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A Collection of Emblemes

Ancient and Moderne: Quickened VVith Metricall Illvstrations, both Morall and Divine: And disposed into Lotteries, That Instruction, and Good Counsell, may bee furthered by an Honest and Pleasant Recreation. By George Wither

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Illvstr. XXXVI.
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170

Illvstr. XXXVI.

[I should not care how hard my Fortunes were]

Wee then have got the surest prop,
When God, alone, becomes our Hope.

I should not care how hard my Fortunes were,
Might still my Hopes be such, as now they are,
Of helpes divine; nor feare, how poore I bee,
If thoughts, yet, present, still may bide in mee.
For, they have left assurance of such ayd,
That, I am of no dangers, now afraid.
Yea, now I see, mee thinkes, what weake and vaine
Supporters I have sought, to helpe sustaine
My fainting heart; when some injurious hand,
Would undermine the Station where I stand.
Me thinks, I see how scurvie, and how base,
It is to scrape for favours, and for grace,
To men of earthly minds; and unto those,
Who may, perhaps, before to morrow lose
Their Wealth, (or their abus'd Authoritie)
And, stand as much in want of helpe as I.
Me thinks, in this new-rapture, I doe see
The hand of God from heaven supporting me,
Without those rotten-Ayds, for which I whinde,
When I was of my tother vulgar-minde:
And, if in some one part of me it lay,
I, now, could cut that Limbe of mine away.
Still, might I keepe this mind, there were enough
Within my selfe (beside that cumbring stuffe
Wee seeke without) which, husbanded aright,
Would make mee Rich, in all the Worlds despight.
And, I have hopes, that, had shee quite bereft mee,
Of those few ragges and toyes, which, yet, are left me;
I should on God, alone, so much depend,
That, I should need, nor Wealth, nor other Friend.