A pindarick poem consecrated to the memory of his much honoured friend, William Fox Esquire. Who died of the fatal small pox April 12, 1680. In the 19th year of his age. Dedicated to his most afflicted parents the right honourable Sir Stephen Fox knight, one of the lords commissioners of the treasury, clerk of the green cloath, &c. and his most vertuous lady.

A PINDARICK POEM, CONSECRATED To the Memory of his much Honoured Friend, WILLIAM FOX Eſquire. WHO DIED Of the Fatal ſmall Pox April 22, 1680. In the 19th. Year of his Age. Dedicated to his moſt afflicted Parents the Right Honourable Sir Stephen Fox Knight, one of the Lords Commiſſioners of the Treaſury, Clerk of the Green Cloath, &c. and his moſt Vertuous Lady. AH Sir! they told me he was Dead, To prepar'd Joys, and endleſs Glories Fled. Oh my Prophetick Fears! The pointed news like Lightning pierc'd my Ears, Too great to be reliev'd with Cries and Tears. It quickly ran through every Part, It lick'd up Life in all my Veins, It ſhot new Tortures and new Pains, And like cold Death ſurpriz'd my trembling Heart. At length my ſtruggling Griefs their • ilence Broke, And in their Pangs with great ſubmiſſion Spoke. Ah how dark to Humane Seiſe, Are the myſterious ways of Providence! Why ſhould ill Man waſt long, and pleaſant Lives? Enjoy their Friends, their Children, and their Wives? Who cauſe the Widdows Groans, and Orphans Tears, And live to count their Vices, with their Years. Whilſt the young Man, his great Creators Praiſe, Fam'd for ripe Virtues in his greener Days, By Strangers much careſs'd, and much Admir'd, Much lov'd by all his Friends, but more Deſir'd, Like ſome fair Flower ſoon Withers, and Decaies Amongſt ten thouſand Weeds, which thrive, but Yield No Profit to the Maſter of the Field. Though by the Bed the Pious Mother Rears, Her penſive Soul upon the Wings of Prayers, That gentle Heaven would grant him a Reprieve, Alas in vain ſhe rends the Skies, No Prayers, nor Tears can Life Retrieve, For the good Youth graſps her dear Hand, and Dies. [2] How ſecretly Heaven manages Mankind! And out of kindneſs keeps is Blind. In all its penal Laws, It gives th' Effect, but veils the mighty Cauſe. Tis hard, but puniſh'd Man muſt not complain, Or if he does tis but in Vain, For ſtruggling doth but cloſer draw the Chain. Hence 'tis more eaſie, as 'tis Good, In the ſharp Torments of our Fleſh, and Blood, To bear the ſtroaks with Patience, and to Truſt Thoſe Diſpenſations, though obſcure, yet Juſt. Ah Madam, let me firſt my pardon Crave, Before I bring you to his Grave, And on the hallow'd Tomb Expreſs, The Figure of your once great Happineſs. Then let your Grief find Eaſe, and ſome Content, To think your Son di'd Young, and Innocent. [3] Indeed he did afford a lovely Sc • ne. Here, pleaſant Fields adorn'd with cheerful Green, And early Flowers ollig'd the Eye, With Natures primitive Simpicity. There, Artificial Currents did appear, With Muſick running, and wi • h deepneſs Clear. Which being cut with greateſt Art, and Toil, Did beautifie the View, and fat • en all the Soil. From theſe fair Streams, the fruitful Trees that Grew Upon the ſmiling Barks, renew Their cheerful ſtrength, and as the Waters paſs, Rejoyce to ſee themſelves within the liquid Glaſs. A Rich fair Hill did •• and hard by, Climb'd up with eaſe by him, though very High, From whoſe larg Top, he might as twere from Home, Take a true Scheme of life to come. Honours though diſtant ſeem'd • o be at Hand Within his reach, and ready at Command. Beneath this Hill was drawn a Valley Low, There the freſheſt Virtues Grow, Humility and Condeſcention too. 'Tis there Mankind takes moſt Delight, And beſt from it obſerves the Mountains Height. [4] But whilſt our Eyes were Bleſt With this kind Proſpect Cruel Fate Demonſtrated this Truth, that ſmall Content Ought to be plac'd in humane State. For lo! the Calm and Glorious day was Spent And the bright Sun ſoon hurry'd to the Weſt. Ah Fatal ſight! within my View, The Croaking Raven to the Forreſt Flew, And after him the Screeching Owle, With the Foreboding Jay, Pitch'd on the Top of the unlucky Yew. Whilſt underneath the Rav'nous Wolf did Howl, Deſirous of its Prey, Glad to behold the Conqueſt of the Day. Now horrid Night came Marching up apace, And with black fumes infected all the Place. How quickly all things chang'd, ſeem'd Flat, and Dead, In Haſt each Form retir'd, each Beauty Fled, And the delightfull Landskip Vaniſhed. Then Groans, and Shreeks were heard, and Showers of Rain Deſcending feircely down, Waſh'd all the Neighb'ring Plain. [5] Twas a ſad change! And as my Grief's are True, Pray Madam let me weep with You. If I forget Thee, my much Honour'd Friend, Till life worn out ſhall reach its deſir'd End. Oh! may no real Friend of Mine, So much my worldly good Deſign, As thou didſt freely Vow to be, A faithfull profitable Friend to Me. For which kind promiſe Dear, and Generou • Youth, As I am ſure thy words were born of Truth So I will gratefully remember Thee; Often with Silent ſteps I'le come, To vent my Grief at thy ſad Tomb, Thy Bodies ſecond Womb: But chiefly on that Lamentable Day, When thy chaſt Soul made haſt away, I will my Melancholy Sonnets Sing, And ſcatter there my Flow'ry Offering▪ Thy Grave like Thee ſhall imitate the Spring. On thy beloved Relicks I will Strew, The bluſhing Roſe, and Violet Blew; Thee Hyacinth, and thee Narciſſus Too. For once he was more ſweet, and freſh than You. [6] As for thy Soul tis now at Re • t, Happy with Saints, with Angels Bleſt; Freed by thy new Immortal Birth, From that allay of our Contagious Ear • h. Safe from the world, and •• l its Snares, From its light joys, and hea • y cares, From painted Sepulchers, and Gilded Pills, From Smooth beginnings, and their f • al Ills. Nay Heaven was kind to call Thee h • me ſo Soon, And lodge thee in thy Inn before twas Noon. Elſe hadſt thou ventur'd on thy danger • us Way, In a long Journey, and the heat of Da • , Though thou as yet wert very cool and Pure; Yet who on earth can be Se • ure? Perhaps ſome Malady had ſeiz'd thy S • ul, Perhaps had pitted it and made it Foul Or elſe ſome Thief joyning himſelf to Thee, Under pretence of Fatal Company, Perhaps had lead thy better ſence aſtray, And made at laſt thy Innocence a Prey. [7] But now henceforth for ever Young, Ever Powerful, ever Strong, Ever Vertuous, and ſecure of Bliſs, With ſuch Companions as thy Brother Daphnis is. Daphnis, than whom none is more Gay, or bright, Amongſt the fair Inhabitants of Light, The Joyful Daphnis clap • ▪d his Wings, and Said, But ſpake it with a Smile, Brother tis well, our Parents call us Dead, And that you ſtaid behind ſo ſhort a While. Like me on Earth you dwelt without its Crimes, But Heaven in mercy took you Home, To reſcue you from Sins of Preſent Times, And from the Puniſhmen of thoſe to Come. Here we enjoy Eternal Health, Eternal peace Eternal Wealth. Hither our Parents ev'ry Day make Haſt, And Hither all good Friends on Earth ſhall come at Laſt. [8] Ah ye Bleſt Immortal Pare! Moſt bleſt becauſe ye dwell together there. Look down, and if you c • n, with Pity, Know The wretched ſtate of Morals here below. Behold how ev'ry Age does run, Driv'n by peculiar Vice to be undone, Head-long into it own Confuſion. This Young-man gives his heart to looſe Deſires, And burns it up to Droſs, in lawleſs Fires. That, with his Wine pow' • out his precious Day, Drown's his Eſtate, and wiſhes Health away. Ambition grants Mans middle Age no Reſt, The Viper always gnaws his Ulcer'd Breſt; For a falſe fame, he will his ſoul Enſnare, Come ſhort of Heaven, for Caſtles in the Air. But miſerable Old age catches Hold, On the lov'd Canvaſs, to ado • e its Gold. On uſeleſs Wealth the broodin • Miſer lies, Turn'd into native Earth, bef • re he Dies. Therefore the longer Man ad • ances Age; He does but change his Vice, and tread another Stage. Hence old, and conſcious Sin • ers fear to die, For groſs Souls clog'd with Ea • th, can never Fly. Or their ſhort wings grow weary, and can't move To the high Palace of the Pu • e Above, But flutter in the lower Regions of the Sky. L. MAIDWELL.