AN ELEGIE On the Death of the Most Serene MAJESTY of HENRIETTA-MARIA, THE Queen-Mother of Great Britain, &c.
Licensed and Entred according to Order.
AS on the Martial-Plain We slightly view
The Fate of common Souls; but if a few
Commanders, or the Chieftain of the Field
Be to the Fatal Stroak compell'd to yield,
Then what a Grief's dispers'd through all the Camp?
The Army's smitten with a general Damp.
So, What a Sable Cloud hangs o're the Day
That tells Us Our Great QƲEEN is snatcht away?
How Subjects are concern'd t' have understood
Death dares attempt to touch at Royal Blood?
But what great Poet's Genius can devise
Upon Her Tombe a decent Sacrifice?
Whose Glories doe exceed a Mortal Pen,
As much as Gods do momentany Men.
Let then Melpomene, nay All the Nine
Conceive so rare a Fancy, so Divine,
As may compose a sad Heroick-Verse
Worthy to wait upon Her Sacred Herse:
While the Coelestial Nymphs and Graces will
A Tear upon Her holy Dust distill;
And great Apollo with his Heavenly Quire
Her Threnodie will tune unto his Lyre.
That flattering Art which Poets use, to save
Declining Reputations in the Grave,
Is needless here, Since no Hyperbole
Can figure out how great Her Merits be;
And busie Chronicles can say no more
Than what Her Fame hath told the World before.
When those poor Rebell-wretches (Sinners, who
Are right like Those that know not what they do,)
Proclaim'd her Traytor, How did they proclaim
In that Her Loyal and Her matchless Name!
Who for Her Soveraign-Husband did Her Life
Expose, as loyal Subject, and as Wife;
Crossing the dangerous Seas, that She might bring
Treasure t' accommodate Her Lord the KING.
And when rude Cannons by a ruder Hand
Pursu'd Her Majesty arriv'd at Land,
Then Her Spectators clearly understood
Th' undaunted Courage of Her Mighty Blood.
So Penthisilea th' Amazonian Dame
Before the Trojans won Immortal Fame.
No Hipsecratea or the Turtle Dove
More Constant was in Hymenaean-love.
But on each Virtue to dilate is meet
For Volumns, not a Page or single Sheet:
Let it suffice, Her CONSORT now and SHEE
Are Crown'd together to Eternity.
LONDON, Printed by and for Thomas Ratcliffe, and Thomas Daniel, and are to be sold at their House in New-street, betwixt Shooe-lane and Fetter-lane. 1669.