thousand solde then is deserued And yet abiding belowe to be renowned That thy workes staying here amongst men God may thereby be glorified who is in heauen amidst his Angels Good workes here outwardly performed declare and shew forth Gods great graces wherewith his Saints on earth are from heauen inwardly beautified Euery good worke of theirs swéetly spiced with faith abiding with the distressed members of afflicted Iesus beeing as a comfortable ball of Balme vnto them but ascending vp vnto God comes to be in his Nostrills the very odour that smelleth swéet It were to be wished that his good minde might be a motiue to men of greater Reuenues and abilitie to imitate the like déedes of charitie and that the saying of Ierom verified in his daies touching the pietie of people may not be alluded to our Time Parsinebecillior vincit robustiorem The weaker part doth ouertop the stronger Meaning in relieuing the poore and yéelding succour to the distressed Of 13. aged men to whom he giues yearely 20. nobles a peece and at the end of euery three yeare to each man a gowne WHat the Monuments are of his bountie and liberalitie the tongues and prayers of poore and aged men doe iestâ—fie whereby there are some of them almost become infants againe doe declare and the meate in their mouthes and cloathes to their backes doe actually testifie vnto the eye that which their words doe openly giue testimonie of vnto the eare They that before had taken vp this Lamentation We are aged succourles fallen into distresse and miserie may now cease their dolorous complaynings and for the comfort they receiue by their bountifull Benefactor they may turne it into this swéeter songe of ioy Loe It is not with vs as it hath béene We that were afflicted are now comforted our heauenly father hath cast a louing looke vpon vs and hath sent vs a second father better then our first father vnto vs. Oh what greatnes is this vera magnitudo Euen very greatnes indéed Tueri infirmos Thus to defend the weakest Thus to maintaine the poorest This is the very ablenâ—s and the most true power a man can haue giuen of God Eos defendere qui nihil possunt To defend them from the rigour of distresse extreamitie who are least able to resist necessitie Oh goodnes truely good surely great in him Benefacere sine merito remunerationis abâ—que spe omni 〈◊〉 ributionis To doe good yea and so much good without all desert of theirs that might call for reward at his hands or without hope of his to receiue recompence at theirs But his hearts loue to God which being true loue is the very desire delight in doing his commandements constrained and vrged him oh blessed constraint happie violence to doe all the good he hath done This vertuous man knowing these poore aged and impotent men to be least able to helpe themselues dealt with them as Iacob did with Ephraim of whom we read thus That when Ioseph had set his two sonnes Manassah and Epâ—raim the elder on his right hand and the younger on his left for his father to lay his right-hand on the head of the elder and giue him the principall blessing Iacob beyond the expectation of Ioseph crossed his Armes laying his right hand on the younger and his left hand on the elder being led thereunto by a foresight of things to come that was cléerer and better then was his insight into any thing present So this most godly father being presented by the world both with rich and poore The rich at the right hand euen his able friends and kindred and the poore at the left euen aged persons and impotent widowes he beyond the expectation because beside the custome of the world crossed his armes as it were of abilitie laying his right hand of bounteous liberalitie on the poore and giuing them his principall blessing But his left hand of gratuitie on his well able kindred and friends the foresight of his Soule illuminated by diuine inspiration being cléerer to behold future things then were the eyes of his humane reason to behold things present Beholding euen for the very present this honorable title Pater pauperum miserorum adiutor The father of the poore and the helper of men miserable Engrauen on Gods fatherly helping hands as well as Dominus Dominantium Rex Râ—gum The Lord of Lords and King of Kings engrauen on his powerfull thigh And beholding also for the which is to come The day of the Lord called Magnus ille dies That great day And the Lord himselfe at that day pronouncing the sentence of his IudgemeÌ„t on all according to their works of mercie or obduracie towards his poore distressed meÌ„bers giuing or denying them the ioyes of heauen as they haue giuen or denyed the comforts of this earth vnto the indigent and néedie Taking all good or euill as done vnto himselfe Thus he hauing shewed his bountie and charitable Liberalitie vnto his impotent and aged creatures Wormes and no men euen the children of men that are but Wormes They to cléere themselues of vnthankfulnes towardes their good God for him doe acknowledge his wonderfull rich gift and worthy Talent which he gaue in his life time into the hands of his Companie to endure for euer Namely to each of them being 13. in number the yéerly pension of sixe pounds thirtéene shillings and foure pence and to euery one of them a seuerall Gowne at euery thrée yeeres ende Bringing not onely meanes to maintaine their bodies by the staffe of his Bread but their Loynes also as Iob speaketh to be warmed with the Fleeces of his Sheepe Of his Charitie to threescore poore Widowes in the Parish of Saint Buttolphes without Algate and to sixe men who haue euerie three yeeres seuerall Cloakes and foure Nobles a â—eere for euer AMongst many others whome hee hath relieued let it not be forgotten what he hath done to pâ—â—re distressed wiâ—owes who hauing receiued an Annuall portion froÌ„ this their godly Benefactor doe continue their thankfulnes in that remembrance Their néede sucâ—oured cryeth euery houre in their hearts to put them in minde of their dutie and their reliefe vrgeth them not to be vnthankfull for so great a benâ—fite They from whome God had taken the helpe of their Husbandes being left in care and sorrowe for their losse and in distresse for want of maintenance were often enforced with teares to lament their miserable estate forsaken of Friends and through pouertie despised of kinred They had no abilitie to helpe themselues olde age denied theÌ„ strength of body to labour for their liuing In this extremitie they were comfortles sauing in the hope they had of Heauen and Celestiall ioyes ofteÌ„ wishing it would please God by ending their liues to giue end to their miseries But as the Lorde neuer forsaketh such as trust in him So in his good time he prouided meanes for their succour styrring vppe
the lockes of the prison doores and made the bolts flie open by his bountie They whose debters made them captiues and cast them into loathsome prison where the bordes were their beds where the prospect was but I congrate and the swéetest ayre infectious smell at length by his meanes found ease of their extremities Oh that hard hearted people would be but moued as this good man was to enter into a charitable consideration of the extremitie of Prisons and the distressed estate of Prisoners They heare nothing there but mones nor haue sight of any other thing but miserie Their smiles choakt with sighes and their mixth ouercome with morning carefull complaints are their communication Oppression and extreame dealing is the tale they tell of and euery one knowes better how to declare his griefe then which way to redresse it Fraude deceit and faithles friends bring most men in and hardnes of heart crueltie and lacke of mercie kéepe them there where many moneths together they feede on the bread of affliction and drinke the water of sorrow Let no man speake of extremitie that hath not knowne Captiuitie nor brag of friendship friends till he haue béene bolted in prison This is the fire that purgeth the gold from the drosse and the touchstone to trie a faithfull friend from a fawning flatterer There dwelles the melancholy Muses of sad petitions who like Briarius with an hundred eyes write swiftly but the messengers that carrie them may be fitly compared to leaden héeld Saturnus that finishes his course but once in thirtie yeares Thus the poore mans thoughts which runne as swift as Pegasus expecting an answere doe in vaine make a thousand long lookes out of the yron grate to sée the backe returne of this slow worme At which time it often comes to passe that his hopes are vtterly frustrate Then sends he for his brethren and they looke big for his kindred and they will not know him for his friends and they will not come at him but with coy lookes and scornefull termes they all forsake him and no man pitties his afflictions Flintie hearted Creditors haue threatened to make dice of poore mens bâ—nâ—s but they would be paide and the while their poore wiues and succourles children haue béene readie to starue at home But in the middest of all this miserie when hope of helpe hath béene past and nothing lookt for but continuall calamitie Then hath the Lord by his seruant sent helpe as he did to Danieâ— in the Lyons denne and to Peter being in prison This elect seruant did not onely like Abacuck feede the hungrie Captiue but like the blessed Angell of God he hath also taken by the hand and brought forth the poore and miserable Prisoner paid his debt and set him free Hereby they haue enioyed the sweete blessing of libertie and béene cleered of that crueltie which they were lately before afflicted with God increase the number of such charitable men and soften the flintie hearts of cruell oppressors Before whose eyes this worthie man hath set an euerlasting president Aswell to be continued in these places for euer As by his godly gift at Easter last being but three weekes before his decease who gaue to each of the prisons afore named 50. pound a peece to be disposed of either to the poore prisoners reliefe or enlargement Of his Charitie to poore young beginners of the Company of Marchanttaylours AS he was generally well disposed towards all So was he especially vnto the company Into which he was worthily incorporate And in his many good déedes towards them as in a Christall glasse you may behold his godly care to poore young people of that Societie who not forgetting such as haue béene newly made frée haue béene beginning to trade in their professions to helpe them forward in the world making them goe y e were scarce able to créepe and to further them in so laudable an action hath also stretched forth his bountifull hand towards their reliefe Those who in their beginnings haue not beene able to ensconce themselues against pouertie resting in the feare of GOD on his prouidence for their preferment his heart hath the Lorde stirred vp to helpe and to regard their want and relieue their necessities Hee like a kinde Father hath prouided portions for them and hath not let them passe into the worlde without some gifts from his bountifull hand that they might thereby either the better profite themselues or otherwise prouide for their necessarie imployements Following the example of CHRIST at the marriage of Canaan where séeing their néede hee shewed his first myracle by turning water into Wine That gifte is small that doeth no good and the good will very slender that deserues no thankes As the young Damsells and Maydens of Ierusalem sung the praises of King Dauid for his déedes So may the Young-men of this companie sing in the commendations of this good mans Charitie For by his meanes haue their Preferments beene furthered and their weake estates and conditions often raised And as it was saide to the Gouernour of the Feast Thou hast kept the best Wine till nowe So may these young beginners say The best gifte came not till now For which benefite they are to yéelde vnto GOD due thankes and continuall glorie Of his bountie to the Prisoners of New-gate and his prouision for the Tolling of the Bell at S. Sepulchers for condemn'd persons which gifte is to continue for euer SEeing the Prayers teares of the needy doe pearce the Heauens and that Iosephs afflictions are regarded of GOD why should I not set downe these poore mens miseries magnifie Gods mercies which doe comfort them in the same The wretched and Forlorne men forsaken of the world and despised of the multitude who with hungrie bellies haue bene cast into Prison without either money or Friendes to helpe them haue not bene left destitute in their extremities but prouided for beyond deserts or expectation Among many Faithfull seruants of CHRIST pittying the Poore they haue not beene least bounde to this their godlie Benefactor for their reliefe who hath bountifully fedde CHRIST in his Members His chéerefulnes in giuing hath from time to time made well knowne that hee was beloued of GOD who loueth a chéerefull giuer The Haruest of his happines shall be most plentifull because hee hath not sowne his séede sparingly but hath beene made rich vnto all Liberalitie which hath caused in many poore people a continuall thanksgiuing vnto the ALMIGHTIE Oh happie man Oh Heauenly Doue so may we call him and so shall hee finde taking part in the first Resurrection For Blessed are they that consider the poore and needie the Lorde shall deliuer them in the day of Trouble He fedde these men in Prison and gaue them câ—mfort in their deepest distresse But the Lord shall deliuer him out of the Iawes of Hell and his soule shall be filled with gladnes Ahasuerus Feasted the Princes of Persia and had much praise of
being but once past cannot be call'd againe for all thou hast Of his charitie to the citie of Bristow and a relation of some other his seuerall bounties BEsides many other places that can yéeld a plentifull testimonie for him in his behalfe and make a condigne Relation of his good workes we may not here forget the religious care and prouident order which he tooke in his life time for the reliefe and succour of the poore people of Bristowe Who hearing that the same citie was fallen into some decay and pouertie out of a féeling remorse and charitable inclination he had to yeeld helpe to their deiections fréely bestowed vpon the same citie the summe of one hundreth pounds As his bountie was great towards this Citie so were his hands euery where reached out to the necessities of all sortes Yea such was his charitie that if he had seene poore men addicted to labour he would set them on worke and cause them to be imployed to their better furtherance and encouragement If he heard that any of his poore neighbours were decrepit or destitute of meanes to follow their professions he would supply their needes in one condition or other and not faile by his money to make way for their good intentions Wherein he dealt no worse with them then a Reuerend father dealt with a poore kinsman of his who being solicited to aduance him And he thereuppon inquiring what course of life he followed and receiuing answere that he was an Husbandman Why then quoth he if his plough be broken I will repaire it or rather then faile bestow a new one vpon him whereby he may goe on in his course of life But so to aduance him as to make him idle or to forsake his trade or condition in which he was brought vp that I meane not to doe He was milde and gentle to all and his purse euer open to such as were petitioners vnto him for his reliefe so as he might iustly be compared to Titus Qui neminem vnquà m à se tristem dimisit Such as were sutors vnto him for succour did not at any time depart from him without contentment he dismissed no man sorrowfull for lacke of successe nor sent any man from his presence full of griefe or sadnes for want of his helping hand to giue ease and enlargement to their heauines As he was deuoutly carefull to relieue both aged and impotent old men so was he alwaies religiously mindefull as is aforesaid of the wel tuturing and good education of poore and indigent schollers following the example of a godly Patron who estéemed Hospitale adsubleuandam pauper tatem Scholam ad instruendam inuentutem esse optima opera quae aliquis potuit efficere That an Hospitall to sustaine the poore and a Schoole to traine vp youth were the worthiest works that a man could leaue behinde him Insomuch as led by these motiues hée left to the benefite of Posteritie an euerlasting memorie of his Saint-like minde in these behalfes Allowing sixtéene pounds a yeere for euer to Christs-Hospitall in London to be imployed towards the vse and maintenance of a Schoolemaister to traine vp and instruct tenne young Schollers in the knowledge and learning of Musicke and Pricksong Eightéene pounds a yéere to be continued for euer for the Examination Approbation of certaine Schollers yeerely out of the Frée-schoole of the Companie of Marchant taylors in London Twenty pounds a yéere for euer To the Prisons of Ludgate Newgate the two Counters And certaine Fées and Allowances to the Officers of Marchant-tailors-Hall to remaine to perpetuitie to sée these things duely obserued according to the purpose of his charitable and religious intention All which he performed with such Alacritie that it may bee saide of him Merces eius copiosae est in Coelis His reward is very great in the Kingdome of Heauen In the sight of God hee enioyeth the fulnes of all Felicitie which neither eye hath séene nor eare heard nor mans heart atchieued For Resurrectio immortalitatis pullulat foecundius cùm in pauperum auxilio seritur The Resurrection of immortalitie springs more fertillie when it is sowne in helpe of the distressed and needie And he liuing and dying no doubt a chosen and beloued seruant of God and one who as it may be truely said of him had deuoutly consecrated both his whole life to God and his carefull endeuours to the reliefe of the poore After hee had performed his Oblations of Prayer and Thanks-giuing to God as Abraham of whome he was a true Sonne yéelded vp the Spirit and died in a good Age an olde man and of great yéeres Committing his bodie which was but lately the mansion of a most excellent Soule vnto his graue where it rests in assured expectation of a glorious resurrection The manner of his Departure out of this World and his desire to bee with God IN all his sicknes which was not long by reason of the weaknes and disabilitie of his bodie being fourescore and fiftéene yeeres olde hee neuer shewed signe of discontentment or impatience neither was there one word heard come forth of his mouth sounding either of dispaire or infideliitie of mistrust or distrust or of any doubting or wauering in the Faith of Christ but alwayes remained faithfull and resolute in his God and so desirous was he to be with the Lord that these golden Sentences were neuer out of his mouth I desire to be dissolued and to bee with Christ And oh miserable wretch that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie subiect to sinne Come quickly Lord Iesus Come quickly Like as the Hart desireth the Water-springs So doth my Soule thirst after thee Oh God I had rather bee a Doore-keeper in the House of my GOD then to dwell in the Tentes of the wicked With manie other Heauenly spéeches which least I should séeme tedious I will omit Hee would alwayes pray absolutely that God would take him out of this miserable Worlde And wheÌ„ his Kinred or Friends would séeme to pray for his health if it were the will of God He would answere I beseech you pray not that I should liue For I thinke it long to bee with my God CHRIST is to me Life Death is to me aduantage Yea the day of death is the birth day of euerlasting life and I cannot enter into Life but by Death Therefore Death is the dore or Entrance into Euerlasting life to mee I know and am certainly perswaded by the Spirit of God that the Sentence is giuen alreadie by the great Iudge in the High Court of Parliament of Heauen that I shall now depart out of this life and therefore pray nâ—t for mee that I may liue here but pray to God to giue me strength and Patience to perseuere to the end and to close mine eyes in a Iustifying Faith in the Blood of my CHRIST With that he saide I thanke my GOD through IESVS CHRIST Hee is come Hee is come my good Iaylour is come to let my soule out of prison Oh sweete Death thou art welcome welcome sweete death Neuer was there any Guest so welcome to mee as thou art Welcome the messenger of euerlasting life Welcome the dore and entrance into euerlasting glorie Welcome I say and thrice welcome My good Iaylour doe thine office quickly and set my soule at libertie Strike sweete Death strike my heart I feare not thy stroke Now it is done Father into thy blessed hands I commend my Spirite Into thy blessed handes I commend my Soule and my bodie At which wordes his breath stayed and so neither moouing hand nor foote he slept swéetly in the Lorde The second day of May. Anno. 1612. Thus haue you heard the vertuous life and Christian death of M. Doue whose many deedes of Charitie are more acceptable to God and more memorable to men in that they were done in his life time God stirre vp the hearts of Rich and Able men to follow his steppes and giue them grace to imitate his good example That they may come to those vnspeakable Ioyes wherein hee now resteth through Christ our Lorde FINIS 〈◊〉 3. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 men Acts. 10. Phil. 4.18 Gen. 48. Reu. 19.16 Psal. 22.6 Iob. 25.6 Chap. 31. 20