Of Hope Feare And Perswacion Poem by Nicholas Bacon

To hope the beste or feare the worste
Whiche is better harde to iudge iuste:
For hopeinge good and happeninge soe
Longe looked for ioye releuethe smale woe:
And hopeinge good happeninge mischeife
Suche happe besides hope increasethe greife:
Feareinge the worste is it soe chaunce,
Then greife is growen by feares continuaunce,
Feareinge the worste happeninge the beste,
Tyll that happe happed feare bredde smalle reste.
Synce hope and feare inquyettes thye harte
Vse thou therefore the contrarye parte.
Perswade the worste in thinges to come
As beste releife in myne opinyon:
Perswadeinge the worste chaunceinge not soe:
Then sodenn ioye redublethe greate woe:
Perswadeinge the worste if the worste come,
Yet payne is paste by that perswacyon.
To conclude therefore he silde repentes
That perswades the worste in all euentes.