Some Courtiers carefull of their Princes health, Attends his Person with all dilligence Whose hand's their hart; whose welfare is their wealth, Whose safe Protection is their sure Defence, For pure affection, not for hope of pence: Such is the faithfull hart, such is the minde, Of him that is to Vertue still inclinde. The skilfull Scholler, and braue man at Armes, First plies his Booke, last fights for Countries Peace; Th'one feares Obliuion, th'other fresh Alarmes; His paines nere ende, his trauailes neuer cease; His with the Day, his with the Night increase: He studies how to get eternall Fame; The Souldier fights to win a glorious Name. The Knight, the Squire, the Gentleman, the Clowne, Are full of crosses and calamities; Lest fickle Fortune should begin to frowne, And turne their mirth to extreame miseries: Nothing more certaine than incertainties; Fortune is full of fresh varietie: Constant in nothing but inconstancie. The wealthie Merchant that doth crosse the Seas, To _Denmarke_, _Poland_, _Spaine_, and _Barbarie;_ For all his ritches, liues not still at ease; Sometimes he feares ship-spoyling Pyracie, Another while deceipt and treacherie Of his owne Factors in a forren Land; Thus doth he still in dread and danger stand. Well is he tearmd a Merchant-Venturer, Since he doth venter lands, and goods, and all: When he doth trauell for his Traffique far, Little he knowes what fortune may befall, Or rather what mis-fortune happen shall: Sometimes he splits his Ship against a rocke; Loosing his men, his goods, his wealth, his stocke. And if he so escape with life away, He counts himselfe a man most fortunate, Because the waues their rigorous rage did stay, (When being within their cruell powers of late, The Seas did seeme to pittie his estate) But yet he neuer can recouer health, Because his ioy was drowned with his wealth. The painfull Plough-swaine, and the Husband-man Rise vp each morning by the breake of day, Taking what toyle and drudging paines they can, And all is for to get a little stay; And yet they cannot put their care away: When Night is come, their cares begin afresh, Thinking vpon their Morrowes busines. Thus euerie man is troubled with vnrest, From rich to poore, from high to low degree: Therefore I thinke that man is truly blest, That neither cares for wealth nor pouertie, But laughs at Fortune and her foolerie; That giues rich Churles great store of golde and fee, And lets poore Schollers liue in miserie.