A Funeral ELEGY,
Upon the much lamented Death of the Right Honourable, and Eminently Vertuous Lady, and exemplary
Pattern of Piety, Charity, and Humility,
MARY, Lady Dowager, Countess of WARWICK, who died April 12. 1678.
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IF Tears could ought prevail, I'de weep amain,
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And wash my blubbred Eyes in brinish Rain:
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Though wet Wings cannot fly aloft, nor soar,
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Yet ardent Love may make one Poet more,
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And him constrain (this once) to make a Verse,
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As Homage due to this Renowned Herse;
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And him (not us'd) a Poet now to turn,
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To pay a Tribute to this Sacred Urn.
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Her Parents, Husband, both were Noble: She
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*By Birth was Noble, and || Affinity:
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But Divine Graces crown'd her high Degree,
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Much more ennobling her Nobility.
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Though she descended from a Noble Stem,
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Yet Grace she valued as Her chiefest Gem.
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Her New Birth she esteem'd more than the Gold
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Of Ophir, or ought else, a hundred fold.
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On Earth she liv'd in Heaven: For her Heart,
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With MARY, made choice of the better Part.
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She oft walkt forth into her Wilderness,
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And in Her walking found happy success.
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She walkt with God: Shee'd observation make,
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How often to Her Soul God comfort spake.
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Even in a Wilderness God made his Word
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Good to Her, Joys and Comforts there t' afford.
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In * Her Hearts Cloister she took many a turn,
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And with Seraphick Love to Christ did burn.
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She lov'd God's Word; it was Her Hearts delight:
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And in the Law of God, both Day and Night,
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This Blessed Saint spent time in Meditation;
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God's Service was her Joy and Recreation.
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Such as fear'd God, and honoured the King,
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She prized more than any Earthly Thing.
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In all Times to own such She did not fear,
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In whom the Image of God did appear.
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Publick Assemblies She frequented: such
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As faithful Preachers were, She honour'd much:
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Her Charity shin'd forth in Word and Deed,
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To such as were in Troubles and in Need.
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Another Dorcas she was, doing good,
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She cloath'd the Naked, gave the Hungry Food.
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The Sick She visited; in their condition,
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Was Alm'ner, Surgeon, and Physician.
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Her Closet-Cordials, Purse, and tender Heart,
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Were opened to give ease to any Smart,
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Of such as were afflicted, and in grief,
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Her care was quick to contribute Relief.
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How she lov'd Learning, many Learned tell,
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To whom Her signal Bounty did excel.
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She labour'd to prevent, or heal all Strife;
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She was a Grand Peace-maker all her life.
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Humility was Orient as the Crown;
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Of all Her Graces, a Pearl of Renown.
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Goodness and Greatness met in high degree,
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Before Her Honour was Humility.
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Sarah was prais'd, who call'd her Husband Lord;
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Her practice with that Princess did accord:
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In Health, and Sickness, as a faithful Wife,
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She shew'd her great Love to preserve his Life.
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Like Hannah, it was this choice Saints desire,
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Delight, and Practice, often to retire
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Into Her Closet, and pour out her Heart
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To God, who to Her Comforts did impart.
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There She enjoy'd Communion with the Lord,
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In Her Recess, more than Earth can afford.
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Such Time so spent in secret She'steem'd more
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Than any Riches, or the Indian Oar.
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She fasted, Wept, prai'd on her bended Knee,
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And so prepared for Eternity.
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For the Lord's Supper, she set time a-part,
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To Hear, and Read, and Pray, and search her Heart;
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To which she joined Fasting to prepare
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Her Heart for that Great Feast beyond compare.
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What shall I add more? E'ven all's too little,
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Though I'le not vary from the Truth one tittle.
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*Ambulavi
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in Claustro
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Cordis mei.
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Bern.
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Faith, Hope, and Meekness, Prudence, Charitie,
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Rendered Her Nobler than Her high Degree.
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The Poor will miss Her as a daily Friend,
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Who did Relief unto them often send.
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Poor Scholars whom she did at School maintain,
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(Who valued Her Life as their best Gain)
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Will now much miss Her Bounty, and Her Love,
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(For few there are who like to Her will prove.)
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Servants will miss Her Love, and Bounty great,
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And good Advice, which she did oft repeat,
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For their Eternal Good: She did afford
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Choice means for all Her House to serve the Lord.
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At present, and before, she did maintain
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Choice Chaplains in Her House, hoping to gain
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Souls unto Christ: Her Hearts desire was free,
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To go to Heav'n with a great Companie.
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The Poorest had access unto Her; She
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Shew'd Candor, and sweet Affability.
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She studi'd Scriptures much, and Her own Heart,
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Her rare Experiences she did impart
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To Ministers, and others: By such Talk
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So useful, they might be stirr'd up to walk
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Closer with God, and order their ways right,
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As in their walks having God in their sight.
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Before the Sun was up, she often gave
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Her Morning Thoughts to God: And She did crave
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God's Grace, and Blessing: And so the whole Day
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She did more comfortably pass away.
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She liv'd desir'd, and now's lamented much,
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I wish surviving Ladies were all such.
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She's now a Saint in Glory, freed from pain;
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What's Loss to many, is her chiefest Gain.
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She told some Ladies, Though I love you well,
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Yet Heaven all Earthly Comforts doth excel:
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Heav'n I prepare for, and Heav'n is my Home,
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From thence to you I'le never wish to come.
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What she believ'd, and hop'd for, she doth see,
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And shall enjoy to all Eternity.
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Sabbaths on Earth she 'bserv'd with much delight,
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In them she had of Heav'n some glimps and sight.
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The Blessed Trin'ty, her Souls happiness,
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She seeth fully in eternal bliss,
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And keeps one everlasting Sabbath there,
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Where not the least disturbance shall appear.
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Now she knows more of God than any Man
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On Earth (though greatly Learned) ever can.
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Here in a Glass darkly, now Face to Face,
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In Heaven she fully sees that Glorious Place;
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She sees God as he is immediately,
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And now is blest to perpetuity.
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Ye Living lay these things to heart, prepare
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To meet with Christ, in whom all Treasures are.
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Like the Wise Virgins, have not Oil to buy,
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When Christ shall come: But with them have supply
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Of Oil of Graces: Live prepar'd to die;
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So when you die, you'l live eternally.
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Prepare to follow this Blest Saint in Grace,
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Who now triumphs in the most Holy Place;
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Where Praises she, and Allelujahs sings,
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To the most Holy God, the King of Kings.
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Leave weeping for Her, who in Heaven doth dwell,
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Weep rather that you cannot parallel
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Her Vertues: And let Writers pen her Story,
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And her Record, who was The Ladies Glory.
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Let her good Life live in you: For though dead,
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She speaks that you in her foot-steps should tread.
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From Ev'ls to come, in Mercy's took away:
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She's freed from Sighs and Sorrows in that day.
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Now she enjoys an Everlasting Rest,
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Wherewith God's People shall be ever blest.
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She now inthroned with the Powers Divine,
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Shall in the Spangled Ceeling ever shine.
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