Notes. This poem, accepted as the work of Ralegh, exists in many manuscript sources, and clearly contributed to the vogue for epitaphs on him. This self-penned epitaph is an adaptation of the last stanza of an earlier Ralegh poem, titled in one copy “S.W.R. On his Mistresse Serena” (Ralegh, Poems 112-14; Trevelyan 174, 546).

“Sir Walter Raleigh’s Epitaph on his owne death. Novemb: 1618”

Even such is tyme, which takes in trust

Our youth, our joyes, and all wee have.

And payes us but with age & dust,

Within the darke & silent grave:

When wee have wandred all our wayes,

Shuttes up the story of our dayes.

And from which death, & grave, & dust,

The Lord will rayse mee up I trust.

Source. Bodleian MS Rawl. Poet. 26, fol. 2r

Other known sources. Ralegh, Poems 80, 133; Ralegh, Prerogative 66; Trevelyan Papers 3.154; Bodleian MS Ashmole 230, fol. 343v; Bodleian MS Ashmole 1463, p. 13; Bodleian MS Don. c.54, fols. 3v, 11r; Bodleian MS Eng. Hist. c.272, p. 50; Bodleian MS Eng. Poet. c.50, fol. 31v; Bodleian MS Rawl. C. 986, fol. 15r; Bodleian MS Rawl. D. 383, fol. 140r; Bodleian MS Rawl. 859, fol. 85v; Bodleian MS Rawl. 1334, fol. 29v; Bodleian MS Rawl. Poet. 26, fol. 69v; Bodleian MS Rawl. Poet. 208, fol. 3r; Bodleian MS Tanner 82, fol. 244r; Bodleian MS Tanner 299, fol. 28v; BL Add. MS 10309, fol. 141r; BL Add. MS 18044, fol. 153v; BL Add. MS 30982, fols. 21v, 148v; BL Add. MS 43410, fol. 163v; BL Add. MS 52585, fol. 56v; BL Add. MS 73086, fol. 18r; BL MS Harley 1574, fol. 2r; BL MS Lans. 777, fol. 64r; BL MS Sloane 1842, fol. 117r; Doctor Williams’s Library MS Jones B.60, pp. 267, 282; NLS MS 2060, fol. 2r; NLW MS 5390D, p. 336; St. John’s MS S.32, fol. 34v; Folger MS V.a.418, fol. 4v; Houghton MS Eng. 628, p. 385; Rosenbach MS 1083/16, p. 109

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