THE COMPLETE ANGLER 237 



health and plenty, but a wife that nature had made 

 peevish, and her husband's riches had made purse-proud ; 

 and must, because she was rich, and for no other virtue, 

 sit in the highest pew in the church ; which being denied 

 her, she engaged her husband into a contention for it, 

 and at last into a law-suit with a dogged neighbour who 

 was as rich as he, and had a wife as peevish and purse- 

 proud as the other : and this law-suit begot higher 

 oppositions, and actionable words, and more vexations and 

 law-suits ; for you must remember that both were rich, 

 and must therefore have their will. Well, this wilful, 

 purse-proud law-suit, lasted during the life of the first 

 husband ; after which his wife vext and chid, and chid 

 and vext till she also chid and vext herself into her grave : 

 and so the wealth of these poor rich people was curst into 

 a punishment, because they wanted meek and thankful 

 hearts ; for those only can make us happy. I knew a 

 man that had health and riches, and several houses, all 

 beautiful, and ready furnished, and would often trouble 

 himself and family to be removing from one house to 

 another ; and being asked by a friend, why he removed 

 so of ten skom one house to another, replied, " It was to 

 find content in some one of them." But his friend know- 

 ing his temper, told him, If he would find content in any 

 of his houses, he must leave himself behind him ; for 

 content will never dwell but in a meek and quiet soul. 

 And this may appear, if we read and consider what our 

 Saviour says in St. Matthew's Gospel ; for He there says, 

 " Blessed be the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 

 Blessed be the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 

 Blessed be the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom 

 of heaven." And, " Blessed be the meek, for they shall 

 possess the earth." Not that the meek shall not also 

 obtain mercy, and see God, and be comforted, and at last 

 come to the kingdom of heaven ; but in the meantime 

 he, and he only, possesses the earth as he goes towards 



