J. BERKENHEAD.

To the memorie of Master FLETCHER.

There’s nothing gained by being witty:  Fame
Gathers but winde to blather up a name. 
Orpheus must leave his lyre, or if it be
In heav’n, ’tis there a signe, no harmony,
And stones, that follow’d him, may now become
Now stones againe, and serve him for his Tomb. 
The Theban Linus, that was ably skil’d
In Muse and Musicke, was by Phoebus kill’d,
Though Phoebus did beget him:  sure his Art
Had merited his balsame, not his dart. 

    But here Apollo’s jealousie is seene,

The god of Physicks troubled with the spleene;
Like timerous Kings he puts a period
To high grown parts lest he should be no God. 

    Hence those great Master-wits of Greece that gave

Life to the world, could not avoid a grave. 
Hence the inspired Prophets of old Rome
Too great for earth fled to Elizium.

    But the same Ostracisme benighted one,

To whom all these were but illusion;
It tooke our FLETCHER hence, Fletcher, whose wit
Was not an accident to th’ soule, but It;
Onely diffused. (Thus wee the same Sun call,
Moving it’h Sphaere, and shining on a wall.)
Wit, so high placed at first, it could not climbe,
Wit, that ne’re grew, but only show’d by time. 
No fier-worke of sacke, no seldome show’n
Poeticke rage, but still in motion: 
And with far more then Sphericke excellence
It mov’d, for ’twas its owns Intelligence. 
And yet so obvious to sense, so plaine,
You’d scarcely thinke’t allyd unto the braine:
So sweete, it gained more ground upon the Stage
Then Johnson with his selfe-admiring rage
Ere lost:  and then so naturally it fell,
That fooles would think, that they could doe as well. 

    This is our losse:  yet spight of Phoebus, we

Will keepe our FLETCHER, for his wit is He.

EDW.  POWELL.

Upon the ever to be admired Mr. JOHN FLETCHER and His PLAYES.

What’s all this preparation for? or why
Such suddain Triumphs? FLETCHER the people cry! 
Just so, when Kings approach, our Conduits run
Claret, as here the spouts flow Helicon;
See, every sprightfull Muse dressed trim and gay
Strews hearts and scatters roses in his way.