Elegies on the much lamented death of the honourable and worthy patriot, Francis Pierepont, Esq., third son of the Right Honourable Robert, Earl of Kingston, who dyed at Nottingham the 30th day of January, 1657/8

Ʋpon the praemature and much lamented death of of the Honorable Francis Pierrepont, Esq. deceased January 30, 1657.

AH! Why so fast, great Sir? the soul that was but sent A while agoe, so soon to quit its Tenement, And leav's, is sad and strange to us; such sudden flight Doth cloud our day, and turn it to a darksom night; And thus it needs must do, for though some Stars appear, Yet when the Sun is set, it's night i'th' Haemisphere: And so it is with us, for since our sad deprival Of thy self, where is thy Compeer, or thy Rival? If to thy birth we cast our eyes, thou wast of them Whom well we may call Surcles, shot from noble stem, In glistering beams of Honor, thou did'st brightly shine, And virtues Pearly Chain, to deck thee, it was thine. With all the gifts and richest ornaments of nature Thou wast stor'd, which might adorn and bless a creature: The sev'ral parts of happiness which scattered be In others, all concentred were, and met in thee. Then why so fast away, since to make up thy bliss All things did thus concur? O sure the cause was this, The little Common-wealth of man, like greater States, Hath some certain periods set, and hidden fates, Heaven's statute-Law stands vnreverst, that all must die; But how, or where, or when, we have no certainty.

Sam Cottes, of Collick.