A liuing remembrance of Master Robert Rogers, Marchant aduenturer & Leatherseller of London deceased, who declared the fruites of his faith, by his most christian & charitable workes. And left this life at his house in Bassings-hill the 22. of September. And was buried in Christ-church on Thursday the 1. of October. 1601.
WHen bad men dye, the memorie remaines
Of their corruptions and vngodly wayes,
As merit to their misapplyed paines,
Out of ill actions, forming as ill praise.
for vertue wounded by their deepe disgrace,
Leaues shame to their posteritie and race.
When good men dye, the memorie remaines,
Of their true vertues, and most christian wayes:
As a due guerdon to their godly paines,
Out of good actions, forming as good praise.
for vertue cherish'd by their deedes of grace,
Leaues fame to their posteritie and race.
Among those good (if goodnes may be said,
To be among the seede of mortall men:
In vpright ballaunce of true merit wayed)
This worthy Batcheler esteeme we then.
In whome, as in a mirrour doth appeare,
That faith and workes did shine in him most cleere.
Now let vs not, as is our common vse,
Measure him by a many other more:
In death, to couer their lifes bad abuse,
That then flyes out some bounty of their store,
No
Rogers was none such, as may appeare,
By these true witnesses annexed heere.
First, as God blest him with aboundant wealth,
Like to a carefull Steward he imployde it:
Squaring his guifts out in his best of health,
As glad to leaue it, as when he inioyde it.
Himselfe prepared euery houre to die:
And all in order pointed christianly.
In sundry callings and vocations,
Where he could heare of them were rightly poore:
As men decayed by their occupations,
Yet held by shame from begging at the doore,
Such succourd he, as knowing that their need,
Stopt vp their mouthes, though made their hearts to bleede.
What should I say? to what poore wanting heart,
Was he not liberall in the largest kinde?
Such as were hopefull, and had any parte
Of christian zeale, felt freely his good minde.
Preachers, poore handy-crafts, and parishes:
From
Rogers purse haue liberall Legacies.
In Abrahams bosome sleepes he with the blest,
His workes do follow him, his worth suruiues:
The Angels guide him to eternall rest,
Where is no date of time, for yeares or liues.
You that are rich, doe you as he hath done:
and so assure the Crowne that Christ hath wonne.
Leagacies bequeathed to charitable vses by Master Robert Rogers deceased.
- IN primis, to the two Counters, Ludgate, Newgate, Bedlam and the Clinke. xii.l.
- Money to be presently distributed to the poore, in the Parish he dwelt in. x.l.
- To prouide two dozen of bread euery Sunday for euer, to be giuen to the poore of the said Parish. C.l.
- To the Parish of Christ-church, to buy Coales at the best hand for the poore yearely, to continue a stocke for euer to that vse: x.l.
- And money presently to be distriubted to the poore in that Parish. v.l.
- To the poor of S. George Parish in Southwarke, the poor without Newgate, the poor without Cripplegate, & the poore without Bushops gate, to each Parish xx. Nobles to be distributed in money. xxvj.l.xiij.s.iiij.d.
- To the poore of two Townes in the West Country. xiij.l.vj.s.viij.d.
- To the poore of the towne of Poole where he was borne, to be presently distributed in money: x.l.
- More, to build almes houses in the said towne, CCCxxxiij. [...] vj.s.viij.d.
- With exebition for twelue poore people weekely for euer.
- To releeue poore Prisoners such as may be set free for xx. Nobles a man, or vnder, so that no Papist nor Athist haue any benefit thereof. CL.l.
- To releeue poore Preachers of the word of God, not exceeding to any one man, aboue ten pound. C.l.
- To ten poore decayed Artifficers that haue charge of wife and Children ten pound a man. C.l.
- To the company of Marchant aduentureres, for the reliefe of decayed people by him nominated during their liues, and after their decease, to the vse of young men free of the said company. CCCC.l.
- To the Company of Leathersellers, to giue exebition at the Vnyuersities, to foure Schollers students in Deuinitie for euer viz. Two in Oxford and Two in Cambridge. CCCC.l.
- To Saint George Parish in Sowthwarke. xxx.l.
- To Saint Sepulchers Parish. xxx.l.
- To Saint Oliffes Parish in Sowthwarke. xxx.l.
- To Saint Gyles without Cripplegate. xxx.l.
- To Saint Leonards in Shorditch, xxx.l.
- To Saint Buttolphes without Allgate. xx.l.
- To Saint Buttolphes without Bishopsgate. xx.l.
- Amounting to 190.l. in all, to make stocks to buy sea-coale or other fuell in summer at the best hand, for the vse of the poore, and to continue for euer in that manner, leauing stocks in those seuerall Parishes.
- To Christs Hospitall (of which he was a gouernour) to purchase land to the reliefe of that house. CCCCC.l.
- To erect Almes houses within the Cittie of London, and for exebition weekely for xij poore people to be placed in them. CCCCCC.l.
- The whole summe giuen by Master Rogers last Will to charitable vses. 2960. l. 6. s. 8. d.
Imprinted at London for M. Allde, and are to be solde at her shop vnder Saint Mildreds Church in the Poultry.