In Commendacion Of The Meane Estate Poem by Nicholas Bacon

The suereste state and beste degree
Is to possesse mediocritye.
By proofe we finde in everye storme
The hier tree the sorer torne:
The Seas rageinge with surges hye
When the meane fludes reste quietlye.
Agayne we see the thorne and shrubbe
As thinges vyle all menn vppe stubbe:
And where the brookes be over smale
Menn stoppe them vppe, and therewithall
The loweste hedge menn moste downe treade,
The weake to wall ioynes in eche stede.
Eschewe to creepe, seeke not to flye,
To lowe for the Crowe, to hye for the Pye,
Bene twooe extremes, and extremes all
ffrom vertues bowndes to vyce doe fall.
fflye them therefore as poyson stronge
And singe the meane as moste swete songe.
The mightie man the greate estate
With thousande cares cumbers his pate,
Whiche the wise man of meane degree
ffor his estate nede not foresee:
ffor their excesse makethe of vayne
Ofte nedefull thinges pompe to maynetayne.
And madde he is that makethe nede
Of not nedefull vayne pompe to fede.
ffor those vayne nedes are nedefullye
To be foresene as necessarye,
Wherewith his brayne he ofte perplexethe
When the meane man noe suche thinge vexethe.
His meate his slepe his other reste,
Care dothe cumber his daylye geste:
And what rewarde for this agayne
But cappe and knee of Selye menne?
Whiche whoe soe geves or else dothe take
Of gayne or losse noe compte can make.
But nowe one telles me in myne eare
That this gaye man hathe muche gaye geare:
Plentye he hathe of menn and horse
And dayntye meates to franke his Cors,
Venus at will beddes of delighte
Preste all to sarve his appetyte,
And appetyte still to contente
Is merieste lyfe that can be spente.
This tale and lyfe tendes all to one,
Apparance muche Existence none.
ffor he that setts ffelicitye
In appetytes Satietye
Withoute makeinge distinction
When it is rulde by Reason
And when onelye by luste and will
Suche appetyte for to fullfille
Hathe righte greate nede of the rable,
The monster is soe variable.
But where reason rulethe the roste
She is full served with muche lesse coste
And muche lesse care as you shall see
In poyntes moste dere to eache degree.
Good meate and drinke the meane state hase
Inoughe to keepe healthe in good case.
The mightie hathe suche dayntye store
Phisicke muste heale ofte natures sore.
The meane is cladde from hurte of ayer,
The mightie is madde that his clothes fayer
Be marde with mothes and loste with lyei nge,
When the faulte is in his muche byeinge.
As to the rowte of Sarveinge menne
Of ffortye they vse well scante tenne:
The reste doe naughte that greate men takes,
But eate and drinke and fill the Jakes.
A breede of theves for to saye trothe,
A nurce of Idlenes and slothe.
The meane mans menn snarre grudge or snufe,
Doe all their thinges with spede to profe:
And fewe well wroughte knoweinge to doe
Will sarve them selves and mayster toe.
Sounde slepe alsoe withoute dreameinge
ffor natures ease to man dothe bringe
Not surfettes chere but the meane dyett,
Nor beddes softe but the bedde quyett.
Venus delighte and tickelinge Luste
By choyse and change nedes followe muste
Their wanton lyfe and greate excesse:
But what is that but bestelynes?
The Cowe the Sowe the Bull the Bore
Have for like luste like choyse like store.
But natures dve whiche it dothe crave
Of Venus rightes the man maye have:
And to excede natures desyer
Is to seeke heate where nedes noe fyer.
Thus you see their pompe and pryde
Standes by excesse from reason wyde:
Whose countrye state is povertye
Dwellinge throwe wante in miserye:
Whiche to disswade I iudge but vayne,
Menn flyeinge it as deadelye payne.
Wherefore by righte I maye conclude
Of thre estates twooe are escheude,
As twooe extremes by reasons lore,
And the meane state is sett before,
Whoe bringes and bredes theis Juells three,
Saftye, Quiette and Libertye.