Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AN EPITAPH UPON THE DEATH OF HIS AUNT, ELIZABETH SKRYMSHER, by RICHARD BARNFIELD


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AN EPITAPH UPON THE DEATH OF HIS AUNT, ELIZABETH SKRYMSHER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Loe here beholde the certaine ende, of every living wight
Last Line: That wee may live with christ himselfe, (above) that lives for ever.
Alternate Author Name(s): Barnefield, Richard
Subject(s): Epitaphs; Aunts


Loe here beholde the certaine Ende, of every living wight:
No Creature is secure from death, for Death will have his Right.
He spareth none: both rich and poore, both young and olde must die;
So fraile is flesh, so short is Life, so sure Mortalitie.
When first the Bodye lives to Life, the soule first dies to sinne:
And they that loose this early Life, a heavenly Life shall winne,
If they live well: as well she liv'd, that lyeth Under heere;
Whose Vertuous Life to all the Worlde, most plainly did appeere.
Good to the poore, friend to the rich, and foe to no Degree:
A President of modest Life, and peerelesse Chastitie.
Who loving more, Who more belov'd, of everie honest mynde?
Who more to Hospitalitie, and Clemencie inclinde
Then she? that being buried here, lyes wrapt in Earth below;
From whence we came, to whom wee must, and be as shee is now,
A Clodd of Clay: though her pure soule in endlesse Blisse doeth rest;
Ioying all Ioy, the Place of Peace, prepared for the blest:
Where holy Angells sit and sing, before the King of Kings;
Not mynding worldly Vanities, but onely heavenly Things.
Unto which Ioy, Unto which Blisse, Unto which Place of Pleasure,
God graunt that wee may come at least, t'inioy that heavenly Treasure.
Which to obtaine, to live as shee hath done let us endevor;
That wee may live with Christ himselfe, (above) that lives for ever.





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