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Those blessings which their sufferance did urge,

Whereby the grace fore-promis'd they attained.

Let then the false suggestions of the froward,

400 Building large castles in the empty air,

By suppositions fond and thoughts untoward

(Issues of discontent and sick despair)

Rebound gross arguments upon their heart

That may disprove their malice, and confound

405 Uncivil loose opinions which insert

Their souls into the roll that doth unsound

Betraying policies, and show their brains,

Unto their shame, ridiculous; whose scope

Is envy, whose endeavors fruitless pains,

410 In nothing surely prosperous, but hope-

And that same hope, so lame, so unprevailing,

It buries self-conceit in weak opinion;

Which being cross'd, gives matter of bewailing

Their vain designs, on whom want hath dominion.

415 Such, and of such condition, may devise

Which way to wound with defamation's spirit

(Close-lurking whisper's hidden forgeries)

His taintless goodness, his desertful merit.

But whiles the minds of men can judge sincerely,

420 Upon assured knowledge, his repute

And estimation shall be rumor'd clearly

In equal worth--time shall to time renew 't.

The Grave-that in his ever-empty womb

Forever closes up the unrespected

425 Who, when they die, die all-shall not entomb

His pleading best perfections as neglected.

They to his notice in succeeding years

Shall speak for him when he shall lie below;

When nothing but his memory appears

430 Of what he was, then shall his virtues grow.

His being but a private man in rank

(And yet not rank'd beneath a gentleman)

Shall not abridge the commendable thank

Which wise posterity shall give him then;

435 For Nature, and his therein happy Fate.

Ordain'd that by his quality of mind

T' ennoble that best part, although his state

Were to a lower blessedness confin'd.

Blood, pomp, state, honor, glory and command,

440 Without fit ornaments of disposition,

Are in themselves but heathenish and [profaned],

And much more peaceful is a mean condition

Which, underneath the roof of safe content,

Feeds on the bread of rest, and takes delight

445 To look upon the labors it hath spent

For its own sustenance, both day and night;

Whiles others, plotting which way to be great,

How to augment their portion and ambition,

Do toil their giddy brains, and ever sweat

450 For popular applause and power's commission.

But one in honors, like a seeled dove

Whose inward eyes are dimm'd with dignity,

Does think most safety doth remain above,

And seeks to be secure by mounting high:

455 Whence, when he falls, who did erewhile aspire,

Falls deeper down, for that he climbed higher.

Now men who in a lower region live

Exempt from danger of authority

Have fittest times in Reason's rules to thrive,

460 Not vex'd with envy of priority,

And those are much more noble in the mind

Than many that have nobleness by kind.

Birth, blood, and ancestors, are none of ours,

Nor can we make a proper challenge to them,

465 But virtues and perfections in our powers

Proceed most truly from us, if we do them.

Respective titles or a gracious style,

With all what men in eminence possess,

Are, without ornaments to praise them, vile:

470 The beauty of the mind is nobleness.

And such as have that beauty, well deserve

Eternal characters, that after death

Remembrance of their worth we may preserve,

So that their glory die not with their breath.

475 Else what avails it in a goodly strife

Upon this face of earth here to contend,

The good t'exceed the wicked in their life,

Should both be like obscured in their end?

Until which end, there is none rightly can

480 Be termed happy, since the happiness

Depends upon the goodness of the man,

Which afterwards his praises will express.

Look hither then, you that enjoy the youth

Of your best days, and see how unexpected

485 Death can betray your jollity to ruth

When death you think is least to be respected!

The person of this model here set out

Had all that youth and happy days could give him,

Yet could not all-encompass him about

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