White-hall, a poem vvritten 1642 with elegies on the Right Honourable Francis Earl of Bedford, and Henry Earle of Manchester, Lord Privy Seale : both deceased during this present session of Parliament : with an anniversarie on the timelesse death of Mrs. Anne Kirk, wife to the truly noble Geo. Kirk, Gentleman of the Robes and of His Majesties Bed chamber, drowned unfortunately passing London Bridge, Iuly. 1641 / the author Hen. Glapthorne.

On the Noble, and much to be lamented, M^rs Anne Kirk, wife to Mr Geo. Kirk, Gent, of the Robes and of his Majesties Bed-Chamber, who was unfortunately drowned passing London Bridge, Iuly 6. 1641. an Anniversary.

ELEGY I.

VVHat tumor's this, that on the tongue of same Flies like a prodigy? as if it came To fright the Genius of the world with feares, Nay change its moving effence into teares: Now, now irrivocably flees the sound Her sexes pride; illustrions Kirk is drownd. See how bright troops of virgins, who from farre Appeare, resembling every one a starre Drownd in a sea of pearle, doe sadly rise From her lov'd urne, each one without their eyes, Wept out, or there left burning as they'd lent Those lights for tepers to her monument. See how the Matrons lay their tires aside, And only in their sorrow take a pride, Their sorrow which now beautifully weares, In stead of diamonds, carcanets of teares. Where shall we find a frame so fully grac't With vertues in so rich a body plac't? That it was truly held the unmatchd shrine Of humane beautie•• mingled with divine: As if the heavens and nature did agree, In her to fix the greatest sympathy Could be between them; what was faire and good, Inclusive possibly in flesh and blood.

Who with her gentle 'haviour and deport, Did gaine the love, not envie, of the Court. And yet she fell untimely; like a rose, Which in the morning sweetly does disclose Its purple beauties, till the winds in love Doe with their frequent boisterous kisses move Its fragrant leaves so rudely, that ere night They witherd fall; so she did, the delight Of womanhood and vertue; in whose grave Lie more then ere mortality shall have. Agen to boast, whose glories shall (when all Her sexes Legends unapochryphall For truth and beauty) in fames book be writ, As a large preface fix ith' front of it. That when posterity reads the rape has bin Acted by death on this bright Cherubin; The virgins may her annuall Obit keep, And big with noble emulation, weep To understand their fexes richest store Consum'd on her; Nature's become too poore To frame her equall beauty, or display Such art and wonder in succeeding clay. And though this Ladie fell, the spoile of fate, Who with too rigorous haste did antidate Her day of destiny, nothing could be found Cruell enough to give that desperate wound, But the false waves, who as they meant to inshrine Her (whom they took for sea borne Ericine) In watry armes, officiously did skip With fluent motion from each lip to lip, Till being enamourd on her balmy breath, (Cruell in love) they kist her even to death:

And viewing then no more life to remaine, Like Crocodiles they wept ore her they'd slaine.

ELIGY II.

THe year's revolv'd, and now once more is come The day in which she suffered martyrdome, And 'gainst the usuall custome did expire In water, holily as those the fire Did sanctifie for heaven, who usd to take Delight to runne to the flame-bearing stake. Had she like them beene to've receivd her death, Ere the weak fire by the winds pregnant breath Could have beene blown into a flame, our eyes Should have preuented tyrant deaths surprise, And let fall such a huge contracted teare, Able to quench fires element in its spheare This was the day, when that same subtle thiefe Fate stole earths comfort hence, and cast a griefe Perpetuall as her virtues, ore the face Oth mourn••ull world, which can afford no place For mirth or sport, till celebrated be The annuall requiems to Kirks memory: Which grows more precious, like rich mighty wine By being long kept; or reliques in a shrine Preservd as sacred, which inviolate hold The Charter of their fame though nere so old. Wi••h what a serious griefe doe men relate Losses in their particular Estate; The toyling husbandman will many years After rehearse unto his rustick Peers His past misfortue, when the Somers heat Did blast his fruit, or mildews hop'd for wheat.

The greedy Merchant, if he doe sustaine A losse by shipwrack in the ••lattering maine, Sighes at its memory; which does still renew His wealth then drownd to his vext fancies view. And must wee not lament, are we not bound Upon the day when glorious Kirk was drownd▪ When natures sweetest fruit did blasted fall, To solemnize with teares her funerall: Yes to diffuse a deluge, that as shee By water met her pitied destiny, That element to expiate its black crime May spend its moisture on her dust, till time Dissolve; and we translated to the skies, (Where teares are wip't away from all mens eyes,) Exalted to her fellowship may be Her blest companions ith' felicity She with the Saints possesses; but till then Her losse must be the griefe of all good men.

FINIS.