University of Virginia Library

I. K. to his Friend H.

What needst thou thus to crie and care,
before the stroke doth fall:
And eke to seeke a sauing salue,
where is no wounde at all.
To for see lurcking euilles in time,
yet counte I wit discreete:
To bende thy bowe ere broyle be made,
also I deeme it meete.
But passe thou not for moltring muck,
the pestlent poole of woe:
No griefe, no grudge, no broyle or bate,
but doth from pennie groe.
The graue and wise Philosophers,
as Serpents fled the same:
And wilt thou then a christen man,
therewith go spot thy name?
Euen now me thinks I heare thy sounde,
soft bussing at mine eare:
Which sayes necessitie compelles,
to get thys worldly geare.
For when we want who well may liue?
But if we bound in store:
Commodities then offreth made,
a salue for euery sore.
Our credite eke the same doth crease,
our friends the better are:
Who meetes riche man but him salutes,
cap of and head full bare:
If thou haue goods thou mayst obtaine,
thy worthie countnance bent:
Alas my friend ist lack of drosse,
that breedes thee wrong contempt?
No no not so I answere thee,
necessitie is small:
With little store is nature fed,
it craues no hoord at all.
Nor shalt thou want but mayst liue well,
though not aboundance floe:
He seekes no meane that still is bent,
on hillie heapes to groe.
If great be welth, yet none be thine,
a stewarde God thee made:
If none thou hast, lament thou not,
but rather be thou glade.
Bicause thou cleane deliuered art,
of great and heauie pack:
And eke thou hast another day,
a lesse account to make.
But hope thou well: the sparrowes small,
our God hath care to see:
And thinkst thou then O faythlesse man,
that God forgetteth thee?
Can riches make thee wiser man?
or good or learned more:
Or vertuous or yonger man?
alas these helps be poore.
But men will kneele and crouch to thee,
loe yet howe fonde we play:
They honor not thy person man,
but goodes and clothes so gay.
But goods get friends, but none of thine,
they faune and flatter free:
If fortune frowne, these trustie gestes,
will scantly stande to thee.
The truth it selfe hath verified,
a richmans case to trie.
What Camell can creepe out wyth ease,
euen at a needles eie?
What store of welth enriched thee,
when from the earth thou came?
What riches eke shall follow thee,
returning to the same?
Therefore my friend content with skill,
to cheere thy grieued minde:
For want of vile and clammy clay,
will countnance be vnkinde?
No, vertues shall maintaine thy store,
that neuer shalt thou lack:
Shall pelting trashe a worthie hart,
from earnest loue driue back?
Then let not want of welth that rottes,
so pinch in pyning plight:
No glittring Golde no heaped horde,
can vertue put to flight.
Thy wit, thy works, thy hart and grace,
thy skilfull head so wise:
Thy iust reporte by vertue gote,
thy hidden qualities
Which lurcking lie in brest of thine,
but once I hope the same
Shall take the roote to spring abroade,
to crease thy gentle name.
What shall I say? I will omit
with pen thy praise to paint:
Thou hast the goodes that euer dure,
my friend then doe not faint.
Dispaire thou not, for thou hast more,
then well thy selfe doste know.
No welth thou wantst that true welth is,
receyue this salue I shoe.
If I could get to thy content,
though Venus face she had,
Though Pallas powre, though Iunos wit,
in peerelesse iewels clad,
Though all the goodes of Arabie,
with thousand thousands free:
She did possesse, oh trust me well,
yet would I giue hir thee.
For would she haue a prudent spouse,
in safetie sounde to bee:
If I should choose, by practise proude,
beleeue me thou art hee.