Wednesday, November 11, 2009

101 Ways, Part 110: Vanquished the World and Relinquished It

For a brief intro to the "101 Ways to Say 'Died'" series, click here.

d. 1697
Salem, MA

Simon Bradstreet's tomb in Salem bears a copper plaque erected in 1917 to replace the inscription that was wearing away. I have not preserved the capitalization from the plaque because I'm not sure that it is original to the inscription. Also, it's annoying to type 200 words in all caps. I have formatted the epitaph in a way that makes sense to me.

Simon Bradstreet, Esquire
In the Senate of the Massachusetts Colony
from the year 1630 to the year 1673,
then Lieutenant Governor to the year 1679,
and at last, until the year 1686,
Governor of the same Colony
by the general and determined vote of the people.
He was a man endowed with keen judgment
whom neither threats nor honors could sway.
He weighed the authority of the King
and the Liberty of the People
in even scales.
In Religion devout and upright in his ways,
he vanquished the world and relinquished it
on the XXVIIth day of March
in the year of our Lord MDCXCVII,
and in the IXth year of King William Third,
and of his life the XCIVth.

1 comment:

Robert J. said...

(At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month)

It's interesting to contrast how old Simon was described in that official record of his life with how Anne Bradstreet described him:

TO MY DEAR AND LOVING HUSBAND

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee, give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let's so persevere
That when we live no more, we may live ever.