Embassy to the Throne of England, ever made his Publick Entry to the Court, with half that Honour, as the Corps of the Great Dryden did its last Exit to the Grave. In this order the Nobility and Gentry, attended the Hearse to Westminster-Abby, where the Quire, assisted with the best Masters in England, Sung an Epicedium; and the last Funeral Rites being performed by one of the Prebends, he was as Honourably inter’d between Chaucer and Cowley: Where, according to Report, will be Erected a very Stately Monument, at the Expense of some of the Nobility, in order to Recommend his Worth, and Preserve his Memory, to all succeeding Ages.
The Cause of his Death being very remarkable, it will not be improper in this place to take Notice of it, as a means to put the World in mind of what slender Accidents are sufficient to change the State of Man, and hurry him into the Darksome where of Eternity. The occasion of his Sickness was a Lameness in one of his Feet, springing from so Trivial a Cause as the Flesh growing over one of his Toe-Nails, which being neglected begot a Soreness, and brought an Inflammation in his Toe; and being a Man of a gross Body, a Flux of Humours falling into the part, made it very Troublesome, that he was forced to put himself into the Hands of an able Surgeon, who foreseeing the danger of a Mortification, advised him to part with the Toe affected, as the best means to prevent the ill consequence likely to ensue; which he refused to consent to, believing a Cure might be effected by less severe Means than the loss of a Member, till at last his whole Leg Gangreen’d which was presently follow’d by a Mortification, so that nothing remain’d to prevent Death, but an Amputation of the Member thus Putrified; which he refused to consent to, saying, He was an Old Man and had not long to Live by Course of Nature, and, therefore, did not care to fart with one Limb, at
suchsuch an Age, to preserve an Uncomfortable Life in the rest; and, therefore, chose rather to submit to Death, which in a little time after, according to the foresight of his Surgeons and Physicians, did unhappily happen. Having thus given the Reader the manner of his Death, as well as the order of his Funeral, I could not with-hold my Muse from presuming to attempt an Elegy, or Funeral Song in respect to the Memory of so Worthy an Author, whose Name and Works will out-live Time, and stand up with Eternity.