[231 reference] reverence _1650-54_] [239 I am] am I _B_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_] [241 with _1633-69_, _O'F:_ for _A25_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_, _N_, _TCD_] [247 time,] times, _1669_, _B_, _JC_, _O'F_, _N_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_] [250 soldurii _D_, _H49_, _Lec:_ soldarii _1633-69_] [251 expresse] expresse, _1633_] [257 Who, _1633:_ Which, _1639-69_] _Elegie on the Lady_ Marckham. Man is the World, and death th'Ocean, To which God gives the lower parts of man. This Sea invirons all, and though as yet God hath set markes, and bounds, twixt us and it, Yet doth it rore, and gnaw, and still pretend, 5 And breaks our bankes, when ere it takes a friend. Then our land waters (teares of passion) vent; Our waters, then, above our firmament, (Teares which our Soule doth for her sins let fall) Take all a brackish taft, and Funerall, 10 And even these teares, which should wash sin, are sin. We, after Gods _Noe_, drowne our world againe. Nothing but man of all invenom'd things Doth worke upon itselfe, with inborne stings. Teares are false Spectacles, we cannot see 15 Through passions mist, what wee are, or what shee. In her this sea of death hath made no breach, But as the tide doth wash the slimie beach, And leaves embroder'd workes upon the sand, So is her flesh refin'd by deaths cold hand. 20 As men of China,'after an ages stay, Do take up Porcelane, where they buried Clay; So at this grave, her limbecke, which refines The Diamonds, Rubies, Saphires, Pearles, and Mines, Of which this flesh was, her soule shall inspire 25 Flesh of such stuffe, as God, when his last fire Annuls this world, to recompence it, shall, Make and name then, th'Elixar of this All. They say, the sea, when it gaines, loseth too; If carnall Death (the yonger brother) doe 30 Usurpe the body,'our soule, which subject is To th'elder death, by sinne, is freed by this; They perish both, when they attempt the just; For, graves our trophies are, and both deaths dust. So, unobnoxious now, she'hath buried both; 35 For, none to death sinnes, that to sinne is loth, Nor doe they die, which are not loth to die; So hath she this, and that virginity. Grace was in her extremely diligent, That kept her from sinne, yet made her repent. 40 Of what small spots pure white complaines! Alas, How little poyson cracks a christall glasse! She sinn'd, but just enough to let us see That God's word must be true, All, sinners be. Soe much did zeale her conscience rarefie 45 That, extreme truth lack'd little of a lye, Making omissions, acts; laying the touch Of sinne, on things that sometimes may be such. As _Moses_ Cherubines, whose natures doe