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EBBA 32141

Huntington Library - Bridgewater
Ballad XSLT Template
Englands Sorrow
For the Death of his late Majesty
King CHARLES the [II.]
Of Blessed Memory.

UNsluce your Tears for Shame: what can you keep
Your Eyes within their Sockets, and not Weep?
Have we a Jewel lost, more worth by far
Than Affrica and both the Indies are?
And can you stop the Currant of your Tears,
And not Beflood yourselves ore Head and Ears?
O Fie! fall down before his holy Shrine,
And Weep as fast as ever it did Raine,
Stamp, and with Tears inundate all your Cheeks,
And split his very Marble-stone with Streeks;
For we have lost that lovely Silver Dove,
Which was a Pledge of God Almightys Love:
Tis Flown away; and left its Corporal Arke,
(Until the Resurrecton) in the Dark:
Our splended Sun is Set, and gone away,
And neer will Rise again till Judgment Day:
The Meekest, Sweetest, and the Best of Kings,
Is mounted on a pair of Angels Wings;
And by a Summon sent from God) is gone
To set upon the Everlasting Throne:
O! that I might (if it but Lawful were)
Whisper with Reverence at his Sacred Eare,
And ask if he in earnest had his Breath
Stopd by the Handkerchief of Sawcy Death;
I cant believe it was; sure tis a Lye.
The Elect shall only Changed be, not Die:
And he Im confident was one of those
Who being almost free from Sin was Chose:
And so he did not Die as some Report,
But went a Live to the Coelestial Court;
There to recieve (stead of a fading Crown)
One that Im sure will never Tumble Down.
Therefore (when we perpend his Happiness,
If we do Mourn) we ought to Mourn the less:
For (tho fond Nature bids us Weep a while,
When we consider that) we ought to Smile.
Truly (to Mourn no more) I hold it Best;
Come draw his Curtains close, and let him Rest:
Tho he is gone, yet he has left ins stead
The Bravest Prince that ever wore a Head:
Long may he Live to wear the Crown and Flourish,
Till all his Enemies Fret, Pine and Perish.


by J. Knap[, Me. Dr.]
LONDON, Printed by George Croom, at the Sign of the Blue-Ball in Thames-street, over against Baynards-C[astle. 1685.]

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