.

The L. Sheffield Baron of Butterwick, and Earle of Mowgrave, who to his great praise and honour did notable service [Page] in Eightie eight, in that famous fight with the Spanish Armado, being then Captaine of the White Beare, one of her Majesties ships royall.

With PELHAMS also

Grandfather to Sir William Pelham now living

father and the son,

Whose fear'd black lances their great honour won,

When th'row the heart of B [...]GIA they ran,

Conducted by the silver

The crest of the Pelhams.

Pellican.

SirThe grandfather came out of Sussex. William Pelham, who being at that time Generall of the Horse, over-ran (saith Cambden) all Brabant, Anno 1586. As he was an absolute Souldier, so his son was also a great Souldier and Scholler, as any Gentleman in the Shire, having left behind him a sufficient testimonie hereof; whose son is Sir William Pelham (a verie worthy and noble Gentleman) now living, of Brocklesbie in Lincolnshire.

And expert OGLE, able to command

A XERXES Armie, if that need should stand.

Sir Iohn Ogle borne at Piachbeck in Holland, a verie honourable Gentleman, and my especiall friend, with whom I lived in UTRECHT, when he was L. Governour thereof, whom (as well for Honours sake, as his owne especiall deserts, having done great service to the States in the Netherlands) I could not but (in this place) remember.

With all-lamented BURROUGH, who did see

Too late their errours, who attempted REE.

Sir Iohn Burroughs borne at Stow by Gainesburgh and slaine (being shot into the belly) before the Fort there.

And as it were a Nurserie of men,

Dread Soveraigne CHARLES, this Countie doth agen

Send thee thy Champion, hopefull DIMOK, hee

Whose CARE HOLDS KIM [...],

An Anagram. Charles Dimok.

whom time shall shortly see

(Such is his towardnesse, vertuous education)

The flower not of the Shire, but of the Nation.

Whose father Sir Edward Dimok (not here to be forgotten) was a Gentleman as well deserving in his time, as any other; for he was of a noble and co [...]agious spirit, learned, and had travelled the most parts of Europe.

With HARWOOD, SMITH, and numbers unnam'd here,

All children of their mother Lincolnshire.

[Page] Sir Edward Harwood borne at Bourne, and a Colonell in the Netherlands, slaine (as it was reported) before Mastrecht, hee was by his last will and testament a great benefactor to the towne of Bourne. Captaine Iohn Smith borne at Alford in the Marsh of Lincolnshire, who served under the Prince of Transylvania, and made a great discoverie in the North parts of America.

Now as if Nature seemed loth to part

These ablest men of Armes from those of Art,

Shee here againe produc'd for tongue and pen,

Great Statesmen, many grave and learned men:

The wisest BURGHLEY, Atlas of our State,

Our Englands PALINUR [...] (whose care of late

In greatest stormes of danger,

Aeneae nauta. Virg. Aeneid. 3.

steer'd the helme,

And sav'd from wreck our farre engaged Realme)

His birth acknowledg'd unto fennie BOURNE,

Though STAMFORD holds his ashes and his urne.

Sir William Cecill Knight, Lord Burghley, and Treasurer of England, was borne at BOURNE in Lincolnshire, Anno 1521. His fathers name was Richard Cecill, one of the Ward-robe to King Henrie the eighth, of the house of Alterynnis in Wales, his mothers name was Iane, heire of the noble house of EXINGTON, and of the WALCOTS: Hee died 1598. and was buried at Saint Martins in Stamford. Of this ancient family of the WALCOTS is Master ANTHONY WALCOT of Lincolne, my loving friend, discended.

And honour'd Henneage, of that ancient race

Of Haynton, here take your deserved place,

So true a servant to ELIZABETH,

And by King JAMES even honour'd after death.

Sir Thomas Henneage Knight, borne in Lincolnshire, hee served Queene Elizabeth 35. yeares a privie Councellor, Vice-Chamberlaine and Chancellor of the Dutchie of Lancaster. Hee had onely one daughter Elizabeth, married to Sir MO [...]LE FINCH of Eastwell in Kent, who brought him a great estate, who after her fathers death (in regard of his former deserts) was by King Iames created Viscountesse Maidstone, and Countesse of Winchelsea: He died October [Page] 17. Anno 1595. and lyeth buried under a faire Monument, in the Quire of S. Pauls Church in London. Of this family was Sir Robert de Henneage, tempore Henrici primi: and since the time of Edward the third, Anno regni ejus 16. they have continued Knights or Esquires, and in continuall succession Lords of Haynton (Iohn Henneage Esquire, being at that time in possession thereof) unto Sir George Henneage now living, and Lord of Haynton.

The reverend WHITGUIFT,

Borne at Grimsbie.

Cantuarburies Grace,

Whose memorie shall never Time deface:

And FOX,

Borne in Boston in the Butcher Row, or Shambles there.

who did so painfully compile

His Martyrs, breath'd first, Boston, in thy soile:

Then those grave Judges, MOUNSON, DALLISON,

With STAMFORD (LINWOOD) and late ANDERSON,

Here borne, shall live while awfull Justice raignes,

And (her Tribunall) Westminster remaines:

Now WAINFLET borne at WAINFLET, (who did found

And build that goodly Structure from the ground

Of MAGDALEN in OXFORD) place we here,

A Benefactor unto all the Shire.

William de Wainflet, sometimes Bishop of Winchester: His fathers name was PATTEN, and lyeth buried in Wainflet All-Saints, under a faire monument of Alabaster, erected at the charge of this Bishop his son, who in his Episcopall ornaments (with another brother, who by his habit seemeth to have beene a Deane or an Abbot,) support the pillow under their fathers head.

And next to him, else second unto none,

For that great work his charitie hath done,

Ensueth SUTTON,

M [...]. Sutton was borne at Knath by Gainsburgh, his father was sometime Towne-Clerk of the Citie of Lincolne.

who for his intent

Deserves be stiled the Magnificent.

And prudent WRAY, chiefe Justice of our Land,

To whom the subject which we have in hand

Hath more relation, than unto the rest,

Far bee't thy bountie should be here supprest,

And that the Muse should so ingratefull bee,

As (with the chiefe) not to remember thee;

To whom our CAMBRIDGE is obliged more,

[Page] Than any other named heretofore:

For her faire MAGDAL [...]N, enlarged so

By his great gift, which that the world may know

A WRAY did raise her to a faire estate,

She weares his Armes and liverie on her gate.

This College was first an Hostell of Monks, afterward repaired by the Prior of Ely, and the Abbot of R [...]msey and Walden, and at length made a College by the Lord Thomas Aud [...]y Baron of Walden, and Lord Chancellor of England, and endowed it with possessions, Anno 1542. what hee left undone, was finished by the Honourable Sir Christopher Wray Knight, Lord chiefe Justice of the Common Plea [...], and father of this deceased Countesse.

And future ages, though afresh, shall see

His Image in these works of Pietie:

His name no lesse shall be belov'd hereafter,

As being father to so good a daughter.

Thus from the nature of the tree and root,

We easly ghesse the goodnesse of the fruit.

Now should I first (as is the common use)

This Ladies linage, and allies produce)

So honourable, many, or declare

Of bloud, of rank how high her husbands were,

S. PAUL the first, who drew his pedigree

From those of FRANCE, and bare their Armorie.

C [...]st a di [...] D' Aegent, nu Li [...]n ramp and, [...]

To that gre [...]t house of LU [...]MBOURG alli'd,

And many a noble family beside:

Next honour'd WARWICK, who did with his name

Impart his Honour, gave her halfe the same:

A sitter better match there could not be,

He was right noble, good, and so was she.

Robert Lord Rich, created Earle of Warwick, in the yeare 1618. August 6. His first wife was Pen [...]lope, daughter to Walter Earle of Essex; this Lady, widdow to Sir George St. Paul, was the second, hee died at his house in H [...]lborne, March 24. 1618. and was buried at Felst [...]d in Essex with his Ancestors.

[Page] But what availes all this, it is not Bloud,

Alliance, Honours, Fortunes make us good:

These are but rind, or out-side seeming faire,

Which toucht, will turne to ashes or to aire:

Bloud, honour, riches, though she had them all

In full abundance; yet I cannot call

The same her glorie,

All things which are beside the principall purpose, as in a picture, trees, towers, flowers, &c. when the principall perhaps is the face of a man.

which indeed but are

The foiles of Fortune, Goodnesse well may spare,

Which as PAR [...]RGA'S passe we by and see

Of her owne selfe, how great, how good was shee

I passe her child-hood and those tender yeares,

Wherein, best, simple Innocence appeares.

(Yet those same yeares doe oftentimes presage

An hopefull harvest in a riper age)

And with her youth begin, which Parents care

Inform'd, in everie Science that was rare,

And commendable Art, that might concerne,

Or suited with Nobilitie to learne.

But first RELIGION, they the ground-work laid,

Whereon as BASIS all the other staid;

And hence that goodly structure of her minde

Proceeded, wherein with more state she shin'd,

And glorious lustre, than in that array

Of gold and jewels on her wedding day.

Her greatnesse, first of all she taught to know,

It was the greater while it kept below;

Pyramid-like the higher reared up,

The lesse it seem'd, and waxed at the top:

No over-weening scorne her brow did cloud,

Additament of honour made her proud,

That well she might that Royall Motto claime

Of great

Samper eadem.

ELIZA, Evermore the same.

The Court and Citie seld frequented she,

Where all brave Dames and Beauties love to be;

Her owne faire SNARFORD, second unto none,

For site, delight, sweet contemplation,

At home detain'd her, keeping open dore

To neighbours, strangers, and the needie poore.

[Page] Now blush (yee Dames) who leave your Mansion- [...]

The fragrant fields, the healthfull Countrey [...]

Your walks, your woods, your flowrie gardens [...]

To live immur'd within a stinking street,

Exchanging your all-welcome giving gates

For some small wicket, fit to breake our [...]

T' avoid expences, spending, and to flie

Your Countries, but for hospitalitie:

Or learne what fashion most is in request,

How is this Countesse, that Court Ladie drest;

While yee, your beauteous faces so disguise,

We neither see your foreheads, nor your eyes:

(Like Dutch Boores houses,

Shee allowed [...] yearely to a Preacher at Wel [...]n, a towne by her. Also twentie [...]ounds yearely toward a Sermon [...]n Ancaster.

where the straw hangs over

The low-thatcht eaves, and doth the windowes cover)

That wont the seats and Indices to be

Of Spirit, Love, and Ingenuitie:

Nor did her private house her bountie bound,

That but the center was, from whence, around

It did disperse it selfe, in golden streames,

(As Ph [...]bus wont his bright and burnisht beames

Betime, when as AURORA'S cheekes are red,

To see him creepe from THETIS silver bed.)

For as she was Religious,

Beside she ga [...]e exb [...]b [...]tion to many Schollers in the [...] of Cambridge [...] Magdalen College, and [...] a Benefa [...] to other [...] there. She allowed [...] [...]ounds a yeare to a Preacher, to [...] Lincolne.

so did shee

Promote all works of Christian Pietie.

Where Preachers wanted (as alas they want)

Were livings small, and their allowance scant;

Her Honour bounteous stipends did afford

To painfull Teachers of the Sacred Word:

Nor did she this in places one or two,

For her owne glorie, (as be some that doe)

But wheresoever [...] of w [...]nt did heare;

(No matter where) [...], without the Shire.

And (like her Maker) [...] heare the crie

Of [...]oorest prisoners, [...] did lie.

When on these waters [...]he did cast her bread,

And even their soules at her owne charges fed.

[...]

[...] relate ( [...] owne to all)

Her [...] RAISO [...] [...] Hospitall,

[Page] Her care of orphans, widdowes, whom she fed,

She cloath'd, and in their sicknesse nourished:

Her bountie to her servants in her life,

Her love of peace, still hating suits and strife:

Her favour to her Tenants round about,

Of whom she never turned any out,

Or rais'd their rents, or failing at their day,

Tooke re-possession: no, she tooke their pay,

As they could best provide it for her, then,

Perhaps, if need, gave something back agen.

[figure]

Oh happie thrice, who made this worl her friend,

To make her way to Heaven at her end,

For if cold water given, [...]inde regard,

Imagine we, what then is her reward.

[Page] She buried not her Treasure in a box,

And that againe enclos'd with sundrie locks

From theevish hands, but up to Heaven before

She sent it, borne by prayers of the poore:

She knew how here from basest covetise,

All evils, with contempt of God arise:

With love of riches who intangled are,

Doe easly fall into the Tempters snare;

How poyson in this Idoll Gold doth lie,

That take away the life of Cha [...]itie.

Parts father and the childe, then sets the mother

At odds with husband, daughter with the brother.

Yet did she nought profusedly bestow

For ostentation, or a trumpet blow

When she gave almes, but ever did impart

Them secretly to need, or due desert.

Nor thought it she disparagement by stealth,

Sometimes in sicknesse and their perfect health,

To lay by state, and conversant to be

With Tenants, parling of good husbandrie.

So would AUGUSTUS leave his Roman Court,

And to the meanest Citizens resort,

And with them in their houses drinke and eat

Familiarly, for Majestie so great,

Not (like a bow) can alway stand extent,

But must sometime have its relaxament.

Thus was she truly humble, courteous, milde,

And nobly gracious to the poorest childe.

Ah that I said this wofull word, She was,

But she, and we, and all of flesh must passe:

We follow fast as Pilgrims, thou dost die,

Even reading this, and writing so doe I.

How [...] thing,

Psal. 39. [...]. Wisd. 5. 14. Esay 64 6. Osea 10. 7. lacob. 4. 4. Psal. 102. 3. Wisd. 5. 9. Wisd. 2. 5.

alas, is wretched man?

By holy Scripture termed well a sp [...],

A Lease, a Bubble, F [...]th, the Downe that flies,

A wasting Vapor, Smoake, a Cloud in skies,

A P [...]st that hasting makes not any stay,

A Shadow swiftly vanishing aw [...]

[Page] A Ship that no impression leaves behinde

Where it hath past,

Iob 9. 26. Wisd. 5. 10. Psalm. 73. 19. lob 7. 7. Psalm. 90. Iob 14. 2.

a Morning Dreame, a Wind,

Hay, Gras [...]e, a Flower (from whose faire golden cup.

The early Sun doth pearly Nectar sup,

Upbraiding with her blush the crimson morne,

But ere the evening downe with sith is shorne)

A Bird,

Esay 38. 10. Wisd. 5. Iob 76. Iob 24. 19. Psalm. 90. 5.

an Arrow, and a Shepherds tent,

A Weavers web cut off, a Vestiment,

Snow water that dissolveth with a drought,

A short told Tale, a Candle quickly out.

That we no sooner from our mothers womb

Do draw this aire, but hasten to our tomb:

The Rich, the Poore, the Little and the [...],

Vnlearned, Learned, Wise,

Psal. 49. 3. Iob 3. 19. Psal. 49. 10. Fat [...] non servant ordinem inter senes & juvenes, Son. 1 Paral. 29. 15. Ecclesiastic. 40. 11. 2 Sam. 12 18. 1 Reg. 14. 17. Genes. 5. 27. 1 Reg. 2. 10. Senes. 4. 8.

and wanting wit,

Death keepes no rank, or will be woo'd to stay,

Brookes no excuse, intreatie, or delay,

For Age ne Sex he careth, all is one,

They as all Waters to their Seas must run:

If Infancie might have excused beene,

Sure Davids son a longer date had seene:

Or if old Age might passe with Death for plea,

He likely would have spar'd Methuselah:

Or if a Kingdome could preserve from death,

Sweet ISRAELS Singer had not wanted breath:

If Pietie, that bloud-imbrued CAIN

His righteous Brother never should have slaine:

If Wisdome, Learning,

2 King. 11. 43.

and a boundlesse wit,

As ever Heaven vouchsafd to mortall yet,

Then SALOMON had lived still to write,

And store us with his knowledge infinite.

Nor could his Nimblenesse AHAZA [...]L save,

2 Sam. 2. 1 [...]. & 23. Iudg. 16. 30. 2 Sam. 18. 23.

Or Strength the strongest SAMPSON from his grave:

No more did Beautie ABSALON the faire,

When death did hide him in his golden haire.

If Beautie could, what could more beauteous be,

Than sometime (in her younger yeares) was she;

Before that Time did turne to silver wire

The tresses, which APOLLO might admire:

[Page] And buried now the bed in frost and snow,

Where Lilies late did with the Roses grow.

Divine Impression of thy Makers glorie,

Sweet Beautie, why art thou so transitorie?

Who with Ambrosian dainties feed'st our eyes,

And with our soules so neere dost sympathize:

Leading all captives, whom thy power encloses,

In [...]ands of burni [...]ht gold, and chaines of Roses.

See (Ladies) what it is that make you proud,

A verie nothing, an IXIONS cloud,

Jupiter [...] [...]ing Ixion to be in love wi [...] Juno, deceived [...] with a cloud, which be made like Jun [...], &c.

When most belov'd, pursu'd, embrac'd and kist,

Dissolves it selfe to vapor and to mist:

A blushfull blossome, pleasing to the eye,

No sooner blowne, but blasted by and by.

Why did yee (Heavens) ever Death permit,

The worlds sole Ranger, Bow-bearer of it,

To kill what flesh he pleaseth, where, and when,

Making the Grave his Lodge, his CACUS den [...]

Because a spade he useth for to beare,

Yee did ordaine him Earths chiefe Gardiner,

Uprending by the roots such flowers as these.

But let vile weeds dispred them as they please:

He crops the Prim [...]ose, Violet, or Pink,

Lets Poppies flourish with their banefull stink.

But far be it, we blame you Heavens for this,

It was old ADAMS fault, his soule amisse,

The father of us all, when he forgate

His Makers hest, and that ru'd apple ate:

So that from Edens faire forbidden Tree,

Death can till now derive his pedigree;

And with the best of Romes great Senate show

His Images (if need be) on a row:

There is no Royall bloud, or Noble race,

But must arise, and give his greatnesse place.

De [...] King of He [...]aulds over looking tombs,

At Church all placing in their proper roomes,

All marshalling at Funerals and Feasts,

Ranking with all equalitie his guests.

[Page] And Ladies [...]ee, that commonly contend

For highest place at Church, or Tables end;

How quickly can this enemie of life

Decide the quarrell, and compound your strife.

Death's Harbinger, the King of Heaven doth send,

To see you lodged at your progresse end:

He is a prime Court-gamester, that will vie,

And see the Rest of Royall Majestie:

Let Honour, Love, Time, Fortune, with him play,

He sweepes the stake, and carries all away:

Though privileg'd in this beyond his Dead,

1 Cor. 25. 26.

Himselfe is last, who must be conquered.

How bitter is his memorie to him,

Who doth in plentie and abundance swim,

Devoures all dainties, keepes his downie bed,

No worldly care, to vex his carelesse head?

He doth distaste his gentle Palate more

Than Galls, or Antieyrian Hellebore:

He loathes the wall that Death is painted on,

And trembles at his fleshlesse S [...]kton;

Memento mori, and the Day of Doome,

That Master-peece of

Michael Angelo a famous painter, who wrought that excellent peece.

Angelo in Rome

Do damp his spirit, and offend his eyne,

He better likes the draughts of

Icones obscenae Aretin [...]

A [...]e [...]ine.

But to the man who liveth in distresse,

In Want, in Prison, friend and fatherlesse,

To age, that wearie of the world doth see,

From bad to worse how times declining bee,

To

They were called Bedread, who used to read, or pray upon their bead, lying in their beds (not able to work) in oven sho [...] in London and other places, having a bason set before them for such as gave them any [...], to cast it [...]

bed-read, and the long tormented sick,

How happie is thy welcome, Death, how quick

Doe they embrace thee, as the wearie guest

Cals for his Host, and first would be at rest

Yet did not torment, any tedious paine

Solicite Death for her, although a gaine

Unto the Godly, no, she did affront,

By faith, its furie, and insulted on't:

Her soule to him commending, by whose merit

She hoped, life eternall to inherit.

[Page] And when she saw the fatall houre draw [...],

She should be seene no more of liuing eye,

About her she her dearest friends doth call,

Advise and comfort all she can, withall

Bless [...]th her servants, wils them not to weepe

For her, who shortly in the Lord must sleepe,

And resting, her eternall Sabbath keepe:

On toilsome earth no more, no more with them,

But in the Court of new Hierusalem.

To mutuall love exhorts them, and to trace

The paths of Vertue, in their lives short race.

This said; of all (while all stand weeping by)

She takes her leave,

Qualem virgineo demessum pollic [...] s [...]orem, &c. Virgil. Simile.

and so doth sweetly dye.

Even as the Hiacynth doth change the hue,

Which (from the tender stalk where late it grew)

Some Virgins daintie finger off hath torne,

And that sweet tincture which did it adorne,

Not fully faded, by degrees doth dye,

Where some small remnant still affects the eye:

Even so a colour livelesse doth she keepe,

And lovely seemes, as one but fast asleepe.

Now as a Bird that from the eagels fled,

Unto the neighbour wood where she was bred,

Simile.

And meeting with a many of her kind

At libertie, her selfe hath gladly joyn'd

To their Harmonious Consort, even so shee,

From her Earths prison now exempt and free,

Sings Hallelujahs with the Saints above,

Communicates in blisse all heavenly love,

From whence (me thinks) I heare her say, A lieu,

Thou trostlesse Earth, who with thy shewes [...]

Thy silly children dost as Babes beguile,

Who when (poore things) have played with a while

Thy [...]ands and toyes, thou dost their cradles fit,

And mak'st them ready for the loathed pit:

Adien yee Courts, but Cotes of clay and stone,

Whose Turrets now, (me thinks) I tread upon;

And as an Ant-hill, view the world below,

[Page] Mark how you silly creatures, to and fro,

Doe toile your selves within your poore abode.

By taking up, then laying downe your loads,

[...] comes the owner with a spade,

And layes all levell, what your car [...] hath made.

[...]en, my SNAR [...]ORD, once so deare to me,

[...] now the house of my eternitie:

[...] brave Earles,

Earles of Warwick and Holland. Sir John Wray, Sir Christopher Wray, and M [...]. Edward Wray, the [...]

my sometime sons, and you [...]

My dearest [...] in affection now

With whom I leave my worldly state in trust,

Knowne for [...]

[...] poore neighbours, who [...] g [...]ne:

[...] deare friends, my follower, [...] one,

Mourne for your selves, and cease to mourne for me,

[...]

Th [...] or the like ( [...] pardon, Ladie [...]are,

[...] not right) thou [...] there,

There where true [...],

Where Quires of Angels [...]

[...]

All, whereof we are ignorant below,

[...] the brightnesse of that [...],

Which here but throw a [...]

[...]

Till the loud Trumpet, at the [...] day,

Thy body shall awaken from the dust,

When [...] and W [...], with all the [...]

[...]

[...]

[...]

FINIS

[...]

[Page]

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

A FUNERAL ELEGIE VPON THE Death of the Right Honourable, most religious and noble Lady, FRANCES, Late Countesse of WARVVICK, who departed this life at her house in HACKNEY, neere unto LONDON, In the Moneth of June last past. 1634.

By HENRIE PEACHAM.

—Et festinantes sequimur.

LONDON, Printed by I. H. for Francis Constable. 1634.

§

§

[Page]

[figure]

Ad Lectorem.

Aspice ut hoc clypeo bini jungantur in uno,

Quos Amor, at que tori junxerat una Fides:

Sic fato functi, terra tumulantur in una,

Et simul aethereo gaudet uterque Polo.

TO THE TRVLY HONOVRABLE, Sir IOHN WRAY Knight and Baronet, Sir CHRISTOPHER WRAY Knight, and Master EDWARD WRAY Esquire.

[Page]

Right Noble and Worthy Gentle-men:

I Have presumed, the first, to bewaile in publike, the death of the much honoured, but more lamented Lady, the Countesse of WARWICK your deceased A [...]nt, so re [...]owmed, and beloved for her Pi [...] tie and Goodnesse, that shee needeth no Memoriall at all, and in truth, Fame profiteth not the dead, as a Poet saith.Nil juv it fama sepultos. But in regard she hath beene so faire a President for Posteritie to imitate, and that my selfe have beene much bounden unto hee, for her Honourable respect ever towards mee, I could not mourne to my selfe, beside moved to the contrarie by a particular occasion. Some few yeares agoe, her Honour sent unto me, and requested mine advice, far the erecting of a Monument in SNARFORD Church for her selfe, according to the convenience of the place: I drew the [Page] Modell of one, and presented her Honour with the same, adding (as was her desire) a plaine, but short and proper Inscription, leaving underneath a space for an Epitaph, there to be inserted after her death, that might containe some dozen lines or more, which (if I should out-live her) it pleased her Honour to impose upon me to performe: I promised her I would, though out of the naturall goodnesse, and sweet humilitie of her minde, she never affected praise, or applause, either in life, or after her death, for any good de [...] that ever shee did. So that since herein I could not [...]forme my promise, her Honours minde, for the disposing of her corps at the time of her death (for some reasons perhaps knowne unto her [...]) being altered, I tooke mine owne time, and [...]entured (as drawing the C [...]rtaine from an excellent Picture) to shew her to the beholder at the full, and in a faire light.

Wherefore, at my little leasure would serve, it spare houres, shortly after her death (being employed in a toilsome calling) I composed this small Poem, which under the protection of your names (who are so much beloved and honoured in Lincolnshire; moreover, Brethren, her Nephewes, and Exequ [...]tors to her last Will and Testament) I consecrate to her eternall Memorie, and offering (for her sake) the same in all dutifull affection unto your Patronage, I take leave.

Yours devoted in all observance, Henrie Peacham[?]

The Epistle to the Reader.

[Page]

REader whosoever, hold me excused, that upon so excellent a Subject, I have wrought so inartificially, and like that Brick-layer of Antwerp, because he could set stones in Mortar, undertooke to set Diamonds in Gold. True it is, there are some persons of that transcendent worth and desert, that all indifferent praise falleth short of them, as there have beene some men beyond imitation for their excellencie in their severall Faculties: and though this regard onely might have enjoyned mee Silence, beside the disesteeme of Poetrie in this latter age of the world, (wherein, to scorne learning, and to know nothing, are accounted Gentlemanlike qualities) yet seeing living Examples of Vertue are so few and rare (appearing but here and there one, in a whole Countrey, like starres in a mistie or dark night) and that I knew not how to require the many favors I formerly received from her Honour, beside the friendly respect I have found from the most and neerest allied in bloud unto Her, I have adventured once againe with ORPHEUS to raise up EURIDICE, my dead and forgotten Muse, to review the light, it being now eleven yeares since I published any thing in this Elegiack kinde; which then was an April SHOWER, upon the death of that truly Noble, and verie learned Lord, Richard Earle of Dorset: and soone after, upon the too untimely decease of the most vertuous and hopefull young Lady FRANCES, daughter to Sir WILLIAM WRAY Knight, (and sometime wife unto that worthy and generous Knight Sir ANTHONIE IRBIE of Boston) who lyeth buried at ASHBIE, where the Lady WRAY her Mother (a religious, charitable, and bountifull Lady) at this time liveth.

[Page] And whereas in this Elegie of mine, by a Parergicall digression, I make mention for the Honour of the Shire, of many brave and excellent spirits it hath bred, I have not done it without example of the best approved Poets: And as [...] saith of Germanie, so I may say of this Shire, that it is Hominum [...], a shop of men, where they may bee found serviceable, either for affaires of Peace or Warre: besides a Discour [...]e which I had with a verie Honourable and a learned Personage, at his table, concerning this Subject, gave some occasion thereof.

For this Noble Lady deceased, if I have falne short of the just report of her worth, and have not shewed her with that lustre and life I ought, and is she deserved, I crave pardon of those who know her best, and from whom I should have received information (for doubtlesse her charitable deeds were great and many) but those who were neerest about her, after her death being disp [...]sed, and far off; I have in a manner altogether out of my knowledge, collected the substance of what I have written; imitating those Painters, who when they cannot get the life, are faine, for the grosser lights and shadowes, to be beholding to their memories. Farewell.

Epitaphium.
Verè piissimae, ac illustrissimae Heroinae, D. FRANCISCAE Comitissae WARWICENSIS Aedibus suis propriis HACKNEIAE propè LONDINUM, Mense Junio, denatae. 1634.

[Page]

H [...] FRANCISCA j [...]es Comitissa sepulta Sepulchro,

LINDENSIS patrii gloria sola soli.

Qu [...]m non usque ad [...]o tituli non census honore [...]

Sanguine [...] stem [...] [...] ducta virum.

Tenostreas inte [...] [...]

[...],

Quam Pict as [...] Derquam [...] casto

Relligion is an, [...],

[...]

[...]

[...]

[...]

[...]

[...]

[...]. In eXtreMo IVDICIo, IesVs sIt tIbI IesVs. MDC.XXX.IIII

Information about this book

Title statement

Thestylis atrata: or A funeral elegie vpon the death of the Right Honourable, most religious and noble lady, Frances, late Countesse of Warvvick who departed this life at her house in Hackney neere unto London, in the moneth of June last past. 1634. By Henrie Peacham.

Peacham, Henry, 1576?-1643?

Edition statement

1634

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A09206

ID [STC]

STC 19516

ID [STC]

ESTC S110332

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99845894

ID [PROQUEST]

99845894

ID [VID]

10825

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A09206)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 10825)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1078:10)

Source

— Thestylis atrata: or A funeral elegie vpon the death of the Right Honourable, most religious and noble lady, Frances, late Countesse of Warvvick who departed this life at her house in Hackney neere unto London, in the moneth of June last past. 1634. By Henrie Peacham., Peacham, Henry, 1576?-1643?.

Extent

[24] p.

Printed by I[ohn] H[aviland] for Francis Constable,. London :: 1634.. (In verse.) (Printer's name from STC.) (Signatures: A-C⁴.) (Reproduction of a photostat of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.