A Defiance to Death, Title page – Dedication
A DEFIANCE TO DEATH.
Being The Funebrious Commemoration of the Right Honourable, Baptiſt Lord Hickes, Viſcount Camden, late deceaſed.
Preached at Camden in Glouceſter-ſhire, Nouember 8. 1629.
By IOHN GAVLE.
LONDON: Printed by Thomas Harper, for Robert Allot, and are to be ſold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the ſigne of the Blacke Beare, 1630.
To the truely Honourable and religious Ladies, Iulian, Viſcounteſſe Camden, and Mary, Lady Cooper; Daughters to the late right Honourable Baptiſt, Lord Hickes, Viſcount Camden; the bleſſings of both this, and the life to come.
Moſt Noble, and vertuous Ladies:
TO whom ſhould I dedicate the memoriall of your deceaſed Father, but to you, in whom he liues? Who (mee thinkes) but his Monuments, may challenge his commemoration? Beſides the life hee was perſonally poſſeſſed of; you are his deriued life: and he yet liues, (and long may he) though not in himſelfe, yet in his Succeſſions. Yet (alas!) how much rather had you (I know) to hauehave ſtill enioyed, then thus ſupplyed his life? But you are not ignorant, how nature abides not alwayes, but ſucceedes: how God but lends, not bindes your friends to your inioyment. He was giuen you, to be taken from you: yours hee was, to vſe, rather then poſſeſſe: yours in his life, name, vertues, graces, to inherit; and not yours, in an earthly being to ingroſſe. Therefore had you him, to loſe him, and muſt therefore be contented with his loſſe: yea, ought indeed to reioyce rather, that once yee had him; then ſorrow, that now ye hauehave him not. Grant, it cannot bee but a griefe to miſſe him: ſo neither but a ioy to remember him. It was an happineſſe more delighting, when you might reioyce in his preſence: but is an happineſſe more laſting, that you may yet reioyce in his remembrance. You both (beyond the common lot and hap) were much, and long happy, in a double Parent: the loſſe of one now admoniſhes, yea, applaudes you, to eſteeme another Parent, and feare anothers loſse. But, I ſpare from further repetitions of your loſse; leſt (while I would ſtriue to conſolate, and appeaſe them) I rather prooue but to renew your ſorrow; & prouoke your feare. For mine owne part (who reckon my ſelfe not the leaſt in his loſse) I count it euen as enuy, to bewayle the happy: and but folly, forlornely to ſorrow for him; that certainly reioyces for himſelfe. Neuertheleſse (for loſse of friends) forbid I no man to mourne, but murmure, and deſpaire. Such our ſorrowes, are but the late tokens of our louelove, and muſt as wel be moderate, as vnfaigned. Neither ſhould our hearts (in this caſe) be flinty, nor effeminate: nor our eyes alwayes dropping, nor altogether dry. For me, I like neither to bee niggardly, nor prodigall of my teares: neither to be deſperate, nor ambitious of my complaints. I ſay no more of this ſorrow and loſse, becauſe I would not packe them vp, or decke them vp in words onelyonly. Thus much hauehave I written, becauſe I would not that a priuate houre ſhould extinguiſh or ingroſse them. What I hauehave herein preſumed, beſides the comfort (I truſt) you ſhall receiue by it: this alſo ſhall comfort mee, that you daigne to receiue it.
Your good Ladiſhips in all humble obſeruance, IOHN GAVLE.