University of Virginia Library

A-gainste Anger, Enuie, and malice.

Cap. ix.

If thou be subiecte
and to anger thrall,
And reason thee rule not,
nedes must thou fall.
Conquer thy wyll
and subdue thy luste,
Thy fansy not folowing,
thy cause though be iuste;
For anger and furie
wyll thee so chaunge
That thy doynges to wise men
wyll appeare straunge.
Thine anger and wrath
seke then to appeace,
For wrath, saith Plato,
Leades shame in a leace.
The hastie man
wantes neuer trouble,
His mad moody mynde
his care doth double.
And malyce thee moue
to reuenge thy cause,
Dread euer god,
and daunger of the lawes.
Do not reuenge,
though in thy power it be,
Forgeue the offender
being thine enemie.
He is perfectely pacient,
we may repute plaine,
[That] From wrath and furye
himselfe can refrayne.
Disdayne nor enuie
The state of thy brother,
In worde nor dede
not hurtyng one an other.
Debate and disceate,
contencion and enuie,
Are the chiefe frutes
of an euyll bodie.
And Salomon saithe
“The harte full of enuie,
Of him selfe hath
no pleasure nor commoditie.”