An Epitaph On Sr John Walter, Lord Cheife Baron by William Strode
Farewell Example, Living Rule farewell; Whose practise shew'd goodness was possible, Who reach'd the full outstretch'd perfection Of Man, of Lawyer, and of Christian.
Suppose a Man more streight than Reason is, Whose grounded Habit could not tread amisse Though Reason slepd; a Man who still esteem'd His wife his Bone; who still his children deem'd His Limbes and future Selfe; Servants trayn'd friends; Lov'd his Familiars for Themselves not ends: Soe wise and Provident that dayes orepast He ne're wish'd backe again; by whose forecast Time's Locke, Time's Baldness, Future Time were one, Since nought could mende nor marre one Action, That man was He.
Suppose an Advocate In whose all-conquering tong true right was Fate; That could not pleade among the grounded throng Wrong Causes right nor rightfull causes wrong, But made the burnish'd Truth to shine more bright Than could the witnesses or Act in sight. Who did soe breifely, soe perspicuously Untie the knots of darke perplexity That words appear'd like thoughts, and might derive To dull Eares Knowledge most Intuitive.
A Judge soe weigh'd that Freinde and one of Us Were heard like Titius and Sempronius. All Eare, no Eie, noe Hande; oft being par'd The Eies Affections and the Hands Reward. Whose Barre and Conscience were but two in Name, Sentence and Closet-Censure still the Same: That Advocate, that judge was He.
Suppose A sound and setled Christian, not like those That stande by fitts, but of that Sanctity As by Repentence might scarce better'd be: Whose Life was like his latest Houre, whose way Outwent the Journey's Ende where others stay: Who slighted not the Gospel for his Lawe, But lov'd the Church more than the Bench, and sawe That all his Righteousnes had yet neede fee One Advocate beyond himselfe. 'Twas He.
To this Good Man, Judge, Christian, now is given Faire Memory, noe Judgment, and blest Heaven.