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.
A Poet is as much to say as a maker. And our English name well conformes
with the Greek word: for of poiyin to make,
they call a maker Poeta. Such as (by way of resemblance and
reuerently) we may say of God: who without any trauell to his diuine
imagination, made all the world of nought, nor also by any paterne or mould
as the Platonicks with their Ideas do phantastically suppose. Euen so the
very Poet makes and contriues out of his owne braine both the verse and
matter of his poeme, and not by any foreine copie or example, as doth the
translator, who therefore may well be sayd a versifier, but not a Poet. The
premises considered, it giueth to the name and profession no smal dignitie
and preheminence, aboue all other artificers, Scientificke or Mechanicall.
And neuerthelesse without any repugnancie at all, a Poet may in some sort
be said a follower or imitator, because he can expresse the true and liuely
of euery thing is set before him, and which he taketh in hand to describe:
and so in that respect is both a maker and a counterfaitor: and Poesie an art
not only of making, but also of imitation. And this science in his perfection,
can not grow, but by some diuine instinct, the Platonicks call it furor:
or by excellencie of nature and complexion: or by great subtiltie of the
spirits & wit or by much experience and obseruation of the world, and
course of kinde, or
peraduenture by all or most part of them. Otherwise how was it possible
that
Homer being but a poore priuate man, and as some say, in his
later age blind, should so exactly set foorth and describe, as if he had bene a
most excellent Captaine or Generall, the order and array of battels, the
conduct of whole armies, the sieges and assaults of cities and townes? or
as some great Princes maiordome and perfect Surueyour in Court, the order,
sumptuousnesse and magnificence of royal bankers, feasts, weddings, and
enteruewes? or as a Polititian very prudent, and much inured with the
priuat and publique affaires, so grauely examine the lawes and ordinances
Ciuill, or so profoundly discourse in matters of estate, and formes of all
politique regiment? Finally how could he so naturally paint out the
speeches, countenance and maners of Princely persons and priuate, to wit,
the wrath of
Achilles,, the magnanimitie of
Agamemnon, the
prudence of
Menelaus, the prowesse of
Hector, the maiestie of
king
Priamus, the grauitie of
Nestor, the pollicies and
eloquence of
Vlysses, the calamities of the distressed
Queenes, and valiance of all the Captaines and aduenturous knights in
those lamentable warres of Troy? It is therefore of Poets thus to be
conceiued, that if they be able to deuise and make all these things of them
selues, without any subiect of veritie, that they be (by maner of speech) as
creating gods. If they do it by instinct diuine or naturall, then surely much
fauoured from aboue. If by their experience, then no doubt very wise men. If
by any president or paterne layd before them, then truly the most excellent
imitators & counterfaitors of all others. But you (Madame) my most
Honored and Gracious: if I should seeme to offer you this my deuise for a
discipline and not a delight, I might well be reputed, of all others the most
arrogant and iniurious: your selfe being alreadie, of any that I know in our
time, the most excellent Poet. Forsooth by your Princely purse fauours and
countenance, making in maner what ye list, the poore man rich, the lewd
well learned, the coward couragious, and vile both noble and valiant. Then
for imitation no lesse, your person as a most cunning counterfaitor liuely
representing
Venus in countenance, in life
Diana,
Pallas
for gouernement, and
Iuno in all honour and regall magnificence.
1.2. That there may be an Art of our English Poesie, as well as there is of the Latine and Greeke.
Then as there was no art in the world till by experience found out: so if
Poesie be now an Art, & of al antiquitie hath bene among the Greeks and
Latines, & yet were none, vntill by studious persons fashioned and
reduced into a method of rules & precepts, then no doubt may there be
the like with vs. And if th'art of Poesie be but a skill appertaining to
vtterance, why may not the same be with vs aswel as with them, our
language being no less copious pithie and significatiue then theirs, our
concepts the same, and our wits no less apt to deuise and imitate then theirs
were? If againe Art be but a certaine order of rules prescribed by reason,
and gathered by experience, why should not Poesie be a vulgar Art with vs
aswell as with the Greeks and Latines, our language admitting no fewer
rules and nice diuersities then theirs? but peraduenture moe by a peculiar,
which our speech hath in many things differing from theirs: and yet in the
generall points of that Art, allowed to go in common with them: so as if one
point perchance which is their feete whereupon their measures stand, and in
deede is all the beautie of their Poesie, and which feete we haue not, nor as
yet neuer went about to frame (the nature of our language and wordes not
permitting it) we haue in stead thereof twentie other curious points in that
skill more then they euer had, by reason of our rime and tunable concords or
simphonie, which they neuer obserued. Poesie therefore may be an Art in
our vulgar, and that verie methodicall and commendable.
1.3. How Poets were the first priests, the first prophets, the first Legislators and politicians in the world.
The profession and vse of Poesie is most ancient from the beginning, and not
as manie erroniously suppose, after, but before any ciuil society was among
men. For it is written, that Poesie was th'originall cause and occasion of
their first assemblies, when before the people remained in the woods and
mountains, vagarant and dispersed like the wild beasts, lawlesse and
naked, or verie ill
clad, and of all good and necessarie prouision for harbour or sustenance
vtterly vnfurnished: so as they litle diffred for their maner of life, from
the very brute beasts of the field. Whereupon it is fayned that
Amphion and
Orpheus, two Poets of the first ages, one of them,
to wit
Amphion, builded vp cities, and reared walles with the stones
that came in heapes to the sound of his harpe, figuring thereby the
mollifying of hard and stonie hearts by his sweete and eloquent perswasion.
And
Orpheus assembled the wilde beasts to come in heards to harken
to his musicke, and by that meanes made them tame, implying thereby, how
by his discreete and wholsome lessons vttered in harmonie and with
melodious instruments, he brought the rude and sauage people to a more
ciuill and orderly life, nothing, as it seemeth, more preuailing or fit to
redresse and edifie the cruell and sturdie courage of man then it. And as
these two Poets and
Linus before them, and
Museus also and
Hesiodus in Greece and Archadia: so by all likelihood had mo Poets
done in other places, and in other ages before them, though there be no
remembrance left of them, by reason of the Recordes by some accident of
time perished and failing. Poets therfore are of great antiquitie. Then
forasmuch as they were the first that entended to the obseruation of nature
and her works, and specially of the Celestiall course, by reason of the
continuall motion of the heauens, searching after the first mouer, and from
thence by degrees comming to know and consider of the substances separate
& abstract, which we call the diuine intelligences or good Angels
(
Demones) they were the first that instituted sacrifices of placation,
with inuocations and worship to them, as to Gods: and inuented and
stablished all the rest of the obseruances and ceremonies of religion, and so
were the first Priests and ministers of the holy misteries. And because for
the better execution of that high charge and function, it behoued them to
liue chast, and in all holines of life, and in continuall studie and
contemplation: they came by instinct diuine, and by deepe meditation, and
much abstinence (the same assubtiling and refining their spirits) to be made
apt to receaue visions, both waking and sleeping, which made them vtter
prophesies, and foretell things to come. So also were they the first
Prophetes or seears,
Videntes for so the Scripture tearmeth them in
Latine after
the Hebrue word, and all the oracles and answers of the gods were giuen in
meeter or verse, and published to the people by their direction. And for that
they were aged and graue men, and of much wisedome and experience in
th'affaires of the world, they were the first lawmakers to the people, and
the first polititiens, deuising all expedient meanes for th'establishment of
Common wealth, to hold and containe the people in order and duety by force
and vertue of good and wholesome lawes, made for the preseruation of the
publique peace and tranquilitie. The same peraduenture not purposely
intended, but greatly furthered by the aw of their gods, and such scruple of
conscience, as the terrors of their late inuented religion had led them into.
1.4. How the Poets were the first Philosophers, the first Astronomers and Historiographers and Oratours and Musitiens of the world.
Vtterance also and language is giuen by nature to man for perswasion of
others, and aide of them selues, I meane the first abilitie to speake. For
speech it selfe is artificiall and made by man, and the more pleasing it is,
the more it preuaileth to such purpose as it is intended for: but speech by
meeter is a kind of vtterance, more cleanly couched and more delicate to the
eare then prose is, because it is more currant and slipper vpon the tongue,
and withal tunable and melodious, as a kind of Musicke, and therfore may be
tearmed a musicall speech or vtterance, which cannot but please the hearer
very well. Another cause is, for that it is briefer & more compendious,
and easier to beare away and be retained in memorie, then that which is
contained in multitude of words and full of tedious ambage and long periods.
It is beside a maner of vtterance more eloquent and rethoricall then the
ordinarie profe, which we vse in our daily talke: because it is decked and
set out with all maner of fresh colours and figures, which maketh that it
sooner inuegleth the iudgement of man, and carieth his opinion this way and
that whither soeuer the heart by impression of the eare shalbe most
affectionatly bent and directed. The vtterance in prose is not of so great
efficacie, because not only it is dayly vsed, and by that occasion the eare is
ouerglutted with it, but is also not so voluble
and slipper vpon the tong, being wide and lose, and nothing numerous, nor
contriued into measures, and sounded with so gallant and harmonical
accents, nor in fine alowed that figuratiue conueyance, nor so great license
in choise of words and phrases as meeter is. So as the Poets were also from
the beginning the best perswaders and their eloquence the first Rethoricke
of the world. Euen so it became that the high mysteries of the gods should
be reuealed & taught, by a maner of vtterance and language of
extraordinarie phrase, and briefe and compendious, and aboue al others
sweet and ciuill and the Metricall is. The same also was meetest to
register the liues and noble gests of Princes, and of the great Monarkes of
the world, and all other the memorable accidents of time: so as the Poet
was also the first historiographer. Then forasmuch as they were the first
obseruers of all naturall causes & effects in the things generable and
corruptible, and from thence mounted vp to search after the celestiall
courses and influences, & yet penetrated further to know the diuine
essences and substances separate, as is sayd before, they were the first
Astronomers and Philosophists and Metaphisicks. Finally, because they did
altogether endeuour them selues to reduce the life of man to a certaine
method of good maners, and made the first differences between vertue and
vice, and then tempered all these knowledges and skilles with the exercise
of a delectable Musicke by melodious instruments, which withall serued
them to delight their hearers, & to call the people together by
admiration, to a plausible and vertuous conuersation, therefore were they
the first Philosophers Ethick, & the first artificial Musiciens of the
world. Such was
Linus, Orpheus, Amphion & Museus the most
ancient Poets and Philosophers, of whom there is left any memorie by the
prophane writers. King
David also &
Salomon his sonne and
many other of the holy Prophets wrate in meeters, and vsed to sing them to
the harpe, although to many of vs ignorant of the Hebrue language and
phrase, and not obseruing it, the same seeme but a profe. It can not bee
therefore that anie scorne or indignitie should iustly be offred to so noble,
profitable, ancient and diuine a science as Poesie is.
1.5. How the wilde and sauage people used a naturall Poesie in versicle and rime as our vulgar is.
And the Greeke and Latine Poesie was by verse numerous and metricall,
running vpon pleasant feete, sometimes swift, sometime slow (their words
very aptly seruing that purpose) but without any rime or tunable concord in
th'end of their verses, as we and all other nations now vse. But the Hebrues
& Chaldees who were more ancient then the Greekes, did not only vse a
metricall Poesie, but also with the same a maner of rime, as hath bene of
late obserued by learned men. Wherby it appeareth, that our vulgar running
Poesie was common to all the nations of the world besides, whom the
Latines and Greekes in speciall called barbarous. So as it was
notwithstanding the first and most ancient Poesie, and the most vniuersall,
which two points do otherwise giue to all humane inuentions and affaires no
small credit. This is proued by certificate of marchants & trauellers,
who by late nauigations haue surueyed the whole world, and discouered large
countries and strange peoples wild and sauage, affirming that the American,
the Perusine & the very Canniball, do sing and also say, their highest
and holiest matters in certaine riming versicles and not in prose, which
proues also that our maner of vulgar Poesie is more ancient then the
artificiall of the Greeks and Latines, ours comming by instinct of nature,
which was before Art or obseruation, and vsed with the sauage and vnciuill,
who were before all science or ciuilitie, euen as the naked by prioritie of
time is before the clothed, and the ignorant before the learned. The naturall
Poesie therefore being aided and amended by Art, and not vtterly altered or
obscured, but some signe left of it, (as the Greekes and Latines haue left
none) is no lesse to be allowed and commended then theirs.
1.6. How the riming Poesie came first to the Grecians and Latines, and had altered and almost spilt their maner of Poesie.
Bvt it came to passe, when fortune fled farre from the Greekes and Latines,
& that their townes florished no more in traficke, nor their
Vniversities in learning as they had done continuing those Monarchies: the
barbarous conquerers inuading them with innumerable swarmes of strange
nations, the Poesie metricall of the Grecians and Latines came to be much
corrupted and altered,
in so much as there were times that the very Greekes and Latines
themselues tooke pleasure in Riming verses, and vsed it as a rare and
gallant thing: Yea their Oratours proses nor the Doctors Sermons were
acceptable to Princes nor yet to the common people vnlesse it went in
manner of tunable rime or metricall sentences, as appeares by many of the
auncient writers, about that time and since. And the great Princes, and
Popes, and Sultans would one salute and greet an other sometime in
friendship and sport, sometime in earnest and enmitie by ryming verses,
& nothing seemed clerkly done, but must be done in ryme: Whereof we
finde diuers examples from the time of th'Emperours Gracian &
Valentinian downwardes: For then aboutes began the declination of the
Romain Empire, by the notable inundations of the
Hunnes and
Vandalles in Europe, vnder the conduict of
Totila &
Atila and other their generalles. This brought the ryming Poesie in
grace, and made it preuaile in Italie and Greece (their owne long time cast
aside, and almost neglected) till after many yeares that the peace of Italie
and of th'Empire Occidentall reuiued new clerkes, who recouering and
perusing the bookes and studies of the ciuiler ages, restored all maner of
arts, and that of the Greeke and Latine Poesie withall into their former
puritie and netnes. Which neuerthelesse did not so preuaile, but that the
ryming Poesie of the Barbarians remained still in his reputation, that one in
the schole, this other in Courts of Princes more ordinary and allowable.
1.7. How in the time of Charlemaine and many yeares after him the Latine Poetes wrote in ryme.
And this appeareth euidently by the workes of many learned men, who wrote
about the time of Charlemaines raigne in the Empire
Occidentall, where the Christian Religion, became through the
excessiue authoritie of Popes, and deepe deuotion of Princes strongly
fortified and established by erection of orders Monastical, in which
many simple clerks for deuotion sake & sanctitie were receiued more
then for any learning, by which occasion & the solitarinesse of their
life, waxing studious without discipline or instruction by any good methode,
some of them grew to be historiographers,
some Poets, and following either the barbarous rudenes of the
time, or els their own idle inuentions, all that they wrote to the fauor or
prayse of Princes, they did it in such maner of minstrelsie, and thought
themselues no small fooles, when they could make their verses goe all in
ryme as did the schoole of
Salerne, dedicating their booke of
medicinall rules vnto our king of England, with this beginning.
Anglorum Rege scripsit tota schola Salerni
Sivis incolumem, sivis, te reddere sanum
Curas tolle graues, irasci crede prophanum
Nec retine ventrem nec stringas fortiter annum.
And all the rest that follow throughout the whole booke more curiously then
cleanely, neuerthelesse very well to the purpose of their arte. In the same
time king Edward the iii. him selfe quartering the Armes of England
and France, did discouer his pretence and clayme to the Crowne of Fraunce,
in these ryming verses.
Rex sum regnorum bina ratione duorum
Anglorum regno sum rex ego iure paterno
Matris iure quidem Francorum nuncuporidem
Hinc est armorum variatio facta meorum
Which verses Phillip de Valois then possessing the Crowne as next
heire male by pretexte of the law Salique, and holding out
Edward the third, aunswered in these other as good stuffe.
Praedo regnorum qui diceris esse duorum
Regno materno priuaberis atque paterno
Prolis ius nullum vbi matris non fuit vllum
Hinc est armorum variatio stulta tuorum
It is found written of Pope Lusius, for his great auarice and tyranny
vsed ouer the Clergy thus in ryming verses.
Lucius est piscis rex & tyrannus aquarum
A quo discordat Lucius iste parum
Deuorat hic homines, hic pidcibus insidiatur
Esurit hic semper hic aliquando satur
Amborum vitam silanus equata notaret
Plus rationis habet qui ratione caret.
And as this was vsed in the greatest and gayest matters of Princes and
Popes by the idle inuention of Monasticall men then raigning
al in their superlatiue. So did euery scholer & secular clerke or
versifier, when he wrote any short poeme or matter of good lesson put in in
ryme, whereby it came to passe that all your old Prouerbes and common
sayinges, which they would haue plausible to the reader and easie to
remember and beare away, were of that sorte as these.
Inmundo mira faciunt duo nummus & ira
Mollificant dura peruertunt omnia iura.
And this verse in disprayse of the Courtiers life following the Court of
Rome.
Vita palatina dura est animaeq ruina.
And these written by a noble learned man.
Ire redire sequi regum sublimia castra
Eximius status est, sed non sic itur ad astra.
And this other which to the great iniurie of all women was written (no
doubt by some forlorne louer, or els some old malicious Monke) for one
womans sake blemishing the whole sexe.
Fallere flere nere mentiri nil q tacere
Haec quinque vere statuit Deus in muliere.
If I might haue bene his Iudge, I would haue had him for his labour, serued as
Orpheus was by the women of Thrace. His eyes to be picket out with
pinnes, for his so deadly belying of them, or worse handled if worse could be
deuised. But will ye see how God raised a reuenger for the silly innocent
women, for about the same tyming age came an honest ciuill Courtier
somewhat bookish, and wrate these verses against the whole rable of
Monkes.
O Monachi vestri stomachi sunt amphora Bacchi
Vos estis Deus est testis turpissima pestis.
Anon after came your secular Priestes as iolly rymers as the rest, who
being sore agreeued with their Pope Calixius, for that he had enioyned
them from their wiues, & railed as fast against him.
O bone Calixte totus mundus perodit te
Quondam Presbiteri, poterant uxoribus uti
Hoc destruxisti, postquam tu Papa fursti.
Thus what in writing of rymes and registring of lyes was the Clergy of that
fabulous age wholly occupied.
We finde some but very few of these ryming verses among the
Latines of the ciuiller ages, and those rather hapning by chaunce then of any
purpose in the writer, as this
Distick among the disportes of
Ouid.
Quot caelum stellas tot habet tua Roman puellas
Pascua quotq haedos tot habet tua Roma Cynaedos.
The posteritie taking pleasure in this manner of
Simphonie had
leasure as it seems to deuise many other knackes in their versifying that
the auncient and ciuill Poets had not vsed before, whereof one was to make
euery word of a verse to begin with the same letter, as did
Hugobald
the Monke who made a large poeme to the honour of
Carolus Caluus,
euery word beginning with
C. which was the first letter of the kings
name thus.
Carmina clarisonae Caluis cantate camenae.
And this was thought no small peece of cunning, being in deed a matter of
some difficultie to finde out so many wordes beginning with one letter as
might make a iust volume, thought in truth it were but a phantasticall
deuise and to no purpose at all more then to make them harmonicall to the
rude eares of those barbarous ages.
Another of their pretie inuentions was to make a verse of such wordes as by
their nature and manner of construction and situation might be turned
backward word by word, and make another perfit verse, but of quite contrary
sence as the gibing Monke that wrote of Pope Alexander these two
verses.
Laus tua non tua fraus, virtus non copia rerum,
Scandere te faciunt hoc decus eximium.
Which if ye will turne backward they make two other good verses, but of a contrary sence, thus.
Eximium decus hoc faciunt te scandere rerum
Copia, non virtus, frans tua non tua laus.
And they called it Verso Lyon.
Thus you may see the humors and appetites of men how diuers and
chaungeable they be in liking new fashions, though many tymes worse then
the old, and not onely in the manner of their life and vse of their garments,
but also in their learninges and arts and specially of their languages.
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.
For the respectes aforesayd in all former ages and in the most ciuill
countreys and common wealthes, good Poets and Poesie were highly
esteemed and much fauoured of the greatest Princes. For proofe whereof we
read how much Amyntas king of Macedonia made of the
Tragicall Poet Euripides. And the Athenians of
Sophocles. In what price the noble poemes of Homer were
holden with Alexander the great, in so much as euery night they were
layd vnder his pillow, and by day were carried in the rich iewell cofer of
Darius lately before vanquished by him in battaile. And not onely
Homer the father and Prince of the Poets was so honored by him, but
for his sake all other meaner Poets, in so much as Cherillus one no
very great good Poet had for euery verse well made a Phillips noble of
gold, amounting in value to an angell English, and so for euery hundreth
verses (which a cleanely pen could speedely dispatch) he had a hundred
angels. And since Alexander the great how Theocritus the
Greeke Poet was fauored by Tholomee king of Egipt & Queene
Berenice his wife, Ennius likewise by Scipio Prince of
the Romaines, Virgill also by th'Emperour Augustus. And in
later times how much were Iehan de Menune & Guillaume de Loris
made of by the French kinges, and Geffrey Chaucer father of our
English Poets by Richard the second, who as it was supposed gaue him
the maner of new Holme in Oxfordshire. And Gower to Henry
the fourth and Harding to Edward the fourth. Also how
Frances the Frenche king made Sangelais, Salmonius, Macrinus,
and Clement Marot of his priuy Chamber for their excellent skill in
vulgare and Latine Poesie. And king Henry the 8 her Maiesties
father for a few Psalmes of Dauid turned into English meetre by
Sternhold, made him groome of his priuy chamber, & gaue him many
other good gifts. And one Gray what good estimation did he grow vnto
with the same king Henry & afterward with the Duke of
Sommerset Protectour, for making certaine merry Ballades, whereof one
chiefly was, The hunte is up, the hunte is up. And Queene Mary
his daughter for one Epithalamie
or nuptiall song made by
Vargas a Spanish Poet at her
mariage with king
Phillip in Winchester gaue him during his life two
hundred Crownes pension: nor this reputation was giuen them in auncient
times altogether in respect that Poesie was a delicate arte, and the Poets
them selues cunning Princepleasers, but for that also they were thought for
their vniversall knowledge to be vary sufficient men for the greatest
charges in their common wealthes, were it for counsell or for conduct,
whereby no man neede to doubt but that both skilles may very well concurre
and be most excellent in one person. For we finde that
Iulius Caesar
the first Emperour and a most noble Captaine, was not onely the most
eloquent Orator of his time, but also a very good Poet, though none of his
doings therein be now extant. And
Quintus Catalus a good Poet, and
Cornelius Gallus treasurer of Egipt, and
Horace the most
delicate of all the Romain
Lyrickes, was thought meete and by many
letters of great instance prouoked to be Secretarie of estate to
Augustus th'Emperour, which neuertheless he refused for his
vnhealthfulnesse sake, and being a quiet mynded man and nothing ambitious
of glory:
non voluit accedere ad Rempublicam, as it is reported. And
Ennius the Latine Poet was not as some perchaunce thinke, onely
fauored by
Scipio the
Africane for his good making of verses,
but vsed as his familiar and Counsellor in the warres for his great
knowledge and amiable conuersation. And long before that
Antimenides and other Greeke Poets, as
Aristotle reportes in
his Politiques, had charge in the warres. And
Tyrteus the Poet being
also a lame man & halting vpon one legge, was chosen by the Oracle of
the gods from the
Athenians to be generall of the
Lacedemonians armie, not for his Poetrie, but for his wisedome and
graue perswasions, and subtile Stratagemes whereby he had the victory ouer
his enemies. So as the Poets seemed to haue skill not onely in the subtilties
of their arte, but also to be meete for all maner of functions ciuill and
martiall, euen as they found fauour of the times they liued in, insomuch as
their credit and estimation generally was not small. But in these dayes
(although some learned Princes may take delight in them) yet vniversally it
is not so. For as well Poets and Poesie are despised, & the name
become, of honorable infamous, subiect to scorne and derision,
and rather a reproch than a prayse to any that vseth it: for commonly
who so is studious in th'Arte or shewes him selfe excellent in it, they call
him in disdayne a
phantasticall: and a light headed or phantasticall
man (by conuersion) they call a Poet. And this proceedes through he
barbarous ignoraunce of the time, and pride of many Gentlemen, and others,
whose grosse heads not being brought vp or acquainted with any excellent
Arte, nor able to contriue, or in manner conceiue any matter of subtiltie in
any businesse or science, they doe deride and scorne it in all others as
superfluous knowledges and vayne sciences, and whatsoeuer deuise be of
rare inuention they terme it
phantasticall, construing it to the worst
side and among men such as be modest and graue, & of litel
conuersation, nor delighted in the busie life and vayne ridiculous actions of
the popular, they call him in scorne a
Philosopher or
Poet, as
much as to say as a phantasticall man, very iniuriously (God wot) and to the
manifestation of their own ignoraunce, not making difference betwixt
termes. For as the euill and vicious disposition of the braine hinders the
sounde iudgement and discourse of man with busie & disordered
phantasies, for which cause the Greekes call him
faitasikos, so is
that part being well affected, not onely nothing disorderly or confused with
any monstruous imaginations or conceits, but very formall, and in his much
multiformitie
uniforme, that is well proportioned, and so passing
cleare, that by it as by a glasse or mirrour, are represented vnto the soule
all maner of bewtifull visions, whereby the inuentiue parte of the mynde is
so much holpen, as without it not man could deuise any new or rare thing:
and where it is not excellent in his kind, there could be no politique
Captaine, nor any witty engineer or cunning artificer, nor yet any law maker
or counsellor of deepe discourse, yea the Prince of Philosophers stickes not
to say
animam no intelligere absque phantasmate, which text to
another purpose
Alexander Aphrodiseus well noteth, as learned men
know. And this phantasie may be resembled to a glasse as hath bene sayd,
whereof there be many tempers and manner of makinges, as the
perspectiues doe acknowledge, for some be false glasses and shew
thinges otherwise than they be in deede, and others right as they be in
deede, neither fairer nor fouler, nor greater nor smaller. There be againe of
these
glasses that shew thinges exceeding faire and comely, others that shew
figures very monstrous & illfauored. Euen so is the phantasticall part
of man (if it be not disordered) a representer of the best, most comely and
bewtifull images or apparances of thinges to the soule and according to
their very truth. If otherwise, then doth it breede
Chimeres &
monsters in mans imaginations, & not onely in his imaginations, but
also in all his ordinarie actions and life which ensues. Wherefore such
persons as be illuminated with the brightest irradiations of knowledge and
of the veritie and due proportion of things, they are called by the learned
men not
phantastici but
euphantasiote, and of this sorte of
phantasie are all good Poets, notable Captaines stratagematique, all cunning
artificers and enginers, all Legislators Polititiens & Counsellours of
estate, in whose exercises the inuentiue part is most employed and is to the
sound & true iudgement of man most needful. This diuersitie in the
termes perchance euery man hath not noted, & thus much be said in
defence of the Poets honour, to the end no noble and generous minde be
discomforted in the studie thereof, the rather for that worthy &
honorable memoriall of that noble woman twise French Queene, Lady
Anne of Britaine, wife first to king
Charles the viii. and after
to
Lewes the xii. who passing one day from her lodging toward the
kinges side, saw in a gallerie
Maister Allaine Chartier the kings
Secretarie, an excellent maker or Poet leaning on a tables end a sleepe,
& stooped downe to kiss him, saying thus in all their hearings, we may
not of Princely courtesie passe by and not honor with our kisse the mouth
from whence so many sweete ditties & golden poems haue issued. But
me thinks at these words I heare some smilingly say, I would be loath to
lacke liuing of my own till the Prince gaue me a maner of new Elme for my
riming. And another to say I haue read that the Lady
Cynthia came
once downe out of her skye to kiss the faire yong lad
Endimion as he
lay a sleep: & many noble Queenes that haue bestowed kisses vpon their
Princes paramours, but neuer vpon any Poets. The third me thinks
shruggingly saith, I kept not to sit sleeping with my Poesie till a Queene
came and kissed me. but what of all this? Princes may giue a good Poet
such countenaunce and also benefite as are due to an excellent artificer,
though they neither
kisse nor cokes them, and the discret Poet lookes for no such
extraordinarie fauors, and aswell doth he honour by his pen the iust,
liberall, or magnanimous Prince, as the valiaunt, amiable or bewtifull though
they be euery one of them the good giftes of God. So it seemes not
altogether the scorne and ordinarie disgrace offered vnto Poets at these
dayes, is cause why few Gentlemen do delight in the Art, but for that
liberalitie, is come to sayle in Princes, who for their largesse were wont to
be accompted th'onley patrons of learning, and first founders of all
excellent artificers. Besides it is not perceiued, that Princes them selues
do take any pleasure in this science, by whose example the subiect is
commonly led, and allured to all delights and exercises be they good or bad,
according to the graue saying of the historian.
Rex multitudinem
religione impleuit, quae semper regenti similis est. And peraduenture in
this iron & malitious age of ours, Princes are lesse delighted in it,
being ouer earnestly bent and affected to the affaires of Empire &
ambition, whereby they are as it were inforced to indeuour them selues to
armes and practises of hostilitie, or to entend to the right pollicing of their
states, and haue not one houre to bestow vpon any other ciuill or delectable
Art of naturall or morall doctrine: nor scarce any leisure to thincke one
good thought in perfect and godly contemplation, whereby their troubled
mindes might be moderated and brought to tranquillitie. So as, it is hard to
find in these dayes of noblemen or gentlemen any good
Mathematician,
or excellent
Musitian, or notable
Philosopher, or els a cunning
Poet: because we find few great Princes much delighted in the same
studies. Now also of such among the Nobilitie or gentrie as be very well
seene in many laudable sciences, and especially in making or Poesie, it is so
come to passe that they haue no courage to write & if they haue, yet are
they loath to be a knowen of their skill. So as I know very many notable
Gentlemen in the Court that haue written commendable, and suppressed it
agayne, or else suffred it to be publisht without their owne names to it: as
if it were a discredit for a Gentleman, to seeme learned, and to shew
himselfe amorous of any good Art. In other ages it was not so, for we read
that Kinges & Princes haue written great volumes and publisht them
vnder their own regall titles. As to begin with
Salomon the wisest
of Kings,
Iulius Caesar the greatest of Emperours,
Hermes
Trismegistus the holiest of Priestes and Prophetes,
Euax king of
Arabia wrote a booke of precious stones in verse, Prince
Auicenna of Phisicke and Philosophie,
Alphonsus king of Spaine
his Astronomicall Tables,
Almansor a king of
Marrocco diuerse
Philosophicall workes, and by their regal example our late soueraigne Lord
king
Henry the eight wrote a booke in defence of his faith, then
perswaded that it was the true and Apostolicall doctrine, though it hath
appeared otherwise since, yet his honour and learned zeale was nothing
lesse to be allowed. Queenes also haue bene knowen studious, and to write
large volumes, as Lady
Margaret of Fraunce Queene of
Nauarre
ion our time. But of all others the Emperour
Nero was so well learned
in Musique and Poesie, as when he was taken by order of the Senate and
appointed to dye, he offered violence to him selfe and sayd,
O quantus
artivex pereo! as much to say, as, how is it possible a man of such
science and learning as my selfe, should come to this shamefull death?
Th'emperour
Octavian being made executor to
Virgill, who had
left by his last will and testament, that his bookes of the
Aeneidos
should be committed to the fire as things not perfited by him, made his
excuse for infringing the deads will, by a nomber of verses most excellently
written whereof these are part.
Frangatur potius legum veneranda potestas,
Quam tot congestos noctesque diesque labores
Hauserit una dies.
And put his name to them. And before him his vncle & father adoptiue
Iulius Caesar was not ashamed to publish vnder his owne name, his
Commentaries of the French and Britaine warres. Since therefore so many
noble Emperours, Kings and Princes haue bene studious of Poesie and other
ciuill arts, & not ashamed to bewray their skils in the same, let none
other meaner person despise learning, nor (whether it haue written any
thing well or of rare inuention) be any whit squeimish to let it be publisht
vnder their names, for reason serues it, and modestie doth not repugne.
1.9. How Poesie should not be imployed upon vayne conceits or vicious or infamous.
Wherefore the Nobilitie and dignitie of the Art considered aswell by
vniuersalitie as antiquitie and the naturall excellence of it selfe, Poesie
ought not to be abashed and imployed vpon any vnworthy matter &
subiect, nor vsed to vaine purposes, which neuerthelesse is dayly seene, and
that is to vtter conceits infamous & vicious or ridiculous and foolish,
or of no good example & doctrine. Albeit in merry matters (not
vnhonest) being vsed for mans solace and recreation it may be well allowed,
for as I said before, Poesie is a pleasant maner of vtterance varying from
the ordinarie of purpose to refresh the mynde by the eares delight. Poesie
also is not onely laudable, because I said it was a metricall speach vsed by
the first men, but because it is a metricall speach corrected and reformed
by discreet iudgements, and with no lesse cunning and curiositie then the
Greeke and Latine Poesie, and by Art bewtified & adorned, &
brought far from the primitiue rudenesse of the first inuentors, otherwise
it might be sayd to me that Adam and Eues apernes were the
gayest garmentes, because they were the first, and the shepheardes tente or
pauillion, the best housing, because it was the most auncient & most
vniuersall: which I would not haue so taken, for it is not my meaning but
that Art & cunning concurring with nature, antiquitie &
vniuersalitie, in things indifferent, and not euill, doe make them more
laudable. And right so our vulgar riming Poesie, being by good wittes
brought to that perfection we see, is worthily to be preferred before any
other maner of vtterance in prose, for such vse and to such purpose as it is
ordained, and shall hereafter be set downe more particularly.
1.10. The subiect or matter of Poesie.
Hauing sufficiently sayd of the dignitie of Poets and Poesie, now it is tyme
to speake of the matter of subiect of Poesie, which to myne intent is, what
soeuer wittie and delicate conceit of man meet or worthy to be put in
written verse, for any necessary vse of the present time, or good
instruction of the posteritie.
But the chief and principall is: the laud honour & glory of the
immortall gods (I speake now in phrase of the Gentiles.) Secondly the
worthy gests of noble Princes: the memoriall and registry of all great
fortunes, the praise of vertue & reproofe of vice, the instruction of
morall doctrines, the reuealing of sciences naturall & other profitable
Arts, the redresse of boistrous & sturdie courages by perswasion, the
consolation and repose of temperate myndes, finally the common solace of
mankind in all his trauails and cares of this transitorie life. And in this
last sort being vsed for recreation onely, may allowably beare matter not
alwayes of the grauest, or of any great commoditie or profit, but rather in
some sort, vaine, dissolute, or wanton, so it be not very scandalous & of
euill example. But as our intent is to make this Art vulgar for all English
mens vse, & therefore are of necessitie to set downe the principal rules
therein to be obserued: so in mine opinion it is no lesse expedient to touch
briefly all the chief points of this auncient Poesie of the Greeks and
Latines, so far forth as it is conformeth with ours. So as it may be knowen
what we hold of them as borrowed, and what as of our owne peculiar.
Wherefore now that we haue said, what is the matter of Poesie, we will
declare the manner and formes of poemes vsed by the auncients.
1.11. Of poemes and their sundry formes and how thereby the auncient Poets receaued surnames.
As the matter of Poesie is diuers, so was the forme of their poemes &
maner of writing, for all of them wrote not in one sort, euen as all of them
wrote not vpon one matter. Neither was euery Poet alike cunning in all as in
some one kinde of Poesie, nor vttered with like felicitie. But wherein any
one most excelled, thereof he tooke a surname, as to be called a Poet
Heroick, Lyrick, Elegiack, Epigramatist or otherwise. Such therefore
as gaue them selues to write long histories of the noble gests of kings
& great Princes entermedling the dealings of the gods, halfe gods or
Heroes of the gentiles, & the great & waighty consequences
of peace and warre, they called Poets Heroick, whereof Homer
was chief and most auncient among the Greeks, Virgill among the
Latines:
Others who more delighted to write songs or ballads of pleasure, to be song
with the voice, and to the harpe, lute, or citheron & such other musical,
instruments, they were called melodious Poets [
melici] or by a more
common name
Lirique Poets, of which sort was
Pindarus,
Anacreon and
Callimachus with others among the Greeks:
Horace and
Catullus among the Latines. There were an other
sort, who sought the fauor of faire Ladies, and deuoted to bemone their
estates at large, & the perplexities of loue in a certain pitious verse
called
Elegie, and thence were called
Eligiack: such among the
Latines were
Ouid, Tibullus, & Propertius. There were also Poets
that wrote onely for the stage, I means playes and interludes, to recreate
the people with matters of disporte, and to that intent did set forth in
shewes & pageants, accompanied with speach the common behauiours
and maner of life of priuate persons, and such as were the meaner sort of
men, and they were called
Comicall Poets, of whom among the
Greekes
Menander and
Aristophanes were most excellent, with
the Latines
Terence and
Plautus. Besides those Poets
Comick there were other who serued also the stage, but medled not
with so base matters: For they set forth the dolefull falles of infortunate
& afflicted Princes, & were called Poets
Tragicall. Such
were
Euripides and
Sophocles with the Greeks,
Seneca
among the Latines. There were yet others who mounted nothing so high as
any of them both, but in base and humble stile by maner of Dialogue, vttered
the priuate and familiar talke of the meanest sort of men, as shepheards,
heywards and such like, such was among the Greekes
Theocritus: and
Virgill among the Latines, their poemes were named
Eglogues
or shepheardly talke. There was yet another kind of Poet, who intended to
taxe the common abuses and vice of the people in rough and bitter speaches,
and their inuectiues were called
Satyres, and them selues
Satyricques. Such were
Lucilius, Iuuenall and
Persius
among the Latines, & with vs that wrote the booke called Piers
plowman. Others of a more fine and pleasant head were giuen wholly to
taunting and scoffing at vndecent things, and in short poemes vttered pretie
merry conceits, and these men were called
Epigrammatistes. There
were others that for the peoples good instruction, and triall of their owne
witts vsed in places of great assembly, to
say by rote nombers of short and sententious meetres, very pithie and of
good edification, and thereupon were called Poets
Mimistes: as who
would say, imitable and meet to be followed for their wise and graue
lessons. There was another kind of poeme, inuented onely to make sport,
& to refresh the company with a maner of buffonry or counterfaiting of
merry speaches, comuerting all that which they had hard spoken before, to a
certaine derision by a quite contrary sence, and this was done, when
Comedies or
Tragedies were a playing, & that betweene the
actes when the players went to make ready for another, there was great
silence, and the people waxt weary, then came in these maner of
counterfaite vices, they were called
Pantomimi, and all that had
before bene sayd, or great part of it, they gaue a crosse construction to it
very ridiculously. Thus haue you how the names of the Poets were giuen
them by the formes of their poemes and maner of writing.
1.12. In what forme of Poesie the gods of the Gentiles were praysed and honored.
The gods of the Gentiles were honoured by their Poetes in hymnes, which is
an extraordinarie and diuine praise, extolling and magnifying them for their
great powers and excellencie of nature in the highest degree of laude, and
yet therein their Poets were after a sort restrained: so as they could not
with their credit vntruly praise their owne gods, or vse in their lauds any
maner of gross adulation or vnueritable report. For in any writer vntruth
and flatterie are counted most great reproches. Wherfore to praise the gods
of the Gentiles, for that by authoritie of their owne fabulous records, they
had fathers and mothers, and kinred and allies, and wiues and concubines:
the Poets first commended them by their genealogies or pedegrees, their
mariages and aliances, their notable exploits in the world for the behoofe of
mankind, and yet as I sayd before, none otherwise then the truth of their
owne memorials might beare, and in such sort as it might be well auouched
by their old written reports, though in very deede they were not from the
beginning all historically true, and many of them verie fictions, and such of
them as were true, were grounded vpon some
part of an historie or matter of veritie, the rest altogether figuratiue &
misticall, couertly applied to some morall or naturall sense, as
Cicero setteth it foorth in his bookes
de natura deorum. For to
say that
Iupiter was sonne to
Saturne, and that he maried his
owne sister
Iuno, might be true, for such was the guise of all great
Princes in the Orientall part of the world both at those dayes and now is.
Againe that he loued
Danae, Europa, Leda, Calisto & other faire
Ladies daughters to kings, besides many meaner women, it is likely enough,
because he was reported to be a very incontinent person, and giuen ouer to hi
lustes, as are for the most part all the greatest Princes, but that he should
be the highest god in heauen, or that he should thunder and lighten, and do
manie other things very vnnaturally and absurdly: also that
Saturnius
should geld his father
Celius to th'intent to make him vnable to get
any moe children, and other such matters as are reported by them, it
seemeth to be some wittie deuise and fiction made for a purpose, or a very
notable and impudent lye, which could not be reasonably suspected by the
Poets, who were otherwise discreete and graue men, and teachers of
wisedome to others. Therefore either to transgresse the rules of their
primitiue records, or to seeke to giue their gods honour by belying them
(otherwise then in that sence which I haue alledged) had bene a signe not
onely of an vnskilfull Poet, but also of a very impudent and leude man. For
vntrue praise neuer giueth any true reputation. But with vs Christians, who
be better disciplined, and do acknowledge but one God Almightie,
euerlasting, and in euery respect selfe suffizant [
autharcos] reposed
in all perfect rest & soueraigne blisse, not needing or exacting any
forreine helpe or good. To him we can not exhibit ouermuch praise, nor belye
him any wayes, vnlesse it be in abasing his excellencie by scarsitie of
praise, or by misconceauing his diuine nature, weening to praise him, if we
impute to him such vaine delights and peeuish affections, as commonly the
frailest men are reproued for. Namely to make him ambitious of honour,
iealous and difficult in his worships, terrible, angrie, vindicatiue, a louer, a
hater, a pitier, and indigent of mans worships: finally so passionate as in
effect he shold be altogether
Anthropapathis. To the gods of the
Gentiles they might well attribute these infirmities, for they were but the
children
of men, great Princes and famous in the world, and not for any other
respect diuine, then by some resemblance of vertue they had to do good, and
to benefite many. So as to the God of the Christians, such diuine praise
might be verified: to th'other gods none, but figuratiuely or in misticall
sense as hath bene said. In which sort the ancient Poets did in deede giue
them great honors & praises, and made to them sacrifices, & offred
them oblations of sundry sortes, euen as the people were taught and
perswaded by such placations and worships to receaue any helpe, comfort or
benefite to them selues, their wiues, children, possessions or goods. For if
that opinion were not, who would acknowledge any God? the verie
Etimologie of the name with vs of the North partes of the world
declaring plainely the nature of the attribute, which is all one as if we sayd
good, [
bonus] or a giuer of good things. Therefore the Gentiles prayed
for peace to the goddesse
Pallas: for warre (such as thriued by it) to
the god
Mars: for honor and empire to the god
Iupiter: for
riches & wealth to
Pluto: for eloquence and gayne to
Mercurie: for safe nauigation to
Neptune: for faire weather
and prosperous windes to
Eolus: for skill in musick and leechcraft to
Apollo: for free life & chastitie to
Diana: for bewtie and
good grace, as also for issue & prosperitie in loue to
Venus: for
plenty of crop and corne to
Ceres: for seasonable vintage to
Bacchus: and for other things to others. So many things as they could
imagine good and desirable, and to so many gods as they supposed to be
authors thereof, in so much as
Fortune was made a goddesse, &
the feuer quartaine had her aulters, such blindnes & ignorance raigned
in the harts of men at that time, and whereof it first proceeded and grew,
besides th'opinion hath bene giuen, appeareth more at large in our bookes of
Ierotekni the matter being of another consideration then to be treated
of in this worke. And these hymnes to the gods was the first forme of
Poesie and the highest & the stateliest, & they were song by the
Poets as priests, and by the people or whole congregation as we sing in our
Churchs the Psalmes of
Dauid, but they did it commonly in some
shadie groues of tall tymber trees: In which places they reared aulters of
greene turfe, and bestrewed them all ouer with flowers, and vpon them
offred their oblations and made their bloudy sacrifices,
(for no kinde of gift can be dearer then life) of such quick cattaile,
as euery god was in their conceit most delighted in, or in some other
respect most for the misterie: temples or churches or other chappels then
these they had none at those dayes.
1.13. In what forme of Poesie vice and the common abuses of mans life was reprehended.
Some perchance would thinke that next after the praise and honouring of
their gods, should commence the worshippings and praise of good men, and
specially of great Princes and gouernours of the earth in soueraignety and
function next vnto the gods. But it is not so, for before that came to passe,
the Poets or holy Priests, chiefly studied the rebuke of vice, and to carpe
tat the common abuses, such as were most offensiue to the publique and
priuate, for as yet for lack of good ciuility and wholesome doctrines, there
was greater store of lewde lourdaines then of wise and learned Lords, or of
noble and vertuous Princes and gouernours. So as next after the honours
exhibited to their gods, the Poets finding in man generally much to reproue
& litle to praise, made certaine poems in plaine meetres, more like to
sermons or preachings then otherwise, and when the people were assembled
togither in those hallowed placed dedicate to their gods, because they had
yet no large halles or places of conuenticle, nor had any other correction of
their faults, but such as rested onely in rebukes of wise and graue men, such
as at these dayes make the people ashamed rather then afeard, the said
auncient Poets vsed for that purpose, three kinds of poems reprehensiue, to
wit, the Satyre, the Comedie, & the Tragedie: and
the first and most bitter inuectiue against vice and vicious men, was the
Satyre: which to th'intent their bitternesse should breede none ill
will, either to the Poets, or to the recitours, (which could not haue bene
chosen if they had bene openly knowen) and besides to make their
admonitions and reproofs seeme grauer and of more efficacie, they made
wise as if the gods of the woods, whom they called Satyres or
Siluanes, should appeare and recite those verses of rebuke, whereas
in deed they were but disguised persons vnder the shape of Satyres
who would say, these terrene and base gods being conuersant with
mans affaires, and spiers out of all their secret faults: had some great care
ouer man, & desired by good admonitions to reforme the euill of their
life, and to being the bad to amendment by those kinde of preachings,
whereupon the Poets inuentours of the deuise were called
Satyristes.
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.
Bvt when these maner of solitary speaches and recitals of rebuke, vttered
by the rurall gods out of bushes and briers, seemed not to the finer heads
sufficiently perswasiue, nor so popular as if it were reduced into action of
many persons, or by many voyces liuely represented to the eare and eye, so
as a man might thinke it were euen now a doing. The Poets deuised to haue
many parts played at once by two or three or foure persons, that debated the
matters of the world, sometimes of their owne priuate affaires, sometimes
of their neighbours, but neuer medling with any Princes matters nor such
high personages, but commonly of marchants, souldiers, artificers, good
honest housholders, and also of vnthrifty youthes, yong damsels, old nurses,
bawds, brokers, ruffians and parasites, with such like, in whose behauiors,
lyeth in effect the whole course and trade of mans life, and therefore tended
altogether to the good amendment of man by discipline and example. It was
also much for the solace & recreation of the common people by reason
of the pageants and shewes. And this kind of poeme was called
Comedy, and followed next after the Satyre, & by that
occasion was somwhat sharpe and bitter after the nature of the
Satyre, openly & by expresse names taxing men more maliciously
and impudently then became, so as they were enforced for feare of quarell
& blame to disguise their players with strange apparell, and by
colouring their faces and carying hatts & capps of diuerse fashions to
make them selues lesse knowen. But as time & experience do reforme
euery thing that is amisse, so this bitter poeme called the old
Comedy, being disused and taken away, the
new
Comedy came in place, more ciuill and pleasant a great deale and
not touching any man by name, but in a certain generalitie glancing at euery
abuse, so as from thenceforth fearing none ill-will or enmitie at any bodies
hands, they left aside their disguisings & played bare face, till one
Roscius Gallus the most excellent player among the Romaines brought
vp these vizards, which we see at this day vsed, partly to supply the want of
players, when there were moe parts then there were persons, or that it was
not thought meet to trouble & pester princes chambers with too many
folkes. Now by the chaunge of a vizard one man might play the king and the
carter, the old nurse & the yong damsell, the marchant & the
souldier or any other part he lifted very conueniently. There be that say
Roscius did it for another purpose, for being him selfe the best
Histrien or buffon that was in his dayes to be found, insomuch as
Cicero said
Roscius contended with him by varietie of liuely
gestures to surmount the copy of his speach, yet because he was squint eyed
and had a very vnpleasant countenance, and lookes which made him
ridiculous or rather odious to the presence, he deuised these vizards to hide
his owne ilfauored face. And thus much touching the
Comedy.
1.15. In what forme of Poesie the euill and outragious bahauiours of Princes were reprehended.
Bvt because in those dayes when the Poets first taxed by Satyre and
Comedy, there was no great store of Kings or Emperors or such high
estats (al men being yet for the most part rude, & in a maner popularly
egall) they could not say of them or of their behauiours any thing to the
purpose, which cases of Princes are sithens taken for the highest and
greatest matters of all. But after that some men among the moe became
mighty and famous in the world, soueraignetie and dominion hauing learned
them all maner of lusts and licentiousnes of life, by which occasions also
their high estates and felicities fell many times into most lowe and
lamentable fortunes: whereas before in their great prosperities they were
both feared and reuerenced in the highest degree, after their deathes when
the posteritie stood no more in dread of them,
their infamous life and tyrannies were layd open to all the world, their
wickednes reproched, their follies and extreme insolencies derided, and
their miserable ends painted out in playes and pageants, to shew the
mutabilitie of fortune, and the iust punishment of God in reuenge of a
vicious and euill life. These matters were also handled by the Poets and
represented by action as that of the
Comedies: but because the
matter was higher then that of the
Comedies the Poets stile was also
higher and more loftie, the prouision greater, the place more magnificent:
for which purpose also the players garments were made more rich &
costly and solemne, and euery other thing aperteining, according to that
rate: so as where the
Satyre was pronounced by rusticall and naked
Syluanes speaking out of a bush, & the common players of
interludes called
Plampedes, played barefoote vpon the floore: the
later
Comedies vpon scaffolds, and by men well and cleanely hofed
and shod. These matters of great Princes were played vpon lofty stages,
& the actors thereof ware vpon their leges buskins of leather called
Cothurni, and other solemne habits, & for a speciall preheminence
did walke vpon those high corked shoes or pantofles, which now they call in
Spaine & Italy
Shoppini. And because those buskins and high
shoes were commonly made of goats skinnes very finely tanned, and dyed
into colours: or for that as some say the best players reward, was a goate
to be giuen him, or for that as other thinke, a goate was the peculiar
sacrifice to the god
Pan, king of all the gods of the woodes:
forasmuch as a goate in Greeke is called
Tragos, therfore these
stately playes were called
Tragedies. And thus haue ye foure sundry
formes of Poesie
Dramatick reprehensiue, & put in execution by
the seate & dexteritie of mans body, to wit, the
Satyre, old
Comedie, new
Comedie, and
Tragedie, whereas all other
kinde of poems except
Eglogue whereof shalbe entreated hereafter,
were onely recited by mouth or song with the voyce to some melodious
instrument.
1.16. In what forme of Poesie the great Princes and dominators of the world were honored.
Bvt as the bad and illawdable parts of all estates and degrees were taxed by
the Poets in one sort or an other, and those of
great Princes by Tragedie in especiall, (& not till after their deaths) as
hath bene before remembred, to th'intent that such exemplifying (as it were)
of their blames and aduersities, being now dead, might worke for a secret
reprehension to others that were aliue, liuing in the same or like abuses. So
was it great reason that all good and vertuous persons should for their well
doings, be rewarded with commendation, and the great Princes aboue all
others with honors and praises, being for many respects of greater moment,
to haue them good & vertuous then any inferior sort of men. Wherfore
the Poets being in deede the trumpetters of all praise and also of slaunder
(not slaunder, but well deserued reproch) were in conscience & credit
bound next after the diuine praises of the immortall gods, to yeeld a like
ratable honour to all such amongst men, as most resembled the gods by
excellencie of function, and had a certaine affinitie with them, by more then
humane and ordinarie vertues shewed in their actions here vpon earth. They
were therfore praised by a second degree of laude: shewing their high
estates, their Princely genealogies and pedegrees, mariages, aliances, and
such noble exploites, as they had done in th'affaires of peace & of warre
to the benefit of their people and countries, by inuention of any noble
science, or profitable Art, or by making wholesome lawes or enlarging of
their dominions by honorable and iust conquests, and many other wayes.
Such personages among the Gentiles were
Bacchus, Ceres, Perseus,
Hercules, Theseus and many other, who thereby came to be accompted
gods and halfe gods or goddesses [
Heroes] & had their
commendations giuen by Hymne accordingly or by such other poems as their
memorie was therby made famous to the posteritie for euer after, as shal be
more at large sayd in place conuenient. But first we will speake somewhat
of the playing places, and prouisions which were made for their pageants
& pomps representatiue before remembred.
1.17. Of the places where their enterludes or poemes drammaticke were represented to the people.
As it hath bene declared, the Satyres were first vttered in their
hallowed places within the woods where they honoured their
gods vnder the open heauen, because they had no other housing fit for great
assemblies. The old comedies were plaid in the broad streets vpon wagons
or carts vncouered, which carts were floored with bords & made for
remouable stages to passe from one streete of their townes to another,
where all the people might stand at their ease to gaze vpon the sights.
Their new comedies or ciuill enterludes were played in open pauilions or
tents of linnen cloth or lether, halfe displayed that the people might see.
Afterward when Tragidies came vp they deuised to present them vpon
scaffoldes or stages of timber, shadowed with linen or lether as the other,
and these stages were made in the forme of a
Semicircle, wherof the
bow serued for the beholders to sit in, and the string or forepart was
appointed for the floore or place where the players vttered, & had in it
sundry little diuisions by curteins as trauerses to serue for seueral roomes
where they might repaire vnto & change their garments & come in
againe, as their speaches & parts were to be renewed. Also there was
place appointed for the musiciens to sing or play vpon their instrumentes at
the end of euery scene, to the intent the people might be refreshed, and kept
occupied. This maner of stage in halfe circle, the Greekes called
theatrium, as much to say as a beholding place, which was also in
such sort contriued by benches and greeces to stand or sit vpon, as no man
should empeach anothers sight. But as ciuilitie and withall wealth
encreased, so did the minde of man growe dayly more haultie and superfluous
in all his deuises, so as for their
theaters in halfe circle, they came
to be by the great magnificence of the Romain princes and people
somptuously built with marble & square stone in forme all round, &
were called
Amphitheaters, wherof as yet appears one among the
ancient ruines of Rome, built by
Pompeius Magnus, for capasitie able
to receiue at ease fourscore thousand persons as it is left written, & so
curiously contriued as euery man might depart at his pleasure, without any
annoyance to other. It is also to be knowne that in those great
Amphitheaters, were exhibited all maner of other shewes &
disports for the people, as their sence playes, or digladiations of naked men,
their wrastlings, runnings, leapings and other practises or actiuitie and
strength, also their baitings of wild beasts, as Elephants, Rhinocerons,
Tiger, Leopards
and others, which sights much delighted the common people, and therefore
the places required to be large and of great content.
1.18. Of the Shepheards or pastorall Poesie called Eglogue, and to what purpose it was first inuented and used.
Some be of opinion, and the chiefe of those who haue written in this Art
among the Latines, that the pastorall Poesie which we commonly call by the
name of Eglogue and Bucolick, a tearme brought in by the
Sicilian Poets, should be the first of any others, and before the
Satyre comedie or tragedie, because, say they, the shepheards and
haywards assemblies & meetings when they kept their cattell and
heards in the common fields and forests, was the first familiar
conuersation, and their babble and talk vnder bushes and shadie trees, the
first disputation and contentious reasoning, and their fleshly heates
growing of ease, the first idle wooings, and their songs made to their mates
or paramours either vpon sorrow or iolity of courage, the first amorous
musicks, sometime also they sang and played on their pipes for wagers,
striuing who should get the best game, and be counted cunningest. All this I
do agree vnto, for no doubt the shepheards life was the first example of
honest felowship, their trade the first art of lawfull acquisition or
purchase, for at those daies robbery was a manner of purchase. So saith
Aristotle in his bookes of the Politiques, and that pasturage was
before tillage, or fishing or fowling, or any other predatory art or
cheuisance. And all this may be true, for before there was a shepheard
keeper of his owne, or of some other bodies flocke, there was none owner in
the world, quick cattel being the first property of any forreine possession. I
say forreine, because alway men claimed property in their apparell and
armour, and other like things made by their owne trauel and industry, nor
thereby was there yet any good towne or city or Kings palace, where
pageants and pompes might be shewed by Comedies or Tragedies. But for all
this, I do deny that the Eglogue should be the first and most auncient
forme of artificiall Poesie, being perswaded that the Poet deuised the
Eglogue long after the other drammatick poems, not of purpose
to counterfait or represent the
rusticall manner of loues and communication: but vnder the vaile of homely
persons, and in rude speeches to insinuate and glaunce at greater matters,
and such as perchance had not bene safe to haue beene disclosed in any other
sort, which may be perceiued by the Eglogues of
Virgill, in which are
treated by figure matters of greater importance then the loues of
Titirus and
Corydon. These Eglogues came after to containe and
enforme morall discipline, for the amendment of mans behauiour, as be
those of
Mantuan and other moderne Poets.
1.19. Of historicall Poesie, by which the famous acts of Princes and the vertuous and worthy liues of our forefathers were reported.
There is nothing in man of all the potential parts of his mind (reason will
except) more noble or more necessary to the actiue life then memory:
because it maketh most to a sound iudgement and perfect worldly wisedome,
examining and comparing the times past with the present, and by them both
considering the time to come, concludeth with a stedfast resolution, what
is the best course to be taken in all his actions and aduices in thie world: it
came vpon this reason, experience to be so highly commended in all
consultations of importance, and preferred before any learning or science,
and yet experience is no more than a masse of memories assembled, that is,
such trials as man hath made in time before. Right so no kinde of argument
in all the Oratorie craft, doth better perswade and more vniuersally satisfie
then example, which is but the representation of old memories, and like
successes happened in times past. For these regards the Poesie historicall
is of all other next the diuine most honorable and worthy, as well for the
common benefit as for the speciall comfort euery man receiueth by it. No
one thing in the world with more delectation reuiuing our spirits then to
behold as it were in a glasse the liuely image of our deare forefathers, their
noble and vertuous maner of life, with other things autentike, which because
we are not able otherwise to attaine to the knowledge of by any of our
sences, we apprehend them by memory, whereas the present time and things
so swiftly passe away, as they giue vs no leasure almost to looke into them,
and much lesse to know & consider of them throughly. The things
future, being also euents very vncertaine, and such as can not possibly be
knowne because they be not yet, can not be vsed for example nor for delight
otherwise then by hope. Though many promise the contrary, by vaine and
deceitfull arts taking vpon them to reueale the truth of accidents to come,
which if it were so as they surmise, are yet but sciences meerely
coniecturall, and not of any benefit to man or to the common wealth, where
they be vsed or professed. Therefore the good and exemplarie things and
actions of the former ages, were reserued only to the historicall reportes of
wise and graue men: those of the present time left to the fruition and
iudgement of our sences: the future as hazards and incertaine euentes
vtterly neglected and layd aside for Magicians and mockers to get their
liuings by: such manner of men as by negligence of Magistrates and
remisses of lawes euery countrie breedeth great store of. These historical
men neuerthelesse vsed not the matter so precisely to wish that al they
wrote should be accounted true, for that was not needefull nor expedient to
the purpose, namely to be vsed either for example or for pleasure:
considering that many times it is seene a fained matter or altogether
fabulous, besides that it maketh more mirth than any other, works no lesse
good conclusions for example then the most true and veritable: but often
times more, because the Poet hath the handling of them to fashion at his
pleasure, but not so of th'other which must go according to their veritie
& none otherwise without the writers great blame. Againe as ye know
mo and more excellent examples may fained in one day by a good wit, then
many ages through mans frailtie are able to put in vse, which made the
learned and wittie men of those times to deuise many historicall matters of
no veritie at all, but with purpose to do good and no hurt, as vsing them for a
maner of discipline and president of commendable life. Such was the
common wealth of
Plato, and Sir
Thomas Moores Vtopia,
resting all in deuise, but neuer put in execution, and easier to be wished
then to be performed. And you shall perceiue that histories were of three
sortes, wholly true and wholly false, and a third holding part of either, but
for honest recreation,
and good example they were all of them. And this may be apparent
to vs not onely by the Poeticall histories, but also by those that be written
in prose: for as
Homer wrate a fabulous or mixt report of the siege of
Troy, and another of
Ulisses errors or wandrings, so did
Museus
compile a true treatise of the life & loues of
Leander and
Hero, both of them
Heroick, and to none ill edification. Also as
Theucidides wrate a worthy and veritable historie, of the warres
betwixt the
Athenians and the
Peloponeses: so did
Zenophon, a most graue Philosopher, and well trained courtier and
counsellour make another (but fained and vntrue) of the childhood of
Cyrus king of
Persia, neuertheles both to one effect, that is for
example and good information of the posteritie. Now because the actions of
meane & base personages, tend in very few cases to any great good
example: for who passeth to follow the steps, and maner of life of a craftes
man, shepheard or sailer, though he were his father or dearest frend? yea
how almost is ti possible that such maner of men should be of any vertue
other then their profession requireth? Therefore was nothing committed to
historie, but matters of great and excellent persons & things that the
same by irritation of good courages (such as emulation causeth) might
worke more effectually, which occasioned the story writer to chuse an
higher stile fit for his subiect, the Prosaicke in prose, the Poet in meetre,
and the Poets was by verse exameter for his grauitie and statelinesse most
allowable: neither would they intermingle him with any other sorter
measure, vnlesse it were in matters of such qualitie, as became best to be
song with the voyce, and to some musicall instrument, as were with the
Greeks, all your Hymnes &
Encomia of
Pindarus &
Callimachus, not very histories but a maner of historicall reportes in
which cases they made those poemes in variable measures, & coupled a
short verse with a long to serue that purpose the better, and we our selues
who compiled this treatise haue written for pleasure a litle brief
Romance or historicall ditty in the English tong of the Isle of great
Britaine in short and long meetres, and by breaches or diuisions to be
more commodiously song to the harpe in places of assembly, where the
company shalbe desirous to heare of old aduentures & valiaunces of
noble knights in times past, as are those of king
Arthur and his
knights
of the round table, Sir
Beuys of
Southampton,
Guy of
Warwicke and others like. Such as haue not premonition hereof, and
consideration of the causes alledged, would peraduenture reproue and
disgrace euery
Romance, or short historically ditty for that they be
not written in long meeters or verses
Alexandrina, according to the
nature & stile of large histories, wherin they should do wrong for they
be sundry formes of poems and not all one.
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.
1.21. the forme wherein honest and profitable Artes and sciences were treated.
The profitable sciences were no lesse meete to be imported to the greater
number of ciuill men for instruction of the people and increase of
knowledge, then to be reserued and kept for clerkes and great men onely. So
as next vnto the things historicall such doctrines and arts as the common
wealth fared the better by, were esteemed and allowed. And the same were
entreated by Poets in verse Exameter fauoring the Heroicall,
and for the grauitie and comelinesse of the meetre most vsed with the
Greekes and Latines to sad purposes, Such were the Philosophicall works of
Lucretius Carus among the Romaines, the Astronomicall of
Aratus and Manilius, one Greeke th'other Latine, the Medicinall
of Nicander, and that of Oppianus of hunting and fishes, and
many moe that were too long to recite in this place.
1.22. In what forme of Poesie the amorous affections and allurements were uttered.
The first founder of all good affections is hones loue, as the mother of all
the vicious is hatred. It was not therefore without reason that so
commendable, yea honourable a thing as loue well meant, were it in Princely
estate or priuate, might in all ciuil common wealths be vttered in good
forme and order as other laudable things are. And because loue is of all
other humane affections the most puissant and passionate, and most
generall to all sortes and ages of men and women, so as whether it be of the
yong or old or wise or holy, or high estate or low, none euer could truly
bragge of any exemption in that case: it requireth a forme of Poesie
variable, inconstant, affected, curious and most witty of any others,
whereof the ioyes were to be vttered in one sorte, the sorrowes in an other,
and by the many formes of Poesie, the many moodes and panges of louers,
throughly to be discouered: the poore soules sometimes praying, beseeching,
sometime honouring, auancing, praising: an other while railing, reuiling, and
cursing: then sorrowing, weeping, lamenting: in the ende laughing,
reioysing & solacing the beloued againe, with a thousand delicate
deuises, odes, songs, elegies, ballads, sonets and other ditties, moouing one
way and another to great compassion.
1.23. The forme of Poeticall reioysings.
Pleasure is the chiefe parte of mans felicity in this world, and also (as our
Theologians say) in the world to come. Therefore while we may (yea
alwaies if it could be) to reioyce and take our pleasures in vertuous and
honest sort, it is not only allowable, but also necessary and very naturall to
man. And many be the ioyes and consolations of the hart: but none greater,
than such as he may vtter and discouer by some conuenient meanes: euen as
to suppresse and hide a mans mirth, and not to haue therein a partaker, or at
least wise a witnes, is no little griefe and infelicity. Therfore nature and
ciuility haue ordained (besides the priuate solaces) publike reioisings for the
comfort and recreation of many. And
they be of diuerse sorts and vpon diuerse occasions grown: one & the
chiefe was for the publike peace of a countrie the greatest of any other
ciuill good. And wherein your Maiestie (my most gracious Soueraigne) haue
shewed your selfe to all the world for this one and thirty yeares space of
your glorious raigne, aboue all other Princes of Christendome, not onely
fortunate, but also most sufficient vertuous and worthy of Empire. An other
is for iust & honourable victory atchieued against the forreine enemy.
A third at solemne feasts and pompes of coronations and enstallments of
honourable orders. An other for iollity at weddings and marriages. An other
at the births of Princes children. An other for priuate entertainements in
Court, or other secret disports in chamber, and such solitary places. And as
these reioysings tend to diuers effects, so do they also carry diuerse formes
and nominations: for those of victorie and peace are called
Triumphall, whereof we our selues haue heretofore giuen some
example by our
Triumphals written in honour of her Maiesties long
peace. And they were vsed by the auncients in like manner, as we do our
generall processions or Letanies with bankets and bonefires and all manner
of ioyes. Those that were to honour the persons of great Princes or to
solemnise the pompes of any installment were called
Encomia, we
may call them carols of honour. Those to celebrate marriages were called
songs nuptiall or
Epithalamies, but in a certaine misticall sense as
shall be said hereafter. Others for magnificence at the natiuities of Princes
children, or by custome vsed yearely vpon the same dayes, are called songs
natall or
Genethliaca. Others for secret recreation and pastime in
chambers with company or alone were the ordinary Musickes amorous, such
as might be song with voice or to the Lute, Citheron or Harpe, or daunced by
measures as the Italian Pauan and galliard are at these daies in Princes
Courts and other places of honourable or ciuill assembly, and of all these we
will speake in order and very briefly.
1.24. The forme of Poeticall lamentations.
Lamenting is altogether contrary to reioising, euery man saith so, and yet is
it a peece of ioy to be able to lament with ease,
and freely to poure forth a mans inward sorrowes and the greefs wherewith
his minde is surcharged. This was a very necessary deuise of the Poet and a
fine, besides his poetrie to play also the Phisitian, and not onely by applying
a medicine to the ordinary sicknes of mankind, but by making the very greef
it selfe (in part) cure of the disease. Nowe are the causes of mans sorrowes
many: the death of his parents, friends, allies, and children: (though many
of the barbarous nations do reioyce at their burials and sorrow at their
birthes) the ouerthrowes and discomforts in battell, the subuersions of
townes and cities, the desolations of countreis, the losse of goods and
worldly promotions, honour and good renowne: finally the trauails and
torments of loue forlorne or ill bestowed, either by disgrace, deniall, delay,
and twenty other wayes, that well experienced louers could recite. Such of
these greefs as might be refrained or holpen by wisedome, and the parties
owne good endeuour, the Poet gaue none order to sorrow them: for first as
to the good renowne it is lost, for the more part by some default of the
owner, and may be by his well doings recouered againe. And if it be vniustly
taken away, as by vntrue and famous libels, the offenders recantation may
suffise for his amends: so did the Poet
Stesichorus, as it is written
of him in his
Pallinodie vpon the disprayse of
Helena, and
recouered his eye sight. Also for worldly goods they come and go, as things
not long proprietary to any body, and are not yet subiect vnto fortunes
dominion so, but that we our selues are in great part accessarie to our own
losses and hinderaunces, by ouersight & misguiding of our selues and our
things, therefore why should we bewaile our such voluntary detriment? But
death the irrecouerable losse, death the dolefull departure of frendes, that
can neuer be recontinued by any other meeting or new acquaintance. Besides
our vncertaintie and suspition of their estates and welfare in the places of
their new abode, seemeth to carry a reasonable pretext of iust sorrow.
Likewise the great ouerthrowes in battell and desolations of countreys by
warres, aswell for the losse of many liues and much libertie as for that it
toucheth the whole state, and euery priuate man hath his portion in the
damage: Finally for loue, there is no frailtie in flesh and bloud so excusable
as it, no comfort or discomfort greater
then the good and bad successe thereof, nothing more naturall to man,
nothing of more force to vanquish his will and to inuegle his iudgement.
Therefore of death and burials, of th'aduersities by warres, and of true loue
lost of ill bestowed, are th'onely sorrowes that the noble Poets sought by
their arte to remoue or appease, not with any medicament of a contrary
temper, as the
Galenistes vse to cure [
contraria contrariis] but
as the
Paracelsians, who cure [
similia similibus] making one
dolour to expell another, and in this case, one short sorrowing the remedie
of a long and grieuous sorrow. And the lamenting of deathes was chiefly at
the very burialls of the dead, also at monethes mindes and longer times, by
custome continued yearely, when as they vsed many offices of seruice and
loue towardes the dead, and thereupon are called
Obsequies in our
vulgare, which was done not onely by cladding the mourners their friendes
and seruantes in blacke vestures, of shape dolefull and sad, but also by
wofull countenaunces and voyces, and besides by Poeticall mournings in
verse. Such funerall songs were called
Epicedia if they were song by
many, and
Monodia if they were vttered by one alone, and this was
vsed at the enterment of Princes and others of great accompt, and it was
reckoned a great ciuilitie to vse such ceremonies, as at this day is also in
some countrey vsed. In Rome they accustomed to make orations funerall and
commendatorie of the dead parties in the publique place called
Prorostris: and our
Theologians, in stead thereof vse to make
sermons, both teaching the people some good learning, and also saying well
of the departed. Those songs of the dolorous discomfits in battaile, and
other desolations in warre, or of townes saccaged and subuerted, were long
by the remnant of the army ouerthrowen, with great skrikings and outcries,
holding the wrong end of their weapon vpwards in signe of sorrow and
dispaire. The cities also made generall mournings & offred sacrifices
with Poeticall songs to appease the wrath of the martiall gods &
goddesses. The third sorrowing was of loues, by long lamentation in
Elegie: so was their song called, and it was in a pitious maner of
meetre, placing a limping
Pentameter, after a lusty
Exameter,
which made it go dolourously more then any other meeter.
1.25. Of the solemne reioysings at the natiuitie of Princes children.
To returne from sorrow to reioysing it is a very good hap and no vnwise part
for him that can do it, I say therefore, that the comfort of issue and
procreation of children is so naturall and so great, not onely to all men but
specially to Princes, as duetie and ciuilitie haue made it a common custome
to reioyse at the birth of their noble children, and to keepe those dayes
hallowed and festiuall for euer once in the yeare, during the parentes or
childrens liues: and that by publique order & consent. Of which
reioysings and mirthes the Poet ministred the first occasion honorable, by
presenting of ioyfull songs and ballades, praysing the parentes by proofe,
the child by hope, the whole kinred by report, & the day it selfe with
wishes of all good successe, long life, health & prosperitie for euer to
the new borne. These poems were called in Greeke Genethaca, with vs
they may be called natall or birth songs.
1.26. The maner of reioysings at mariages and weddings.
As the consolation of children well begotten is great, no lesse but rather
greater ought to be that which is occasion of children, that is honorable
matrimonie, a loue by al lawes allowed, not mutable nor encombred with
such vaine cares & passions, as that other loue, whereof there is no
assurance, but loose and fickle affection occasioned for the most part by
sodaine sights and acquaintance of no long triall or experience, nor vpon any
other good ground wherein any suretie may be conceiued: wherefore the
Ciuill Poet could do no lesse in conscience and credit, then as he had before
done to the ballade of birth: now with much better deuotion to celebrate by
his poeme the chearefull day of mariages aswell Princely as others, for that
hath alwayes bene accompted with euery countrey and nation of neuer so
barbarous people, the highest & holiest, of any ceremonie apperteining
to man: a match forsooth made for euer and not for a day, a solace prouided
for youth, a comfort for age, a knot of alliance & amitie indissoluble:
great reioysing was therefore due to such a matter and to so gladsome
a time. This was done in ballade wise as the natall song, and was song
very sweetely by Musitians at the chamber dore of the Bridegroome and
Bride at such times as shalbe hereafter declared and they were called
Epithalamies as much to say as ballades at the bedding of the bride:
for such as were song at the borde at dinner or supper were other Musickes
and not properly
Epithalamies. Here, if I shall say that which
apperteineth to th'arte, and disclose the misterie of the whole matter, I
must and doe with all humble reuerence bespeake pardon of the chaste and
honorable eares, least I should either offend them with licentious speach, or
leaue them ignorant of the ancient guise in old times vsed at weddings (in
my simple opinion) nothing reproueable. This
Epithalamie was
deuided by breaches into three partes to serue for three seuerall fits or
times to be song. The first breach was song at the first parte of the night
when the spouse and her husband were brought to their bed & at the very
chamber dore, where in a large vtter roome vsed to be (besides the
musitiens) good store of ladies or gentlewomen of their kinsefolkes, &
others who came to honor the mariage, & the tunes of the songs were
very loude and shrill, to the intent there might no noise be hard out of the
bed chamber by the skreeking & outcry of the young damosell feeling the
first forces of her stiffe & rigorous young man, she being as all virgins
tender & weake, & vnexpert in those maner of affaires. For which
purpose also they vsed by old nurses (appointed to that seruice) to
suppresse the noise by casting of pottes full of nuttes round about the
chamber vpon the hard floore or pauement, for they vsed not mattes nor
rushes as we doe now. So as the Ladies and gentlewomen should haue their
eares so occupied what with Musicke, and what with their handes wantonly
scambling and catching after the nuttes, that they could not intend to harken
after any other thing. This was as I said to diminish the noise of the
laughing lamenting spouse. The tenour of that part of the song was to
congratulate the first acquaintance and meeting of the young couple,
allowing of their parents good discretions in making the match, then
afterward to sound cherfully to the onset and first encounters of that
amorous battaile, to declare the consort of children, & encrease of loue
by that meane chiefly caused: the bride shewing her self euery waies well
disposed and still
supplying occasions of new lustes and loue to her husband, by her obedience
and amorous embracings and all other allurementes. About midnight or one
of the clocke, the Musicians came again to the chamber dore (all the Ladies
and other women as they were of degree, hauing taken their leaue, and being
gone to their rest.) This part of the ballade was to refresh the faint and
weried bodies and spirits, and to animate new appetites with cherefull
wordes, encoraging them to the recontinuance of the same entertainments,
praising and commending (by supposall) the good conformities of them both,
& their desire one to vanquish the other by such frendly conflictes:
alledging that the first embracements neuer bred barnes, by reason of their
ouermuch affection and heate, but onely made passage for children and
enforced greater liking to the late made match. That the second assaultes,
were less rigorous, but more vigorous and apt to auance the purpose of
procreation, that therefore they should persist in all good appetite with an
inuincible courage to the end. This was the second part of the
Epithalamie. In the morning when it was faire broad day, & that
by liklyhood all tournes were sufficiently serued, the last actes of the
enterlude being ended, & that the bride must within few hours arise and
apparrell her selfe, no more as a virgine, but as a wife, and about dinner
time must by order come forth
Sicut sponsa de thalanio, very
demurely and stately to be sene and acknowledged of her parents and
kinsfolkes whether she were the same woman or a changeling, or dead or
aliue, or maimed by any accident nocturnall. The same Musicians came
againe with this last part, and greeted them both with a Psalme of new
applausions, for that they had either of them so well behaued them selues
that night, the husband to rob his spouse of her maidenhead and saue her
life, the bride so lustely to satisfie her husbandes loue and scape with so
litle daunger of her person, for which good chaunce that they should make a
louely truce and abstinence of that warre till next night sealing the placard
of that louely league, with twentie maner of sweet kisses, then by good
admonitions enformed them to the frugall & thriftie life all the rest of
their dayes. The good man getting and bringing home, the wife sauing that
which her husband should get, therewith to be the better able to keepe good
hospitalitie, according to their estates, and to bring vp their children (if
God sent any) vertuously, and the better by their owne good example. Finally
to perseuer all the rest of their life in true and inuiolable wedlocke. This
ceremony was omitted when men maried widowes or such as had tasted the
frutes of loue before (we call them well experienced young women) in whom
there was no feare of daunger to their persons, or of any outcry at all, at the
time of those terrible approches. Thus much touching the vsage of
Epithalamie or bedding ballad of the ancient times, in which if there
were any wanton or lasciuious matter more then ordinarie which they called
Ficenina lucentia it was borne withal for that time because of the
matter no lesse requiring.
Catullus hath made of them one or two
very artificiall and ciuil: but none more excellent then of late yeares a
young noble man of Germanie as I take it
Iohannes secundus who in
that and in his poeme
De bassus, passeth any of the auncient or
moderne Poetes in my iudgment.
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
of defiaunce, or as other messages of mirth:
Martiall was the chiefe
of this skil among the Latines, & at these days the best Epigrammes we
fine, & of the sharpest conceit are those that haue bene gathered among
the reliques of the two muet
Satyres in Rome,
Pasquill and
Marphorius, which in time of
Sede vacante, when merry
conceited men lifted to gibe & iest at the dead Pope, or any of his
Cardinales, they fastened them vpon those Images which now lie in the
open streets, and were tollerated, but after that terme expired they were
inhibited againe. These inscriptions or Epigrammes at their beginning had
no certaine author that would auouch them, some for feare of blame, if they
were ouer saucy or sharpe, others for modestie of the writer as was that
disticke of
Virgil which he set vpon the pallace gate of the
emperour
Augustus, which I will recite for the breifnes and quicknes
of it, & also for another euente that fell out vpon the matter worthy to
be remembred. These were the verses.
Nocte pluit tota, redeunt spectacula mane
Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesar habet.
Which I haue thus Englished,
It raines all night, early the shewes returne
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
Sic vos non vobis
And there it remained a great while because no man wist what
it meant, till
Virgill opened the whole fraude by this deuise. He
wrote aboue the same halfe metres this whole verse
Exameter.
Hos ergo versiculos feci tulit alter honores.
And then finished the foure half metres, thus.
Sic vos non vobis. Fertis aratra boues.
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.
1.28. Of the poeme called Epitaph used for memoriall of the dead.
An Epitaph is but a kind of Epigram only applied to the report of the dead
persons estate and degree, or of his other good or bad partes, to his
commendation or reproch: and is an inscription such as a man may
commodiously write or engraue vpon a tombe in few verses, pithie, quicke
and sententious for the passer by to peruse, and iudge vpon without any long
tariaunce: So as if it exceed the measure of an Epigram, it is then (if the
verse be correspondent) rather an Elegie then an Epitaph which errour many
of these bastard rimers commit, because they be not learned, nor (as we are
wont to say) their catstes masters, for they make long and tedious
discourses, and write them in large tables to be hanged vp in Churches and
chauncells ouer the tombes of great men and others, which be so exceeding
long as one must haue halfe
a dayes leasure to reade one of them, & must be called away before he
come halfe to the end, or else be locked into the Church by the Sexten as I
my selfe was once serued reading an Epitaph in a certain cathedrall Church
of England. They be ignorant of poesie that call such long tales by the name
of Epitaphes, they might better call them Elegies, as I said before, ad then
ought neither to be engrauen nor hanged vp in tables. I haue seene them
neuertheles vpon many honorable tombes of these late times erected, which
doe rather disgrace then honour either the matter or maker.
1.29. A certain auncient forme of poesie by which men did use to reproch their enemies.
As frendes be a rich a ioyfull possession, so be foes a continuall torment
and canker to the minde of man, and yet there is no possible meane to auoide
this inconuenience, for the best of vs all, & he that thinketh he liues
most blamelesse, liues not without enemies, that enuy him for his good
parts, or hate him for his euill. There be wise men, and of them the great
learned man Plutarch that tooke vpon them to perswade the benefite
that men receiue by their enemies, which though it may be true in manner of
Paradoxe, yet I finde mans frailtie to be naturally such, and alwayes
hath beene, that he cannot conceiue it in his owne case, nor shew that
patience and moderation in such greifs, as becommeth the man perfite and
accomplisht in all vertue: but either in deede or by word, he will seeke
reuenge against them that malice him, or practise his harmes, specially
such foes as oppose themselues to a mans loues. This made the auncient
Poetes to inuent a meane to rid the gall of all such Vindicatiue men: so as
they might be a wrecked of their wrong, & neuer bely their enemie with
slauderous vntruthes. And this was done by a maner of imprecation, or as
we call it by cursing and banning of the parties, and wishing all euill to a
light vpon them, and though it neuer the sooner happened, yet was it great
easment to the boiling stomacke: They were called Dirae, such as
Virgill made aginst Battarus, and Ouide against
Ibis: we Christians are forbidden to vse such vncharitable fashions,
and willed to referre all our reuenges to God alone.
1.30. Of short Epigrames called Posies.
There be also other like Epigrammes that were sent vsually for new yeares
giftes or to be Printed or put vpon their banketting dishes of suger plate, or
of march paines, & such other dainty meates as by the curtesie &
custome euery gest might carry from a common feast home with him to his
owne house, & were made for the nonce, they were called Nenia
or apophoreta, and neuer contained aboue one verse, or two at the
most, but the shorter the better, we call them Posies, and do paint them
now a dayes vpon the backe sides of our fruite trenchers of wood, or vse
them as deuises in rings and armes and about such courtly purposes. So haue
we remembred and set forth to your Maiestie very briefly, all the
commended fourmes of the auncient Poesie, which we in our vulgare
makings do imitate and vse vnder these common names: enterlude, song,
ballade, carroll and ditty: borrowing them also from the French al sauing
this word (song) which is our naturall Saxon English word. The rest, such as
time and vsurpation by custome haue allowed vs out of the primitiue Greeke
& Latine, as Comedie, Tragedie, Ode, Epitaphe, Elegie, Epigramme, and
other moe. And we haue purposely omitted all nice or scholasticall
curiosities not meete for your Maiesties contemplation in this our vulgare
arte, and what we haue written of the auncient formes of Poemes, we haue
taken from the best clerks writing in the same arte. The part that next
followeth to wit of proportion, because the Greeks nor Latines neuer had it
in vse, nor made any obseruation, no more then we doe of their feete, we may
truly affirme to haue bene the first deuisers thereof our selues, as
autodidaktoi, and not to haue borrowed it of any other by learning or
imitation, and thereby trusting to be holden the more excusable if any thing
in this our labours happen either to mislike, or to come short of th'authors
purpose, because commonly the first attempt in any arte or engine
artificiall is amendable, & in time by often experiences reformed. And
so no doubt may this deuise of ours be, by others that shall take the penne in
hand after vs.
1.31. Who in any age haue bene the most commended writers in our English Poesie, and the Authors censure giuen upon them.
It appeareth by sundry records of bookes both printed & written, that
many of our countreymen haue painfully trauelled in this part: of whose
works some appeare to be but bare translations, other some matters of their
owne inuention and very commendable, whereof some recitall shall be made
in this place, to th'intent chiefly that their names should not be defrauded
of such honour as seemeth due to them for hauing by their thankefull studies
so much beautified our English tong (as at this day it will be found our
nation is in nothing inferiour to the French or Italian for copie of language,
subtiltie of deuice, good method and proportion in any forme of poeme, but
that they may compare with the most, and perchance passe a great many of
them. And I will not reach aboue the time of king Edward the third,
and Richard the second for any that wrote in English meeter: because
before their times by reason of the late Normane conquest, which had
brought into this Realme much alteration both of our langage and lawes, and
there withall a certain martiall barbarousnes, whereby the study of all good
learning was so much decayd, as long time after no man or very few
entended to write in any laudable science: so as beyond that time there is
litle or nothing worth commendation to be founde written in this arte. And
those of the first age were Chaucer and Gower both of them as
I suppose Knightes. After whom followed Iohn Lydgate the monke of
Bury, & that nameles, who wrote the Satyre called Piers
Plowman, next him followed Harding the Chronicler, then in king
Henry th'eight times Skelton, (I wot not for what great
worthines) surnamed the Poet Laureat. In the latter end of the same
kings raigne sprong vp a new company of courtly makers, of whom Sir
Thomas Wyat at th'elder & Henry Earle of Surrey were the
two chieftaines, who hauing trauailed into Italie, and there tasted the
sweete and stately measures and stile of the Italian Poesie as nouices
newly crept out of the schooles of Dante Arioste and Petrarch,
they greatly pollished our rude & homely maner of vulgar Poesie, from
that it had bene before, and for that cause may iustly be sayd the first
reformers of our English
meetre and stile. In the same time or not long after was the Lord
Nicholas Vaux, a man of much facilitie in vulgar makings. Afterward
in king
Edward the sixths time came to be in reputation for the same
facultie
Thomas Sternehold, who first translated into English
certaine Psalmes of Dauid, and
Iohn Heywood the Epigrammatist who
for the myrth and quicknesse of his conceits more then for any good learning
was in him came to be well benefited by the king. But the principall man in
this profession at the same time was Maister
Edward Ferrys a man of
no lesse mirth & felicitie that way, but of much more skil, &
magnificence in this meeter, and therefore wrate for the most part to the
stage, in Tragedie and sometimes in Comedie or Enterlude, wherein he gaue
the king so much good recreation, as he had thereby many good rewardes. In
Queenes
Maries time florished aboue any other Doctour
Phaer
one that was well learned & excellently well translated into English
verse Heroicall certaine bookes of
Virgils Aeneidos. since him
followed Maister
Arthure Golding, who with no lesse commendation
turned into English meetre the Metamorphosis of
Ouide, and that other
Doctour, who made the supplement to those bookes of
Virgiles
Aeneidos, which Maister
Phaer left vndone. And in her Maiesties
time that now is are sprong vp an other crew of Courtly makers Noble men
and Gentlemen of her Maiesties owne seruantes, who haue written
excellently well as it would appeare if their doings could be found out and
made publicke with the rest, of which number is first that noble Gentleman
Edward Earle of Oxford.
Thomas Lord of Bukhurst, when he was
young,
Henry Lord Paget, Sir
Philip Sydney, Sir
Walter
Rawleigh, Master
Edward Dyar Maister
Fulke Greuell, Gascon,
Britton, Turberuille and a great many other learned Gentlemen, whose
names I do not omit for enuie, but to auoyde tediousnesse, and who haue
deserued no little commendation. But of them all particularly this is myne
opinion, that
Chaucer, with
Gower, Lidgat and
Harding
for their antiquitie ought to haue the first place, and
Chaucer as the
most renowmed of them all, for the much learning appeareth to be in him
aboue any of the rest. And though many of his bookes be but bare
translations out of the Latin & French, yet are they wel handled, as his
bookes of
Troilus
Cresseid, and the Romant of the Rose, whereof he translated but one
halfe, the deuice was
Iohn de Mahunes a French Poet, the Canterbury
tales were
Chaucers owne inuention as I suppose, and where he
sheweth more the naturall of his pleasant wit, then in any other of his
workes, his similitudes comparisons and all other descriptions are such as
can not be amended. His meetre Heroicall of
Troilus and
Cresseid is very graue and stately, keeping the staffe of seuen, and
the verse of ten, his other verses of the Canterbury tales be but riding ryme,
neuerthelesse very well becomming the matter of that pleasaunt pilgrimage
in which euery mans part is playd with much decency.
Gower sauing
for his good and graue moralities, had nothing in him highly to be
commended, for his verse was homely and without good measure, his wordes
strained much deale out of the French writers, his ryme wrested, and in his
inuentions small subtilitie: the applications of his moralities are the best
in him, and yet those many times very grossely bestowed, neither doth the
substance of his workes sufficiently aunswere the subtiltie of his titles.
Lydgat a translatour onely and no deuiser of that which he wrate, but
one that wrate in good verse.
Harding a Poet Epick or Historicall,
handled himselfe well according to the time and maner of his subiect He
that wrote the Satyr of Piers Ploughman, seemed to haue bene a malcontent
of that time, and therefore bent himselfe wholy to taxe the disorders of
that age, and specially the pride of the Romane Clergy, of whose fall he
seemeth to be a very true Prophet, his verse is but loose meetre, and his
termes hard and obscure, so as in them is litle pleasure to be taken.
Skelton a sharpe Satirist, but with more rayling and scoffery then
became a Poet Lawreat, such among the Greekes were called
Pantomimi, with vs Buffons, altogether applying their wits to
Scurrillities & other ridiculous matters.
Henry Earle of Surrey
and Sir
Thomas Wyat, betweene whom I finde very litle difference, I
repute them (as before) for the two chief lanternes of light to all others
that haue since employed their pennes vpon English Poesie, their conceits
were loftie, their stiles stately, their conueyance cleanely, their termes
proper, their meetre sweete and well proportioned, in all imitating very
naturally and studiously their Maister
Francis Petrarcha.
The Lord
Vaux his commendation lyeth chiefly in the facillitie of his
meetre, and the aptnesse of his descriptions such as he taketh vpon him to
make, namely in sundry of his Songs, wherein he sheweth the counterfaie
action very liuely & pleasantly. Of the later sort I thinke thus. That for
Tragedie, the Lord of Burckhurst, & Maister
Edward Ferrys for
such doings as I haue sene of their do deserue the hyest price: Th'Earle of
Oxford and Maister
Edwardes of her Maiesties Chappell for comedy
and Enterlude. For Eglogue and pastorall Poesie, Sir
Philip Sydney and
Maister
Challenner, and that other Gentleman who wrate the late
shepheardes Callender. For dittie and amorous
Ode I finde Sir
Walter Rawleyghs vayne most loftie, insolent, and passionate.
Maister
Edward Dyar, for Elegie most sweete, solempne and of high
conceit.
Gascon for a good meeter and for a plentifull vayne.
Phaer and
Golding for a learned and well corrected verse,
specially in translation cleare and very faithfuly answering their authors
intent. Others haue also written with much facillitie, but more
commendably perchance if they had not written so much nor so popularly.
But last in recitall and first in degree is the Queene our soueraigne Lady,
whose learned, delicate, noble Muse, easily surmounteth all the rest that
haue written before her time or since, for sence, sweetnesse and subtillitie,
be it in Ode, Elegie, Epigram, or any other kinde of poeme Heroick or Lyricke,
wherein it shall please her Maiestie to employ her penne, euen by as much
oddes as her owne excellent estate and degree exceedeth all the rest of her
most humble vassalls.