Youths Warning-peice.
In a true Relation of the woefull Death of William Rogers of
Cranbroke in Kent an Apothecary, who refusing all good counsell, and fol-
lowing lewd company, dyed miserably since Christmas last. 1635.
To the Tune of Doctor Faustus.
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WHat mournefull ditty, or lamenting verse
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Shall I compose this subject to rehearse?
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It being indeed most dolefull to declare,
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Doth wish all youth in time for to beware.
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If it was feigned, or not true indeed,
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It should not in men so much dolour breed:
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Or had it beene some fable or old thing,
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It might have past without much sorrowing.
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But it is true, and too too lately knowne
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Twas done, not farre from hence, and cleerely showne
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By men, whose credits are wel knowne ith City,
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Come then, and listen to my dolefull ditty.
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Thus I begin, Will. Rogers was his name,
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His Parents and his Kindred of good fame:
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These gave him education, and good Arts,
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By which he was endued with able parts.
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He an Apothecary was by Trade,
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By which it doth appeare he Learning had:
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For none can know the mysteries of that Art,
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Without some knowledge, or some good desert.
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Moreover, he in Chyrurgery had skill,
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And practisd it with successe, & goodwill
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Of many grieved Patients whom he curd
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Of their corrupted soares which they endurd.
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His carriage was most milde and temperate,
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By which he love and estimation gat:
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He did not take any excessive gaines,
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But often gave the poore his time and paines.
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His practice brought him into favour great,
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And caused him some meanes to gaine and get,
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So that he did receive two hundred pound
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By each yeeres practice, as it cleere was found.
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His civill Education did impart
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The knowledge of Religion to his heart,
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Whereby he able was account to give,
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How he in Christ by faith alone did live.
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All these were hopefull blossomes in a youth,
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That in their season might good fruits have provd,
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And causd him to have lived in good fame,
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And dyed in the credit of his house and name.
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But see of this mans life the fatall change,
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When in the world he did begin to range:
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For presently all gooodesse was forgot,
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His latter course was to his first a blot.
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What pitty tis that in so faire a face
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Such spots and blemishes should possesse a place,
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Or that such good beginnings should be left;
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Or that men should be of such hopes bereft.
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The second part to the same tune.
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WE cannot blame Dame Fortune as the cause,
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Nor yet religion which gives better laws,
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Nor yet our Parents, or our Masters care,
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Nor yet accuse a Planet, or a Starre.
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All these are free, and cleere from any blame,
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Tis wee our selves that doe procure our shame,
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It is our negligence that will not use
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Our gifts aright, but often them abuse.
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So did this young man by leud courses spend,
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His time and means & stock, which God did send,
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He vainely lavishd out in toyish sport,
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Mongst vaine companions which to him resort.
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He left the councell of his dearest friend,
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The Pastor of the Parish who did send,
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Directions grave and honest, just, and good,
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All which this young man mightily withstood.
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Hee did forget his former promise made
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To God, and others, that that sinfull trade
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Should quite be left, and that he would put on,
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The practise of the pure Religion.
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But wholy gave himselfe to wine and drinke,
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With company all times, which soone wil sinke
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A mans estate, the bane and source of ill,
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And doth all goodnesse and Religion spill.
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Hence he grew carelesse of his Patients lame,
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Still swilling his carouses downe amaine,
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Kept company, neglected Church, each time
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Slighted the use of the Sacraments Divine.
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So he grew setled in his sinfull tracke,
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No friendly councell could reduce him backe:
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But obstinately still hee did persist,
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And scornfully all councell did resist.
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His Pastor told him he would be so bold,
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To excommunicate him from Christs fold:
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Which wrought upon his conscience, so that he
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Promisd to divers, a new man to be.
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But sicknes Deaths bold Serjeant did arrest
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Him, that he faild of what he did protest.
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In which his visitation hee exclaimd,
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That Hel was his, and that he sure was damd.
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Visits were made, and councel grave was given,
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That yet he might possesse a place in Heaven:
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But he stil did rave, and strive curse and crye,
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That he should go to Hell immediately.
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Sometimes he blames his sin with some remorse,
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which had brought down Gods heavy rod & curse
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Then he advises others to beware
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Of sinne, so even seeming to despaire.
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He cryes out fearefully that he must go,
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To Hell, the place of misery and woe;
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There to endure all torments, griefe and paine,
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Milions of milions of ages to remayne.
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And fearefull tis to thinke, that in such wise,
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In raging fury, ends his life and dyes.
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We cannot judge of his Eternall state,
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But leave to him, who rules all lives and Fate.
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So you have heard his end, I wish you all
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To take a warning by his fearefull fall,
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Of all leud company, and drinking too,
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Which alwayes are the Harbengers of woe.
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Reject not councell, nor Gods ordinance scorne,
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Nor yet Church discipline, as men forlorne:
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Follow your callings diligently still,
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So God shall keep you in your wayes from ill.
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God blesse our gracious Soveraign Queene and Prince
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With all the royal Progeny, that thence
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Blessings may flow on all our Nobles, and
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For ever prove a blessing, to our land.
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If any desire further information touching the man-
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ner of this mans Life, sicknesse, and death, let them
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read the Sermon Preached at his funerall, which is
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Printed by Authority.
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