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To applaud the Hero's toils, to paint his cares
His arduous laboures, and his num'rous fears
Scars, gain'd in Libertys distinguish'd causes
For pure religion, or for upright laws;
To brand the tyrant, stagmatize ye knave
To Glad the oppress'd revive the drooping sla[ve]
To Dash a blush over vice's specious face
T'expulse the coward or condemn the base
To fill with Merit's charms the trump of fame
Raise to the Skies each truly Gallant Name
Or ne'er, in sorrowing elegy to Mourn,
The Great the brave from our embraces torn
These are the muse's task's: Illustrious shade
Accept her homage to thy bravery paid.
Whilst patriot worth a British breast can warm
And well-tim'd valour has ye power to charm
Westcott stands foremost on the lists of fame
And Future ages shall revere his Name
Westcott, whose worth demands ye strongest play
Whose Death deserves the gratefull tear we pay
The truly brave whose scorning to debase
Himself, his country, or his noble Race
Shew'd what a firm, undaunted chief can do
And hurl'd destruction on his Country's foe
At length dire fate's unerring hand decreed
This Hero in the Glorious cause should bleed
And 'till the grisly tyrant stop'd his breath
With Gen'rous smiles he shew'd contempt of death
Conscious he'd acted all his Duty taught
And pleas'd resign'd his breath with that great thought
For warm'd with patriot zeal he nobly stood
Unconquered fought & seal'd it with is blood
Being that inspir'd by such example mov'd
Thus lost the friend we much esteem'd and lov'd
This lesson must it fix on every breast
An earthly mansion[']s not our place of rest
Geo: Ford Novr 8 1798 L
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