Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1

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Rachell Huntley to John Winthrop

11 December 1619

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1620

Verses Made by Mr. Adam Winthropp to the Ladie Mildmay at the Byrth of Her Sonne Henery1

Winthrop, Adam (1548-1623) Mildmay, Amy

1620

Madam, I singe2 not like the swanne, that readye is to dye; But with the Phœnix I rejoyce, when she in fire doth frye. My soule doth praise the Lord and magnifie his name, For this sweete babe which in your wombe he did most finely frame. And on a blessed day hath made him to be borne, That with his giftes of heavenly grace his soule he might adorne. 242 God graunt him happie3 days in joye and peace to lyve, And more of this4 most blessed fruite hereafter to you give.5

Amen.

Verses to her sonne6

Ah me what doe I meane, to take my penne in hande, More meete it were my aged Muse should reste and silent stande.7 For pleasure take I none in music’s sweetest laies,8 Nor do delight, as I was wonte, in them to spend my daies.9 Yet when the joyfull newes did come unto my eare, That at this time a sonne was borne of you, my Ladie deare:10 My harte was filde with joye, my spirits revived all, And from my olde and barren brayne these verses rude did fall: Welcome sweete babe thou art unto thy parents deare, Whose hartes thou filled hast with joy, as well yt doth appeare. The day even of thy byrth, when light thou first didst see, Foresheweth that a joyfull life shall happen unto thee. For blessed is that daye and to be kept in mynde, On which our Saviour Jesus Christ was borne to save mankinde. Growe up therefore in grace, and feare his holie name, Who in thy mothers secreat wombe thy members all did frame; And gave to thee a soule thy bodie to susteyne, Which when this life shall ended be, in heaven with him shall reigne. Love him with all thy harte, and make thy parents gladd, As Samuell did, whom of the Lord his mother Anna had. God graunt that they may live, to see from thee to springe, Another like unto thyselfe who may more joy them11 bringe. And from all wicked wayes, that godles men do trace, Pray daylie that he will thee keepe by his most mightie grace. That when thy dayes shall ende in his appoynted tyme, Thou mayest yelde up a blessed soule defiled with noe cryme. 243 And to thy mother deere obedient be and kinde, Give eare unto her godlie12 words and print them in thy mynde. Thy father likewise13 love and willingly obey, That thou may’st long possesse those lands which he must leave one daye.

Finis

Eldest son of Sir Henry Mildmay and Amy (Gurdon) Mildmay, born December 25, 1619 (infra, p. 243), and married Mary Mildmay, a great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas Mildmay of Moulsham, co. Essex, and Lady Frances Radcliffe, daughter of Henry Radcliffe, second Earl of Sussex. Muskett, 47; D. N. B. , XLVII. 136; Visitations of Essex, I. 453. The lines are preserved, written in Adam Winthrop’s own hand in a miscellany of poetry of the time, now in the British Museum, MS. Harleian 1598, fos. II b–13, and were first printed in 3 Collections , x. 152–154. They appear also in L. and L. , I. 29–30, with the note: “An original draught has enabled us to make some corrections in these verses, which are written by their author in long lines, as here printed.” This original draft cannot now be found. We have therefore reprinted the text given in the L. and L. , noting the important variations in the Harleian copy, of which we have a photograph. The Harleian copy is written in short lines, arranged in four-line stanzas.

MS. Harleian ‘mourne.’

MS. Harleian ‘many happie.’

MS. Harleian ‘his.’

MS. Harleian ‘He unto you doe giue.’

Heading supplied from MS. Harleian.

MS. Harleian ‘More meete it were for me to rest And silent still to stande.’

MS. Harleian ‘In any worldlie thinge.’

MS. Harleian ‘But euermore methinks I heare My fatall bell to ringe.’

10.

MS. Harleian ‘That god had giuen to hir a sonne Who is my nephew deere.’

11.

MS. Harleian ‘then.’

12.

MS. Harleian ‘loveing.’

13.

MS. Harleian ‘alsoe.’