Christopher Marlowe’s elegy to Sir Roger Manwood On The Death of a Most Distinguished Man, Sir Roger Manwood, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer was written following Manwood’s death in 1592.
The elegy which Christopher Marlowe writes upon Sir Roger Manwood’s death demonstrates not only his respect, but also his admiration for gentleman. Marlowe calls Manwood “a Hercules, son of Jove, and a bird of prey.” He tells the sons of wickedness to rejoice for Manwood, “the light of officialdom, the glory of the worshipful law” because he is dead. He was a virtuous man and with a glance he held “thunderstruck so many thousands of mortals.” Marlowe suggesting that Manwood was godly in his virtue and judgement and therefore well respected. In the closing line Marlowe asks that Manwood’s bones rest happily and that his fame live on past the mourners.