Anthony Cooke 1576 epitaph

You learned men, and such as learning love,

Vouchsafe to read this rude unlearned verse;

For stones are doombe, and yet for mannes behove,

God lends them tongues sometymes for to rehearse

Such worth of words as worthiest wittes may pearse;

Yea stones oftymes, when bloode and bones be rott,

Do blase the brute which ells might be forgott:

And in that heap of carved stones doth lye

A worthy Knight, whose life, in learning shedd,

Did make his name to mounte above the skie.

With sacred skill unto a King he redd,

Whose towarde youth his famous praises spredde;

And he therefore to courtly life was called,

Who more desyred in study to be stalled.

Philosophy had taught his learned mynde

To stand content with contrye quyet lyie;

Wherein he dwelt as one that was assynde

To guard the same from sundry stormes of stryfe:

And yet when persecuting rage was ryfe,

His helping hand did never fail to stay

His country's staff, but help it up alway.

No highe advance, nor office of availe,

Could tempte his thoughts to row beyond his reache;

By broont of bookes he only did assayle

The forte of Fame, whereto he made his breach.

With tyre of trewthe, whiche God's goode wordc doth teache,

The wreathe he woore was dewe for his degree;

He neyther rose by riche rewarde nor fee;

And yet although he bare his sayles so lowe,

The gales of grace did speed his course so faste.

That in his lyfe he did righte well bestowe

His children, all before their pryme was paste.

And linckte them so as they be lyke to lasle.

What should I say, but only this in summe,

Beatus hic qui timet Domiuum?

That only skille, that learninge beares the belle,

And that of skill I thoughte (poor stone) to treate;

That such as lyke to use their learninge well,

Mighte reade theis lines, and therewith oft repeate

How here on earthe his gyfte from God is great,

Which can employ his learninge to the best;

So did this Knighte whiche here with me dothe reste.

Done