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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


POEMS ON THE DEATH OF PRINCE HENRY: OF THE RAIN-BOW by JOSEPH HALL

First Line: WAS EVER NIGHTLY RAIN-BOW SEEN?
Last Line: THOUGH CLOTHED IN A SVMMER WEED.
Subject(s): COURTS & COURTIERS; DEATH; NIGHT; RAINBOWS; SEASONS; TEARS; ROYAL COURT LIFE; ROYALTY; KINGS; QUEENS; DEAD, THE; BEDTIME;

Was euer nightly RAIN-BOVVE seene?
Did euer WINTER @3mourne@1 in @3greene?@1
Had that long @3Bowe@1 been bent by Day,
'T had chased all our @3Clouds@1 away:
But, now that it by Night appeares,
It tels the DELVGE of our @3Teares.@1
No maruell RAIN-BOVVES shine by Night,
When @3Suns@1 yer Noone do lose their light.
IRIS was wont to be, of old,
Heav'ns Messenger to Earthly mold;
And now Shee came to bring vs downe
Sad Newes of HENRY'S better Crowne.

And as the @3Easterne@1 STAR did tell
The @3Persian@1 Sages, of that Cell
Where SION's King was @3borne@1 and lay;
And ouer that same House did stay:
So did This @3Westerne@1 BOVVE descry
Where HENRY, Prince of Men, should @3die:@1
Lo there This ARCH of Heav'nly state
Rais'd to the TRIVMPH of his Fate;
Yet, rais'd in dark of Night, to showe
His @3Glory@1 should bee with our @3Woe.@1
And Now, for that mens @3Mourning@1 weed
Reports a Griefe not felt, indeed;
The WINTER weeps, and mournes in deed,
Though clothed in a SVMMER weed.



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