Marke well this _Caged-fowle_; and, thereby, see, What, thy estate, may, peradventure, be. She, wants her _freedome_; so, perhaps, dost thou, Some _freedomes_ lacke, which, are desired, now; And, though, thy _Body_ be not so confin’d; Art straitned, from some liberty of _Minde_. The _Bird in thrall_, the more contented lyes, Because, the _Hawke_, so neere her, she espyes; And, though, the _Cage_ were open, more would feare, To venture out, then to continue there: So, if thou couldst perceive, what _Birds of prey_, Are hov’ring round about thee, every day, To seize thy _Soule_ (when she abroad shall goe, To take the _Freedome_, she desireth so) Thou, farre more fearefull, wouldst of them, become, Then thou art, now, of what thou flyest from. Not _Precepts_, but _Experience_, thus hath taught me; Which, to such resolutions, now have brought me, That, whatsoever mischiefes others doe me, I make them yield some true Contentments to me; And, seldome struggle from them, till I see, That, _smother-fortunes_ will securer be. What spight soere my Foes, to me, can doe, I laugh thereat, within an houre or two; For, though the World, and I, at first, believe, My Suffrings, give me cause enough to grieve; Yet, afterward, I finde (the more to glad me) That, better _Fortunes_, might farre worse have made me. By some young _Devills_, though, I scratched am, Yet, I am hopefull, I shall scape their _Dam_. _The more contrary =Windes= doe blow, The greater =Vertues= praise will grow._ [Illustration: ADVERSIS CLARIVS ARDET. ILLVSTR. XXXV. _Book. 2_]