MEMENTO MORI  border with skull and crossbones and other emblems of Death 
AN ELEGY ON That Grand Example of Loyalty, Valour, and Conduct, Sir Edward Spragg. Unfortunately Drowned (after Incomparable proof of Heroic Gallantry) in the late ENGAGEMENT, WITH THE DUTCH. August the 11 th'. 1673.  
LONDON. Printed for Philip Brooksby at the Hospital-gate in West-Smit field 1673.    

AN ELEGY ON S it Edward Spragg.  
TO Scenes, where Death doth with most horror look,  
And Cowa●ds a●e by safety quite forsaken,  
Where Valour is most naked, and whe●e ha●ms  
Know no Resistance, nor defensive A●ms  
Where Heaven's Masked, and the Suns gli●'ri●g Rays  
Are Choked in Fogs, which Sulphurous Vapours ta●●e,  
My fluttering Muse, addressed her humble flight,  
Through the resembling shades of dolesome Night:  
Where meeting FAME, upon that path of way.  
With flagging Wings, I courted her short stay;  
Unto a lovely Bank we both retired,  
With expectation beyond patience fired:  
Whom with a Breast big as a Billow swelled  
To these sad Accents, I at length compiled.  
BRAVE SPRAGG IS GON●, (quoth she) which ha●i●g s●●d,  
Down dropped the Wreath which o'er his Valiant Head  
She long, as his just merit, hove●ing held:  
His Head, whose matchless Valour so excelled:  
Whose mighty deeds were Echoed heretofore,  
From Lybian Sands, to the Batavian Shore:  
His dreadful Name striking with equal fears,  
The Infidels of Holland, and Algiers:  
Those Barbarous Midland Rovers he made bow,  
As suddenly as with commanding Brow  
Old Neptune's wont to still the unruly Waves,  
And having Charmed at Bugia those Slaves:  
With full-blown Sails doth as in Triumph come,  
To Quell Mighty Usurpers nearer Home:  
Tell me Audacious Dutch, did ye ere know,  
An Earthquake shake your Quagmire before now:  
Like to his fatal strokes, or that dire Thunder,  
That made of late your Hogan Mogans wonder.  
And think the dreadful day of Doom was come,  
When Thetys' opened her too too loving Womb:  
To Receive this her dear and best bred Son:  
 half the wonders of his days were done;  
'Twas kind, yet at that Kindness we must weep,  
To make her Darling, in her bosom sleep,  
But Narrow-Seas, hold not him, whose great mind  
Was like the spreading Ocean, unconfined:  
For the loud Thunder of his Cannons Roar,  
Wakened his Fate, and made him rise once more.  
So great a Soul could not but Conqueror die,  
And when he fall, bequeath us VICTORY.  
How wilt thou, Fate! Excuse this great mistake,  
That thou dost still thy vow with merit Break?  
Did Clouds of Smoke so darken thy dim Eye,  
That for D' Ruyter Valiant Spragg must die:  
Shouldst thou now offer Him it were but Vain.  
And still there's cause against thee to complain:  
But let us not Eclipse so brave a Fate,  
By whining Language, rather Celebrate:  
Sprage's Glorious fall, whose valour being Tried  
To a full Height in, Honours Be● he Died:  
If Advocates gain Honour in a Cause,  
Of paltry Trespass 〈…〉 the Common Laws:  
What merits He 〈◊〉 pleads with dint of Sword,  
And Dares be Killed, or Kill at every word;  
By whose success or Kingdom's 〈◊〉 or stand  
The Fate of Empire's 〈◊〉 on his Hand:  
Such, such, was Valiant Spragg, wh●se Fate being heard,  
A general sadness through the Fleet appea●'d:  
The Loving Seamen grown de●●●…ct●●, ●ore  
The Tattered Bits of Sails and did deplore:  
More than their wounds, His 〈◊〉 Lamented Death,  
Whilst their Eyes Bled, and Brea●●● 〈◊〉 sighs want Breath,  
Amongst whom, one less tongue tied than the Rest,  
Thus passionately his kind Respects Expressed:  
" Thus far we are beholding to that Wave,  
" which gives the Earth, the honour of his Grave,  
" And since salt Waters did his life surprise,  
" we'll leave no moisture in our Briny Eyes:  
" Though his Loved Life, our Prayers could not save:  
" we'll make with Tears an Island of his Grave.  
S. W.  
FINIS.