Hecatonstichon:
OR, An ELEGY upon the much deplored Death, and solemn Funeral of the Right Honourable CHARLES Earl of Mountrath, President of Connaght, &c. one of the Lords Justices of Ireland. Who deceased the 18. of December, Anno Dom. 1661.
GReat Alexander judg'd Achille [...] Bayes
More glorious by the learned Homers praise;
AEneas Deeds had slept, had not the Pen
Of famous Maro giv'n them Life agen. (Glory
Then brave Atchievements gain Triumphant
When Wit & Learning do compose their Story.
See then Mountrath's great Acts ye do record,
If yet our Age a Poet can afford:
A Trophey He deserves; if That He miss,
It is our envious Ages shame, not His.
My Meanness to such Merit bids me hold,
Yet Duty to His Honour makes me bold
Thus to deplore our Loss, His Funeral,
The Irish Terrour once, now Festival. (Tone,
But dare these savage Monsters change their
Who lately (name but COOTE) did houl, O hone?
Dare Kernes, Tories, Miscreants yell or sing,
While English Ears with Lamentation ring?
Dare they once more lift up rebellious Head?
Will Wolves be Rampant, now the Lion's dead?
Ignoble Souls! This Land cannot be free
From Venom, whilst such Snakes belch Calumny
To taint our Hero's Fame; but all in vain,
His Worth and Loyalty they cannot stain:
These Rebels(true)he vanquished with's sword,
But 'twas to pay them Tribute to his Lord:
He tam'd by's prowess this Lernaean Train,
To prepare Subjects for his Soveraign:
He fears not Irish Bogs, Phanatique Snares,
Whilst He his Royal Masters way prepares.
In Him (for so frank Nature had devis'd)
Valour and Policie's epitomiz'd.
To serve His King, His Country, and His God,
The English Champion and the Irish Rod.
All wish'd the King restor'd, but none could do't
Till Scotland found her Monk, & Ireland COOTE.
King Charles he mounts His Throne, & like the
Darts forth resplendant rays through Albion.(Sun
And that the Irish Fog his Beams might clear,
In Charls Mountrath, King Charls he did appear.
Thus shin'd the Glory of our Constellation,
Charls by Name, and Charls by Deputation.
When that these Halcyon days he had beheld,
Peace joyn'd with Plenty, Adversaries quell'd,
The King inthron'd. Nobility advanc'd,
The Commons Liberty, Arts countenanc'd,
He sang his Nunc Dimittis, his vast Minde
Left Earth in Heaven Eternal Bliss to finde.
Cease then, malignant Tongues, to blast his Fame,
The Engish Interest we count his Name.
His Name pronounce, like Zisca's Drum it frights
Whole Legions of the Popish Proselytes.
But here let worthy Patriots drop a Tear,
A grateful Emblem to this worthy Peer.
Let Sables be the Fashion, midnight-dress
Best suits with Universal Heaviness.
I lately saw a wise Triumvirate
With prudent Counsel steer the Ship of State;
But when Mountrath untimely left his S [...]ation,
It seem'd like Soul and Bodies separation.
I sought his Brothers out, whom while I see,
I fancie all turn'd Ghosts by sympathy.
The Citizens at's death, like men possest,
Cry out, Then farewel English Interest:
The Inns (as having sense of his hard Fate)
Are clad in mourning, while he lies in State.
This doleful news when that the Liffj hears,
She powereth forth a Flood of Brinish Tears.
The serene Heavens too, could finde an Eye
To weep at this our Publick Misery.
But in his Family what Tongue can tell
What Sighs, what Sobs, what Tears, what Plaints
Niobe to Marble's turned: but Oh! see (besel!
His choicest JEWEL turn'd to Niobe:
She was so much in Him, that when he dy'd,
The Task was hard these Lovers to divide.
The Children are cast down, but I cann't say
Whether for Sickness more, or Grief they lay.
They live indeed: God heard their Fathers cry,
O save my Childrens Life, and let me die.
His faithful Servants so bewail His End,
As those that lost a Master and a Friend:
Such was my Thought, my Grief, my Malady,
Now rudely vented in this ELEGY.
Thus fell this peerless HERO: Strength is vain:
Not by One Wound, but by a Thousand slain.
But stay! Methinks he marcheth to his Grave
As One that still new Victories would have.
The Troops of Mourners, with their General,
Will enter Heaven, it seems, or scale the Wall.
Heav'n suffers violence, he enters soon,
Prevailing by GOD's Armour not his Own.
To Earth he bids adieu; and Heav'n doth gain,
To adde a glorious Star to CHARLS his Wain;
Where Charls the Martyr, Charls his Noble Sire,
And Loyal Saints, make up a Blessed Quire.
Christ-Church His Corps contains, His Soul the
His Son his Image, Earth His Memory. (Skie,
But we must stay till Death our passage free:
Good GOD prepare us for Eternity.
Inclytus hostiles retegit Montrathius artes,
Barbara non populos vincula ferre sinit.
Nec fasces ambit, Cape tu Diademata, Caesar,
Dixerat; en tenuis sufficit Ʋrna mihi.
Non aliter Phoebi pracessit Phosphorus axem,
Obscurus subito, cum facit ille diem.
Incipit (heu) CAROLI Regis nece flebilis annus,
Et CAROLI Comitis desinit ille rogo.
Anglia non poterit tantam reparare ruinam,
Nec poteris damnum, tristis Iërna, tuum.
Hi tamen in Coelis & regno & pace fruentur,
Rex, CAROLUS prior est, huic Comes, alter crit.