Gloucester's MITE, DELIVERED WITH the mournful Records of GREAT BRITAIN, into the World's Register.  
For the enrolment of the everlasting Fame and perpetual remembrance of our late most gracious Prince HENRY.  
With Motives to Repentance. The material points touched, appear in the next Page.  
LONDON Imprinted by William Hall, for jonas Man, 1612.   

The Contents.  
OF the inseparable perturbations annexed to this our mortal life.  
The shortness of our earthly pilgrimage.  
The unspeakable grief of the State, City of London, & other parts of the Kingdom, upon the dangerous sickness of our most gracious Prince.  
Our feeble strength to repulse Death.  
That the greatest Princes of the world (notwithstanding their Treasur●s and commands in the world) are subjects.  
The departure of our most dear Prince out of this life.  
Our unworthiness of him.  
His estimation and value.  
His love to us, our zeal to him.  
His everlasting remembrance.  
With other Additions leading to Repentance.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL, SIR RICHARD TRACIE Knight.  
AS a Wheat Corn or other grain (Right Worshipful) lying long buried in the bowels of the earth, d●th in the end notwithstanding, spring up and yield that increase, that either the weakness or strength of the body can afford. Even so the interior zeal of man's heart (though it lie long shrouded in the breast with the vail of restraint) will at last (nevertheless) come forth and show the affection therein conceived and nourished.  
At what time your Worship came in great Post to your neighbour Town of T●wkesbury in the County of Gloucester (opened the late Queen's death) and proclaimed the King's Majesty: where (at your first entrance) another & myself (upon straight charge given by the Officers of the said Town) stood as it were Sentinel (though little expecting such an alarm) I conceived a kind of grudge towards you for news on the one side, but honoured you (and still do, and great cause) for the other. To hear of her death did kill the heart: but intelligence of so gracious a King did raise it up. The assurance of the gospel war life to the soul. And that the expected danger at the Queen's death, was even with her death stifled to death, did augment the astonishment.  
In what perplexity would that loving son stand (I beseech you) that should at one instant hear of the sinister death both of father and mother? and while the tale were yet in telling, the father living, and in health should present himself in presence, but withal assuring of the death of the tender mother.  
In what perplexity (I say) would that son rest, in what confusion of mind and spirit, between joy on the one side, and grief on the other? comforted by the life of the one, dismayed by the death of the other? joy and grief at ●ne instant equally weighing in the balance of the heart, striving for victory.  
Such was the sorrow of many thousand loving Subjects at that day, and the same also among the rest was mine (Right worshipful) The which, by how much the more was great, by so much the more it made a deep impression of zeal in my heart towards you. The print whereof hath ever sit hence lain hidden therein: and even now (with the grain) hath found passage to creep out and yield you this poor fruit, as a manifestation thereof. It is small I confess, and blasted in coming up (and great cause too, for the root in bringing it forth, hath been nipped with many unkind frosts which hindered the growth.) Yet, as it is I present it. For good reason is, that you sowing the seed should reap the crop. You cast the grain into the ground of my heart in a time of grief, and now reap in a like season.  
Receive it therefore as your own I beseech you, and in so doing, you shall add life to the Tree, hereafter to yield you fruit of more pleasing relish. In the mean time, I leave it to your favourable acceptation, and you & yours to the Lord, who in mercy so bless you in this life, that in the life to come you may attain that happiness which is prepared for the elect of God. At my lodging in S. Giles in the fields, in Middlesex (where the hand of God hath set me) December 14. 1612.  
Your Worships for ever most humbly devoted and at command THO: ROGERS   

Gloucester's MITE,  

SAd discontent, invites us to her feasts,  
And we copartner-like, attendance make,  
Feed on her fruits, drink of her flowing breasts  
And every task of hers we undertake.  
She welcomes us, we imitate her guise,  
She walks with us, and in our lodging lies.   

And as the shadow doth the Sun pursue,  
She follows us (her feeble shady sun)  
As we one lesson learn, she gives a new,  
Still tut'ring us, till mortal race be run.  
We need not seek her, she our footing finds,  
She wreaths about us, as the ivy winds.   

And as the head is to the body joined,  
Or wine with water equally commixed,  
Or as the Characters on copper coinde  
Inseparably; even so are fixed  
Woes, perturbations, and growing strife:  
Unto our evil, short and wretched life.   

Thus pilgrimlike, as strangers on the earth,  
We through the Sea-waves of this world wade  
Still at unrest, e'en from our naked birth,  
Three woes ensue, for one woe that doth fade.  
If at some time a little Sun doth show,  
Anon the rugged gusts, doth it ore-blow.   

Our smoothest walks, are but as Rocks of stone,  
Our softest rests, are as the Bramble sprays:  
Our best delights are chocked with woeful moan  
And all our earthly hopes disturbing frays.  
Our lease of life at such uncertain ta'en,  
Ere at the full it dieth in the wane.   

What are our paths, though pleasing to the foot  
What is our rest, though Down our bedding be?  
When lo, the Axe lies hewing still root,  
What pleasure take we in our dying ttee?  
Our longest life, is as a minute's breath,  
For in the midst of life, we are in Death.   

The present State an instance now doth yield,  
For, when our joys were full (our Pearl we lost)  
Pale Death in arms, intruded to the field,  
Broke the array, discomfited the Host.  
So thus our little sweet, still mixed with gall,  
Shows, whilst we rise in joy, in grief we fall.   

With dear Eliza's joy did woe insinuate,  
And more and more did rule, as grew the doubt:  
The doubt increased, and did our joy extenuate,  
In Court, in City, and the Realm throughour:  
Who could restrain, but tears of grief to shower  
On the sad fading, of so sweet a flower.   

A King most humbly sued, with tears of woe,  
A Queen deep plunged in floods of equal strife,  
A Prince and Princess (and a Million mo●)  
Ma●e supplication for a Peerless life.  
And as they used were, be sued unto:  
Themselves as others did, most humbly do●.   

They th●n on bowed knees, sad suitors were ',  
And thoughts were words, for to express the mind  
(For thoughts are most of force, when grief doth bar  
The tongue to speak, & ey●s with tears are blind.)  
Then sighs and groans, the Orators of grief,  
Were the Post-messengers to seek relief.   

Who number can the sands upon the shore?  
Or in the clearest night, tell heavens stars?  
Such one may count, the many did deplore,  
And spread th●ir colours, in thos● mournful wars.  
Whose hearts with sorrow swelled, abridged the tongue  
Use of the office did to it belong.   

The woeful heart, that bu●t●●n underwent,  
Distilling moisture, till the well's w●re dri●,  
Which did dissolve in tear●s the speech, and s●nt  
It dropping down, in silence from the eye.  
Y●t eyes not silent, for they did unfold,  
The woes which lay within the heart enrolled.   

Heart, tongue, and eyes, and every sense did join,  
In equal sympathy, of equal sorrow:  
And with one stamp, their squall grief did coin,  
Each one of other, equally did borrow.  
And (as th' Apothecary) they were found,  
Of manies sorrow, to make one compound.   

But as a little boat, upon the seas,  
Being overcharged, with too large a sail  
Or to the simple strength of silly fleas,  
Or poor weak courage of a feeble Snail,  
To withstand storms, or w●ight of laden wheel,  
Is ours 'gainst Death, when we his arrow feel.   

The greatest Monarches that do breath alive,  
Who for their high degree, the r●st excel  
And in the field of Mars, as chief do thrive,  
And by the Mines of gold and treasure dwell.  
They all are subjects, though they reign as kings  
They must obey, when Death his message brings.   

What is their birth when he doth Summons give  
What is their Discipline of Mars in force.  
Though they surrender would their State to live  
For to repel the strength of feeble Mors.  
Yet (lo) the world's wealth cannot avail.  
Who can against the hand of God prevail?   

Sweet Prince, his soul is fled, and now doth rest,  
In immortality with Christ on high,  
Amongst the holy Saints, in glory blest,  
To live and reign with them eternally.  
And as his Soul is thus, to joy preferred,  
So is his body, as a King interred.   

For why should we, a pearl so rich detaine●  
Who is deserving him, are found so poor:  
Why should he on this wicked earth remain.  
That was a jewel of so rich a stor●?  
Sith we unworthy of so great a bliss,  
In being to our loving God remiss.   

To think of him, our hearts with sorrow bleed,  
Our loss by him, the world cannot count,  
A Pearl, a Diamond, a Gem, a Seed,  
That for his va●ne, did the Earth surmount.  
Adieu sweet Prince, yet when we bid adieu,  
The tears with grief, do in our eyes renew.   

loves zeal commands, we shall not leave thee yet  
Thou like the Loadstone, dost draw the mind,  
Who can thy dear and worthy self forget,  
A Prince so virtuous, and loving, kind  
Although our bodies here, on Earth we have,  
Our hearts interred lie with thee in grave.   

Our Souls are siluer-plates thy Fame to hold,  
Our zeal ●ich Diamonds to make th'impression,  
The Characters we print, refined gold,  
To keep thy name, all ages in succession.  
Th●n sleep sweet Henry, Prince of endless Fame,  
Whilst we record, thy everlasting Name.    

A Motive to look into the frailty of his life.  

Look back O man, unto the fickle stay  
Of thy short race, which here thou hast to run  
View how the Flowers of the field d●cay,  
Which for the smooth, and finest web are spun.  
Sith thus the Gardener fells the Olive tree,  
What store or reckoning will he make of thee?   
FINIS   

The manner of our sorrowing for sins. Satan's subtleties in betraying us. A dissuasion from the love of the world. The continual mercies of our loving God proffered by his word and Ministers. Our hardness of heart (notwithstanding.) Our punishment by loss of our virtuous Prince.  

LOok how the dews, lie sprinkled on the grass  
Which sable night begets, & leaves behind?  
And how on sudden it away doth pass,  
(When the Sun (rising) from the cast dothwind)  
And sinking down doth in the Earth remain,  
Till Sun be set, and then returns again.   

Like so, repentant dews hang in our eyes,  
When we night threatenings of our God do see,  
Which overpast, our dewy sorrow di●es,  
And we unmindful of his mercy be.  
No longer than his judgements are in view,  
We are repentant, (but in sin renew.)   

Thus with the Dog, we to the vomit turn▪  
And with the Swine, into the filthy mire:  
We frieze in piety, in sin we burn,  
The pampering of the lusts, is our desire.  
These silly beasts excel us in their kind,  
They reason want, we have, and yet more blind.   

For, as the venomed dart within the skin.  
Doth more and more infect, and peril breed:  
Till it the Mastership at last doth win,  
To end the life of Adam's wretched seed.  
Even so Satan by his subtle wries  
Wades in, dives deeper, and the soul beguiles.   

Why fix we then our thoughts on melting treasure?  
Why do our hearts incline to earthly vanity?  
Why build we on the Sands, & leave to measure  
The sinking ebbs and falls of our mortality?  
Why do we pleasure take in fading shows?  
Which die and vanish as the summer dews.   

Oh, sith these earthly things, our hearts attract,  
And steals them from the favour of our God:  
(Whilst our transgressions, on heaps are packed,  
And as our mortal foes against us plod,  
Why wed we such a Strumpet then to wis●?  
That wounds the soul, betrays, & kills the life.   

We daily by the rules of truth are taught,  
And daily instances by death do see:  
How that our rended ships with sin are fraught,  
And in what peril, on the seas we be.  
Yet hoi●e we sails, respectless of our guide,  
And so in danger thrust into the tide.   

The loving Pilot of our safe transport,  
(To shun our wrack upon the raging deep,)  
Stands on the shore, and mildly doth exhort  
Us to return, and in the calm to keep.  
Within the Haven where our ship may ride,  
Out of the danger of the drowning tide.   

And farther (for his voice too low is found,  
For us that Addar-like are deaf to hear.)  
He sendeth out his Trumpeters to sound,  
That we draw in, unto the land more near,  
To An●re in the Road where he doth he,  
Where peaceful calms abide eternally.   

Yet like the Heifer that untamed is,  
We pull our stiffed necks f●om out the yoke:  
Our hearts of Adamant, is our amiss,  
We still to anger do our God provoke.  
Which sin of ours denying to obey,  
Hath caused him thus to take our hope away.   

Sith disobedience is a sin so high,  
To draw down judgements from the hand of God,  
Oh let us by repentance draw more nigh,  
To shun his wrathful ire, and fearful rod.  
Lest as he now hath plucked the O●iue spray,  
He take the Tree, and other Plants away.    

Our Happiness under the late Queen. Fears expected at her death. Prai●rs & Supplications to God. God's unspeakable Providence and Mercy in preserving us by his Majesty. Our Thankfulness for the time. Our remissness afterward. Our punishment by loss of (the world's treasure) our most gracious Prince.  

Poor Creatures reasonless, when they do war  
Will back retire, to gain a further force,  
Then Man may not be justly said to jar,  
That looketh back, from Man to g●ine remorse.  
Oh blame him not, that turneth back & reads  
A princely Motive that to virtue leads.   

When the admired Queen of high renown,  
Did guide the Sceptre in her worthy hand,  
And on her Royal head did wear the Crown,  
And reigning ruled in peace this famous land.  
No night was seen, our day did not decline,  
The word of light did in the darkness shine.   

The tongue nor pen, by art cannot unfold,  
The supplicat'ons that preferred were,  
Unto the Lord of life, (our strength our hold)  
To stir him up, our humble suits to hear:  
That when this star should lose her earthly light  
Another happy Sun, might shine as bright.   

And lo, such was the mercy of our God,  
That he our prayers did not then despise:  
But cast aside his just deserved rod;  
(For as our old Sun set, our new did rise.)  
And still kept day, and c●a●d away the night,  
Without abridgement of a minute's light.   

Where are the eyes that dazzled with the lustre?  
Where are the hearts that praises than did yield?  
Where are the flocking troops that then did muster  
With ravished souls, into that peaceful field?  
They are decayed, the day was soon forgotten,  
Our thankful praises in the dust lie rotten.   

But why are we thus to our God ungrateful:  
Why are we still so blindly led astray?  
How can we be unto our souls so hateful?  
Or unto him our light, our life, our stay?  
Who (as the Compass doth the shipmen guide)  
Preserved us then in midst of roughest tide.   

Oh blessed Lord, why was thy mercy such  
To give us life when we deserved to die?  
Why was thy love and favour then so much,  
Our bleeding wounds with Balm● of lif● to dri●?  
More justice were, if justice thou hadst shown,  
Into the lake of Death, we had been thrown.   

And now were thrown, such is our froward wickedness  
In pulling down thy wrath upon our heads  
In that we do neglect thy proff'red blessedness,  
Which to the end of endless glory leads.  
If we of duty unto thee could boast,  
The world's hopeful Prince we had not lost.    


LOrd turn our hearts that we our sins may see  
And henceforth labour to appease thine ire;  
And by repentance join our souls to thee,  
As thou in love and mercy dost require,  
That with the Virgin's wife, we enter may,  
(Before the gate be shut) into thy joy.   

Oh bless likewise most humbly we thee pray,  
Our King and Queen, and all their Royal race,  
●o thou their strength, their fortress and their stay,  
Support, defend, and shield them with thy grace.  
(And though our sins have caused a branch to sever)  
Preserve the trees and other plants for ever.   
FINIS