Sir Hugh Pauletts Epitaphe.

NO verse a vailes, ne teares maie serue,
to waile the want at full:
My witts are weake, my words but bare
my penne but base and dull.
To frame in forme and stately stile,
the lines I ought to write:
I finde my muse orecome with cares,
my reason banishe quite.
My hedde so fraught with cold conceits, of newes I knowe full well:
That I had rather crie and rore, and shrillie houle and yell.
Then treate of dreadfull deaths despite, who daiely doeth deuoure:
The noblest fruits of Natures mould, and pluckes the purest flowre.
Death neither looks on mens renowne, nor who maie best be spard:
But like a Theef stealls life awaie, and striks without regard.
Not takyng those that vertue wants, and fills the worlde with vice:
But snapps vp suche that people praise, & worlde holds moste in price.
As loe of late to well was seen, when Paulet left his life:
Forsooke his freends, desired the graue, and went from worthy wife:
To liue and lodge in loftie Skies, where blessed angells are:
And good mens souls doe suretie finde, and rest from worldly care.
No maruell though our troubled sprits, doe make a swete exchange:
And leaues this sowre and bitter soile (and will some coutrie strage.)
To goe where Gods in glorie sitts, and where our home must bee:
Yet in my mynde suche partyng is, a wonder greate to see.
When men by toile and labour long, haue purchast suche a praise:
Attainde to wealth and honour bothe (through seruice sondrie waies.)
And on the suddaine leaue these pomps, and pleasures here possest:
As did this knight of whom I spake, who bore about in brest.
A noble harte a constant mynde, a iollie courage greate:
A warme good will to common wealth, that neuer wanted heate.
Brought vp in armes and Marciall feats, a maister of that arte:
Whiche oft in feeld and countreis cause, did plaie a manly parte.
As birth was good and noble sure, so all he went about:
Was good and worthie eurie waie, and noble still throughout.
In office oft, and by his Prince, to credite called still:
In matters graue and thyngs of weight, of deepe foresight and skill.
No talker of good Fortune won, nor boster for vaine bruite:
A tree that seldome blossomde showd, & yet brought forth good fruite
As calme and milde as Sommer winds, that neuer water moues:
And yet as stout to cruell Rites, as gentill with the Doues.
A bodie apte to beare the brunt, of paines and labour long:
A hedde that could conceiue the beste, and sone could put vp wrong.
A freende that vsde no fained phrase, and surely one of those:
That dealt with parfite plainnesse so, he neuer purchaste fose.
A settled rocke a staied trothe, that no deuice could staine:
A Paulet yea a piller too, where Paulet did remaine.
An aide to sutche as wanted helpe, a father free and franke:
To those that onely for good tourns, but barely yeelded thanke.
What resteth more in any man, then was in hym I saie:
Thus Paulet wan a noble brute, and bore the same awaie.
Where vertue at the dreadfull howre, when trompet sounds a loude:
(Emong the cheef and chosen Lambes,) shall sit in sacred cloude.