Newes from the Dead/On the Death and Life of Anne Greene
On the Death and Life of Anne Greene.
WHat Cable-thread twin'd thee thy happy fate,
That it out-lasts thy own lifes destin'd date?
Was thy Harmonious Soule strung so-so well,
As break it could not, stretcht to a Miracle?
Did'st thou indent with Rigid Atropos
To los't a while, and then to quit the Losse?
As cast-off Habits, when hang'd by a space,
Regaine their Fashion and their pristine grace.
Loe here's lifes Gemini, two lifes in one!
Or th' same in'ts Tropicall Reversion!
Time after Stylo novo inchoated!
From the first Sun a Parely created!
A strange Appendix after Finis sixt,
Or Funis rather: Death and Life co-mixt!
A Posthume Act after Catastrophe!
Or Antedating of the Latter day!
Death's Puzler! Selfe-surviver! thy strange fate:
Do's contradictions Legimate.
Entwisted Miracles constellate here,
And complicated Wonders Co-insphere.
Thy uncouth Paradox Resuscitation
Tempts to beleeve, that from a pure Privation.
Nature's propension signe's a free Regresse
To pristine Habit; tempts even to confesse
Plurality of Soules in One, since Thou
Can'st prodigally one to Death allow,
Another keep thy selfe; whilst both maintaine
Castor and Pollux-like alternate Reigne.
That Belgian Headsman, whose rare artfull hand
Could slice off heads, and they yet seem to stand,
Had he thee Execut'd, had sham'd his skill,
When finding thee not dead, but living still.
Perillu's Torturing Engin had but bin
A Very Bull, had'st thou first entred in.
Their Law would have some plea, were it to thee,
Who first the Malefactor Hang, then see
Whe're 'twere a just and equitable Cause,
Whether not consonant unto the Lawes.
Strange Sophister! that grant'st to Destiny
The Premises, Conclusion do'st deny;
Dar'st yeeld to Suffer Death, but not to Dye.