AN
ELEGIE
On the
EARL of ESSEX.
Who Cut his own Throat
In the
TOWER.
July 13. 1683.
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HOW many strange uncertain Fates Attend,
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The Wandring Pilgrim to his Journeys End.
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Earth turns to Earth, Water, Air, and Fire,
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Against the Breath informd them, do Conspire;
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As every Man were his own Fatal Catch,
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Tis in his Hands to forward the Dispatch;
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Some in the Field of Venus, Some of Mars,
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Some meanly Hang themselves, some Hang an Arse:
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But Mighty Essex, His Victorious Arm,
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With Griefs Opprest, Receives the Swift Alarm,
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A Meaner Foe then Steel, He Scorns to own;
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Or Fall by any Hand, but by his Own,
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Achitophel may Hang Himself, and Oats
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With Judas Swing, and some may cut their Throats,
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Whom Black Despair, may Urge; But Essex He,
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The First that Cut his Throat, fors Loyalty.
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Oh! That Despair should Tend such Fiery Zeal.
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This Mighty Sampson of the Common-Weal.
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Raisd to Defend, and set his Israel Free.
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From Popish Rage, Philistian Tiranny,
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To Shake the Pillars of the Church and State,
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He Crowns it with his own untimely Fate.
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Essex the Famous General, That Name,
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So dear Recorded in the Books of Fame,
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With Royal Blood, and Fatal Conquests Cloyd,
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Ten Thousand of the Kings best Friends Destroyd:
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But thourt the First, and shall Recorded be,
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That Rid him of one Secret Enemy:
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What Fitter Victim, coud Great Essex Bring,
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T atone his Crime against an Injurd King?
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But here thy Rage too Desperate appears,
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To Dye a Martyr to thy Doubts and Fears.
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Oh Dire Revenge! Oh! Too Officious Steel,
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To make that Wound, which Time can never heal.
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Hadst thou but few Days Courage to with-stand,
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Jack Catch had done the Business to thy hand.
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But Oh Despair! more desperate then thy Guilt,
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That durst not trust thyself to stand the Tilt.
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Left thy false Tongue, shoud through thy Throat Impart,
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The Bloody Treasons that opprest thy Heart.
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This must convince the World, and thy wrongd Prince,
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Thou with thy Guilt hadst rather hurry Hence,
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Then stay to Justifie thy Innocence.
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