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In her, and what could perfect be
And without angles, IT WAS SHE.—
All that was solid in the name
Of virtue; precious in the frame,
Or else magnetic in the force,
Or sweet, or various, in the course;
What was proportion, or could be
By warrant called just symmetry
In number, measure, or degree
Of weight or fashion, IT WAS SHE.-
Her soul possest her flesh's state
In freehold, not as an inmate,
And when the flesh here shut up day,

Fame's heat upon the grave did stay,

And hourly brooding o'er the same,
Keeps warm the spice of her good name,
Until the ashes turned be

Into a Phoenix-WHICH IS SHE.

Ὁ Ζεὺς κατεῖδε χρόνιος εἰς τὰς διφθέρας.

IS a record in heaven. You that were

Her children, and grandchildren, read it here;
Transmit it to your nephews, friends, allies,
Tenants and servants: have they hearts
and eyes

To view the truth and own it? Do but look
With pause upon it: Make this page your book!
Your book? your volume! Nay, the state and story!
Code, Digests, Pandects of all female glory!
Diphthera Jovis.

OR this did Katherine Lady Ogle die
To gain the crown of immortality;
Eternity's Great Charter; which became
Her right, by gift and purchase of the Lamb.

Sealed and delivered to her, in the Light
Of Angels, and all witnesses of light,
Both saints and martyrs, by her loved Lord,
And this a copy is of the Record.

EPITAPH ON THE LADY JANE.

COULD begin with that grand form Here lies (And bid thee, reader, bring thy weeping

eyes

To see who 'tis-) a noble countess, great In blood, in birth, by match and by her state, Religious, wise, chaste, loving, gracious, good, And number attributes unto a flood;

But every table in this church can say
A list of epithets, and praise this way;
No stone in any wall here but can tell
Such things of every body, and as well—
Nay, they will render one's descent to hit
And Christian name too with a herald's wit.
But I would have thee to know something new,
Not usual in a lady, and yet true,

At least so great a lady-she was wife
But of one husband, and since he left life,
But sorrow she desired no other friend,
And her, she made her inmate, to the end.
To call on sickness still to be her guest,

Whom she with sorrow first did lodge, then feast,
Then entertain, and as death's harbinger,
So woo'd at last that he was won to her
Importune wish, and by her loved lord's side
To lay her here, inclosed, his second bride;
Where, spight of death, next life, for her love's sake
This second marriage will eternal make.3

3 This Jane was the eldest daughter of Lord Ogle, and sister of

AN INTERLUDE, ETC.

[The volume from which the foregoing were taken, contains also an Interlude, never yet noticed by the poet's biographers. It has neither title nor date; but appears to have been written by Jonson for the christening of a son of the earl of Newcastle, to which the king or the prince (both seem to have been present) stood godfather. It consists principally of the unrestrained and characteristic tattle of three gossips; and though the language may appear somewhat too free for the present times, yet as a matter of curiosity, I have ventured to subjoin it.

The scene is the earl of Newcastle's house, in the Black Friars. GIFFORD.]

At the entrance to the banquet.

A Forester.

IR, you are welcome to the forest: you have seen a battle upon a table, now you see a hunting. I know not what the game will prove, but the ground is well clothed with

the lady just mentioned. She married Edward, eighth earl of Shrewsbury, (younger brother of the Gilbert so often noticed,) and died in 1625, having survived her husband about seven years.

It appears that the table represented a hunting scene in sweetmeats. We cannot easily conceive the enormous sums expended in constructing those banquets. Every object of art or nature was represented in them; and castles and towers and towns were reared of marchpane of a size that would confound the faculties of the confectioners of these degenerate days. The courtier, like the citizen, was a most fierce devourer of plums, and the ships, bulwarks, forests, &c., that were not eaten on the spot, were conveyed into the pockets of the guests, and carried off, without stint and without shame.

trees. The most of these deer will come to handif they take cover, sir, down with the woods, for the hunting is meant to be so royal as trees, dogs, deer, all mean to be a part of the quarry.

In the passage.

DUGGS, wet nurse; KECKS, dry nurse; and HOLDBACK, midwife.

Duggs. Are they coming? where? which are the gossips?

Kecks. Peace, here they come all.

Duggs. I'll up and get me a standing behind the

arras.

Hold. You'll be thrust there, i'faith, nurse.

Hold. No; he with the blue riband, peace!

Kecks. O, sweet gentleman! he a gossip! he were fitter to be a father, 'ifaith.

Hold. So they were both, an 'twere fortune's good pleasure to send it.

At the banquet.

HOLDBACK enters with the child, DUGGs and KECKS.

Hold. Now heaven multiply your highness and my honourable lord too, and my good lady the countess. I have one word for you all, Welcome! which is enough to the wise, and as good as a hundred, you know. This is my day. My lords and my ladies, how like you my boy? is't not a goodly boy? I said his name would be Charles when I looked upon Charles' wain t'other night. He was born under that star-I have given measure, i'faith,

5 A short question was probably overlooked by the scribe.

he'll prove a pricker by one privy mark that I found about him. Would you had such another, my lord gossips, every one of you, and as like the father. O what a glad woman and a proud should I be to be seen at home with you upon the same occasion!

Duggs. Come, come, never push for it, woman; I know my place. It is before, and I would not have you mistake it.

Kecks. Then belike my place is behind.

Duggs. Be it where it will, I'll appear.

Hold. How now, what's the matter with you two? Duggs. Why, Mistress Kecks, the dry nurse, strives to have place of me.

Kecks. Yes, Mistress Duggs, I do indeed.

Hold. What! afore the Prince! are you so rude and uncivil?

Kecks. Why not afore the Prince? (worshipped might he be;) I desire no better judge.

Hold. No! and my Lord Chancery here? Do you know what you say? Go to, nurse, ha' done, and let the music have their play. You have made a joyful house here, i'faith; the glad lady within in the straw, I hope, has thanked you for her little Carl, the little christian-such a comfortable day as this will even make the father ready to make adventure for another, in my conscience. Sing sweetly, I pray you, an you have a good breast, out with it for my lord's credit.

SONG.

If now as merry you could be

As you are welcome here,

Who wait would have no time to see
The meanness of the cheer.

But you that deign the place and lord
So much of bounty and grace
Read not the banquet on his board,
But that within his face.