On My First Daughter

BEN JOHNSON 1572-1637

Here lies, to each her parents' ruth,

Mary, the daughter of their youth;

Yet all heaven's gifts being heaven's due,

It makes the father less to rue.

At six months' end she parted hence

With safety of her innocence;                                                .

Whose soul heaven's queen, whose name she bears,

In comfort of her mother's tears,

Hath placed amongst her virgin-train:

Where, while that severed doth remain,

This grave partakes the fleshly birth;

Which cover lightly, gentle earth!

Other Poems by Ben Johnson:

To the Reader'

Pray thee, take care, that tak'st my book in hand, To read it well: that is, to understand.

To Doctor Empirick

When men a dangerous disease did 'scape

Of old, they gave a cock to Aesculape;

Let me give two, that doubly am got free From my disease's danger, and from thee.