1.20. In what forme of Poesie vertue in the inferiour sort was commended.
In euerie degree and sort of men vertue is commendable, but not egally: not
onely because mens estates are vnegall, but for that also vertue it selfe is
not in euery respect of egall value and estimation. For continence in a king
is of greater merit, than in a carter, th'one hauing all opportunities to allure
him to lusts, and abilitie to serue his appetites, th'other partly, for the
basenesse of his estate wanting such meanes and occasions, partly by dread
of lawes more inhibited, and not so vehemently caried away with vnbridled
affections, and therefore deserue not in th'one and th'other like praise nor
equall reward, by the very ordinaries course of distributiue iustice. Euen so
parsimonie and illiberalitie are greater vices in a Prince then in a priuate
person, and pusillanimitie and iniustice likewise: for to th'one, fortune hath
supplied inough to maintaine them in the contrarie vertues, I meane,
fortitude, iustice, liberalitie, and magnanimitie: the Prince hauing all
plentie to vse largesse by, and no want or neede to driue him to do wrong.
Also all the aides that may be to lift vp his courage, and to make him stout
and fearelesse (augent animos fortunae) saith the Mimist, and
very truly, for nothing pulleth downe a mans heart so much as aduersitie and
lacke. Againe in a meane man prodigalitie and pride are faultes more
reprehensible then in Princes, whose high estates do require in their
countenance, speech & expense, a certaine extraordinary, and their
functions enforce them sometime to exceede the limites of mediocritie not
excusable in a priuat person, whose manner of life and calling hath no such
exigence. Besides the good and bad of Princes is more exemplarie, and
thereby of greater moment then
the priuate persons. Therefore it is that the inferiour persons, with their
inferiour vertues haue a certaine inferiour praise, to guerdon their good
with, & to comfort them to continue a laudable course in the modest and
honest life and behauiour. But this lyeth not in written laudes so much as in
ordinary reward and commendation to be giuen them by the mouth of the
superiour magistrate. For histories were not intended to so generall and
base a purpose, albeit many a meane souldier & other obscure persons
were spoken of and made famous in stories, as we finde of
Irus the
begger, and
Thersites the glorious noddie, whom
Homer maketh
mention of. But that happened (& so did many like memories of meane
men) by reason of some greater personage or matter that it was long of,
which therefore couldnot be an vniuersall case nor chaunce to euery other
good and vertuous person of the meaner sort. Wherefore the Poet in praising
the maner of life or death of anie meane person, did it by some litle dittie
or Epigram or Epitaph in fewe verses & meane stile conformable to his
subiect. So haue you how heroicke personages by ballades of praise called
Encomia, both of them by historicall reports of great grauitie and
maiestie, the inferiour persons by other slight poemes.