The Character of a Happy Life by Sir Henry Wooton
b"Wooton read by Classic Poetry Aloud:\\nhttp://www.classicpoetryaloud.com/\\nGiving voice to the poetry of the past.\\n\\n---------------------------------------------\\n\\nThe Character of a Happy Life\\nby Sir Henry Wooton (1568 \\u2013 1639)\\n \\nHow happy is he born and taught \\nThat serveth not another's will; \\nWhose armour is his honest thought, \\nAnd simple truth his utmost skill! \\n \\nWhose passions not his masters are; \\nWhose soul is still prepared for death, \\nUntied unto the world by care \\nOf public fame or private breath; \\n \\nWho envies none that chance doth raise, \\nNor vice; who never understood \\nHow deepest wounds are given by praise; \\nNor rules of state, but rules of good; \\n \\nWho hath his life from rumours freed; \\nWhose conscience is his strong retreat; \\nWhose state can neither flatterers feed, \\nNor ruin make oppressors great; \\n \\nWho God doth late and early pray \\nMore of His grace than gifts to lend; \\nAnd entertains the harmless day \\nWith a religious book or friend; \\n \\n\\u2014This man is free from servile bands \\nOf hope to rise or fear to fall: \\nLord of himself, though not of lands, \\nAnd having nothing, yet hath all."