Classic Poem

Well, what of this? this restlesse toile for State,
What is the end of that which Care begins?
And without Worlds of Guilts gets Worlds of Hate:
Is this the All Pride (at All casting) wins?
Must Truths Disciples, Graces Officers,
Sacred Apostles (Saints by calling) striue
For Headship by vnciuill-ciuil Wars
Though they beleeue they meanly ought to liue?
Nay, but for this, if those resplendant Spirits
That do surround the highst Celestiall Throne,
Aduance themselues aboue their place, and Merits
For which they worthily were ouerthrowne
Then Iudgement where dost thou enthrone thy State
That should be in the Kingdome of the Braine?
Dost thou that Seate (sith Pride vsurps it) hate?
And only in the Humble dost thou raigne?
Then where are they? true Iudgement tel me where?
If neither with the Angels, Saints, nor Men
That may be found, (as it doth well appeare)
Where shall we seek for these so humble then?
Or is the totall Summe of All but One
Who was made truly humble for vs all?
And dost thou rest in him (meek Lamb) alone
Leuing vs to our selues to rise, or fall?
Then, woe to vs that made are for thie want,
And doe we wot not what in what we doe:
Who seeke, for nought, each other to supplant:
For, Lordships haue their Lodes made fast thereto.
We striue for That which bringeth vs but strife
With griefe and care among, oft wrack withall:
We venter life, to win a weary life;
And rise by all meanes, by all meanes to fall
So we be vp but for a day, we deeme
Our neck well broken: ├┤ its worth a Neck
But for an howre a King to Be, or seeme
Vnto his Mares before to giue the Check
If we can catch a place aboue our Peers
(Although we come thereby by peerlesse sin)
We ween vs no small fooles (as it appeares)
When we [alas the while] stark mad haue bin
Such is our Iudgement, such our temperance,
And such the state of those that State affect,
Whose State and Stale hath such continuance
As they that seek it; no time in effect!
Then, ├┤ my Soule since thou canst thus discourse
(As many can whose Courses are stark nought)
Be better staid or run a better Course
Far from the rise of any mounting thought.
Look in the Inwards of these outward Things;
And note the Lyning of the roialst Robe;
Its powdred Ermyne, pepperd too with Stings
That like a Nettle, makes the wearer rub
If thou affect a Kingdome, let it be
Heaun or the happy Kingdome of CONTENT:
Which blessed Kingdomes are ordained for Thee
If thou affect but thine owne gouernment.
Be Queen but of thy selfe and thou shalt be
In Heaun Crownd with Immortality,
Where Saints, and Angels shall still honor thee,
For swaying wel thy little Signiory.
And sith thy Pilgrimage is almost past
Thou needst the lesse Viaticum for it:
For being tird to lode thy selfe at last,
With needlesse Trashe would show nor grace nor witte.
Care for no more then thou maist beare, with speede,
To beare thy Charges through this Vale of woe
Superfluous things giue others that haue neede,
The lesse thy Lode the better thou shalt goe.
Little serues soone-suffized Necessity
(Whose Stomack, smal and cold disiests not much)
But nothing can Opinion satisfie,
Which beeing more then ful for more doth grutche.
The greed-ritch doe want the wealth they hold
Who pine with Tantalus amidst their Store;
And (Midas-like) eu'n famish with their Gold,
The more they haue, their misery the more
The next degree to Nothing Nature serues,
Sith she with lesse then Little is content:
The Hedge rowes meate, the Riuer drinke reserues
To keepe her in good plight, and better bent.
The Birds finde meate for seeking euery where,
The Highest hand stil strowes it in their way;
And so may temperate men stil finde it there
Where ere the Birds doe finde their stomack staie
For Cresses, Rootes, Hippes, Hawes, Sloes , and such Cates
Are Common, (as the Aire) to take, and eate:
This meate serues Nature though it serue not States
And longest liuers had no other meate
Let Gluttons glutt their Gutts vntill they crack
With all the Kickshawes Cookrie can denise;
And let them lay on lode vpon their Back
Of gaudy Geare; thou needest none; then be wise
Puft-panch dost soonst the Kite a pudding yeelde;
Full Gorges belk, if not much rather spue,
Most fulsomely, for being ouerfilled:
It selfe with hate doth then it selfe pursue.
At Best; these ful Ones can themselues but stretche
Vpon their Iuory Bedds, or feede their lust:
For, they must still be feeding til they catche
That which wil feede on them til they be dust
And what's a costly Cote but cumberous
Vnto the Maker and the Wearer too;
To keepe off cold and heate we Clothes should vse.
Which Howse wiues cloth doth Without more adoo:
And so the same be sound, and sweet, we may
In Clothing of that kind best stir, or stand;
Whenas these Garments ritch, and ouer gale
Do rather vs, then we do them, command.
If Garments must distinguish needs Degrees
[Though Vertue makes the plainest Coat to shine]
Yet more then needs with no Degree agrees:
So saith King Iames , so saith the Word diuine
No more of this; ynough, if not too much
(But nere too much against too much is sed)
Is sed hereof; and Great ones will but grutch
Sith with their Busines I am busied:
They hird me not: then, proffered seruice stinks:
No more my Muse; thy Lady on thee winks.