Hēsychia Christianou, or, A Christian's acquiescence in all the products of divine providence opened in a sermon, preached at Cottesbrook in Northampton-Shire, April the 16, 1644, at the interment of the Right Honourable, and eminently pious lady, the Lady Elizabeth Langham, wife to Sir James Langham Kt. / by Simon Ford ...

IN PERPETUAL MEMORY Of the Most RELIGIOUS, TRUELY NOBLE, and VERTUOUS LADY, ELISABETH: WIFE to Sir JAMES LANGHAM, Knight.

I.

A Thousand times I try'd, but all in vain, Me thoughts my Verse came on but slow, And that which us'd to be all wing, could hardly go, I could not close one happy Strain, But e're it was half done, begun again.

At last, in rage, this once, said I, And but this once, whether it do, or no, I'll try; And all my aides I summon'd in, And bid them all their Treasures bring, Judgment, Invention, Art and Wit, Those to obey, and that as Queen to sit; With all the Offspring of the Brain, And all the numerous train Of quick Conceipts, that fancy breeds, or Poets feigne.

II.

I call'd, but could make none to heare, Nor Wit, nor Judgment would appeare, Fancy it self, till then my Tyrant, drew not near. Yet still I waited, till at last In stead of these, my Muse came in With Beauties, that I n'ere before had seen, Beauties, I dare not venture to express, Beauties, which words would make but less, And gently by me would have past, But never to return again, Whilst I the Vision wisht might longer last, And follow'd, more to make it so, then to complain. But as I that too, thought t' have done, And told my wrongs, e're she was gon, With eyes that spoke more pitty, then disdain, My Muse prevented mine, and thus her speech be∣gan.

III.

"What could'st thou hope amidst the Learned Crowd "Of Votaries that come, "With more then common service, to this tomb, "As if thy whispers could be heard, & they so lowd. "Go seek some other, whom thy Verse may raise, "Her Virtues are above thy Praise,

"Nor there can needed be "Where all already hath been said, "By them that knew Her, as she honoured is by thee "The living to instruct, or praise the Dead, "Yet her Own laurells, more then theirs have crown'd her Head. "To tell the Glories of her Name, "The Families she joyn'd, and whence she came, "Her Learning, or Her Piety "The Saint she was, and what shee's gon to be, "How little here she left unknown, "What she acquir'd, or what was born her Own, "The Languages she understood, "The best of all, and all that they had good, "The French, Italian, and the Tongue "Tully declam'd in, and great Maro sung, "Which Rome scarce half an age did see, "And longer Mistriss of the World could be, "Then Queen of that, yet never purer spoke than she, "These are above thy humble flight, "Whom meaner subjects better fit, "Only the Muse, that taught her how to speak, her praise can write.

IV.

"That shall my Province be, and her great name "I will enroll i'th' lasting Monuments of Fame; "Amongst my learned Daughters, who have been "The Honour of the Age they flourisht in; "And whom to Heaven I have preferr'd, "That thence, with greater awe they might be heard, "Like Thunder, both command attention, and be feard.

"I will immortall make her, I, who gave "Eternity to them, whom she admir'd; "My Priests, who triumph o're the grave "With a less heat, then hers, by me inspir'd. "Still in my sacred Rolls they live, "And all, but their own virtues, shall survive; "When proudest Sepulchers must dye, "And though they Heav'n and Age defie, "Low, as the putrid Ashes that they cover, ly. "They live, and all enjoy eternal day, "Which shall more glorious grow, and bright "By this addition of new light, "When she shall be a Sun, as well as they. "For so I'll make Her, not a Star, "As Caesar only was, and Heroes are "But a bright Sun, that shall below 2 "Its flames above, and all its influence bestow. 2 "You wrong Her if you think shee's dead "For she ne're liv'd till now.—This having said "The Muse in hast withdrew, and I inclin'd my head.

Sam. Woodford.