The iust dovvn[fall of] ambition, adultery, and murder where-vnto are added 3. notorious sinners. Weston. M. Turner and Fran[klin] With his arraignement, confession and e[xecution] VVho all suffered death for the [mur]der if Sir Tho: Ouerbury, poysone[d in] the Tower: of whom to these discourses [is] ioyned an elegy, vpon the death of Sir Thomas Ouerbury.
I. T., fl. 1616.
Page [unnumbered]
A Funerall Elegie, vppon the vntimely Death of the honorable Knight Sir Thmas Ouerburie, who was poysoned in the Tower.
WHy in this world to liue should men desire,
Since death so many waies our liues expire?
What happines hath man vpon the earth,
But mountaine misery for Mole-hill mirth?
A moments Ioy, mixt with an age of woes,
Each drop of comfort flouds of cares o're flowes.
For 'tis decreed by ineuitable Fate,
The greatest men are not most fortunate.
The head that weares a Crowne, weares many cares,
The which (before old age) makes hoary haires.
And humaine honors like a fading flower,
Which florisheth, and fadeth in an hower.
The meane estate doth onely longest last,
Not being subiect to each wandring blast
Of ticklish Fortunes euer-turning wheele,
Whose fickle turnings, oft makes Greatnes reele.
If all the windes, East, West, and North and South,
Should raging burst from blustring Eol's mouth,
The lowly shrub stands euer rooted fast,
When lofty Pines and Cedars downe are cast.
And though the mighty oft the weake opprest,
Of all estates, the meane sleepes most in rest.
Thou worthy OVERBVRY, to thy Hearse
I consecrate this sad lamenting Verse.
Page [unnumbered]Hadst thou beene some vnlearned rusticke hind•,
Hadst thou beene basely borne, and base inclind:
Hadst thou had nothing in thee that was good
So soo•e foule murther had not suck't thy blood.
But being in all parts a man compleate,
Great in regard, in goodnes farre more greate,
Who like a Starre in Brittaines Court did shine
Learn'd in the Lawes, both Humaine and Diuine,
A Scholler, full of Gentleman-like parts,
Whose noble carriage won a world of hearts.
That Arts like painefull Bees did daily striue,
To fill with sacred loue his learned hiue.
Which thou (as did befit thy worthy worth)
With admiration often wouldst powre forth:
So courteous, valiant, sober, and so wise,
And one that (fawning) could not temporise,
So well proportion'd, of such comely feature,
So fully fraught with a true honest nature,
So hopefull, and so louing, and belou'd,
Whose life and actions euery tongue approu'd,
That expectation mark'd him out to be
A man of absolute Integrity.
Of Zeale, Capacity, and Eminence,
To serue his God, his Country, and his Prince.
But Sathan that old enemie of man,
As he with Abels murther first began,
He still hath spew'd from out his damned den,
Inhumaine thoughts in bloody Caine-like men.
And as the blood of that first slaughtered Saint,
For vengeance to Iehouah made complaint:
So did the blood of OVERBVRY cry
For Justice to the Throne of Maiesty.
Oh Physick, great preseruer of mans breath.
Heau'ns Habeas Corpus against dismall death.
Page [unnumbered]Most honorable treasury of health,
Renowned Piller of each Common-wealth:
Lifes louing Champion, how art thou abus'd,
When poyson's with thy Antidots infus'd?
But this vnusuall damnable abuse,
No bleamish is to lawfull Physicks vse,
No more then Phoebus glorious beames are soyld,
With shining on a stinking dung-hill moyld.
Thus to thy praise, whose praise do•h passe my skill▪
(My poore vnlearned, most obsequious quill)
Doe offer these poore slender lines of mine,
Vnworthy for that worthy worth of thine.
Which though thy soule be in eternall rest,
Thy friends may thanke me, for I did my best.
FINIS. I. T.
