%ISOlat1; %ISOlat2; %ISOnum; %ISOpub; ]> An Epitaph / of Maister Fraunces Benison / Citizene and Marchant of London, and of the Ha- / berdashers Company. University of California - Santa Barbara The Early Modern Center Director Patricia Fumerton 1570-1570 Early Modern Center, University of California Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 04/30/2012 32086

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Patricia Fumerton Early Modern Center - English Department University of California Santa Barbara, CA 93105 United States of America EMail: pfumer@english.ucsb.edu

S121712 If lacke of health be such a let, / as doth diminish store: Information in this section of the Source Description refers to the original ballad manuscript. 1: 18267 An Epitaph / of Maister Fraunces Benison / Citizene and Marchant of London, and of the Ha- / berdashers Company. An epitaph, of Maister Fraunces Benison, Citizene and marchant of London, and of the Haberdashers Company. An epitaph, of Master Fraunces Benison, Citizen and merchant of London, and of the Haberdashers Company. Printer Iohn Awdely 1570-1570

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 Early Modern Center Ballad Project Keyword Taxonomy advice affliction/ health alcohol Americas animals/ nature Bible/ biblical figures buildings/ architecture catastrophe children class clothing/ appearance country/ nation crime death economics/ commerce entertainments family folklore gender holidays/ seasons infidelity labor/ craft law London love maritime marriage military/ war monstrosity mythology/ Classical news nobility/ court politics/ government procreation punishment race/ ethnicity religious concepts religious figures religious groups royalty rural life servitude sex/ sexuality supernatural/ magic travel trickery/ deceit urban life vice violence virtue vulgar humor youth/ age Library of Congress Subject Heading Taxonomy 4/30/2012 Santa Barbara, California, United States of America death labor/ craft Ballads, English 17th century Broadsides, England 17th century 4/30/2012 9:26:18 AM XBallad Grant, Danielle Created XML Version of Ballad 4/30/2012 9:26:18 AM Transcription Supervisor Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/30/2012 9:26:18 AM Double-Key Comparison and Merging McCants, Kristy Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/30/2012 9:26:18 AM Transcriptionist Two Grafals, Michael Transcription of ballad manuscript 4/30/2012 9:26:18 AM Transcriptionist One Meyer, Shannon Transcription of ballad manuscript 6/21/2011 Checker Jonathan Forbes Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 5/19/2011 Checker Gillian Mellon Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 4/25/2011 Bibliographer Grafals Michael Initial Ballad Catalogue Record Created 4/25/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 4/25/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 4/25/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record 4/25/2011 Checker Grafals Michael Edited Ballad Catalogue Record
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IF lacke of health be such a lot, as doth diminish store: And losse of goods doth care procure, with sobs and sighings sore. Much more is losse of frendly friend, whom GOD hath cald by death, But unto us the losse redoundes, which live by vitall breath. Man may to health restored be, if Gods good wyll be so: And wealth again mai grow in time evyll hap to overthrow. But friendly friend whom God by death, hath cald to live in joy: Cannot agayne to us returne, but rest with out anoy. Faith being fixed firme in hart, and hope of Heavens blisse: Sure then in happy state they rest, this sequel cannot misse. Oh Fraunces Benison (I say) Gods Benison no doubt: Thou wast the blessing sure of GOD, to wyfe, and all the rout Of thy good friendes and kinred to, GOD blessed them in thee: And blessed twise wast thou of GOD, such happy dayes to see Of Marchauntes all he was the floure, for wysdome and good skill: And right experte in every trade, delightyng therein still. This three and twenty yeares, or more, in traffike he did toyle: Hys wyll and skyll was alwaies such, he thought it no tormoyle. With forecast he and diligence did comprehend no doubt, The understanding of all trades, nere Christendome throughout. And havyng oportunitie, no tyme he would omit: Hys full pretence to bryng to passe, and purpose for to hit. When wynde and tyde dyd speede require, all one was night or noone: His watchings he did nothing way, tyl his attemptes were done. He oft would say that Diligence, good Fortunes Mother was: Which brought his enterprises all, more luckely to pas.
Full quicke and ready with hys pen, and cunning to likewise: Of right good skyll for to endight, to serve eche enterprise. As well for frend, as for him selfe, when neede the same did crave: Whether it were in Marchaunts trade, or other matters grave Besides his native English tong, the French and Dutch he spake: With pen and speeche in pleasant stile, he arguments could make. And for his tyme his trade hath bene, as ample I am sure As any Marchant of thys Land, whylest here he dyd endure. The Queenes revenues of her crowne, he thereby did enlarge: With great preferment of all youth committed to his charge. Beneficiall eke he was, to eche sorte and degree: He traded so by Sea and land, it could none other bee. These past, he with good name and fame, to eche mans contentacion: That with him dealt in any trade, to his great commendacion. And though besides his propper stocke, he used credite large: Yet eche contract in traffike done, right well he did discharge. And hys corragious attemptes, by forecast so did frame: That divers men did muse therat, and some malignde the same. Which to him knowne, full wysely he, could temper Nature so: That he unquiet would not be, but let all malice go. And leave to GOD the whole revenge, styll seeking quietnes: So his affaires they framed well, and better had succes. To taste the sower wyth the sweete, hym selfe so did prepare: When any losse he did sustaine, that pacience conquerd care. Citizen lyke in every poynt, himselfe he did behave: With comely gesture and attire, right decent, sad, and grave. With cherefull salutacions, right curteous to all men: And how to use audacitie, he knew place, tyme and when. To noble and to worshipfull, sure knowne he was as well, As unto the inferiour sorte, this just reporte can tell. And also knowne in Princes Court, by his sollicitacion: As well for causes of his own, as others of hys nation. He left behinde hym worldly goodes, all men to satisfie: And for to comfort wyfe and frendes also aboundantly. And where he was a Governour, for thimpotentes defence: He charitably unto them, gave his benevolence. Hys Wyll long time lay by him made, which he from yeare to yeare: Dyd oversee and order so, as Death were ever neare. Sicknes so sharpely did him take, all hope it did expell: No way there was Death to escape, which he perceived well. Straight therupon he did commit, to persons of great skyll: The orderyng of hys temporall goods, according to hys Wyll. And gave himselfe cleane from the world, and onely dyd depend: On Christes death to be his lyfe, and so he made an end. Whose soule no doubt remaynes in joy, with Abraham and the rest: Of good and faythfull Patriarkes, who sure of God are blest. His good examples to ensue, graunt Lord we thee desire: And that we may them immitate, we humbly thee require, Thus I conclude, yelding to GOD, all honour, laud and prayse: With thanks for this our brother deare, & wish to walke his waies.
FINIS. Imprynted at London by John Awdely, dwellyng in little Britayne streete, wythout Aldersgate. 1570.