Provide, those trenches and those walls to ward, A million of old soldiers for his guard,

All honest men and sworn-his fear will

Break in, despight of all, and shake him still.
To 'scape this fear his guard he would betray,
Make cruelly his dearest friends away,
Act any base or any wicked thing,

Be traitor to his country or his king,
Forswear his God, and in his fright go nigh
To hang himself, to 'scape the fear to die;
And for these reasons, I shall never care
To reckon those for friends, that cowards are.

I care not for large fortunes; for I find
Great wants best try the greatness of the mind;
And though I must confess such times there be,
In which the common wish hath place in me,
Yet when I search my heart, and what content
My God vouchsafe me hath, I count my rent
To be above a thousand pounds a year
More than it can unto the world appear;
And with more wealth I less content might find,
If I with riches had some rich man's mind.
A dainty palate would consume in cheer,
More than I do, a hundred pounds a year,
And leave me worse sufficed than I am.
Had I an inclination much to game,

A thousand marks would annually away,
And yet I want my full content at play :
If I in hawks or dogs had much delight,
Twelve hundred crowns it yearly waste me might;
And yet, not haif that pleasure bring me to,
Which, from one line of this, receive I do.
If I to brave apparel were inclin❜d,

Five students' pensions I should yearly spend,
Yet not be pleas'd so well with what I wear,
As now I am, nor take so little care.

I much for physic might be forc'd to give,
And yet a thousand fold less healthy live.

To keep my right, the law my goods might waste,
And with vexation tire me out at last.

These, and no doubt with these full many a thing

To make me less content, more wealth might bring,

Yet more employ me too; for few I see,
Who owners of the greatest fortunes be,
But they have still, as they more riches gain,
More state, more lusts, and troubles to maintain
With their revenues; that the whole account
Of their great seeming bliss doth scarce amount
To half of my content. And can I less
Esteem this rare-acquired happiness,

Than I a thousand pounds in rent would prize,
Since with less trouble it doth more suffice?

No: for, as when the march is swift and long,
And men have foes to meet both fierce and strong,
That soldier in the conflict best doth fare,

Who getteth arms of proof that lightest are;
So I who with a little do enjoy

As much my pleasure and content, as they
Whom far more wealth and business doth molest,
Account my fortune and estate the best:

God's favour in it I account the more,

And great possessions much less care I for.
I care not, so I still myself may be,
What others are, or who takes place of me.
I care not for the time's unjust neglect,

Nor fear their frowns, nor praise their vain respect;
For, to myself my worth doth never seem
Or more or less for other men's esteem.
The Turk, the Devil, Antichrist, and all
The rabble of that body-mystical

I care not for; and I should sorry be,

If I should give them cause to care for me.
What Christians ought not to be careful for,
What the Eternal Essence doth abhor,

I hate as I am able; and for aught

Which God approves not, when I spend a thought,

I truly wish, that from my eyes might rain
A shower of tears to buy it back again.

I care not for their kin, who blush to see
Those of their blood, who are in mean degree;
For, that betrays unworthiness, and shews
How they by chance and not by virtue rose.
To say my lord my cousin,' can to me
In my opinion, no such honour be,

If he from virtue's precept go astray,

As when my honest kinsman,' I can say.

And there are fools who, when they raised are,
Feign their beginning nobler than they were;
Yea, they do rob themselves of truest fame,
With some false honour to belie their name:
For, such as to the highest titles rise

From poor beginnings, have more tongues and eyes
To honour and observe them far, than all
That do succeed them ever boast of shall;
For, being nothing more than they were born,
Men heed them not, unless they merit scorn
For some unworthiness; and then, perchance,
As their forefather's meanness did advance
His praise the higher, so their greatness shall
Make greater both their infamy and fall.

It is men's glory, therefore, not a blot,

When they the start of all their names have got;

And it was worthless envy first begun
That false opinion, which so far hath run,
Which they well know, whose virtues honour win,
And shame not to confess their poorest kin;
For, whensoever they do look on those,
To God they praises give, and thus suppose :
Lo! when the hand of Heaven advanced us
Above our brethren to be lifted thus,

He let them stay behind, for marks to shew
From whence we came and whither we must go.

To have the mind of those, I do not care,

Who both so shameless and so foolish are,
That to acquire some poor esteem where they
Were never heard of until yesterday,
And never shall perhaps be thought of more,
Can prodigally there consume their store,
And stand upon their points of honour so,
As if their credit had an overthrow
Without redemption, if in aught they miss
Wherein th' accomplish'd gallant punctual is;
Yet basely ev'ry quality despise

In which true wisdom and true honour lies.

If you and one of those should dine to day,
"Twere three to one but he for all would pay;
If but your servant light him to the door,
He will reward him; if but he and's whore