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Stedman and Hutchinson, comps. A Library of American Literature:
An Anthology in Eleven Volumes. 1891.
Vols. IX–XI: Literature of the Republic, Part IV., 1861–1889

An Epitaph for Sara and Roland Cotton

By John Cotton (1585–1652)

FAREWELL, dear daughter Sara, now thou ’rt gone,

(Whither thou much desirest) to thine home;

“Pray, my dear father, let me now go home!”

Were the last words thou spak’st to me alone.

Go then, sweet Sara, take thy sabbath rest,

With thy great Lord, and all in heaven blest.

OUR eldest daughter, and our youngest son,

Within nine days, both have their full race run.

On th’ twentieth of th’ eleventh, died she,

And on the twenty-ninth day died he.

Both in their lives were lovely and united,

And in their deaths they were not much divided.

Christ gave them both, and he takes both again

To live with him; blest be his holy name.

“SUFFER,” saith Christ, “your little ones,

To come forth, me unto,

For of such ones my kingdom is,

Of grace and glory too.”

We do not only suffer them

But offer them to thee;

Now, blessed Lord, let us believe.

Accepted, that they be:

That thou hast took them in thine arms,

And on them put thine hand,

And blessed them with sight of thee,

Wherein our blessings stand.