COUNTRY CONTENTMENTS. O 



keep GrocTs covenant, and he will give you a place 

 and a name " better than of sons and of daughters/'' 

 If master, " forbear threatening," knowing that there 

 is no respect of persons in heaven. If servant, be 

 obedient to your master, not with eye service, but 

 in singleness of heart, inasmuch as ye all know 

 that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, " the 

 same he shall receive of the Lord, whether he be 

 bond or free." 



Old Markham, he lived in days gone by, though 

 we know not in truth whether he was old or young 

 in his Country Contentments, taking a wise survey 

 of the subject, describes not only the outward ap- 

 parel, but the inward qualities of an angler. He 

 must be generally accomplished in all the liberal 

 sciences, and, as a grammarian, ought to be qualified 

 to write and discourse of his art in true and fitting 

 terms. He must be possessed of sweetness of speech 

 to entice others to so laudable an exercise, and of 

 strength of argument to defend it against envy and 

 slander. " Then must he be strong and valiant, 

 neither to be amazed with storms, nor affrighted 

 with thunder ; and if he is not temperate, but has 

 a gnawing stomach that will not endure much fast- 

 ing, and must observe hours, it troubleth the mind 

 and body, and loseth that delight which only maketh 

 pastime pleasing." " He must be of a well-settled 

 and constant belief, to enjoy the benefit of his ex- 

 pectation ; for then to despair, it were better never 

 to be put in practice : and he must ever think when 

 the waters are pleasant, and any thing likely, that 

 there the Creator of all good things hath stored up 



