Classic Poem

Quicquid agimus, quicquid Patimur venit ex Alto

The countries tears, be ye my spring; my hill
A general Grave; let Groans inspire my Quill
With an Heart-rending Sense, drawn from the Cries
Of Orphan Churches, and the Destinies
Of a Bereaved House: Let Children weep
They scarce know why; and let the Mother steep
Her lifeless Hopes in Brine; The Private Friend
O'rewhelm'd with grief falter his Comforts end .
By a warm Sympathie let Feaverish Heat
Roam through my Verse unseen; and a Cold Sweat
Limning Despair, attend me; Sighs diffuse
Convulsions through my language, such as use
To type a Gasping Fancy; Lastly shroud
Religions Splendor in a Mourning Cloud,
Replete with Vengeance for succeeding Times
Fertile in Woes, more fertile in their Crimes.
These are my Muses; These inspire the Sails
Of Fancy with their Sighs in stead of Gales.
Reader, reade Rev'rend Mitchel's Life, and then
Confess the World a Gordian Knot agen .
Reade his Tear-delug'd Grave, and then decree
Our present Woe, and future Miserie.
Stars falling speak a Storm: when Samuel dies ,
Saul may expect Philistia's Cruelties .
So when Jehovah's brighter Glory fled
The Temple , Israel was Captive led .
Geneva's Triple Light made one Divine;
But here that vast Triumvirate combine
By a blest Metempsycosis, to take
One Person for their larger Zodiake.
In Sacred Censures , Farrels dreadfull Scroul
Of Words, broke from the Pulpit to the Soul.
[ Indulgent Parents when they spare, they spoyle;
Old Wounds need Vinegar as well as Oyle:
Distastful Cates with Miseries do suit;
The Paschal Lamb was eat with bitter fruit.]
In Balmy Comforts , Virets Genius came
From th' wrinkled Alps to wooe the Western Dame;
And Courting Cambridge, quickly took from thence
Her last Degrees of Rhetorick and Sense.
Calvin's Laconicks through his Doctrine spred ,
And Children's Children with their Manna fed .
His Exposition Genesis begun ,
And fatall Exodus Eclips'd his Sun.
Some say that Souls oft sad Presages give;
Death-breathing Sermons taught us last to live .
One sowes another reaps, may truely be
Our Grave-Instruction, and his Elegie.
His System of Religion half unheard ,
Full double in his Preaching Life appear'd .
Happy that place where Rulers Deeds appear
I'th' Front o'th'Battel, and their Words i'th' Rear.
He's gone, to whom his Country owes a love
Worthy the prudent Serpent, and the Dove.
Religion's Panoply, the Sinners Terrour,
Death summon'd hence sure by a Writ of Errour.
The Quaker trembling at his Thunder, fled;
And with Caligula resum'd his Bed .
He by the Motions of a Nobler Spirit
Clear'd Men, and made their Notions Swine inherit.
The Munster Goblin by his holy flood
Exorcis'd, like a thin Phantasma stood .
Brown's Babel shatter'd by his Lightning, fell;
And with Confused Horrour pack'd to hell .
The Scripture with a Commentary bound
( Like a lost Calice) in his Heart was found .
When he was Sick, the Air a Feaver took ,
And thirsty Phoebus quaft the Silver Brook:
When Dead, the Spheres in Thunder, Clouds & Rain
Groan'd his Elegium, Mourn'd and Wept our Pain.
Let not the Brazen Schismatick aspire;
Lot's leaving Sodom, left them to the Fire.
'Tis true, the Bee's now dead, but yet his Sting
Death's to their Dronish Doctrines yet may bring .

Epitaphium

Here lyes within this Comprehensive Span,
The Churches, Courts, and Countries Jonathan.
He that speaks Mitchell, gives the Schools the Lie;
Friendship in Him gain'd an Ubiquity.

Vivet post Funera Virtus.

F. D.