Bel-vedére, or, The Garden of the muses

Of Pouertie, &c.

Pouertie is a vertue of it selfe, Content with want and needie miserie.

POuertie is not wisdomes hinderance. Contented pouertie is greatest wealth. Need, is esteem'd a perfect Schoole-mistresse. Need answers not to euery mans request. Poore miserie i•• troden on by many, And being low, neuer relieu'd by any. Wise men, must giue place to necessitie. Ignorance is the greatest pouertie. Stout vowes are oft repeal'd in extreame need. Sweet are poore crummes, where pained thoughts doe starue. Need hurteth none so much as sillie soules, Who cannot patiently endure her yoke.

Plentie breeds perill, want procures di••daine. Miserie craues rather mercie, than reproofe. There is no vertue like necessitie. Thanks ought be deem'd th'Exchequer of the poore. We should our selues not miserable deeme, Sith none are so but in their owne esteeme. To needie men, delay is euen as death. Most wretched he, that is, yet cannot tell. Miserie oft makes sport to mocke it selfe. The wretched conquered, may nought refuse. Who in distresse from resolution flyes, Is rightly said, to yeeld to miseries. That needs must be perform'd, which need constraines. Poore wretches haue remorse in poore abuses. The graunts are small to them that stand in need. Men flye from foes, but not from miserie. Sharpe are the wounds, but sweet the medcines be, That wretched soules from wearie bondage free. Want pines away, and comfortlesse doth dye. Delay leads impotent and s••aile-pac'd need. He is not poore, hath little, but that much desires. Contented pouertie, is happinesse. A little ••roke will serue to make him die, That is hal••e slaine before with miserie. Diligence most enableth poorest men. The loue of poore men, great mens harmes debates▪ Loue neuer keepes where wretchednes abides. Poore men should suffer for no great mens sinnes. No truer friends haue poore men than their teares, Wherein men (••ach way wretched) may be rich. It is too much for one good man to want. Giue them that want, not such as haue no need. To liue and lacke, doth breed a daily griefe. Sharpe is the food necessitie imposeth.

Want smiles secure when pri••cely thoughts doe feele That feare and daunger treads vpon their heele. Speed in necessitie is chiefest s••••••••e. Distresse cuts deeper than sterne fortunes frownes. Necessitie endure▪ what else would not. Miserie finds no multitude of friends. It is an ••••••••ur •••• aduersitie, With s••••igh▪•• to 〈…〉〈…〉ine prosperitie. Where need comp••••••s, Orat••on•• are in vaine. Occasion makes them s••ir••••, that else would not. The iust mans miserie is no meane me••it. Though thou a••t poore▪ yet se••k••, and thou shalt find. Prosperitie is ••o•••••• of very ••••••••••, But men i•• want are hardly ••olpe by an••. By others wants we know our owne good haps. Miserie doth the brauest mind abate. Need makes men ••eeke for that they somtime scornd. Want, is the enemie to good desires. Pouertie oft with heauie ••l••gge of care Pulls ••••••ny downe, when th•••• as••ending are. Poore men are little shrubs, rich men tall trees. Need sometimes doth instruct ••nlawfull things. A poore and honest life hath no compare.

Similies on the same subiect.

AS Kings haue honour to beare out their deeds, The po••re ••aue honestie to guide their liues. As riches se••meth ••umbersome to ••ooles, So pouertie is pleasing to the wise. As riches is the mother of delight, So pouertie doth no••rce calamitie. As want, to ma〈…〉〈…〉 in tollerable, So in good men, it is most comfortable.

As the wild Asse is still the Lyons prey, So doe the rich feed on the poore ech day. As euery Artizane best knowes his trade, So euery poore man best doth feele his want.

Examples likewise on the same.

PVblicola cast downe from high degree, Sham'd not, but ioyed in his pouertie. Aristides, from humble pouertie, Was raised to degree of dignitie. Fabritius in his meanest pouertie, Pyrrhus made choise of, as companion. Vul••urnus banished by Anthonie, Neuer repined at his miserie. Pouertie, is helpe to Philosophie, Learn'd of it selfe; so said Diogenes. Lactantius said: Take away insolence, And there's no difference twixt the rich and poore.