Made At Wymbleton In His Lo: Greate Sickenes In The Laste Yeare Of Quene Marye Poem by Nicholas Bacon

Calleinge to mynde my wyfe moste dere
Howe ofte you have in sorrowes sadde
With wordes full wyse and pleasante chere
My dropeinge lookes turned into gladde,
Howe ofte you have my moodes to badde
Borne patientlye with a mylde mynde,
Asswageinge them with wordes righte kynde:

Remembringe to myne owne good manne
A tryed mynde with carke and care,
Howe ofte you have, howe well you canne
With modeste mirthe of witte not bare
Refressheinge me, and howe you are
Gladde by all meanes like a good wyfe
To breede and keepe a pleasante lyfe:

Thinkeinge alsoe with howe good will
The Idle tymes whiche yrkesome be
You have made shorte throwe your good skill
In readeinge pleasante thinges to me,
Whereof profitte we bothe did se,
As wittenes can if they coulde speake
Bothe your Tullye and my Senecke:

Seinge alsoe daylye at Eye
In my sickenes bothe greate and longe
Your care of mynde payne of bodye
Sekeinge alwayes to make me stronge,
Soe as excepte I shoulde saye wronge
I muste nedes saye and with good harte
You have well played a good wyves parte:

Calleinge to mynde theis your kynde dedes
And herewithall wissheinge there mighte
Suche frute springe oute of theis your sydes
As you mighte reape store due of righte
Strayte wante of power appered in sighte
Affirmeinge that I soughte in vayne
Juste recompence for soe greate gayne:

Then reason to my comforte sayde
That wante of power will shoulde supplye,
Yf endevor gave his hole ayde
To thinke and thanke righte hartelye,
And sayde shee knowes as well as I
That vltra posse non est esse,
To doe your beste therefore addresse ye.

In doeinge this I hadd respecte
As reason woulde to your delighte,
And knoweinge that it dothe reiecte
Suche thinges as in moste womens sighte
Thoughe vayne in dede semes moste of mighte,
Therefore for you I coulde not fynde
A more depe thinge then frutes of mynde.

A mynde I have suche as it is
And frutes thereof bothe yonge and olde,
Not pretyous muche nor all amisse,
But as they be loe here them holde:
I wisshe them better a hundrethe folde:
Ye recreatyons of bothe myne ages,
Goe and sarve hur as humble Pages.

In this sarveinge your cheife chardge is
To councell and refresshe hur mynde
All that you can, and besides this
To vse suche meanes as I maye fynde
Hur here and hence aye alike kynde:
And when bothe theis you ceasse to doe,
Oute of service I chardge you goe.