William Bew - Jonsonus Virbius 1638

Literary Record 46

[From Jonsonus Virbius , the volume of elegies issued after Jonson's death under the editorship of Brian Duppa, dean of Christ Church college, Oxford.]

He gives his affiliation as New College, Oxford.

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Epitaphium in BEN: IONSON.

Adsta hospes: pretium moræ est, sub isto
Quid sit, discere, conditum Sepulchro.
Socci deliciæ decus Cothurni;
Scenæ pompa; cor & caput Theatri;
Linguarum sacer helluo; perennis
Defluxus venerum; scatebra salsi
Currens lene joci, sed innocentis;
Artis perspicuum jubar; coruscum
Sydus; judicij pumex, profundus
Doctrinæ puteus, tamen serenus;
Scriptorum genius; Poeticus Dux,
Quantum O sub rigido latet lapillo!  

WILLIAM BEW

N.
Coll. Oxon.
Soc.

(sig. K4r)

Stand upright soldier: it is the price of delay,
To learn what has been buried under this Tomb.
Delights of the comic sock; glory of the tragic boot;
Pomp of the Stage; heart and head of the Theatre;
The holy glutton of Languages; endless
Flowing of grace; softly bubbling spring
Of witty, but innocent humour;
The shining splendour of art; twinkling
Star; the pumice-stone of judgement, the deep,
But serene, well of Doctrine;
The genius of Writers; the Poetic Leader,
How great a thing lies hidden under the hard stone!