The Muses dirge consecrated to the remembrance of the high and mightie monarch, Iames, by the grace of God, late king of Great Brittaine, France, and Ireland; who deceased at Theobalds, vpon Sunday, being the seuen and twentieth of March, 1625. / VVritten by Richard Iames, Master of Arts, and preacher of Gods Word at Stoke-Newington, in the countie of Middlesex, neere London.

THE MVSES DIRGE .

decorative header depicting a skull flanked on either side by crossbones

BEehold this heape of bones , this senslesse scull , This speaking Embleme represents at full Mans fraile estate , which like vnto the grasse Doth fade , and wither , and away doth passe In lesse then time : So that from out the wombe We come no sooner , but vnto the Tombe we make our Course , this being Heaue'ns decree Since the first fruite of the forbidden Tree Was chew'd by Adam ; that his seed allwayes Should haue on Earth but few , and euill daies . The truth whereof , we with wet eyes may see In this sad Mirrour of Mortalitie , Whose dayes though Long , were euen as a Span To great Iehouaes wide all measuring hand . Whose daies though good , had yet their thorny shares Of worldly griefes , and Scepter cirkling cares . Which he surmounting with the powerfull strength Of his Seraphicke Soule , or'e swai'd at length Eu'n as at first ; transforming all their gall ( Which makes so many Soules sicke mortalls thrall ) To sweete Nepenthe , with whose pleasures drunke Vnder their Masse . his vigour neuer suncke But still aspir'd : Like to the Bird they call Of Paradice , which nere on Earth doth fall Though made of Earth : But still frequents the skie , And still amongst those Azured Orbs doth flie . On Earth he liuing , liu'd no earthly life But fly'd aboue ambition , pride , and strife : Aboue those sinnes , which with diuisions chaine Plucke Man from God , and God from Man againe . So that whatsoeuer Lustre you could finde , Disperst among'st whole millions of Mankinde , Of different graces , shining like rich gemmes , Set in the fronts of seuerall Diadems : All these , like Crownes , adorn'd his Royall head , And of them all , large stories you may reade In his Life Legend : Learning , Grauity , Soule piercing Eloquence , rare Chastity , Iustice , Compassion , Pitie , Piety , Constancie , Prudence , Saint-like Charity : All these were lockt within the Sytttim Chest , Of his retyred and Caelestiall breast . Then as some rich perfumes being sent from farre , Where rising Phoebus mounts his glistring Carre , Shut vp in Boxes of Arabian Gold , Send from the mid'st of that enclosing mould , An Aromaticke sweete perfuming smell , Whereon the Soule and rauish't sense doth dwell : These vertues inthronized in that shrine , Which did enclose those faculties diuine , Sent forth vnto great Brittaines gazing view , An obiect of a bright transparent hewe , His glorious Life , which all men did admire , As sparkling from the cleere Promethian fi●e Of Lawe , and reason , which were still the squares Of all his Life , his actions , and affaires , Nor thus alone did admiration grace , But imitation did the footsteps trace Of his example . That the common wealth Was fraught with plenty , peace , and publike health : So that no members vnimploy'd did lye , But answer'd others with conformitie : All this proceeded from th'iradient light Of IAMES his presidents , whose splendor might In future Ages serue for patternes store , And blemish all examples wrought before . He was that Head from whom the Reuerend traine Of our Law-giuers did their motions gaine : He was that head from whom the States-man tooke : His Oracles , as from some Delphian Booke : He was that head from whom the Scholler drew Contemplatiue and Pracique Maxims too . Sixt Henries zeale , was lodg'd within his breast , Seuenth Henries wisdome in his Soule did rest , Third Edwards care his Scepter di● attend , Elizabeths sweet meekenesse did commend His Princely gouernment , as truely good , As it was free from slaughter-breathing bloud . And all these Graces in such plenteous measure , Were powred forth of great Pandorus treasure , Vpon his Regall selfe , that all her hoord . All her large Magazin could scarse affoord But such another Patterne ; pleasing Peace , Full swelling plenty , priuate , publike ease Were Handmaides to his Scepter ; He that ploughes The Westerne Isles , and Irelands slimy sloughes , The Redshanke which frequents that Northerne shore , Where Neptunes waues against cold Orkney roare . The nimble Kerne , who footes it or'e the paces , The Bog's , and Quagmires , and those vncouth placess , Where Oncals bastard issue , proud Tyrone As Vlsters Monarch did himselfe ●nthrone : All these reformed grew , and patternes tooke Of life and liuing , from th'exemplar booke Of their late Soueraigne : whose religious care , No cost of Coyne , no labour did ferbeare , To restore Churches in th' Hybernian Land , Spoyl'd by th' accursed Northerne Rebels hand Thus popular , and vncontrould applause , Did all the Current of his actions grace ; Only that impute , pure reputed sect , Which singular precisenesse doth affect , Which slies from Conscience , and makes gloz'd pretence Their stalking-Horse , and their Religions essence : Only th'Ignatian Conclaue , which adores Their triple Mytred Prelate , and implores His Pardon more then Gods , when as they spinne The vnhallowed web of their vnueniall sinn : These were the sole enuiers of that state Which all this continent possest of late , From th'insluence of his most glorious Raigne , Free from that blemish , and that menstruous staine Which forraigne Kingdomes suffer ; and to these Who were this Ilands burthen , and disease , But marke his mercy : that blacke Powder-plot , Which at the publike desolation shot , And meant with one state and King-killing stroake , Religions forme and gouernement to choake : Th' Argilian Treason , nor the dreadfull bent Of Gowries complot wanting president ; All these Conspiracies could not enforce Our IAMES to leaue his mercies ancient course . As knowing this to be th'Almighties Type , Which makes the Creature to his Creator like ; Yet all these Graces , nor their swelling dower , Which th'heauens did in such abundance power , Could not once stop the Fatall Sisters knife , Nor adde one minute to his cancel'd Life . Not all that masse of vnexhausted store , Which lies from Douer to the Northerne Shore , Not that most awfull Scepter , nor that Crowne , Which now the Princes temples doth surround , Not all these dignities could once asswage , The boundlesse bounds of Deaths vnsatiate rage , Which strikes alike the Scepter , and Plough-share , And striking doth nor King , nor Pesant spare . But ô thou scourge of Man-kind , why shouldst thou To Kings , and Monarchs , thy destruction vow ? O why should their Annoynted Corps endure Thy killing Plague , thy raging Callenture ? Wa'st not enough that streames of purple blood , Conieal'd of late on Beame-lands surface stood ? Wa'st not enough that all Sycambr'ias tract By thy dire shafts lay desolate and sacte ? But must thy winged wrath inuade this Land , And Myriads kill with that accursed hand , Whose rage no vulgar blood-shed could alay , Nor common Carnage could thy furie stay ? But must thy longing soule deuoure a flood Of more e'nobled consecrated blood ? And like some Horse leach thou must sucke the veines Of foure thrise honour'd Peeres , whose mouing straines Vnder our King , did rule three Kingdomes lore , And in that rule a glorious portion bore . And could not heare thy banefull malice stop , But must thy fatall Axe that Cedar lop , That branched Tree , which shaddowed all the soyle , Of this Heau'ns-blessed , and Iames-blessed I le ? Must Iames dye like the rest , and die to vs , When we did want him most ? Then dying thus , Shall his remembrance vnremembred passe , Assoone as h' is intombed in the masse Of 's Mother Earth ? Shall no Plebeian Verse Adorne the Shrine of his diuiner Hearse ? Shall not the Muses learned Pensill raise Some Monument to his immortall praise ? Shall hee that wrote Lepantoes famous Story , And gaue a liuing lustre to the glory Of those time-honour'd Christians , who did fight Against fierce Partaes and Euchalies might ? Shall hee that wrote vpon that thornie Care , Which Crownes & Scepters in their Compasse beare ? Shall hee that squar'd the δωρόνσ Royall Gemme , Farre richer then his Triple Diademe , Wherein his sonnes might those Characters see , Which God requires in selfe-like Maiestie ? Shall hee that did those Mysteries vnfold , Which blessed Iohn in Pathmos I le foretold , Who did discouer all the cursed shifts Of Demoniacks , and their hellish drifts ? Shall hee that gaue the Scepter , rules to sway , And taught how Subiects should their King obey ? Who did defend that Oath which doth maintaine , The right of Monarchs , that on earth doe raigne ? Who made Perounes proud Cardinall stand mute , And Vorstius Summes did learnedly confute ? Shall hee that raysed others from the night Of darke obliuion want obsequious right ? Oh shall the Sisters three thrice numbred Chore , Which walkes on Isis , and on Grantaes shore ? Oh shall Apolloes Laureat Conclaue bee So enuious vnto Iust Solemnitie , As not to bring their tributary Layes , To Frontispice the Marble of his praise ? Not so , nor so , for sooner shall that Hill Whereas they sit Achaias Champion fill ? Sooner shall Aganippes springs grow scant , And Phoebus Darlings sacred Liquor want , Then that great Iames his consecrated Vrne , Shall want Fames Vestall flames , which still shall burne Till Times last period , and shall neuer die , Till all things fade , except Eternitie . For wast not that the Muses stood at gaze Vpon that Sunne , whose splendor did amaze Their dazeled senses ? Wast not that his life Within their doubtfull Iudgements rais'd a strife , And made their Consort to demurre at large , Before they durst to vndergoe this charge , Thinking their outward Varnish might deface His inward worth , perfection , forme and grace ; Had it not been their candor scornes to giue Fames Funeralls to Princes whilst they liue ? Or that their Synode did desire to see The finall Act of his Mortalitie ? Some Iohnson , Drayton , or some Herick would Before this time haue charactred the Mould Of his perfections ; and in liuing Lines , Haue made them knowne before these mourning times . Nor was our Iames his life more fit me and sure , More free , and spotlesse , sublimate and pure , Then was his farewell to this sinfull earth , Which brought him to Eternities first birth : So that a fruitfull Panegericke field , His Life and Death vnto the Learned yeeld , Whereafter all the volumes of their praise , Their sable sheets , and Elegiacke Layes , They may conclude , Iames liu'd and died so well , That Life and Death in him were parallell . His life , was not like some Aprilian blast , Which endeth in a cloudy storme at last . Nor was it like some Riuers Christall source , Which muddy runnes in his continued course : For as he liu'd , so did this Monarch die , And left for patterne to Posteritie , The bright examples of his life and death , Shining like Ledaes twinnes , on heauen , on earth . Thus to be briefe , he liu'd and dyed so well , That Life and Death stroue both which should excell . For when that Galens skill could not appease The raging of his Callentur'd disease ; When Death approached , and the fatall knife Began to touch the cordiall strings of life : Hee knowing , that th' Egyptian tottering reed Of humane helpe , and succour could not steed His Soule in this distresse ; did not relye Vpon that broken Collumne , but did flie To that all-helping , and all-healing hand , Which for his good , still moouing , still did stand . His Conscience being iealous of those faults , Of those transgressiue crimes , and those defaults , Which prest his Soule , before his finall gaspe , Their Counting booke he plainly did vnclaspe , And fully did confesse that Masse of Sinne , Which hee from 's youth to 's elder Age did spinne ; He knowing true repentance for to bee A second Iordan for that Leprosie , Which ouerspreads the Soule : and that the Balme Of Maries teares was soueraigne for his harme . Hee grinds his carnall heart , and straight relents , Hee flies from Law to Grace , and then repents For all those sinnes , which raise the parting wall , And make the creature from th' Creator fall : Hee grieues for them , as though hee meant no more To grieue for sinnes , like to those sinnes before . Then mounted on the Cherub of his Faith , Hee thus and thus to his Redeemer saith : The dreadfull terrours of the gaping Graue Cannot my Courage , nor my Zeale depraue : I know that Death eu'n with his grimmest face , Can but this rotten House of clay deface , And that , that last Omega well to die , Is but the Alpha to Eternitie . I know my sinnes are great , and that their fright Might iustly bring an euerlasting night Vpon my pensiue Soule , but that my Hope , Ioyn'd with a liuely Faith , doth vnder-prop These humane frailties , and doe make mee flie From feares sad Mansion , to that Christall Skie Where my Redeemer liues , who doth receiue All those who leaue sinne , before sinne them leaue . But though my faults be great , my priuate sense Doth thus farre comfort my sad Conscience , That though they be , of a vermilion die I neuer yet left my fidelitie To Faith nor true Religion ; but did lay My sole foundation on that Rockie staie : This was the Pole , the Pillar , and the light , Which did direct my sinne-eschewing sight From the first day , that I this light did see To this last act of my mortalitie . Then calling for the sacred Bread and Wine , Which powerfully doth man and God combine , He takes it from that learned Prelats hand , Which Lincolnes Sea rules as Diocesan , And this he did vpon that glorious day , Wherein he first did Englands Scepter sway . Twise had the Sunne his smoaking Axle steep 't , Within the Billowes of the Westerne deepe , When Saturne look 't vpon the third daies light , With a malignant , ill fore-boading sight , For two howres after that sad middaies date Hee lost his Speech , which did prognosticate The dire disaster of this Monarchs death , Who next day left , that Mansion house of earth , And laid his Royall earthly Scepter downe , To put on heau'ns immortalized Crowne . But after that his speech began to faile , And pale-fac't Death did cu'ry sense assaile ; When as they prai'd or read , to those sweete lines He gaue consent with cleere transparent fignes , By lifting vp his hands , his armes , his eies , To him that dwels aboue th' all Circling skies . But on the Sunday morne , foure howres before The Sunne saluted Englands Easterne shore , Hee calling for his Sonne , lifts vp his head , By Ramseys helpe , from off the fatall bed , Where his last act was kissing of his Sonne , And his last words were calling still vpon His Princely CHARLES , who did euen melt , For those sad paines which dying IAMES then felt . Hence in the mid'st of those suspicious feares , That masse of woes , those Cataracks of teares , His Royall Race , his Stock that s left behind , May in their mourning thoughts this comfort finde ; That all s not dead , for one part is ascended , T'other being dust , to dust is now descended , Whereas a pawne ingag'd that mortall lies , Till glorified immortall it shall rise . And as for me though that blacke Sundaies light , Whereon grim Saturne look 't as blacke as night , And th' heauens powr'd such stormes of melting showres , Out of Aquarius tempest-breathing bowres , And wept as though his Losse they did lament , In whom the world receiu'd so much content . Although that day shall ne're be registred In my sad thoughts , nor once be kalendred Amongst the white ones , but be mark'd for bad Prodigious , Dismall , Ominous , and Sad . Yet this shall be a Cordiall to my mind , Vertues did adde before , Fame adds behind , Life to his life , which shall for euer last Beyonds Times power , and false detractions blast , Yet this shall be my comfort , that his Throne Wants not a CHARL's fit for succession , Vnder whose Raigne , this Sea deuided Land , Which runnes from Kantium to th' Orcadian Strands ; Vnder whose Raigne , fat Ireland and faire France Shall lift vp their deiected countenance With mirth and gladnesse . For no forraigne foe , This Neptune-girdled Monarchie shall know Nor feele within her entralls ; no State cankers , With publike miseries shall glut their rankors , No Court-Hyrudoes shall make Iustice bleede , Nor on the Commons desolation feede , Elizaes dayes shall once againe returne , And IAMES his daies rise out of IAMES his vrne . Let vs not then who doe suruiue him here In this darke vale , with sable mourning cheere Lament him more , since he doth liue , though dead , Within his CHARLES , since that his glorious head Is Heau'n-Thronized , where he now doth sing Alleluiae's to the Coelestiall King , Among'st the winged troopes , where he now sees The perfect shape of faithes darke misteries , And that not in a glasse , but face to face Reflected from the Splendor of that grace , Which giues vs faith below ; and then aboue , Immortall Knowledge , Wisedome , Truth and Loue .