Notes. This poem is a direct, line-by-line response to the popular poem on John Felton, “Heere uninterr’d suspends (though not to save”, and is ascribed in the only known manuscript source to “H: Ch:” (probably Henry Cholmley). It is discussed by McRae (Literature 74-75).

Here uninterd suspends, (doubtles to save

hopefull, and freindles, th’expences of a grave

Feltons curst corps, which to the world must bee

I’ts owne fowle Monument his Elegie

wider then fame, which whether badd or good

Judge by himself, bee-smear’d in faultles blood,

For which his bodie is intombd i’th Aire

Shrowded in Clowds, blacke as his Sepulchere

Yet time is pleas’d; and thine partiall worme

Unbribd to Spare, this wretches wretched Urne

His fleshe which ever memorable Skyes

Enbalme, to teache us and Posterities

T’abhorre his fact: shall last till Harpies1 fowle

through Stix2 shall dragge, his Carkas to his sowle.

Source. BL Add. MS 15226, fol. 28r-v

Pii16

¹   Harpies: mythological winged female monsters. <back>

²   Stix: a river in the classical underworld; the reference here implies that Felton’s soul is in hell. <back>