Henry VIII and Family

Saturday, July 17, 2010

My friend, the things that do attain.....

Poetry

***Author's note: I posted this in my other blog, http://leogirl1975.wordpress.com, but I love this poem so much that I wanted to post it here as well. Enjoy!

I first heard this poem recited by David O'Hara, the man who played the Earl of Surrey in The Tudors. It moved me for some reason, so I thought I would share it. :)

"My friend, the things that do attain
The happy life be these, I find:
The riches left, not got with pain;
The fruitful ground; the quiet mind;
The equal friend; no grudge; no strife;
No charge of rule, nor governance;
Without disease, the healthy life;
The household of continuance;
The mean diet, no dainty fare;
Wisdom joined with simpleness;
The night discharged of all care,
Where wine the wit may not oppress:
The faithful wife, without debate;
Such sleeps as may beguile the night;
Content thyself with thine estate,
Neither wish death, nor fear his might."

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

Henry Howard Earl of Surrey at age 29, 1546Image via Wikipedia




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2 comments:

  1. Joey M. Las Vegas, USAFebruary 25, 2011 at 10:53 PM

    I'm watching the final episodes of the Tudors, and the words of Henry Howard were very stirring and poignant (for a condemned man -wrongly?).

    I Googled them and discovered your site. Very nice. I will be sure to peruse it. Thanks for the time you've put into this.

    Did you know they recently discovered a contemporary Henry VIII mural at a home of Thomas Cramner? You'll recall he was made Archbishop of Canterbury that he could void the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, and thus marry Anne Boleyn... so began Henry's tyrannical reign (but you know all this).

    If you hadn't seen this I think you will be quite pleased: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-12306904

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