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Though then in our times bee not suffered [181]
That Testimony of loue vnto the dead
To dye with them, and in theyr Graues bee hidd
As Saxon wiues, and ffrench soldury did.
And though in no degree I can expresse
Greefe in Great Alexanders greate Excesse
Who at his frinds death made whole Townes devest
Theyr walls and Bulwarkes that became them best
Doe not, fayre soule, this sacrifice refuse
That in thy Graue I do interre my Muse
Wch by my greefe, greate as thy worth, beeing cast
Behind hand; yet hath spoke, and spoke her last
To S.r Robert Carr.
Sr. I prsume you rather trye what you can doe in mee
then what I can doe in verse. you knewe my vttermost
when it was at best. And even then I did best when I
had least Truth for my subiect. In this prsent case
there is so much Truth as it defeates all Poetry.
Call therefore this Paper by what name you will,
and if it bee not worthy of him, nor of you, nor of
mee, smother it, and bee that the Sacrifice.
If you had com̄aunded mee to haue wayted vpon his
body to Scotland, and preached there, I should haue
embraced the Obligac̄on with more Alacrity.
But I thanke you that you would com̄aund that
w.ch I was loth to doe. ffor even that hath giuen
a Tincture of merit to the obedience of.
Yor poore frind and srvant
Io: Donne

[CW: Whethr__]