ELEGY, Occasioned by the Death of The Reverend Mr. Samuel Smith, LATE ORDINARY of NEWGATE. Who departed this Life on the 28th. Day of August 1698. Aged 72 Years.
WHAT, shall a Man so justly famous Dye,
And no one yet to write his Elegy?
No threadbare Authour Squeez a doleful Tale
Out of a Penny Brick, and pint of Ale,
To tell the wondering World that Smith is Dead,
And just like other People in his Bed.
Ye Meager Bards who high in Garrets dwell,
Near Jewin street, and drink at Crouders Well
Whose every moments fertil work produces
Wast. Paper for the Cooks and Grocers uses.
A while suspend your other News, and give
This Man a Verse that He again may Live,
And from Your Muse, receive his Breath that's fled
To Preach a Sermon after he's been Dead.
But see the fondling scriblers rather chuse,
To dwell upon their dear Familiar News,
And keep to forgeing Blazeing Stars, or tell
How Felons hang'd, and much lamented fell.
These are the Themes which others like, but I
Will Sing of him, who taught the rest to Dye,
Forgive, Dead Preist, if I not well express
Thy worth, or make thy Well-known Merits less,
If this my Pen, should not perform its part,
In giveing holy Sam his due desert.
For if those Men whom Sinners hate, are good,
And Sinners hate those not by Sin subdu'd,
Thou surely might'st thy Goodness cheifly boast,
For of all Mortals thou wast hated most.
Witness the many Dying Folks, who here
Would ev'n so much as take thy proffer'd Prayer,
And tho' for want of Holy Men distress'd
Would Dye Repentless, not by thee Confess'd.
How often has thy Counsel been refus'd,
And Thou without Absolving fee abus'd?
When Criminals thy Knowledg would disgrace,
And dar'd to send for Learning in thy Place.
But Heav'n at last has hear'd the Pris'ners Pray'rs
And took Thee from this Worlds attending Gares;
Aged in Years, and Worn with Greif, to see
Thy Counsel lough'd at, as they lough'd at Thee.
And let the Silent Graye thy Body take,
Offenceless now, because it cannot Speak.
The EPITAPH.
Ʋnder this stone here lies a Preist
Whose Praying, nor his Preaching
Could never Edefie the least,
Tho' He was allways Teaching.
Others his good advice could lead
With calmness to the Gallows:
But chose Himself to dye in's Bed,
Not Hang amongst such Fellows.
LONDON, Printed [...] and Sold by J. Read near Fleet-street. 1698.