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[verse 9] More mightie then forefathers all, with wisedome ruling mind,
[verse 10] I fed my will, my will pleasd me, this fruit my paines did find.
9.
And I was great, and en∣creased aboue all that were before me in Ierusalem: all my wisedome remained w••th me.
Thus grew I mightie, and of greater fame
Then any king Ierusalem had knowne:
From farre and neare, great Princes sent and came
To see my greatnesse, which abrode was blowne:
Admir'd I was, and loued of my owne,
Surpassing farre, report that went of mee,
As Saba Queene, confest that came to see.
And (which few men, in prosperous state can do).
By wisedomes rule I guided so my life,
That holy Iustice still I leand vnto,
And shielded innocence from Tyrants strife:
And (had I not transgrest through heathnish wife,
Who made me winke at her Idolatry)
Few errors in my life you should espy.
10.
And whatsoe∣uer mine eies desired, I with∣held it not f••ō them: I with∣drew not mine hart from any ioy: for mine h••rt reioyced in all my la••or: and this was my portion of all my trauell.
Thus did I fill my eyes with their desire,
And fed my heart at full with all content,
No sooner did my thought a thing require,
But forward to effect it straight I went:
Thus I my dayes in ioy and solace spent,
Peace gaue me wealth & power, power fed my will,
My will sought happinesse in all things still.
But happinesse I had not as I thought,
For though in vse of things I seemed glad,
Yet afterward they to me loathing brought,
And things begunne in ioy, were parting sad,
And yet that present ioy was all I had,
In recompence of all my trau'll and paine,
And to haue that, was more then many gaine.