AN ELEGY In Commemoration of the Honourable Lieutenant-General TALMASH, Who Departed this Life at PLYMOƲTH on the 12th. of June, 1694. of a Mortal VVound received in his Thigh, in the Glorious Enterprize in Landing the English Forces at Camerett-Bay in France, &c.
Licensed, June 15. 1694.
SInce those that should attend this Noble Hearse,
And sigh out Numbers fit for mournful Verse,
Have not resorted to the Muses Spring,
From sad
Melpomonie those Wreaths to bring,
Of
Cyprus that should Crown in solemn State,
Death's hasty Conquest in untimely Fate;
In humble Strains inspir'd by Grief I come,
To offer an Oblation at his Tomb,
Whose
Loss Commands, our
Tears compels our Eyes
To brim themselves with Briny Elegies.
Pardon me then, you of the lofty strain,
That humble I presume, whilst you restain
To pay a Tribute due, and say, that Death
Sow'd Seeds of
Sorrow when he reap
[...]d this Breath,
From whence a Crop of growing Grief does-rise,
That most to Melancholly add supplies:
When Death his Shafts does level at the Great,
He minds us most of an Immortal state;
And gives large Prospect, that all things below
Are fading, and can no true Joys bestow;
That
Honour, Riches, Strength, and
Power must have
Declinings, till they drop into a Grave;
Imperial Death's impartial Hand does strike,
The Rich and Poor, and levels all alike.
His Kingdoms in the Dust, his Subjects there,
Know no distinction, but have equal share:
Yet Virtuous
Deeds too swift for
Death do fly,
They 'scape his shafts, and only cannot die;
They live till Time is lost and is no more,
And then they have Eternity in store.
So Noble
Talmash by his
Deeds shall live,
Fame brooks no Silence, but due Praise do's give;
His Courage
England will have e'er in Mind,
And France, proud France his Death most dear shall find
Shall rue the day that he his Breath resign'd,
His Bounty flow'd, and tenderly he ey'd
His Souldiers, and their frequent Wants supply'd;
And if in any thing, in that took Pride,
When he Battalions, or the Squadrons lead;
Joy brightn'd in each Face, and banish'd Dread,
None shrunk where e're he did the Legion Head;
His humble Carriage and his Curteous Meen,
Gain'd him where e're he came, a high Esteem.
Wisdom an Ample Seat in him did find,
To which was an undaunted Valour joyn'd,
Tho' Modest, and to serious Thoughts inclin'd,
Refin'd by Learning, pleasing was his Strain,
By which his Soldiers did Advantage gain;
Rarely the storm of Passion toss'd his Mind,
Tho' for the
Camp his Days were most design'd.
A Propping-Pillar of the
State he stood;
And if he glory'd, 'twas in doing Good.
From a long Race of Heroes he descends,
Which to our Nation's safety were true Friends,
And hazarded the utmost in its Cause,
Defending its Religion, and its Laws.
In worst of Times, brave
Talmash's Name was Great,
Help't stem the Torrent of an adverse Fate;
In all he Loyalty and Vertue show'd,
And paid what Noble Souls to Honour ow'd.
Fame in an everlasting scrowle has writ
H
[...]s Deathless Deeds, and Heaven has thought fit
They shall be obvious to each curious Eye,
Till Riveted to round Eternity.
The Loss is great, and does Mankind surprize,
But Earth must yield unto the Rival Skies,
Celestial Realms of Light the Blest above,
Now Triumph to infold him in their Love.
Then tho' some Tears must fall, lets not complain,
Since by our Loss he reaps so great a Gain.
But let us study to Live well, that we
From Cumbers of this Life by Death set free,
May mount like him, and ever happy be.
THE EPITAPH.
This Marble but contains the Noble Dust
Of
Talmash till the Resurrections Morn,
His better part remains among the Just,
Who, Heaven's bright Throne, with dazling Light adorn,
His Race thus run, the Prize he won at last,
Though we have lost by losing him, yet he,
The
Storms and
Tempests being over-past,
Has gain'd safe Harbour in Eternity.
Edinburgh, Re-printed in the Year, 1694.