Sir Henry Wotton （b. 1568,d. 1639） was born at Bocton Hall,Kent,England. He was educated at Winchester and Oxford. About 1598 he was taken intthe service of the Earl of Essex,as one of his secretaries. On the Earl’s committal tthe Tower for treason,Wotton fled tFrance;but he returned tEngland immediately after the death of Elizabeth,and received the honor of knighthood. He was King James‘s favorite diplomatist,and,in 1623,was appointed provost of Eton College. Wotton wrote a number of prose works;but his literary reputation rests mainly on some short poems,which are distinguished by a dignity of thought and expression rarely excelled.
1.How happy is he born and taught,That serveth not another’s will;Whose armor is his honest thought,And simple truth his utmost skill!
2.Whose passions not his masters are,Whose soul is still prepared for death,Untied untthe worldly care
Of public fame,or private breath;
3.Whenvies none that chance doth raise,Or vice;whnever understoodHow deepest wounds are given by praise;Nor rules of state,but rules of good:
4.Whhath his life from rumors freed,Whose conscience is his strong retreat;Whose state can neither flatterers feed,Nor ruin make oppressors great;
5.WhGod doth late and early pray,More of his grace than gifts tlend;And entertains the harmless day With a religious book or friend.
6.This man is freed from servile bands,Of hope trise,or fear tfall;Lord of himself,though not of lands;And having nothing,yet hath all.