And now to speake of this good man,
Iohn Varnam cal'd by name,
Who in his life he lived well,
by labour, travaile, and paine,
In helping of the fatherlesse,
and widowes very poore,
And setting ever them on worke
which went from doore to doore.
A Gardiner by Art he was,
great skill he had therein,
And prosper'd well in all his life,
with every living thing
That he at all times tooke in hand:
To God be given all praise,
That did increase this honest man
with riches many wayes.
The poore they had great work of him,
by weeding of his ground,
And he to them was well content,
to leave assurance ••ound,
Of land and living to releeve
the fatherlesse in need,
So he confirmed this his minde,
by will it was decree'd.
Agnes Varnam left behind,
his loving wife most sure,
By her he had foure sonnes, likewise
foure daughters, Virgins pure:
Who all being dead, and none alive,
but Elizabeth by name,
And in remembrance of his life,
they have set up this same.
He willingly did yeeld himselfe,
in God was all his trust,
And in the last houre of his death,
he shew'd his faith most just,
To leave this world most cheerefully,
desirous to depart,
Asking forgivenesse of the world,
and forgiving with his heart
To those which he at any time
in deed or word offended:
Most joyfully his soule was then
vnto the Lord commended.
And thus he left his life,
in briefe to tell you plaine,
Hoping in Heaven to be receiv'd,
for ever to remaine.