MEMENTO MORI   outline of tombstone including emblems of Death which surrounds text  
AN ELEGY On the Death of Thomas Beddingfield Esq Who was Murdered by Mr. Thomas Barney, AT NORWICH, On Sunday the 20th. day of July, 1684.  
4. Aug. 1684  

THe Hearts of Men can never be at Ease,  
Till they with floods of Grief their Souls appease:  
For he who doth not this loved Man Bemoan,  
His Heart's composed of Adamantine-Stone:  

Yet all the Tears are offerred by your Eyes,  
And all the Griefs relenting Hearts comprise,  
Are due to him, as his just Obsequies.   
The Countries Darling, and Mankind's Delight,  
Is snacthed as on a sudden from our Sight.  
But Reader think he was prepared to Die,  
Whose Life was Virtue and Morality.  
Envy itself, could ne'er eclipse his Fame,  
His Life was Innocent and void of Blame:  
His business on the Earth was doing Good,  
And 'twas as customary as his Food.  
He was all Mildness and good Nature, he  
Was Exercised in works of Charity:  
The Scale of all his Actions were so even,  
He was too good for Earth, and's gone to Heaven.   

But for the Instrument of his sad End,  
The Blackest Angel does his Fate Attend;  
And so Impatient of Revenge is grown,  
He seems to lash the Lazy Minutes on:  
The Sword of Vengeance ready in his Hand,  
To Execute the Almighty's just Command.  
His Blood so Innocent, aloud does cry  
For Vengeance, and it's heard beyond the Sky.  
And a severe Repentance only can  
Make God acquit the Guilty for this Man.  
But for his present State, it needs must be  
Attended both with Shame and Misery:  
The greatest Advocate that now should Plead  
In the behalf of such a Cursed Deed,  
Acts o'er again a Murder on the Dead;  
And makes his horrid Wounds a fresh to Bleed.  
Were his Friends ne'er so Potent they must fail  
In the Address, and Justice must Prevail:  
Nor can his Blood 'ere wash away his Gild,  
Or make amends for that which he hath Spilt.    

LONDON, Printed by George Croom, at the Blue-Ball, over against Baynard's Castle, in Thames-street, 1684.