Stanhope, James

In Latin: Sacred to the memory of the most noble JAMES, EARL STANHOPE, whom the magnificent diversity of his honours (by virtue of the multifarious excellence of his genius), step by step rendered illustrious. Reared from his earliest youth in a martial environment, he made his way, through an unbroken succession of commands, incurring no envy, to the very summit of military glory. Spain bears witness to his achievements as Commander in Chief, and affixed medallions utter a well earned eulogy. He gained no less fame in the management of civil affairs, sincere there was scarcely a single one of the more illustrious offices in which the fortune of his country did not exercise him, in which he did not distinguish himself as a faithful and wise benefactor of his country. As Secretary of State he was the author and perfector of most important alliances, and, as an upright Chancellor of the Exchequer, he maintained a scrupulously [delicatam] faithful guard over the public monies, together with a temperate [temperato] management of the interest thereof. In each House of Parliament outstanding in his gift for spirited oratory, he stimulated and fired the minds of his audience, while himself maintaining a tranquil and constant [constans] judgement amidst the burning ardour of his eloquence. While he was tempering these arts of war and peace with the sweetness [suavissimae] of his most humane [humanitate] character, and most elegantly [elegantissime] adorning with the pleasures of learning his times of respite from his affairs, an untimely death forbade that he should continue to be a blessing to his country (unless through the excellent hopes afforded by his surviving progeny). He died on 5 February 1720 in the 47th year of his age. [Translation courtesy of Westminster Abbey website, modified.]