Teares for the death of the most gracious Prince Lodovicke, Duke of Rich-
mond and Lenox, Earle of Newcastle and Darnely, etc. Lord of Torbolton and Methuen, etc. Baron of Set-
trington, etc. Knight of the Noble order of the Garter, Lord high Admirall, and great Chamberlaine of Scotland,
Lord high Steward to the Kings most excellent Majesties most Honourable Houshold, Gentleman of his Majesties
Bed Chamber, and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Councell for England and Scotland.
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WHat? shall the world obliviously neglect,
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And bury in the earth, without respect,
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True Vertue, as a mortall thing that must
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Returne by course of Nature to the dust?
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O Lodovicke, that onely name of thine,
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Asunder rends a thousand hearts with mine:
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And can thy Vertue be forgotten than?
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No, no, sweet Lord, so long as lives a man.
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Although from death none could thy body save;
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Death shall not bring thy praises to the grave:
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For after-ages that are yet unborne,
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Shall with their hearts thy memorie adorne:
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And such as have the wit to make a Verse,
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Shall hang up praise like Censers on thy herse.
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We see in losse, this alwayes still remaines,
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Some evermore to gather up the gaines.
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When Earth is robb'd, Heav'n is enricht thereby;
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They may rejoyce, but we may howle and crie:
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For eyes will have no moysture for a teare,
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Before that we our mourning can forbeare.
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And when our eyes of moysture are run dry,
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With other things we shall that want supply.
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For pen and inke that lacke the sense of feeling,
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Shall be imployed in our woes reveiling.
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And by the heav'ns I sweare, that, for my part,
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If Nature had the superfice of Art,
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I should make all Parnassus mountaine smoke,
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With the relating of that deadly stroke,
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Which did cut downe the Elme, that did uphold
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The tender Vines that did about thee fold.
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For now the widdow and the fatherlesse,
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The stranger and the Pilgrime in distresse,
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May stand at Court in Corners till they die,
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Before that pittie helpe them with supplie.
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Thy comely lookes, thy gesture, grace, and gate,
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Were such as well beseem'd a man of State.
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No curious eye a blemish could impute
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To thy proportion, from the head to th' foote;
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Which might have challengd beauties praises from
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The youthfull Jew was called Absolom.
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On foot or horse, thy skill and strength of hand,
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Wrought terrour in the strongest to gaine-stand.
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So that the wanton Queene of the third spheare,
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At ti[l]ting sport when thou didst breake a speare,
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Look'd downe below, amaz'd, and full of wonder,
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For feare her Mars had here descended under.
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But when thy armes were layd aside, she swore,
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My sweet Adonis hath escap'd the Bore.
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Thy graver yeeres did timely tokens bring,
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A fruitfull Harvest from thy youthfull Spring.
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For Patience, Wit, Experience and Skill,
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Were onely Seeds thy ripened yeares did fill:
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Which proved indeed to be fertile graine,
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The needfull wants of many to sustaine.
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So that thou didst allure the hearts of such
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As favour'd Wisedome, for to love thee much:
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Which makes the bosomes of the best to bleed,
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To have thee wanting in this time of need.
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The heav'n and earth no doubt hath had intent,
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Upon one day to hold a Parliament:
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For why, they both did strive in my conceit,
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To honour thee with glorious Robes of State.
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I must confesse, thou wisely chose'st the best
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Of truest glory, and of longest rest.
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Thou likewise knewst ech intricate event,
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Which should be treated in this Parliament.
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Therefore to levell crooked things with even,
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Thou wentst to heare the just decrees of heaven.
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Our gracious King and Councell knew this cleere,
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Thou onely for that purpose left'st us here;
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Which made them with consent together stay
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Their Parliament untill another day:
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That so the high Assembly of the blist,
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Might first determinate what things they list:
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And afterwards from them, to let us know,
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What things were fitting to be done below.
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Thus things considered rightly in their kinde,
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Makes me to be perswaded in my minde:
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None was more worthy for to undergoe
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That great Ambassage, if thou hadst said no,
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Except our Soveraigne King or Prince had gone,
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Who are our comforts and our hopes alone.
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Therefore the most Almightie did decree,
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This great Ambassage should be laid on thee.
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Glad, of the charge, thou dist no time delay,
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At the first call his Will for to obay.
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Rest then, sweet Soule, amidst those perfit joyes,
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Free from the trouble of decaying toyes;
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And grant me pardon if I do offend,
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By these complaints, which for thy losse I spend:
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And yet my losse, not thine, makes me lament;
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I know thou liv'st in fulnesse of content.
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But I who builded all my hopes upon
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Thy gracious favour, in this earth alone;
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Expect some pittie, from some Noble brest,
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Of some kinde friend of thine that loves thee best.
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And therefore craving pardon once againe,
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Blest Ghost I leave thee, vowing to remaine
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Thy desolate servant,
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Patrike Mackgueir.
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