The manner of Poesie by which they uttered their bitter taunts, and priuy nips, or witty scoffes and other merry conceits. The Arte of English Poesie | ||
1.27. The manner of Poesie by which they uttered their bitter taunts, and priuy nips, or witty scoffes and other merry conceits.
Bvt all the world could not keepe, nor any ciuill ordinance to the contrary so preuaile, but that men would and must needs vtter their splenes in all ordinarie matters also: or else it seemed their bowels would burst, therefore the poet deuised a prety fashioned poeme short and sweete (as we are wont to say) and called it Epigramma in which euery mery conceited man might without any long studie or tedious ambage, make his frend sport, and anger his foe, and giue a prettie nip, or shew a sharpe conceit in few verses: for this Epigramme is but an inscription or writing made as it were vpon a table, or in a windowe, or vpon the wall or mantell of a chimney of some place of common resort, where it was allowed euery man might come, or be sitting to chat and prate, as now in our tauernes and common tabling houses, where many merry heades meete, and scrible with ynke with chalke, or with a cole such matters as they would euery man should know, & descant vpon. Afterward the same came to be put in paper and in bookes, and vsed as ordinarie missiues, some of frendship, some
Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesar habet.
Which I haue thus Englished,
God and Caesar, do raigne and rule by turne.
As much to say, God sheweth his power by the night raines. Caesar his magnificence by the pompes of the day.
These two verse were very well liked, and brought to th'Emperours Maiestie, who tooke great pleasure in them, & willed the author should be knowen. A sausie courtier profered him selfe to be the man, and had a good reward giuen him: for the Emperour him self was not only learned, but of much munificence toward all learned men: whereupon Virgill seing him self by his ouermuch modestie defrauded of the reward, that an impudent had gotten by abuse of his merit, came the next night, and fastened vpon the same place this halfe metre, four times iterated. Thus.
Sic vos non vobis
Sic vos non vobis
Sic vos non vobis
And there it remained a great while because no man wist what
Sic vos non vobis. Vellera fertis oues.
Sic vos non vobis. Mellificatis apes.
Sic vos non vobis. Indificatis aues.
And put to his name Publius Virgilius Maro. This matter came by and by to Th'emperours eare, who taking great pleasure in the deuise called for Virgill, and gaue him not onely a present reward, with a good allowance of dyet a bonche in court as we vse to call it: but also held him for euer after vpon larger triall he had made of his learning and vertue in so great reputation, as he vouchsafed to giue him the name of a frend (amicus) which among the Romanes was so great an honour and speciall fauour, as all such persons were allowed to the Emperours table, or to the Senatours who had receiued them (as frendes) and they were the only men that came ordinarily to their boords, & solaced with them in their chambers, and gardins when none other could be admitted.
The manner of Poesie by which they uttered their bitter taunts, and priuy nips, or witty scoffes and other merry conceits. The Arte of English Poesie | ||