| |
| MY minde to me a kingdom is; | |
| Such perfect joy therein I finde | |
| As farre exceeds all earthly blisse | |
| That God or nature hath assignde; | |
| Though much I want that most would have, | 5 |
| Yet still my minde forbids to crave. | |
| |
| Content I live; this is my stay,— | |
| I seek no more than may suffice. | |
| I presse to beare no haughtie sway; | |
| Look, what I lack my mind supplies. | 10 |
| Loe, thus I triumph like a king, | |
| Content with that my minde doth bring. | |
| |
| I see how plentie surfets oft, | |
| And hastie clymbers soon do fall; | |
| I see that such as sit aloft | 15 |
| Mishap doth threaten most of all. | |
| These get with toile, they keepe with feare; | |
| Such cares my minde could never beare. | |
| |
| No princely pompe nor welthie store, | |
| No force to win the victorie, | 20 |
| No wylie wit to salve a sore, | |
| No shape to winne a lover’s eye,— | |
| To none of these I yeeld as thrall; | |
| For why, my mind despiseth all. | |
| |
| Some have too much, yet still they crave; | 25 |
| I little have, yet seek no more. | |
| They are but poore, though much they have, | |
| And I am rich with little store. | |
| They poor, I rich; they beg, I give; | |
| They lacke, I lend; they pine, I live. | 30 |
| |
| I laugh not at another’s losse, | |
| I grudge not at another’s gaine; | |
| No worldly wave my mind can tosse; | |
| I brooke that is another’s bane. | |
| I feare no foe, I fawne no friend; | 35 |
| I lothe not life, nor dread mine end. | |
| |
| I joy not in no earthly blisse; | |
| I weigh not Crœsus’ wealth a straw; | |
| For care, I care not what it is; | |
| I feare not fortune’s fatal law; | 40 |
| My minde is such as may not move | |
| For beautie bright, or force of love. | |
| |
| I wish but what I have at will; | |
| I wander not to seeke for more; | |
| I like the plaine, I clime no hill; | 45 |
| In greatest stormes I sitte on shore, | |
| And laugh at them that toile in vaine | |
| To get what must be lost againe. | |
| |
| I kisse not where I wish to kill; | |
| I feigne not love where most I hate; | 50 |
| I breake no sleepe to winne my will; | |
| I wayte not at the mightie’s gate. | |
| I scorne no poore, I feare no rich; | |
| I feele no want, nor have too much. | |
| |
| The court ne cart I like ne loath,— | 55 |
| Extreames are counted worst of all; | |
| The golden meane betwixt them both | |
| Doth surest sit, and feares no fall; | |
| This is my choyce; for why, I finde | |
| No wealth is like a quiet minde. | 60 |
| |
| My wealth is health and perfect ease; | |
| My conscience clere my chiefe defence; | |
| I neither seeke by bribes to please, | |
| Nor by desert to breed offence. | |
| Thus do I live; thus will I die; | 65 |
| Would all did so as well as I! | |
| |
