Viro vere pietatis, integritatis, & prudentiae Dotibus praecellentissimo, magno seculi Splendori, maximoque Legum munimento, MATTHAEO HAYLESIO, Dom. Primario Judici Communium Placitorum, &c. Viris (que) cunctis eruditionis & meritorum dignitatibus accumulatissimis, Dom. EDOARDO HEYWOODIO, Dom. ROƲLANDIO JƲKESIO seniori, Dom. JO ANNI VAƲGHANIO de Troscot: Tribus Jurisconsultis & Sociis Interioris Templi; nec non quatuor omnibus EXECUTORIBUS defuncti JOANNIS SELDENI G.D. hoc humillimè devovet EPITAPHIUM.
SIstite Lectores, properantes sistite Gressus;
SELDENI lachrymis Busta rigate novis.
SELDENUS! sine fine suis memorandus amicis;
Pauperis hospitium, divitibúsque Comes:
SELDENUS! passim literarum maximus Atlas;
SELDENUS! Britici magnus Apollo Poli.
Ille! Vetustatum Delphos venerabilis; Ille!
Linguarum Dominus, Judiciique Pater;
Ille! volumineus librorum Gurges, & Ingens
Jurorum; geminae Summáque tota Togae.
Ille! Tridentiferi qui clausit Regna Tyranni,
Et Briticas itidem clave reclusit aquas.
Ille dies! nostrique Jubar mir abile secli!
Ille dolor Patriae, deliciaeque suae
Clauditur hoc tumulo; Cui vix Europa sepulchrum
Sufficit, aut tantas continet orbis opes:
Qui cecidit Terris, cum celso ut Sole resurgens
Fulgeat ętheriae Stella corusca plagae.
G. D.
STay Readers, stay! a little while to steep
Your souls in sorrows, & ore SELDEN weep.
SELDEN! to be remembred without end;
The Poormans comfort, & the Richmans friend;
SELDEN! great Learnings Atlas, far and neare;
SELDEN! the Apollo of our British sphere;
Grand Oracle of Antiquity! th'Immense
Master of Language, and profounder Sense!
Gulf of unfathom'd Reading, total Summe
Of all our Laws, both extant, or to come; (keys
Who curb'd great Neptunes Trident, and with
Of Law, both lockt up, and unlockt the Seas;
The Luminary of this Age; great Britains chief
Mirror; being late her Glory, now her Grief
Lies crowded in this narrow Vault; to whom
Europe, nor scarce the World could be a Tomb:
Who Stellified above, hath left us here
Below, being set with Sol, to rise more clear.
G. D.
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Newcomb, near Bainards-Castle in Thames-street. 1654.