[Line: 121 chilblains] chilblain _1660_.] [Line: 126 fruitful] pregnant _1660_.] [Line: 128 and] or _MS._] [Line: 134 Cleveland has used 'morglay', Bevis's sword, as a common noun elsewhere; but of course an imitator might seize on this.] [Line: 138 grow] are _1660_.] [Line: 139 sweat] sweet _1668_, _1687_, _MS._] [Line: 142 on] in _1660_. or] and _1660_. 'breasts, not ears' _MS._] [Lines: 145-6 Or as a modern Newcastle song, more decently but less picturesquely, puts it in the lass's own mouth-- 'He sits in his hole, As black as a coal, And brings the white money to me--O!' ] An Elegy upon King Charles the First, murdered publicly by his Subjects. Were not my faith buoyed up by sacred blood, It might be drowned in this prodigious flood; Which reason's highest ground doth so exceed, It leaves my soul no anch'rage but my creed; Where my faith, resting on th' original, Supports itself in this, the copy's fall. So while my faith floats on that bloody wood, My reason 's cast away in this red flood Which near o'erflows us all. Those showers past Made but land-floods, which did some valleys waste. 10 This stroke hath cut the only neck of land Which between us and this red sea did stand, That covers now our world which curséd lies At once with two of Egypt's prodigies (O'ercast with darkness and with blood o'errun), And justly since our hearts have theirs outdone. Th' enchanter led them to a less known ill To act his sin, than 'twas their king to kill; Which crime hath widowed our whole nation, Voided all forms, left but privation 20 In Church and State; inverting every right; Brought in Hell's state of fire without light. No wonder then if all good eyes look red, Washing their loyal hearts from blood so shed; The which deserves each pore should turn an eye To weep out even a bloody agony. Let nought then pass for music but sad cries, For beauty bloodless cheeks and blood-shot eyes. All colours soil but black; all odours have Ill scent but myrrh, incens'd upon this grave. 30 It notes a Jew not to believe us much The cleaner made by a religious touch Of this dead body, whom to judge to die Seems the Judaical impiety. To kill the King, the Spirit Legion paints His rage with law, the Temple and the saints. But the truth is, he feared and did repine To be cast out and back into the swine. And the case holds, in that the Spirit bends His malice in this act against his ends; 40 For it is like the sooner he'll be sent Out of that body he would still torment. Let Christians then use otherwise this blood; Detest the act, yet turn it to their good; Thinking how like a King of Death he dies We easily may the world and death despise. Death had no sting for him and its sharp arm,