An Elegy on the much lamented Death of His Royal Highness, William, Duke of Cumberland

An Elegy on the much lamented Death of His Royal Highness, William, Duke of Cumberland, who died suddenly on Thursday, October 31, 1765, at his House on Grosvner-Square, in the 46th Year of his Age.

Britannia mourn! What dismal News we hear!
How fatal is the Tale to British Ear!
Great Cumberland grim Death has snacth'd away;
A Debt to Nature which all Princes pay.

O Death! why could thy Dart so cruel be,
That it could strike no other Man but He?
A Prince, by England, most rever'd, and lov'd;
His Royal Conduct was by All approv'd.
In mournful Strain to him our Voice we'll raise,
And Fame's loud Trumpet shall his Actions praise.

Even in his Youth, how affable, how kind,
How shining were his Sentiments of Mind!
A generous Friend, both to Rich and Poor,
No one went empty-handed from his Door;
Before he arrived unto his Twentieth Year,
His Praises were resounded Far and Near;
Taught Principles of Truth, his growing Fame,
Did soon acquire him a most glorious Name.

His Royal Father, seeing that his Son,
In warlike Feats, by None would be outdone;
He put the General's Staff into his Hand,
And of his Forces gave him chief Command;
A General brave, a Soldier's constant Friend,
By them is now lamented in his End.

These humble Lines their Sorrows cannot show,
The Veteran Soliders Eyes with Tears overflow;
The Cry goes round, 'Our Glorious William's dead;
And from his Body his dear Soul is fled;
A braver General never took the field,
For to his Enemies he ne'er would yield.

In Germany's fair plains, there Fame be sought;
And, like a Lion, with French Forces fought;
And tho' oe'r-power'd, by Numbers, every Day
HE never to the Enemy gave way;
But still with Honour to Great Britan's Cause,
He did defend it's Liberty and Laws;
A Scourge to France, and Enemy to Spain,
Unto this dying Breath he did remain;
The Pope and Popery he would cry down,
And fought the Battles of the British Crown;
The Cause of Protestants he did defend,
His Ear he always to Complaints would lend;
In Germany, when he commanded there,
He always of their Interest took great care.

When the Pretender into Scotland came,
How then did glorious William raise his Name;
He made their Caledonian Forces fly,
And gain'd a Fame that sure will never die;
The Rebel Clan were ne'er so trimm'd before,
Where Thousand Scots lay weltering in their Gore;
Culloden's Plains with Highland Blood did flow,
'Twas there our Hero did them overthrow;
And what our British Generals took in Hand,
T'was full compleated by great Cumberland.
He disconcerted all the Rebels Schemes
And made them soon forget their Golden Dreams;
Made Charley, and his Crew, to fly away,
And won the Vict'ry that important Day;
A Day most glorious, in Great Britan's Cause,
Which did protect this Country, and her Laws;
His glorious Name in Britain e'er will shine,
From earthly Stage he's gone to one divine.

FINIS.