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The Arte of English Poesie

  
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THE FIRST BOOKE, Of Poets and Poesie.
 1.1. 
What poet and Poesie is, and who may be worthily sayd the most excellent Poet of our time.
 1.2. 
That there may be an Art of our English Poesie, as well as there is of the Latine and Greeke.
 1.3. 
How Poets were the first priests, the first prophets, the first Legislators and politicians in the world.
 1.4. 
How the Poets were the first Philosophers, the first Astronomers and Historiographers and Oratours and Musitiens of the world.
 1.5. 
How the wilde and sauage people used a naturall Poesie in versicle and rime as our vulgar is.
 1.6. 
How the riming Poesie came first to the Grecians and Latines, and had altered and almost spilt their maner of Poesie.
 1.7. 
How in the time of Charlemaine and many yeares after him the Latine Poetes wrote in ryme.
 1.8. 
In what reputation Poesie and Poets were in old time with Princes and otherwise generally, and how they be now become contemptible and for what causes.
 1.9. 
How Poesie should not be imployed upon vayne conceits or vicious or infamous.
 1.10. 
The subiect or matter of Poesie.
 1.11. 
Of poemes and their sundry formes and how thereby the auncient Poets receaued surnames.
 1.12. 
In what forme of Poesie the gods of the Gentiles were praysed and honored.
 1.13. 
In what forme of Poesie vice and the common abuses of mans life was reprehended.
 1.14. 
How vice was afterward reproued by two other maner of poems, better reformed then the Satyre, whereof the first was Comedy, the second Tragedie.
 1.15. 
In what forme of Poesie the euill and outragious bahauiours of Princes were reprehended.
 1.16. 
In what forme of Poesie the great Princes and dominators of the world were honored.
 1.17. 
Of the places where their enterludes or poemes drammaticke were represented to the people.
 1.18. 
Of the Shepheards or pastorall Poesie called Eglogue, and to what purpose it was first inuented and used.
 1.19. 
Of historicall Poesie, by which the famous acts of Princes and the vertuous and worthy liues of our forefathers were reported.
 1.20. 
In what forme of Poesie vertue in the inferiour sort was commended.
 1.21. 
the forme wherein honest and profitable Artes and sciences were treated.
 1.22. 
In what forme of Poesie the amorous affections and allurements were uttered.
 1.23. 
The forme of Poeticall reioysings.
 1.24. 
The forme of Poeticall lamentations.
 1.25. 
Of the solemne reioysings at the natiuitie of Princes children.
 1.26. 
The maner of reioysings at mariages and weddings.
 1.27. 
The manner of Poesie by which they uttered their bitter taunts, and priuy nips, or witty scoffes and other merry conceits.
 1.28. 
Of the poeme called Epitaph used for memoriall of the dead.
 1.29. 
A certain auncient forme of poesie by which men did use to reproch their enemies.
 1.30. 
Of short Epigrames called Posies.
 1.31. 
Who in any age haue bene the most commended writers in our English Poesie, and the Authors censure giuen upon them.
expand section2. 
THE SECOND BOOKE, OF PROPORTION POETICAL.
expand section3. 
THE THIRD BOOKE, OF ORNAMENT.

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The Arte of English Poesie.

Contriued into three Bookes: The first of Poets and Poesie, the second of Proportion, the third of Ornament.

by

George Puttenham

1589
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