STRAFFORIADOS THE LIEUTENANT'S LEGEND As it was first compared and now published according to the Originall Copie Writ by his owne hand in the Tower SIDON Extincta est rabies parientis sanguine CLAUD Fundatae in sanguine Gentes Non sine teste ruunt Printed in the Yeare 1652. TO THE READER SOme Rithms for they merit not the style of Verse much lesse the authority of so able and active a Pen have been lately published and unjustly fathered upon Earle STRAFFORD And whence came these but from those brothell Broakers of false ware who for base gaine will frontlesly ingage their penurious pen in any ementitious worke Believe it from the mouth of him that dare avouch it and who in Subjects of this kind was to the knowledge of his Honour while he lived best interessed that none of this sort have at any time under his Name been heretofore divulged which are not to be accounted fabulous and worthily rejected being so farre different from his expressive Character as they beare not the least Semblance of so exquisite a Limner As for his Ultimum Vale it has been no lesse simply then sordidly acknowledged as well by him who ementitiously writ it as by him who did surreptitiously print it that his Honour had no hand in it for advantage of the time with hope of profit was the onely bait that lur'd them to it Lastly for those late-dispersed Copies of his Letters you may gather what probability they beare of being his by their distinct Characters This here presented as it was penned by him and transcribed by one neare and deare unto him was his last Piece recommended to Posterity and for a Legacy left by HIM then whom none ever was more ably endowed more generally hated in dis-esteem of the State more unhappily suffered nor in the period of his suffering by discreet eyes more compassionately bemoned The LIEUTENANT's Legend Dat poenas laudata fides gravis exitus altis Imminet Heröis tuta myrica manes EYe me ye mounting Cedars once was I As you are Great rich in the Estimate Of Prince and People no malignant eye Reflected on me so secure my state It felt no Rivals then I fear'd no Grate Nor a Plebeian Storme then my renowne Took breath from Such as now would cry it down Honours came thick upon me as if these Meant with their weight to crush me Ev'ry day Rais'd me one Story higher Land and Seas Were then propitious fresh as fragrant May Sprung my enlivened Strength where a decay In Health Wealth Freedome Popular esteeme Prove my late Sceane of State a golden Dreame I had unhappy is the accent had A competence of State before I came To this Surprizing grandeur being clad In native properties till th' wing of Fame Imp'd with a Countrey Zeale enlarg'd my aime To high designs producing such Successe My Seeming blest estate eclyps'd my blesse That vocall Forrest or Plebeian vote Adjudge me worthy of the worthlest death Yet this Mechanick rabble know me not But by report though their empoisned breath Steames ranke upon me wishing but to sheath Their weapons in my bowells thus am I Become their Foe and yet they know not why Go I by Water or a private Coach I 'm hooted at blind fury findes no end The Style of Traitor welcoms my approach Whereto mine Eares a forc'd attention lend Yet ' mongst these Fiends I have one constant Friend An un-amated loyall heart within me Which in these gusts shall peace of Conscience win me The Princes Declaration it was such As it Secur'd me from the doome of Death But on th' incensed State it wrought not much Such were my Acts I 'm held unfit to breath Such was the Spleane pursude me underneath Trades-men and Women still for justice crye Wee cannot live if Strafford do not dye The Judges their authentick Sentence passe And in two Charges vote me of High treason Which vote as is conceived moulded was From their approching feares which blinded reason And caus'd those Elders to comply with season For th' Safest way to shun those ship-wrackt Shelves Was as they held t'ingratiate themselves Thus do I live a dying life immur'd With cares more numerous then my Warders be Endanger'd most when seeming most secur'd While Damocles keene Sword Hangs over me On publique Stage to act my tragedie Avant base Servile feare Let Law proceed Though headlesse yet I cannot lose my head I know that my Redeemer lives in him My life and love are Seal'd admit it then A minute Spill what many yeares did Spin I shall resume these lineaments againe Restor'd refin'd and purifide from Staine Crazy's my Cottage no content at all To Sojourne in a Lodging like to fall Now if those Prudent Houses hold't not fit That I unto my WENTVVORTH WOOD-HOUSE goe To exercise my dayes in Holy Writ Or like a Recluse in a Cell of woe To pray for those I owe Devotion to Let th' Sentence of sad Death come when it pleases The Axe's edge gives cure to all diseases Erect your Scaffolds like Pyramides Let my Corrivals my Appellants be Let Ship-wrackt Iudges that have Writs Become Spectators of my miscrie Teare-poudred Sables cloathe my Family All this is nothing a more glorious place Arms me to look Death-terrors in the face And yet excuse me that I thus conceave If these long Charges by me answered Bring my weake body to untimely grave To after-ages 't will be registred Nay by just priviledge authorized That STRAFFORD Such a day and yeare did dye For no High treason but to Satisfie The LIEUTENANT's Lachrymae OR His Last Good-night No Glasse may more to life present Man's face Then THIS the frailty of a Great man's place Whence I gather More usefull to the Body 's no Physitian Then for a man to ponder his condition DRaw neer give ear and hear a Peer whose misery was such As Envies state a great mans Fate relentlesly did touch Once was I near the Prince's eare and dear unto the State But now my blisse reduced is to this sad Tragick Fate There was a day when I bore sway in publick Parlament Then who but I which rais'd me high to be York's President Where Prince's love did so improve th' Instructions of that Court As it became a Chancery in confluence and resort But Country-aire was my least care I must transplanted be And take my place t' inlarge my grace of Ireland's Deputie Where as t is sed no Venom bred so 't was my glorious strife To censure such who throve too much with venom in their life None were so high but would comply with me and my commands For else were they forc'd to obey and perish in my hands None durst devoure the Widow Poore nor seize on other's right But I brought in to scourge his sin and crush him with my might But what 's all this I did amisse for so the Commons say All this did tend to mine owne end and profit ev'ry way My Port advanc'd
but to Him that does this Doe this and thou shalt live In the expence of your houres be carefull how you bestow your selves in them Account these so pretious as the whole world cannot reduce nor recall one Minute of them Have not your eye on the Glasse how it runnes noâ— on the Clock what it strikes Contemplation should be more fixt then to be so easily distracted He who in his Study gives more eare to the houre then those lines he reades must give me leave to hold him such a proficient as He is rather to be accounted a Truant then a Student Make every Evening an Accomptant of the forespent day Your age is not to be reckoned by yeares but houres Many are young in houres who are old in yeares Bestow your time in Learning to your profit but intertaine such humility in your improvement as with modesty to acknowledge it The Zone where you live admits no Solstice your Academick Studies hold correspondence with no Station You must either be Proficients or Deficients In one word make God the Beginning and Ending of all your Labours and then with a cheerfull Evening will He crown all your Endeavours Now to you my Daughters whose choisest Consorts should be Modesty Humility and pious Industry though your Mother were taken from you before She could well informe you or your selves capable of what She might recommend unto you yet are you supplyed in her want by One who though a Step-Mother a Name imploying an harsh Nature yet be her Steps so imitable that if you walke in them they may sufficiently enable you by Her example Doe not then Steppe over Her with an awlesse reverence But observe her Directions as usefull Lessons for the knowledge of your Selves and performance of those Officers wherein you stand obliged to God and the World I shall be sparing in speaking much to you being so confident of Her care with whom you are and to whose Education and Tuition next under God I commend you as She will never desert you unlesse you desert your selves Now the blessing of God and a poore languishing but truly-loving Father be among you and direct you in all your waies and works to His honour who made you PROV 4. 1. Heare ye Children the instructions of a Father and attend to know understanding DEATHS DREAME LAst night me thought I saw a Great-man dye And none was in the Roome but He and I. His vitall parts had made their Long retreat Eyes Dim Voice Hoarse his Pulse no strength to beat Yet like two antient-friends long time acquainted His Soule me thought would hardly be contented To leave the Body or the Flesh her Guest Her living Soule without a sharpe contest But fruitlesse was this Conflict They must yeeld To Him who still came Conquerour from the field And being ready to surprize his Fort It mov'd me to advise Him in this sort Let no weake hopes of longer life deceave you You see how your Physitians meane to leave you Whose choice Receipts Apothecarry Bills At such excessive Charge their Patients kills Are left to your Executor to pay And for their wage not for your health they stay For that 's past Cure Prepare then for remove From this poore Vale of Teares to joyes above Here is a fading there a reall blisse Fixe then your heart Sir where your treasure is Wherewith he sigh'd and shed a trickling teare As if the Treasure of his Heart lodg'd here Till my perswasions did at last so win him I found me thought a lively faith within him For pearled teares did his Repentance show And Eyes the Place where He was mounting to Which I observing Sir while you have sense Thus I Discours'd discharge your Conscience And set your House in Order FRIEND that care So He reply'd is left unto my Heire Portions Doles Legacies I shall not need To write His love can my intentions reade These Cares are recommeded to His trust And Hee 'l discharge them for I hold him just My Soule has sude divorce 'twixt th' World and me From which my thoughts shall henceforth strangers be One Onely man there is whom I could wish Might never share in any State of His For His hydroptick drought like thirsty ground Gapes still for more the more it does abound But that I may in charity depart I wish his true Conversion with my heart Having my Spirituall Physick thus applide With much Composednesse me thought He dide Now HE whom He deputed for his Heire Appear'd so well dispos'd so debonaire As none if Dreams may represent a truth Retein'd more seeds of vertue in his youth But as choice Plants oft perish in their prime While Grafts of flower growth live longer time So He when those pure beamelings should appeare And spread their beauty in their proper Spheare Heart-slaine with filial-filial-love as Chymists gather Within few dayes Death sent him to his Father Leaving a lovely Lady here behind Who liv'd to weare His Picture in her mind Good God what strong impressions Dreames receive Scarce were these two me thought cold in their Grave Or those Seere Funerall Flowers their Colour lost Till He stept in whom th' Father feared most Claiming a title in this vast Estate With other Three concern'd in this debate Which to compose They were advis'd to show Their just pretences which all yeelded to The place that they propos'd for this Assay Was neare the Porch where those two Coarses lay Those two indeared Ones for never were Syre to his Son nor Son to Syre more deare Thrice did they meet but nothing could be done One would have all and others might have none Earth-glude affections will admit no stay Untill their Owner be reduc'd to clay This made me muse how men indu'd with reason Could in a Place of Death and such a season Converse with Earth so freely as to plead For their Estates that were so lately dead In this amaze Those Corpse me thought appear'd To their halfe Bodies from a Statue rear'd Where th' Elder pale with anger seem'd to show An ashy hue presents Death A furrow'd brow an apprehensive passion Both Death and Passion in his furrowed brow While th' Younger more compos'd seem'd with a teare To whisper these words in his Fathers eare Sir doe you heare how these Corrivalls fight T' invest themselves in our peculiar Right What projects they contrive their ends to win While we 're forgot as if we had not bin Th' incensed Father having sadly eyde Those violent Contests at last replyde With a deep-scalding sigh and gastly groane Breath'd frow a steming Urne Was ever moane Cloath'd with lesse solemne rites or funerall Beares Rank'd with lesse mourning roabs and fewer teares Forgot as soone as Earth'd unhappy State To make those men our Heirs whom we did hate After which hideous voice their Grave stones shak't Whereat the Umpires fled and I awak't 'T was nothing but a Dreame and Dreams men say Expound themselves the cleane contrary way
But Dreams have Moralls too and such had these Expound them then Good Readers as you please Deaths Doome Tot varias facies variis spectare dicbus Miror offigies fingere credo dies GIlt Gull who lin'st thy silken sinnes with Plush And car'st not for thine inward man a rush Some two or three years hence or such a thing Pye-colour'd Jay thou in a Jayle maist sing MAdam who made you with your breasts display'd Apishly trim'd fantastickly array'd Your Purles Purfles Powders must decline Nought left you but a Shade a Shroude a Shrine CHurchman who taught you such a formall dresse And to forget your mainest businesse Sir when you dye you must 'fore him appeare Will aske you what you were not what you weare LAwyer who learn't you to abuse the State And make Lawes Spider-webs by your deceit For all your quaint Demurres you finde no Plee ' Gainst the Injunction of mortalitie SOuldier who gave you Discipline to fight To right your selfe by taking others right This is not right He is not vertues friend That wrongs another for his private end VIntner who school'd you to corrupt your wine To make mens froms sprout like a Porcupine When this rich Vintage's past for all your plenty Your Bush shall be pull'd downe your Hogshead empty AUthor who dipt your penne in Hypocrene To gull the world with a worldly Theame Leave earth where you doe live and strive to love That Sphere where Angells may your Muse approve ACtor returne what are you whence you came To live lust loiter pander and prophane This is a strange vocation ever have Thoughts in thy Tyring-House upon thy Grave But if these Motives will not serve your turne Heere 's Mirrors for you Scithe Houre-glasse and Urne Dish up your Viands then scrape up your Crummes For loe you where the Serjeant Majo comes Gull Dame Church Lawyer Souldier Author Actor Are Merchandize to Fate where Death 's the Factor Morphuus Urna Rogus Fax Clepsydra Virga Coronis Singula sunt Fati nuntia certa tui HYMENS Golden Censer A Spirituall Spousall HYmen unveyle thy sacred Censers let This amorous Payre in th'pale of fancy met When thou hast clos'd their Ceremoniall rite With Cordiall joyes wreaths be-day the night May Nuptiall twists give mutuall recompence And crowne their Loves with blushing innocence Lovely Leander when He won the Tower Where Hero lodg'd He could not rest secure Feares caus'd Him forfeit freedome while your Love Sign'd here below and registred above Admits no interposing Cloud to shade Those Choice Contents for which you both were made Pure tender tinder of affections flame Crowne their joynt votes with fancy fortune fame And all that 's good that their streight levell'd line May be a Mirror to this Crooked time Where vice enfranchis'd strutts without controule And vertue droops as though she had no Soule While these Pure Soules march in that Regiment Where their Restraint is th' Orbe of their Content If 't seeme a Paradoxe observe that tye Which leaves love in a linked liberty Blest Spousall tye which though it Captives make Those Bonds seeme easy for the Keepers sake LEDA's various Censure LEda grows violent when She does heare Any disgust that She has showne And welcomes her reprover with a Teare For other Refuge hath she none Streight will she dye yet knowes not why O what a Salve is this said I When Crimes begge Cures from a revenging eye Yet some there be hold Leda's temper sweet Though native passions take their Course And when those Christall Founts with Silence meet They are not to be valued worse For those rins'd eye 's clearly discryes She feares those foes that vertue flyes Sâ— as her teares become Sinnes Sacrifice That very night She in my bosom lay Eyes shed a teare Heart bred a Sigh I ask't her what she ayl'd She would not say Onely she wish'd that Death were ny Wiping her eye poore foole said I What wants thou while thy Cinna's by She with a smile replide I will not dye Thus fancy by a soft remorce grew mild Enlivened with a Sacred heat And to her foe became so reconcil'd As Fancy tooke up Furies Seat May Hymen bring like Marriage ring To Subjects Spousall and their King Still may my Leda touch upon this String What is Complexion but a deep-lay'd dy Upon a Clot of breathing Clay What is my lovely Leda or what I But a quick Shade a Flower in May Yet if our mind be so combin'd As Heaven's pure eye no Soyle can find Leda's in me and I in her inshrin'd Blest Ordinance that votes us so confin'd LIFES HARVEST Greene Fruit. LIght-vading joyes a fading life Doe ever keep me Company Where though a Turtle be my wife And hopes in her posterity They are in their Minority So as who justly these compares May finde greene hopes but Riper cares A precious Medall LOoke on him who was ta'ne and tide Was toss'd and push'd to every side First Deifide and then defide Arraign'd for thee and Crucifide A thought of these will humble pride And render thee so mortifide As no Earths losse shall thee devide From Him who for thee liv'd and dide FINIS