An Epitaph / of Maister Fraunces Benison /
Citizene and Marchant of London, and of the Ha-
berdashers Company.
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IF lacke of health be such a lot,
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as doth diminish store:
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And losse of goods doth care procure,
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with sobs and sighings sore.
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Much more is losse of frendly friend,
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whom GOD hath cald by death,
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But unto us the losse redoundes,
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which live by vitall breath.
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Man may to health restored be,
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if Gods good wyll be so:
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And wealth again mai grow in time
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evyll hap to overthrow.
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But friendly friend whom God by
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death, hath cald to live in joy:
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Cannot agayne to us returne,
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but rest with out anoy.
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Faith being fixed firme in hart, and hope of Heavens blisse:
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Sure then in happy state they rest, this sequel cannot misse.
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Oh Fraunces Benison (I say) Gods Benison no doubt:
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Thou wast the blessing sure of GOD, to wyfe, and all the rout
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Of thy good friendes and kinred to, GOD blessed them in thee:
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And blessed twise wast thou of GOD, such happy dayes to see
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Of Marchauntes all he was the floure, for wysdome and good skill:
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And right experte in every trade, delightyng therein still.
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This three and twenty yeares, or more, in traffike he did toyle:
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Hys wyll and skyll was alwaies such, he thought it no tormoyle.
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With forecast he and diligence did comprehend no doubt,
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The understanding of all trades, nere Christendome throughout.
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And havyng oportunitie, no tyme he would omit:
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Hys full pretence to bryng to passe, and purpose for to hit.
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When wynde and tyde dyd speede require, all one was night or noone:
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His watchings he did nothing way, tyl his attemptes were done.
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He oft would say that Diligence, good Fortunes Mother was:
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Which brought his enterprises all, more luckely to pas.
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Full quicke and ready with hys pen, and cunning to likewise:
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Of right good skyll for to endight, to serve eche enterprise.
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As well for frend, as for him selfe, when neede the same did crave:
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Whether it were in Marchaunts trade, or other matters grave
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Besides his native English tong, the French and Dutch he spake:
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With pen and speeche in pleasant stile, he arguments could make.
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And for his tyme his trade hath bene, as ample I am sure
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As any Marchant of thys Land, whylest here he dyd endure.
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The Queenes revenues of her crowne, he thereby did enlarge:
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With great preferment of all youth committed to his charge.
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Beneficiall eke he was, to eche sorte and degree:
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He traded so by Sea and land, it could none other bee.
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These past, he with good name and fame, to eche mans contentacion:
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That with him dealt in any trade, to his great commendacion.
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And though besides his propper stocke, he used credite large:
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Yet eche contract in traffike done, right well he did discharge.
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And hys corragious attemptes, by forecast so did frame:
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That divers men did muse therat, and some malignde the same.
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Which to him knowne, full wysely he, could temper Nature so:
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That he unquiet would not be, but let all malice go.
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And leave to GOD the whole revenge, styll seeking quietnes:
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So his affaires they framed well, and better had succes.
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To taste the sower wyth the sweete, hym selfe so did prepare:
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When any losse he did sustaine, that pacience conquerd care.
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Citizen lyke in every poynt, himselfe he did behave:
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With comely gesture and attire, right decent, sad, and grave.
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With cherefull salutacions, right curteous to all men:
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And how to use audacitie, he knew place, tyme and when.
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To noble and to worshipfull, sure knowne he was as well,
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As unto the inferiour sorte, this just reporte can tell.
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And also knowne in Princes Court, by his sollicitacion:
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As well for causes of his own, as others of hys nation.
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He left behinde hym worldly goodes, all men to satisfie:
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And for to comfort wyfe and frendes also aboundantly.
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And where he was a Governour, for thimpotentes defence:
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He charitably unto them, gave his benevolence.
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Hys Wyll long time lay by him made, which he from yeare to yeare:
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Dyd oversee and order so, as Death were ever neare.
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Sicknes so sharpely did him take, all hope it did expell:
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No way there was Death to escape, which he perceived well.
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Straight therupon he did commit, to persons of great skyll:
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The orderyng of hys temporall goods, according to hys Wyll.
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And gave himselfe cleane from the world, and onely dyd depend:
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On Christes death to be his lyfe, and so he made an end.
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Whose soule no doubt remaynes in joy, with Abraham and the rest:
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Of good and faythfull Patriarkes, who sure of God are blest.
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His good examples to ensue, graunt Lord we thee desire:
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And that we may them immitate, we humbly thee require,
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Thus I conclude, yelding to GOD, all honour, laud and prayse:
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With thanks for this our brother deare, & wish to walke his waies.
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