THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 239 



handsome as her next neighbor's was. And I knew another, to 

 whom God had given healtli 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 neighbor, 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 wills. Well, this wilful 

 purse-proud law-suit lasted during the life of the first husband ; 

 after which his wife vexed and chid, and chid and vexed, till she 

 also chid and vexed 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 often from one 

 house to another, replied, " It was to find content in some of 

 them." But his friend, knowing 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 toward that king- 

 dom of heaven, by being humble and cheerful, and content with 

 what his good God has allotted him : he has no turbulent, repin- 

 ing, vexatious thoughts that he deserves better ; nor is vexed 

 when he sees others possessed of more honor or more riches than 

 his wise God has allotted for his share ; but he possesses what 



