this man of worth liuing in al liberty of pleasures inuironed with all earthly contentment at that dreadfull hower feared not death the memory of death had no bitternesse no disquietnesse troubled his mind he gréeued not to leaue his beautifull buildings his rich and curious Architectures his faire alurements and his many pleasures his courtlike traines gallant attendants and bare-headed petitioners It was no sorrow to his heart to depart and leaue them all behind neither feared he the voyce of the world mixed with scandall which still makes misconstrued suppositions of great mens liues the which commonly they are taxed with but his pure white innocency dreaded not this putrifiing canker that créepes about the tombes of Nobility reason and nature told him he must néeds goe and appeare before that great King of all Kings and receaue the reward of his liues passages vpon Earth Thus ran out his glasse and faded his liues-sunne being ouer-shaddowed with the Sable clouds of Death When vpon this mouldy stage of the Earth he acted the last part of his life before the eyes of the world his departing-iesture moued sad compassion his words seasoned with deadly sighes bathed the hearers chéekes with distilling teares making confession of his secret sins calling for helpe of prayer and like a hungar-starued Pilgrim cryed to that honorable heauenly houshoulder saying Oh good God open the gates of thy mercies to the greatnesse of my miseries vnfould the ports of thy vnspeakable pitty to my wearied spirit receaue my soule into thy hands and anoynt hir festred wounds with the blood of thy imaculate Lambe Christ Iesus so yeelding vp the ghoast hee left this world for a better Vncertenty of state may well seeme strange When great men seated vp in high renowne By time and death with vnexpected change Are thus from all their glories tumbled downe Then what are we but fooles of selfe conceat When our best ioyes stands in a wauering state Dull earthly drosse wherein consistes thy pride Thy state and greatest glory goes to ground Thy bed of wormes wherein thou shalt abide Will be corrupted and thou filthy found Our sun-shine hopes thus time sweepes fast away This night we liue but die before next day A Mourners passion for the losse of the aforesaid Nobleman deceased THe world I see is waxt vnkinde And time forgets what time hath done And spightfull spight weares out of minde The doubtfull race great men doe run Where are our late world wondring Kings Those sheapheards of our English heard Which wonne by conquest famous things In darke obliuion all inter'd This Age giues grace to few or none By princely tombes or blasts of prayes To mouldy graue no sooner gone But all their worlds renowne decayes Though fames arch enemies do striue To canker greatnesse with times rust Yet spiritfull Poets may reuiue Their true deseruings from the dust Faire heauen some supreame wit inspire Aford him grace and guift of pen To light a lampe at honors fier And memorize worlds worthy men Come Solâ—n-Cicill take thy place Thou art inrich't by vertues gaines The world adornes thy name with grace Being honor'd in two Princes raignes Let Neighboring France Bellgia speake With new-tamd Ireland blest with peace What cares his laboring mind did take Their Romaine bondage to release A thunderboult to Englands foes A scurge to euery new-found sect A states-man whome our King had chose His highnesse safety to protect On studious lawes oh happy man For countries good he plast his heart So worship wealth and honor wan By diligence and due desert His learned councels purchast grace Where men of greatest wisdome were And where he sat in Iustice place The law infringers quakt with feare His presence promis'd good successe To all affaires he tooke in hand A cheerefull comfort in distresse A worthy States man of our land Most graue of words most stout of mind In goodnesse constant firme and fast Not turn'd with euery fickle wind Nor sturd by threatning storme or blast A Target to the publick state Of Iudgment reaching deepe and great That could of countries weale debate A learned Sage in Senate seat A Cicero for speech and lookes Wherein the pregnant world might spye The eloquence of Wisdomes bockes Perswading both by toung and eye His seruice for his Prince declar'd How wise a Councellor he was Whose worth was of as great regard As fined siluer is from glasse His wise behauiour kinde and meeke His hearts true humblenesse did show No vertue was in him to seeke That might to his high honours grow By friendship faith and dealings Iust Hee purchast loues aplause in Court His vpright word and speciall trust Gain'd loue likewise of meaner sort But what auaileth due deserts To liue in worldly fauours heere When life is mixt with ouer-thwarts Wee earthly honours buy too deare O England thou hast many such Rich Iems thy state to glorifie We cannot praise them ouer much If we should write eternally Faier gold and pearle brought home from far In time consumes and wastes away Proud fame ataind by peace or war Doth quickly in this world decay The loue of friends and fauours won Of noble wise and worthy wight Steales hence like shaddows of the sun Or gliding starres in moone-shine-nights Sat I not vnder honors hill Lately in calmy vailes below Safely from bitter tempestes still How ere the churlish winds did blow What sodaine storme then troubles me That had of late so sure a seate Hath winters blast blowne downe my tree That feard no peircing sommers heat Oh tell hard destynies why you did Thus enuy my most happy state In fury now oh heauen forbid I should cry out on partiall fate Or braule and childe with churlish death Considering hence we all must goe What beareth life or draweth breath Are surely borne to die we knowe Earle Cicills gone The passing bell Hath rung his liues last rufull end The graue God wot we see full well Hath closed vp my fortunes friend Not I alone lament this losse For many mourners more there be That beares this all too heauy crosse Of vnrecured griefe with me Life is vn-certaine life must die Both high and low of life takes leaue What comes from earth in earth must lie Or fondly we our selues deceaue Then worldlings waile the dead no more His soule liues pure and mounts the sky Lord Cicell did but goe before To learne vs all the way to dye Nor muse to see this man intomb'd All flesh by course to ground must goe Death calls for life and we are doom'd To pay the det to earth we owe. He left the world with worlds good will Though world did hould his honors deare For whome his friends sit mourning still With cheekes bedewd with many a teare But yet before his leaue he tooke And death made conquest of lifes end To heauens high throne his eies did looke And thither did did his soule commend When the sharpe paines of death arose And sicknesse fury
induction least you grow weary therefore I heare make my period Wishing you to be contented with my willingnesse to please Richard Ihonson The Commemoration and Rights due to the life and death of the Right Honourable Robert Earle of Salisbury late deceased Lord high Treasurer of England and one of his Maiesties most honorable priuie Councell THe originall of Nobility may well bee compared to a small spring of water whose good desert makes a gratefull King to inlarge to a great Riuer for the which hee is bound to pay duty to the said King his Ocean not vnfitly aplyed to the late deceased noble personage Robert Earle of Salisbury for that all his Springs and currants were so well ordered that they paid their full due to the royall Ocean of his two Soueraignes Quéene Elizabeth of famous memory and our now liedge Lord and monarch King Iames of great Brittain For euen both of them by a singular Judgment inspired from God aboue cast not onely an eye-sight but an in-sight into the behauiour and carriage of this man vpon whom God had bestowed in all his actions a deseruing wisdom in regard whereof they both gratiously bestowed vpon him many roomes of honor but especially our now suruiuing oueraigne who being a most prudent prince retayned an inward examination of the strength and habillitie of his Judgment concerning publick causes wherewith he was plentifully inriched and indued with the treasure of state-vnderstanding as for example he is a right Noble man that ascends to the titles of Nobilitie by vertuous actions merited which is the calling that dignifieth greatnesse It is not the rich reuenues faire possessions pleasant houses many Lordships and infinite riches that can make a noble man all are externall actions and subiect to the sodaine change of fortune but to be wise temperate and discréete in all the actions of his life and conuersation One vertuous exploit is not sufficient to make a mâ—n to be accompted euer after noble but a contâ—nuance in the same nor is euery one that liueth vertuously forth-with a Noble man or a Gentleman but he onely whose vertue is profitable to his King and countrey and thâ—se and such like men his Maiesty by a secret in-sight of knowledge estéemeth worthy to beare coates of armes and in his meere affections vouchsafeth to giue them the inioyâ—ng of diuerse honorable priuiledges for seruices done to his highnesse and the kingdome coates of armes thus gamed remaâ—ne vnto their off-spring to incite them neuer to be weary of well deseruing and doth not only teach to follow ancestors but also to guide successors for William Lord Burleigh Lord Treasurer to Quéene Elizabeth and Father to this Honorable Earle deceased was the first spring of this house graced on whose life spent in the benefit of his country may bee a subiect for all writers to excercise their pregnant wits on and imploy their learned hands The second assay of this houses honor was partly by imitation for vnder the wise and state-experienced tutelage of the famous Councellor William Lord Burleigh before named the late deceased Earle his sonne had his education and vnder his wing sucked the Milke of deepe vnderstanding by which helpe he so tempâ—red himselfe that all his actions seemed to tend to nought but honor vertuouâ—ly snatching at it euen in his infancie and as the vertuous children of Nobility are the hopefull plants of a common-weale so his youth by his Fathers carefull instructions tempered with wisdome promised succesfull honor for hauing attained scarce to the yeares of man and newly entred into the world but his quality drew him into the knowledge of the world his noble towardnesse begot him estimation and that estimation extended into the assured hope of succéeding greatnesse for by a secret instinct of nature helpt by continuall practise taken from the councell of his Father became so ready and apt in state imploiments that he séemed to be like fish in the sea in propper place by which meanes his wise-regarding Princesse Quéene Elizabeth in her time and in his Fathers dayes gaue him the first step to aduancement made him her principall Secretarie and a Counceller of estate a burthen of high charge but eased with the swéet imbracements of dignity Béeing setled in this his first honorable place his opinion began to haue some scope and liberty and by the generall consent of the wisest States-men obserued conuenient for this calling and office in the managing of publick businesses which was not dispatched without much care and contemplatiue study but héere marke the protection of heauen ouer this man whose forward spring had béene mixt with times biting malice had not an equality in carriage guided him for in his first grace he was not onely depriued of his fathers helpe by death which was the conducter of his nature and fortunes but also lost his deare and gratious Mistresse Quéene Elizabeth in whose life consisted all his honors and earths happinesse Those two great losses had béene sufficient euen to haue curbd the forwardnesse of all these his noble preferments by the deuouring téeth of enuy which vpon sundry suppositâ—ons was euen then whetted to make hauock of all his fortunes here was his wisdom tride vpon the tutch the world time grew vnconstant began to pick quarrels misdeemd honest actions and inuented false informations yet was his cares so watchfull that he saued himselfe from the subtilest snare of secret enuy At this time the good Phisition and saluer of all sores our most gracious and prudent King possessing his royall rights the whole state of England and the gouernment thereof came to this his owne Kingdome with such magnificence as all Christendome admired if here being setled with peace to the great ioy of vs all with his cléere and pure shining iudgement he qualified all occasions of discontent seuering drosse from pure gold sollid pearles from liquid hailestones manacles from bracelets businesses of trouble from imployments of honor and like a perfect Phisition applied precious salues to euery sore of the common wealth adding honor vppon honour according to desert and calling Amongst many others in the ranke of nobility graced by time and fortune this late deceased Earle of Salisbury by his wise carriage and honorable accomplishments which here we omit begot such an entier respect and inducing opinion of worth in the Kings regardfull mind that his honors of estate by degrées came to the height first not disparaging his former graces giuen by Quéene Elizabeth but adding more luster to his bright spreading fortunes it pleased the Kings Maiesty whose wise and gentle disposition is to aduance the desertfull first to giue him the honorable title of a Uiscount then of an Earle with many other promotions and offices of greatnesse and charge of the which he returned contentfull satisfaction to his King and his contry and likewise being a councellor of estate to his highnesse attending neere his royall person offered vp his hearts trust in
professed and true loyalty as the secrets of many court businesses can verifie processe of time and his highnesse fauour lifted him higher in his contries graces for at last he was created Knight of the honorable order of the Garter and to conclude greatnesse was made Lord high Treasurer of England an Office of Estate answerable to his ingenious iudgment It was the Lord which gouernd all those his actions stil instructed his mind in the right way of preferment it was the Lord that plast him in authority in these honored offices to do right vnto all men without respect of persons which waighty burthens thus laid vppon him he carefully discharged and with great wisedome dispatched all state businesses put vnto him to the great ease of his royall soueraigne and comfort of his contry he still remembred what he was wher he was what he should come to be hauing a continuall care of his high establisht honors with the eyes of wisdome he gouerned his family and retainers about him where if hee saw sheltred vnder his wing any deceitfull Parasite any male-contented mutener any murmuring whisperer any infringer of honesty ambitious oppressor or vnmercifull briber if hee found any such about him he swept them away like Cob-webs because they were consuming cankers to his honours bloud-suckers of his estate and betrayers of his prosperitie Thus purging his house of these pestiferous â—uilr hee intertained men of truth and placed about him such in office as feared God and loued the King Oh thou mirror to succéeding times thou hast left thy well gouerned quallities an example to posterity and a neuer decaying ornament to all thy off-spring But againe to our purpose vertue was his lifes guide and in his brest both Artes and law reposed all his chiefest and principall indeuors were exercised in such actions as aduanced the glory of Gods truth the peace the quiet and the prosperity of the common-wealth and surely that Nobleman thus affected to his counâ—ries good is in a right way to the attaining of a good estimation grace and fauour with all men as well Prince and Péeres as the common sort of people In like sort this ground-worke of our subiect I meane this deceased Councellor of estate fixed his whole resolution in the like purchase vsing no indirect meanes but confined himselfe within the bounds of reason and wisdom from the which hee did not start nor stray either for the loue of his owne priuate profit or pleasure nor for the feare of purchasing any other subiects displeasure hee neuer vsed sinister meanes to wring and wrest away other mens estates nor deuised too gréedy taxations to impouerish the country he enuyed no mans prosperity nor maligned the honorable purchasers of his Princes fauours neither prâ—ed into any mens fautes such as hurt not or disturbd not the quiet of the state but was sorry when any traytorus plot was wrought against his Princes safety or the peace of the common-wealth and had an honorable regard to men of high place and calling Not-with-standing all this there be some ignoble spirits I meane the common monster with many heads which seekes by scandalous speeches to moue all his former fame and to mipe the remembrance of his credit from the brâ—w of the kingdome but surely in my mind it can be no other but the poysonous plots and deuises of rebellious Papists to take away the deserued honors of his name The deuouring téeth of such wicked Uipers the Papists I meane which seeks to eate out the bowelle of this their natiue country long hath his â—illigence labored to beat forth and many of them hath his wisdome and god-speeding pollicy discouered abating the swelling pride enuy and sedition of these hatchers of vnnaturall treasons and brought them all to a swift distruction giuing them titles of the worlds scandals whâ—n their liues were smothered vp in a helples repentance These in my opinion be the asured libellors but lâ—t enuy spit her gall malice her poyson and hell it selfe open her gates to let out furies for this accursed slaâ—der vertue and time will outweare it and conâ—ecrate his noble life to lasting memory for the opinion of the world is setled in his deserued commendation England his natiue country the seate of his aduancements can witnesse the contrary wâ—o can but aplause his wisdome Neighboring France affords him high deserued praise whereas in Ambasage in the raigne of Quéene Elisabeth hee performed the honorable actions of a wise and well gouerned states man for the good of Holland Zeland Brabant and those low country prouinces Englands associats hath his perswasions with his prince preuailed they obtaâ—ned men mony Ierland ouer-burdened with vntamâ—d rebells hath beene like-wise succored through his councells and cherisht in the lowest ebb which country now blest with peace liues in quiet subiection vnder our heauen blest soueraine whom God preserue What shall I speake of Spaine and Italy the one feard him the other admired him and to locke vp al descriptions of worth his name retayned a generall opinion of the worlds loue I neede not speake much of the excelent buildings and workes of great magnificence he adorned England with as well in the country as hâ—are about this wonder-famed citty of London now fresh in memory and visible in this age all subiects of honored bounty worth and beauty remayning to the inheritance of his noble posterity Yet let me a little speake of his Godly deuotion charity compassion on the poore who tasting of his annuall bounty are witnesses of his Christian conuersation amongst all others the guifts and yearely pensions bestowed at Theohalls vpon aged and ouer-worne Captaines gentle-men by birth and calling stands gratious in the worlds eye for their lost blood spent in the seruice of their Prince and country hath he most honorably recompenced with sufficient mayntenance with soft beds to rest their mained limbs vpon Many other memorable guifts haue proceeded from his liberality to his eternall fame and liues grace which I leaue to the worlds consideration to be a patterne to suruiuing greatnesse But now I am to forsake the remembrance of these his aduanced honors and wade into an Ocean of deepe sorrows lamentable sorrows for this generall losse this deare losse of his worlds-beloued life yet are we not to contemplate thereon it was diuine prouidence to haue it Time hath a sweet course and begets sodaine changes he liuâ—d not to the period of nature but was taken away euen in his midle age euen in the fulnesse of promotions which seuerity of death when I thinke vpon brings to my heart ouer-ruling passions and constraines me sighingly to say Ah me things pretious and of purest prize For-sake the Earth to mount aboue the skies And now I am to satisfie the world of his Magnanimity shâ—wed at his liues last hower as it was credibly reported in open audience by a man of spiritual calling and neere to him both in life and death
did increase He held vp hands and eyes did close And lamb-like went away in peace Me thinkes I heare heart mouing cries Where sadnesse to a fullnesse growes Me thinkes I see how blobred eyes Pasions of pining sorrow showes Be still and mute each house of ioy Ope wide your doores giue griefe some place Turne solace into sower anoy And let teares staine each cheerful face Let gladsome mirth goe where it please Make bitter moane your welcome guest Let all delights and wished ease Deny to tutch one trubled brest Let sports and pleasures silent be And name no word of earthly blisse For heauy hearts doe best agree Where death distresse and dollor is In saddest sort prepare to heare Of wo that did through death befall This tale perchance may change your cheare And make your hearts to mourne withall Honor lies dead who late aliue Did purchase fame and Lordlike praise And still for honors gaine did striue By sundry duties many wayes What want of him haue we the while To loose this high priz'd Iewell now Whose wisdome shonne amidst this I le Like pearles vppon a Princes brow Come Schollers all ope sorrowes doore With clasped hands true signes of woe Your Muses patrons losse deplore For greefe ore reasons bankes do flow Come Soldiers and with Drum and fife Sound out his deare but last adew The balme of your decayed life By death hath changd to deathes pale hew Cold death hath wrought vs all this wrong By wronging nature thus to soone With vs he might haue liued long Had not Deathes Tyrany beene showne Thus we behould how times doe passe All Adams sonnes such ends must haue We fade away like sommers grasse To day on foote to morrow in graue Best hopes of him when people had Came sickenesse and his life imbrast Death followed and with mould him clad And so in Heauen his soule is plast And now full low in earth he lies Which late sat high and bore great sway Till he and we made pure shall rise To heare our doomes at Iudgement day So ending here with ioy at last His soule on earth we could not keepe In Paradice is Cicill plast And there in Abrahams brest doth sleepe Death is the doore to life therefore let all men so liue that they may driue death out at the same doore and so liue eternally The funeral of the said Earle of Salisbury holden at Hatfield in June last is heere described in a short formall proceeding order BEing at Hatfield in Hartfordshire in Iune last my eye presented to my heart the worlds last farewell giuen to the right honorable the late Earle of Salsbury A due that blood consanguinity and affinity customably bestowes vpon the deceased the sight whereof settled within me many priuate sorrowes for the losse of so great a subiect whose late liuing honors carried such a sway in his contry that in a sad passion it made me accuse deathes partiallity in taking of his life but smothering griefe for a time in silence I stood amazedly beholding a traine of noble personages in sable habits trayling on the ground witnesses and presenters of Englands heauinesse for so general a losse black cloudy garments outwardly equalized their inward sorrowes and this following as neere as I can remember was the order of the mourning passengers First diuers Marshalls to make roome Next certaine poore men and woemen Then seruants of Gentlemen Esquires Knights Then Standerd-bearers with banners of armes Then messengers of the Chamber Then some of the Kings Maiesties groomes Then Noblemens seruants After them diuerss officers of the Court Then Heralds of Armes with other Ensignes of honor Then followed my Lords owne seruants Then Knightes and Gentlemen his retainers Then the Kings Solicitor Councell and Atturney generall Then Barrons of the law with some Iudges Then the sonns of Noble men and Earles Then Lord Barons allied to this deceased Earle Then Earles of his affinity and Kindred Then principall Herralds with Banners of his coat of armes Then his Hearse couered with black veluet his Helme and Crest with diuers Scutchions belonging to his honorable house Then after the Hearse as principall mourner the Right honorable William now Earle of Salisbury the only sonne to the deceased noble-man Being thus with honor carried to his graue declared the greatnesse of his estate how much fauored of his prince esteemed of his equalls and beloued of his followers Time out of my remembrance can neuer put away his high worth whom I will honor the longest day of my life and in the closet of my heart place his perfections to my priuate consideration and now to make a conclusion of all these my loues labours as duty binds me I end 〈…〉 all subiect to change and times enuie The misery of Pollicie MAn hath his time whom fortune will aduance Where sodain falls in gilty harts breeds doubt Some rise aloft by others hard mischance Thus fortunes restlesse wheele runs still about True wisdome sees how times of men do passe When fortunes change turnes back promotions glasse The misery of Greatnesse Enuie attends vpon a great mans state Where in his brest ambitious bellows blow And then he climbes aboue his wits conceate Disdaining much to cast his eyes below Yet all he hath is vpon hazard set When mounting high he falls in dangers net The misery of Schollers The Scholler if but poore hee s thought a wretch His good desert is held in high disdaine The grosest foole is wise if he be rich And wisdom flowes from his dull-sotted braine The rarest spirit hath here but credit small And he most grast that plots his neighbors fall The misery of Lawyers The Briberous mind makes still a God of Gould He scornes to plead without a good reward Thus poore-mens sutes are bought and sould Whilst sillken avarice hath best regard He hath no feare of Gods consuming curse That pulls with paines gould from the poore mans purse The misery of Time-pleasers Ingratitude thou ill ill fauored ill In vpstart thoughts thou buildest Castles strong Whilest shame deuoures thy temporizing will And shewes the fillthy vilenesse of thy wrong That mind wherein ingratitude doth dwell For illnesse coequalls the ills of hell FINIS