The Poems of Richard Corbet, late bishop of Oxford and of Norwich: 4th editionCorbet, Richard
General
The Poems of Richard Corbet, late bishop of Oxford and of Norwich: 4th edition
Corbet, Richard
English poetry
Qui istud nec audiunt, nec credunt malum, nos miseros, qui in illa
hostium multitudine et via fortunæ viximus, et nescire dolorem non
minus sit difficile, quam cognitum extinguere. Quod si vox populi,
quæ aliquando Dei esse dicitur, eadem potuisset de morte tua et fama
decernere, caruisses hodie lachrimis, et longo nostrorum funeri
superfuisses. In te enim non tam morientis fatum, quam pacis, quam
reipublicæ situm est; non peris sed destruis, neque mors hæc dat,
sed confusio; diluvium est, nec caret prodigio. Oraculum est, nec
sine sacerdote aut pontifice potest intelligi. Quam non mortalis eras
Henricus, mortalis; adeone nonus esse nunquam potes, et nullus esses,
brevis est quia bonus, minorque quia melior.
Nobis interim quod reliquum, quam ut festinetis juvenes, animamque
principis fugitivam, per silentium et solitudinem sequamini: ut
longitudinem vitamque inimicis posthac exoptetis, sociisque vestris,
fratribusque suadeatis, quam sit senectus post fatum principis vilis
et ignominiosa. Nos interim viri, qui in longiori ludibrio constituti
sumus, consulamus huic vitio, facinusque ætatis lachrimis expiemus;
et experiamur modo utrum anima principis excellens, quæ palatio sui
corporis clarissimo valedixit, in nostris animis et hisce lachrimarum
insulis habitare velit, certemus invicem pietate, et ingenioso luctu
contendamus, summus ne dolor feriet non volentem satis, nec viventem
minus. Dixi.
IN OBITUM DOMINI THOMÆ BODLEII.
(Ex Libro cui Titulus “Bodleiomnema; seu, Carmina et Orationes in Obitum
ejus.” Oxon. 1613. 4to.)
Obrue Bodleium saxis, prosterne colossis,
Adde libros oneri, dimidiasque scholas,
Aut lacrymis manes lassa, aut ululante papyro,
Quæ solet afflictis incubuisse rogis;
Non tamen efficies, quin summo in culmine victor
Imperet, et molem perforet ille suam;
Nam famæ cedunt lapides, et tecta sepulchris
Dum memorant dominos hæc monumenta suos.
CORRECTIONS.
Page 36, verse 11, _for_ ken _read_ hen.
50, ” 7, _dele_ a.
80, ” 10, _for_ consider _read_ consider’d.
94, note, _for_ brought _read_ bought.
100, ” _for_ Guynes _read_ Luyne.
119, line 7, _for_ Nescis _read_ Nescio.
137, verses 4 and 5. It should have been observed, that the
Prince and Buckingham on their journey wore false
beards for disguises, and assumed the names of Jack
and Tom Smith.
144. The two first lines of this beautiful poem are here
printed as they are found in the editions of 1647
and 1672; but they stand much better in Bishop King’s
Poems, page 51, edit. 1657:
Let no profane ignoble foot tread _neer_
This hallow’d peece of earth, _Dorset lies here_.
FOOTNOTES
[1] An EPITAPH on Master VINCENT CORBET.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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