Miscellaneous works of George Wither :: :: University of Virginia Library

The Contented Mans Morice.

1

False World, thy Malice I espie
With what thou hast designed;
And therein with thee to comply,
Who likewise are combined:
But, do thy worst, I thee defie,
Thy Mischiefs are confined.

2

From me, thou my Estate hast torn,
By Cheatings me beguiled:
Me thou hast also made thy scorn;
With Troubles me turmoiled:
But to an Heritage I'm born,
That never can be spoiled.

3

So wise I am not, to be mad,
Though great are my Oppressions;
Nor so much fool as to be sad,
Though robb'd of my Possessions;
For, Cures for all sores may be had,
And Grace for all Transgressions.

147

4

These words in youth my MOTTO were,
And mine in Age I'll make them;
I neither have, nor want, nor care;
When also first I spake them:
I thought Things would be as they are,
And meekly therefore take them.

5

The Riches I possess this day
Are no such Goods of Fortune
As King can give or take away,
Or Tyrants make uncertain:
For, hid within my self are they
Behinde an unseen Curtain.

6

Of my Degree, but few or none
Were dayly so frequented;
But now I'm left of every one,
And therewith well contented:
For, when I am with GOD alone,
Much folly is prevented.

7

Then, why should I give way to grief?
Come, strike up Pipe and Tabor;
He that affecteth GOD in chief,
And as Himself his Neighbour,
May still enjoy a happy life,
Although he lives by labour.

8

Not me alone have they made poor,
By whom I have been cheated;
But very many thousands more
Are of their hopes defeated;
Who little dreamed heretofore
Of being so ill treated.

148

9

Then if my courage should be less
Then their who never prized
The Resolutions I profess
(And almost idolized)
I well deserv'd in my distress
To be of all despised.

10

Our sad Complaints, our Sighs and Tears,
Make Meat nor Cloathing cheaper:
Vain are our earthly Hopes and Fears,
This Life is but a Vapour:
And therefore in despight of Cares,
I'll sing, and dance and caper.

11

Though Food nor Rayment left me were,
I would of wants be dreadless:
For then, I quickly should be there
Where Bread and Cloth are needless:
And in those Blessings have my share,
Whereof most men are heedless.

12

I then should that attain unto
For which I now endeavour;
From my False Lovers thither go,
Where Friendship faileth never:
And through a few short pangs of Woe,
To Joys that last for ever.

13

For Service done, and love exprest,
(Though very few regard it)
My Country owes me Bread, at least,
But, if I be debarr'd it,
Good Conscience is a dayly Feast,
And sorrow never marr'd it.

149

14

My Grand Oppressors had a thought,
When Riches they bereaved,
That then, my Ruine had been wrought;
But they are quite deceived:
For, them the Devil much mis-taught
When that weak snare they weaved.

15

If in those Courses I had gone
Wherein they are employed,
Till such Atchievments had been won,
As are by them enjoyed,
They might have wager'd ten to one
I should have been destroyed.

16

But, Proofs have now confirmed me
How much our Vice offendeth,
And what small helps our Virtues be
To that which GOD intendeth,
Till he himself shall make us free,
And our Defects amendeth.

17

Not one is from corruption clear;
Men are depraved wholly:
Meer Cruelties their Mercies are,
Their Wisdom is but Folly;
And when most righteous they appear,
Then, are they most unholy.

18

There is no Trust in Temp'ral Things,
For they are all unsteady:
That no assurance from them springs,
Too well I find already;
And that ev'n Parliaments and Kings
Are frail, or false, or giddy.

150

19

All stands upon a tott'ring Wheel,
Which never fixt abideth;
Both Commonweals and Kingdoms reel:
He, that in them confideth,
(Or trusts their Faith) shall Mischiefs feel,
With which soe'er he sideth.

20

This Wit, I long ago was taught,
But then I would not heed it:
Experience must by Fools be bought,
Else they'll not think they need it.
By this means was my Ruine wrought;
Yet, they are Knaves who did it.

21

When to thee ground deprest I was,
Our Mushroms and our Bubbles
Whom neither Truth, nor Wit, nor Grace,
But Wealth and Pride ennobles,
As cruel were, as they are base,
And jeer'd me in my troubles.

22

And, when their hate, these had made known,
New mischiefs it begat me:
For, ev'ry Raskal durty Clown,
Presumed to amate me;
And all the CURS about the Town,
Grinn'd, snarl'd, and barked at me.

23

Since therefore 'tis not in my power,
Though oft I fore-discern them)
To shun the worlds despights one hower,
Thus into mirth I'll turn them;
And neither grieve, nor pout, nor lowre,
But laugh, and sing, and scorn them.

151

24

This FIT, at sev'nty years and two,
And thus to spend my hours,
The worlds contempt, inclines me to,
Whilst she my state devours;
If this be all that she can do,
A Fig for all her powers.

25

Yet I and shee, may well agree,
Though we have much contended;
Upon as equal terms are we,
As most who are offended:
For, I sleight her, and she sleights me,
And there's my Quarrel ended.

26

This onely doth my mirth allay,
I am to some engaged,
Who sigh and weep, and suffer may,
Whilst thus I sing incaged:
But I've a GOD, and so have they,
By whom that Care's asswaged.

27

And he that gives us in these days
New Lords, may give us new Laws;
So that our present Puppet-Plays,
Our VVhimsies, Brauls, and Gew-gaws,
May turned be to songs of praise,
And holy Hallelujahs.