"MY MIND TO ME A KINGDOM IS."

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2786, 27 September 1910, Page 7

"MY MIND TO ME A KINGDOM IS."

My mynde to me a kingdomc is, Such preasent joyes therein I fynde, That it excells all other blisse That earth affords or growes by kynde. Thoughe mucbe I wante which moste would have, Yet still my mynde forbiddes to crave. No princely pompe, no wealthy store, Nor force to winne the victorye ; No wily wit to salve a sore, No shape to feede a lovinge eye ; To none of these I yielde as thrall, " For why ? my mynde doth serve for all. I see how plenty suffers ofte, And hasty clymers sone do fall ; I see that those which are alofte Mishappe doth threaten moste of all ; They get with toyle, they keepe with feare : Such cares my mynde could never beare. Content I live, this is my staye* I seek no more than may suffyse ; I presse to beare no haughty swaye; Look, what I lack my mynde supplies ; Lo ! thus I triumphe like a kynge, Content with that my ,mynde doth bringe. Bome have too muche, yet still do crave ; I lyttle have and seek no morei; They arc but poore, though much they have, And I am ryche with lyttle store ; They poore, I riche ; they begge, I

gyve ; They lacke, I leave; they pyne, I lyve.

I laughe not at another's losse ; I grudge not at another's gayne ; No worldly waves my mynde can toss ; My state at one dothe still remayne ; I fear no foe, I fawne no friende ; I loathe not lyfe, nor dread my ende.

Some'weighe theyre pleasure by theyre luste, Theyre wisdom by theyre rage of wyll ;

Theyre treasure is theyre only

truste ; A clocked craft theyre store of skylle ; But all the pleasure that I fynde Is to mayntayne a quiet mynde.

My wealth is healthe and perfect ease ;

My conscience cleere my choyce defence ; I neither seek by brybes to please, Nor by deceyte to breede offence. Thus do I lyve ; thus will I dye ; Would all did so well as I. —Sir Edward Dyer (1545-1607).