In Memory Of That Excellent Person Mrs. Mary Lloyd Of Bodidrist In Denbigh-shire, Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAAABBCCDDEEAAFFAAGG DDAAHHDDDDAAAADDAAIA AAIAAAAAJKAALMAAAAAA NNOPAABBAAJNAAQQRSAA TTTTAAUUVWTAAAAAAAXY AAZA2| I CANNOT hold for though to write were rude | A |
| Yet to be silent were Ingratitude | A |
| And Folly too for if Posterity | A |
| Should never hear of such a one as thee | A |
| And onely know this Age's brutish fame | B |
| They would think Vertue nothing but a Name | B |
| And though far abler Pens must her define | C |
| Yet her Adoption hath engaged mine | C |
| And I must own where Merit shines so clear | D |
| 'Tis hard to write but harder to forbear | D |
| Sprung from an ancient and an honour'd Stem | E |
| Who lent her lustre and she paid it them | E |
| Who still in great and noble things appeared | A |
| Whom all their Country lov'd and yet they feared | A |
| Match'd to another good and great as they | F |
| Who did their Country both oblige and sway | F |
| Behold herself who had without dispute | A |
| More then both Families could contribute | A |
| What early Beauty Grief and Age had broke | G |
| Her lovely Reliques and her Off spring spoke | G |
| She was by nature and her Parents care | D |
| A Woman long before most others are | D |
| But yet that antedated season she | A |
| Improv'd to Vertue not to Liberty | A |
| For she was still in either state of life | H |
| Meek as a Virgin Prudent as a Wife | H |
| And she well knew although so young and fair | D |
| Justly to mix Obedience Love and Care | D |
| Whil'st to her Children she did still appear | D |
| So wisely kind so tenderly severe | D |
| That they from her Rule and Example brought | A |
| A native Honour which she stampt and taught | A |
| Nor can a single Pen enough commend | A |
| So kind a Sister and so clear a Friend | A |
| A Wisdom from above did her secure | D |
| Which as 'twas peaceable was ever pure | D |
| And if well order'd Commonwealths must be | A |
| Patterns for every private Family | A |
| Her House rul'd by her hand and by her eye | I |
| Might be a Pattern for a Monarchy | A |
| Solomon's wisest Woman less could do | A |
| She built her house but this preserv'd hers too | A |
| She was so pious that when she did die | I |
| She scarce chang'd Place I'm sure not Company | A |
| Her Zeal was primitive and practick too | A |
| She did believe and pray and read and do | A |
| A firm and equal Soul she had engrost | A |
| Just ev'n to those that disoblig'd her most | A |
| She grew to love those wrongs she did receive | J |
| For giving her the power to Forgive | K |
| Her Alms I may admire but not relate | A |
| But her own works shall praise her in the gate | A |
| Her Life was checquer'd with afflictive years | L |
| And even her Comfort season'd in her Tears | M |
| Scarce for a Husband's loss her eyes were dried | A |
| And that loss by her Children half supplied | A |
| When Heav'n was pleas'd not these dear Propes' afford | A |
| But tore most off by sickness or by sword | A |
| She who in them could still their Father boast | A |
| Was a fresh Widow every Son she lost | A |
| Litigious hands did her of Right deprive | N |
| That after all 'twas Penance to survive | N |
| She still these Griefs hath nobly undergone | O |
| Which few support at all but better none | P |
| Such a submissive Greatness who can find | A |
| A tender Heart with so resolv'd a Mind | A |
| But she though sensible was still the same | B |
| Of a resigned Soul untainted Fame | B |
| Nor were her Vertues coarsly set for she | A |
| Out did Example in Civility | A |
| To bestow blessings to oblige relieve | J |
| Was all for which she could endure to live | N |
| She had a joy higher in doing good | A |
| Than they to whom the benefit accru'd | A |
| Though none of Honour had a quicker sense | Q |
| Never had Woman more of complacence | Q |
| Yet lost it not in empty forms but still | R |
| Her Nature noble was her Soul gentile | S |
| And as in Youth she did attract for she | A |
| The Verdure had without the Vanity | A |
| So she in Age was mild and grave to all | T |
| Was not morose but was majestical | T |
| Thus from all other Women she had skill | T |
| To draw their good but nothing of their ill | T |
| And since she knew the mad tumultuous World | A |
| Saw Crowns revers'd Temples to ruine hurl'd | A |
| She in Retirement chose to shine and burn | U |
| As a bright Lamp shut in some Roman Urn | U |
| At last when spent with sickness grief and age | V |
| Her Guardian Angel did her death presage | W |
| So that by strong impulse she chearfully | T |
| Dispensed blessings and went home to die | A |
| That so she might when to that place removed | A |
| Marry his Ashes whom she ever loved | A |
| She dy'd gain'd a reward and paid a debt | A |
| The Sun himself did never brighter set | A |
| Happy were they that knew her and her end | A |
| More happy they that did from her descend | A |
| A double blessing they may hope to have | X |
| One she convey'd to them and one she gave | Y |
| All that are hers are therefore sure to be | A |
| Blest by Inheritance and Legacy | A |
| A Royal Birth had less advantage been | Z |
| 'Tis more to die a Saint than live a Queen | A2 |
Katherine Philips
(1)
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