Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. II. The Seventeenth Century: Ben Jonson to Dryden

Ben Jonson (1572–1637)

Epigrams: Epitaph on Elizabeth L. H.

WOULDST thou hear what man can say

In a little? Reader, stay.

Underneath this stone doth lie

As much beauty as could die:

Which in life did harbour give

To more virtue than doth live.

If at all she had a fault,

Leave it buried in this vault.

One name was ELIZABETH;

The other, let it sleep in death,

Fitter, where it died to tell,

Than that it lived at all.Farewell!