AN ELEGIE

UPON

The Death of the Reverend Mr. THOMAS SHEPARD, Late Teacher of the Church at Charlstown in New--England:

By a great Admirer of his Worth, and true Mourner for his Death.

Ifai. 57 1. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none confidering that the righte ous is taken away from the evil to come.

Zech. 1. 5, 6. Your Fathers where are they? And the Prophets do they live for ever? but my words and my ftatutes, which I commanded my fervants the Prophets, did they not take hold of your Fathers?

Heb. 13. 7.

Remember them which had the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whofe Faith follow, confidering the end of their conversation.

CAMBRIDGE,

Printed by Samuel Green. 1677.

(1)

REader! I am no Poet: but I grieve!

Behold here, what that paffion can do!
That forc'd a verfe, without Apollo's leave,
And whether th' Learned Siftters would or no.
My Griefs can hardly Speak: my fobbing Mufe
In broken terms our fad bereavement rues.

(2)

I wonder what the learned World ftill ailes,
To tune and pace their forrows and complaints
In Rhythm and Verfe! He that his croffes wailes
Indeed, would vent his griefs without restraints.
To tye our grief to numbers, measures, feet,
Is not to let it loose, but fetter it.

(3)

Is this it? that a Poets fofter heart
Of great impreffions fufceptible is?

He wifely doth perform his mourning part
In Verfe, left grief should time and measure mifs.
But griefs unmeasurable would not be
Curb'd, and rein'd-in by meafur'd Poetry.
(4)

Stop, stop my Pen! left Ifrael's finger Sweet
Should be condemn'd, who, in that Song of th' Bow,
To vent his paffionate complaints thought meet,
And to bewail his great Friends overthrow.

King David in an Elegiack Knell,

Rung out his dolours, when dear Jona'than fell.
(5)

No matter what's the trifling Poets Ufe,
Th' Imperious Law of cuftome we deride:
We have Diviner Warrant to produce,
The Soveraign, Sacred Poet is our guide.

He wept his Friend in verfe: then let us try,
Now Shepard's faln, to write his Elegy.

u. O.