Laudator Temporis Acti

Phineas Fletcher (1582–1650), "Against a Rich Man Despising Povertie," in The Poems of Phineas Fletcher, ed. Alexander B. Grosart, Vol. III (Printed for Private Circulation, 1869), pp. 225-226:

If well thou view'st us with no squinted eye,
No partiall judgement, thou wilt quickly rate
Thy wealth no richer then my povertie;
My want no poorer then thy rich estate:
    Our ends and births alike; in this as I;        5
    Poore thou wert born, and poore again shalt die.

My little fills my little-wishing minde:
Thou having more then much, yet seekest more:
Who seeks, still wishes what he seeks, to finde;
Who wishes, wants; and who so wants, is poore:        10
    Then this must follow of necessitie;
    Poore are thy riches, rich my povertie.

Though still thou gett'st yet is thy want not spent,
But as thy wealth, so growes thy wealthy itch:
But with my little I have much content;        15
Content hath all; and who hath all, is rich:
    Then this in reason thou must needs confesse,
    If I have little, yet that thou hast lesse.

2 partiall = opposite of impartial
3, 4, 8 then = than
13 spent = used up, exhausted


José de Ribera (1591-1652), An Old Usurer