An ELEGY; To the Heroick and Eternal Memory of the Right Honourable and the most Loyal, EDWARD HENRY, Earl of LICHFIELD, lately deceased.
— Signata (que) Jura
Et Causas, non fata sequi—
WHile England shall to Monarchs Homage bring
With Lawful Titles, Fame of thee shall sing.
Much have you quitted, more have undergone,
T' assert your Sovereign's Title to the Throne.
The Peers no sooner Rebels prov'd, but you
From their Disloyal House your self withdrew.
While they nor Conscience, King, nor Laws regard,
By Foreign Force and London Tumults scar'd.
Their Suffrages resigning to the Crowd;
You nobly their Proceedings disavowed.
Forfeited Birth-right, your King's Fortune shar'd;
Your Places lost, and your Estate impair'd,
Retrench'd your House, by Double Taxes griev'd.
And all you by Complyance had retriev'd.
But your undaunted Spirit rather chose,
Your Person, with your Fortune, to expose.
A noted Mark, at which the State has aim'd;
With Warrants oft persu'd, and oft proclaim'd,
By Subornation into Shelter sent,
Which made your Res'dence worse than Banishment.
More Home-bred Dangers you have ventur'd far,
Than our Usurper in his Six-Years War.
Yet in one Point you was subdu'd by Fear;
Because to the New Oath you could not swear:
At this you trembled, and abhorr'd such Art,
As makes a Tongue disguise a Faithless Heart.
Shall Mortals, Faith with Perjury confound,
When by the dread of Styx the Gods are bound?
Great Phoebus would not a Rash Oath retract,
Tho' his Child's Ruine did attend his Act,
And the whole Globe to Fatal Flames commit;
But English Bishops will the Gods out-wit.
Then the Gods those discard, who cannot starve
Rather than feed themselves by such Reserve.
Who to his King and Countrey breaks his Oath,
His perjur'd Carcass values above both.
The King and Nation but one Interest knew,
And you to both, oppress'd, was bravely true.
Let none invidious of thy Fame object,
For Personal Favours you did JAMES respect;
Or you by Accident was only Good,
As byass'd by a Match of Royal Blood:
Tho' for thy Vertue she's a full Reward,
The handsom'st Lady for the Gallant'st Lord.
But grant with Justice, Zeal for England's Laws,
Join'd hand in hand your King's & Country's Cause.
For your most steady Conduct verifies
Our Maxim, That our Monarch never dies.
Then since the King from Civil Death is free;
Such Subjects Memories shall Immortal be.
— signata (que) Jura
Et Causas, non Fata sequi—
Lucan Lib. 2.
London, Printed in the Year, 1694.