A very obscure enquiry but does anyone know what 'Arabian-Gummes' (as I read it) refers to in this 17th century church memorial in St Mary the Virgin, Whitchurch (Oxon)?
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It has a metaphysical feel, post Donne. I surmise “Arabian Gummes” are embalming agents here. So ‘honour’ is spread on the deathbed, not a physical, embalmed corpse(see first couplet). They are mixed in the common earth “this dust” (last line) and all what remains is memory of their deeds & virtue?
All I can find is that it's gum made from the Acacia tree, and I can't see how that applies to honour. I did find a poem that mentions them, which may be relevant, but I don't have any expertise in poetry/mythology etc
Isn't it a rejection of the decadence implied by having a bed scented with Arabian gummes and a celebration of honour instead? So not endorsing or celbrating the message of the poem.
Perhaps the Arabian-gumme is but a fleeting pleasure when compared to being honoured by life long love. Someone far more learned than me needs to chime in.
Intriguing. Sounds like a fruit pastille but am guessing not!?It’s lovely that
the wife is properly acknowledged here rather than described just as a ‘relict’ which was common then
Could this shed some light? ‘Humans have in fact used gum arabic for thousands of years; one of its earliest known uses was as an embalming agent in ancient Egypt.’ Also has medicinal and baking purposes https://www.britannica.com/technology/gum-arabic
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gum_arabic
https://allpoetry.com/Amyntor's-Grove,-His-Chloris,-Arigo,-And-Gratiana.-An-Elogie
the wife is properly acknowledged here rather than described just as a ‘relict’ which was common then
https://www.natureshakespeare.org/shakespeare-species/arabian-gum