Classic Poem

The fifth daies worke

Sweete Patience thou soueraigne of perfection,
Of Gratious thoughts the only Gouernesse;
Who by the Rules of thy diuine direction,
Do'st bring the heart to highest Happinesse
My humble soule with thy sweete loue enflame
That I may sing in honour of thy name.

The purest thoughts that euer heart possessed
The clearest Obiect of the carefull'st Eie,
The present Medicine of the Minde distressed
The only ease in euery Miserie;
In all the proofe of Wits Experience
In heart, and minde and soule is patience.

It puts off feare of Fortunes forwardnes,
And only rests on Resolution:
It wrestles with the worlds vntowardnes,
And holds the state of Reasons Constitution:
It conquers Will, and so doth carrie Wit
That both are happy only but in it.

It breedes no wroth, nor moueth Enuies ill,
It breakes no concord nor discention sturres:
It learnes the spirit an especiall skill,
Where Reasons care Repentance not incurres:
And if Repentance, folly doe enforce
It is a meane vnto a sweete remorce.

It beareth want as if it were no woe,
And suffers wrong as if it had no sence:
It swallowes sorrow as it were not so;
And taketh Death for lifes Ingredience:
It neither feedes of fortune, feare nor fate
But alwaies is all one in euery state.

In time it keepes the compasse of the hower
In action, order measure, point, and place:
In thought, the temper of the spirits power
In Wit and Reason all the Rules of Grace:
In Grace the ground of that perfections story,
That goeth neere the heigth of Vertues Glory.

It makes the entrance into euery Action,
Continues the proceedings; makes the end:
It kils the Nature of vnquiet Faction,
And of a foe sometime doth make a friend;
It doth conceale the hearts calamitie
And makes a Vertue of Necessitie.

By Patience we doe our soules possesse,
And tread the path to our soules Paradice:
While the impatient in their soules distresse
Headlong fall into their soules Miseries;
It is a salue that healeth the soules griefe,
Sorrowes rankt poison, and the soules reliefe.

Patience doth try the Truth of euery thing
Distills the spirits of the purest Natures:
Teacheth the Muse her Musique Notes to sing,
And findes the difference of all kindes of Creatures:
Giues bodies health, and makes the spirits diet
And brings the soule vnto Eternall quiet.

She keepes the Husband chaste vntill he marrie
The Wife obedient to her Band of loue:
It makes the Mother for her Childe to tarrie,
And Seruants waite for their Rewards behouve:
It makes the Sea-man tarie for a winde,
And poore men waite till richer men haue dinde.

It makes the wounded Man endure his dressing
The sicke Man see the loosing of his blood;
The poore Man beare the paine of his oppressing
The good Man against euill to doe good:
The wise Man study for the state of Blisse
The holy Man finde where all blessing is.

It keepes the King from thoughts of Crueltie
The Noble Peere from Prides Ambition:
The Counsailour from all Impietie
The Courtier from all ill condition:
The Church-man from the error of selfe will
The Lay man from the exercise of ill.

By patience Dauid had a princely fame,
And Iob his patience hath a worthy praise:
But Christ his patience hath the Glorious name
That euer liues to neuer ending daies:
Since then in God and Man it is so glorious
Let it be held a Vertue all victorious.

In God it doth a worke of Mercy show,
In Mercy Comfort, and in Comfort Grace.
In Grace that loue from which that life doth flow,
That shewes where Patience hath a happy place:
Oh blessed Patience that in Man doth proue
Gods Mercies comfort in his Gratious loue.

It brings the heart to Loues Humilitie
Humility to Truthes simplicitie:
And simple Truth to Cares Tranquilitie
And quiet Care to faith's felicitie:
And happy Faith vnto that fairest Blisse
In which the fairest of all Blessing is.

And since that in Humility I finde
True Patience hath her purest Residence:
And brings the heart, the spirit, and the minde
Vnto the height of Reasons Excellence:
Let me a little shew what Vertue saies
In setting down Humilities due praise.