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diff --git a/16420.txt b/16420.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad98fe4 --- /dev/null +++ b/16420.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10711 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Arte of English Poesie, by George Puttenham + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Arte of English Poesie + +Author: George Puttenham + +Release Date: August 3, 2005 [EBook #16420] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ARTE OF ENGLISH POESIE *** + + + + +Produced by Bibliotheque nationale de France, Greg Lindahl, +Charles Bidwell and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +THE ARTE + +OF ENGLISH + +POESIE. + + +Contriued into three Bookes: The first of Poets and Poesie, +the second of Proportion, the third of Ornament. + +[Illustration: AN CHORA SPEI (shield with hand coming out of a cloud and +holding onto an anchor entwined with vine)] + +AT LONDON + +Printed by Richard Field, +dwelling in the black-Friers, neere Ludgate. +1589. + +TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE SIR WILLIAM CECILL KNIGHT, +LORD OF BVRGHLEY, LORD HIGH TREASVRER OF ENGLAND, R.F. + +Printer wisheth health and prosperitie, with the commandement +and vse of his continuall seruice. + + + + +_This Booke (right Honorable) coming to my handes, with his bare title +without any Authours name or any other ordinarie addresse, I doubted how +well it might become me to make you a present thereof, seeming by many +expresse passages in the same at large, that it was by the Authour +intended to our Soueraigne Lady the Queene, and for her recreation and +seruice chiefly deuised, in which case to make any other person her +highnes partener in the honour of his guift it could not stand with my +dutie, nor be without some prejudice to her Maiesties interest and his +merrite. Perceyuing besides the title to purport so slender a subiect, as +nothing almost could be more discrepant from the grauitie of your yeeres +and Honorable function, whose contemplations are euery houre more +seriously employed upon the publicke administration and services: +I thought it no condigne gratification, nor scarce any good satisfaction +for such a person as you. Yet when I considered, that bestowing vpon your +Lordship the first vewe of this mine impression (a feat of mine owne +simple facultie) it could not scypher her Maiesties honour or prerogatiue +in the guift, nor yet the Authour of his thanks: and seeing the thing it +selfe to be a deuice of some noueltie (which commonly it giveth euery good +thing a speciall grace) and a noueltie so highly tending to the most +worthy prayses of her Maiesties most excellent name. So deerer to you I +dare conceiue them any worldly thing besides love although I could not +deuise to have presented your Lordship any gift more agreeable to your +appetite, or fitter for my vocation and abilitie to bestow, your Lordship +beyng learned and a louer of learning, my present a Book and my selfe a +printer alwaies ready and desirous to be at your Honourable commaundement. +And thus I humbly take my leave from the Black-friers, this xxvii of May, +1589._ + + Your Honours most humble + at commaundement, + + _R.F._ + + + +_A colei_ + +[Illustration of Queen holding orb and sceptre.] + +_Che se stessa rassomiglia & non altrui._ + + + + + THE FIRST BOOKE, + _Of Poets and Poesie. + + + + + _CHAP. I._ + +_What a 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 Greeke word: for of [Greek: poiein] 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 +Idees 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 Poesiean 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 peradventure 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 +pursefauours 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. + + + + + _CHAP. II._ + +_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 as wel as with them, our language being no lesse copious +pithie and significatiue then theirs, our conceipts the same, and our +wits no lesse 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 as well 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. + + + + + _CHAP. III._ + +_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 if it was first that Poesie was th'originall cause and +occasion of their first assemblies; when before the people remained in the +woods and mountains, vagarant and dipersed 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 wholesome 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 courses, 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 than +to live chast, and in all holines of life, and in continuall studie and +contemplation: they came by instinct divine, 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, _Vidontes_, 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 virtue of good and wholesome lawes, made for +the preseruation of the publique peace and tranquillitie. 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. + + + + + _CHAP. IIII._ + +_How the Poets were the first Philosophers, the first Astronomers and +Historiographers and Oratours and Musiciens 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 abilite 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 prose, which we use in our daily talke: +because it is decked and set out with all manner 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 shal be 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 licence 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 as 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 for as much 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 endeuor themselues to reduce the life of man to a +certaine method of good maners, and made the first differences betweene +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 _Dauid_ 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 prose. It can not bee therefore +that anie scorn or indignitie should iustly be offred to so noble, +profitable, ancient and diuine a science as Poesie is. + + + + + _CHAP. V._ + +_How the wilde and sauage people vsed a naturall Poesie in versicte and +time 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 use. But the +Hebrues & Chaldees who were more ancient then the Greekes, did not only +use a metricall Poesie, but also with the same a maner or 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. + + + + + _CHAP. VI_. + +_How the riming Poesie came first to the Grecians and Latines, and had +altered and almost split their maner of Poesie_. + + +But it came to passe, when fortune fled farre from the Greekes and +Latines, & that their townes florished no more in traficke, nor their +Vniuersities 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 +frendship 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. + + + + +_CHAP VII._ + +_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 excessive 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 _Salerno_, dedicating their booke of +medicinall rules vnto our king of England, with this beginning. + _Anglorum Regi scripsit tota schola Salerni + Sivus incolumem, sivis te reddere sanicari + Curas tolle graues, irasci crede prophanum + Necretine ventram nec stringas as fortiter annum._ + +And all the rest that follow throughout the whole booke more curiously +than cleanely, neuerthelesse very well to the purpose of their arte. In +the same time king _Edward_ the iij. 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 regnio sum rex ego iure paterno + Matris iure quidem Francorum nuncupor idem + Hinc est armorum variatio facta meorum._ + +Which verses _Philip de Valois_ then possessing the Crowne as next heire +male by pretexte of the law _Salique_, and holding our _Edward_ the third, +aunswered in these other of as good stuffe. + _Praedo regnorum qui diceris esse duorum + Regno materno priuaberis atque paterno + Prolis ius nullum ubi matris non fuit vllum + Hinc est armorum variatio stulta tuorum._ + +It is found written of Pope _Lucius_, for his great auarice and tyranny +vsed ouer the Clergy thus in ryming verses. + _Lucius est piscis rex et tyrannus aquarum + A quo discordat Lucius iste parum + Deuorat hic hom homines, his piscibus insidiatur + Esurit hic semper hic aliquando satur + Amborum vitam si laus aquata 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 +superlative. So did every scholer & secular clerke or versifier, when he +wrote any short poeme or matter of good lesson put it in ryme, whereby it +came to passe that all your old Proverbes and common sayinges, which they +would have plausible to the reader and easy to remember and beare away, +were of that sorte as these. + _In mundo mira faciunt duo nummias & ira + Molleficant dura peruertunt omnia iura._ + +And this verse in disprayse of the Courtiers life following the Court of +Rome. + _Vita palatina dura est animaque ruina._ + +And these written by a noble learned man. + _Ire redire fequi regum sublimia castra + Eximiius status est, sed non sic itur ad astra._ + +And this other which to the great injurie of all women was written (no +doubt by some forlorne lover, or else some old malicious Monke) for one +woman's sake blemishing the whole sex. + _Fallere stere nere mentari nilque tacere + Haec qumque vere statuit Deus in muliere._ + +If I might have bene his Iudge, I would have 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 revenger for the silly +innocent women, for about the same ryming age came an honest civill +Courtier somewhat bookish, and wrate these verses against the whole rable +of Monkes. + _O Monachi vestri stomachi sunt amphor a Bacchi + Vos estos Deis est restes turpissima pestis._ + +Anon after came your secular Priestes as jolly rymers as the rest, who +being sore agreeued with their Pope _Calixtus_, for that he had enjoyned +them from their wives,& railed as fast against him. + _O bone Calixte totus mundus perodit te + Quondam Presbiteri, poterant vxoribus vti + 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 coem stellas tot habet tua Roma puellas + Pascua quotque haedos tot habet tua Roma Cynedos,_ + +The posteritie taking pleasure in this manner of _Simphonie_ had leasure +as it seemes to deuise many other knackes in their versifying that the +auncient and ciuill Poets had not vfed 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 king's name thus. + _Carmina clarisona 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, though 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, fraus tua non tua laus._ + +And they called it _Verse 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. + + + + + _CHAP. VIII._ + +_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 commons 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 Mehune_ & _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 _Frauncis_ 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 vp, 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 vniuersall +knowledge to be very 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 Catulus_ 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 +neuerthelesse 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 _Antinienides_ and other Greeke Poets, as _Aristotle_ reportes in his +Politiques, had charge in the warres. And _Firteus_ 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 vniuersally it is not so. +For as well Poets as 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 himselfe 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 the 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 litle 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 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 cuill 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 [Greek: phantasikos] 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 _vniforme_, +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 no 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 +enginer or cunning artificer, nor yet any law maker or counsellor of deepe +discourse, yea the Prince of Philosophers stickes not to say _animam non +intelligere absque phantasmate_, which text to another purpose _Alexander +Aphrodiscus_ 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 monstruous & 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 _phantastics_ 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 viij and after +to _Lewes_ the xij, who passing one day from her lodging toward the kinges +side, saw in a gallerie _Master Allaine Chartier_ the kings Secretarie, an +excellent maker or Poet leaning on a tables end a sleepe, & stooped downe +to kisse 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 kisse the faire yong lad _Endimion_ as he lay a sleep: & many noble +Queenes that haue bestowed kisses upon 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 conuenient 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 +fauours, 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 fayle in Princes, who for their largesse were wont to be accompted +th'onely 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 of 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 commendably, and +suppressed it agayne, or els 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 owne regall titles. As to begin with _Salomon_ the wisest +of Kings, _Iulius Caesar_ the greatest of Emperours, _Hermes Trisingistus_ +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 regall example our late soueraigne Lord king _Henry_ the eight wrate +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_ in 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 artifex 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 _Octauian_ 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 wntten, whereof these are part. + _Frangatur potius legure, veneranda potestas, + Quam tot congestos noctesque diesque labores + Hauserit vna 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 be in prose or in +Poesie, if they them selues be able to write, or 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. + + + + + _CHAP. IX._ + +_How Poesie should not be imployed vpon 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 abased and imployed vpon any vnworthy matter & +subject, nor vsed to vaine purposes, which neuerthelesse is dayly seene, +and that is to vtter contents 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 well be +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 +speech corrected and reformed by discreet iudgements, and with no lesse +cunning and curiositie than 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 vniversall: 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 matter of vtterance in prose, for such vse and to such purpose as it +is ordained, and shall hereafter be set downe more particularly. + + + + + _CHAP. X._ + +_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 or 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 use 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 used by the +auncients. + + + + + _CHAP. XI._ + +_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, not vttered with like felicitie. But +wherein any one most excelled, thereof he tooke a surname, as to be called +a Poet _Heroick, Lyrick, Elegiack, Epigrammatist_ or otherwise. Such +therefore as gaue them selves 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 coueted 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 meane playes and +interludes, to receate 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 suchlike, 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 he 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, conuerting 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XII._ + +_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 grosse 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 natural 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 his 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 _Saturnus_ 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 noble 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 +_Anthropopathis_. 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. Therfore 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 cattaille, as euery god was in their conceit most delighted in, +or in some other respect most fit for the misterie: temples or churches or +other chappels then these they had none at those dayes. + + + + + _CHAP. XIII._ + +_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 honoring 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 at the common abuses, such as were most offensiue to the publique +and priuate, for as yet for lacke of good ciuility and wholesome +doctrines, there was greater store of lewde lourdaines then of wife 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 places 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 wife and graue men, such as at these dayes make the people +ashamed rather then afeard, the said auncient Poets used 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 wife as if the gods of the woods, whom they called _Satyres_ or +_Silvanes_, should appeare and recite those verses of rebuke, whereas +in deede they were but disguised persons vnder the shape of _Satyres_ as +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 bring the bad to amendment by those kinde of preachings, +whereupon the Poets inuentours of the deuise were called _Satyristes_. + + + + + _CHAP. XIIII._ + +_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 listed 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_. + + + + + _CHAP. XV._ + +_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 +apperteining, 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 +hosed and shod. These matters of great Princes were played vpon lofty +stages, & the actors thereof ware vpon their legges 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 feate & 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XVI._ + +_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 especial, (& 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 fame 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 virtues shewed in their actions here vpon earth. +They were therefore 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 +commedations 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XVII._ + +_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 vunder 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 scaffolds 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 fit 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 to 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 +_theatrum_, 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 ferce playes, or digladiations of naked men, their +wrastlings, runnings leapings and other practises of actiuitie and +strength, also their baitings of wild beasts, as Elephants, Rhinocerons, +Tigers, Leopards and others, which sights much delighted the common +people, and therefore the places required to be large and of great +content. + + + + + _CHAP. XVIII._ + +_Of the Shepheards or pastorall Poesie called Eglogue, and to what purpose +it was first inuented and vsed._ + + +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 other, 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XIX._ + +_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 and +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 this +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 exemplary 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 be 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 it 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 shorter 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 historicall ditty for that they be not +written in long meeters or verses _Alexandrins_, according to the nature & +stile of large histories, wherin they should do wrong for they be sundry +formes of poems and not all one. + + + + + _CHAP. XX._ + +_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 +ordinarie 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 could not 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 the +immortall gods were praised by hymnes, the great Princes and 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XXI._ + +_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 treated by Poets in verse _Exameter_ fauouring 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 _Oprianus_ of hunting and fishes, and many moe that were too long +to recite in this place. + + + + + _CHAP. XXII._ + +_In what forme of Poesie the amorous affections and allurements were +vttered._ + + +The first founder of all good affections is honest 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 pangs 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XXIII._ + +_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 growne: 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 +forraine 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 pompe 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 of ciuill assembly, and of all these +we will speake in order and very briefly. + + + + + _CHAP. XXIIII._ + +_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 +dispraise 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 or 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 contrarijs_] 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 towards the dead, and thereupon +are called _Obsequies_ in our vulgare, which was done not onely by +cladding the mourners their friendes and seruauntes 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 funeral and commendatorie of the dead parties +in the publique place called _Procostris_: 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 song 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XXV._ + +_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. + + + + + _CHAP. XXVI._ + +_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 no +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 cheerfully to the onset and first encounters of +that amorous battaile, to declare the comfort 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 friendly 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 +thalamo_, 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 +licentia_ 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 +basis_, passeth any of the auncient or moderne Poetes in my iudgment. + + + + + _CHAP. XXVII._ + +_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 writting made as it were vpon a table, or in a windowe, or vpon the +wall or mantel of a chimney in 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 +cheife of this skil among the Latines, & at ahese days the best Epigrames +we finde, & of the sharpest conceit are those that haue bene gathered +among the reliques of the two muet _Satyres_ in Rome, _Pasquill_ and +_Marphorir_, which in time of _Sede vacante_, when merry conceited men +listed 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 verses 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, foure 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 ego 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XXVIII._ + +_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 exceede 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 catftes 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, and 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XXIX._ + +_A certaine auncient forme of poesie by which men did vse 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 always +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 +slaunderous 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. + + + + + _CHAP. XXX._ + +_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 [Greek: +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. + + + + + _CHAP. XXXI._ + +_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_ 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 +Hoywood_ 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 _Virgils +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 seruauntes, 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_ and +_Cresseid_, and the Romant of the Rose, whereof he translated but one +halfe, the deuice was _Iohn de Mehunes_ 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 +becoming 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 subtillitie: +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 subtilitie 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 wholly 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 counterfait action very liuely & pleasantly. +Of the later sort I thinke thus. That for Tragedie, the Lord of Buckhurst, +& Maister _Edward Ferrys_ for such doings as I haue sene of theirs 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 +amourous _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 +authours 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. + + + + + THE SECOND BOOKE, + OF PROPORTION POETICAL. + + + + + _CHAP. I._ + +_Of Proportion Poeticall._ + + +It is said by such as professe the Mathematicall sciences, that all things +stand by proportion, and that without it nothing could stand to be good or +beautiful. The Doctors of our Theologie to the same effect, but in other +termes, say: that God made the world by number, measure and weight: some +for weight say tune; and peraduenture better. For weight is a kind of +measure or of much conueniencie with it: and therefore in their +descriptions be alwayes coupled together (_statica & metrica_) weight and +measures. Hereupon it seemeth the Philosopher gathers a triple proportion, +to wit, the Arithmeticall, the Geometricall, and the Musical. And by one +of these three is euery other proportion guided of the things that haue +conueniencie by relation, as the visible by light colour and shadow: the +audible by stirres, times and accents: the odorable by smelles of sundry +temperaments: the tastible by sauours to the rate: the tangible by his +obiectes in this or that regard. Of all which we leaue to speake, +returning to our poeticall proportion, which holdeth of the Musical, +because as we sayd before Poesie is a skill to speake & write +harmonically: and verses or rime be a kind of Musicall vtterance, by +reason of a certaine congruitie in sounds pleasing the eare, though not +perchance so exquisitely as the harmonicall concerts of the artificial +Musicke, consisting in strained tunes, as is the vocall Musike, or that of +melodious instruments, as Lutes, Harpes, Regals, Records and such like. +And this our proportion Poeticall resteth in fiue points: Staffe, Measure, +Concord, Scituation and figure all which shall be spoken of in their +places. + + + + + _CHAP. II._ + +_Of proportion in Staffe._ + + +Staffe in our vulgare Poesie I know not why it should be so called, unless +it be for that we vnderstand it for a bearer or supporter of a song or +ballad, not vnlike the old weake bodie, that is stayed vp by his staffe, +and were not otherwise able to walke or to stand vpright. The Italian +called it _Stanza_, as if we should say a resting place: and if we +consider well the forme of this Poeticall staffe, we shall finde it to be +a certaine number of verses allowed to go altogether and ioyne without any +intermission, and doe or should finish vp all the sentences of the same +with a full period, vnlesse it be in som special cases, & there to stay +till another staffe follow of like sort: and the shortest staffe +conteineth not vnder foure verses, nor the longest aboue ten, if it passe +that number it is rather a whole ditty then properly a staffe. Also for +the more part the staues stand rather vpon the euen nomber of verses then +the odde, though there be of both sorts. The first proportion then of a +staffe is by _quadrien_ or foure verses. The second of fiue verses, and is +seldome vsed. The third by _sizeine_ or sixe verses, and is not only most +vsual, but also very pleasant to th'eare. The fourth is in seven verses, & +is the chiefe of our ancient proportions vsed by any rimer writing any +thing of historical or graue poeme, as ye may see in _Chaucer_ and +_Lidgate_ th'one writing the loues of _Troylus_ and _Cresseida_, th'other +of the fall of Princes: both by them translated not deuised. The first +proportion is of eight verses very stately and _Heroicke_, and which I +like better then that of seuen, because it receaueth better band. The fixt +is of nine verses, rare but very graue. The seuenth proportion is of tenne +verses, very stately, but in many mens opinion too long: neuerthelesse of +very good grace & much grauitie. Of eleuen and twelue I find none ordinary +staues vsed in any vulgar language, neither doth it serue well to continue +any historicall report or ballade, or other song: but is a dittie of it +self, and no staffe, yet some moderne writers haue vsed it but very +seldome. Then last of all haue ye a proportion to be vsed in the number of +your staues, as to a caroll and a ballade, to a song, & a round, or +virelay. For to an historicall poeme no certain number is limited, but as +the matter fals out: also a _distick_ or couple of verses is not to be +accompted a staffe, but serues for a continuance as we see in Elegie, +Epitaph, Epigramme or such meetres, of plaine concord not harmonically +entertangled, as some other songs of more delicate musick be. + +A staffe of foure verses containeth in it selfe matter sufficient to make +a full periode or complement of sence, though it doe not alwayes so, and +therefore may go by diuisions. + +A staffe of fiue verses, is not much vsed because he that can not +comprehend his periode in foure verses, will rather driue it into six then +leaue it in fiue, for that the euen number is more agreeable to the eare +then the odde is. + +A staffe of sixe verses, is very pleasant to the eare, and also serueth +for a greater complement then the inferiour staues, which maketh him more +commonly to be vsed. + +A staffe of seuen verses, most vsuall with our auncient makers, also the +staffe of eight, nine and ten of larger complement then the rest, are +onely vsed by the later makers, & vnlesse they go with very good bande, do +not so well as the inferiour staues. Therefore if ye make your staffe of +eight, by two fowers not entertangled, it is not a huitaine or a staffe of +eight, but two quadreins, so is it in ten verses, not being entertangled +they be but two staues of fiue. + + + + + _CHAP. III._ + +_Of proportion in measure._ + + +Meeter and measure is all one, for what the Greekes call [Greek: metron], +the Latines call _Mensura_, and is but the quantitie of a verse, either +long or short. This quantitie with them consisteth in the number of their +feete: & with vs in the number of sillables, which are comprehended in +euery verse, not regarding his feete, otherwise then that we allow in +scanning our verse, two sillables to make one short portion (suppose it a +foote) in euery verse. And after that sort ye may say, we haue feete in +our vulgare rymes, but that is improperly: for a foote by his sence +naturall is a member of office and function, and serueth to three +purposes, that is to say, to go, to runne, & to stand still so as he must +be sometimes swift, sometimes slow, sometime vnegally marching or +peraduenture steddy. And if our feete Poeticall want these qualities it +can not be sayd a foote in sence translatiue as here. And this commeth to +passe, by reason of the euident motion and stirre, which is perceiued in +the sounding of our wordes not alwayes egall: for some aske longer, some +shorter time to be vttered in, & so by the Philosophers definition, stirre +is the true measure of time. The Greekes & Latines because their wordes +hapned to be of many sillables, and very few of one sillable, it fell out +right with them to conceiue and also to perceiue, a notable diuersitie of +motion and times in the pronuntiation of their wordes, and therefore to +euery _bissillable_ they allowed two times, & to a _trissillable_ three +times, & to euery _polisillable_ more, according to his quantitie, & their +times were some long, some short according as their motions were slow or +swift. For the sound of some sillable stayd the eare a great while, and +others slid away so quickly, as if they had not bene pronounced, then +euery sillable being allowed one time, either short or long, it fell out +that euery _tetrasillable_ had foure times, euery _trissillable_ three, +and the _bissillable_ two by which obseruation euery word, not vnder that +sise, as he ranne or stood in a verse, was called by them a foote of such +and so many times, namely the _bissillable_ was either of two long times +as the _spondeus_, or two short, as the _pirchius_, or of a long & a short +as the _trocheus_, or of a short and a long as the _iambus_: the like rule +did they set vpon the word _trissillable_, calling him a foote of three +times: as the _dactilus_ of a long and two short: the _mollossus_ of three +long, the _tribracchus_ of three short, the _amphibracchus_ of two long +and a short, the _amphimacer_ of two short and a long. The word of foure +sillables they called a foote of foure times, some or all of them, either +long or short: and yet not so content they mounted higher, and because +their wordes serued well thereto, they made feete of sixe times: but this +proceeded more of curiositie, then otherwise: for whatsoeuer foote passe +the _trissillable_ is compounded of his inferiour as euery number +Arithmeticall aboue three, is compounded of the inferiour numbers as twise +two make foure, but the three is made of one number, videl. of two and an +vnitie. Now because our naturall & primitiue language of the _Saxon +English_, beares not any wordes (at least very few) of moe sillables then +one (for whatsoeuer we see exceede, commeth to vs by the alterations of +our language growen vpon many conquestes and otherwise) there could be no +such obseruation of times in the sound of our wordes, & for that cause we +could not haue the feete which the Greeks and Latines haue in their +meetres: but of this stirre & motion of their deuised feete, nothing can +better shew the qualitie then these runners at common games, who setting +forth from the first goale, one giueth the start speedely & perhaps before +he come half way to th'other goale, decayeth his pace, as a man weary & +fainting: another is slow at the start, but by amending his pace keepes +euen with his fellow or perchance gets before him: another one while gets +ground, another while loseth it again, either in the beginning, or middle +of his race, and so proceedes vnegally sometimes swift somtimes slow as +his breath or forces serue him: another sort there be that plod on, & will +neuer change their pace, whether they win or lose the game: in this maner +doth the Greeke _dactilus_ begin slowly and keepe on swifter till th'end, +for his race being deuided into three parts, he spends one, & that is the +first slowly, the other twaine swiftly: the _anapestus_ his two first +parts swiftly, his last slowly: the _Molossus_ spends all three parts of +his race slowly and egally _Bacchius_ his first part swiftly, & two last +parts slowly. The _tribrachus_ all his three parts swiftly: the +_antibacchius_ his two first partes slowly, his last & third swiftly: the +_amphimacer_, his first & last part slowly & his middle part swiftly: the +_amphibracus_ his first and last parts swiftly but his midle part slowly, +& so of others by like proportion. This was a pretie phantasticall +obseruation of them, & yet brought their meetres to haue a maruelous good +grace, which was in Greeke called [Greek: rithmos]: whence we haue deriued +this word ryme, but improperly & not wel because we haue no such feete or +times or stirres in our meeters, by whose _simpathie_, or pleasant +conueniencie with th'eare, we could take any delight: this _rithmus_ of +theirs, is not therfore our rime, but a certaine musicall numerositie in +vtterance, and not a bare number as that of the Arithmeticall computation +is, which therefore is not called _rithmus_ but _arithmus_. Take this away +from them, I meane the running of their feete, there is nothing of +curiositie among them more then with vs nor yet so much. + + + + + _CHAP. III._ + +_How many sorts of measures we use in our vulgar._ + + +To returne from rime to our measure againe, it hath bene sayd that +according to the number of the sillables contained in euery verse, the +same is sayd a long or short meeter, and his shortest proportion is of +foure sillables, and his longest of twelue, they that vse it aboue, passe +the bounds of good proportion. And euery meeter may be aswel in the odde +as in the euen sillable, but better in the euen, and one verse may begin +in the euen, & another follow in the odde, and so keepe a commendable +proportion. The verse that containeth but two silables which may be in one +word, is not vsuall: therefore many do deny him to be a verse, saying that +it is but a foot, and that a meeter can haue no lesse then two feete at +the least, but I find it otherwise aswell among the best Italian Poets, as +also with our vulgar makers, and that two sillables serue wel for a short +measure in the first place, and midle, and end of a staffe: and also in +diuerse scituations and by sundry distances, and is very passionate and of +good grace, as shalbe declared more at large in the Chapter of proportion +by scituation. + +The next measure is of two feete or of foure sillables, and then one word +_tetrasillable_ diuided in the middest makes vp the whole meeter, as thus + _Re-ue- re-ntli-e_ + +Or a trissillable and one monosillable thus. _Soueraine God_, or two +bissillables and that is plesant thus, _Restore againe_, or with foure +monosillables, and that is best of all thus, _When I doe thinke_, I finde +no fauour in a meetre of three sillables nor in effect in any odde, but +they may be vsed for varietie sake, and specially being enterlaced with +others the meetre of six sillables is very sweete and dilicate as thus. + _O God when I behold + This bright heauen so hye + By thine owne hands of old + Contrivd so cunningly._ + +The meter of seuen sillables is not vsual, no more is that of nine and +eleuen, yet if they be well composed, that is, their _Cesure_ well +appointed, and their last accent which makes the concord, they are +commendable inough, as in this ditty where one verse is of eight an other +is of seuen, and in the one the accent vpon the last, in the other vpon +the last saue on. + _The smoakie sighes, the bitter teares + That I in vaine haue wasted + The broken sleepes, the woe and feares + That long time haue lasted + Will be my death, all by thy guilt + And not by my deseruing + Since so inconstantly thou wilt + Not loue but still be sweruing_. + +And all the reason why these meeters in all sillable are allowable is, for +that the sharpe accent falles vpon the _penulitma_ or last saue one +sillable of the verse, which doth so drowne the last, as he seemeth to +passe away in maner vnpronounced, & so make the verse seeme euen: but if +the accent fall vpon the last and leaue two flat to finish the verse, it +will not feeme so: for the odnes will more notoriously appeare, as for +example in the last verse before recited _Not loue but still be sweruing_, +say thus _Loue it is a maruelous thing._ Both verses be of egall +quantitie, vidz. seauen sillables a peece, and yet the first seemes +shorter then the later, who shewes a more odnesse then the former by +reason of his sharpe accent which is vpon the last sillable, and makes him +more audible then if he had slid away with a flat accent, as the word +_sweruing._ + +Your ordinarie rimers vse very much their measures in the odde as nine and +eleuen, and the sharpe accent vpon the last sillable, which therefore +makes him go ill fauouredly and like a minstrels musicke. Thus sayd one in +a meeter of eleven very harshly in mine eare, whether it be for lacke of +good rime or of good reason, or of both I wot not. + _Now sucke childe and sleepe childe, thy mothers owne ioy + Her only sweete comfort, to drowne all annoy + For beauty surpassing the azured skie + I loue thee my darling, as ball of mine eye._ + +This sort of compotition in the odde I like not, vnlesse it be holpen by +the _Cesure_ or by the accent as I sayd before. + +The meeter of eight is no lesse pleasant then that of sixe, and the +_Cesure_ fals iust in the middle, as this of the Earle of Surreyes. + _When raging loue, with extreme payne._ + +The meeter of ten sillables is very stately and Heroicall, and must haue +his _Cesure_ fall vpon the fourth sillable, and leaue sixe behind him +thus. + _I serue at ease, and gouerne all with woe._ + +This meeter of twelue sillables the French man calleth a verse +_Alexandrine_, and is with our moderne rimers most usuall: with the +auncient makers it was not so. For before Sir _Thomas Wiats_ time they +were not vsed in our vulgar, they be for graue and stately matters fitter +than for any other ditty of pleasure. Some makers write in verses of +foureteene sillables giuing the _Cesure_ at the first eight, which +proportion is tedious, for the length of the verse kepeth the eare too +long from his delight, which is to heare the cadence or the tuneable +accent in the ende of the verse. Neuerthelesse that of twelue if his +_Cesure_ be iust in the middle, and that ye suffer him to runne at full +length, and do not as the common rimers do; or their Printer for sparing +of paper, cut them of in the middest, wherin they make in two verses but +halfe rime. They do very wel as wrote the Earle of Surrey translating the +booke of the preacher. + _Salomon Davids sonne, king of Ierusalem._ + +This verse is a very good _Alexandrine_, but perchaunce woulde haue +sounded more musically, if the first word had bene a dissillable, or two +monosillables and not a trissillable: hauing his sharpe accent vppon the +_Antepenultima_ as it hath, by which occasion it runnes like a _Dactill_, +and carries the two later sillables away so speedily as it seemes but one +foote in our vulgar measure, and by that meanes makes the verse seeme but +of eleuen sillables, which odnesse is nothing pleasant to the eare. Iudge +some body whether it would haue done better (if it might) haue bene fayd +thus, + _Roboham Dauids sonne, king of Ierusalem._ +Letting the sharpe accent fall vpon _bo_, or thus + _Restore king Dauids sonne vnto Ierusalem_. +For now the sharpe accent falles vpon _bo_, and so doth it vpon the last +in _restore_, which was not in th'other verse. But because we haue seemed +to make mention of _Cesure_, and to appoint his place in euery measure, it +shall not be amisse to say somewhat more of it, & also of such pauses as +are vsed in vtterance, & what commoditie or delectation they bring either +to the speakers or to the hearers. + + + + + _CHAP. IIII._ + +_Of Cesure._ + + +There is no greater difference betwixt a ciuill and brutish vtteraunce +then cleare distinction of voices: and the most laudable languages are +alwaies most plaine and distinct, and the barbarous most confuse and +indistinct: it is therefore requisit that leasure be taken in +pronuntiation, such as may make our wordes plaine & most audible and +agreable to the eare: also the breath asketh to be now and then releeued +with some pause or stay more or lesse: besides that the very nature of +speach (because it goeth by clauses of seuerall construction & sence) +requireth some space betwixt them with intermission of sound, to th'end +they may not huddle one vpon another so rudly & so fast that th'eare may +not perceiue their difference. For these respectes the auncient reformers +of language, inuented, three maner of pauses, one of lesse leasure then +another, and such seuerall intermissions of sound to serue( besides +easment to the breath) for a treble distinction of sentences or parts of +speach, as they happened to be more or lesse perfect in sence. The +shortest pause or intermission they called _comma_ as who would say a +peece of a speach cut of. The second they called _colon_, not a peece but +as it were a member for his larger length, because it occupied twice as +much time as the _comma_. The third they called _periodus_, for a +complement or full pause, and as a resting place and perfection of so much +former speach as had bene vttered, and from whence they needed not to +passe any further vnles it were to renew more matter to enlarge the tale. +This cannot be better represented then by example of these common +trauailers by the hie ways, where they seeme to allow themselues three +maner of staies or easements: one a horsebacke calling perchaunce for a +cup of beere or wine, and hauing dronken it vp rides away and neuer +lights: about noone he commeth to his Inne, & there baites him selfe and +his horse an houre or more: at night when he can conueniently trauaile no +further, he taketh vp his lodging, and rests him selfe till the morrow: +from whence he followeth the course of a further voyage, if his business +be such. Euen so our Poet when he hath made one verse, hath as it were +finished one dayes iourney, & the while easeth him selfe with one baite at +the least, which is a _Comma_ or _Cesure_ in the mid way, if the verse be +euen and not odde, otherwise in some other place, and not iust in the +middle. If there be no _Cesure_ at all, and the verse long, the lesse is +the makers skill and hearers delight. Therefore in a verse of twelue +sillables the _Cesure_ ought to fall right vpon the sixt sillable: in a +verse of eleuen vpon the sixt also leauing fiue to follow. In a verse of +ten vpon the fourth, leaving sixe to follow. In a verse of nine vpon the +fourth, leauing fiue to follow. In a verse of eight iust in the middest, +that is, vpon the fourth. In a verse of seauen, either vpon the fourth or +none at all, the meeter very ill brooking any pause. In a verse of sixe +sillables and vnder is needefull no _Cesure_ at all, because the breath +asketh no reliefe: yet if ye giue any _Comma_, it is to make distinction +of sense more then for any thing else: and such _Cesure_ must neuer be +made in the middest of any word, if it be well appointed. So may you see +that the vse of these pawses or distinctions is not generally with the +vulgar Poet as it is with the Prose writer because the Poetes cheife +Musicke lying in his rime or concorde to heare the Simphonie, he maketh +all the hast he can to be at an end of his verse, and delights not in many +stayes by the way, and therefore giueth but one _Cesure_ to any verse: and +thus much for the sounding of a meetre. Neuerthelesse he may vse in any +verse both his _comma, colon_, and _interrogatiue_ point, as well as in +prose. But our auncient rymers, as _Chaucer, Lydgate_ & others, vsed these +_Cesures_ either very seldome, or not at all, or else very licentiously, +and many times made their meetres (they called them riding ryme) of such +vnshapely wordes as would allow no conuenient _Cesure_, and therefore did +let their rymes runne out at length, and neuer stayd till they came to the +end: which maner though it were not to be misliked in some sort of meetre, +yet in euery long verse the _Cesure_ ought to be kept precisely, if it +were but to serue as a law to correct the licentiousnesse of rymers, +besides that it pleaseth the eare better, & sheweth more cunning in the +maker by following the rule of his restraint. For a rymer that will be +tyed to no rules at all, but range as he list, may easily vtter what he +will: but such maner of Poesie is called in our vulgar, ryme dogrell, with +which rebuke we will in no case our maker should be touched. Therfore +before all other things let his ryme and concordes be true, cleare, and +audible with no lesse delight, then almost the strayned note of a +Musicians mouth, & not darke or wrenched by wrong writing as many doe to +patch vp their meetres, and so follow in their arte neither rule, reason, +nor ryme. Much more might be sayd for the vse of your three pauses, +_comma_, _colon_, & _periode_, for perchance it be not all a matter to vse +many _commas_, and few, nor _colons_ likewise, or long or short +_periodes_, for it is diuersly vsed, by diuers good writers. But because +it apperteineth more to the oratour or writer in prose then in verse, I +will say no more in it, then thus, that they be vsed for a commodious and +sensible distinction of clauses in prose, since euery verse is as it were +a clause of it selfe and limited with a _Cesure_ howsoeuer the sence +beare, perfect or imperfect, which difference is obseruable betwixt the +prose and the meeter. + + + + + _CHAP. V._ + +_Of Proportion in Concord, called Symphonie or rime._ + + +Because we vse the word rime (though by maner of abusion) yet to helpe +that fault againe we apply it in our vulgar Poesie another way very +commendably & curiously. For wanting the currantnesse of the Greeke and +Latine feete, in stead thereof we make in th'ends of our verses a certaine +tunable sound: which anon after with another verse reasonably distant we +accord together in the last fall or cadence: the eare taking pleasure to +heare the like tune reported, and to feele hie returne. And for this +purpose serue the _monosillables_ of our English Saxons excellently well, +because they do naturally and indifferently receiue any accent, & in them +if they finish the verse, resteth the shrill accent of necessitie, and so +doth it not in the last of euery _bissillable_, nor of euery +_polisillable_ word: but to the purpose, _ryme_ is a borrowed word from +the Greeks by the Latines and French, from them by vs Saxon angles and by +abusion as hath bene sayd, and therefore it shall not do amisse to tell +what this _rithmos_ was with the Greekes, for what is it with vs hath bene +already sayd. There is an accomptable number which we call _arithmeticall +(arithmos)_ as one, two, three. There is also a musicall or audible +number, fashioned by stirring of tunes & their sundry times in the +vtterance of our wordes, as when the voice goeth high or low, or sharpe or +flat, or swift or slow: & this is called _rithmos_ or numerositie, that is +to say, a certaine flowing vtteraunce by slipper words and sillables, such +as the toung easily vtters, and the eare with pleasure receiueth, and +which flowing of wordes with much volubilitie smoothly proceeding from the +mouth is in some sort _harmonicall_ and breedeth to th'eare a great +compasiion. This point grew by the smooth and delicate running of their +feete, which we haue not in our vulgare, though we use as much as may be +the most flowing words & slippery sillables, that we can picke out: yet do +not we call that by the name of ryme, as the Greekes did: but do give the +name of ryme onely to our concordes, or tunable consentes in the latter +end of our verses, and which concords the Greekes nor Latines neuer vsed +in their Poesie till by the barbarous souldiers out of the campe, it was +brought into the Court and thence to the schoole, as hath bene before +remembred: and yet the Greekes and Latines both vsed a maner of speach, by +clauses of like termination, which they called [Greek: illegible] and +was the nearest that they approched to our ryme: but is not our right +concord: so as we in abusing this terme (_ryme_) be neuertheless excusable +applying it to another point in Poesie no lesse curious then their +_rithme_ or numerositie which in deede passed the whole verse throughout, +whereas our concordes keepe but the latter end of euery verse, or +perchaunce the middle and the end in metres that be long. + + + + + _CHAP. VI._ + +_Of accent, time and stir perceiued euidently in the distinction of mans +voice, and which makes the flowing of a meeter._ + + +Nowe because we haue spoken of accent, time and stirre or motion in +wordes, we will set you downe more at large what they be. The auncient +Greekes and Latines by reason their speech fell out originally to be +fashioned with words of many syllables for the most part, it was of +necessity that they could not vtter euery sillable with one like and egall +sounde, nor in like space of time, nor with like motion or agility: but +that one must be more suddenly and quickely forsaken, or longer pawsed +vpon then another: or sounded with a higher note & clearer voyce then +another, and of necessitie this diuersitie of sound, must fall either vpon +the last sillable, or vpon the last saue one, or vpon the third and could +not reach higher to make any notable difference; it caused them to giue +vunto three different sounds three seuerall names: to that which was +highest lift vp and most eleuate or shrillest in the eare, they gaue the +name of the sharpe accent, to the lowest and most base because it seemed +to fall downe rather then to rise vp, they gaue the name of the heauy +accent, and that other which seemed in part to lift vp and in part to fall +downe, they called the circumflex, or compast accent: and if new termes +were not odious, we might very properly call him the (windabout) for so is +the Greek word. Then bycause euery thing that by nature fals down is said +heauy, & whatsoever naturally mounts upward is said light, it gaue +occasion to say that there were diuersities in the motion of the voice, as +swift & slow, which motion also presupposes time, by cause time is +_mensura motus_, by the Philosopher: so haue you the causes of their +primitiue inuention and vse in our arte of Poesie, all this by good +obseruation we may perceiue in our vulgar wordes if they be of mo +sillables then one, but specially if they be _trissillables_, as for +example in these wordes [_altitude_] and [_heauinesse_] the sharpe accent +falles vpon [_al_] & [_he_] which be the _antepenultimaes:_ the other two +fall away speedily as if they were scarse founded in this _trissilable +[forsaken]_ the sharp accent fals vpon [_sa_] which is the _penultima_, +and in the other two is heauie and obscure. Againe in these _bisillables, +endure, unsure, demure, aspire, desire, retire_, your sharpe accent falles +vpon the last sillable: but in words _monosillable_ which be for the more +part our naturall Saxon English, the accent is indifferent, and may be +vsed for sharp or flat and heauy at our pleasure. I say Saxon English, for +our Normane English alloweth vs very many _bissillables_, and also +_triffilables_ as, _reuerence, diligence, amorous, desirous_, and such +like. + + + + + _CHAP. VII._ + +_Of your Cadences by which your meeter is made Symphonicall +when they be sweetest and most solemne in a verse._ + + +As the smoothenesse of your words and sillables running vpon feete of +sundrie qualities, make with the Greekes and Latines the body of their +verses numerous or Rithmicall, so in our vulgar Poesie, and of all other +nations at this day, your verses answering eche other by couples, or at +larger distances in good [_cadence_] is it that maketh your meeter +symphonicall. This cadence is the fal of a verse in euery last word with a +certaine tunable sound which being matched with another of like sound, do +make a [_concord_.] And the whole cadence is contained sometime in one +sillable, sometime in two, or in three at the most: for aboue the +_antepenultima_ there reacheth no accent (which is chiefe cause of the +cadence) vnlesse it be vsurpation in some English words, to which we giue +a sharpe accent vpon the fourth as, _Honorable, matrimonie, patrimonie, +miserable_, and such other as would neither make a sweete cadence, nor +easily find any word of like quantitie to match them. And the accented +sillable with all the rest vnder him make the cadence, and no sillable +aboue, as in these words, _Agillitie, facillitie, subiection, direction_, +and these bissilables, _Tender, slender, trustie, lustie, but alwayes the +cadence which falleth vpon the last sillable of a verse is sweetest and +most commendable: that vpon the _penultima_ more light, and not so +pleasant: but falling vpon the _antepenultima_ is most vnpleasant of all, +because they make your meeter too light and triuiall, and are fitter for +the Epigrammatist or Comicall Poet then for the Lyrick and Elegiack, which +are accompted the sweeter Musickes. But though we haue sayd that (to make +good concored) your seuerall verses should haue their cadences like, yet +must there be some difference in their orthographie, though not in their +sound, as if one cadence be [_constraine_] the next [_restraine_] or one +[_aspire_] another [_respire_] this maketh no good concord, because they +are all one, but if ye will exchange both these consonants of the accented +sillable, or voyde but one of them away, then will your cadences be good +and your concord to, as to say, _restraine, refraine, remaine: aspire, +desire, retire_: which rule neuerthelesse is not well obserued by many +makers for lacke of good iudgement and a delicate eare. And this may +suffise to shew the vse and nature of your cadences, which are in effect +all the sweetnesse and cunning in our vulgar Poesie. + + + + + _CHAP. VIII_ + +_How the good maker will not wrench his word to helpe his rime, either by +falsifying his accent, or by untrue orthographie._ + + +Now there can not be in a maker a fowler fault then to falsifie his accent +to serue his cadence, or by vntrue orthographie to wrench his words to +helpe his rime, for it is a signe that such a maker is not copious in his +owne language, or (as they are wont to say) not halfe his crafts maister: +as for example, if one should rime to this word [_Restore_] he may not +match him with [_Doore_] or [_Poore_] for neither of both are of like +terminant, either by good orthography or in naturall sound, therfore such +rime is strained, so is it to this word [_Ram_] to say [_came_] or to +[_Beane [_Den_] for they sound not nor be written alike, & many other like +cadences which were superfluous to recite, and are vsuall with rude rimers +who obserue not precisely the rules of [_prosodie_] neuerthelesse in all +such cases (if necessitie constrained) it is somewhat more tolerable to +help the rime by false orthographie, than to leaue an unpleasant +dissonance to the eare, by keeping trewe orthographie and loosing the +rime, as for example it is better to rime [_Dore_] with [_Restore_] then +in his truer orthographie, which is [_Doore_] and to this word [_Desire_] +to say [_Fier_] then fyre though it be otherwise better written _fire_. +For since the cheife grace of our vulgar Poesie consisteth in the +Symphonie, as hath bene already sayd, our maker must not be too licentious +in his concords, but see that they go euen, iust and melodious in the +eare, and right so in the numerositie or currantnesse of the whole body of +his verse, and in euery other of his proportions. For a licentious maker +is in truth but a bungler and not a Poet. Such men were in effect the most +part of all your old rimers and specially _Gower_, who to make vp his rime +would for the most part write his terminant sillable with false +orthographie, and many times not sticke to put in a plaine French word for +an English, & so by your leaue do many of our common rimers at this day: +as he that by all likelyhood, hauing no word at hand to rime to this word +[_ioy_] he made his other verse ende in [_Roy_] saying very impudently +thus, + _O mightie Lord of loue, dame Venus onely ioy + Who art the highest God of any heauenly Roy._ +Which word was neuer yet receiued in our language for an English word. +Such extreme licentiousnesse is vtterly to be banished from our schoole, +and better it might haue bene borne with in old riming writers, bycause +they liued in a barbarous age, & were graue morall men but very homely +Poets, such also as made most of their workes by translation out of the +Latine and French toung, & few or none of their owne engine as may easely +be knowen to them that list to looke vpon the Poemes of both languages. + +Finally as ye may ryme with wordes of all sortes, be they of many +sillables or few, so neuerthelesse is there a choise by which to make your +cadence (before remembred) most commendable, for some wordes of exceeding +great length, which haue bene fetched from the Latine inkhome or borrowed +of strangers, the vse of them in ryme is nothing pleasant, sauing +perchaunce to the common people, who reioyce much to be at playes and +enterludes, and besides their naturall ignoraunce, haue at all such times +their eares so attentiue to the matter, and their eyes vpon the shewes of +the stage, that they take little heede to the cunning of the rime, and +therefore be as well satisfied with that which is grosse, as with any +other finer and more delicate. + + + + + _Chap. IX._ + +_Of Concorde in long and short measures, and by neare or farre distaunces, +and which of them is most commendable_. + + +But this ye must obserue withall, that bycause your concords containe the +chief part of Musicke in your meetre, their distaunces may not be too wide +or farre asunder, lest th'eare should loose the tune, and be defrauded of +his delight, and whensoeuer ye see any maker vse large and extraordinary +distaunces, ye must thinke he doth intende to shew himselfe more +artificiall then popular, and yet therein is not to be discommended, for +respects that shalbe remembred in some other place of this booke. + +Note also that rime or concorde is not commendably vsed both in the end +and middle of a verse, vnlesse it be in toyes and trifling Poesies, for it +sheweth a certaine lightnesse either of the matter or of the makers head, +albeit these common rimers vse it much, for as I sayd before, like as the +Symphonie in a versse of great length, is (as it were) lost by looking +after him, and yet may the meetre be very graue and stately: so on the +other side doth the ouer busie and too speedy returne of one maner of +tune, too much annoy & as it were glut the eare, vnlesse it be in small & +popular Musickes song by thesse _Cantabanqui_ vpon benches and barrels +heads where they haue none other audience then boys or countrey fellowes +that passse by them in the streete, or else by blind harpers or such like +tauerne minstrels that giue a fit of mirth for a groat, & their matters +being for the most part stories of old time, as the tale of Sir _Topas_, +the reportes of _Beuis_ of _Southampton, Guy_ of _Warwicke, Adam Bell_, +and _Clymme of the Clough_ & such other old Romances or historicall rimes, +made purposely for recreation of the common people at Christmasse diners & +brideales, and in tauernes & alehouses and such other places of base +resort, also they be vsed in Carols and rounds and such light or +lasciuious Poemes, which are commonly more commodiously vttered by these +buffons or vices in playes then by any other person. Such were the rimes +of _Skelton_ (vsurping the name of a Poet Laureat) being in deede but a +rude rayling rimer & all his doings ridiculous, he vsed both short +distaunces and short measures pleasing onely the popular eare: in our +courtly maker we banish them vtterly. Now also haue ye in euery song or +ditty concorde by compasse & concorde entertangled and a mixt of both, +what that is and how they be vsed shalbe declared in the chapter of +proportion by _scituation._ + + + + + _CHAP. X_ + +_Of proportion by situation._ + + +This proportion consisteth in placing of euery verse in a staffe or ditty +by such reasonable distaunces, as may best serue the eare for delight, and +also to shew the Poets art and variety of Musick, and the proportion is +double. One by marshalling the meetres, and limiting their distaunces +hauing regard to the rime or concorde how they go and returne: another by +placing euery verse, hauing a regard to his measure and quantitie onely, +and not to his concorde as to set one short meetre to three long, or foure +short and two long, or a short measure and a long, or of diuers lengthes +with relation one to another, which maner of _Situation_, euen without +respect of the rime, doth alter the nature of the Poesie, and make it +either lighter or grauer, or more merry, or mournfull, and many wayes +passionate to the eare and hart of the hearer, seeming for this point that +our maker by his measures and concordes of sundry proprotions doth +counterfait the harmonicall tunes of the vocall and instrumentall +Musickes. As the _Dorian_ because his falls, sallyes and compasse be +diuers from those of the _Phrigien_, the _Phrigien_ likewise from the +_Lydien_, and all three from the _Eolien, Miolidien_, and _Ionien_, +mounting and falling from note to note such as be to them peculiar, and +with more or lesse leasure or precipitation. Euen so by diuersitie of +placing and situation of your measures and concords, a short with a long, +and by narrow or wide distances, or thicker or thinner bestowing of them +your proportions differ, and breedeth a variable and strange harmonie not +onely in the eare, but also in the conceit of them that heare it, whereof +this may be an ocular example. + +[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line three +and line two connected to line four.] +Scituation in Concord ---------- \ + ---------- ) \ + ---------- / ) + ---------- / + +Scituation in Measure ------ ------------ + ------- --------- + -------- ------------ + --------- ------ + --------- --------- + -------- ------------ + ------- ------ + ------ ------------ + ------------ + ------ + ------ + +Where ye see the concord or rime in the third distance, and the measure in +the fourth, sixth or second distaunces, where of ye may deuise as many +others as ye list, so the staffe be able to beare it. And I set you downe +an occular example: because ye may the better conceiue it. Likewise it so +falleth out most times your ocular proportion doeth declare the nature of +the audible: for if it please the eare well, the fame represented by +delineation to the view pleaseth the eye well and _e conuerso:_ and this +is by a naturall _simpathie_, betweene the eare and the eye, and betweene +tunes & colours euen as there is the like betweene the other sences and +their obiects of which it apperteineth not here to speake. Now for the +distances vsually obserued in our vulgar Poesie, they be in the first +second third and fourth verse, or if the verse be very short in the fift +and sixt and in some maner of Musickes farre aboue. + +And the first distance for the most part goeth all by _distick_ or couples +of verses agreeing in one cadence, and do passe so speedily away away and +so often returne agayne, as their tunes are neuer lost, nor out of the +eare, one couple supplying another so nye and so suddenly, and this is the +most vulgar proportion of distance or situation, such as vsed _Chaucer_ in +his Canterbury tales, and _Gower_ in all his workes. + +[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line two +and line three connected to line four.] + +Second distance is, when ye passe ouer one verse, and ioyne the first and +the third, and so continue on till an other like distance fall in, and +this is also usuall and common, as + +[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line three +and line two connected to line four.] + +Third distauce is, when your rime falleth vpon the first and fourth verse +ouerleaping two; this manner is not so common but pleasant and allowable +inough. + +[Illustration: diagram of four lines with line one connected to line four +and line two connected to line three.] + +In which case the two verses ye leaue out are ready to receiue their +concordes by the same distaunce or any other ye like better. + +The fourth distaunce is by ouerskipping three verses and lighting vpon the +fift, this manner is rare and more artificiall then popular, vnlesse it be +in some special case, as when the meetres be so little and short as they +make no shew of any great delay before they returne, ye shall haue example +of both. + +[Illustration: two diagrams: the first of five lines with line 1 +connected to line 5 and lines 2, 3, and 4 connected; +the second of ten lines with line 1 and 5 connected, lines 2 and 6 +connected, lines 3 and 7 connected, lines 4 and 8 connected, lines 5 and 9 +connected, and lines 8 and 10 connected.] + +And these ten litle meeters make but one Decameter at length. + + --,--,--,--,--,--,--,--,--,--, + +There be larger distances also, as when the first concord falleth upon the +sixt verse & is very pleasant if they be ioyned with other distances not +so large as + +[Illustration: diagram of six lines with lines 1 and 6 connected, +line 2 and 5 connected, and lines 3 and 4 connected.] + +There be also, of the seuenth, eight, tenth, and twefth distance, but then +they may not go thicke, but two or three such distances serue to +proportion a whole song, and all betweene must be of other lesse +distances, and these wide distaunces serue for coupling of slaues, or for +to declare high and passionate or graue matter, and also for art: +_Petrarch_ hath giuen us examples hereof in his _Canzoni_, and we by lines +of sundry lengths & and distances as followeth, + +[Illustration: four diagrams: first of eight lines with lines 1 and 8 +connected, 2 and 3 connected, 4 and 5 connected, and 6 and 7 connected; +second of ten lines with lines 1 and 10 connected, 2 and 4 connected, 3 +and 5 connected, 5 and 7 connected, 6 and 8 connected and 7 and 9 +connected; +third of twelve lines with lines 1 and 12 connected, 2 and 5 connected, 3 +and 4 connected, and 6 and 9 connected, 7 and 8 connected, 9 and 12 +connected, 10 and 11 connected; +fourth of thirteen lines with 1 and 13 connected, 2 and 5 connected, 3 and +4 connected, 6 and 9 connected, 7 and 8 connected, 10 and 13 connected, +and 11 and 12 connected.] + +And all that can be obiected against this wide distance is to say that the +eare by loosing his concord is not satisfied. So is in deede the rude and +popular eare but not the learned, and therefore the Poet must know to +whose eare he maketh his rime, and accommodate himselfe thereto, and not +giue such musicke to the rude and barbarous, as he would to the learned +and delicate eare. + +There is another sort of proportion used by _Petrarche_ called the +_Seizino_, not riming as other songs do, but by chusing sixe wordes out of +which all the whole dittie is made, euery of those sixe commencing and +ending his verse by course, which restraint to make the dittie sensible +will try the makers cunning, as thus. + --------------- ) + ( --------------- ) + ( --------------- ) + ( --------------- ) + ( --------------- ) + ( --------------- + +Besides all this there is in _Situation_ of the concords two other +points, one that it go by plaine and cleere compasse not intangled: +another by enterweauing one with another by knots, or as it were +by band, which is more or lesse busie and curious, all as the maker +will double or redouble his rime or concords, and set his distances +farre or nigh, of all which I will giue you ocular examples, as thus. + +[Illustration: two diagrams: Concord in Plaine compasse, has four lines +with 1 and 4 connected and 2 and 3 connected; +Concord in Entertangle, has alternating lines connected - 1 and 3, 2 and +4, 3 and 5, etc.] + +And first in a _Quadreine_ there are but two proportions, for foure verses +in this last sort coupled, are but two _Disticks_, and not a staffe +_quadreine_ or of foure. + +[Illustration: three diagrams of four lines each: +first, with lines 1 and 4 connected and lines 2 and 3 connected; +second, with lines 1 and 3 connected and lines 2 and 4 connected; +third, with lines 1 and 2 connected and lines 3 and 4 connected.] + +The staffe of fiue hath seuen proportions, whereof some of them be harsher +and vnpleasaunter to the eare then other some be. + +[Illustration: seven diagrams of five lines each: +first, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 3 with 5; +second, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 5, 3 with 4; +third, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 2, 2 with 5, 3 with 4; +fourth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 3, 4 with 5; +fifth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 5, 2 with 3, 3 with 4; +sixth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 4 with 5; +seventh, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 2, 2 with 4, 3 with 5.] + +The _Sixaine_ or staffe of sixe hath ten proportions, whereof some be +vsuall, some not vsuall, and not so sweet one as another. + +[Illustration: ten diagrams of six lines each: +first, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 5, 3 with 4; +second, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 5 with 6; +third, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 6, 3 with 4 and 5; +fourth, connecting these lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 5, 3 with 6; +fifth, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 4, 3 with 5; +sixth, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 3, 4 with 5; +seventh, connecting these lines - 1 with 5, 2 with 6, 3 with 4; +eighth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 5 and 6, 3 with 4; +ninth, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 5, 4 with 6; +tenth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2 and 4, 3 with 5 and 6.] + +The staffe of seuen verses hath seuen proportions, whereof one onley is +the vsuall of our vulgar, and kept by our old Poets _Chaucer_ and other in +their historicall reports and other ditties: as in the last part of them +that follow next. + +[Illustration: eight diagrams of seven lines each: +first, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 4 with 6, 5 with 7; +second, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 3 with 5, 6 with 7; +third, connecting these lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 3, 4 with 7, 5 with 6; +fourth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 6 and 7, 3 with 4 and 5; +fifth, connecting these lines - 1 with 7, 2 with 6, 3 with 4 and 5; +sixth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 5 and 6, 3 with 4 and 7; +seventh, connecting these lines - 1 with 4 and 7, 2 with 3, 5 and 6; +eighth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 3 with 4 and 5, 6 with 7.] + +The _huitain_ or staffe of eight verses, hath eight proportions such as +the former staffe, and is because he is longer, he hath one more then the +_sestaine_. + +The staffe of nine verses hath yet moe then the eight, and the staffe of +ten more then the ninth and the twelfth, if such were allowable in +ditties, more then any of them all, by reason of his largenesse receiuing +moe compasses and enterweauings, alwayes considered that the very large +distances be more artificiall, then popularly pleasant, and yet do giue +great grace and grauitie, and moue passion and affections more vehemently, +as it is well to be obserued by _Petrarcha_ his _Canzoni_. + +Now ye may perceiue by these proportions before described, that there is a +band to be giuen euery verse in a staffe, so as none fall out alone or +vncoupled, and this band maketh that the staffe is sayd fast and not +loose: euen as ye see in buildings of stone or bricke the mason giueth a +band, that is a length to two breadths, & vpon necessitie diuers other +sorts of bands to hold in the worke fast and maintaine the +perpendicularitie of the wall: so in any staffe of seuen or eight or more +verses, the coupling of the moe meeters by rime or concord, is the faster +band: the fewer the looser band, and therefore in a _huiteine_ he that +putteth foure verses in one concord and foure in another concord, and in a +_dizaine_ fiue, sheweth him selfe more cunning, and also more copious in +his owne language. For he that can find two words of concord, can not find +foure or fiue or sixe, vnlesse he haue his owne language at will. +Sometimes also ye are driuen of neccesitie to close and make band more +then ye would, lest otherwise the staffe should fall asunder and seeme two +staues: and this is in a staffe of eight and ten verses: whereas without a +band in the middle, it would seeme two _quadriens_ or two _quintaines_, +which is an error that many makers slide away with. Yet _Chaucer_ and +others in the staffe of seuen and sixe do almost as much a misse, for they +shut vp the staffe with a _disticke_, concording with none other verse +that went before, and maketh but a loose rime, and yet bycause of the +double cadence in the last two verses serue the eare well inough. And as +there is in euery staffe, band, giuen to the verses by concord more or +lesse busie: so is there in some cases a band giuen to euery staffe, and +that is by one whole verse running alone throughout the ditty or ballade, +either in the middle or end of euery staffe. The Greekes called such +vncoupled verse _Epimonie_, the Latines _Versus intercallaris_. Now +touching the situation of measures, there are as manie or more proportions +of them which I referre to the makers phantasie and choise, contented with +two or three ocular examples and no moe. + +------- ---------- ---------- ------ +--------- ---------- ---------- -------------- +------------- ---------- ---- ---------- -------------- +------------- -------- ---- ---------- -------------- +--------- ------ ---------- ---- ------ +------- ------ ---------- ------ -------------- +--------- -------- ---- ------ -------------- +----------- ---------- ---- ------ -------------- +------------- ---------- ---- ------ + +Which maner or proportion by situation of measures giueth more efficacie +to the matter oftentimes then the concords them selues, and both +proportions concurring together as they needes must, it is of much more +beautie and force to the hearers mind. + +To finish the learning of this diuision, I will set you downe one example +of a dittie written extempore with this deuice, shewing not onley much +promptnesse of wit in the maker, but also great arte and a notable +memorie. Make me saith this writer to one of the comnpanie, so many +strokes or lines with your pen as ye would haue your song containe verses: +and let euery line bearue his seuerall length, euen as ye would haue your +verse of measure. Suppose of foure, fiue, sixe, or eight or more +sillables, and set a figure of euerie number at th'end of the line, +whereby ye may knowe his measure. Then where you will haue your rime or +concord to fall, marke it with a compast stroke or semicircle passing ouer +those lines, be they farre or neare in distance, as ye haue seene before +described. And bycause ye shall not thinke the maker hath premeditated +beforehand any such fashioned ditty, do ye your selfe make one verse +whether it be of perfect or imperfect sense, and giue it him for a theame +to make all the rest upon: if ye shall perceiue the maker do keepe the +measures and rime as ye haue appointed him, and besides do make his dittie +sensible and ensuant to the first verse in good reason, then may ye say he +is his crafts maister. For if he were not of a plentiful discourse, he +could not vpon the sudden shape an entire dittie vpon your imperfect +theame or proposition in one verse. And if he were not copious in his +language, he could not haue such store of wordes at commaundement, as +should supply your concords. And if he were not of a maruelous good memory +he could not obserue the rime and measures after the distances of your +limitation, keeping with all grauitie and good sense in the whole dittie. + + + + + _CHAP. XI._ + +_Of Proportion in figure._ + + +Your last proportion is that of figure, so called for that it yelds an +ocular representation, your meeters being by good symmetrie reduced into +certaine Geometricall figures, whereby the maker is restrained to keepe +him within his bounds, and sheweth not onley more art, but serueth also +much better for briefenesse and subtiltie of deuice. And for the same +respect are also fittest for the pretie amourets in Court to entertaine +their seruants and the time withall, their delicate wits requiring some +commendable exercise to keepe them from idlenesse. I find not of this +proportion, vsed by any of the Greeke or Latine Poets, or in any vulgar +writer, sauing of that one forme which they cal _Anacreens egge._ But +being in Italie conuersant with a certaine gentleman, who had long +trauailed the Orientall parts of the world, and seene the Courts of the +great Princes of China and Tartarie. I being very inquisitiue to know of +the subtillities of those countreyes, and especially in matter of learning +and of their vulgar Poesie, he told me that they are in all their +inuentions most wittie, and haue the vse of Poesie or riming, but do not +delight so much as we do in long tedious descriptions, and therefore when +they will vtter any pretie conceit, they reduce it into metricall feet, +and put it in forme of a _Lozange_ or square, or such other figure, and so +engrauen in gold, siluer, or iuorie, and sometimes with letters of +ametist, rubie, emeralde or topas curiousely cemented and peeced together, +they sende them in chaines, bracelets, collars and girdles to their +mistresses to weare for a remembrance. Some fewe measures composed in this +sort this gentleman gaue me, which I translated word for word and as neere +as I could followed both the phrase and the figure, which is somewhat hard +to performe, because of the restraint of the figure from which ye may not +digresse. At the beginning they wil seeme nothing pleasant to an English +eare, but time and vsage will make them acceptable inough, as it doth in +all other new guises, be it for wearing of apparell or otherwise. The +formes of your Geometricall figures be hereunder represented. + +[Illustration: labelled diagrams of lines of different lengths (forming +different shapes): +The Lozange, called Rombus (diamond) +The Fuzie or spindle, called Romboides (narrow diamond) +The Triangle or Tricquet (pyramid) +The Square or quadrangle (square) +The Pillaster or Cillinder (tall rectangle) +The Spire or taper, called piramis (tall pyramid) +The Rondel or Sphere (circle) +The egge or figure ouall (vertical egg) +The Tricquet reuerst (triangle) +The Tricquet displayed (hour-glass) +The Taper reuersed (narrow triangle) +The Rondel displayed (half circle upon the other half) +The Lozange reuersed (wide diamond <>) u +The Egge displayed (half oval upon the other half - n) +The Lozange rabbated (hexagon).] + +_Of the Lozange._ + +The _Lozange_ is a most beautifull figure, & fit for this purpose, being +in his kind a quadrangle reuerst, with his point vpward like to a quarrell +of glasse the Greekes and Latines both call it _Rombus_ which may be the +cause as I suppose why they also gaue that name to the fish commonly +called the _Turbot_, who beareth iustly that figure, it ought not to +containe about thirteene or fifteene or one & twentie meetres, & the +longest furnisheth the middle angle, the rest passe vpward and downward, +still abating their lengthes by one or two sillables till they come to the +point: the Fuzie is of the same nature but that he is sharper and +slenderer. I will giue you an example of two of those which my Italian +friend bestowed vpon me, which as neare as I could I trnslated into the +same figure obseruing the phrase of the Orientall speach word for word. + +A great Emperor in Tartary whom they cal _Can_, for his good fortune +in the wars & many notable conquests he had made, was surnamed +_Temir Cutzclewe_, this man loued the Lady _Kermesine_, who +presented him returning from the conquest of _Corasoon_ (a great kindgom +adioyning) with this _Lozange_ made in letters of rubies & diamants +entermingled thus: + Sound + O Harpe + Shril lie out + Temir the stout + Rider who with sharpe + Trenching slide of brite steele + Hath made his feircest foes so feele + All such as wrought him shame or harme + The strength of his braue right arme, + Cleauing hard downe vnto the eyes + The raw skulles of his enemies + Much honour hath he wonne + By doughtie deedes done + In Cora soon + And all the + Worlde + Round. + +_To which_ Can Temir _answered in_ Fuzie, _with letters of Emeralds and +Ametists artificially cut and entermingled, thus + + Five + Sore batailes + Manfully fought + In blouddy fielde + With bright blade in hand + Hath Temir won & forst to yeld + Many a Captaine strong and stoute + And many a king his Crowne to vayle, + Conquering large countreys and land, + Yet ne uer wanne I vic to rie + I speake it to my greate glorie + So deare and ioy full vn to me, + As when I did first con quere thee + O Kerme sine, of all myne foes + The most cruell, of all myne woes + The smartest , the sweetest + My proude con quest + My ri chest pray + O once a daye + Lend me thy sight + Whose only light + Keepes me + Alive. + +_Of the Triange or Triquet._ + +The triangle is an halfe square, _Lozange_ or _Fuzie_ parted vpon the +crosse angles: and so his base being brode and his top narrow it receaueth +meetres of many sizes one shorter then another: and ye may vse this figure +standing or reuersed, as thus. + +A certaine great Sultan of Persia called _Ribuska_, entertaynes in loue +the Lady _Selamour_, sent her this triquet reuest pitiously bemoaning his +estate, all set in merquetry with letters of blew Saphire and Topas +artificially cut and entermingled. + + Selamour dearer then his owne life + To thy di stresssed wretch cap tive, + Ri buska whome late ly erst + Most cru el ly thou perst + With thy dead ly dart, + That paire of starres + Shi ning a farre + Turne from me, to me + That I may & may not see + The smile, the loure + That lead and driue + Me to die to liue + Twise yea thrise + In one + hourre. + +To which _Selamour_ to make the match egall, and the figure entire, +answered in a standing Triquet richly engrauen with letters of like +stuffe. + Power + Of death + Nor of life + Hath Selamour, + With Gods it is rife + To giue and bereue breath + I may for pitie perchaunce + Thy lost libertie re - store, + Vpon thine othe with this penaunce, + That while thou liuest thou neuer loue no more. + +This condition seeming to Sultan _Ribuska_ very hard to performe, and +cruell to be enjoyned him, doeth by another figure a Taper, signifying +hope, answere the Lady _Selamour_, which dittie for lack of time I +translated not. + +_Of the Spire or Taper called Pyramis._ + +The Taper is the longest and sharpest triangle that is, & while +he mounts vpward he waxeth continually more slender, taking +both his figure and name of the fire, whole flame if ye marke it, is +alwaies pointed, and naturally by his forme couets to clymbe: the +Greekes call him Pyramis. The Latines in vse of Architecture +call him _Obeliscus_, it holdeth the altitude of six ordinary triangles, +and in metrifying his base can not well be larger then a +meetre of six, therefore in his altitude he will require diuers rabates +to hold so many sizes of meetres as shall serue for his composition, +for neare the toppe there wil be roome little inough for a meetre of +two sillables, and sometimes of one to finish the point. I haue set +you downe one or two examples to try how ye can disgest the +maner of the deuise. + + _Her Maiestie, for many parts in her most noble and vertuous nature + to be found, resembled to the spire. Ye must begin beneath according + to the nature of the deuice_. + + _Skie, 1 + ----- + A zurd 2 + in the + assurde. + -------- + And better, 3 + And richer, + Much greter, + -------------- + Crowne & empir + After an hier + For to aspire 4 + Like flames of fire + In formes of spire + ------------------- + To mount on hie, + Con ti nu al ly + With trauel & teen + Most gratious queen + Ye haue made a vow 5 + Shewes vs plainly how + Not fained but true + To euery mans vue + Shining cleere in you + Of so bright an hewe + Euen thus vertwe + --------------------- + Vanish out of our sight + Till his fine top be quite + To taper in the ayre 6 + Endeavors soft and faire + By his kindly nature + Of tall comely stature + Like as this faire figure_ + + _From God the fountaine of all good, are deriued into the world + all good things: and vpon her maiestie all the good fortunes any + worldly creature can be furnisht with. Reade downward according + to the nature of the deuice. + + 1 God + On + Hie + Frome + 2 A bove + Sends loue, + Wise dome, + Iu stice + Cou rage, + Boun tie, + 3 And doth geue + All that liue + Life & breath + Harts ese helth + Children, welth + Beauty strength + Restfull age, + And at length + A mild death, + 4 He doeth bestowe + All mens fortunes + Both high & low + And the best things + That earth can haue + Or mankind craue, + Good queens & kings + Fi nally is the same + Who gaue you (madam) + Seyson of this Crowne + With pouer soueraigne + 5 Impug nable right, + Redoubt able might, + Most prosperous raigne + Eternall re nowne, + And that your chiefest is + Sure hope of heavens blis. + +_The Piller, Pillaster or Cillinder._ + +The Piller is a figure among all the rest of the Geometricall most +beawtifull, in respect that he is tall and vpright and of one bignesse +from the bottom to the toppe. In Architecture he is considered with two +accessarie parts, a pedestall or base, and a chapter or head, the body is +the shaft. By this figure is signified stay, support, rest, state and +magnificence, your dittie then being reduced into the forme of a Piller, +his base will require to beare the breath of a meetre of six or seuen or +eight sillables: the shaft of foure: the chapter egall with the base, of +this proportion I will giue you one or two examples which may suffise. + + _Her Maiestie resembled to the crowned piller, Ye must read vpward._ + + _Is blisse with immortalitie. + Her trymest top of all ye see, + Garnish the crowne. + Her iust renowne + Chapter and head, + Parts that maintain + And woman head + Her mayden raigne + In te gri tie: + In ho nour and + with ve ri tie: + Her roundnes stand + Strengthen the state. + By their increase + With out de bate + Concord and peace + Of her sup port, + They be the base + with stedfastnesse + Vertue and grace + Stay and comfort + Of Albi ons rest, + The sounde Pillar + And seene a farre + Is plainely exprest + Tall stately and strayt + By this no ble pour trayt_ + + _Philo to the Lady Calia, sendeth this Odolet of her prayse + in forme of a Piller, which ye must read downward._ + + _Thy princely port and Maijestie + Is my ter rene dei tie, + Thy wit and sense + The streame & source + Of e l o quence + And deepe discours, + Thy faire eyes are + My bright load starre, + Thy speach a darte + Percing my harte, + Thy face a las, + My loo king glasse, + Thy loue ly lookes + My prayer bookes, + Thy pleasant cheare + My sunshine cleare + Thy ru full sight + My darke midnight, + Thy will the stent + Of my con tent, + Thy glo rye flour + Of myne ho nour, + Thy loue doth giue + The lyfe I lyve, + Thy lyfe it is + Mine earthly blisse: + But grace & fauour in thine eies + My bodies soule & souls paradise._ + +_The Roundell or Spheare_. + +The most excellent of all the figures Geometrical is the round for his +many perfections. First because he is euen & smooth, without any angle, or +interruption, most voluble and apt to turne, and to continue motion, which +is the author of life: he conteyneth in him the commodious description of +euery other figure, & for his ample capacitie doth resemble the world or +uniuers, & for his indefiniteness hauing no speciall place of beginning +nor end, beareth a similitude with God and eternitie. This figure hath +three principall partes in his nature and vse much considerable: the +circle, the beame, and the center. The circle is his largest compasse or +circumference: the center is his middle and indiuisible point: the beame +is a line stretching directly from the circle to the center, & +contrariwise from the center to the circle. By this description our maker +may fashion his meetre in Roundel, either with the circumference, and that +is circlewise, or from the circumference, that is, like a beame, or by the +circumference, and that is ouerthwart and dyametrally from one side of the +circle to the other. + +_A generall resemblance of the Roundell to God, the world and the Queene._ + + _All and whole, and euer, and one, + Single, simple, eche where, alone, + These be counted as Clerkes can tell, + True properties, of the Roundell. + His still turning by consequence + And change, doe breede both life and sense. + Time, measure of stirre and rest. + Is also by his course exprest. + How swift the circle stirre aboue, + His center point, doeth neuer moue: + All things that euer were or be, + Are closde in his concauitie. + And though he be, still turnde and tost, + No roome there wants nor none is lost. + The Roundell hath no bonch or angle, + Which may his course stay or entangle. + The furthest part of all his spheare, + Is equally both farre and neare. + So doth none other figure fare + Where natures chattels closed are: + And beyond his wide compasse, + There is no body nor no place, + Nor any wit that comprehends, + Where it begins, or where it ends: + And therefore all men doe agree, + That it purports eternitie. + God aboue the heauens so hie + Is this Roundell, in world the skie, + Vpon earth she, who beares the bell + Of maydes and Queenes, is this Roundell: + All and whole and euer alone, + Single, sans peere, simple, and one._ + +A speciall and particular resemblance of her Maiestie to the Roundell. + + _First her authoritie regall + Is the circle compassing all: + The dominion great and large + Which God hath geuen to her charge: + Whithin which most spatious bound + She enuirons her people round, + Retaining them by oth and liegeance. + Whithin the pale of true obeysance: + Holding imparked as it were, + Her people like to heards of deere. + Sitting among them in the middes + Where foe allowes and bannes and bids + In what fashion she list and when, + The seruices of all her men. + Out of her breast as from an eye, + Issue the rayes incessantly + Of her iustice, bountie and might + Spreading abroad their beams so bright + And reflect not, till they attaine + The fardest part of her domaine. + And makes eche subiect clearley see, + What he is bounden for to be + To God his Prince and common wealth, + His neighbour, kinred and to himselfe. + The same centre and middle pricke, + Whereto our deedes are drest so thicke, + From all the parts and outmost side + Of her Monarchie large and wide, + Also fro whence reflect these rayes, + Twentie hundred maner of wayes + Where her will is them to conuey + Within the circle of her suruey. + So is the Queene of Briton ground, + Beame, circle, center of all my round._ + +_ Of the square or quadrangle equilater._ + +The square is of all other accompted the figure of most folliditie and +stedfastnesse, and for his owne stay and firmitie requireth none other +base then himselfe, and therefore as the roundell or Spheare is appropriat +to the heauens, the Spire to the element of the fire: the Triangle to the +ayre, and the Lozange to the water: so is the square for his inconcussable +steadinesse likened to the earth, which perchaunce might be the reason +that the Prince of Philosophers in his first booke of the _Ethicks_, +termeth a constant minded man, euen egal and direct on all sides, and not +easily ouerthrowne by euery little aduersitie, _hominem quadratum_, a +square man. Into this figure may ye reduce your ditties by vsing no moe +verses then your verse is of sillables, which will make him fall out +square, if ye go aboue it wil grow into the figure _Trapezion_, which is +some portion longer then square. I neede not giue you any example, by +cause in good arte all your ditties, Odes & Epigrammes should keepe & not +exceede the nomber of twelue verses, and the longest verse to be of twelue +sillables & not aboue, but vnder that number as much as ye will. + +_The figure Ouall._ + +This figure taketh his name of an egge, and also as it is thought his +first origine, and is as it were a bastard or imperfect rounde declining +toward a longitude, and yet keeping within one line for his periferie or +compasse as the rounde, and it seemeth that he receiueth this forme not as +an imperfection but any impediment vnnaturally hindring his rotunditie, +but by the wisedome and prouidence of nature for the commoditie of +generation in such of her creatures as bring not forth a liuely body (as +do foure footed beasts) but in stead thereof a certaine quantitie of +shapelesse matter contained in a vessell, which after it is sequestred +from the dames body receiueth life and perfection, as in the egges of +birdes, fishes, and serpents: for the matter being of some quantitie, and +to issue out at a narrow place, for the easie passage thereof, it must of +necessitie beare such shape as might not be sharpe and greeuous to passe +at an angle, nor so large or obtuse as might not essay some issue out with +one part moe then other as the rounde, therefore it must be slenderer in +some part, & yet not without a rotunditie & smoothnesse to giue the rest +an easie deliuerie. Such is the figure Ouall whom for his antiquitie, +dignitie and vse, I place among the rest of the figures to embellish our +proportions: of this sort are diuers of _Anacreons_ ditties, and those +other of the Grecian Liricks, who wrate wanton amorous deuises, to solace +their witts with all, and many times they would (to giue it right shape of +an egg) deuide a word in the midst, and peece out the next verse with the +other halfe, as ye may see by perusing their meetres. + +When I wrate of these deuices, I smiled with myselfe, thinking that the +readers would do so to, and many of them say, that such trifles as these +might well haue bene spared, considering the world is full inough of them, +and that it is pitie mens heades should be fedde with such vanities as are +to none edification nor instruction, either of morall vertue, or otherwise +behooffull for the common wealth, to whose seruice (say they) we are all +borne, and not to fill and replenish a whole world full of idle toyes. To +which sort of reprehendours, being either all holy and mortified to the +world, and therefore esteeming nothing that fauoureth not of Theologie, or +altogether graue and worldy, and therefore caring for nothing but matters +of pollicie, & discourses of estate, or all giuen to thrift and passing +for none art that is not gainefull and lucratiue, as the sciences of the +Law, Phisicke and marchaundise: to these I will giue none other aunswere +then referre them to the many trifling poemes of _Homer, Ouid, Virgill, +Catullus_ and other notable writers of former ages, which were not of any +grauitie or seriousnesse, and many of them full of impudicitie and +ribaudrie, as are not these of ours, nor for any good in the world should +haue bene: and yet those trifles are come from many former siecles vnto +our times, vncontrolled or condemned or supprest by any Pope or Patriarch +or other seuere censor of the ciuill maners of men, but haue bene in all +ages permitted as the conuenient solaces and recreations of mans wit. And +as I can not denie but these conceits of mine be trifles: no lesse in very +deede be all the most serious studies of man, if we shall measure grauitie +and lightnesse by the wise mans ballance who after he had considered of +all the profoundest artes and studies among men, in th'ende cryed out with +this Epyphoneme, _Vanitas vanitatum & omnia vanitas_. Whose authoritie if +it were not sufficient to make me beleeue so, I could be content with +_Democritus_ rather to condemne the vanities of our life by derision, then +as _Heraclitus_ with teares, saying with that merrie Greeke thus, + _Omnia sunt risus, sunt puluis, & omnia nil sunt. + Res hominum cunctae, nam ratione carent._ +Thus Englished, + _All is but a iest, all daft, all not worth two peason: + For why in mans matters is neither rime nor reason._ + +Now passing from these courtly trifles, let vs talke of our scholastical +toyes, that is of the Grammaticall versifying of the Greeks and Latines +and see whether it might be reduced into our English arte or no. + + + + + _CHAP. XII._ + +_How if all maner of sodaine innouatians were not very scandalous, +specially in the lawes of any langage or arte, the use of the Greeke and +Latine feete might be brought into our vulgar Poesie, and with good grace +enough._ + + +Now neuerthelesse albeit we haue before alledged that our vulgar _Saxon +English_ standing most vpon wordes _monosillable_, and little vpon +_polysillables_ doth hardly admit the vse of those fine inuented feete of +the Greeks & Latines, and that for the most part wise and graue men doe +naturally mislike with all sodaine innouations specially of lawes (and +this the law of our auncient English Poesie) and therefore lately before +we imputed it to a nice & scholasticall curiositie in such makers as haue +fought to bring into our vulgar Poesie some of the auncient feete, to wit +the _Dactile_ into verses _exameters_, as he that translated certaine +bookes of _Virgils Eneydos_ in such measures & not vncommendably: if I +should now say otherwise it would make me seeme contradictorie to my +selfe, yet for the information of our yong makers, and pleasure of all +others who be delighted in noueltie, and to th'intent we may not seeme by +ignorance or ouersight to omit any point of subtillitie, materiall or +necessarie to our vulgar arte, we will in this present chapter & by our +own idle obseruations shew how one may easily and commodiously lead all +those feete of the auncients into our vulgar language. And if mens eares +were not perchaunce to daintie, or their iudgementes ouer partiall, would +peraduenture nothing at all misbecome our arte, but make in our meetres a +more pleasant numerositie then now is. Thus farre therefore we will +aduenture and not beyond, to th'intent to shew some singularitie in our +arte that euery man hath not heretofore obserued, and (her maiesty good +liking always had) whether we make the common readers to laugh or to +lowre, all is a matter, since our intent is not so exactlie to prosecute +the purpose, nor so earnestly, as to thinke it should by authority of our +owne iudgement be generally applauded at to the discredit of our +forefathers maner of vulgar Poesie, or to the alteration or peraduenture +totall destruction of the same, which could not stand with any good +discretion or curtesie in vs to attempt, but thus much I say, that by some +leasurable trauell it were no hard matter to induce all their auncient +feete into vse with vs, and that it should proue very agreable to the eare +and well according with our ordinary times and pronunciation, which no man +could then iustly mislike, and that is to allow euery world _polisillable_ +one long time of necessitie, which should be where his sharpe accent falls +in our owne _ydiome_ most aptly and naturally, wherein we would not follow +the license of the Greeks and Latines, who made not their sharpe accent +any necessary prolongation of their tunes, but vsed such sillable +sometimes long sometimes short at their pleasure. The other sillables of +any word where the sharpe accent fell not, to be accompted of such time +and quantitie as his _ortographie_ would best beare hauing regard to +himselfe, or to his next neighbour word, bounding him on either side, +namely to the smoothnes & hardnesse of the sillable in his vtterance, +which is occasioned altogether by his _ortographie_ & situation as in this +word [_dayly_] the first sillable for his vsuall and sharpe accentes sake +to be always long, the second for his flat accents sake to be alwayes +shoft, and the rather for his _ortographie_, bycause if he goe before +another word commencing with a vowell not letting him to be eclipsed, his +vtterance is easie & currant, in this trissilable [_dau-nge`ro`us_] the +first to be long, th'other two short for the same causes. In this word +[_da-nge`rou`sne-sse_] the first & last to be both long, bycause they +receiue both of them the sharpe accent, and the two middlemost to be +short, in these words [_remedie_] & [_remedilesse_] the time to follow +also the accent, so as if it please better to set the sharpe accent vpon +[_re_] then vpon [_dye_] that sillable should be made long and _e +conuerso_, but in this word [_remedilesse_] bycause many like better to +accent the sillable [_me_] then the sillable [_les_] therefore I leaue him +for a common sillable to be able to receiue both a long and a short time +as occasion shall serue. The like law I set in these wordes +[_reuocable_][_recouerable_] [_irreuocable_][_irrecouerable_] for +sometimes it sounds better to say _re-uo`ca-ble_ then _re`uo-ca`ble`, +re-coue`rable_ then _reco-ue`ra`ble_ for this one thing ye must alwayes +marke that if your time fall either by reason of his sharpe accent or +otherwise vpon the _penultima_, ye shal finde many other words to rime +with him, bycause such terminations are not geazon, but if the long time +fall vpon the _antepenultima_ ye shall not finde many wordes to match him +in his termination, which is the cause of his concord or rime, but if you +would let your long time by his sharpe accent fall aboue the +_antepenultima_ as to say [_co-ue`ra`ble_] ye shall seldome or perchance +neuer find one to make vp rime with him vnlesse it be badly and by abuse, +and therefore in all such long _polisillables_ ye doe commonly giue two +sharpe accents, and thereby reduce him into two feete as in this word +[_re-mu`nera`ti`on_] which makes a couple of good _Dactils_, and in this +word [_contribu-ti`o`n_] which makes a good _spo-ndeus_ & a good +_dactill_, and in this word [_reca-pi`tu`la-tio`n_] it makes two +_dactills_ and a sillable ouerplus to annexe to the word precedent to +helpe peece vp another foote. But for wordes _monosillables_ (as be most +of ours) because in pronouncing them they do of necessitie retaine a +sharpe accent, ye may iustly allow then to be all long if they will so +best serue your turne, and if they be tailed one to another, or th'one to +a _dissillable_ or _polyssillable_ ye ought to allow them that time that +best serues your purpose and pleaseth your eare most, and truliest +aunsweres the nature of the _ortographie_ in which I would as neare as I +could obserue and keepe the lawes of the Greeke and Latine versifiers, +that is to prolong the sillable which is written with double consonants or +by dipthong or with finale consonants that run hard and harshly vpon the +toung: and to shorten all sillables that stand vpon vowels, if there were +no cause of _elision_ and single consonants & such of them as are most +flowing and slipper vpon the toung as _n.r.t.d.l._ for this purpose to +take away all aspirations, and many times the last consonant of a word as +the Latine Poetes vsed to do, specially _Lucretius_ and _Ennnius_ to say +[_finibu_] for [_finibus_] and so would not I stick to say thus [delite] +for [delight] [hye] for [high] and such like, & doth nothing at all +impugne the rule I gaue before against the wresting of wordes by false +_ortographie_ to make vp rime, which may not be falsified. But this +omission of letters in the middest of a meetre to make him the more +slipper, helpes the numerositie and hinders not the rime. But generally +the shortning or prolonging of the _monosillables_ dependes much vpon the +nature or their _ortographie_ which the Latin Grammariens call the rule of +position, as for example if I shall say thus. + _No-t ma`ni`e daye-s pa-st_. Twentie dayes after, +This makes a good _Dactill_ and a good _spondeus_, but if ye turne +them backward it would not do so, as. + _Many dayes, not past_. +And the _distick_ made all of _monosillables_. + _Bu-t no-ne o-f u-s tru-e me-n a-nd fre-e, + Could finde so great good lucke as he_. +Which words serue well to make the verse all _spondiacke_ or _iambicke_, +but not in _dactil_, as other words or the same otherwise placed would do, +for it were at illfauored _dactil_ to say. + _Bu-t no`ne o`f, u-s a`ll tre`we._ + +Therefore whensoeuer your words will not make a smooth _dactil_, ye must +alter them or their situations or else turne them to other feete that may +better beare their maner of sound and orthographie: or if the word be +_polysillable_ to deuide him, and to make him serue by peeces, that he +could not do whole and entierly. And no doubt by like consideration did +the Greeke & Latine versifiers fashion all their feete at the first to be +of sundry times, and the selfe same sillable to be sometime long and +sometime short for the eares better satisfaction as hath bene before +remembred. Now also wheras I said before that our old Saxon English for +his many _monosillables_ did not naturally admit the vse of the ancient +feete in our vulgar measures so aptly as in those languages which stood +most vpon _polisillables_, I sayd it in a sort truly, but now I must +recant and confesse that our Normane English which hath growen since +_William_ the Conquerour doth admit any of the auncient feete, by reason +of the many _polysillables_ euen to sixe and seauen in one word, which we +at this day vse in our most ordinarie language: and which corruption hath +bene occasioned chiefly by the peeuish affectation not of the Normans them +selues, but of clerks and scholars or secretaries long since, who not +content with the vsual Normane or Saxon word, would conuert the very +Latine and Greeke word into vulgar French, as to say innumerable for +innombrable, reuocable, irreuocable, irradiation, depopulation & such +like, which are not naturall Normane nor yet French, but altered Latines, +and without any imitation at all: which therefore were long time despised +for inkehorne termes, and now be reputed the best & most delicat of any +other. Of which & many other causes of corruption of our speach we haue in +another place more amply discoursed, but by this meane we may at this day +very well receiue the auncient feete _metricall_ of the Greeks and Latines +sauing those that be superfluous as be all the feete aboue the +_trissillable_, which the old Grammarians idly inuented and distinguisht +by speciall names, whereas in deede the same do stand compounded with the +inferiour feete, and therefore some of them were called by the names of +_didactilus_, _dispondeus_, and _disiambus:_ which feete as I say we may +be allowed to vse with good discretion & precise choise of wordes and with +the fauorable approbation of readers, and so shall our plat in this one +point be larger and much surmount that which _Stamhurst_ first tooke in +hand by his _exameters dactilicke_ and _spondaicke_ in the translation of +_Virgills Eneidos_, and such as for a great number of them my stomacke can +hardly digest for the ill shapen sound of many of his wordes +_polisillable_ and also his copulation of _monosillables_ supplying the +quantitie of a _trissillable_ to his intent. And right so in promoting +this deuise of ours being (I feare me) much more nyce and affected, and +therefore more misliked then his, we are to bespeake fauour, first of the +delicate eares, then of the rigorous and seuere dispositions, lastly to +craue pardon of the learned & auncient makers in our vulgar, for if we +should seeke in euery point to egall our speach with the Greeke and Latin +in their _metricall_ observations it could not possible be by vs +perfourmed, because their sillables came to be timed some of them long, +some of them short not by reason of any euident or apparant cause in +writing or sounde remaining vpon one more then another, for many times +they shortned the sillable of sharpe accent and made long that of the +flat, & therefore we must needes say, it was in many of their wordes done +by preelection in the first Poetes, not hauing regard altogether to the +_ortographie_, and hardnesse or softnesse of a sillable, consonant, vowell +or dipthong, but at their pleasure, or as it fell out: so as he that first +put in a verse this word [_Penelope_] which might be _Homer_ or some other +of his antiquitie, where he made [_pe-_] in both places long and [_ne`_] +and [_lo`_] short, he might haue made them otherwise and with as good +reason, nothing in the world appearing that might moue them to make such +(preelection) more in th'one sillable then in the other for _pe_, +_ne_, and _lo_, being sillables vocals be egally smoth and currant vpon +the toung, and might beare aswel the long as the short time, but it +pleased the Poet otherwise: so he that first shortned, _ca_, in this word +_cano_, and made long _tro_, in _troia_, and _o_, in _oris_, might haue +aswell done the contrary, but because he that first put them into a verse, +found as it is to be supposed a more sweetnesse in his owne eare to haue +them so tymed, therefore all other Poets who followed, were fayne to doe +the like, which made that _Virgill_ who came many yeares after the first +reception of wordes in their seuerall times, was driuen of neceisiitie to +accept them in such quantities as they were left him and therefore said. + _a-rma` ni` ru-mqu-e ca`ro- tro- ie- qui- pri-mu`s a`bo-ris._ + +Neither truely doe I see any other reason in that lawe (though in other +rules of shortning and prolonging a sillable there may be reason) but that +it stands vpon bare tradition. Such as the _Cabalists_ auouch in their +mysticall constructions Theologicall and others, saying that they receaued +the same from hand to hand from the first parent _Adam, Abraham_ and +others, which I will giue them leaue alone both to say and beleeue for me, +thinking rather that they haue bene the idle occupations, or perchaunce +the malitious and craftie constructions of the _Talmudists_ and others of +the Hebrue clerks to bring the world into admiration of their lawes and +Religion. Now peraduenture with vs Englishmen it be somewhat too late to +admit a new inuention of feet and times that our forefathers neuer vused +nor neuer observed till this day, either in their measures or in their +pronuntiation, and perchaunce will seeme in vs a presumptuous part to +attempt, considering also it would be hard to find many men to like of one +mans choise in the limitation of times and quantities of words, with which +not one, but euery eare is to be pleased and made a particular iudge, +being most truly sayd, that a multitude or comminaltie is hard to please +and easie to offend, and therefore I intend not to proceed any further in +this curiositie then to shew some small subtillitie that any other hath +not yet done, and not by imitation but by obseruation, nor to th'intent to +haue it put in execution in our vulgar Poesie, but to be pleasantly +scanned vpon, as are all nouelties so friuolous and ridiculous as it. + + + + + _CHAP. XIII._ + +_A more particular declaration of the metricall feete of the ancient Poets +Greeke and Latine and chiefly of the feete of two times_. + + +Their Grammarians made a great multitude of feete, I wot not to what huge +number, and of so many sizes as their wordes were of length, namely sixe +sizes, whereas indeede, the metricall feete are but twelve in number, +wherof foure only be of two times, and eight of three times, the rest +compounds of the premised two sorts, even as the Arithmeticall numbers +aboue three are made of two and three. And if ye will know how many of +these feete will be commodiously received with vs, I say all the whole +twelve, for first for the foote, _spondeus_ of two long times ye haue +these English words _mo-rni-ng, mi-dni-ght, mi-scha-unce_, and a number +moe whose ortographie may direct your iudgement in this point: for your +_Trocheus_ of a long and short ye haue these words _ma-ne`r, bro-ke`n, +ta-ke`n, bo-die`, me-mbe`r_, and a great many moe if there last sillables +abut not vpon the consonant in the beginning of another word, and in these +whether they do abut or no _wi-tti`e, di-tti`e, so-rro`w, mo-rro`w_, & +such like, which end in a vowell for your _Iambus_ of a short and a long, +ye haue these words [_re`sto-re_] [_re`mo-rse_] [_de`si-re_] [_e`ndu-re_] +and a thousand besides. For your foote _pirrichius_ or of two short +silables ye haue these words [_ma`ni`e_] [_mo`ne`y_] [_pe`ni`e_] +[_si`lie`_] and others of that construction or the like: for your feete of +three times and first your _dactill_, ye haue these words & a number moe +_pa-ti`e`nce, te-mpe`ra`nce, wo-ma`nhea`d, io-li`ti`e, dau-nge`ro`us, +du-eti`fu`ll_ & others. For your _molossus_, of all three long, ye haue a +member of wordes also and specially most of your participles actiue, as +_pe-rsi-sti-ng, de-spo-ili-ng, e-nde-nti-ng_, and such like in +ortographie: for your _anapestus_ of two short and a long ye haue these +words but not many moe, as _ma`ni`fo-ld, mo`ni`le-sse, re`ma`ne-nt, +ho`li`ne-sse_. For your foote _tribracchus_ of all three short, ye haue +very few _trissillables_, because the sharpe accent will aways make one of +them long by pronunciation, which els would be by ortographie short as, +[me`ri`ly`] [minion] & such like. For your foote _bacchius_ of a short & +two long ye haue these and the like words _trissillables_ [_la`me-nti-ng_] +[_re`que-sti-ng_] [_re`nou-nci-ng_] [_re`pe-nta-nce_] [_e`nu-ri-ng_]. For +your foote _antibacchius_, of two long and a short ye haue these words +[_fo-rsa-ke`n_] [_i-mpu-gne`d_] and others many: For your _amphimacer_ +that is a long, a short and a long ye haue these words and many more +[_e-xce`lle-nt_] [_i-mi`ne-nt_] and specially such as be propre names of +persons or townes or other things and namely Welsh words; for your foote +_amphibracchus_, of a short, a long and a short, ye haue these words and +many like to these [_re`si-ste`d_] [_de`li-ghtfu`ll_] [_re`pri-sa`ll_] +[_i`nau-nte`r_] [_e`na-mi`ll_] so as for want of English wordes if your +eare be not to daintie and your rules to precise, ye neede not be without +the _metricall_ feete of the ancient Poets such as be most pertinent and +not superfluous. This is (ye will perchaunce say) my singular opinion: +then ye shall see how well I can maintaine it. First the quantitie of a +word comes either by (preelection) without reason or force as hath bene +alledged, and as the auncient Greekes and Latines did in many wordes, but +not in all, or by (election) with reason as they did in some, and not a +few. And a sound is drawen at length either by the infirmitie of the +toung, because the word or sillable is of such letters as hangs long in +the palate or lippes ere he will come forth, or because he is accented and +tuned hier and sharper then another, whereby he somewhat obscureth the +other sillables in the same word that be not accented so high, in both +these cases we will establish our sillable long, contrariwise the +shortning of a sillable is, when his sounde or accent happens to be heauy +and flat, that is to fall away speedily, and as it were inaudible, or when +he is made of such letters as be by nature slipper & voluble and smoothly +passe from the mouth. And the vowell is alwayes more easily deliuered then +the consonant: and of consonants, the liquide more than the mute, & a +single consonant more then a double, and one more then twayne coupled +together: all which points were obserued by the Greekes and Latines, and +allowed for _maximes_ in versifying. Now if ye will examine these +foure _bissillables_ [_re-mna-nt_] [_re`ma-ine_] [_re-nde`r_] [_re`ne`t_] +for an example by which ye may make a generall rule, and ye shall finde, +that they aunswere our first resolution. First in [_remnant_] [_rem_] +bearing the sharpe accent and hauing his consonant abbut vpon another, +soundes long. The sillable [_nant_] being written with two consonants must +needs be accompted the same, besides that [_nant_] by his Latin originall +is long, viz. [_remane-ns._] Take this word [_remaine_] because the last +sillable beares the sharpe accent, he is long in the eare, and [_re_] +being the first sillable, passing obscurely away with a flat accent is +short, besides that [_re_] by his Latine originall and also by his +ortographie is short. This word [_render_] bearing the sharpe accent upon +[_ren_] makes it long, the sillable [_der_] falling away swiftly & being +also written with a single consonant or liquide is short and makes the +_trocheus._ This word [_re`ne`t_] hauing both syllables sliding and +slipper make the foote _Pirrichius_, because if he be truly vttered, he +beares in maner no sharper accent upon the one then the other sillable, +but be in effect egall in time and tune, as is also the _Spondeus._ And +because they be not written with any hard or harsh consonants, I do allow +them both for short sillables, or to be used for common, according as +their situation and place with other words shall be: and as I haue named +to you but onely foure words for an example, so may ye find out by +diligent obseruation foure hundred if ye will. But of all your words +_bissillables_ the most part naturally do make the foot _Iambus_, many the +_Trocheus_, fewer the _Spondeus_, fewest of all the _Pirrichius_, because +in him the sharpe accent (if ye follow the rules of your accent as we haue +presupposed) doth make a litle oddes: and ye shall find verses made all of +_monosillables_, and do very well, but lightly they be _Iambickes_, +bycause for the more part the accent falles sharpe vpon euery second word +rather then contrariwise, as this of Sir _Thomas Wiats_. + _I fi-nde no` pea-ce a`nd ye-t mi`e wa-rre i`s do-ne, + I feare and hope, and burne and freese like ise._ + +And some verses where the sharpe accent falles vpon the first and third, +and so make the verse wholly _Trochaicke_, as thus, + _Worke not, no nor, with thy friend or foes harme + Try but, trust not, all that speake thee so faire._ + +And some verses made of _monosillables_ and _bissillables_ enterlaced as +this of th'Earles, + _When raging loue with extreme paine_ +And this + _A fairer beast of fresher hue beheld I neuer none._ + +And some verses made all of _bissillables_ and others all of +_trissillables_, and others of _polisillables_ egally increasing and of +diuers quantities, and sundry situations, as in this of our owne, made to +daunt the insolence of a beautifull woman. + _Brittle beauty blossome daily fading + Morne, noone, and eue in age and eke in eld + Dangerous disdaine full pleasantly perswading + Easie to gripe but combrous to weld. + For slender bottome hard and heauy lading + Gay for a while, but little while durable + Suspicious, incertaine, irreuocable, + O since thou art by triall not to trust + Wisedome it is, and it is also iust + To sound the stemme before the tree be feld + That is, since death will driue us all to dust + To leaue thy loue ere that we be compeld._ + +In which ye haue your first verse all of _bissillables_ and of the foot +_trocheus._ The second all of _monosillables_, and all of the foote +_Iambus_, the third all of _trissillables_, and all of the foote +_dactilus_, your fourth of one _bissillable_, and two _monosillables_ +interlarded, the fift of one _monosillable_ and two _bissillables_ +enterlaced, and the rest of other sortes and scituations, some by degrees +encreasing, some diminishing: which example I haue set downe to let you +perceiue what pleasant numerosity in the measure and disposition of your +words in a meetre may be contriued by curious wits & these with other like +were the obseruations of the Greeke and Latine versifiers. + + + + + _CHAP. XIIII_. + +_Of your feet of three times, and first of the Dactil._ + + +Your feete of three times by prescription of the Latine Grammariens are of +eight sundry proportions, for some notable difference appearing in euery +sillable of three falling in a word of that size: but because aboue the +_antepenultima_ there was (among the Latines) none accent audible in any +long word, therfore to deuise any foote of longer measure then of three +times was to them but superfluous: because all aboue the number of three +are but compounded of their inferiours. Omitting therefore to speake of +these larger feete, we say that of all your feete of three times the +_Dactill_ is most usuall and fit for our vulgar meeter, & most agreeable +to the eare, specially if ye ouerlade not your verse with too many of them +but here and there enterlace a _Iambus_ or some other foote of two times +to giue him grauitie and stay, as in this _quadrein Trimeter_ or of three +measures. + _Rende`r a`gai-ne mi`e li-be`rti`e + a`nd se-t yo`ur ca-pti`ue fre-e + Glo-ri`ou`s i`s the` vi-cto`ri`e + Co-nque`ro`urs u-se wi`th le-ni`ti`e_ + +Where ye see euery verse is all of a measure, and yet vnegall in number of +sillables: for the second verse is but of sixe sillables, where the rest +are of eight. But the reason is for that in three of the same verses are +two _Dactils_ a peece, which abridge two sillables in euery verse: and so +maketh the longest euen with the shortest. Ye may note besides by the +first verse, how much better some _bisillable_ becommeth to peece out an +other longer foote then another word doth: for in place of [_render_] if +ye had sayd [_restore_] it had marred the _Dactil_, and of necessitie +driuen him out at length to be a verse _Iambic_ of foure feet, because +[_render_] is naturally a _Trocheus_ & makes the first two times of a +_dactil._ [_Restore_]is naturally a _Iambus_, & in this place could not +possibly haue made a pleasant _dactil_. + +Now againe if ye will say to me that these two words [_libertie_] and +[_conquerours_] be not precise _Dactils_ by the Latine rule. So much will +I confesse to, but since they go currant inough vpon the tongue and be so +vsually pronounced, they may passe wel inough for _Dactils_ in our vulgar +meeters, & that is inough for me, seeking but to fashion an art, & not to +finish it: which time only & custom haue authoritie to do, specially in +all cases of language as the Poet hath wittily remembred in this verse + _si volet usus, + Quem penes arbitrium est & vis & norma loquendi._ + +The Earle of Surrey upon the death of Sir _Thomas Wiat_ made among other +this verse _Pentameter_ and of ten sillables, + _What holy graue (alas) what sepulcher_ + +But if I had had the making of him, he should haue bene of eleuen +sillables and kept his measure of fiue still, and would so haue runne more +pleasantly a great deale; for as he is now, though he be euen he seemes +odde and defectiue, for not well obseruing the natural accent of euery +word, and this would haue bene soone holpen by inserting one +_monosillable_ in the middle of the verse, and drawing another sillable in +the beginning into a _Dactil_, this word [_holy_] being a good +[_Pirrichius_] & very well seruing the turne, thus, + _Wha-t ho`li`e gra-ue a`la-s wha`t fit se`pu-lche`r._ +Which verse if ye peruse throughout ye shall finde him after the first +_dactil_ all _Trochaick_ & not _Iambic_, nor of any other foot of two +times. But perchance if ye would seeme yet more curious, in place of these +four _Trocheus_ ye might induce other feete of three times, as to make the +three sillables next following the _dactil_, the foote [_amphimacer_] the +last word [_Sepulcher_] the foote [_amphibracus_] leauing the other midle +word for a [_Iambus_] thus. + _Wha-t ho`li`e gra-ue a`la-s wha`t fit se`pu-lche`r._ +If ye aske me further why I make [_what_] first long & after short in one +verse, to that I satisfied you before, that it is by reason of his accent +sharpe in one place and flat in another, being a common _monosillable_, +that is, apt to receive either accent, & so in the first place receiuing +aptly the sharpe accent he is made long: afterward receiuing the flat +accent more aptly then the sharpe, because the sillable precedent [_las_] +vtterly distaines him, he is made short & not long, & that with very good +melodie, but to haue giuen him the sharpe accent & plucked it from the +sillable [_las_] it had bene to any mans eare a great discord: for +euermore this word [_alas_] is accented vpon the last, & that lowdly & +notoriously as appeareth by all our exclamations vsed vnder that terme. +The same Earle of Surrey & Sir _Thomas Wyat_ the first reformers & +polishers of our vulgar Poesie much affecting the stile and measures of +the Italian _Petrarcha_, vsed the foote _dactil_ very often but not many +in one verse, as in these, + _Fu-ll ma`ni`e that in presence of thy li-ueli`e he`d, + Shed Caesars teares vpon Po-mpe`iu`s he`d. + Th'e-ne`mi`e to life destroi er of all kinde, + If a-mo` ro`us faith in an hart un fayned, + Myne old dee-re e`ne` my my froward master. + The- fu`ri` ous gone in his most ra ging ire._ + +And many moe which if ye would not allow for _dactils_ the verse would +halt vnlesse ye would seeme to helpe it contracting a sillable by vertue +of the figure _Syneresis_ which I thinke was neuer their meaning, nor in +deede would haue bred any pleasure to the eare, but hindred the flowing of +the verse. Howsoeuer ye take it the _dactil_ is commendable inough in our +vulgar meetres, but most plausible of all when he is sounded vpon the +stage, as in these comicall verses shewing how well it becommeth all noble +men and great personages to be temperat and modest, yea more then any +meaner man, thus. + _Le-t no` no`bi-li`ti`e ri-che`s o`r he-ri`ta`ge + Ho-no`r o`r e-mpi`re o`r ea-rthli`e do`mi-ni`o`n + Bre-ed I`n yo`ur hea-d a`ni`e pe-euish o`pi-ni`o`n + That ye` ma`y sa-fe`r a`uo-uch a`ni`e o-utra-ge._ + +And in this distique taxing the Prelate symoniake standing all upon +perfect _dactils_. + _No-w ma-ni-e bi-e mo-ne-y pu-rue`y pro`mo-ti`o`n + For mony mooues any hart to deuotion._ + +But this aduertisement I will giue you withall, that if ye vse too many +_dactils_ together ye make your musike too light and of no solemne +grauitie such as the amorous _Elegies_ in court naturally require, being +alwaies either very dolefull or passionate as the affections of loue +enforce, in which busines ye must make your choice of very few words +_dactilique_, or them that ye cannot refuse, to dissolue and breake them +into other feete by such meanes as it shall be taught hereafter: but +chiefly in your courtly ditties take heede ye vse not these maner of long +_polisillables_ and specially that ye finish not your verse them as +[_retribution_] _restitution_] _remuneration_] _recapitulation_] and such +like: for they smatch more the schoole of common players than of any +delicate Poet _Lyricke_ or _Elegiacke._ + + + + + _CHAP. XV._ + +_Of all your other feete of three times and how well they would fashion a +meetre in our vulgar.__ + + +All your other feete of three times I find no vse of them in our vulgar +meeters nor no sweetenes at all, and yet words inough to serue their +proportions. So as though they haue not hitherto bene made artificiall, +yet nowe by more curious obseruation they might be. Since all artes grew +first by obseruation of natures proceedings and custome. And first your +[Molossus] being of all three long is euidently discouered by this word +[_pe-rmi-tti-ng_] The [_Anapestus_] of two short and a long by this word +[_fu`ri`o-us_] if the next word beginne with a consonant. The foote +[_Bacchius_] of a short and two long by this word [_re`si-sta-nce_] the +foote [_Antibachius_] of two long and a short by this word [_e-xa-mple`_] +the foote [_Amphimacer_] of a long a short & a long by this word +[_co-nque`ri-ng_] the foote of [_Amphibrachus_] of a short a long and a +short by this word [_re`me-mbe`r_] if a vowell follow. The foote +[Tribrachus_] of three short times is very hard to be made by any of our +_trissillables_ vnles they be compounded of the smoothest sort of +consonants or sillables vocals, or of three smooth _monosillables_, or of +some peece of a long _polysillable_ & after that sort we may with wresting +of words shape the foot [_Tribrachus_] rather by vsurpation then by rule, +which neuertheles is allowed in euery primitiue arte & inuention: & so it +was by the Greekes and Latines in their first versifying, as if a rule +should be set downe that from henceforth these words should be counted al +_Tribrachus_ [_e`ne`mi`e_] _re`me`di`e_] _se`li`ne`s_] _mo`ni`le`s_] +_pe`ni`le`s_] _cru`e`lli`e_] & such like, or a peece of this long word +[_re`co-ue`ra`ble`_] _innu`me`ra`ble`_] _rea`di`li`e_] and others. Of all +which manner of apt wordes to make these stranger feet of three times +which go not so currant with our eare as the _dactil_, the maker should +haue a good iudgement to know them by their manner of orthographie and by +their accent which serue most fitly for euery foote, or else he shoulde +haue always a little calender of them apart to vse readily when he shall +neede them. But because in very truth I thinke them but vaine & +superstitious obseruations nothing at all furthering the pleasant melody +of our English meeter, I leaue to speake any more of them and rather wish +the continuance of our old maner of Poesie, scanning our verse by +sillables rather than by feete, and vsing most commonly the word +_Iambique_ & sometime the _Trochaike_ which ye shall discerne by their +accents, and now and then a _dactill_ keeping precisely our symphony or +rime without any other mincing measures, which an idle inuentiue head +could easily deuise, as the former examples teach. + + + + + _CHAP. XVI._ + +_Of your verses perfect and defectiue; and that which the Graecians called +the halfe foote._ + + +The Greekes and Latines vsed verses in the odde sillable of two sortes, +which they called _Catalecticke_ and _Acatalecticke_, that is odde vnder +and odde ouer the iust measure of their verse, & we in our vulgar finde +many of the like, and specially in the rimes of Sir Thomas Wiat, strained +perchaunce out of their originall, made first by _Francis Petrarcha_: as +these + _Like vnto these, immeasurable mountaines, + So is my painefull life the burden of ire: + For hie be they, and hie is my desire + And I of teares, and they are full of fountaines._ +Where in your first second and fourth verse, ye may find a sillable +superfluous, and though in the first ye will seeme to helpe it, by drawing +these three sillables,[_i-m me` su`_] into a _dactil_, in the rest it can +not be so excused, wherefore we must thinke he did it of purpose, by the +odde sillable to giue greater grace to his meetre, and we finde in our old +rimes, this odde sillable, sometime placed in the beginning and sometimes +in the middle of a verse, and is allowed to go alone & to hang to any +other sillable. But this odde sillable in our meetres is not the halfe +foote as the Greekes and Latines vsed him in their verses, and called such +measure _pentimimeris_ and _eptamimeris_, but rather is that, which they +called the _catalectik_ or maymed verse. Their _hemimeris_ or halfe foote +serued not by licence Poeticall or necessitie of words, but to bewtifie +and exornate the verse by placing one such halfe foote in the middle +_Cesure_, & one other in the end of the verse, as they vfed all their +_pentameters elegiack_: and not by coupling them together, but by accompt +to make their verse of a iust measure and not defectiue or superflous: our +odde sillable is not altogether of that nature, but is in a maner drownd +and supprest by the flat accent, and shrinks away as it were inaudible and +by that meane the odde verse comes almost to be an euen in euery mans +hearing. The halfe foote of the auncients was reserued purposely to an +vse, and therefore they gaue such odde sillable, wheresoeuer he fell the +sharper accent, and made by him a notorious pause as in this _pentameter_. + _Ni-l mi` hi` re-scri-ba`s a-tta`me`n i-pse` ve` ni`_. + +Which in all make fiue whole feete, or the verse _Pentameter._ We +in our vulgar haue not the vse of the like halfe foote. + + + + + _CHAP. XVII._ + +_Of the breaking your bissillables and polysillables and when it is to be +used._ + + +Bvt whether ye suffer your sillable to receiue his quantitie by his +accent, or by his ortography, or whether ye keepe your _bissillable_ whole +or whether ye breake him, all is one to his quantitie, and his time will +appeare the selfe same still and ought not to be altered by our makers, +vnlesse it be when such sillable is allowed to be common and to receiue +any of both times, as in the _dimeter_, made of two sillables entier. + _e-xtre-ame de`si-re_ + +The first is a good _spondeus_, the second a good _iambus_, and if the +same wordes be broken thus it is not so pleasant. + _I`n e-x tre-ame de` sire_ + +And yet the first makes a _iambus_, and the second a _trocheus_ ech +sillable retayning still his former quantities. And alwaies ye must haue +regard to the sweetenes of the meetre, so as if your word _polysillable_ +would not sound pleasantly whole, ye should for the nonce breake him, +which ye may easily doo by inserting here and there one _monosillable_ +among your _polysillables_, or by changing your word into another place +then where he soundes vnpleasantly, and by breaking, turne a _trocheus_ to +a _iambus_, or contrariwise: as thus: + _Ho-llo`w va-lle`is u-nde`r hi-e`st mou-ntai`nes + Cra-ggi`e cli-ffes bri`ng foo-rth the` fai-re`st fou-ntai`nes_ + +These verses be _trochaik_, and in mine eare not so sweete and harmonicall +as the _iambicque_, thus: + _The` ho-llo`wst va-ls li`e u-nde`r hi-e`st mo-unta-ines + The` cra-ggi`st clifs bri-ng fo-rth the` fai-re`st fou-nta-ines_. + +All which verses bee now become _iambicque_ by breaking the first +_bissillables_, and yet alters not their quantities though the feete be +altered: and thus, + _Restlesse is the heart in his desires + Rauing after that reason doth denie_. + +Which being turned thus makes a new harmonie. + _The restlesse heart, renues his old desires + Ay rauing after that reason doth it deny_. + +And following this obseruation your meetres being builded with +_polysillables_ will fall diuersly out, that is some to be +_spondaick_, some _iambick_, others _dactilick_, others _trochaick_, and +of one mingled with another, as in this verse. + _He-aui`e I-s the` bu-rde`n of Pri`nce`s i-re_ + +The verse is _trochaick_, but being altered thus, is _iambicque_. + _Fu`ll he-aui`e i-s the` pa-ise o`f Pri-nce`s i-re_ + +And as _Sir Thomas Wiat_ song in a verse wholly _trochaick_, because the +wordes do best shape to that foote by their naturall accent, thus, + _Fa-rewe`ll lo-ue a`nd a-ll thi`e la-wes fo`r e-ve`r_ + +And in this ditty of th'Erle of Surries, passing sweete and harmonicall: +all be _Iambick_. + _When raging loue with extreme paine + So cruell doth straine my hart, + And that the teares like fluds of raine + Beare witnesse of my wofull smart._ + +Which beyng disposed otherwise or not broken, would proue all _trochaick_, +but nothing pleasant. + +Now furthermore ye are to note, that al _monosyllables_ may receiue the +sharp accent, but not so aptly one as another, as in this verse where they +serue well to make him _iambicque_, but not _trochaick_. + _Go`d grau-nt thi`s pea-ce ma`y lo-ng e`ndu-re_ + +Where the sharpe accent falles more tunably vpon [graunt] [peace] [long] +[dure] then it would by conuersion, as to accent then thus: + _Go-d grau`nt - thi-s pea`ce - ma-y lo`ng - e-ndu-re._ + +And yet if ye will aske me the reason I can not tell it, but that it +shapes so to myne eare, and as I thinke to euery other mans. And in this +meeter where ye haue whole words _bissillable_ vnbroken, that maintaine +(by reason of their accent) sundry feete, yet going one with another be +very harmonicall. + +Where ye see one to be a _trocheus_ another the _iambus_, and so +entermingled not by election but by constraint of their seuerall accents, +which ought not to be altred, yet comes it to passe that many times ye +must of necessitie alter the accent of a sillable, and put him from his +naturall place, and then one sillable, of a word _polysillable_, or one +word _monosillable_, will abide to be made sometimes long, sometimes +short, as in this _quadreyne_ of ours playd in a mery moode. + _Geue me mine owne and when I do desire + Geue others theirs, and nothing that is mine_ + _Nor giue me that, wherto all men aspire + Then neither gold, nor faire women nor wine._ + +Where in your first verse these two words [_giue_] and [_me_] are accented +one high th'other low, in the third verse the same words are accented +contrary, and the reason of this exchange is manifest, because the maker +playes with these two clauses of sundry relations [_giue me_] and [_giue +others_] so as the _monosillable_ [_me_] being respectiue to the word +[_others_] and inferring a subtilitie or wittie implication, ought not to +haue the same accent, as when he hath no such respect, as in this _distik_ +of ours. + _Pro-ue me` (Madame) ere ye re-pro`ue + Meeke minds should e-xcu`se not a-ccu`se_. + +In which verse ye see this word [_reprooue_,] the sillable [_prooue_] +alters his sharpe accent into a flat, for naturally it is long in all his +singles and compoundes [_reprooue_] [_approoue_] [_disprooue_] & so is the +sillable [_cuse_] in [_excuse_] [_accuse_] [_recuse_] yet in these verses +by reason one of them doth as it were nicke another, and haue a certaine +extraordinary sence with all, it behoueth to remoue the sharpe accents +from whence they are most naturall, to place them where the nicke may be +more expresly discouered, and therefore in this verse where no such +implication is, nor no relation it is otherwise, as thus. + _If ye re`pro-ue my constancie + I will excu-se you curtesly_. + +For in this word [_reprooue_] because there is no extraordinary sence to +be inferred, he keepeth his sharpe accent vpon the sillable [_prooue_] but +in the former verses because they seeme to encounter ech other, they do +thereby merite an audible and pleasant alteration of their accents in +those sillables that cause the subtiltie. Of these maner of nicetees ye +shal finde in many places of our booke, but specially where we treate of +ornament, vnto which we referre you, sauing that we thought good to set +down one example more to solace your mindes with mirth after all these +scholasticall preceptes, which can not but bring with them (specially to +Courtiers) much tediousnesse, and so to end. In our Comedie intituled +_Ginecocratia:_ the king was supposed to be a person very amorous and +effeminate, and therefore most ruled his ordinary affaires by the aduise +of women either for the loue he bare to their persons of liking he had to +their pleasant ready witts and vtterance. Comes me to the Court one +_Polemon_ an honest plaine man of the country, but rich: and hauing a +suite to the king, met by chaunce with one _Philino_, a louer of wine and +a merry companion in Court, and praied him in that he was a stranger that +he would vouchsafe to tell him which way he were best to worke to get his +suite, and who were most in credit and fauour about the king, that he +might seek to them to furder his attempt. _Philino_ perceyuing the +plainnesse of the man, and that there would be some good done with him, +told _Polemon_ that if he would well consider him for his labor he would +bring him where he should know the truth of all his demaundes by the +sentence of the Oracle. _Polemon_ gaue him twentie crownes, _Philino_ +brings him into a place where behind an arras cloth hee himselfe spake in +manner of an Oracle in these matters, for so did all the Sybils and +sothsaiers in old times giue their answers. + _Your best way to worke - and marke my words well, + Not money: nor many, + Nor any: but any, + Not weemen, but weemen beare the bell._ + +_Polemon_ wist not what to make of this doubtfull speach, & not being +lawfull to importune the oracle more then once in one matter, conceyued in +his head the pleasanter construction, and stacke to it: and hauing at home +a fayre yong damsell of eighteene yeares old to his daughter, that could +very well behaue her self in countenance and also in her language, +apparelled her as gay as he could, and brought her to the Court, where +_Philino_ harkning daily after the euent of this matter, met him, and +recommended his daughter to the Lords, who perceiuing her great beauty and +other good parts, brought her to the King, to whom she exhibited her +fathers supplication, and found so great fauour in his eye, as without any +long delay she obtained her sute at his hands. _Poleman_ the diligent +solliciting of his daughter, wanne his purpose: _Philino_ gat a good +reward and vsed the matter so, as howsoeuer the oracle had bene construed, +he could not haue receiued blame nor discredit by the successe, for euery +waies it would haue proued true, whether _Polemons_ daughter had obtayned +the sute, or not obtained it. And the subtiltie lay in the accent and +Ortographie of these two wordes [any] and [weemen] for [any] being deuided +sounds _a nie_ or neere person to the king: and [weemen] being diuided +soundes _wee men_, and not [weemen] and so by this meane _Philino_ serued +all turnes and shifted himselfe from blame, not vnlike the tale of the +Rattlemouse who in the warres proclaimed betweene the foure footed beasts +and the birdes, beyng sent for by the Lyon to beat his musters, excused +himselfe for that he was a foule and flew with winges: and beying sent for +my the Eagle to serue him, sayd that he was a foure footed beast, and by +that craftie cauill escaped the danger of the warres, and shunned the +seruice of both Princes. And euer since sate at home by the fire side, +eating vp the poore husbandmans baken, halfe lost for lacke of a good +huswifes looking too. + + +_FINIS_. + + + + + THE THIRD BOOKE, + OF ORNAMENT. + + + + + _CHAP. I_. + +_Of Ornament Poeticall_. + + +As no doubt the good proportion of any thing doth greatly adorne and +commend it and right so our late remembred proportions doe to our vulgar +Poesie: so is there yet requisite to the perfection of this arte, another +maner of exornation, which resteth in the fashioning of our makers +language and stile, to such purpose as it may delight and allure as well +the mynde as the eare of the hearers with a certaine noueltie and strange +maner of conueyance, disguising it no litle from the ordinary and +accustomed: neuertheless making it nothing the more vnseemely or +misbecomming, but rather decenter and more agreable to any ciuill eare and +understanding. And as we see in these great Madames of honour, be they for +personage or otherwise neuer so comely and bewtifull, yet if they want +their courtly habillements or at leastwise such other apparell as custome +and ciuilitie haue ordained to couer their naked bodies, would be halfe +ashamed or greatly out of countenaunce to be seen in that sort, and +perchance do then thinke themselves more amiable in euery mans eye, when +they be in their richest attire, suppose of silkes or tyssews & costly +embroderies, then when they go in cloth or in any other plaine and simple +apparell. Euen so cannot our vulgar Poesie shew it self either gallant or +gorgious, if any lymme be left naked and bare and not clad in his kindly +clothes and coulours, such as may conuey them somewhat our of sight, that +is from the common course of ordinary speach and capacitie of the vulgar +iudgement, and yet being artificially handled must needes yeld it much +more bewtie and commendation. This ornament we speake of is giuen to it by +figures and figurative speaches, which be the flowers as it were and +coulours that a Poet setteth vpon his language by arte, as the embroderer +doth his stone and perle, or passements of golde vpon the stuffe of a +Princely garment, or as th'excellent painter bestoweth the rich Orient +coulours vpon his table of pourtraite: so neuerthelessse as if the same +coulours in our art of Poesie (as well as in those other mechanicall +artes) be not well tempered, or not well layd, or be vused in excesse, or +neuer so litle disordered or misplaced, they not onely giue it no maner of +grace at all, but rather do disfigure that stuffe and spill the whole +workmanship taking away all bewtie and good liking from it, no lesse then +if the crimson tainte, which should be laid vpon a Ladies lips, or right +in the center of her cheekes should by some ouersight or mishap be applied +to her forhead or chinne, it would make (ye would say) but a very +ridiculous bewtie, wherfore the chief prayse and cunning of our Poet is in +the discreet vsing of his figures, as the skilfull painters is in the good +conueyance of his coulours and shadowing traits of his pensill, with a +delectable varietie, by all measure and iust proportion, and in places +most aptly to be bestowed. + + + + + _CHAP. II_. + +_How our writing and speaches publike ought to be figuratiue, and if they +be not doe greatly disgrace the cause and purpose of the speaker and +writer._ + + +Bvt as it hath bene alwayes reputed a great fault to vse figuratiue +speaches foolishly and indiscretly, so is it esteemed no lesse an +imperfection in mans vtterance, to haue none vse of figure at all, +specially in our writing and speaches publike, making them but as our +ordinary talke, then which nothing can be more vnsauourie and farre from +all ciuilitie. I remember in the first yeare of Queenes Maries raigne a +Knight of Yorkshire was chosen speaker of the Parliament, a good gentleman +and wise, in the affaires of his shire, and not vnlearned in the lawes of +the Realme, but as well for some lack of his teeth, as for want of +language nothing well spoken, which at that time and businesse was most +behooffull for him to haue bene: this man after he had made his Oration to +the Queene; which ye know is of course to be done at the first assembly of +both houses; a bencher of the Temple both well learned and very eloquent, +returning from the Parliament house asked another gentleman his frend how +he liked M. Speakers Oration: mary quoth th'other, methinks I heard not a +better alehouse tale told this seuen yeares. This happened because the +good old Knight made no difference betweene an Oration or publike speach +to be deliuered to the eare of a Princes Maiestie and state of a Realme, +then he would haue done of an ordinary tale to be told at his table in the +countrey, wherein all men know the oddes is very great. And though graue +and wise counsellours in their consultations doe not vse much superfluous +eloquence, and also in their iudicall hearings do much mislike all +scholasticall rhetoricks: yet in such a case as it may be (and as this +Parliament was) if the Lord Chancelour of England or Archbishop of +Canterbury himselfe were to speake, he ought to doe it cunningly and +eloquently, which can not be without the vse of figures: and neuerthelesse +none impeachment or blemish to the grauitie of the persons or of the +cause: wherein I report me to them that knew Sir _Nicholas Bacon_ Lord +keeper of the great Seale, or the now Lord Treasorer of England, and haue +bene conuersant with their speaches made in the Parliament house & +Starrechamber. From whose lippes I haue seene to proceede more graue and +naturall eloquence, then from all the Oratours of Oxford or Cambridge, but +all is as it is handled, and maketh no matter whether the same eloquence +be naturall to them or artificiall (though I thinke rather naturall) yet +were they knowen to be learned and not vnskilfull of th'arte, when they +were yonger men: and as learning and arte teacheth a schollar to speake, +so doth it also teach a counsellour, and aswell an old man as a yong, and +a man in authoritie, aswell as a priuate person and a pleader aswell as a +preacher, euery man after his sort and calling as best becommeth: and that +speach which becommeth one, doth not become another, for maners of +speaches, some serue to work in excesse, some in mediocritie, some to +graue purposes, some to light, some to be short and brief, some to be +long, some to stirre vp affections, some to pacifie and appease them, and +these common despisers of good vtterance, which resteth altogether in +figuratiue speaches, being well vsed whether it come by nature or by arte +or by exercise, they be but certaine grosse ignorance of whom it is truly +spoken, _scientia non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem._ I haue come to the +Lord Keeper Sir _Nicholas Bacon_, & found him sitting in his gallery alone +with the works of _Quintilian_ before him, in deede he was a most eloquent +man, and of rare learning and wisedome, as euer I knew England to breed, +and one that ioyed as much in learned men and men of good witts. A Knight +of the Queenes priuie chamber, once intreated a noble woman of the Court, +being in great fauour about her Maiestie (to th'intent to remoue her from +a certaine displeasure, which by sinister opinion she had conceiued +against a gentleman his friend) that it would please her to heare him +speake in his own cause & not to condemne him vpon his aduersaries report: +God forbid said she, he is to wise for me to talke with, let him goe and +satisfie such a man naming him: why quoth the Knight againe, had your +Ladyship rather heare a man talke like a foole or like a wise man? This +was because the Lady was a litle peruerse, and not disposed to reforme her +selfe by hearing reason, which none other can so well beate into the +ignorant head, as the well spoken and eloquent man. And because I am so +farre waded into this discourse of eloquence and figuratiue speaches, I +will tell you what hapned on a time my selfe being present whene certaine +Doctours of the ciuil law were heard in a litigious cause betwixt a man +and his wife: before a great Magistrat who (as they can tell that knew +him) was a man very well learned and graue, but somewhat sowre, and of no +plausible vtterance: the gentlemans chaunce, was to say: my Lord the +simple woman is not so much to blame as her lewde abbettours, who by +violent perswasions haue lead her into this wilfulnesse. Quoth the iudge, +what neede such eloquent termes in this place, the gentleman replied, doth +your Lordship mislike the terme, [_violent_] & me thinkes I speake it to +great purpose: for I am sure she would neuer haue done it, but by force of +perswasion. & if perswasions were not very violent to the minde of man it +could not haue wrought so strange an effect as we read that it did once in +_AEgypt_, & would haue told the whole tale at large, if the Magistrate had +not passed it ouer very pleasantly. Now to tell you the whole matter as +the gentleman intended, thus it was. There came into AEgypt a notable +Oratour, whose name was _Hegesias_ who inueyed so much against the +incommodities of this transitory life, & so highly commended death the +dispatcher of all euils; as a great number of his hearers destroyed +themselues, some with weapon, some with poyson, others by drowning and +hanging themselues to be rid out of this vale of misery, in so much as it +was feared least many moe of the people would haue miscaried by occasion +of his perswasions, if king _Ptolome_ had not made a publicke +proclamation, that the Oratour should auoyde the countrey, and no more be +allowed to speake in any matter. Whether now perswasions, may not be said +violent and forcible to simple myndes in speciall, I referre it to all +mens iudgements that heare the story. At least waies, I finde this +opinion, confirmed by a pretie deuise or embleme that _Lucianus_ alleageth +he saw in the pourtrait of _Hercules_ within the Citie of Marseills in +Prouence: where they had figured a lustie old man with a long chayne tyed +by one end at his tong, by the other end at the peoples eares, who stood a +farre of and seemed to be drawen to him by the force of that chayne +fastned to his tong, as who would say, by force of his perswasions. And to +shew more plainly that eloquence is of great force (and not as many men +thinke amisse) the propertie and gift of yong men onely, but rather of old +men, and a thing which better becommeth hory haires then beardlesse boyes, +they seeme to ground it vpon this reason: age (say they and most truly) +brings experience, experience bringeth wisedome, long life yeldes long vse +and much exercise of speach, exercise and custome with wisedome, make an +assured and volluble vtterance: so is it that old men more then any other +sort speake most grauely, wisely, assuredly, and plausibly, which partes +are all that can be required in perfite eloquence, and so in all +deliberations of importance where counsellours are allowed freely to opyne +& shew their conceits, good perswasion is no lesse requisite then speach +it selfe: for in great purposes to speake and not to be able or likely to +perswade, is a vayne thing: now let vs returne backe to say more of this +Poeticall ornament. + + + + + _CHAP. III._ + +_How ornament Poeticall is of two sortes according to the double vertue +and efficacie of figures._ + + +This ornament then is of two sortes, one to satisfie & delight th'eare +onely by a goodly outward shew fet vpon the matter with wordes, and +speaches smothly and tunably running: another by certaine intendments or +sence of such wordes & speeches inwardly working a stirre to the mynde: +that first qualitie the Greeks called _Enargia_, of this word _argos_, +because it geueth a glorious lustre and light. This latter they callled +_Energia_ of _ergon_, because it wrought with a strong and vertuous +operation; and figure breedeth them both, some seruing to giue glosse +onely to a language, some to geue it efficacie by sence, and so by that +meanes some of them serue th'eare onely, some serue the conceit onely and +not th'eare: there be of them also that serue both turnes as common +seruitours appointed for th'one and th'other purpose, which shalbe +hereafter spoken of in place: but because we haue alleaged before that +ornament is but the good or rather bewtifull habite of language and stile +and figuratiue speaches the instrument wherewith we burnish our language +fashioning it to this or that measure and proportion, whence finally +resulteth a long and continuall phrase or maner of writing or speach, +which we call by the name of _stile_: we wil first speake of language; +then of stile, lastly of figure, and declare their vertue and differences, +and also their vse and best application, & what portion in exornation +euery of them bringeth to the bewtifying of this Arte. + + + + + _CHAP. IIII._ + +_Of Language._ + + +Speach is not naturall to man sauing for his onely habilitie to speake, +and that he is by kinde apt to vtter all his conceits with sounds and +voyces diuersified many maner of wayes, by meanes of the many & fit +instruments he hath by nature to that purpose, as a broad and voluble +tong, thinne and mouable lippes, teeth euen and not shagged; thick ranged, +a round vaulted pallate, and a long throte, besides an excellent capacitie +of wit that maketh him more disciplinable and imitative than any other +creature: then as to the forme and action of his speach, it commeth to him +by arte & teaching, and by vse or exercise. But after a speach is fully +fashioned to the common vnderstanding, & accepted by consent of a whole +countrey & nation, it is called a language, & receaueth none allowed +alteration, but by extraordinary occasions by little & little, as it were +insensibly bringing in of many corruptions that creepe along with the +time: of all which matters, we haue more largely spoken in our bookes of +the originals and pedigree of the English tong. Then when I say language, +I meane the speach wherein the Poet or maker writeth be it Greek or Latine +or as our case is the vulgar English, & when it is peculiar vnto a +countrey it is called the mother speach of that people: the Greekes terme +it _Idioma_: so is ours at this day the Norman English. Before the +Conquest of the Normans it was the Anglesaxon and before that the British, +which as some will, is at this day, the Walsh, or as others affirme the +Cornish: I for my part thinke neither of both, as they be now spoken and +ponounced. This part in our maker or Poet must be heedyly looked vnto, +that it be naturall, pure, and the most vsuall of all his countrey: and +for the same purpose rather that which is spoken in the kings Court, or in +the good townes and Cities within the land, then in the marches and +frontiers, or in port townes, where straungers haunt for traffike sake, or +yet in Vniuersities where Schollers vse much peeuish affectation of words +out of the primatiue languages, or finally, in any vplandish village or +corner of a Realme, where is no resort but of poore rusticall or vnciuill +people: neither shall he follow the speach of a craftes man or carter, or +other of the inferiour sort, though he be inhabitant or bred in the best +towne and Citie in this Realme, for such persons doe abuse good speaches +by strange accents or illshapen soundes, and false ortographie. But he +shall follow generally the better brought vp sort, such as the Greekes +call [_charientes_] men ciuill and graciously behauoured and bred. Our +maker therefore at these dayes shall not follow _Piers plowman_ nor +_Gower_ nor _Lydgate_ nor yet _Chaucer_, for their language is now out of +vfe with vs: neither shall he take the termes of Northern-men, such as +they vse in dayly talke, whether they be noble men or gentlemen, or of +their best clarkes all is a matter: nor in effect any speach vsed beyond +the riuer of Trent, though no man can deny but that theirs is the purer +English Saxon at this day, yet it is not so Courtly nor so currant as our +Southerne English is, no more is the far Westerne mans speach: ye shall +therfore take the vsuall speach of the Court, and that of London and the +shires lying about London within lx. myles, and not much aboue. I say not +this but that in euery shyre of England there be gentlemen and others that +speake but specially write as good Southerne as we of Middlesex or Surrey +do, but not the common people of euery shire, to whom the gentlemen, and +also their learned clarkes do for the most part condescend, but herein we +are already ruled by th'English Dictionaries and other bookes written by +learned men, and therefore it needeth none other direction in that +behalfe. Albeit peradventure some small admonition be not impertinent, for +we finde in our English writers many wordes and speaches amendable & ye +shall see in some many inkhorne termes so ill affected brought in by men +of learning as preachers and schoolmasters and many straunge termes of +other languages by Secretaries and Marchaunts and trauailours, and many +darke wordes and not vsuall nor well sounding, though they be dayly spoken +in Court. Wherefore great heed must be taken by our maker in this point +that his choise be good. And peraduenture the writer hereof be in that +behalfe no lesse faultie then any other, vsing many straunge and +vnaccustomed wordes and borrowed from other languages: and in that +respect him selfe no meete Magistrate to refome the same errours in any +other person, but since he is not vnwilling to acknowledge his owne fault, +and can the better tell how to amend it, he may seeme a more excusable +correctour of other mens: he intendeth therefore for an indifferent way +and vniuersall benefite to taxe himselfe first and before any others. + +These be words vsed by th'author in this present treatise, _scientificke_, +but with some reason, for it ausuereth the word _mechanicall_, which no +other word could haue done so properly, for when hee spake of all +artificers which rest either in science or in handy craft, it followed +necessarilie that _scientifique_ should be coupled with _mechanicall_: or +els neither of both to haue bene allowed, but in their places: a man of +science liberall, and a handicrafts man, which had not bene so cleanly a +speech as the other _Maior-domo_: in truth this word is borrowed of the +_Spaniard_ and _Italian_, and therefore new and not vsuall, but to them +that are acquainted with the affaires of Court: and so for his iolly +magnificence (as this case is) may be accepted among Courtiers, for whom +this is specially written. A man might haue said in steade of +_Maior-domo_, the French word (_maistre d'hostell_) but ilfauouredly, or +the right English word (_Lord Steward_.) But me thinks for my owne opinion +this word _Maior-domo_ though he be borrowed, is more acceptable than any +of the rest, other men may iudge otherwise. _Politien_, this word also is +receuied from the Frenchmen, but at this day vsuall in Court and with all +good Secretaries: and cannot finde an English word to match him, for to +haue said a man politique, had not bene so wel: bicause in trueth that had +bene no more than to haue said a ciuil person. _Politien_ is rather a +surueyour of ciuilitie than ciuil, & a publique minister or Counseller in +the state. Ye haue also this worde _Conduict_, a French word, but well +allowed of vs, and long since vsuall, it soundes somewhat more than this +word (leading) for it is applied onely to the leading of a Captaine, and +not as a little boy should leade a blinde man, therefore more proper to +the case when he saide, _conduict_ of whole armies: ye finde also this +word _Idiome_, taken from the Greekes, yet seruing aptly, when a man +wanteth to expresse so much vnles it be in two words, which surplussage to +auoide, we are allowed to draw in other words single, and asmuch +significatiue: this word _significatiue_ is borrowed of the Latine and +French, but to vs brought in first by some Noble-mans Secretarie, as I +thinke, yet doth so well serue the turne, as it could not now be spared: +and many more like vsurped Latine and French words: as, _Methode, +methodicall, placation, function, assubriling, refining, compendious, +prolixe, figuratiue, inueigle_. A terme borrowed of our common Lawyers, +_impression_, also a new terme, but well expressing the matter, and more +than our English word. These words, _Numerous, numerositee, metricall, +harmonicall_, but they cannot be refused, specially in this place for +description of the arte. Also ye finde these words, _penetrate, +penetrable, indignitie_, which I cannot see how we may spare them, +whatsoeuer fault wee finde with Ink-horne termes: for our speach wanteth +words to such sense so well to be vsed: yet in steade of _indignitie_, yee +haue vnworthinesse: and for _penetrate_, we may say _peerce_, and that a +French terme also, or _broche_, or enter into with violence, but not so +well sounding as _penetrate_. Item, _sauage_, for wilde: _obscure_, for +darke. Item these words, _declamation, delineation, dimention_, are +scholasticall termes in deede, and yet very proper. But peraduenture (& I +could bring a reason for it) many other like words borrowed out of the +Latin and French, were not so well to be be allowed by vs, as these words, +_audacious_, for bold: _facunditie_, for eloquence, _egregious_, for great +or notable: _implete_, for replenished; _attemptat_, for attempt: +_compatible_, for agreeable in nature, and many more. But herein the noble +Poet _Horace_ hath said inough to satisfie vs all in these few verses. + _Multa renascentur quae iam cecidere cadentque + Quae nunc sunt in honore vocabula si volet usus + Quem penes artibrium est et ius et norma loquendi._ +Which I haue thus englished, but nothing with so good grace, nor so +briefly as the Poet wrote. + _Many a word if able shall est arise + And such as now bene held in hiest prise + Will fall as fast, when vse and custome will + Onely vmpiers of speach, for force and skill._ + + + + + _CHAP. V._ + +_Of Stile_. + + +Stile is a constant & continuall phrase or tenour of speaking and writing, +extending to the whole tale or processe of the poeme or historie, and not +properly to any peece or member of a tale: but is of words speeches and +sentences together, a certaine contriued forme and qualitie, many times +naturall to the writer, many times his peculier by election and arte, and +such as either he keepeth by skill, or holdeth on by ignorance, and will +not or peraduenture cannot easily alter into any other. So we say that +_Ciceros_ stile and _Salusts_ were not one, nor _Cesars_ and _Linies_, nor +_Homers_ and _Hesiodus_, nor _Herodotus_ and _Theucidides_, nor +_Euripides_ & _Aristophones_, nor _Erasmus_ and _Budeus_ stiles. And +because this continuall course and manner of writing or speech sheweth the +matter and disposition of the writers minde, more than one or few words or +sentences can shew, therefore there be that haue called stile, the image +of man [_mentes character_] for man is but his minde, and as his minde is +tempered and qualified, so are his speeches and language at large, and his +inward conceits be the mettall of his minde and his manner of vtterance +the very warp & woofe of his conceits, more plaine, or busie and +intricate, or otherwise affected after the rate. Most men say that not any +one point in all _Phisiognomy_ is so certaine, as to iudge a mans manners +by his eye: but more assuredly in mine opinion, by his dayly maner of +speech and ordinary writing. For if the man be graue, his speech and stile +is graue: if light-headed, his stile and language also light: if the +minde be haughtie and hoate, the speech and stile is also vehement and +stirring: if it be colde and temperate, the stile is also very modest: if +it be humble, or base and meeke, so is also the language and stile. And +yet peraduenture not altogether so, but that euery mans stile is for the +most part according to the matter and subiect of the writer, or so ought +to be and conformable thereunto. Then againe may it be said as wel, that +men doo chuse their subjects according to the mettal of their minds, & +therfore a high minded man chuseth him high & lofty matter to write of. +The base courage, matter base & lowe, the meane & modest mind, meane & +moderate matters after the rate. Howsoeuer it be, we finde that vnder +these three principall complexions (if I may with leaue so terme them) +high, meane and base stile, there be contained many other humors or +qualities of stile, as the plaine and obscure, the rough and smoth, the +facill and hard, the plentifull and barraine, the rude and eloquent, the +strong and feeble, the vehement and cold stiles, all which in their euill +are to be reformed, and the good to be kept and vsed. But generally to +haue the stile decent & comely it behooueth the maker or Poet to follow +the nature of his subiect, that is if his matter be high and loftie that +the stile be so to, if meane, the stile also to be meane, if base, the +stile humble and base accordingly: and they that do otherwise vse it, +applying to meane matter, hie and loftie stile, and to hie matters, stile +eyther meane or base, and to the base matters, the meane or hie stile, do +vtterly disgrace their poesie and shew themselues nothing skilfull in +their arte, nor hauing regard to the decencie, which is the chiefe praise +of any writer. Therefore to ridde all louers of learning from that errour, +I will as neere as I can set downe, which matters be hie and loftie, which +be but meane, and which be low and base, to the intent the stiles may be +fashioned to the matters, and keepe their _decorum_ and good proportion in +euery respect: I am not ignorant that many good clerkes be contrary to +mine opinion, and say that the loftie style may be decently vsed in a +meane and base subiect & contrariwise, which I do in parte acknowledge, +but with a reasonable qualification. For _Homer_ hath so vsed it in his +trifling worke of _Batrachomyomachia_: that is in his treatise of the +warre betwixt the frogs and the mice. _Virgill_ also in his _bucolickes_, +and in his _georgicks_, whereof the one is counted meane, the other base, +that is the husbandmans discourses and the shepheards, but hereunto +serueth a reason in my simple conceite: for first to that trifling poeme +of _Homer_, though the frog and the mouse be but litle and ridiculous +beasts, yet to treat of warre is an high subiect, and a thing in euery +respect terrible and daungerous to them that it alights on: and therefore +of learned dutie asketh martiall grandiloquence, if it be set foorth in +his kind and nature of warre, euen betwixt the basest creatures that can +be imagined: so also is the Ante or pismire, and they be but little +creeping things, not perfect beasts, but _insects_, or wormes: yet in +describing their nature & instinct, and their manner of life approching to +the forme of a common-welth, and their properties not vnlike to the +vertues of most excellent gouernors and captaines, it asketh a more +maiestie of speach then would the description of any other beastes life or +nature, and perchance of many matters perteyning vnto the baser sort of +men, because it resembleth the historie of a ciuill regiment, and of them +all the chiefs and most principall which is _Monarchie_: so also in his +_bucolicks_, which are but pastorall, speaches and the basest of any other +poeme in their owne proper nature: _Virgill_ vsed a somewhat swelling +stile when he came to insinuate the birth of _Marcellus_ heire apparant to +the Emperour _Augustus_, as child to his sister, aspiring by hope and +greatnes of the house, to the succession of the Empire, and establishment +thereof in that familie: whereupon _Virgill_ could do no lesse then to vse +such manner of stile, whatsoeuer condition the poeme were of and this was +decent, & no fault or blemish, to confound the tennors of the stiles for +that cause. But now when I remember me againe that this _Eglogue_, (for I +haue read it somewhere) was conceiued by _Octauian_ th'Emperour to be +written to the honour of _Pollio_ a citizen of Rome, & of no great +nobilitie, the same was misliked againe as an implicatiue, nothing decent +nor proportionable to _Pollio_ his fortunes and calling, in which respect +I might say likewise the stile was not to be such as if it had bene for +the Emperours owne honour, and those of the bloud imperiall, then which +subiect there could not be among the _Romane_ writers an higher nor grauer +to treat vpon: so can I not be remoued from mine opinion, but still me +thinks that in all decencie the stile ought to conforme with the nature of +the subiect, otherwise if a writer will seeme to obserue no _decorum_ at +all, nor passe how he fashion his tale to his matter, who doubteth but he +may in the lightest cause speake like a Pope, & in the grauest matters +prate like a parrat, & finde wordes & phrases ynough to serue both turnes, +and neither of them commendably, for neither is all that may be written of +Kings and Princes such as ought to keepe a high stile, nor all that may be +written vpon a shepheard to keepe the low, but according to the matter +reported, if that be of high or base nature: for euery pety pleasure, and +vayne delight of a king are not to accompted high matter for the height of +his estate, but meane and perchaunce very base and vile: nor so a Poet or +historiographer, could decently with a high stile reporte the vanities of +_Nero_, the ribaudries of _Caligula_, the idleness of _Domitian_, & the +riots of _Heliogabalus_. But well the magnanimitie and honorable ambition +of _Caesar_, the prosperities of _Augustus_, the grauitie of _Tiberius_, +the bountie of _Traiane_, the wisedome of _Aurelius_, and generally all +that which concerned the highest honours of Emperours, their birth, +alliaunces, gouernment, exploits in warre and peace, and other publike +affaires: for they be matter stately and high, and require a stile to be +lift vp and aduaunced by choyse of wordes, phrases, sentences, and +figures, high, loftie, eloquent, & magnifik in proportion: so be the meane +matters, to be caried with all wordes and speaches of smothnesse and +pleasant moderation, & finally the base things to be holden within their +teder, by low, myld, and simple maner of vtterance, creeping rather then +clyming, & marching rather then mounting vpwardes, with the wings of the +stately subiects and stile. + + + + + _CHAP. VI._ + +_Of the high, low, and meane subiect._ + + +The matters therefore that concerne the Gods and diuine things are highest +of all other to be couched in writing, next to them the noble gests and +great fortunes of Princes, and the notable accidents of time, as the +greatest affaires of war & peace, these be all high subiectes, and +therefore are deliuered ouer to the Poets _Hymnick_ & historicall who be +occupied either in diuine laudes, or in _heroicall_ reports: the meane +matters be those that concerne meane men their life and busines, as +lawyers, gentlemen, and marchants, good housholders and honest Citizens, +and which found neither to matters of state nor of warre, nor leagues, nor +great alliances, but smatch all the common conuersation, as of the +ciuiller and better sort of men: the base and low matters be the doings of +the common artificer, seruingman, yeoman, groome, husbandman, +day-labourer, sailer, shepheard, swynard, and such like of homely calling, +degree and bringing vp: so that in euery of the sayd three degrees, not +the selfe same vertues be egally to be praysed nor the same vices, egally +to be dispraised, nor their loues, mariages, quarels, contracts and other +behauiours, be like high nor do require to be set fourth with the like +stile: but euery one in his degree and decencie, which made that all +_hymnes_ and histories, and Tragedies, were written in the high stile; all +Comedies and Enterludes and other common Poesies of loues, and such like +in the meane stile, all _Eglogues_ and pastorall poemes in the low and +base flile, otherwise they had bene vtterly disproporcioned: likewise for +the same cause some phrases and figures be onely peculiar to the high +stile, some to the base or meane, some common to all three, as shalbe +declared more at large hereafter when we come to speake of figure and +phrase: also some wordes and speaches and sentences doe become the high +stile, that do not become th'other two. And contrariwise, as shalbe said +when we talke of words and sentences: finally some kinde of measure and +concord, doe not beseeme the high stile, that well become the meane and +low, as we haue said speaking of concord and measure. But generally the +high stile is disgraced and made foolish and ridiculous by all wordes +affected, counterfait, and puffed vp, as it were a windball carrying more +countenance then matter, and can not be better resembled then to these +midsommer pageants in London, where to make the people wonder are set +forth great and vglie Gyants marching as if they were aliue, and armed at +all points, but within they are stuffed full of browne paper and tow, +which the shrewd boyes vnderpeering, do guilefully discouer and turne to a +great derision: also all darke and vnaccustomed wordes, or rusticall and +homely, and sentences that hold too much of the mery & light, or infamous +& vnshamefast are to be accounted of the same sort, for such speaches +become not Princes, nor great estates, nor them that write of their doings +to vtter or report and intermingle with the graue and weightie matters. + + + + + _CHAP. VII._ + +_Of Figures and figuratuie speaches_. + + +As figures be the instruments of ornament in euery language, so be they +also in a sorte abuses or rather trespasses in speach, because they passe +the ordinary limits of common vtterance, and be occupied of purpose to +deceiue the eare and also the minde, drawing it from plainnesse and +simplicitie to a certaine doublenesse, whereby our talke is the more +guilefull & abusing, for what els is your _Metaphor_ but an inuersion of +sence by transport; your _allegorie_ by a duplicitie of meaning or +dissimulation vnder couert and darke intendments: one while speaking +obscurely and in riddle called _AEnigma_: another while by common prouerbe +or Adage called _Paremia_: then by merry skoffe called _Ironia_: then by +bitter tawnt called _Sarcasmus_: then by periphrase or circumlocution when +all might be said in a word or two: then by incredible comparison giuing +credit, as by your _Hyperbole_, and many other waies seeking to inueigle +and appassionate the mind: which thing made the graue iudges _Areopagites_ +(as I find written) to forbid all manner of figuratiue speaches to be vsed +before them in their consistorie of Iustice, as meere illusions to the +minde, and wresters of vpright iudgement, saying that to allow such manner +of forraine & coulored talke to make the iudges affectioned, were all one +as if the carpenter before he began to square his timber would make his +squire crooked: in so much as the straite and vpright mind of a Iudge is +the very rule of iustice till it be peruerted by affection. This no doubt +is true and was by them grauely considered: but in this case because our +maker or Poet is appointed not for a iudge but rather for a pleader, and +that of pleasant & louely causes and nothing perillous, such as be those +for the triall of life, limme, or liuelyhood; and before iudges neither +sower nor seuere, but in the care of princely dames, yong ladies, +gentlewomen and courtiers, beyng all for the most part either meeke of +nature, or of pleasant humour, and that all his abuses tende but to +dispose the hearers to mirth and sollace by pleasant conueyance and +efficacy of speach, they are not in truth to be accompted vices but for +vertues in the poetical science very commendable. On the other side, such +trespasses in speach (whereof there be many) as geue dolour and disliking +to the eare & minde, by any foule indecencie or disproportion of sound, +situation, or sence, they be called and not without cause the vicious +parts or rather heresies of language: wherefore the matter resteth much in +the definition and acceptance of this word [_decorum_] for whatsoeuer is +so, cannot iustly be misliked. In which respect it may come to passe that +what the Grammarian setteth downe for a viciositee in speach may become a +vertue and no vice, contrariwise his commended figure may fall into a +reprochfull fault: the best and most assured remedy whereof is, generally +to follow the saying of _Bias: ne quid nimis_. So as in keeping measure, +and not exceeding nor shewing any defect in the vse of his figures, he +cannot lightly do amisse, if he haue besides (as that must needes be) a +speciall regard to all circumstances of the person, place, time, cause and +purpose he hath in hand, which being well obserued it easily auoideth all +the recited inconueniences, and maketh now and then very vice goe for a +formall virtue in the excrcise of this Arte. + + + + + _CHAP. VIII._ + +_Sixe pointes set downe by our learned forefathers for a generall +regiment of all good vtterance be it by mouth or by writing._ + + +Bvt before there had bene yet any precise obseruation made of figuratiue +speeches, the first learned artificers of language considered that the +bewtie and good grace of vtterance rested in no many pointes: and +whatsoeuer transgressed those lymits, they counted it for vitious; and +thereupon did set downe a manner of regiment in all speech generally to be +obserued, consisting in sixe pointes. First they said that there ought to +be kept a decent proportion in our writings and speach, which they termed +_Analogia._ Secondly, that it ought to be voluble vpon the tongue, and +tunable to the eare, which they called _Tasis_. Thirdly, that it were not +tediously long, but briefe and compendious, as the matter might beare, +which they called _Syntomia._ Fourthly, that it should cary an orderly and +good construction, which they called _Synthesis_. Fiftly, that it should +be a sound, proper and naturall speach, which they called _Ciriologia_. +Sixtly, that it should be liuely & stirring, which they called _Tropus_. +So as it appeareth by this order of theirs, that no vice could be +committed in speech, keeping within the bounds of that restraint. But sir, +all this being by them very well conceiued, there remayned a greater +difficultie to know what this proportion, volubilitie, good construction, +& the rest were, otherwise we could not be euer the more relieued. It was +therefore of necessitie that a more curious and particular description +should bee, made of euery manner of speech, either transgressing or +agreeing with their said generall prescript. Whereupon it came to passe, +that all the commendable parts of speech were set foorth by the name of +figures, and all the illaudable partes vnder the name of vices, or +viciosities, of both which it shall bee spoken in their places. + + + + + _CHAP. IX_. + +_How the Greeks first, and afterward the Latines, inuented new names for +euery figure, which this Author is also enforced to doo in his vulgar_. + + +The Greekes were a happy people for the freedome & liberty of their +language, because it was allowed them to inuent any new name that they +listed, and to peece many words together to make of them one entire, much +more significatiue than the single word. So among other things did they to +their figuratiue speeches deuise cortainen ames. The Latines came somewhat +behind them in that point, and for want of conuenient single wordes to +expresse that which the Greeks could do by cobling many words together, +they were faine to vse the Greekes still, till after many yeares that the +learned Oratours and good Grammarians among the Romaines, as _Cicero, +Verro, Quintilian_, & others strained themselues to giue the Greeke wordes +Latin names, and yet nothing so apt and fitty. The same course are we +driuen to follow in this description, since we are enforced to cull out +for the vse of our Poet or maker all the most commendable figures. Now to +make them knowen (as behoueth) either we must do it by th'originall Greeke +name or by the Latine, or by our owne. But when I consider to what sort of +Readers I write, & how illfaring the Greeke terme would sound in the +English eare, then also how short the Latines come to expresse manie of +the Greeke originals. Finally, how well our language serueth to supplie +the full signification of them both, I haue thought it no lesse lawfull, +yea peraduenture under licence of the learned, more laudable to vse our +owne naturall, if they be well chosen, and of proper signification, than +to borrow theirs. So shall not our English Poets, though they be to seeke +of the Greeke and Latin languages, lament for lack of knowledge sufficient +to the purpose of this arte. And in case any of these new English names +giuen by me to any figure, shall happen to offend, I pray that the learned +will beare with me and to thinke the straungenesse thereof proceedes but +of noueltie and disaquaintance with our eares, which in processe of time, +and by custome will frame very well: and such others as are not learned in +the primitiue languages, if they happen to hit upon any new name of myne +(so ridiculous in their opinion) as may moue them to laughter, let such +persons, yet assure themselues that such names go as neare as may be to +their originals, or els serue better to the purpose of the figure then the +very originall, reseruing alwayes, that such new name should not be +vnpleasant in our vulgar nor harsh vpon the tong: and where it shall +happen otherwise, that it may please the reader to thinke that hardly any +other name in our English could be found to serue the turne better. Againe +if to auoid the hazard of this blame I should haue kept the Greek or Latin +still it would haue appeared a little too scholasticall for our makers, +and a peece of worke more fit for clerkes then for Courtiers for whose +instruction this trauaile is taken: and if I should haue left out both the +Greeke and Latine name, and put in none of our owne neither: well +perchance might the rule of the figure haue bene set downe, but no +conuenient name to hold him in memory. It was therefore expedient we +deuised for euery figure of importance his vulgar name, and to ioyne the +Greeke or Latine originall with them; after that sort much better +satisfying aswel the vulgar as the learned learner, and also the authors +owne purpose, which is to make of a rude rimer, a learned and a Courtly +Poet. + + + + + _CHAP. X._ + +_A division of figures, and how they serue in exornation of language._ + + +And because our chiefe purpose herein is for the learning of Ladies and +young Gentlewomen, or idle Courtiers, desirous to become skilful in their +owne mother tongue, and for their priuate recreation to make now & then +ditties of pleasure, thinking for our parte none other science so fit for +them & the place as that which teacheth _beau_ semblant, the chiefe +profession aswell of Courting as of poesie: since to such manner of mindes +nothing is more combersome then tedious doctrines and schollarly methodes +of discipline, we haue in our owne conceit deuised a new and strange +modell of this arte, fitter to please the Court then the schoole, and yet +not vnnecessarie for all such as be willing themselues to become good +makers in the vulgar, or to be able to iudge of other mens makings: +wherefore, intending to follow the course which we haue begun, thus we +say: that though the language of our Poet or maker being pure & clenly, & +not disgraced by such vicious parts as haue bene before remembred in the +Chapter of language, be sufficiently pleasing and commendable for the +ordinarie vse of speech; yet is not the same so well appointed for all +purposes of the excellent Poet, as when it is gallantly arrayed in all his +colours which figure can set vpon it, therefore we are now further to +determine of figures and figuratiue speeches. Figuratiue speech is a +noueltie of language euidently (and yet not absurdly) estranged from the +ordinarie habite and manner of our dayly talke and writing and figure it +selfe is a certaine liuely or good grace set vpon wordes, speaches and +sentences to some purpose and not in vaine, giuing them ornament or +efficacie by many maner of alterations in shape, in sounde, and also in +sence, sometime by way of surplusage, sometime by defect, sometime by +disorder, or mutation, & also by putting into our speaches more pithe and +substance, subtilitie, quicknesse, efficacie or moderation, in this or +that sort tuning and tempring them, by amplification, abridgement, +opening, closing, enforcing, meekening, or otherwise disposing them to the +best purpose whereupon the learned clerks who haue written methodically of +this Arte in the two master languages, Greeke and Latine, haue sorted all +their figures into three rankes, and the first they bestowed vpon the Poet +onely: the second vpon the Poet and Oratour indifferently: the third vpon +the Oratour alone. And that first sort of figures doth serue th'eare onely +and may be therefore called _Auricular_: your second serues the conceit +onely and not th'eare, and may be called _sensable_, not sensible nor yet +sententious: your third sort serues as well th'eare as the conceit and may +be called _sententious figures_, because not only they properly apperteine +to full sentences, for bewtifying them with a currant & pleasant +numerositie, but also giuing them efficacie, and enlarging the whole +matter besides with copious amplifications. I doubt not but some busie +carpers will scorne at my new deuised termes: _auricular_ and _sensable_, +saying that I might with better warrant haue vsed in their steads these +words, _orthographicall_ or _syntacticall_, which the learned Grammarians +left ready made to our hands, and do importe as much as th'other that I +haue brought, which thing peraduenture I deny not in part, and +neuerthelesse for some causes thought them not so necessarie: but with +these maner of men I do willingly beare, in respect of their laudable +endeuour to allow antiquitie and slie innouation: with like beneuolence I +trust they will beare with me writing in the vulgar speach and seeking by +my nouelties to satisfie not the schoole but the Court: whereas they know +very well all old things soone waxe stale & lothsome, and the new deuises +are euer dainty and delicate, the vulgar instruction requiring also vulgar +and communicable termes, not clerkly or vncouthe as are all these of the +Greeke and Latine languages primitiuely receiued, vnlesse they be +qualified or by much vse and custome allowed and our eares made acquainted +with them. Thus then I say that _auricular_ figures be those which worke +alteration in th'eare by sound, accent, time, and slipper volubilitie in +vtterance, such as for that respect was called by the auncients +numerositie of speach. And not onely the whole body of a tale in poeme or +historie may be made in such sort pleasant and agreable to the eare, but +also euery clause by it selfe, and euery single word carried in a clause, +may haue their pleasant sweetenesse apart. And so long as this qualitie +extendeth but to the outward tuning of the speech reaching no higher then +th'eare and forcing the mynde little or nothing, it is that vertue which +the Greeks call _Enargia_ and is the office of the _auricular_ figures to +performe. Therefore as the members of language at large are whole +sentence, and sentences are compact of clauses, and clauses of words, and +euery word of letters and sillables, so is the alteration (be it but of a +sillable or letter) much materiall to the sound and sweetenesse of +vtterance. Wherefore beginning first at the smallest alterations which +rest in letters and sillables, the first sort of our figures _auricular_ +we do appoint to single words as they lye in language; the second to +clauses of speach; the third to perfit sentences and to the whole masse or +body of the tale be it poeme or historie written or reported. + + + + + _CHAP. XI_ + +_Of auricular figures apperteining to single wordes and working by their +diuers soundes and audible tunes alteration to the eare onely and not the +mynde._ + + +A word as he lieth in course of language is many wayes figured and thereby +not a little altered in sound, which consequently alters the tune and +harmonie of a meeter as to the eare. And this alteration is sometimes by +_adding_ sometimes by _rabbating_, of a sillable or letter to or from a +word either in the beginning, middle or ending ioyning or vnioyning of +sillibles and letters suppressing or confounding their seueral soundes, or +by misplacing of a letter, or by cleare exchaunge of one letter for +another, or by wrong ranging of the accent. +And your figures of addition or surpluse be three, videl. +In the beginning, as to say: _I-doon_ for _doon, endanger_ for _danger, +embolden_ for _bolden_. + +In the middle, as to say _renuers_ for _reuers, meeterly_ for _meetly, +goldylockes_ for _goldlockes._ + +In th'end, as to say [_remembren_ for _remembre_] [_spoken_ for _spoke_]. +And your figures of _rabbate_ be as many, videl. + +From the beginning, as to say [_twixt_ for _betwixt_] [_gainsay_ for +_againsay_] [_ill_ for _euill_]. + +From the middle, as to say [_paraunter_ for _parauenture_] [_poorety_ for +_pouertie_] [_souraigne_ for _soueraigne_] [_tane_ for _taken._] + +From the end, as to say [_morne_ for _morning_] [_bet_ for _better_] and +such like. + +Your swallowing or eating vp one letter by another is when two vowels +meete, whereof th'ones sound goeth into other, as to say for _to attaine, +t'attaine_] for _sorrow smart, sor'smart_.] + +Your displacing of a sillable as to say [_desier_ for _desire_] [_sier_ +for _sire._] + +By cleare exchaunge of one letter or sillable for another, as to say +_euermare_ for _euermore, wrang_ for _wrong: gould_ for _gold: fright_ for +_fraight_ and a hundred moe, which be commonly misused and strained to +make rime. + +By wrong ranging the accent of a sillable by which meane a short sillable +is made long and a long short as to say _soueraine_ for _soueraine: +gratious_ for _gratious: endure_ for _endure: Salomon_ for _Salomon._ + +These many wayes may our maker alter his wordes, and sometimes it is done +for pleasure to giue a better sound, sometimes vpon necessitie and to make +vp the rime. But our maker must take heed that he be not to bold specially +in exchange of one letter for another for vnlesse vsuall speach and +custome allow it, it is a fault and no figure, and because these be +figures of the smallest importaunce, I forbeare to giue them any vulgar +name. + + + + + _CHAP. XII._ + +_Of Auricular figures pertaining to clauses of speech and by them working +no little alteration to the eare._ + + +As your single words may be many waies transfigured to make the meetre or +verse more tunable and melodious, so also may your whole and entire +clauses be in such sort contriued by the order of their construction as +the eare may receiue certaine recreation, although the mind for any +noueltie of sence be little or nothing affected. And therefore al your +figures of _grammaticall_ construction, I accompt them but merely +_auricular_ in that they reach no furder then the eare. To which there +will appeare some sweete or vnsauery point to offer you dolour or delight, +either by some euident defect, or surplusage, or disorder, or immutation +in the same speaches notably altering either the congruitie +_grammaticall_, or the sence, or both. + + [Sidenote: _Eclipsis_ or the Figure of default.] +And first of those that worke by defect, if but one word or some little +portion of speach be wanting, it may be supplied by ordinary vnderstanding +and vertue of the figure _Eclipsis_, as to say _so early a man_, for [_are +ye_] so early a man: he is to be intreated, for he is [_easie_] to be +intreated: I thanke God I am to liue like a Gentleman, for I am [_able_] +to liue, and the Spaniard said in his deuise of armes _acuerdo oluido_, I +remember I forget whereas in right congruitie of speach it should be: I +remember [that I [doo] forget. And in a deuise of our owne [_empechement +pur a choison_] a let for a furderance whereas it should be said [_vse_] a +let for a furderance, and a number more like speaches defectiue, and +supplied by common vnderstanding. + + [Sidenote: _Zeugma_ or the Single supply.] +But if it be to mo clauses then one, that some such word be supplied to +perfit the congruitie or sence of them all, it is by the figure [_Zeugma_] +we call him the [_single supplie_] because by one word we serue many +clauses of one congruitie, and may be likened to the man that serues many +maisters at once, but all of one country or kindred: as to say + _Fellowes, and friends and kinne forsooke me quite._ + +Here this word forsooke satisfieth the congruitie and sence of all three +clauses, which would require euery of them asmuch. And as we setting forth +her Maiesties regall petigree said in this figure of [_Single supplie._] + _Her graundsires Father and Brother was a King + Her mother a crowned Queene, her Sister and her selfe._ + +Whereas ye see this one Word [was] serues them all in that they require +but one congruitie and sence. + + [Sidenote: _Prozeugma_, or the Ringleader.] +Yet hath this figure of [_Single supply_] another propertie, occasioning +him to change now and then his name: by the order of his supplie, for if +it be placed in the forefront of all the seuerall clauses whom he is to +serue as a common seruitour, then is he called by the Greeks _Prozeugma_, +by vs the Ringleader: thus + _Her beautie perst mine eye, her speach mine wofull hart; + Her presence all the powers of my discourse. &c._ + +Where ye see this one word [_perst_] placed in the foreward, satisfieth +both in sence & congruitie all those other clauses that followe him. + + [Sidenote: _Mezozeugma_, or the Middlemarcher.] +And if such word of supplie be placed in the middle of all such clauses as +he serues: it is by the Greeks called _Mezozeugma_, by us the +[_Middlemarcher_] thus: + _Faire maydes beautie (alack) with yeares it weares away, + And with wether and sicknes, and sorrow as they say._ + +Where ye see this word [_weares_] serues one clause before him, and two +clauses behind him, in one and the same sence and congruitie. And in this +verse, + _Either the troth or talke nothing at all._ + +Where this word [_talke_] serues the clause before and also behind. + + [Sidenote: _Hypozeugma_, or the Rerewarder.] +But if such supplie be placed after all the clauses, and not before nor in +the middle, then is he called by the Greeks _Hypozeugma_, and by vs the +[_Rerewarder_] thus: + _My mates that wont, to keepe me companie + And my neighbours, who dwelt next to my wall + The friends that sware, they would not sticke to die + In my quarrell: they are fled from me all._ + +Where ye see this word [_fled from me_] serue all the three clauses +requiring but one congruitie & sence. + + [Sidenote: _Sillepsis_, or the Double supply.] +But if such want be in sundrie clauses, and of seuerall congruities or +sence, and the supply be made to serue them all, it is by the figure +_Sillepsis_, whom for that respect we call the [_double supplie_] +conceiuing, and, as it were, comprehending vnder one, a supplie of two +natures, and may be likened to the man that serues many masters at once, +being of strange Countries or kinreds, as in these verses, where the +lamenting widow shewed the Pilgrim the graues in which her husband & +children lay buried. + _Here my sweete sonnes and daughters all my blisse, + Yonder mine owne deere husband buried is._ + +Where ye see one verbe singular supplyeth the plurall and singular, and +thus + _Iudge ye louers, if it be strange or no; + My Ladie laughs for ioy, and I for wo._ + +Where ye see a third person supplie himselfe and a first person. And thus, + _Madame ye neuer shewed your selfe vntrue, + Nor my deserts would euer suffer you._ + +Viz. to show. Where ye see the moode Indicatiue supply him selfe and an +Infinitiue. And the like in these other. + _I neuer yet failde you in constancie, + Nor neuer doo intend vntill I die._ + +Viz. [_to show_.] Thus much for the congruitie, now for the sence. One +wrote thus of a young man, who slew a villaine that had killed his father, +and rauished his mother. + _Thus valiantly and with a manly minde, + And by one feate of euerlasting fame, + This lustie lad fully requited kinde, + His fathers death, and eke his mothers shame._ + +Where ye see this word [_requite_] serue a double sence: that is to say, +to reuenge, and to satisfie. For the parents iniurie was reuenged, and the +duetie of nature performed or satisfied by the childe. + + [Sidenote: _Hypozeuxis_, or the Substitute.] +But if this supplie be made to sundrie clauses, or to one clause sundrie +times iterated, and by seuerall words, so as euery clause hath his owne +supplie: then is it called by the Greekes _Hypozeuxis_, we call him the +substitute after his originall, and is a supplie with iteration, as thus: + _Vnto the king she went, and to the king she said, + Mine owne liege Lord behold thy poore handmaid._ + +Here [_went to the king_] and [_said to the king_] be but one clause +iterated with words of sundrie supply. Or as in these verses following. + _My Ladie gaue me, my Lady wist not what, + Geuing me leaue to be her Soueraine: + For by such gift my Ladie hath done that, + Which whilest she liues she may not call againe._ + +Here [_my Ladie gaue_] and [_my Ladie wist_] be supplies with iteration, +by vertue of this figure. + +Ye haue another _auricular_ figure of defect, and is when we begin to +speake a thing, and breake of in the middle way, as if either it needed no +further to be spoken of, or that we were ashamed, or afraide to speake it +it out. It is also sometimes done by way of threatning, and to shew a +moderation of anger. The Greekes call him _Aposiopesis._ I, the figure of +silence, or of interruption, indifferently. + + [Sidenote: _Aposiopesis_, or the Figure of silence.] +If we doo interrupt our speech for feare, this may be an example, where as +one durst not make the true report as it was, but staid halfe way for +feare of offence, thus: + _He said you were, I dare not tell you plaine + For words once out, neuer returne againe._ + +If it be for shame, or that the speaker suppose it would be indecent to +tell all, then thus: as he that said to his sweete hart, whom he checked +for secretly whispering with a suspected person. + _And did ye not come by his chamber dore? + And tell him that: goe to, I say no more._ + +If it be for anger or by way of manace or to show a moderation of wrath as +the graue and discreeter sort of men do, then thus. + _If I take you with such another cast + I sweare by God, but let this be the last._ + +Thinking to haue said further viz. I will punish you. + +If it be for none of all these causes but vpon some sodaine occasion that +moues a man to breake of his tale, then thus. + _He told me all at large: lo yonder is the man + Let himselfe tell the tale that best tell can._ + +This figure is fit for phantasticall heads and such as be sodaine or lacke +memorie. I know one of good learning that greatly blemisheth his +discretion with this maner of speach: for if he be in the grauest matter +of the world talking, he will vpon the sodaine for the flying of a bird +ouerthwart the way, or some other such sleight cause, interrupt his tale +and neuer returne to it againe. + + [Sidenote: _Prolepsis_, or the Propounder.] +Ye haue yet another maner of speach purporting at the first blush a defect +which afterward is supplied the, Greekes call him _Prolepsis_, we the +Propounder, or the Explaner which ye will: because he workes both +effectes, as thus, where in certaine verses we describe the triumphant +enter-view of two great Princesses thus. + _These two great Queenes, came marching hand in hand, + Vunto the hall, where store of Princes stand: + And people of all countreys to behold, + Coronis all clad, in purple cloth of gold: + Celiar in robes, of siluer tissew white + With rich rubies, and pearles all bedighte._ + +Here ye see the first proposition in a sort defectiue and of imperfect +sence, till ye come by diuision to explane and enlarge it, but if we +should follow the originall right, we ought rather to call him the +forestaller, for like as he that standes in the market way, and takes all +vp before it come to the market in grosse and sells it by retaile, so by +this maner of speach our maker setts down before all the matter by a brief +proposition, and afterward explanes it by a diuision more particularly. + +By this other example it appeares also. + _Then deare Lady I pray you let it bee, + That our long loue may lead us to agree: + Me since I may not wed you to my wife, + To serue you as a mistresse all my life: + Ye that may not me for your husband haue, + To clayme me for your seruant and your slaue._ + + + + + _CHAP. XIII._ + +_Of your figures Auricular working by disorder._ + + + [Sidenote: _Hiperbaton_, or the Trespasser.] +To all of speaches which wrought by disorder by the Greekes gaue a general +name [_Hiperbaton_] as much to say as the [_trespasser_] and because such +disorder may be committed many wayes it receiueth sundry particulars vnder +him, whereof some are onely proper to the Greekes and Latines and not to +vs, other some ordinarie in our maner of speaches, but so foule and +intollerable as I will not seeme to place them among the figures, but do +raunge them as they deserue among the vicious or faultie speaches. + + [Sidenote: _Parenthesis_, or the Insertour] +Your first figure of tollerable disorder is [_Parenthesis_] or by an +English name the [_Insertour_] and is when ye will seeme for larger +information or some other purpose, to peece or graffe in the middest of +your tale an vnnecessary parcell of speach, which neuerthelesse may be +thence without any detriment to the rest. The figure is so common that it +needeth none example, neuerthelesse because we are to teache Ladies and +Gentlewomen to know their schoole points and termes appertaining to the +Art, we may not refuse ro yeeld examples euen in the plainest cases, as +that of maister _Diars_ very aptly. + _But now my Deere_ (_for so my loue makes me to call you still_) + _That loue I say, that lucklesse loue, that works me all this ill._ + +Also in our Eglogue intituled _Elpine_, which we made being but eightene +yeares old, to king _Edward_ the sixt a Prince of great hope, we surmised +that the Pilot of a ship answering the King, being inquisitiue and +desirous to know all the parts of the ship and tackle, what they were, & +to what vse they serued, vsing this insertion or Parenthesis. + _Soueraigne Lord (for why a greater name + To one on earth no mortall tongue can frame + No statelie stile can giue the practisd penne: + To one on earth conuersant among men.)_ + +And so proceedes to answere the kings question? + _The shippe thou seest sayling in sea so large, &c._ + +This insertion is very long and vtterly impertinent to the principall +matter, and makes a great gappe in the tale, neuerthelesse is no disgrace +but rather a bewtie and to very good purpose, but you must not vse such +insertions often nor to thick, nor those that bee very long as this of +ours, for it will breede great confusion to haue the tale so much +interrupted. + + [Sidenote: _Histeron proteron_, or the Preposterous.] +Ye haue another manner of disordered speach, when ye misplace your words +or clauses and set that before which should be behind, _& e conuerso_, we +call it in English prouerbe, the cart before the horse, the Greeks call it +_Histeron proteron_, we name it the Preposterous, and if it be not too +much vsed is tollerable inough, and many times scarse perceiueable, +vnlesse the sence be thereby made very absurd: as he that described his +manner of departure from his mistresse, said thus not much to be misliked. + _I kist her cherry lip and tooke my leaue_: + +For I tooke my leaue and kist her: And yet I cannot well say whether a man +vse to kisse before hee take his leaue, or take his leaue before he kisse, +or that it be all one busines. It seemes the taking leaue is by vsing some +speach, intreating licence of departure: the kisse a knitting vp of the +farewell, and as it were a testimoniall of the licence without which here +in England one may not presume of courtesie to depart, let yong Courtiers +decide this controuersie. One describing his landing vpon a strange coast, +sayd thus preposterously. + _When we had climbde the clifs, and were a shore_, + +Whereas he should haue said by good order. + _When we were come ashore and clymed had the cliffs_ + +For one must be on land ere he can clime. And as another said: + _My dame that bred me up and bare me in her wombe_. + +Whereas the bearing is before the bringing vp. All your other figures of +disorder because they rather seeme deformities then bewties of language, +for so many of them as be notoriously vndecent, and make no good harmony, +I place them in the Chapter of vices hereafter following. + + + + + _CHAP. XIIII._ + +_Of your figures Auricular that worke by Surplusage_. + + +Your figures _auricular_ that worke by surplusage, such of them as be +materiall and of importaunce to the sence or bewtie of your language, I +referre them to the harmonicall speaches oratours among the figures +rhetoricall, as be those of repetition, and iteration or amplification. +All other sorts of surplusage, I accompt rather vicious then figuratiue, & +therefore not melodious as shalbe remembred in the chapter of viciosities +or faultie speaches. + + + + + _CHAP. XV._ + +_Of auricular figures working by exchange._ + + + [Sidenote: _Enallage_, or the Figure of Exchange.] +Your figures that worke _auricularly_ by exchange, were more obseruable to +the Greekes and Latines for the brauenesse of their language, ouer that +ours is, and for the multiplicitie of their Grammaticall accidents, or +verball affects, as I may terme them, that is to say, their diuers cases, +moodes, tenses, genders, with variable terminations, by reason whereof, +they changed not the very word, but kept the word, and changed the shape +of him onely, vsing one case for another, or tense, or person, or gender, +or number, or moode. We, hauing no such varietie of accidents, haue little +or no vse of this figure. They called it _Enallage._ + + [Sidenote: _Hipallage_, or the Changeling.] +But another sort of exchange which they had, and very prety, we doe +likewise vse, not changing one word for another, by their accidents or +cases, as the _Enallage_: nor by the places, as the [_Preposterous_] but +changing their true construction and application, whereby the sence is +quite peruerted and made very absurd: as he that should say, +for _tell me troth and lie not, lie me troth and tell not._ +For _come dine with me and stay not, come stay with me and dine not._ + +A certaine piteous louer, to moue his mistres to compassion, wrote among +other amorous verses, this one. + _Madame, I set your eyes before mine woes._ + +For, mine woes before your eyes, spoken to th'intent to winne fauour in +her sight. + +But that was pretie of a certaine sorrie man of law, that gaue his Client +but bad councell, and yet found fault with his fee, and said: my fee, good +frend, hath deserued better counsel. Good master, quoth the Client, if +your selfe had not said so, I would neuer haue beleeued it; but now I +thinke as you doo. The man of law perceiuing his error, I tell thee (quoth +he) my counsel hath deserued a better fee. Yet of all others was that a +most ridiculous, but very true exchange, which the yeoman of London vsed +with his Sergeant at the Mace, who said he would goe into the countrie, +and make merry a day or two, while his man plyed his busines at home: an +example of it you shall finde in our Enterlude entituled Lustie London: +the Sergeant, for sparing of hors-hire, said he would goe with the Carrier +on foote. That is not for your worship, saide his yeoman, whereunto the +Sergeant replyed. + _I wot what I meant Iohn, it is for to stay + And company the knaue Carrier, for loosing my way._ + +The yeoman thinking it good manner to soothe his Sergeant, said againe, + _I meant what I wot Sir, your best is to hie, + And carrie a knaue with you for companie._ + +Ye see a notorious exchange of the construction, and application of the +words in this: _I wot what I meane_; and _I meane what I wot_, and in the +other, _company the knaue Carrier_, and _carrie a knaue in your company_. +The Greekes call this figure [_Hipallage_] the Latins _Submutatio_, we in +our vulgar may call him the [_under-change_] but I had rather haue him +called the [_Changeling_] nothing at all sweruing from his originall, and +much more aptly to the purpose, and pleasanter to beare in memory: +specially for our Ladies and pretie mistresses in Court, for whose +learning I write, because it is a terme often in their mouthes, and +alluding to the opinion of Nurses, who are wont to say, that the Fayries +vse to steale the fairest children out of their cradles, and put other ill +fauoured in their places, which they called changelings, or Elfs: so, if +ye mark, doeth our Poet, or maker play with his wordes, vsing a wrong +construction for a right, and an absurd for a sensible, by manner of +exchange. + + + + + _CHAP. XVI._ + +_Of some other figures which because they serue chiefly to make the +meeters tunable and melodious, and affect not the minde but very little, +be placed among the auricular._ + + + [Sidenote: _Omoioteleton_, or the Like loose.] +The Greekes vsed a manner of speech or writing in their proses, that went +by clauses, finishing in words of like tune, and might be by vsing like +cases, tenses, and other points of consonance, which they called +_Omoioteleton_, and is that wherin they neerest approched to our vulgar +ryme, and may thus be expressed. + _Weeping creeping beseeching I wan, + The loue at length of Lady Lucian._ + +Or thus if we speake in prose and not in meetre. + _Mischaunces ought not to be lamented, + But rather by wisedome in time preuented: + For such mishappes as be remedilesse, + To sorrow them it is but foolishnesse: + Yet are we all so frayle of nature, + As to be greeued with euery displeasure._ + +The craking Scotts as the Cronicle reportes at a certaine time made this +bald rime vpon the English-men. + _Long beards hartlesse, + Painted hoodes witlesse: + Gay coates gracelesse, + Make all England thriftlesse._ + +Which is no perfect rime in deede, but clauses finishing in the self same +tune: for a rime of good simphonie should not conclude his concords with +one & the same terminant sillable, as _less, less, less_, but with diuers +and like terminants, as _les, pres, mes_, as was before declared in the +chapter of your cadences, and your clauses in prose should neither finish +with the same nor with the like terminants, but with the contrary as hath +bene shewed before in the booke of proportions; yet many vse it otherwise, +neglecting the Poeticall harmonie and skill. And th'Earle of _Surrey_ with +Syr _Thomas Wyat_ the most excellent makers of their time, more +peraduenture respecting the fitnesse and ponderositie of their wordes then +the true cadence or simphonie, were very licencious in this point. We call +this figure following the originall, the [_like loose_] alluding to +th'Archers terme who is not said to finish the feate of his shot before he +giue the loose, and deliuer his arrow from his bow, in which respect we +vse to say marke the loose of a thing for marke the end of it. + + [Sidenote: _Parimion_, or the Figure of like letter.] +Ye do by another figure notably affect th'eare when ye make euery word of +the verse to begin with a like letter, as for example in this verse +written in an _Epithaphe_ of our making. + _Time tried his truth his trauailes and his trust, + And time to late tried his integritie._ + +It is a figure much vsed by our common rimers, and doth well if it be not +too much vsed, for then it falleth into the vice which shalbe hereafter +spoken of called _Tautologia._ + + [Sidenote: _Asyndeton_, or the Loose language.] +Ye haue another sort of speach in a maner defectiue because it wants good +band or coupling, and is the figure [_Asyndeton_] we call him [_loose +language_] and doth not a litle alter th'eare as thus. + _I saw it, I said it, I will sweare it._ + +_Caesar_ the Dictator vpon the victorie hee obteined against _Pharnax_ +king of _Bithinia_ shewing the celeritie of his conquest, wrate home to +the Senate in this tenour of speach no lesse swift and speedy then his +victorie. + _Veni, vidi, vici, + I came, I saw, I overcame._ + +Meaning thus I was no sooner come and beheld them but the victorie fell on +my side. + +The Prince of Orenge for his deuise of Armes in banner displayed against +the Duke of Adua and the Spaniards in the Low-countrey vsed the like maner +of speach. + _Pro Rege, pro lege, pro grege, + For the king, for the commons, for the countrey lawes._ + +It is a figure to be vsed when we will seeme to make hast, or to be +earnest, and these examples with a number more be spoken by the figure of +[_lose language_.] + + [Sidenote: _Polisindeton_, or the Couple clause.] +Quite contrary to this ye haue another maner of construction which they +called [_Polisindeton_] we may call him the [_couple clause_] for that +euery clause is knit and coupled together with a coniunctiue thus, + _And I saw it, and I say it and I + Will sweare it to be true._ + +So might the Poesie of _Caesar_ haue bene altered thus. + _I came, and I saw, and I ouercame._ + +One wrote these verses after the same sort, + _For in her mynde no thought there is, + But how she may be true to is: + And tenders thee and all thy heale, + And wisheth both thy health and weale: + And is thine owne, and so she sayes, + And cares for thee ten thousand wayes._ + + [Sidenote: _Irmus_, or the Long loose.] +Ye haue another maner of speach drawen out at length and going all after +one tenure and with an imperfit sence till you come to the last word or +verse which concludes the whole premisses with a perfit sence & full +periode, the Greeks call it [_Irmus_,] I call him the [_long loose_] thus +appearing in a dittie of Sir _Thomas Wyat_ where he describes the diuers +distempers of his bed. + _The restlesse state renuer of my smart, + The labours salue increasing my sorrow: + The bodies ease and troubles of my hart, + Quietour of mynde mine unquiet foe: + Forgetter of paine remembrer of my woe, + The place of sleepe wherein I do but wake: + Besprent with teares my bed I thee forsake._ + +Ye see here how ye can gather no perfection of sence in all this dittie +till ye come to the last verse in these wordes _my bed I thee forsake_. +And in another Sonet of _Petrarcha_ which was thus Englished by the same +Sir _Thomas Wyat_. + _If weaker care of sodaine pale collour, + If many sighes with little speach to plaine: + Now ioy now woe, if they my ioyes distaine, + For hope of small, if much to feare therefore, + Be signe of loue then do I loue againe._ + +Here all the whole sence of the dittie is suspended till ye come to the +last three wordes, _then do I loue againe_, which finisheth the song with +a full and perfit sence. + + [Sidenote: _Epitheton_, or the Qualifier.] +When ye will speake giuing euery person or thing besides his proper name a +qualitie by way of addition whether it be of good or of bad it is a +figuratiue speach of audible alteration, so is it also of sence as to say. + _Fierce Achilles, wise Nestor, wilie Vlysses, + Diana the chast and thou louely Venus: + With thy blind boy that almost neuer misses, + But hits our hartes when he levels at vs._ + +Or thus commending the Isle of great Brittaine. + _Albion hugest of Westerne Ilands all, + Soyle of sweete ayre and of good store: + God send we see thy glory neuer fall, + But rather dayly to grow more and more._ + +Or as we sang of our Soueraigne Lady giuing her these Attributes besides +her proper name. + _Elizatbeth regent of the great Brittaine Ile, + Honour of all regents and of Queenes._ + +But if we speake thus not expressing her proper name _Elizabeth_, videl. + _The English Diana, the great Britton mayde._ + +Then is it not by _Epitheton_ or figure of Attribution but by the figures +_Antonomasia_, or _Periphrasis_. + + [Sidenote: _Endiadis_, or the Figure of Twinnes.] +Ye haue yet another manner of speach when ye will seeme to make two of +one, not thereunto constrained, which therefore we call the figure of +Twynnes, the Greekes _Endiadis_ thus. + _Not you coy dame your lowrs nor your lookes._ + +For [_your lowring lookes_] And as one of our ordinary rimers said, + _Of fortune nor her frowning face, + I am nothing agast._ + +In stead of [_fortunes frowning face_.] One praysing the Neapolitans for +good men at armes, said by the figure of Twynnes thus. + _A proud people and wise and valiant, + Fiercely fighting with horses and with barbes: + By whole prowes the Romain Prince did daunt, + Wild Affricanes and the lawlesse Alarbes: + The Nubiens marching with their armed cartes, + And sleaing a farre with venim, and with dartes._ + +Where ye see this figure of Twynnes twise vsed, once when he said _horses +and barbes_ for barbd horses: againe when he saith with _venim_ and with +_dartes_ for venimous dartes. + + + + + _CHAP. XVII._ + +_Of the figures which we call Sensable, because they alter and affect the +minde by alteration of sence, and first in single wordes._ + + +The eare hauing receiued his due satisfaction by the _auricular_ figures, +now must the minde also be seured, with his naturall delight by figures +_sensible_ such as by alteration of intendments affect the courage, and +geue a good liking to the conceit. And first, single words haue their +sence and vnderstanding altered and figured many wayes, to wit, by +transport, abuse, crosse-naming, new naming, change of name. This will +seeme very darke to you, vnlesse it be otherwise explaned more +particularly: and first of _Transport_. + + [Sidenote: Metaphora, or the Figure of transporte.] +There is a kinde of wresting of a single word from his owne right +signification, to another not so naturall, but yet of some affinitie or +conueniencie with it, as to say, _I cannot digest your vnkinde words_, for +I cannot take them in good part: or as the man of law said, _I feele you +not_, for I vnderstand not your case, because he had not his fee in his +hand. Or as another said to a mouthy Aduocate, _why barkest thou at me so +sore?_ Or to call the top of a tree, or of a hill, the crowne of a tree or +of a hill: for in deede _crowne_ is the highest ornament of a Princes +head, made like a close garland, or els the top of a mans head, where the +haire windes about, and because such terme is not applyed naturally to a +tree or to a hill, but is transported from a mans head to a hill or tree, +therefore it is called by _metaphore_, or the figure of _transport_. And +three causes moue vs to vse this figure, one for necessitie or want of a +better word, thus: + _As the drie ground that thirstes after a showr + Seems to reioyce when it is well wet, + And speedely brings foorth both grasse and flowr, + If lacke of sunne or season doo not let._ + +Here for want of an apter and more naturall word to declare the drie +temper of the earth, it is said to thirst & to reioyce, which is onley +proper to liuing creatures, and yet being so inuerted, doth not so much +swerue from the true sence but that euery man can easilie conceiue the +meaning thereof. + +Againe, we vse it for pleasure and ornament of our speach, as thus in an +Epitaph of our owne making, to the honourable memorie of a deere friend, +Sir _Iohn Throgmorton_, knight, Iustice of Chester, and a man of many +commendable vertues. + _Whom vertue rerde, enuy hath ouerthrowen + And Iudged full low, vnder this marble stone: + Ne neuer were his values so well knowen, + Whilest he liued here, as now that he is gone. + +Here these words, _rered, overthrowen_, and _lodged_, are inuerted, & +_metaphorically_ applyed, not vpon necessitie, but for ornament onely, +afterward againe in these verses. + _No sunne by day that euer saw him rest + Free from the toyles of his so busie charge, + No night that harbourd rankor in his breast, + Nor merry moode made reason runne at large._ + +In these verses the inuersion or metaphore, lyeth in these words, _saw, +harbourd, run:_ which naturally are applyed to liuing things, & not to +insensible: as the _sunne_, or the _night_: & yet they approach so neere, +& so conueniently, as the speech is thereby made more commendable. Againe, +in moe verses of the same Epitaph, thus. + _His head a source of grauitie and sence, + His memory a shop of ciuill arte, + His tongue a streame of sugred eloquence, + Wisdome and meekenes lay mingled in his harte,_ + +In which verses ye see that these words, _source, shop, find, sugred_, are +inuerted from their owne signification to another, not altogether so +naturall, but of much affinitie with it. + +Then also do we it sometimes to enforce a sence and make the word more +significatiue: as thus, + _I burne in loue, I freese in deadly hate + I swimme in hope, and sinke in deepe dispaire._ + +These examples I haue the willinger giuen you to set foorth the nature and +vse of your figure metaphore, which of any other being choisly made, is +the most commendable and most common. + + [Sidenote: _Catachresis_, or the Figure of abuse] +But if for lacke of naturall and proper terme or worde we take another, +neither naturall nor proper and do vntruly applie it to the thing which we +would seeme to expresse, and without any iust inconuenience, it is not +then spoken by this figure _Metaphore_ or of _inuersion_ as before, but by +plaine abuse as he that bad his man go into his library and set him his +bowe and arrowes, for in deede there was neuer a booke there to be found, +or as one should in reproch say to a poore man, thou raskall knaue, where +_raskall_ is properly the hunters terme giuen to young deere, leane & out +of season, and not to people: or as one said very pretily in this verse. + _I lent my loue to losse, and gaged my life in vaine._ + +Whereas this worde _lent_ is properly of mony or some such other thing, as +men do commonly borrow, for vse to be repayed againe, and being applied to +loue is vtterly abused, and yet very commendably spoken by vertue of this +figure. For he that loueth and is not beloued againe; hath no lesse wrong, +that he that lendeth and is neuer repayde. + + [Sidenote: _Metonimia_, or the Misnamer] +Now doth this vnderstanding or secret conceyt reach many times to the only +nomination of persons or things in their names, as of men, or mountaines, +seas, countries and such like, in which respect the wrong naming, or +otherwise naming of them then is due, carieth not onely an alteration of +sence but a necessitie of intendment figuratiuely, as when we cal loue by +the name of _Venus_, fleshly lust by the name of _Cupid_, bicause they +were supposed by the auncient poets to be authors and kindlers of loue and +lust: _Vulcane_ for fire, _Ceres_ for bread: _Bacchus_ for wine by the +same reason; also if one should say to a skilfull craftesman knowen for a +glutton or common drunkard, that had spent all his goods on riot and +delicate fare. + _Thy hands they made thee rich, thy pallat made thee poore._ + +It is ment, his trauaile and arte made him wealthie, his riotous life had +made him a beggar: and as one that boasted of his housekeeping, said that +neuer a yeare passed ouer his head, that he drank not in his house euery +moneth foure tonnes of beere, & one hogshead of wine, meaning not the +caskes, or vessels, but that quantitie which they conteyned. These and +such other speaches, where ye take the name of the Author for the thing it +selfe, or the thing conteining, for that which is contained, & in many +other cases do as it were wromg name the person or the thing. So +neuerthelesse as it may be vnderstood, it is by the figure _metonymia_, or +misnamer. + + [Sidentote: _Antonomasia_, or the Surnamer.] +And if this manner of naming of persons or things be not by way of +misnaming as before, but by a conuenient difference, and such as is true +or esteemed and likely to be true, it is then called not _metonimia_, but +_antonomasia_, or the Surnamer, (not the misnamer, which might extend to +any other thing aswell as to a person) as he that would say: not king +Philip of Spaine, but the Westerne king, because his dominion lieth the +furdest West of any Christen prince: and the French king the great +_Vallois_, because so is the name of his house, or the Queene of England, +_The maiden Queene_, for that is her hiest peculiar among all the Queenes +of the world, or as we said in one of our _Partheniades_, the _Bryton +mayde_, because she is the most great and famous mayden of all Brittayne: +thus, + _But in chaste stile, am borne as I weene + To blazon foorth the Brytton mayden Queene._ + +So did our forefathers call _Henry the first, Beauclerke, Edmund Ironside, +Richard coeur de lion: Edward the Confessor_, and we of her Maiestie +_Elisabeth_ the peasible. + + [Sidenote: _Onomatopeia_, or the New namer.] +Then also is the sence figuratiue when we deuise a new name to any thing +consonant, as neere as we can to the nature thereof, as to say: _flashing +of lightning, clashing of blades, clinking of fetters, chinking of money_: +& as the poet _Virgil_ said of the sounding a trumpet, _ta-ra-tant, +taratantara_, or as we giue special names to the voices of dombe beasts, +as to say, a horse neigheth, a lyon brayes, a swine grunts, a hen +cackleth, a dogge howles, and a hundreth mo such new names as any man hath +libertie to deuise, so it be fittie for the thing which he couets to +expresse. + + [Sidenote: _Epitheton_, or the Quallifier, + otherwise the figure of Attribution.] +Your _Epitheton_ or _qualifier_, whereof we spake before, placing him +among the figures _auricular_, now because he serues also to alter and +enforce the sence, we will say somewhat more of him in this place, and do +conclude that he must be apt and proper for the thing he is added vnto, & +not disagreable or repugnant, as one that said: _darke disdaine_ and +_miserable pride_, very absurdly, for disdaine or disdained things cannot +be said darke, but rather bright and cleere, because they be beholden and +much looked vpon, and pride is rather enuied then pitied or miserable, +vnlessse it be in Christian charitie, which helpeth not the terme in this +case. Some of our vulgar writers take great pleasure in giuing Epithets +and do it almost to euery word which may receiue them, and should not be +so, vea though they were neuer so propre and apt, for sometimes wordes +suffered to go single, do giue greater sence and grace than words +quallified by attributions do. + + [Sidenote: _Metalepsis_, or the Farreset.] +But the sence is much altered & the hearers conceit strangly entangled by +the figure _Metalepsis_, which I call the farset, as when we had rather +fetch a word a great way off then to vse one nerer hand to expresse the +matter aswel & plainer. And it seemeth the deuiser of this figure had a +desire to please women rather then men: for we vse to say by manner of +Prouerbe: things farreset and deare bought are good for Ladies: so in this +manner of speach we vfe it, leaping ouer the heads of a great many words, +we take one that is furdest off, to vtter our matter by: as _Medea_ +cursing hir first acquaintance with prince _Iason_, who had very vnkindly +forsaken her, said: + _Woe worth the mountaine that the maste bare + Which was the first causer of all my care._ + +Where she might aswell haue said, woe worth our first meeting, or woe +worth the time that _Iason_ arriued with his ship at my fathers cittie in +_Colchos_, when he tooke me away with him, & not so farre off as to curse +the mountaine that bare the pinetree, that made the mast, that bare the +sailes, that the ship sailed with, which caried her away. A pleasant +Gentleman came into a Ladies nursery, and saw her for her owne pleasure +rocking of her young child in the cradle, and sayd to her: + _I speake it Madame without any mocke, + Many a such cradell may I see you rocke._ + +Gods passion hourson said she, would thou haue me beare mo children yet, +no _Madame_ quoth the Gentleman, but I would haue you liue long, that ye +might the better pleasure your friends, for his meaning was that as euery +cradle signified a new borne childe, & euery child the leasure of one +yeares birth, & many yeares a long life: so by wishing her to rocke many +cradels of her owne, he wished her long life. _Virgill_ said: + _Post multas mea regna videns murabor aristas._ + +Thus in English. + _After many a stubble shall I come + And wonder at the sight of my kingdome._ + +By stubble the Poet vnderftoode yeares, for haruests come but once euery +yeare, at least wayes with vs in Europe. Thus is spoken by the figure of +farre-set _Metalepsis_. + + [Sidenote: _Emphasis_, or the Renforcer.] +And one notable meane to affect the minde, is to inforce the sence of any +thing by a word of more than ordinary efficacie, and neuertheles is not +apparant, but as it were, secretly implyed, as he that laid thus of a +faire Lady. + _O rare beautie, o grace, and curtesie_. + +And by a very euill man thus. + _O sinne it selfe, not wretch, but wretchednes_. + +Whereas if he had said thus, _O gratious, courteous and beautifull woman_: +and, _O sinfull and wretched man_, it had bene all to one effect, yet not +with such force and efficacie to speake by the denominatiue, as by the +thing it selfe. + + [Sidenote: _Liptote_, or the Moderatour.] +As by the former figure we vse to enforce our sence, so by another we +temper our sence with wordes of such moderation, as in appearaunce it +abateth it but not in deede, and is by the figure _Liptote_, which +therefore I call the _Moderator_, and becomes us many times better to +speake in that sort quallified, than if we spake it by more forcible +termes, and neuertheles is equipolent in sence, thus. + _I know you hate me not, nor wish me any ill._ + +Meaning in deede that he loued him very well and dearely, and yet the +words doe not expresse so much, though they purport so much. Or if you +would say; I am not ignorant, for I know well inough. Such a man is no +foole, meaning in deede that he is a very wise man. + + [Sidenote: _Paradiastole_, or the Curry-fauell.] +But if such moderation of words tend to flattery, or soothing, or +excusing, it is by the figure _Paradiastole_, which therfore nothing +improperly we call the _Curry-fauell_, as when we make the best of a bad +thing, or turne a signification to the more plausible sence: as, to call +an vnthrift, a liberall Gentleman: the foolish-hardy, valiant or +couragious: the niggard, thriftie: a great riot, or outrage, an youthfull +pranke, and such like termes: moderating and abating the force of the +matter by craft, and for a pleasing purpose, as appeareth by these verses +of ours, teaching in what cases it may commendably be vsed by Courtiers. + + [Sidenote: _Meiosis_, or the Disabler.] +But if you diminish and abbase a thing by way of spight or malice, as it +were to depraue it, such speach is by the figure _Meiosis_ or the +_disabler_ spoken of hereafter in the place of _sententious_ figures. + _A great mountaine as bigge as a molehill, + A heauy burthen perdy, as a pound of fethers._ + + [Sidenote: _Tapinosis_, or the Abbaser.] +But if ye abase your thing or matter by ignorance or errour in the choise +of your word, then is it by vicious maner of speach called _Tapinosis_, +whereof ye shall haue examples in the chapter of vices hereafter folowing. + + [Sidenote: _Synecdoche_, or the Figure of quick conceite.] +Then againe if we vse such a word (as many times we doe) by which we driue +the hearer to conceiue more or lesse or beyond or otherwise then the +letter expresseth, and it be not by vertue of the former figures +_Metaphore_ and _Abase_ and the rest, the Greeks then call it +_Synecdoche_, the Latines _sub intellectio_ or vnderftanding, for by part +we are enforced to vnderstand the whole, by the whole part, by many things +one thing, by one, many, by a thing precedent, a thing consequent, and +generally one thing out of another by maner of contrariety to the word +which is spoken, _aliudex alio_, which because it seemeth to aske a good, +quick, and pregnant capacitie, and is not for an ordinarie or dull wit so +to do, I chose to call him the figure not onely of conceit after the +Greeke originall, but also of quick conceite. As for example we will giue +none because we will speake of him againe in another place, where he is +ranged among the figures _sensable_ apperteining to clauses. + + + + + _CHAP. XVIII._ + +_Of sensable figures altering and affecting the mynde by alteration of +sense or intendements in whole clauses or speaches._ + + +As by the last remembred figures the sence of single wordes is altered, so +by these that follow is that of whole and entire speach: and first by the +Courtly figure _Allegoria_, which is when we speake one thing and thinke +another, and that our wordes and our meanings meete not. The vse of this +figure is so large, and his vertue of so great efficacie as it is supposed +no man can pleasantly vtter and perswade without it, but in effect is sure +neuer or very seldome to thriue and prosper in the world, that cannot +skilfully put in vse, in somuch as not onely euery common Courtier, but +also the grauest Counsellour, yea and the most noble and wisest Prince of +them all are many times enforced to vse it, by example (say they) of the +great Emperour who had it vsually in his mouth to say, _Qui nescit +dissimulare nescit regnare_. Of this figure therefore which for his +duplicitie we call the figure of [_false semblant or dissimulation_] we +will speake first as of the chief ringleader and captaine of all other +figures, either in the Poeticall or oratorie science. + + [Sidenote: _Allegoria_, or the Figure of false semblant.] +And ye shall know that we may dissemble, I meane speake otherwise then we +thinke, in earnest as well as in sport, vnder couert and darke termes, and +in learned and apparant speaches, in short sentences, and by long ambage +and circumstance of wordes, and finally aswell when we lye as when we tell +truth. To be short euery speach wrested from his owne naturall +signification to another not altogether so naturall is a kinde of +dissimulation, because the wordes beare contrary countenaunce to +th'intent. But properly & in his principall vertue _Allegoria_ is when we +do speake in sence translatiue and wrested from the owne signification, +neuerthelesse applied to another not altogether contrary, but hauing much +coueniencie with it as before we said of the metaphore: as for example if +we should call the common wealth, a shippe; the Prince a Pilot, the +Counsellours mariners, the stormes warres, the calme and [_hauen_] peace, +this is spoken all in allegorie: and because such inuersion of sence in +one single worde is by the figure _Metaphore_, of whom we spake before, +and this manner of inuersion extending to whole and large speaches, it +maketh the figure _allegorie_ to be called a long and perpetuall +Metaphore. A noble man after a whole yeares absence from his ladie, sent +to know how she did, and whether she remayned affected toward him as she +was when he left her. + _Louely Lady I long full sore to heare, + If ye remaine the same, I left you last yeare._ + +To whom she answered in _allegorie_ other two verses: + _My louing Lorde I will well that ye wist, + The thred is spon, that neuer shall untwist._ + +Meaning, that her loue was so stedfast and constant toward him as no time +or occasion could alter it. _Virgill_ in his shepeherdly poemes called +_Eglogues_ vsed as rusticall but fit _allegorie_ for the purpose thus: + _Claudite iam riuos pueri sat prata biberunt._ + +Which I English thus: + _Stop up your streames (my lads) the medes haue drunk ther fill._ + +As much to say, leaue of now, yee haue talked of the matter inough: for +the shepheards guise in many places is by opening certaine sluces to water +their pastures, so as when they are wet inough they shut them againe: this +application is full Allegoricke. + +Ye haue another manner of Allegorie not full, but mixt, as he that wrate +thus: + _The cloudes of care haue coured all my coste, + The stormes of strife, do threaten to appeare: + The waues of woe, wherein my ship is toste. + Haue broke the banks, where lay my life so deere. + Chippes of ill chance, are fallen amidst my choise, + To marre the minde that ment for to reioyce._ + +I call him not a full Allegorie, but mixt, bicause he discouers withall +what the _cloud, storme, waue_, and the rest are, which in a full +allegorie should not be discouered, but left at large to the readers +iudgement and coniecture. + + [Sidenote: _Enigma_, or the Riddle.] +We dissemble againe vnder couert and darkes speaches, when we speake by +way of riddle (_Enigma_) of which the sence can hardly be picked out, but +by the parties owne assoile, as he that said: + _It is my mother well I wot, + And yet the daughter that I begot._ + +Meaning it by the ise which is made of frozen water, the same +being molten by the sunne or fire, makes water againe. + +My mother had an old woman in her nurserie, who in the winter nights would +put vs forth many prety ridles, whereof this is one: + _I haue a thing and rough it is + And in the midst a hole I wis: + There came a yong man with his ginne, + And he put it a handfull in_. + +The good old Gentlewoman would tell vs that were children how it was meant +by a furd glooue. Some other naughtie body would peraduenture haue +construed it not halfe so mannerly. The riddle is pretie but that it +holdes too much of the _Cachemphaton_ or foule speach and may be drawen to +a reprobate sence. + + [Sidenote: _Parimia_, or Prouerb.] +We dissemble after a sort, when we speake by comon prouerbs, or, as we vse +to call them, old said sawes, as thus: + _As the olde cocke crowes so doeth the chick: + A bad Cooke that cannot his owne fingers lick._ + +Meaning by the first, that the yong learne by the olde, either to be good +or euill in their behauiors: by the second, that he is not to be counted a +wise man, who being in authority, and hauing the administration of many +good and great things, will not serue his owne turne and his friends +whilest he may, & many such prouerbiall speeches: as _Totnesse is turned +French_, for a strange alteration: _Skarborow warning_, for a sodaine +commandement, allowing no respect or delay to bethinke a man of his +busines. Note neuerthelesse a diuersitie, for the two last examples be +prouerbs, the two first prouebiall speeches. + + [Sidenote: _Ironia_, or the Drie mock.] +Ye doe likewise dissemble, when ye speake in derision or mokerie, & that +may be many waies: as sometime in sport, sometime in earnest, and priuily, +and apertly, and pleasantly, and bitterly: but first by the figure +_Ironia_, which we call the _drye mock_: as he that said to a bragging +Ruffian, that threatened he would kill and slay, no doubt you are a good +man of your hands: or, as it was said by a French king, to one that praide +his reward, shewing how he had bene cut in the face at a certain battell +fought in his seruice: ye may see, quoth the king, what it is to runne +away & looke backwards. And as _Alphonso_ king of Naples, said to one that +profered to take his ring when he washt before dinner, this wil serue +another well: meaning that the Gentlemen had another time taken them, & +becaufe the king forgot to aske for them, neuer restored his ring againe. + + [Sidenote: _Sarcasmus_, or the Bitter taunt.] +Or when we deride with a certaine seueritie, we may call it the bitter +taunt [_Sarcasmus_] as _Charles_ the fift Emperour aunswered the Duke of +Arskot, beseeching him recompence of seruice done at the siege of Renty, +against _Henry_ the French king, where the Duke was taken prisoner, and +afterward escaped clad like a Colliar. Thou wert taken, quoth the +Emperour, like a coward, and scapedst like a Colliar, wherefore get thee +home and liue vpon thine owne. Or as king _Henry_ the eight said to one of +his priuy chamber, who sued for Sir _Anthony Rowse_, knight of Norfolke, +that his Maiestie would be good vnto him, for that he was an ill begger. +Quoth the king againe, if he be ashamed to beg, we are ashamed to geue. Or +as _Charles_ the fift Emperour, hauing taken in battaile _Iohn Frederike_ +Duke of Saxon, with the Lantgraue of Hessen and others: this Duke being a +man of monstrous bignesse and corpulence, after the Emperor had seene the +prisoners, said to those that were about him, I haue gone a hunting many +times, yet neuer tooke I such a swine before. + + [Sidenote: _Asteismus_ or the Merry scoffe, otherwise the ciuill iest.] +Or when we speake by manner of pleasantery, or mery skoffe, that is by a +kind of mock, whereof the sence is farreset, & without any gall or +offence. The Greekes call it [_Asteismus_] we may terme it the ciuill +iest, because it is a mirth very full of ciuilitie, and such as the most +ciuill men doo vse. As _Cato_ said to one that had geuen him a good knock +on the head with a long peece of timber he bare on his shoulder, and then +bad him beware: what (quoth _Cato_) wilt thou strike me againe? for ye +know, a warning should be geuen before a man haue receiued harme, and not +after. And as king _Edward_ the sixt, being of young yeres, but olde in +wit, saide to one of his priuie chamber, who sued for a pardon for one +that was condemned for a robberie, telling the king that if was but a +small trifle, not past sixteene shillings matter which he had taken: quoth +the king againe, but I warrant you the fellow was sorrie it had not bene +sixteene pound: meaning how the malefactors intent was as euill in that +trifle, as if it had bene a greater summe of money. In these examples if +ye marke there is no griefe or offence ministred as in those other before, +and yet are very wittie, and spoken in plaine derision. + +The Emperor _Charles_ the fift was a man of very few words, and delighted +little in talke. His brother king _Ferdinando_ being a man of more +pleasant discourse, sitting at the table with him, said, I pray your +Maiestie be not so silent, but let vs talke a little. What neede that +brother, quoth the Emperor, since you haue words enough for vs both. + + [Sidenote: _Micterismus_, or the Fleering frumpe.] +Or when we giue a mocke with a scornefull countenance as in some smiling +sort looking aside or by drawing the lippe awry, or shrinking vp the nose; +the Greeks called it _Micterismus_, we may terme it a fleering frumpe, as +he that said to one whose wordes he beleued not, no doubt Sir of that. +This fleering frumpe is one of the Courtly graces of _hicke the scorner._ + + [Sidenote: _Antiphrasis_, or the Broad floute.] +Or when we deride by plaine and flat contradiction, as he that saw a +dwarfe go in the streete said to his companion that walked with him: See +yonder gyant: and to a Negro or woman blackemoore, in good sooth ye are a +faire one, we may call it the broad floute. + + [Sidenote: _Charientismus_, or the Priuy nippe.] +Or when ye giue a mocke vnder smooth and lowly wordes as he that hard one +call him all to nought and say, thou art sure to be hanged ere thou dye: +quoth th'other very soberly, Sir I know your maistership speakes but in +iest, the Greeks call it (_charientismus_) we may call it the priuy nippe, +or a myld and appealing mockery: all these be souldiers to the figure +_allegoria_ and fight vnder the banner of dissimulation. + + [Sidenote: _Hiperbole_, or the Ouer reacher, + otherwise called the loud lyer.] +Neuerthelesse ye haue yet two or three other figures that smatch a spice +of the same _false semblant_, but in another sort and maner of phrase, +whereof one is when we speake in the superlatiue and beyond the limites of +credit, that is by the figure which the Greeks call _Hiperbole_, Latines +_Demenitiens_ or the lying figure. I for his immoderate excesse cal him +the ouer reacher right with his originall or [_lowd lyar_] & me thinks not +amisse: now when I speake that which neither I my selfe thinke to be true, +nor would haue any other body beleeue, it must needs be a great +dissimulation, because I meane nothing lesse then that I speake, and this +maner of speech is vsed, when either we would greatly aduaunce or greatly +abase the reputation of any thing or person, and must be vsed very +discreetly, or els it will seeme odious, for although a prayse or other +report may be allowed beyond credit, it may not be beyond all measure, +specially in the proseman, as he that was a speaker in a Parliament of +king _Henry_ the eights raigne, in his Oration which ye know is of +ordinary to be made before the Prince at the first assembly of both +houses, ould seeme to prayse his Maiestie thus. What should I go about to +recite your Maiesties innumerable vertues, euen as much as if I tooke vpon +me to number the stares of the skie, or to tell the sands of the sea. This +_Hyperbole_ was both _ultra fidem_ and also _ultra modum_, and therefore +of a graue and wise Counsellour made the speaker to be accompted a grosse +flattering foole: peraduenture if he had vsed it thus, it had bene better +and neuerthelesse a lye too, but a more moderate lye and no lesse to the +purpose of the kings commendation, thus. I am not able with any wordes +sufficiently to expresse your Maiesties regall vertues, your kingly +merites also towardes vs your people and realme are so exceeding many, as +your prayses therefore are infinite, your honour aud renowne euerlasting: +And yet all this if we shall measure it by the rule of exact veritie, is +but an vntruth, yet a more cleanely commendation then was maister +Speakers. Neuerthelesse as I said before if we fall a praysing, specially +of our mistresses vertue, bewtie, or other good parts, we be allowed now +and then to ouer-reach a little by way of comparison as he that said thus +in prayse of his Lady. + _Giue place ye louers here before, + That spent your boasts and braggs in vaine: + My Ladies bewtie passeth more, + The best of your I dare well fayne: + Then doth the sunne the candle light, + Or brightest day the darkest night._ + +And as a certaine noble Gentlewoman lamenting at the vnkindnesse of her +louer said very pretily in this figure. + _But since it will no better be, + My teares shall neuer blin: + To moist the earth in such degree, + That I may drowne therein: + That by my death all men may say, + Lo weemen are as true as they._ + + [Sidenote: _Periphrasis_, or the Figure of ambage.] +Then haue ye the figure _Periphrasis_, holding somewhat of the disembler, +by reason of a secret intent not appearing by the words, as when we go +about the bush, and will not in one or a few words expresse that thing +which we desire to haue knowen, but do chose rather to do it by many +words, as we our selues wrote of our Soueraigne Lady thus: + _Whom Princes serue, and Realmes obay, + And greatest of Bryton kings begot: + She came abroade euen yesterday, + When such as saw her, knew her not._ + +And the rest that followeth, meaning her Maiesties person, which we would +seeme to hide leauing her name vnspoken to the intent the reader should +gesse at it: neuerthelesse vpon the matter did so manifestly disclose it, +as any simple iudgement might easily perceiue by whom it was ment, that is +by Lady _Elizabeth, Queene of England and daughter to king Henry the +eight_, and therein resteth the dissimulation. It is one of the gallantest +figures among the poetes so it be vsed discretely and in his right kinde, +but many of these makers that be not halfe their craftes maisters, do very +often abuse it and also many waies. For if the thing or person they go +about to describe by circumstance, be by the writers improuidence +otherwise bewrayed, it looseth the grace of a figure, as he that said: + _The tenth of March when Aries receiued, + Dan Phoebus raies into his horned hed._ + +Intending to describe the spring of the yeare, which euery man knoweth of +himselfe, hearing the day of March named: the verses be very good the +figure nought worth, if it were meant in Periphrase for the matter, that +is the season of the yeare which should haue bene couertly disclosed by +ambage, was by and by blabbed out by naming the day of the moneth, & so +the purpose of the figure disapointed, peraduenture it had bin better to +haue said thus: + _The month and date when Aries receiud, + Dan Phoebus raies into his horned head._ + +For now there remaineth for the Reader somewhat to studie and gesse vpon, +and yet the spring time to the learned iudgement sufficiently expressed. + +The Noble Earle of Surrey wrote thus: + _In winters iust returne, when Boreas gan his raigne, + And euery tree vnclothed him fast as nature taught them plaine._ + +I would faine learne of some good maker, whether the Earle spake this in +figure of _Periphrase_ or not, for mine owne opinion I thinke that if he +ment to describe the winter season, he would not haue disclosed it so +broadly, as to say winter at the first worde, for that had bene against +the rules of arte, and without any good iudgement: which in so learned & +excellent a personage we ought not to suspect, we say therefore that for +winter it is no _Periphrase_ but language at large: we say for all that, +hauing regard to the second verse that followeth it is a _Periphrase_, +seeming that thereby he intended to shew in what part of the winter his +loues gaue him anguish, that is in the time which we call the fall of the +leafe, which begins in the moneth of October, and stands very well with +the figure to be vttered in that sort notwithstanding winter be named +before, for winter hath many parts: such namely as do not shake of the +leafe, nor vncloth the trees as here is mentioned: thus may ye iudge as I +do, that this noble Erle wrate excellently well and to purpose. Moreouer, +when a maker will seeme to vse circumlocution to set forth any thing +pleasantly and figuratiuely, yet no lesse plaine to a ripe reader, then if +it were named expresly, and when all is done, no man can perceyue it to be +the thing intended. This is a foule ouersight in any writer as did a good +fellow, who weening to shew his cunning, would needs by periphrase +expresse the realme of Scotland in no lesse then eight verses, and when he +had said all, no man could imagine it to be spoken of Scotland: and did +besides many other faults in his verse, so deadly belie the matter by his +description, as it would pitie any good maker to heare it. + + [Sidenote: _Synecdoche_, or the Figure of quick conceite.] +Now for the shutting vp of this Chapter, will I remember you farther of +that manner of speech which the Greekes call _Synecdoche_, and we the +figure of [_quicke conceite_] who for the reasons before alleged, may be +put under the speeches _allegoricall_, because of the darkenes and +duplicitie of his sence: as when one would tell me how the French king was +ouerthrowen at Saint Quintans. I am enforced to think that it was not the +king himselfe in person, but the Constable of Fraunce with the French +kings power. Or if one would say, the towne of Andwerpe were famished, it +is not so to be taken, but of the people of the towne of Andwerp, and this +conceit being drawen aside, and (as it were) from one thing to another, it +encombers the minde with a certaine imagination what it may be that is +meant, and not expressed: as he that said to a young gentlewoman, who was +in her chamber making her selfe vnready. Mistresse will ye geue me leaue +to vnlace your peticote, meaning (perchance) the other thing that might +follow such vnlacing. In the olde time, whosoeuer was allowed to vndoe his +Ladies girdle, he might lie with her all night: wherfore the taking of a +womans maydenhead away, was said to vndoo her girdle. _Virgineam dissoluit +zonan_, saith the Poet, conceiuing out of a thing precedent, a thing +subsequent. This may suffice for the knowledge of this figure [_quicke +conceit._] + + + + + _CHAP. XIX._ + +_Of Figures sententious, otherwise called Rhetoricall_. + + +Now if our presupposall be true that the Poet is of all other the most +auncient Orator, as he that by good & pleasant perswasions first reduced +the wilde and beastly people into publicke societies and ciuilitie of +life, insinuating vnto them, vnder fictions with sweete and coloured +speeches, many wholesome lessons and doctrines, then no doubt there is +nothing so fitte for him, as to be furnished with all the figures that be +_Rhetoricall_, and such as do most beautifie language with eloquence & +sententiousnes. Therefore since we haue already allowed to our maker his +_auricular_ figures, and also his _sensable_, by which all the words and +clauses of his meeters are made as well tunable to the eare, as stirring +to the minde, we are now by order to bestow vpon him those other figures +which may execute both offices, and all at once to beautifie and geue +sence and sententiousnes to the whole language at large. So as if we +should intreate our maker to play also the Orator, and whether it be to +pleade, or to praise, or to aduise, that in all three cases he may vtter, +and also perswade both copiously and vehemently. + +And your figures rhethoricall, besides their remembered ordinarie vertues, +that is, sententiousnes, & copious amplification, or enlargement of +language, doe also conteine a certaine sweet and melodious manner of +speech, in which respect, they may, after a sort, be said _auricular_: +because the eare is no lesse rauished with their currant tune, than the +mind is with their sententiousnes. For the eare is properly but an +instrument of conueyance for the minde, to apprehend the sence by the +sound. And our speech is made melodious or harmonicall, not onely by +strayned tunes, as those of _Musick_, but also by choise of smoothe words: +and thus, or thus, marshalling them in their comeliest construction and +order, and aswell by sometimes sparing, sometimes spending them more or +lesse liberally, and carrying or transporting of them farther off or +neerer, setting them with sundry relations, and variable formes, in the +ministery and vse of words, doe breede no little alteration in man. For to +say truely, what els is man but his minde? which, whosoeuer haue skil to +compasse, and make yeelding and flexible, what may not he commaund the +body to perfourme? He therefore that hath vanquished the minde of man, +hath made the greatest and most glorious conquest. But the minde is not +assailable vnlesse it be by sensible approches, whereof the audible is of +greatest force for instruction or discipline: the visible, for +apprehension of exterior knowledges as the Philosopher saith. Therefore +the well tuning of your words and clauses to the delight of the eare, +maketh your information no lesse plausible to the minde than to the eare: +no though you filled them with neuer so much sence and sententiousnes. +Then also must the whole tale (if it tende to perswasion) beare his iust +and reasonable measure, being rather with the largest, than with the +scarcest. For like as one or two drops of water perce not the flint stone, +but many and often droppings doo: so cannot a few words (be they neuer so +pithie or sententious) in all cases and to all manner of mindes, make so +deepe an impression, as a more multitude of words to the purpose +discreetely, and without superfluitie vttered: the minde being no lesse +vanquished with large loade of speech, than the limmes are with heauie +burden. Sweetenes of speech, sentence and amplification, are therefore +necessarie to an excellent Orator and Poet, ne may in no wise be spared +from any of them. + +And first of all others your figure that worketh by iteration or +repetition of one word or clause doth much alter and affect the eare and +also the mynde of the hearer, and therefore is counted a very braue figure +both with the Poets and rhetoriciens, and this repetition may be in seuen +sortes. + + [Sidenote: _Anaphora_, or the Figure of Report.] +Repetition in the first degree we call the figure of _Report_ according to +the Greeke originall, and is when we make one word begin, and as they are +wont to say, lead the daunce to many verses in sute, as thus. + _To thinke on death it is a miserie + To thinke on life it is a vanitie: + To thinke on the world verily it is, + To thinke that heare man hath no perfit blisse_. + +And this written by Sir _Walter Raleigh_ of his greatest mistresse iin +most excellent verses. + _In vayne mine eyes in vaine you wast your teares, + In vayne my sighs the smokes of my despaires: + In vayne you search th'earth and heauens aboue, + In vayne ye seeke, for fortune keeps my loue._ + +Or as the buffon in our enterlude called _Lustie London_ said very +knauishly and like himselfe. + _Many a faire lasse in London towne, + Many a bawdie basket borne up and downe: + Many a broker in a thridbare gowne. + Many a bankrowte scarce worth a crowne. + In London_. + + [Sidenote: _Antistrophe_, or the Counter turne.] +Ye haue another sort of repetition quite contrary to the former when ye +make one word finish many verses in sute, and that which is harder, to +finish many clauses in the middest of your verses or dittie (for to make +them finish the verse in our vulgar it should hinder the rime) and because +I do finde few of our English makers vse this figure, I haue set you down +two litle ditties which our selues in our yonger yeares played vpon the +_Antistrophe_, for so is the figures name in Greeke: one vpon the mutable +loue of a Lady, another vpon the meritorious loue of Christ our Sauiour, +thus. + _Her lowly lookes, that gaue life to my loue, + With spitefull speach, curstnesse and crueltie: + She kild my loue, let her rigour remoue, + Her cherefull lights and speaches of pitie + Reuiue my loue: anone with great disdaine, + She shunnes my loue, and after by a traine + She seekes my loue, and faith she loues me most, + But seing her loue, so lightly wonne and lost: + I longd not for her loue, for well I thought, + Firme is the loue, if it be as it ought._ + +The second vpon the merites of Christes passion toward mankind, thus, + _Our Christ the sonne of God, chief authour of all good, + Was he by his allmight, that first created man: + And with the costly price, of his most precious bloud, + He that redeemed man: and by his instance wan + Grace in the sight of God, his onely father deare, + And reconciled man: and to make man his peere + Made himselfe very man: brief to conclude the case, + This Christ both God and man, he all and onely is: + The man brings man to God and to all heauens blisse._ + +The Greekes call this figure _Antistrophe_, the Latines, _conuersio_, I +following the originall call him the _counterturne_, because he turnes +counter in the middest of euery meetre. + + [Sidenote: _Symploche_, or the figure of replie.] +Take me the two former figures and put them into one, and it is that which +the Greekes call _symploche_, the Latines _complexio_, or _conduplicatio_, +and is a maner of repetion, when one and the selfe word doth begin and end +many verses in sute & so wrappes vp both the former figures in one, as he +that sportingly complained of his vntrustie mistresse, thus. + _Who made me shent for her loues sake? + Myne owne mistresse. + Who would not seeme my part to take, + Myne owne mistresse. + + What made me first so well content + Her curtesie. + What makes me now so sore repent + Her crueltie._ + +The Greekes name this figure _Symploche_, the Latins _Complexio_, +perchaunce for that he seemes to hold in and to wrap vp the verses by +reduplication, so as nothing can fall out. I had rather call him the +figure of replie. + + [Sidenote: _Anadiplosis_, or the Redouble.] +Ye haue another sort of repetition when with the worde by which you finish +your verse, ye beginne the next verse with the same, as thus: + _Comforte it is for man to haue a wife, + Wife chast, and wise, and lowly all her life._ + +Or thus: + _Your beutie was the cause of my first loue, + Looue while I liue, that I may sore repent._ + +The Greeks call this figure _Anadiplosis_, I call him the _Redouble_ as +the originall beares. + + [Sidenote: _Epanalepsis_, or the Eccho sound, + otherwise, the slow return.] +Ye haue an other sorte of repetition, when ye make one worde both beginne +and end your verse, which therefore I call the slow retourne, otherwise +the Eccho sound, as thus: + _Much must he be beloued, that loueth much, + Feare many must he needs, whom many feare._ + +Vnlesse I called him the _eccho sound_, I could not tell what name to giue +him, vnlesse it were the slow returne. + + [Sidenote: _Epizeuxis_, or the Vnderlay, or Coocko-spel.] +Ye haue another sort of repetition when in one verse or clause of a verse, +ye iterate one word without any intermission, as thus: + _It was Maryne, Maryne that wrought mine woe._ + +And this bemoaning the departure of a deere friend. + _The chiefest staffe of mine assured stay, + With no small griefe, is gon, is gon away._ + +And that of Sir _Walter Raleighs_ very sweet. + _With wisdomes eyes had but blind fortune seene, + Than had my looue, my looue for euer beene._ + +The Greeks call him _Epizeuxis_, the Latines _Subiunctio_, we may call him +the _vnderlay_, me thinks if we regard his manner of iteration, & would +depart from the originall, we might very properly, in our vulgar and for +pleasure call him the _cuckowspell_, for right as the cuckow repeats his +lay, which is but one manner of note, and doth not insert any other tune +betwixt, and sometimes for hast stammers out two or three of them one +immediatly after another, as _cuck, cuck, cuckow_, so doth the figure +_Epizeuxis_ the former verses, _Maryne, Maryne_, without any intermission +at all. + + [Sidenote: _Ploche_, or the Doubler.] +Yet haue ye one sorte of repetition, which we call the _doubler_, and is +as the next before, a speedie iteration of one word, but with some little +intermission by inserting one or two words betweene, as in a most +excellent dittie written by Sir _Walter Raleigh_ these two closing verses: + _Yet when I sawe my selfe to you was true, + I loued my selfe, bycause my selfe loued you._ + +And this spoken in common Prouerbe. + _An ape wilbe an ape, by kinde as they say, + Though that ye clad him all in purple array._ + +Or as we once sported vpon a fellowes name who was called _Woodcock_, and +for an ill part he had plaid entreated fauour by his friend. + _I praie you intreate no more for the man, + Woodcocke wilbe a woodcocke do what ye can._ + +Now also be there many other sortes of repetition if a man would vse them, +but are nothing commendable, and therefore are not obserued in good +poesie, as a vulgar rimer who doubled one word in the end of euery verse, +thus: + _adieu, adieu + my face, my face_. + +And an other that did the like in the beginning of his verse, thus: + _To loue him and loue him, as sinners should doo._ + +These repetitions be not figuratiue but phantastical, for a figure is euer +vsed to a purpose, either of beautie or of efficacie: and these last +recited be to no purpose, for neither can ye say that it vrges affection, +nor that it beautifieth or enforceth the sence, nor hath any other +subtilitie in it, and therfore is a very foolish impertinency of speech, +and not a figure. + + [Sidenote: _Prosonomasia_, or the Nicknamer.] +Ye haue a figure by which ye play with a couple of words or names much +resembling, and because the one seemes to answere th'other by manner of +illusion, and doth, as it were, nick him, I call him the _Nicknamer_. If +any other man can geue him a fitter English name, I will not be angrie, +but I am sure mine is very neere the origninall sense of the +_Prosonomasia_, and is rather a by-name geuen in sport, than a surname +geuen of any earnest purpose. As, _Tiberius_ the Emperor, because he was a +great drinker of wine, they called him by way of derision to his owne name +_Caldius Biberius Mero_, in steade of _Claudius Tiberius Nero_: and so a +iesting frier that wrate against _Erasmus_, called him by resemblance to +his own _Errans mus_, and are mainteined by this figure _Prosonomasia_, or +the Nicknamer. But euery name geuen in iest or by way of a surname, if it +do not resemble the true, is not by this figure, as, the Emperor of +Greece, who was surnamed _Constantinus Cepronimus_, because he beshit the +foont at the time he was christened: and so ye may see the difference +betwixt the figures _Antonomasia_ & _Prosonomatia_. Now when such +resemblance happens betweene words of another nature and not vpon mens +names, yet doeth the Poet or maker finde prety sport to play with them in +his verse, specially the Comicall Poet and the Epigrammatist. Sir _Philip +Sidney_ in a dittie plaide very pretily with these two words, _Loue and +liue_, thus. + _And all my life I will confesse, + The lesse I loue, I liue the lesse._ + +And we in our Enterlude called the woer, plaid with these two words, +lubber and louer, thus, the countrey clowne came & woed a young maide of +the Citie, and being agreeued to come so oft, and not to haue his answere, +said to the old nurse very impatiently. +[Sidenote: Woer.] + _Iche pray you good mother tell our young dame, + Whence I am come and what is my name, + I cannot come a woing euery day._ + +Quoth the nurse. +[Sidenote: Nurse.] + _They be lubbers not louers that so use to say._ + +Or as one replyed to his mistresse charging him with some disloyaltie +towards her. + _Proue me madame ere ye fall to reproue, + Meeke mindes should rather excuse than accuse._ + +Here the words proue and reproue, excuse and accuse, do pleasantly +encounter, and (as it were) mock one another by their much resemblance: +and this is by the figure _Prosonomatia_, as wel as if they were mens +proper names, alluding to each other. + + [Sidenote _Traductio_, or the tranlacer.] +Then haue ye a figure which the Latines call _Traductio_, and I the +tranlacer: which is when ye turne and tranlace a word into many sundry +shapes as the Tailor doth his garment, & after that sort do play with him +in your dittie: as thus, + _Who liues in loue his life is full of feares, + To lose his loue, liuelode or libertie + But liuely sprites that young and recklesse be, + Thinke that there is no liuing like to theirs._ + +Or as one who much gloried in his owne wit, whom _Persius_ taxed in a +verse very pithily and pleasantly, thus. + _Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire, hoc sciat alter._ + +Which I haue turned into English, not so briefly, but more at large of +purpose the better to declare the nature of the figure: as thus, + _Thou weenest thy wit nought worth if other weet it not + As wel as thou thy selfe, but a thing well I wot, + Who so in earnest weenes, he doth in mine aduise, + Shew himselfe witlesse, or more wittie than wise._ + +Here ye see how in the former rime this word life is tranlaced into liue, +liuing, liuely, liuelode: & in the latter rime this word wit is translated +into weete, weene, wotte, witlesse, witty & wise: which come all from one +originall. + + [Sidenote: _Antipophora_, or Figure of responce.] +Ye haue a figuratiue speach which the Greeks cal _Antipophora_, I name him +the _Responce_, and is when we will seeme to aske a question to th'intent +we will aunswere it our selues, and is a figure of argument and also of +amplification. Of argument, because proponing such matter as our +aduersarie might obiect and then to answere it our selues, we do vnfurnish +and preuent him of such helpe as he would otherwise haue vsed for +himselfe: then because such obiection and answere spend much language it +serues as well to amplifie and enlarge our tale. Thus for example. + _Wylie worldling come tell me I thee pray, + Wherein hopest thou, that makes thee so to swell? + Riches? alack it taries not a day, + But where fortune the fickle list to dwell: + In thy children? how hardlie shalt thou finde, + Them all at once, good and thriftie and kinde: + Thy wife? o' faire but fraile mettall to trust, + Seruants? what theeues? what threachours and iniust? + Honour perchance? it restes in other men: + Glorie? a smoake: but wherein hopest thou then? + In Gods iustice? and by what merite tell? + In his mercy? o' now thou speakest wel, + But thy lewd life hath lost his loue and grace, + Daunting all hope to put dispaire in place._ + +We read that _Crates_ the Philosopher Cinicke in respect of the manifold +discommodities of mans life, held opinion that it was best for man neuer +to haue bene borne or soone after to dye, [_Optimum non nasci vel cito +mori_] of whom certaine verses are left written in Greeke which I haue +Englished, thus. + _What life is the liefest? the needy is full of woe and awe, + The wealthie full of brawle and brabbles of the law: + To be a married man? how much art thou beguild, + Seeking thy rest by carke, for houshold wife and child: + To till it is a toyle, to grase some honest gaine, + But such as gotten is with great hazard and paine: + The sayler of his shippe, the marchant of his ware, + The souldier in armes, how full of dread and care? + A shrewd wife brings thee bate, wiue not and neuer thriue, + Children a charge, childlesse the greatest lacke aliue: + Youth witlesse is and fraile, age sicklie and forlorne, + Then better to dye soone, or neuer to be borne._ + +_Metrodorus_ the Philosopher _Stoick_ was of a contrary opinion, reuersing +all the former suppositions against _Crates_, thus. + _What life list ye to lead? in good Citie and towne + Is wonne both wit and wealth, Court gets vs great renowne, + Countrey keepes vs in heale, and quietnesse of mynd, + Where holesome aires and exercise and pretie sports we find: + Traffick it turnes to gaine, by land and eke by seas, + The land-borned liues safe, the forriene at his ease: + Housholder hath his home, the roge romes with delight, + And makes moe merry meales, then dothe the Lordly wight: + Wed and thost hast a bed, of solace and of ioy, + Wed not and haue a bed, of rest without annoy: + The setled loue is safe, sweete is the loue at large, + Children they are a store, no children are no charge, + Lustie and gay is youth, old age honourd and wise: + Then not to dye or be unborne, is best in myne aduise._ + +_Edward_ Earle of Oxford a most noble & learned Gentleman made in this +figure of responce an emble of desire otherwise called _Cupide_ which for +his excellencie and wit, I set downe some part of the verses, for example. + _When wert thou borne desire? + In pompe and pryme of May, + By whome sweete boy wert thou begot? + By good conceit men say, + Tell me who was they nurse? + Fresh youth in sugred ioy. + What was thy meate and dayly foode? + Sad sighes with great annoy. + What hast thou then to drinke? + Vnfayned louers teares. + What cradle wert thou rocked in? + In hope deuoyde of feares._ + + [Sidenote: _Synteiosis_, or the Crosse copling.] +Ye haue another figure which me thinkes may well be called (not much +sweruing from his originall in sence) the _Crosse-couple_, because it +takes me two contrary words, and tieth them as it were in a paire of +couples, and so makes them agree like good fellowes, as I saw once in +Fraunce a wolfe coupled with a mastiffe, and a foxe with a hounde. Thus it +is. + _The niggards fault and the unthrifts is all one, + For neither of them both knoweth how to vse his owne._ + +Or thus. + _The couetous miser, of all his goods ill got, + Aswell wants that he hath, as that he hath not_. + +In this figure of the _Crosse-couple_ we wrate for a forlorne louer +complaining of his mistresse crueltie these verses among other. + _Thus for your sake I daily dye, + And do but seeme to liue in deede: + Thus is my blisse but miserie, + My lucre losse without your meede._ + + [Sidenote: Atanaclasis, or the Rebounde.] +Ye haue another figure which by his nature we may call the _Rebound_, +alluding to the tennis ball which being smitten with the racket reboundes +backe againe, and where the last figure before played with two wordes +somewhat like, this playeth with one word written all alike but carrying +diuers sences as thus. + _The maide that soone married is, soone marred is._ + +Or thus better because _married_ & _marred_ be different in one letter. + _To pray for you euer I cannot refuse, + To pray vpon you I should you much abuse._ + +Or as we once sported vpon a countrey fellow who came to runne for the +best game, and was by his occupation a dyer and had very bigge swelling +legges. + _He is but course to runne a course, + Whose shankes are bigger then his thye: + Yet is his lucke a little worse, + That often dyes before he dye. + +Where ye see this word _course_, and _dye_, vsed in diuers sences, one +giuing the _Rebounde_ vpon th'other. + + [Sidenote: _Clymax_, or the Marching figure.] +Ye haue a figure which as well by his Greeke and Latine originals, & also +by allusion to the maner of a mans gate or going may be called the +_marching figure_, for after the first steppe all the rest proceeds by +double the space, and so in our speach one word proceedes double to the +first that was spoken, and goeth as it were by strides or paces: it may +aswell be called the _clyming_ figure, for _Clymax_ is as much to say as a +ladder, as in one of our Epitaphes shewing how a very meane man by his +wisedome and good forture came to great estate and dignitie. + _His vertue made him wise, his wisedome broght him wealth, + His wealth won many friends, his friends made much supply: + Of aides in weale and woe in sicknesse and in health, + Thus came he from a low, to sit in state so hye._ + +Or as _Ihean de Mehune_ the French Poet. + _Peace makes plentie, plentie makes pride, + Pride breeds quarrell, and quarrell brings warre: + Warre brings spoile, and spoile pouertie, + Pouertie pacience, and pacience peace. + So peace brings warre, and warre brings peace._ + + [Sidenote: _Antimetauole_, or the Counterchange] +Ye haue a figure which takes a couple of words to play with in a verse, +and by making them to chaunge and shift one into others place they do very +pretily exchange and shift the sence, as thus. + _We dwell not here to build us boures, + And halles for pleasure and good cheare: + But halles we build for us and ours, + To dwell in then whilst we are here._ + +Meaning that we dwell not here to build, but we build to dwel, as we liue +not to eate, but eate to liue, or thus. + _We wish not peace to maintaine cruell warre, + But we make warre to maintaine us in peace._ + +Or thus. + _If Poesie be, as some haue said, + A speaking picture to the eye: + Then is a picture not denaid, + To be a muet Poesie._ + +Or as the Philosopher _Musonius_ wrote. + _With pleasure if we worke vnhonestly and ill, + The pleasure passeth, the bad it bideth still. + Well if we worke with trauaile and with paines, + The paine passeth and still the good remaines._ + +A wittie fellow in Rome wrate vnder the Image of _Caesar_ the Dictator +these two verses in Latine, which because they are spoke by this figure of +_Counterchaunge_ I haue turned into a couple of English verses very well +keeping the grace of the figure. + _Brutus for casting out of kings, was first of Consuls past, + Caesar for casting Consuls out, is of our kings the last._ + +_Cato_ of any Senatour not onely the grauest but also the promptest and +wittiest in any ciuill scoffe, misliking greatly the engrossing of offices +in Rome that one should haue many at once, and a great number goe without +that were as able men, said thus by _Counterchaunge_. + _It seemes your offices are very litle worth, + Or very few of you worthy of offices._ + +Againe: + _In trifles earnest as any man can bee, + In earnest matters no such trifler as hee._ + + [Sidenote: _Insultatio_, or the Disdainefull.] +Yee haue another figure much like to the _Sarcasimus_, or bitter taunt wee +spake of before: and is when with proud and insolent words, we do vpbraid +a man, or ride him as we terme it: for which cause the Latines also call +it _Insultatio_, I chose to name him the _Reproachfull_ or _scorner_, as +when Queene _Dido_ saw, that for all her great loue and entertainements +bestowed vpon _AEneas_, he would needs depart and follow the _Oracle_ of +his destinies, she brake out in a great rage and said disdainefully. + _Hye thee, and by the wild waues and the wind, + Seeke Italie and Realmes for thee to raigne, + If piteous Gods haue power amidst the mayne, + On ragged rocks thy penaunce thou maist find._ + +Or as the poet _Iuuenall_ reproached the couetous Merchant, who for lucres +sake passed on no perill either by land or sea, thus: + _Goe now and giue thy life unto the winde, + Trusting unto a piece of bruckle wood, + Foure inches from thy death or seauen good + The thickest planke for shipboord that we finde._ + + [Sidenote: _Antitheton_, or the renconter] +Ye haue another figure very pleasnt and fit for amplification, which to +answer the Greeke terme, we may call the encounter, but following the +Latine name by reason of his contentious nature, we may call him the +Quarreller, for so be al such persons as delight in taking the contrary +part of whatsoeuer shalbe spoken: when I was scholler in Oxford they +called euery such one _Iohannes ad oppositum._ + _Good haue I doone you, much, harme did I neuer none, + Ready to ioy your gaines, your losses to bemone, + Why therefore should you grutch so sore as my welfare: + Who onely bred your blisse, and neuer causd your care._ + +Or as it is in these two verses where one speaking of _Cupids_ bowe, +deciphered thereby the nature of sensual loue, whose beginning is more +pleasant than the end, thus allegorically and by _antitheton_. + _His bent is sweete, his loose is somewhat sowre, + In ioy begunne, ends oft in wofull bowre._ + +Maister _Diar_ in this quarelling figure. + _Nor loue hath now the force, on me which it ones had, + Your frownes can neither make me mourne, nor fauors make me glad._ + +_Socrates_ the Greek Oratour was a litle too full of this figure, & so was +the Spaniard that wrote the life of _Marcus Aurelius_ & many of our +moderne writers in vulgar, vse it in excesse & incurre the vice of fond +affectation: otherwise the figure is very commendable. + +In this quarrelling figure we once plaid this merry Epigrame of an +importune and shrewd wife, thus: + _My neighbour hath a wife, not fit to make him thriue, + But good to kill a quicke man, or make a dead reuiue. + So shrewd she is for God, so cunning and so wise, + To counter with her goodman, and all by contraries. + For when he is merry, she lurcheth and she loures, + When he is sad she singes, or laughes it out by houres. + Bid her be still her tongue to talke shall neuer cease, + When she should speake and please, for spight she holds her peace, + Bid spare and she will spend, bid spend she spares as fast, + What first ye would haue done, be sure it shalbe last. + Say go, she comes, say come, she goes, and leaues him all alone, + Her husband (as I thinke) calles her ouerthwart Ione._ + + [Sidenote: _Erotema_, or the Questioner.] +There is a kinde of figuratiue speach when we aske many questions and +looke for none answere, speaking indeed by interrogation, which we might +as well say by affirmation. This figure I call the _Questioner_ or +inquisitiue, as when _Medea_ excusing her great crueltie vsed in the +murder of her owne children which she had by _Iason_, said: + _Was I able to make them I praie you tell, + And am I not able to marre them all aswell?_ + +Or as another wrote very commendably. + _Why strive I with the streame, or hoppe against the hill, + On search that neuer can be found, and loose my labour still? + +_Cato_ vnderstanding that the Senate had appointed three citizens of Rome +for embassadours to the king of _Bithinia_, whereof one had the Gowte, +another the Meigrim, the third very little courage or discretion to be +employd in any such businesse, said by way of skoffe in this figure. + _Must not (trowe ye) this message be well sped, + That hath neither heart, nor heeles, nor hed?_ + +And as a great Princesse aunswered her seruitour, who distrusting in her +fauours toward him, praised his owne constancie in these verses. + _No fortune base or frayle can alter me:_ + +To whome she in this figure repeting his words: + _No fortune base or frayle can alter thee. + And can so blind a witch so conquere mee?_ + + [Sidenote: _Ecphonisis_, or the Outcry.] +The figure of exclamation, I call him [_the outcrie_] because it vtters +our minde by all such words as do shew any extreme passion, whether it be +by way of exclamation or crying out, admiration or wondering, imprecation +or cursing, obtestation or taking God and the world to witnes, or any such +like as declare an impotent affection, as _Chaucer_ of the _Lady +Cresseida_ by exclamation. + _O soppe of sorrow soonken into care, + O caytife Cresseid, for now and evermare_. + +Or as _Gascoine_ wrote very passionatly and well to purpose: + _Ay me the dayes that I in dole consume, + Alas the nights which witnesse well mine woe: + O wrongfull world which makest my fancie faine + Fie fickle fortune, fie, fie thou art my foe: + Out and alas so froward is my chance, + No nights nor daies, nor worldes can me auance._ + +_Petrarche_ in a sonet which Sir _Thomas Wiat_ Englished excellently well, +said in this figure by way of imprecation and obtestation: thus, + _Perdie I said it not, + Nor neuer thought to doo: + Aswell as I ye wot, + I haue no power thereto: + "And if I did the lot + That first did me enchaine, + May neuer shake the knot + But straite it to my paine. + "And if I did each thing, + That may do harme or woe: + Continually may wring, + My harte where so I goe. + "Report may alwaies ring: + Of shame on me for aye, + If in my hart did spring, + The wordes that you doo say. + "And if I did each starre, + That is in heauen aboue._ +And so forth, &c. + + [Sidenote: _Brachiologa_, or the Cutted comma] +We vse sometimes to proceede all by single words, without any close or +coupling, sauing that a little pause or comma is geuen to euery word. This +figure for pleasure may be called in our vulgar the cutted comma, for that +there cannot be a shorter diuision then at euery words end. The Greekes in +their language call it short language, as thus. + _Enuy, malice, flattery, disdaine, + Auarice, deceit, falsned, filthy gaine._ + +If this loose language be vsed, not in single words, but in long clauses, +it is called _Asindeton_, and in both cases we vtter in that fashion, when +either we be earnest, or would seeme to make hast. + + [Sidenote: _Parison_, or the Figure of euen] +Ye haue another figure which we may call the figure of euen, because it +goeth by clauses of egall quantitie, and not very long, but yet not so +short as the cutted comma: and they geue good grace to a dittie, but +specially to a prose. In this figure we once wrote in a melancholike humor +these verses. + _The good is geason, and short is his abode, + The bad bides long, and easie to be found: + Our life is loathsome, our sinnes a heavy lode, + Conscience a curst iudge, remorse a priuie goade. + Disease, age and death still in our eare they round, + That hence we must the sickly and the sound: + Treading the steps that our forefathers troad, + Rich, poore, holy, wise; all flesh it goes to ground._ + +In a prose there should not be vsed at once of such euen clauses past +three or foure at the most. + + [Sidenote: _Sinonimia_, or the Figure of store] +When so euer we multiply our speech by many words or clauses of one sence, +the Greekes call it _Sinonimia_, as who would say like or consenting +names: the Latines hauing no fitte terme to giue him, called it by a name +of euent, for (said they) many words of one nature and sence, one of them +doth expound another. And therefore they called this figure the +[_Interpreter_] I for my part had rather call him the figure of [_store_] +because plenty of one manner of thing in our vulgar we call so. _AEneas_ +asking whether his Captaine _Orontes_ were dead or aliue, vsed this store +of speeches all to one purpose. + _It he aliue, + Is he as I left him queauing and quick, + And hath he not yet geuen up the ghost, + Among the rest of those that I haue lost?_ + +Or if it be in single words, then thus. + _What is become of that beautifull face, + Those louely lookes, that fauour amiable, + Those sweete features, and visage full of grace, + That countenance which is alonly able + To kill and cure?_ + +Ye see that all these words, face, lookes, fauour, features, visage, +countenance, are all in sence but all one. Which store, neuerthelesse, +doeth much beautifie and inlarge the matter. So said another. + _My faith, my hope, my trust, my God and eke my guide, + Stretch forth thy hand to saue the soule, what ere the body bide._ + +Here faith, hope and trust be words of one effect, allowed to vs by this +figure of store. + + [Sidenote: _Metanoia_, or the Penitent.] +Otherwhiles we speake and be sorry for it, as if we had not wel spoken, so +that we seeme to call in our word againe, and to put in another fitter for +the purpose: for which respects the Greekes called this manner of speech +the figure of repentance: then for that vpon repentance commonly followes +amendment, the Latins called it the figure of correction, in that the +speaker seemeth to reforme that which was said amisse. I following the +Greeke originall, choose to call him the penitent, or repentant: and +singing in honor of the mayden Queen, meaning to praise her for her +greatnesse of courage ouershooting my selfe, called it first by the name +of pride: then fearing least fault might be found with that terme, by & by +turned this word pride to praise: resembling her Maiesty to the Lion, +being her owne noble armory, which by a slie construction purporteth +magnanimitie. Thus in the latter end of a Parthemiade. + _O peereles you, or els no one aliue, + Your pride serues you to seaze them all alone: + Not pride madame, but praise of the lion, + To conquer all and be conquerd by none._ + +And in another Parthemiade thus insinuating her Maiesties great constancy +in refusall of all marriages offred her, thus: + _Her heart is hid none may it see, + Marble or flinte folke weene it be._ + +Which may imploy rigour and cruelty, than correcteth it thus. + _Not flinte I trowe I am a lier, + But Siderite that feeles no fire._ + +By which is intended, that it proceeded of a cold and chast complexion not +easily allured to loue. + + [Sidenote: _Antenagoge_, or the Recompencer] +We haue another manner of speech much like to the _repentant_, but doth +not as the same recant or vnsay a word that hath bene said before, putting +another fitter in his place, but hauing spoken any thing to depraue the +matter or partie, he denieth it not, but as it were helpeth it againe by +another more fauourable speach and so seemeth to make amends, for which +cause it is called by the originall name in both languages, the +_Recompencer_, as he that was merily asked the question; whether his wife +were not a shrewe as well as others of his neighbours wiues, answered in +this figure as pleasantly, for he could not well denie it. + _I must needs say, that my wife is a shrewe, + but such a huswife as I know but a fewe._ + +Another in his first preposition giuing a very faint commendation to the +Courtiers life, weaning to make him amends, made it worse by a second +proposition, thus: + _The Courtiers life full delicate it is, + but where no wise man will euer set his blis._ + +And an other speaking to the incoragement of youth in studie and to be +come excellent in letters and armies, said thus: + _Many are the paines and perils to be past, + But great is the gaine and glory at the last._ + + [Sidenote: _Epithonema_, or the Surclose.] +Our poet in his short ditties, but specially playing the Epigrammatist +will vse to conclude and shut vp his Epigram with a verse or two, spoken +in such sort, as it may seeme a manner of allowance to all the premisses, +and that wich a ioyfull approbation, which the Latines call _Acclamatio_, +we therefore call this figure the _surcloze_ or _consenting close_, as +_Virgill_ when he had largely spoken of Prince _Eneas_ his successe and +fortunes concluded with this close. + _Tant molis erat Romanum condere gentens._ + +In English thus: + _So huge a peece of worke it was and so hie, + To reare the house of Romane progenie._ + +Sir _Philip Sidney_ very pretily closed vp a dittie in this sort. + _What medcine then, can such disease remoue, + Where loue breedes hate, and hate engenders loue._ + +And we in a _Partheniade_ written of her Maiestie, declaring to what +perils vertue is generally subiect, and applying that fortune to her +selfe, closed it vp with this _Epiphoneme_. + _Than if there bee, + Any so cancard hart to grutch, + At your glories: my Queene: in vaine, + Repining at your fatall raigne; + It is for that they feele too much, + Of your bountee._ + +As who would say her owne ouermuch lenitie and goodness, made her ill +willers the more bold and presumptuous. + +_Lucretius Carus_ the philosopher and poet inueighing sore against the +abuses of the superstitious religion of the Gentils, and recompting the +wicked fact of king _Agamemnon_ in sacrificing his only daughter +_Iphigenia_, being a yoong damsell of excellent bewtie, to th'intent to +please the wrathfull gods, hinderers of his nauigation, after he had said +all, closed it vp in this one verse, spoken in _Epiphonema_. + _Tantum relligio potuit suadere malorum._ + +In English thus: + _Lo what an outrage, could cause to be done, + The peevish scruple of blinde religion._ + + [Sidenote: _Auxesis_, or the Auancer] +It happens many times that to vrge and enforce the matter we speake of, we +go still mounting by degrees and encreasing our speech with wordes or with +sentences of more waight one then another, & is a figure of great both +efficacie & ornament, as he that declaring the great calamitie of an +infortunate prince, said thus: + _He lost besides his children and his wife, + His realme, ronowne, liege, libertie and life._ + +By which it appeareth that to any noble Prince the losse of his estate +ought not to be so greeuous, as of his honour, nor any of them both like +to the lacke of his libertie, but that life is the dearest detriment of +any other. We call this figure by the Greeke originall the _Auancer_ or +figure of encrease because every word that is spoken is one of more weight +then another. And as we lamented the crueltie of an inexorable and +unfaithfull mistresse. + _If by the lawes of love it be a falt, + The faithfull friend, in absence to forget: + But if it be (once do thy heart but halt,) + A secret sinne: what forfet is so great: + As by despute in view of every eye, + The solemne vowes oft sworne with teares so salt, + As holy Leagues fast seald with hand and hart: + For to repeale and breake so wilfully? + But now (alas) without all iust desart, + My lot is for my troth and much goodwill, + To reape disdaine, hatred and rude refuse, + Or if ye would worke me some greater ill: + And of myne earned ioyes to feele no part, + What els is this (o cruell) but to vse, + Thy murdring knife to guiltlesse bloud to spill._ + +Where ye see how she is charged first with a fault, then with a secret +sinne, afterward with a foule forfet, last of all with a most cruel & +bloudy deede. And thus againe in a certaine lovers complaint made to the +like effect. + _They say it is a ruth to see thy lover neede, + But you can see me weepe, but you can see me bleede: + And neuer shrinke nor shame, ne shed no teare at all, + You make my wounds your selfe, and fill them up with gall: + Yea you can see me sound, and faint for want of breath, + And gaspe and grone for life, and struggle still with death, + What can you now do more, sweare by your maydenhead, + The for to flea me quicke, or strip me being dead._ + +In these verses you see how one crueltie surmounts another by degrees till +it come to very slaughter and beyond, for it is thought a despite done to +a dead carkas to be an euidence of greater crueltie then to haue killed +him. + + [Sidenote: _Meiosis_, or the Disabler.] +After the Auancer followeth the abbaser working by wordes and sentences of +extenuation or diminution. Whereupon we call him the _Disabler_ or figure +of _Extenuation_: and this extenuation is vsed to diuers purposes, +sometimes for modesties sake, and to auoide the opinion of arrogancie, +speaking of our selues or of ours, as he that disabled himselfe to his +mistresse thus. + _Not all the skill I haue to speake or do, + Which litle is God wot (set loue apart:) + Liueload nor life, and put them both thereto, + Can counterpeise the due of your desart._ + +It may be also be done for despite to bring our aduersaries in contempt, +as he that sayd by one (commended for a very braue souldier) disabling him +scornefully, thus. + _A iollie man (forsooth) and fit for the warre, + Good at hand grippes, better to fight a farre: + Whom bright weapon in shew as is said, + Yea his owne shade; hath often made afraide._ + +The subtilitie of the scoffe lieth in these Latin wordes [_eminus & +cominus pugnare_.] Also we vse this kind of Extenuation when we take in +hand to comfort or cheare any perillous enterprise, making a great matter +seeme small, and of litle difficultie, & is much vsed by captaines in the +warre, when they (to giue courage to their souldiers) will seeme to +disable the persons of their enemies, and abase their forces, and make +light of euery thing than might be a discouragement to the attempt, as +_Hanniball_ did in his Oration to his souldiers, when they should come to +passe the Alpes to enter Italie, and for sharpnesse of the weather, and +steepnesse of the mountaines their hearts began to faile them. + +We vse it againe to excuse a fault, & to make an offence seeme lesse then +it is, by giuing a terme more fauorable and of lesse vehemencie then the +troth requires, as to say of a great robbery, that it was but a pilfry +matter: of an arrant ruffian that he is a tall fellow of his hands: of a +prodigall foole, that he is a kind hearted man: of a notorious vnthrift, a +lustie youth, and such like phrases of extenuation, which fall more aptly +to the office of the figure _Curry fauell_ before remembred. + +And we vse the like termes by way of pleasant familiaritie, and as it were +for Courtly maner of speach with our egalls or inferiours, as to call a +young Gentlewoman _Mall_ for _Mary_, _Nell_ for _Elner_: _Iack_ for Iohn_, +_Robin_ for _Robert_: or any other like affected termes spoken of +pleasure, as in our triumphals calling familiarly vpon our _Muse_, I +called her _Moppe_. + _But will you weet, + My litle muse, nay prettie moppe: + If we shall algates change our stoppe, + Chose me a sweet._ + +Vnderstanding by this word (_Moppe_) a litle prety Lady, or tender young +thing. For so we call litle fishes, that be not come to their full growth +(_moppes_), as whiting moppes, gurnard moppes. + +Also such termes are vsed to be giuen in derision and for a kind of +contempt, as when we say Lording for Lord, & as the Spaniard that calleth +an Earle of small reuenue _Contadilio_: the Italian calleth the poore man +by contempt _pouerachio_ or _pouerino_, the little beast _animalculo_ or +_animaluchio_, and such like _diminutiues_ appertaining to this figure, +the (_Disabler_) more ordinary in other languages than our vulgar. + + [Sidenote: _Epanodis_, or the figure of Retire] +This figure of retire holds part with the propounder of which we spake +before(_prolepsis_) because of the resumption of a former proposition +vuttered in generalitie to explane the same better by a particular +diuision. But their difference is, in that the propounder resumes but the +matter only. This [_retire_] resumes both the matter and the termes, and +is therefore accompted one of the figures of repetition, and in that +respect may be called by his originall Greeke name the [_Resounde_] or the +[_retire_] for this word [Greek: illegible] serues both sences resound and +retire. The vse of this figure, is seen in this dittie following, + _Loue hope and death, do stirre in me much strife, + As neuer man but I lead such a life: + For burning loue doth wound my heart to death: + And when death comes at call of inward grief, + Cold lingring hope doth feede my fainting breath: + Against my will, and yeelds my wound relief, + So that I liue, but yet my life is such: + As neuer death could greeue me halfe so much._ + + [Sidenote: _Dialisis_, or the Dismembrer.] +Then haue ye a maner speach, not so figuratiue as fit for argumentation, +and worketh not vnlike the _dilemma_ of the Logicians, because he propones +two or moe matters entierly, and doth as it were set downe the whole tale +or rekoning of an argument and then cleare euery part by it selfe, as +thus. + _It can not be but nigarsdship or neede, + Made him attempt this foule and wicked deede: + Nigardship not, for alwayes he was free, + Nor neede, for who doth not his richesse see?_ + +Or as one than entreated for a faire young maide who was taken by the +watch in London and carried to Bridewell to be punished. + _Now gentill Sirs let this young maide alone, + For either she hath grace or els she hath none: + If she haue grace, she may in time repent, + If she haue none what bootes her punishment._ + +Or as another pleaded his deserts with his mistresse. + _Were it for grace, or els in hope of gaine, + To say of my deserts, it is but vaine: + For well in minde, in case ye do them beare, + To tell them oft, it should but irke your eare: + Be they forgot: as likely should I faile, + To winne with wordes, where deedes can not preuaile._ + + [Sidenote: _Merismus_, or the Distributer.] +Then haue ye a figure very meete for Orators or eloquent perswaders such +as our maker or Poet must in some cases shew him selfe to be, and is when +we may coueniently vtter a matter in one entier speach or proportion and +will rather do it peecemeale and by distrbution of euery part for +amplification sake, as for example he that might say, a house was +outragiously plucked downe: will not be satisfied so to say, but rather +will speake it in this sort: they first vndermined the groundsills, they +beate downe the walles, they vnfloored the loftes, they vntiled it and +pulled downe the roofe. For so in deede is a house pulled downe by +circumstances, which this figure of distribution doth set forth euery one +apart, and therefore I name him the _distributor_ according to his +originall, as wrate the _Tuscane_ Poet in a Sonet which Sir _Thomas Wyat_ +translated with very good grace, thus. + _Set me whereas the sunne doth parch the greene, + Or where his beames do not dissolue the yce: + In temperate heate where he is felt and seene, + In presence prest of people mad or wise: + Set me in hye or yet in low degree, + In longest night or in the shortest day: + In clearest skie, or where clouds thickest bee, + In lustie youth or when my heares are gray: + Set me in heauen, in earth or els in hell, + In hill or dale or in the foaming flood: + Thrall or at large, aliue where so I dwell, + Sicke or in health, in euill fame or good: + Hers will I be, and onely with this thought, + Content my selfe, although my chaunce be naught._ + +All which might haue been said in these two verses. + _Set me wherefoeuer ye will + I am and wilbe yours still._ + +The zealous Poet writing in prayse of the maiden Queene would not seeme to +wrap vp all her most excellent parts in a few words them entierly +comprehending, but did it by a distributor or _merismus_ in the negatiue +for the better grace, thus. + _Not your bewtie, most gracious soueraine, + Nor maidenly lookes, mainteind with maiestie: + Your stately port, which doth not match but staine, + For your presence, your pallace and your traine, + All Princes Courts, mine eye could euer see: + Not of your quicke wits, your sober gouernaunce: + Your cleare forsight, your faithfull memorie, + So sweete features, in so staid countenaunce: + Nor languages, with plentuous utterance, + So able to discourse, and entertaine: + Not noble race, farre beyond Caesars raigne, + Runne in right line, and bloud of nointed kings: + Not large empire, armies, treasurs, domaine, + Lustie liueries, of fortunes dearst darlings: + Not all the skilles, fit for a Princely dame, + Your learned Muse, with vse and studie brings. + Not true honour, ne that immortall fame + Of mayden raigne, your only owne renowne + And no Queenes els, yet such as yeeldes your name + Greater glory than doeth your treble crowne._ + +And then concludes thus. + _Not any one of all these honord parts + Your Princely happes, and habites that do moue, + And, as it were, ensorcell all the hearts + Of Christen kings to quarrell for your loue, + But to possesse, at once and all the good + Arte and engine, and euery starre aboue + Fortune or kinde, could farce in flesh and bloud, + Was force inough to make so many striue + For your person, which in our world stoode + By all consents the minionst mayde to wiue._ + +Where ye see that all the parts of her commendation which were +particularly remembred in twenty verses before, are wrapt vp in the two +verses of this last part, videl. + _Not any one of all your honord parts, + Those Princely haps and habites, &c._ + +This figure serues for amplification, and also for ornament, and to +enforce perswasion mightely. Sir _Geffrey Chaucer_, father of our English +Poets, hath these verses following in the distributor. + _When faith failes in Priestes sawes, + And Lords hestes are holden for lawes, + And robberie is tane for purchase, + And lechery for solace + Then shall the Realme of Albion + Be brought to great confusion._ + +Where he might haue said as much in these words: when vice abounds, and +vertue decayeth in Albion, then &c. And as another said, + _When Prince for his people is wakefull and wise, + Peeres ayding with armes, Counsellors with aduise, + Magistrate sincerely vsing his charge, + People prest to obey, nor let to runne at large, + Prelate of holy life, and with deuotion + Preferring pietie before promotion, + Priest still preaching, and praying for our heale: + Then blessed is the state of a common-weale._ + +All which might haue bene said in these few words, when euery man in +charge and authoritie doeth his duety, & executeth his function well, then +is the common-wealth happy. + + [Sidenote: _Epimone_, or the Loue burden.] +The Greeke Poets who made musicall ditties to be song to the lute or +harpe, did vse to linke their staues together with one verse running +throughout the whole song by equall distance, and was, for the most part, +the first verse of the staffe, which kept so good sence and conformitie +with the whole, as his often repetition did geue it greater grace. They +called such linking verse _Epimone_, the Latines _versus intercalaris_, +and we may terme him the Loue-burden, following the originall, or if it +please you, the long repeate: in one respect because that one verse alone +beareth the whole burden of the song according to the originall: in +another respect, for that it comes by large distances to be often +repeated, as in this ditty made by the noble knight Sir _Philip Sidney_, + _My true loue hath my heart and I haue his, + By iust exchange one for another geuen: + I holde his deare, and mine he cannot misse, + There neuer was a better bargaine driuen. + My true loue hath my heart and I haue his. + My heart in me keepes him and me in one, + My heart in him his thoughts and sences guides: + He loues my heart, for once it was his owne, + I cherish his because in me it bides. + My true loue hath my heart, and I haue his._ + + [Sidenote: _Paradoxon_, or the Wondrer.] +Many times our Poet is caried by some occasion to report of a thing that +is maruelous, and then he will seeme not to speake it simply but with some +signe of admiration, as in our enterlude called the _Woer_. + _I woonder much to see so many husbands thriue, + That haue but little wit, before they come to wiue: + For one would easily weene who so hath little wit, + His wife to teach it him, were a thing much unfit._ + +Or as _Cato_ the Romane Senatour said one day merily to his companion that +walked with him, pointing his finger to a yong vnthrift in the streete who +lately before had sold his patrimonie, of a goodly quantitie of salt +marshes, lying neere vnto _Capua_ shore. + _Now is it not, a wonder to behold, + Yonder gallant skarce twenty winter old, + By might (marke ye) able to do more + Than the mayne sea that batters on his shore? + For what the waues could neuer wash away, + This proper youth hath wasted in a day._ + + [Sidenote: _Aporia_, or the Doubtfull.] +Not much vnlike the _wondrer_ haue ye another figure called the +_doubtfull_, because oftentimes we will seeme to cast perils, and make +doubt or things when by a plaine manner of speech wee might affirme or +deny him, as thus of a cruell mother who murdred her owne child. + _Whether the cruell mother were more to blame, + Or the shrewd childe come of so curst a dame: + Or whether some smatch of the fathers blood, + Whose kinne were neuer kinde, nor neuer good. + Mooued her thereto &c._ + + [Sidenote: _Epitropis_, or the Figure of Reference.] +This manner of speech is vsed when we will not seeme, either for manner +sake or to auoid tediousnesse, to trouble the iudge or hearer with all +that we could say, but hauing said inough already, we referre the rest to +their consideration, as he that said thus: + _Me thinkes that I haue said, what may well suffise, + Referring all the rest, to your better aduise._ + + [Sidenote: _Parisia_, or the Licentious.] +The fine and subtill perswader when his intent is to sting his aduersary, +or els to declare his mind in broad and liberal speeches, which might +breede offence or scandall, he will seeme to bespeake pardon before hand, +whereby his licentiousnes may be the better borne withall, as he that +said: + _If my speech hap t'offend you any way, + Thinke it their fault, that force me so to say._ + + [Sidenote: _Anachinosis_, or the Impartener.] +Not much vnlike to the figure of _reference_, is there another with some +little diuersitie which we call the _impartener_, because many times in +pleading and perswading, we thinke it a very good policie to acquaint our +iudge or hearer or very aduersarie with some part of our Counsell and +aduice, and to aske their opinion, as who would say they could not +otherwise thinke of the matter then we do. As he that had tolde a long +tale before certaine noblewomen of a matter somewhat in honour touching +the Sex: + _Tell me faire Ladies, if the case were your owne, + So foule a fault would you haue it be knowen?_ + +Maister _Gorge_ in this figure, said very sweetly, + _All you who read these lines and skanne of my desart, + Iudge whether was more good, my hap or els my hart._ + + [Sidenote: _Paramologia_, or the figure of Admittance.] +The good Orator vseth a manner of speach in his perswasion and is when all +that should seeme to make against him being spoken by th'other side, he +will first admit it, and in th'end auoid all for his better aduantage, and +this figure is much vsed by our English pleaders in the Starchamber and +Chancery, which they call to confesse and auoid, if it be in case of crime +or iniury, and is a very good way. For when the matter is so plaine that +it cannot be denied or trauersed, it is good that it be iustified by +confessall and auoidance. I call it the figure of _admittance._ As we once +wrate to the reproofe of a Ladies faire but crueltie. + _I know your witte, I know your pleasant tongue, + Your some sweet smiles, your some, but louely lowrs: + A beautie to enamour olde and yong. + Those chast desires, that noble minde of yours, + And that chiefe part whence all your honor springs, + A grace to entertaine the greatest kings. + All this I know: but sinne it is to see, + So faire partes spilt by too much crueltie._ + + [Sidenote: _Etiologia_, or the Reason rent, or the Tellcause.] +In many cases we are driuen for better perswasion to tell the cause that +mooues vs to say thus or thus: or els when we would fortifie our +allegations by rendring reasons to euery one, this assignation of cause +the Greekes called _Etiologia_, which if we might without scorne of a new +inuented terme call [_Tellcause_] it were right according to the Greeke +originall: & I pray you why should we not? and with as good authoritie as +the Greekes? Sir _Thomas Smith_, her Maiesties principall Secretary, and a +man of great learning and grauitie, seeking to geue an English word to +this Greeke word [Greek: illegible] called it Spitewed or wedspite. Master +Secretary _Wilson_ gueing an English name to his arte of Logicke, called +it _Witcraft_, me thinke I may be bolde with like liberty to call the +figure _Etiologia_ [_Tellcause_.] And this manner of speech is always +contemned, with these words, for, because, and such other confirmatiues. +The Latines hauing no fitte name to geue it in one single word, gaue it no +name at all, but by circumlocution. We also call him the reason-rendrer, +and leaue the right English word [_Telcause_] much better answering the +Greeke originall. _Aristotle_ was most excellent in vse of this figure, +for he neuer propones any allegation, or makes any surmise, but he yeelds +a reason or cause to fortifie and proue it, which geues it great credit. +For example ye may take these verses, first pointing, than confirming by +similitudes. + _When fortune shall haue spat out all her gall, + I trust good luck shall be to me allowde, + For I haue seene a shippe in hauen fall, + After the storme had broke both maste and shrowde._ + +And this. + _Good is the thing that moues vs to desire, + That is to say the beauty we behold: + Els were we louers as in an endlesse fire, + Alwaies burning and euer chill a colde._ + +And in these verses. + _Accused though I be without desart, + Sith none can proue beleeue it not for true: + For neuer yet since first ye had my hart, + Entended I to false or be untrue._ + +And in this Disticque. + _And for her beauties praise, no right that with her warres: + For where she comes she shewes her selfe like sun among the stars._ + +And in this other dittie of ours where the louer complaines of his Ladies +crueltie, rendring for euery surmise a reason, and by telling the cause, +seeketh (as it were) to get credit, thus. + _Cruel you be who can say nay, + Since ye delight in others wo: + Vnwise am I, ye may well say, + For that I haue, honourd you so. + But blamelesse I, who could not chuse + To be enchaunted by your eye: + But ye to blame, thus to refuse + My seruice, and to let me die._ + + [Sidenote: _Dichologia_, or the Figure of excuse.] +Sometimes our error is so manifest, or we be so hardly prest with our +aduersaries, as we cannot deny the fault layd vnto our charge: in which +case it is good pollicie to excuse it by some allowable pretext, as did +one whom his mistresse burdened with some vnkindne speeches which he had +past of her, thus. + _I said it: but by lapse of lying tongue, + When furie and iust griefe my heart opprest: + I sayd it: as ye see, both fraile and young, + When your rigor had ranckled in my brest. + The cruell wound that smarted me so sore, + Pardon therefore (sweete sorrow) or at least + Beare with mine youth that neuer fell before, + Least your offence encrease my griefe the more._ + +And againe in these, + _I spake amysse I cannot it deny. + But caused by your great discourtesie: + And if I said that which I now repent, + And said it not, but by misgouernment + Of youthfull yeres, your selfe that are so young + Pardon for once this error of my tongue, + And thinke amends can neuer come to late: + Loue may be curst, but loue can neuer hate._ + + [Sidenote: _Noema_, or the Figure of close conceit.] +Speaking before of the figure [_Synechdoche_] wee called him [_Quicke +conceit_] because he inured in a single word onely by way of intendment or +large meaning, but such as was speedily discouered by euery quicke wit, as +by the halfe to vnderstand the whole, and many other waies appearing by +the examples. But by this figure [_Noema_] the obscurity of the sence +lieth not in a single word, but in an entier speech, whereof we do not so +easily conceiue the meaning, but as it were by coniecture, because it is +wittie and subtile or darke, which makes me therefore call him in our +vulgar the [_Close conceit_] as he that said by himselfe and his wife, I +thanke God in fortie winters that we haue liued together, neuer any of our +neighbours set vs at one, meaning that they neuer fell out in all that +space, which had bene the directer speech and more apert, and yet by +intendment amounts all to one, being neuerthelesse dissemblable and in +effect contrary. _Pawlet_ Lord Treasorer of England, and first Marques of +Winchester, with the like subtill speech gaue a quippe to Sir _William +Gifford_, who had married the Marques sister, and all her life time cound +neuer loue her nor like of her company, but when she was dead made the +greatest moane for her in the world, and with teares and much lamentation +vttered his griefe to the L. Treasorer, o good brother, quoth the Marques, +I am right sory to see you now loue my sister so well, meaning that he +shewed his loue too late, and should haue done it while she was aliue. + +A great counsellour somewhat forgetting his modestie, vsed these words: +Gods lady I reckon my selfe as good a man as he you talke of, and yet I am +not able to do so. Yea sir quoth the party, your L. is too good to be a +man, I would ye were a Saint, meaning he would he were dead, for none are +shrined for Saints before they be dead. + + [Sidenote: _Orismus_, or the Definer of difference.] +The Logician vseth a definition to expresse the truth or nature of euery +thing by his true kinde and difference, as to say wisedome is a prudent +and wittie foresight and consideration of humane or worldly actions with +their euentes. This definition is Logicall. The Oratour vseth another +maner of definition, thus: Is this wisedome? no it is a certaine subtill +knauish craftie wit, it is no industrie as ye call it, but a certaine +busie brainsicknesse, for industrie is a liuely and vnweried search and +occupation in honest things, egernesse is an appetite in base and small +matters. + + [Sidenote: _Procatalepsis_, or the presumptuous, + otherwise the figure of Presupposall.] +It serueth many times to great purpose to preuent our aduersaries +arguments, and take vpon vs to know before what our iudge or aduersary or +hearer thinketh, and that we will seeme to vtter it before it be spoken or +alleaged by them, in respect of which boldnesse to enter so deepely into +another mans conceit or conscience, and to be so priuie of another mans +mynde, gaue cause that this figure was called the [_presumptuous_] I will +also call him the figure of _presupposall_ or the _preuenter_, for by +reason we suppose before what may be said, or perchaunce would be said by +our aduersary or any other, we do preuent them of their aduantage, and do +catch the ball (as they are wont to say) before it come to the ground. + + [Sidenote: _Paralepsis_, or the Passager.] +It is also very many times vsed for a good pollicie in pleading +or perswasion to make wise as if we set but light of the matter, and +that therefore we do passe it ouer lightly when in deede we do +then intend most effectually and despightfully if it be inuectiue to +remember it: it is also when we will not seeme to know a thing, +and yet we know it well inough, and may be likened to the maner +of women, who as the common saying is, will say nay and take it. + _I hold my peace and will not say for shame, + The much vntruth of that vnciuill dame: + For if I should her coullours kindly blaze, + It would so make the chast eares amaze, &c._ + + [Sidenote: _Commoratio_, or the figure of abode.] +It is said by maner of a prouerbiall speach that he who findes himselfe +well should not wagge, euen so the perswader finding a substantiall point +in his matter to serue his purpose, should dwell upon that point longer +then vpon any other lesse assured, and vse all endeuour to maintaine that +one, & as it were to make his chief aboad thereupon, for which cause I +name him the figure of aboad, according to the Latine name: Some take it +not but for a course of argument & therefore hardly may one giue any +examples thereof. + + [Sidenote: _Metastasis_, or the Flitting figure, or the Remoue.] +Now as arte and good pollicy in perswasion bids vs to abide & not to +stirre from the point of our most aduantage, but the same to enforce and +tarry vpon with all possible argument, so doth discretion will vs +sometimes to flit from one matter to another, as a thing meete to be +forsaken, and another entred vpon, I call him therefore the _flitting_ +figure, or figure of _remoue_, like as the other before was called the +figure of _aboade_. + + [Sidenote: _Parecuasis, or the Stragler.] +Euen so againe, as it is wisdome for a perswader to tarrie and make his +aboad as long as he may conueniently without tediousness to the hearer, +vpon his chiefe proofes or points of the cause tending to his aduantage, +and likewise to depart againe when time serues, and goe to a new matter +seruing the purpose aswell. So is it requisite many times for him to talke +farre from the principall matter, and as it were to range aside, to +th'intent by such extraordinary meane to induce or inferre other matter, +aswell or better seruing the principal purpose, and neuertheles in season +to returne home where he first strayed out. This maner of speech is termed +the figure of digression by the Latines, following the Greeke originall, +we also call him the _straggler_ by allusion to the souldier that marches +out of his array, or by those that keepe no order in their marche, as the +battailes well ranged do: of this figure there need be geuen no example. + + [Sidenote: _Expeditio_, or the speedie dispatcher.] +Occasion offers many times that our maker as an oratour, or perswader, or +pleader should go roundly to worke, and by a quick and swift argument +dispatch his perswasion, & as they are woont to say not stand all day +trifling to no purpose, but to rid it out of the way quickly. This is done +by a manner of speech, both figuratiue and argumentatiue, when we do +briefly set down all our best reasons seruing the purpose and reiect all +of them sauing one, which we accept to satisfie the cause: as he that in a +litigious case for land would prooue it not the aduersaries, but his +clients. + _No man can say its his by heritage, + Nor by Legacie, or Testatours deuice: + Nor that it came by purchase or engage, + Nor from his Prince for any good seruice. + Then needs must it be his by very wrong, + Which he hath offred this poore plaintife so long._ + +Though we might call this figure very well and properly the [_Paragon_] +yet dare I not so to doe for feare of the Courtiers enuy, who will haue no +man vse that terme but after a courtly manner, that is, in praysing of +horses, haukes, hounds, pearles, diamonds, rubies, emerodes, and other +precious stones: specially of faire women whose excellencie is discouered +by paragonizing or setting one to another, which moued the zealous Poet, +speaking of the mayden Queene, to call her the paragon of Queenes. This +considered, I will let our figure enioy his best beknowen name, and call +him stil in all ordinarie cases the figure of comparison: as when a man +wil seeme to make things appeare good or bad, or better or worse, or more +or lesse excellent, either vpon spite or for pleasure, or any other good +affection, then he sets the lesse by the greater, or the greater to the +lesse, the equall to his equall, and by such confronting of them together, +driues out the true ods that is betwixt them, and makes it better appeare, +as when we sang of our Soueraigne Lady thus, in the twentieth Partheniade. + _As falcon fares to bussards flight, + As egles eyes to owlates sight, + As fierce saker to coward kite, + As brightest noone to darkest night: + As summer sunne exceedeth farre, + The moone and euery other starre: + So farre my Princesse praise doeth passe, + The famoust Queene that euer was._ + +And in the eighteene Partheniade thus. + _Set rich rubie to red esmayle, + The rauens plume to peacocks tayle, + Lay me the larkes to lizards eyes, + The duskie cloude to azure skie, + Set shallow brookes to surging seas, + An orient pearle to a white pease._ + +&c. Concluding. + _There shall no lesse an ods be seene + In mine from euery other Queene._ + + [Sidenote: Dialogismus, or the right reasoner.] +We are sometimes occasioned in our tale to report some speech from another +mans mouth, as what a king said to his priuy counsel or subiect, a +captaine to his souldier, a souldiar to his captaine, a man to a woman, +and contrariwise: in which report we must always geue to euery person his +fit and naturall, & that which best becommeth him. For that speech +becommeth a king which doth not a carter, and a young man that doeth not +an old: and so, in euery sort and degree. _Virgil_ speaking in the person +of _Eneas, Turnus_ and many other great Princes, and sometimes of meaner +men, ye shall see what decencie euery of their speeches holdeth with the +qualitie, degree and yeares of the speaker. To which examples I will for +this time referre you. + +So if by way of fiction we will seem to speake in another mans person, as +if king _Henry_ the eight were aliue, and should say of the towne of +Bulleyn, what we by warretime hazard of our person hardly obteined, our +young sonne without any peril at all, for little mony deliuered vp againe. +Or if we should faine king _Edward_ the thirde, vnderstanding how his +successour Queene _Marie_ had lost the towne of Calays by negligence, +should say: That which the sword wanne, the distaffe hath lost. This +manner of speech is by the figure _Dialogismus_, or the right reasoner. + + [Sidenote: _Gnome_, or the Director.] +In waightie causes and for great purposes, wise perswaders vse graue & +weighty speaches, specially in matter of aduise or counsel, for which +purpose there is a maner of speach to alleage textes or authorities of +wittie sentence, such as smatch morall doctrine and teach wisedome and +good behauiour, by the Greeke originall we call him the _directour_, by +the Latin he is called _sententia_: we may call him the _sage sayer_, +thus. + + [Sidenote: _Sententia_, or the Sage sayer.] + _Nature bids vs as a louing mother, + To loue our selues first and next to loue another. + + The Prince that couets all to know and see, + Had neede full milde and patient to bee. + + Nothing stickes faster by us as appeares, + Then that which we learne in our tender yeares._ + +And that which our foueraigne Lady wrate in defiance of fortune. + _Neuer thinke you fortune can beare the sway, + Where vertues force, can cause her to obay._ + +Heede must be taken that such rules or sentences be choisly +made and not often vsed least excesse breed lothsomnesse. + + [Sidenote: _Sinathrismus_, or the Heaping figure.] +Arte and good pollicie moues vs many times to be earnest in our speach, +and then we lay on such load and so go to it by heapes as if we would +winne the game by multitude of words & speaches, not all of one but of +diuers matter and sence, for which cause the Latines called it _Congeries_ +and we the _heaping figure_, as he that said + _To muse in minde how faire, how wise, how good, + How braue, how free, how curteous and how true, + My Lady is doth but inflame my blood._ + +Or thus. + _I deeme, I dreame, I do, I tast, I touch, + Nothing at all but smells of perfit blisse_. + +And thus by maister _Edward Diar_, vehement swift & passionatly. + _But if my faith my hope, my loue my true intent, + My libertie, my seruice vowed, my time and all be spent, + In vaine, &c._ + +But if such earnest and hastie heaping vp of speaches be made by way of +recapitulation, which commonly is in the end of euery long tale and +Oration, because the speaker seemes to make a collection of all the former +materiall points, to binde them as it were in a bundle and lay them forth +to enforce the cause and renew the hearers memory, then ye may geue him +more properly the name of the [_collectour_] or recapitulatour, and +serueth to very great purpose as in an hympne written by vs to the Queenes +Maiestie entitled [_Mourua_] wherein speaking of the mutabilitie of +fortune in the case of all Princes generally, wee seemed to exempt her +Maiestie of all such casualtie, by reason she was by her destinie and many +diuine partes in her, ordained to a most long and constant prosperitie in +this world, concluding with this recapitualtion. + _But thou art free, but were thou not in deede, + But were thou not, come of immortall seede: + Neuer yborne, and thy minde made to blisse, + Heauens mettall that euerlasting is: + Were not thy wit, and that thy vertues shall, + Be deemd diuine thy fauour face and all: + And that thy loze, ne name may neuer dye, + Nor thy state turne, stayd by destinie: + Dread were least once thy noble hart may feele, + Some rufull turne, of her unsteady wheele._ + + [Sidenote: _Apostrophe_, or the turne tale.] +Many times when we haue runne a long race in our tale spoken to the +hearers, we do sodainly flye out & either speake or exclaime at some other +person or thing, and therefore the Greekes call such figure (as we do) the +turnway or turnetale, & breedeth by such exchaunge a certaine recreation +to the hearers minds, as this vsed by a louer to his vnkind mistresse. + _And as for you (faire one) say now by proofe ye finde, + That rigour and ingratitude soone kill a gentle minde._ + +And as we in our triumphals, speaking long to the Queenes Maiestie, vpon +the sodaine we burst out in an exclamtion to _Phebus_, seeming to draw in +a new matter, thus. + _But O Phebus, + All glistering in thy gorgious gowne, + Wouldst thou wit safe to slide a downe: + And dwell with us, + + But for a day, + I could tell thee close in thine eare, + A tale that thou hadst leuer heare + --I dare well say: + + Then ere thou wert, + To kisse that unkind runneaway, + Who was transformed to boughs of bay: + For her curst hert. &c ._ + +And so returned againe to the first matter. + + [Sidenote: _Hypotiposis_, or the counterfait representation.] +The matter and occasion leadeth vs many times to describe and set foorth +many things, in such sort as it should appeare they were truly before our +eyes though they were not present, which to do it requireth cunning: for +nothing can be kindly counterfait or represented in his absence, but by +great discretion in the doer. And if the things we couet to describe be +not naturall or not veritable, than yet the same axeth more cunning to do +it, because to faine a thing that neuer was nor is like to be, proceedeth +of a greater wit and sharper inuention than to describe things that be +true. + + [Sidenote: _Prosopographia_.] +And these be things that a poet or maker is woont to describe sometimes as +true or naturall, and sometimes to faine as artificiall and not true. +_viz_. The visage, speach and countenance of any person absent or dead: +and this kinde of representation is called the Counterfait countenance: as +_Homer_ doth in his _Iliades_, diuerse personages: namely _Achilles_ and +_Thersites_, according to the truth and not by fiction. And as our poet +_Chaucer_ doth in his Canterbury tales set for the Sumner, Pardoner, +Manciple, and the rest of the pilgrims, most naturally and pleasantly. + + [Sidenote: _Prosopopeia_, or the Counterfait in personation.] +But if ye wil faine any person with such features, qualities & conditions, +or if ye wil attribute any humane quality, as reason or speech to dombe +creatures or other insensible things, & do study (as one may say) to giue +them a humane person, it is not _Prosopographia_, but _Prosopopeia_, +because it is by way of fiction, & no prettier examples can be giuen to +you thereof, than in the Romant of the rose translated out of French by +_Chaucer_, describing the persons of auarice, enuie, old age, and many +others, whereby much moralities is taught. + + [Sidenote: _Cronographia_, or the Counterfait time.] +So if we describe the time or season of the yeare, as winter, summer, +haruest, day, midnight, noone, euening, or such like: we call such +description the counterfait time. _Cronographia_ examples are euery where +to be found. + + [Sidenote: _Topographia_, or the Counterfait place.] +And if this description be of any true place, citie, castell, hill, valley +or sea, & such like: we call it the counterfait place _Topographia_, or if +ye fayne places vntrue, as heauen, hell, paradise, the house of fame, the +pallace of the sunne, the denne of sheepe, and such like which ye shall +see in Poetes: so did _Chaucer_ very well describe the country of +_Saluces_ in _Italie_, which ye may see, in his report of the Lady +_Grysyll_. + + [Sidenote: _Pragmatographia_, or the Counterfait action.] +But if such description be made to represent the handling of any busines +with the circumstances belonging therevnto as the manner of a battell, a +feast, a marriage, a buriall or any other matter that heth in feat and +actiutie: we call it then the counterfeit action [_Pragmatographia_.] + +In this figure the Lord _Nicholas Vaux_ a noble gentleman, and much +delighted in vulgar making, & a man otherwise of no great learning but +hauing herein a maruelous facillitie, made a dittie representing the +battayle and assault of _Cupide_, so excellently well, as for the gallant +and propre application of his fiction in euery part, I cannot choose but +set downe the greatest part of his ditty, for in truth it can not be +amended. + _When Cupid scaled first the fort, + Wherein my hart lay wounded sore, + The battrie was of such a sort, + That I must yeeld or die therefore. + There saw I loue vpon the wall, + How he his banner did display, + Alarme alarme he gan to call, + And had his souldiers keepe aray. + The armes the which that Cupid bare, + We pearced harts with teares besprent: + In siluer and sable to declare + The stedfast loue he alwaies meant. + There might you see his band all drest + In colours like to white and blacke, + With pouder and with pellets prest, + To bring them forth to spoile and sacke, + Good will the master of the shot, + Stood in the Rampire braue and proude, + For expence of pouder he spared not, + Assault assault to crie aloude. + There might you heare the Canons rore, + Eche peece discharging a louers looke, &c._ + + [Sidenote: _Omiosis_, or Resemblance.] +As well to a good maker and Poet as to an excellent perswader in prose, +the figure of _Similitude_ is very necessary by which we not onely +bewtifie our tale, but also very much inforce & inlarge it. I say inforce +because no one thing more preuaileth with all ordinary iudgements than +perswasion by _similitude_. Now because there are sundry sorts of them, +which also do worke after diuerse fashions in the hearers of conceits, I +will set them foorth by a triple diuision, exempting the generall +_Similitude_ as their common Auncestour, and I will cal him by the name of +_Resemblance_ without any addition, from which I deriue three other sorts: +and giue euery one his particular name, as Resemblance by Pourtrait or +Imagery, which the Greeks call _Icon_, _Resemblance_ morall or misticall, +which they call _Parabola_, & _Resemblance_ by example, which they call +_Paradigma_, and first we will speake of the general resemblance, or bare +_similitude_, which may be thus spoken. + _But as the watrie showres delay the raging wind, + So doeth good hope cleane put away dispaire out of my mind._ + +And in this other likening the forlorne louer to a striken deer. + _Then as the striken deere, withdrawes himselfe alone, + So do I seeke some secret place, where I may make my mone._ + +And in this of ours where we liken glory to a shadow. + _As the shadow (his nature beying such,) + Followeth the body, whether it will or no, + So doeth glory, refuse it nere so much, + Wait on vertue, be it in weale or wo. + And euen as the shadow in his kind, + What time it beares the carkas company, + Goth oft before, and often comes behind: + So doth renowne, that raiseth us so hye, + Come to vs quicke, sometime not till we dye. + But the glory, that growth not ouer fast, + Is euer great, and likeliest long to last._ + +Againe in a ditty to a mistresse of ours, where we likened the cure of +Loue to _Achilles_ launce. + _The launce so bright, that made Telephus wound, + The same rusty, salued the sore againe, + So may my meede (Madame) of you redownd, + Whose rigour was first suthour of my paine._ + +The _Tuskan_ poet vseth this _Resemblance_, inuring as well by +_Dissimilitude_ as _Similitude_, likening himselfe (by _Implication_) to +the flie, and neither to the eagle nor to the owle: very well Englished by +Sir Thomas Wiat after his fashion and by myselfe thus: + _There be some fowles of sight so prowd and starke, + As can behold the sunne, and neuer shrinke, + Some so feeble, as they are faine to winke, + Or neuer come abroad till it be darke: + Others there be so simple, as they thinke, + Because it shines, so sport them in the fire, + And feele vnware, the wrong of the desire, + Fluttring amidst the flame that doth them burne, + Of this last ranke (alas) am I aright, + For in my ladies lookes to stand or turne + I haue no power, ne find place to retire, + Where any darke may shade me from her sight + But to her beames so bright whilst I aspire, + I perish by the bane of my delight._ + +Againe in these likening a wise man to the true louer. + _As true loue is constant with his enioy, + And asketh no witnesse nor no record, + And as faint loue is euermore most coy, + To boast and brag his troth at euery word: + Euen so the wise without enother meede: + Contents him with the guilt of his good deede._ + +And in this resembling the learning of an euill man to the seedes sowen in +barren ground. + _As the good seedes sowen in fruitfull soyle, + Bring foorth foyson when barren doeth them spoile: + So doeth it fare when much good learning hits, + Vpon shrewde willes and ill disposed wits._ + +And in these likening the wise man to an idiot. + _A sage man said, many of those that come + To Athens schoole for wisdome, ere they went + They first seem'd wise, then louers of wisdome, + Then Orators, then idiots, which is meant + That in wisedome all such as profite most, + Are least surlie, and little apt to boast._ + +Againe, for a louer, whose credit vpon some report had bene shaken, he +prayeth better opinion by similitude. + _After ill crop the soyle must eft be sowen, + And fro shipwracke we sayle to seas againe, + Then God forbid whose fault hath once bene knowen, + Should for euer a spotted wight remaine._ + +And in this working by resemblance in a kinde of dissimilitude betweene a +father and a master. + _It fares not by fathers as by masters it doeth fare, + For a foolish father may get a wise sonne, + But of a foolish master it haps very rare + Is bread a wise seruant where euer he wonne. + +And in these, likening the wise man to the Giant, the foole to +the Dwarfe. + _Set the Giant deepe in a dale, the dwarfe vpon an hill, + Yet will the one be but a dwarfe, th'other a giant still. + So will the wise be great and high, euen in the lowest place: + The foole when he is most aloft, will seeme but low and base._ + + [Sidenote: _Icon_, or Resemblance by imagerie.] +But when we liken an humane person to another in countenaunce, stature, +speach or other qualitie, it is not called bare resemblance, but +resemblaunce by imagerie or pourtrait, alluding to the painters terme, who +yeldeth to th'eye a visible representation of the thing he describes and +painteth in his table. So we commending her Maiestie for the wisedome +bewtie and magnanimitie likened her to the Serpent, the Lion and the +Angell, because by common vsurpation, nothing is wiser then the Serpent, +more courageous then the Lion, more bewtifull then the Angell. These are +our verses in the end of the seuenth _Partheniade._ + _Nature that seldome workes amisse, + In womans brest by passing art: + Hath lodged safe the Lyons hart, + And stately fixt with all good grace, + To Serpents head an Angels face._ + +And this maner of resemblance is not onely performed by likening liuely +creatures one to another, but also of any other naturall thing bearing a +proportion of similitude, as to liken yellow to gold, white to siluer, red +to the rose, soft to silke, hard to the stone and such like. Sir _Philip +Sidney_ in the description of his mistresse excellently well handled this +figure of resemblaunce by imagerie, as ye may see in his booke of +_Archadia_: and ye may see the like, of our doings, in a _Partheniade_ +written of our soueraigne Lady, wherein we resemble euery part of her body +to some naturall thing of excellent perfection in his kind, as of her +forehead, browes, and haire, thus: + _Of siluer was her forehead hye, + Her browes two bowes of hebenie, + Her tresses trust were to behold + Frizled and fine as fringe of gold._ + +And of her lips. + _Two lips wrought out of rubie rocke, + Like leaues to shut and to vnlock. + As portall dore in Princes chamber: + A golden tongue in mouth of amber._ + +And of her eyes. + _Her eyes God wot what stuffe they are, + I durst be sworne each is a starre: + As cleere and bright as woont to guide + The Pylot in his winter tide._ + +And of her breasts. + _Her bosome sleake as Paris plaster, + Helde up two balles of alabaster, + Eche byas was a little cherrie: + Or els I thinke a strawberie._ + +And all the rest that followeth, which may suffice to exemplifie your +figure _Icon_, or resemblance by imagerie and portrait. + + [Sidenote: _Parabola_ or Resemblance misticall.] +But whensoeuer by your similitude ye will seeme to teach any moralitie or +good lesson by speeches misticall and darke, or farre sette, vnder a sence +metaphoricall applying one naturall thing to another, or one case to +another, inferring by them a like consequence in other cases the Greekes +call it _Parabola_, which terme is also by custome accepted of vs: +neuerthelesse we may call him in English the resemblance misticall: as +when we liken a young childe to a greene twigge which ye may easilie bende +euery way ye list: or an old man who laboureth with continuall +infirmities, to a drie and dricklie oke. Such parables were all the +preachings of Christ in the Gospell, as those of the wise and foolish +virgins, of the euil steward, of the labourers in the vineyard, and a +number more. And they may be fayned aswell as true: as those fables of +_Aesope_, and other apologies inuented for doctrine sake by wise and graue +men. + + [Sidenote: _Paradigma_, or a resemblance by example.] +Finally, if in matter of counsell or perswasion we will seeme to liken one +case to another, such as passe ordinarily in mans affaires, and doe +compare the past with the present, gathering probabilitie of like successe +to come in the things wee haue presently in hand: or if ye will draw the +iudgements precedent and authorized by antiquitie as veritable, and +peraduenture fayned and imagined for some purpose, into similitude or +dissimilitude with our present actions and affaires, it is called +resemblance by example: as if one should say thus, _Alexander_ the great +in his expidition to Asia did thus, so did _Hanniball_ comming into +Spaine, so did _Caesar_ in Egypt, therfore all great Captains & Generals +ought to doe it. + +And thus againe, It hath bene alwayes vsuall among great and magnanimous +princes in all ages, not only to repulse any iniury & inuasion from their +owne realmes and dominions, but also with a charitable & Princely +compassion to defend their good neighbors Princes and Potentats, from all +oppression of tyrants & vsurpers. So did the Romaines by their armes +restore many Kings of Asia and Affricke expulsed out of their kingdoms. So +did K. _Edward_ I restablish _Baliol_ rightfull owner of the crowne of +Scotland against _Robert le brus_ no lawfull King. So did king _Edward_ +the third aide _Dampeeter_ king of Spaine against _Henry_ bastard and +vsurper. So haue many English Princes holpen with their forces the poore +Dukes of Britaine their ancient friends and allies, against the outrages +of the French kings: and why may not the Queene our soueraine Lady with +like honor and godly zele yeld protection to the people of the Low +countries, her neerest neighbours to rescue them a free people from the +Spanish seruitude. + +And as this resemblance is of one mans action to another, so may it be +made by examples of bruite beastes, aptly corresponding in qualitie or +euent, as one that wrote certaine prety verses of the Emperor _Maximinus_, +to warne him that he should not glory too much in his owne strength, for +so he did in very deede, and would not take any common souldier to taske +at wrastling, or weapon, or in any other actiuitie and feates of armes, +which was by the wiser sort mislliked, these were the verses. + The Elephant is strong, yet death doeth it subdue, + The bull is strong, yet cannot death eschue. + The Lion strong, and slaine for all his strength: + The Tygar strong, yet kilde is at the length. + Dread thou many, that dreadest not any one, + Many can kill, that cannot kill alone._ + +And so it fell out, for _Maximinus_ was slaine in a mutinie of his +souldiers, taking no warning by these examples written for his +admonition. + + + + + _CHAP. XX._ + +_The last and principall figure of our poeticall Ornament._ + + + [Sidenote: _Exargasia_ or The Gorgious.] +For the glorious lustre it setteth vpon our speech and language, the +Greeks call it [_Exargasia_] the Latine [_Expolisio_] a terme transferred +from these polishers of marble or porphirite, who after it is rough hewen +& reduced to that fashion they will do set vpon it a goodly glasse, so +smoth and cleere as ye may see your face in it, or otherwise as it fareth +by the bare and naked body, which being attired in rich and gorgious +apparell, seemeth to the common vsage of th'eye much more comely & +bewtifull then the naturall. So doth this figure (which therefore I call +the _Gorgious_) polish our speech & as it were attire it with copious & +pleasant amplifications and much varietie of sentences all running vpon +one point & to one intent so as I doubt whether I may terme it a figure, +or rather a masse of many figurative speaches, applied to the bewtifying +of our tale or argument. In a worke of ours intituled _Philocalia_ we have +strained to shew the vse & application of this figure and all others +mentioned in this booke, to which we referre you. I finde none example in +English meetre, so well maintaining this figure as that dittie of her +Maiesties owne making passing sweete and harmonicall, which figure beyng +as his very originall name purporteth the most bewtifull and gorgious of +all others, it asketh in reason to be reserued for a last complement, and +desciphred by the arte of a Ladies penne, her selfe being the most +bewtifull, or rather bewtie of Queenes. And this was the occasion: our +soueraigne Lady perceiuing how by the Sc.Q. residence within this Realme +at so great libertie and ease (as were skarce meete for so great and +daungerous a prysoner) bred secret factions among her people, and made +many of the nobilitie incline to fauour her partie: some of them desirous +of innouation in the state: others aspiring to greater fortunes by her +libertie and life. The Queene our soueraigne Lady to declare that she was +nothing ignorant of those secret practizes, though she had long with great +wisdome and pacience dissembled it, writeth this ditty most sweet and +sententious, not hiding from all such aspiring minds the daunger of their +ambition and disloyaltie: which afterward fell out most truly by +th'exemplary chastisement of sundry persons, who in fauour of the said +Sc.Q. declining from her Maiestie, sought to interrupt the quiet of the +Realme by many euill and vndutifull practizes. The ditty is as followeth. + _The doubt of future foes, exiles my present ioy, + And wit me warnes to shun such snares as threaten mine annoy. + For falshood now doth flow, and subiect faith doth ebbe, + Which would not be, if reason rul'd or widsome wev'd the webbe. + But clowdes of tois vntried, do cloake aspiring mindes, + Which turne to raigne of late repent, by course of changed windes. + The toppe of hope supposed, the roote of ruth wil be, + And frutelesse all their grassed guiles, as shortly ye shall see. + The dazeld eyes with pride, which great ambition blinds, + Shalbe vnseeld by worthy wights, whose foresight falshood finds. + The daughter of debate, that eke discord doth sowe + Shal reap no gaine where formor rule hath taught stil peace to growe. + No forreine bannisht wight shall ancre in this port, + Our realme it brookes no strangers force, let them elsewhere resort. + Our rusty sworde with rest shall first his edge employ, + To polle their toppes that seeke, such change and gape for ioy._ + +In a worke of ours entituled [_Philo Calia_] where we entreat of the loues +betwene prince _Philo_ and Lady _Calia_ in their mutual letters messages, +and speeches: we have strained our muse to shew the vse and application of +this figure, and of all others. + + + + + _CHAP. XXI._ + +_Of the vices or deformities in speach and writing principally noted by +auncient Poets._ + + +It hath bene said before how by ignorance of the maker a good figure may +become a vice, and by his good discretion, a vicious speach go for a +vertue in the Poeticall science. This saying is to be explaned and +qualified, for some maner of speaches are always intollerable and such as +cannot be vsed with any decencie, but are euer vndecent namely +barbarousnesse, incongruitie, ill disposition, fond affectation, +rusticitie, and all extreme darknesse, such as it is not possible for a +man to vnderstand the matter without an interpretour, all which partes are +generally to be banished out of euery language, vnlesse it may appeare +that the maker or Poet do it for the nonce, as it was reported by the +Philosopher _Heraclitus_ that he wrote in obscure and darke termes of +purpose not to be vnderstood, whence he merited the nickname _Scotinus_, +otherwise I see not but the rest of the common faultes may be borne with +sometimes, or passe without any greate reproofe, not being vsed ouermuch +or out of season as I said before: so as euery surplusage or preposterous +placing or vndue iteration or darke word, or doubtfull speach are not so +narrowly to be looked vpon in a large poeme, nor specially in the pretie +Poesies and deuises of Ladies, and Gentlewomen makers, whom we would not +haue too precise Poets least with their shrewd wits, when they were maried +they might become a little too phantasticall wiues, neuerthelesse because +we seem to promise an arte, which doth not iustly admit any wilful errour +in the teacher, and to th'end we may not be carped at by these methodicall +men, that we haue omitted any necessary point in this businesse to be +regarded, I will speake somewhat touching these viciosities of language +particularly and briefly, leauing no little to the Grammarians for +maintenaunce of the scholasticall warre, and altercations: we for our part +condescending in this deuise of ours, to the appetite of Princely +personages & other so tender & quesie complexions in Court, as are annoyed +with nothing more then long lessons and ouermuch good order. + + + + + _CHAP. XXII._ + +_Some vices in speaches and writing are alwayes intollerable, some others +now and then borne withall by licence of approued authors and custome._ + + + [Sidenote: _Barbarismus_, or Forrein speech.] +The foulest vice in language is to speake barbarously: this terme grew by +the great pride of the Greekes and Latines, when they were dominatours of +the world reckoning no language so sweete and ciuill as their owne, and +that all nations beside them selues were rude and vnciuill, which they +called barbarous: So as when any straunge word not of the naturall Greeke +or Latin was spoken, in the old time they called it _barbarisme_, or when +any of their owne naturall wordes were sounded and pronounced with +straunge and ill shapen accents, or written by wrong ortographie, as he +that would say with vs in England, a dousand for a thousand, asterday, for +yesterday, as commonly the Dutch and French people do, they said it was +barbarously spoken. The Italian at this day by like arrogance calleth the +Frenchman, Spaniard, Dutch, English, and all other breed behither their +mountaines _Appennines_, _Tramontani_, as who would say Barbarous. This +terme being then so vsed by the auncient Greekes, there haue bene since, +notwithstanding who haue digged for the Etimologie somethat deeper, and +many of them haue said that is was spoken by the rude and barking language +of the Affricans now called Barbarians, who had great trafficke with the +Greekes and Romanes, but that can not be so, for that part or Affricke +hath but of late receiued the name of Burbarie and some others rather +thinke that of this word Barbarous, that countrey came to be called +_Barbaria_ and but few yeares in respect agone. Others among whom is _Ihan +Leon_ a Moore of _Granada_, will seeme to deriue _Barbaria_, from this +word _Bar_, twice iterated thus _Barbar_, as much to say as flye, flye, +which chaunced in a persecution of the Arabians by some seditious +Mahometanes in the time of their Pontif, _Habdul mumi_, when they were had +in the chase, & driuen out of Arabia Westward into the countreys of +_Mauritania_, & during the pursuite cried one vpon another flye away, flye +away, or passe passe, by which occasion they say, when the Arabians which +were had in chase came to stay and settle themselues in that part of +Affrica, they called it _Barbar_, as much to say, the region of their +flight or pursuite. Thus much for the terme, though not greatly pertinent +to the matter, yet not vnpleasant to know for them that delight in such +niceties. + + [Sidenote: _Solecismus_, or Incongruitie.] +Your next intollerable vice is _solecismus_ or incongruitie, as when we +speake halfe English, that is by misusing the _Grammaticall_ rules to be +obserued in cases, genders, tenses, and such like, euery poore scholler +knowes the fault, & cals it the breaking of _Priscians_ head, for he was +among the Latines a principall Grammarian. + + [Sidenote: Cacozelia, or Fonde affectation.] +Ye haue another intollerable ill maner of speach, which by the Greekes +originall we may call _fonde affectation_ and is when we affect new words +and phrases other then the good speakers and writers in any language, or +then custome hath allowed, & is the common fault of young schollers not +halfe well studied before they come from the Vniuersitie or schooles, and +when they come to their friends, or happen to get some benefice or other +promotion in their countreys, will seeme to coigne fine wordes out of the +Latin, and to vse new fangled speaches, thereby to shew thenselues among +the ignorant the better learned. + + [Sidenote: Soraismus, or The mingle mangle.] +Another of your intollerable vices is that which the Greekes call +_Soraismus_, & we may call the [_mingle mangle_] as when we make our +speach or writinges of sundry languages vsing some Italian word, or +French, or Spanish, or Dutch, or Scottish, not for the nonce or for any +purpose (which were in part excusable) but ignorantly and affectedly as +one that said vsing this French word _Roy_, to make ryme with another +verse, thus. + _O mightie Lord of loue, dame Venus onely ioy, + Whose Princely power exceedes ech other heauenly roy._ + +The verse is good but the terme peeuishly affected. + +Another of reasonable good facilitie in translation finding certaine of +the hymnes of _Pyndarus_ and of _Anacreons odes_, and other _Lirickes_ +among the Greekes very well translated by _Rounsard_ the French Poet, & +applied to the honour of a great Prince in France, comes our minion and +translates the same out of French into English, and applieth them to the +honour of a great noble man in England (wherein I commend his reuerent +minde and duetie) but doth so impudently robbe the French Poet both of his +prayse and also of his French termes, that I cannot so much pitie him as +be angry with him for his inurious dealing, our sayd maker not being +ashamed to vfe these French wordes _freddon, egar, superbous, filanding, +celest, calabrois, thebanois_ and a number of others, for English wordes, +which haue no maner of conformitie with our language either by custome or +deriuation which may make them tollerable. And in the end (which is worst +of all) makes his vaunt that neuer English finger but his hath toucht +_Pindars_ string which was neuerthelesse word by word as _Rounsard_ had +said before by like braggery. These be his verses. + _And of an ingenious inuention infanted with pleasant trauaile._ + +Whereas the French word is _enfante_ as much to say borne as a +child, in another verse he saith. + _I will freddon in thine honour._ + +For I will shake or quiuer my fingers, for so in French is _freddon_, +and in another verse. + _But if I will thus like pindar, + In many discourses egar._ + +This word _egar_ is as much to say as to wander or stray out of the way, +which in our English is not receiued, nor these wordes _calabrois, +thebanois_, but rather _calabrian, theba_ [_filanding sisters_] for the +spinning sisters: this man deserues to be endited of pety _larceny_ for +pilfring other mens deuices from them & conuerting them to his owne vfe +for in deede as I would with euery inuentour which is the very Poet to +receaue the prayses of his inuention, so would I not haue a translatour be +ashamed to be acknowen of this translation. + + [Sidenote: _Cacosintheton_, or the Misplacer.] +Another of your intollerable vices is ill disposiiton or placing of your +words in a clause or sentence: as when you will place your adiectiue after +your substantiue, thus: _Mayde faire, widow riche, priest holy_, and such +like, which though the Latines did admit, yet our English did not, as one +that said ridiculously. + _In my yeares lustie, many a deed doughtie did I._ + +All these remembred faults be intollerable and euer vndecent. + + [Sidenote: _Cacemphaton_, or figure of foule speech.] +Now haue ye other vicious manners of speech, but sometimes and in some +cases tollerable, and chiefly to the intent to mooue laughter, and to make +sport, or to giue it some prety strange grace, and is when we vse such +wordes as may be drawen to a foule and vnshamefast sence, as one that +would say to a young woman, _I pray you let me iape with you_, which +indeed is no more but let me sport with you. Yea and though it were not +altogether so directly spoken the very sounding of the word were not +commendable, as he that in the presence of Ladies would vse this common +Prouerbe, + _Iape with me but hurt me not, + Bourde with me but shame me not._ + +For it may be taken in another peruerser sence by that sorte of persons +that heare it, in whose eares no such matter ought almost to be called in +memory, this vice is called by the Greekes _Cacemphaton_, we call it the +vnshamefast or figure of foule speech, which our courtly maker shall in +any case shunne, least of a Poet he become a Buffon or rayling companion, +the Latines called him _Scurra_. There is also another sort of ilfauoured +speech subiect to this vice, but resting more in the manner of the +ilshapen sound and accent, than for the matter it selfe, which may easily +be auoyded in choosing your wordes those that bee of the pleasantest +orthography, and not to rune too many like sounding words together. + + [Sidenote: _Tautologia_, or the figure of selfe saying.] +Ye haue another manner of composing your metre nothing commendable, +specially if it be too much vsed, and is when our maker takes too much +delight to fill his verse with wordes beginning all with a letter, as an +English rimer that said: + _The deadly droppes of darke disdaine, + Do daily drench my due desartes._ + +And as the Monke we spake of before, wrote a whole Poeme to the honor of +_Carolus Caluus_ euery word in his verse beginning with C, thus: + _Carmina clarifone Caluis cantate camena._ + +Many of our English makers vse it too much, yet we confesse it doth not +ill but pretily becomes the meetre, if ye passe not two or three words in +one verse, and vse it not very much, as he that said by way of _Epithete._ + _The smoakie sighes: the trickling teares._ + +And such like, for such composition makes the meetre runne away smoother, +and passeth from the lippes with more facilitie by iteration of a letter +then by alteration, which alteration of a letter requires an exchange of +ministery and office in the lippes, teeth or palate, and so doth not the +iteration. + + [Sidenote: _Histeron, proteron_, or the Preposterous.] +Your misplacing and preposterous placing is not all one in behauiour of +language, for the misplacing is alwaies intollerable, but the preposterous +is a pardonable fault, and many times giues a pretie grace vnto the +speech. We call it by a common saying to _set the carte before the horse_, +and it may be done eyther by a single word or by a clause of speech: by a +single word thus: + _And if I not performe, God let me neuer thriue._ + +For performe not: and this vice is sometime tollerable inough, but if the +word carry any notable sence, it is a vice not tollerable, as he that said +praising a woman for her red lippes, thus: + _A corrall lippe of hew._ + +Which is no good speech, because either he should haue sayd no more but a +corrall lip, which had bene inough to declare the rednesse or els he +should haue said a lip of corrall hew, and not a corrall lip of hew. Now +if this disorder be in a whole clause which carieth more sentence then a +word, it is then worst of all. + + [Sidenote: _Acyron_, or the Vncouthe.] +Ye haue another vicious speech which the Greeks call _Acyron_, we call it +the _vncouthe_, and is when we vse an obscure and darke word, and vtterly +repugnant to that we would expresse, if it be not by vertue of the figures +_metaphore, allegorie, abusion_, or such other laudable figure before +remembred, as he that said by way of _Epithete_. + _A dongeon deep, a dampe as darke as hell._ + +Where it is euident that a dampe being but a breath or vapour, and not to +be discerned by the eye, ought not to haue this _epithete (darke,)_ no +more then another that praysing his mistresse for her bewtifull haire, +said very improperly and with an vncouth terme. + _Her haire surmounts Apollos pride, + In it such bewty raignes._ + +Whereas this word _raigne_ is ill applied to the bewtie of a womans haire, +and might better haue bene spoken of her whole person, in which bewtie, +fauour, and good grace, may perhaps in some sort be said to raigne as our +selues wrate, in a _Partheniade_ praising her Maiesties countenance, thus: + _A cheare where loue and Maiestie do raigne, + Both milde and sterne, &c._ + +Because this word Maiestie is a word expressing a certaine Soueraigne +dignitie, as well as a quallitie of countenance, and therefore may +properly be said to _raigne_, & requires no meaner a word to set him +foorth by. So it is not of the bewtie that remaines in a womans haire, or +in her hand or any other member: therfore when ye see all these unproper +or harde Epithets vsed, ye may put them in the number of [_uncouths_] as +one that said, the _flouds of graces_: I haue heard of _the flouds of +teares_, and _the flouds of eloquence_, or of any thing that may resemble +the nature of a water-course, and in that respect we say also, _the +streames of teares_, and _the streames of utterance_, but not _the +streames of graces_, or of _beautie_. Such manner of vncouth speech did +the Tanner of Tamworth vse to king _Edward_ the fourth, which Tanner +hauing a great while mistaken him, and vsed very broad talke with him, at +length perceiuing by his traine that it was the king, was afraide he +should be punished for it, said thus with a certaine rude repentance. + _I hope I shall be hanged tomorrow._ + +For _[I fear me] I shall be hanged_, whereat the king laughed a good, not +only to see the Tanners vaine feare, but also to heare his ill shapen +terme, and gaue him for recompence of his good sport, the inheritance of +Plumton parke, I am afraid the Poets of our time that speake more finely +and correctedly will come too short of such a reward. + + [Sidenote: The vice of Surplusage.] +Also the Poet or makers speech becomes vicious and vnpleasant by nothing +more than by vsing too much surplusage: and this both not only in a word +or two more than ordinary, but in whole clauses, and peraduenture large +sentences impertinently spoken, or with more labour and curiositie than is +requisite. + + [Sidenote: _Pleonasmus_, or Too ful speech.] +The first surplusage the Greekes call _Pleonasmus_, I call him [_too much +speech_] and is no great fault, as if one should say, _I heard it with +mine eares, and saw it with mine eyes_, as if a man could heare with his +heeles, or see with his nose. We our selues vsed this superfluous speech +in a verse written of our mistresse, neuertheles, not much to be misliked, +for euen a vice sometime being seasonably vsed, hath a pretie grace, + _For euer may my true loue liue and neuer die + And that mine eyes may see her crownde a Queene._ + +As, if she liued euer, she could euer die, or that one might see her +crowned without his eyes. + + [Sidenote: _Macrologia_, or Long language.] +Another part of surplusage is called _Macrologia_, or long language, when +we vse large clauses or sentences more than is requisite to the matter: it +is also named by the Greeks _Perissologia_, as he that said, the +Ambassadours after they had receiued this answere at the kings hands, they +tooke their leaue and returned home into their countrey from whence they +came. + +So said another of our rimers, meaning to shew the great annoy and +difficultie of those warres of Troy, caused for _Helenas_ sake. + _Nor Menelaus was vnwise, + Or troupe of Troians mad, + When he with them and they with him, + For her such combat had._ + +The clauses (_he with them and they with him_) are surpluage, and one of +them very impertinent, because it could not otherwise be intended, but +that _Menelaus_, fighting with the Troians, the Troians must of necessitie +fight with him. + + [Sidenote: _Periergia_, or Ouerlabor, otherwise called the curious.] +Another point of surplusage lieth not so much in superfluitie of your +words, as of your trauaile to describe the matter which yee take in hand, +and that ye ouer-labour your selfe in your businesse. And therefore the +Greekes call it _Periergia_, we call it ouer-labor, iumpe with the +originall: or rather [_the curious_] for his ouermuch curiositie and +studie to shew himselfe fine in a light matter, as one of our late makers, +who in most of his things wrote very well, in this (to mine opinion) more +curiously than needed, the matter being ripely considered: yet is his +verse very good, and his meetre cleanly. His intent was to declare how +vpon the tenth day of March he crossed the riuer of Thames, to walke in +Saint _Georges_ field, the matter was not as great as ye may suppose. + _The tenth of March when Aries receiued + Dan Phoebus raies into his horned head, + And I my selfe by learned lore perceiued + That Ver approcht and frosty winter fled + I crost the Thames to take the cheerefull aire, + In open fields, the weather was so faire._ + +First, the whole matter is not worth all this solemne circumstance to +describe the tenth day of March, but if he had left at the two first +verses it had bene inough. But when he comes with two other verses to +enlarge his description, it is not only more than needes, but also very +ridiculous for he makes wise, as if he had not bene a man learned in some +of the mathematickes (by learned lore) that he could not haue told that +the x. of March had fallen in the spring of the yeare: which euery carter, +and also euery child knoweth without any learning. Then also when he saith +[_Ver approcht, and frosty winter fled_] though it were a surplusage +(because one season must needes geue place to the other) yet doeth it well +inough passe without blame in the maker. These, and a hundred more of such +faultie and impertinent speeches may yee finde amongst vs vulgar Poets +when we be carelesse of our doings. + + [Sidenote: _Tapinosis_, or the Abbaser.] +It is no small fault in a maker to vse such wordes and termes as do +diminish and abbase the matter he would seeme to set forth, by imparing +the dignitie, height vigour or maiestie of the cause he takes in hand, as +one that would say king _Philip_ shrewdly harmed the towne of +_S. Quinaines_, when in deede he wanne it and put it to the sacke, and +that king _Henry_ the eight made spoiles in _Turwin_, when as in deede he +did more than spoile it, for he caused it to be defaced and razed flat to +the earth, and made in inhabitable. Therefore the historiographer that +should by such wordes report of these two kings gestes in that behalfe, +should greatly blemish the honour of their doings and almost speake +untruly and iniuriously by way of abbasement, as another of our bad rymers +that very indecently said. + _A misers mynde thou hast, thou hast a Princes pelfe._ + +A lewd terme to be giuen to a Princes treasure (_pelfe_) and was a little +more manerly spoken by _Seriant Bendlowes_, when in a progresse time +comming to salute the Queene in Huntingtonshire he said to her Cochman, +stay thy cart good fellow, stay thy cart, that I may speake to the Queene, +whereat her Maiestie laughed as she had bene tickled, and all the rest of +the company although very graciously (as her manner is) she gaue him great +thanks and her hand to kisse. These and such other base wordes do greatly +disgrace the thing & the speaker or writer: the Greekes call it +[_Tapinosis_] we the [_abbaser._] + + [Sidenote: Bomphiologia, or Pompious speech.] +Others there be that fall into the contrary vice by vsing such bombasted +wordes, as seeme altogether farced full of winde, being a great deale to +high and loftie for the matter, whereof ye may finde too many in all +popular rymers. + + [Sidenote: _Amphibologia_, or the Ambiguous.] +Then haue ye one other vicious speach with which we will finish this +Chapter, and is when we speake or write doubtfully and that the sence may +be taken two wayes, such ambiguous termes they call _Amphibologia_, we +call it the _ambiguous_, or figure of sence incertaine, as if one should +say _Thomas Tayler_ saw _William Tyler_ dronke, it is indifferent to +thinke either th'one or th'other dronke. Thus said a gentleman in our +vulgar pretily notwithstanding because he did it not ignoratnly, but for +the nonce. + _I sat by my Lady soundly sleeping, + My mistresse lay by me bitterly weeping._ + +No man can tell by this, whether the mistresse or the man, slept or wept: +these doubtfull speaches were vsed much in the old times by their false +Prophets as appeareth by the Oracles of _Delphos_ and and of the _Sybille_ +prophecies deuised by the religious persons of those dayes to abuse the +superstitious people, and to encumber their busie braynes with vaine hope +or vaine feare. + +_Lucretius_ the merry Greeke reciteth a great number of them, deuised by a +coosening companion one _Alexander_, to get himselfe the name and +reputation of the God _Aesculapius_, and in effect all our old Brittish +and Saxon prophesies be of the same sort, that turne them on which side ye +will, the matter of them may be verified, neuerthelesse carryeth generally +such force in the heades of fonde people, that by the comfort of those +blind prophecies many insurrections and rebellions have bene stirred vp in +this Realme, as that of _Iacke Straw & Iacke Cade_ in _Richard_ the +seconds time, and in our time by a seditious fellow in Norffolke calling +himself Captaine Ket and others in other places of the Realme lead +altogether by certaine propheticall rymes, which might be construed two or +three wayes as well as to that one whereunto the rebelles applied it: our +maker shall therefore auoyde all such ambiguous speaches vnlesse it be +when he doth it for the nonce and for some purpose. + + + + + _CHAP. XXIII._ + +_What it is that generally makes our speach well pleasing & commeniable +and of that which the Latines call Decorum._ + + +In all things to vse decencie, is it onely that giueth euery thing his +good grace & without which nothing in mans speach could seeme good or +gracious, in so much as many times it makes a bewtifull figure fall into +deformitie, and on th'other side a vicious speach seeme pleasaunt and +bewtifull: this decencie is therfore the line & leuell for al good makers +to do their busines by. But herein resteth the difficultie to know what +this good grace is, & wherein it confitted, for peraduenture it be easier +to conceaue then to expresse, we wil therfore examine it to the bottome & +say: that euery thing which pleaseth the mind or sences, & the mind by the +sences as by means instrumentall, doth it for some amiable point or +qualitie that is in it, which draweth them to a good liking and +contentment with their proper obiects. But that cannot be if they discouer +any illfauorednesse or disproportion to the partes apprehensiue, as for +example, when a sound is either too loude or too low or otherwise confuse, +the eare is ill affected: so is th'eye if the coulour be sad or not +liminous and recreatiue, or the shape of a membred body without his due +measures and simmetry, and the like of euery other sence in his proper +function. These excesses or defectes or confusions and disorders in the +sensible objectes are deformities and vnseemely to the sence. In like sort +the mynde for the things that be his mentall obiectes hath his good graces +and his bad, whereof th'one contents him wonderous well, th'other +displeaseth him continually, no more nor no lesse then ye see the discords +of musicke do to a well tuned eare. The Greekes call this good grace of +euery thing in his kinde, [Greek: illegible], the Latines [_decorum_] we +in our vulgar call it by a scholasticall terme [_decencie_] our owne Saxon +English terme is [_seemelynesse_] that is to say, for his good shape and +vtter appearance well pleasing the eye, we call it also [_comelynesse_] +for the delight it bringeth comming towards vs, and to that purpose may be +called [_pleasant approche_] so as euery way seeking to expresse this +[Greek: illegible] of the Greekes and _decorum_ of the Latines, we are +faine in our vulgar toung to borrow the terme which our eye onely for his +noble prerogatiue ouer all the rest of the sences doth vsurpe, and to +apply the same to all good, comely, pleasant and honest things, euen to +the spirituall obiectes of the mynde, which stand no lesse in the due +proportion of reason and discourse than any other materiall thing doth in +his sensible bewtie, proportion and comelynesse. + +Now because this comelynesse resteth in the good conformitie of many +things and their sundry circumstances, with respect one to another, so as +there be found a iust correspondencie betweene them by this or that +relation, the Greekes call it _Analogie_ or a conuenient proportion. This +louely conformitie or proportion or conueniencie betweene the sence and +the sensible hath nature her selfe first most carefully obserued in all +her owne workes, then also by kinde graft it in the appetites of euery +creature working by intelligence to couet and desire: and in their actions +to imitate & performe: and of man chiefly before any other creature as +well in his speaches as in euery other part of his behauiour. And this in +generalitie and by an vsuall terme is that which the Latines call +[_decorum_.] So albeit we before alleaged that all our figures be but +transgressions of our dayly speach, yet if they fall out decently to the +good liking of the mynde or eare and to the bewtifying of the matter or +language, all is well, if indecently, and to the eares and myndes +misliking (be the figure of it selfe neuer so commendable) all is amisse, +the election is the writers, the iudgement is the worlds, as theirs to +whom the reading apperteineth. But since the actions of man with their +circumstances be infinite, and the world likewise replenished with many +iudgements, it may be a question who shal haue the determination of such +controuersie as may arise whether this or that action or speach be decent +or indecent: and verely it seemes to go all by discretion, not perchaunce +of euery one, but by a learned and experienced discretion, for otherwise +seemes the _decorum_ to a weake and ignorant iudgement, then it doth to +one of better knowledge and experience: which sheweth that it resteth in +the discerning part of the minde, so as he who can make the best and most +differences of things by reasonable and wittie distinction is to be the +fittest iudge or sentencer of [_decencie_.] Such generally is the +discreetest man, particularly in any art the most skilfull and +discreetest, and in all other things for the more part those that be of +much obseruation and greatest experience. The case then standing that +discretion must chiefly guide all those business, since there be sundry +sortes of discretion all unlike, euen as there be men of action or art, I +see no way so fit to enable a man truly to estimate of [_decencie_] as +example, by whose veritie we may deeme the differences of things and their +proportions, and by particular discussions come at length to sentence of +it generally, and also in our behauiours the more easily to put it in +execution. But by reason of the sundry circumstances, that mans affaires +are as it were wrapt in, this [_decencie_] comes to be very much alterable +and subiect to varietie, in so much as our speech asketh one maner of +_decencie_, in respect of the person who speakes: another of his to whom +it is spoken: another of whom we speake: another of what we speak, and in +what place and time and to what purpose. And as it is of speach, so of al +other our behauiours. We wil therefore set you down some few examples of +euery circumstance how it alters the decencie of speach or action. And by +these few shal ye be able to gather a number more to confirme and +establish your iudgement by a perfit discretion. + +This decencie, so farfoorth as apperteineth to the consideration of our +art, resteth in writing, speech and behauiour. But because writing is no +more then the image or character of speech, they shall goe together in +these our observations. And first wee wil sort you out diuers points, in +which the wise and learned men of times past haue noted much decency or +vndecencie, every man according to his discretion, as it hath bene said +afore: but wherein for the most part all discreete men doe generally +agree, and varie not in opinion, whereof the examples I will geue you be +worthie of remembrance: & though they brought with them no doctrine or +institution at all, yet for the solace they may geue the readers, after +such a rable of scholastical precepts which be tedious, these reports +being of the nature of matters historicall, they are to be embraced: but +olde memories are very profitable to the mind and serue as a glasse to +looke vpon and behold the euents of time, and more exactly to skan the +trueth of every case that shall happen in the affaires of man, and many +there be that haply doe not obserue euery particularitie in matters of +decencie or vndecencie: and yet when the case is tolde them by another +man, they commonly geue the same sentence vpon it. But yet whosoeuer +obserueth much, shalbe counted the wisest and discreetest man, and +whosoever spends all his life in his owne vaine actions and conceits, and +obserues no mans else, he shal in the ende prooue but a simple man. In +which respect it is alwaies said, one man of experience is wiser than +tenne learned men, because of his long and studious obseruation and often +triall. + +And your decencies are of sundrie sorts, according to the many +circumstances accompanying our writing, speech or behauiour, so as in the +very sound or voice of him that speaketh, there is a decencie that +becommeth, and an vndecencie that misbecommeth vs, which th'Emperor +_Anthonine_ marked well in the Orator _Philisetes_, who spake before him +with so small and shrill a voice as the Emperor was greatly annoyed +therewith, and to make him shorten his tale, said, by thy beard thou +shouldst be a man, but by thy voice a woman. + +_Phanorinus_ the Philosopher was counted very wise and well learned, but a +little too talkatiue and full of words: for the which _Timocrates_ +reprooued him in the hearing of one _Polemon_. That is no wonder quoth +_Polemon_, for so be all women. And besides, _Phanorinus_ being knowen for +an Eunuke or gelded man, came by the same nippe to be noted as an +effeminate and degenerate person. + +And there is a measure to be vsed in a mans speech or tale, so as it be +neither for shortnesse too darke, nor for length too tedious. Which made +_Cleomenes_ king of the Lacedemonians geue this vnpleasant answere to the +Ambassadors or the Samiens, who had tolde him a long message from their +Citie, and desired to know his pleasure in it. My masters (saith he) the +first part of your tale was so long, that I remember it not, which made +that the second I vnderstoode not, and as for the third part I doe nothing +well allow of. Great princes and graue counsellors who haue little spare +leisure to hearken, would haue speeches vsed to them such as be short and +sweete. + +And if they be spoken by a man of account, or one who for his yeares, +profession or dignitie should be thought wise & reuerend, his speeches & +words should also be graue, pithie & sententious, which was well noted by +king _Antiochus_, who likened _Hermogenes_ the famous Orator of Greece, +vnto these fowles in their moulting time, when their feathers be sick, and +be so loase in the flesh that at any little rowse they can easilie shake +them off: so saith he, can _Hermogenes_ of all the men that euer I knew, +as easilie deliuer from him his vaine and impertinent speeches and words. + +And there is a decencie, that euery speech should be to the appetite and +delight, or dignitie of the hearer & not for any respect arrogant or +vndutifull, as was that of _Alexander_ sent Embassadour from the +_Athenians_ to th'Emperour _Marcus_, this man seing th'emperour not so +attentiue to his tale, as he would haue had him, said by way of +interruption, _Ceasar_ I pray thee giue me better eare, it seemest thou +knowest me not, nor from whom I came: the Emperour nothing well liking his +bold malapert speech, said: thou art deceyued, for I heare thee and know +well inough, that thou art that fine, foolish, curious, sawcie _Alexander_ +that tendest to nothing but to combe & cury thy haire, to pare thy nailes, +to pick thy teeth, and to perfume thy selfe with sweet oyles, that no man +may abide the sent of thee. Prowde speeches, and too much finesse and +curiositie is not commendable in an Embassadour. And I haue knowen in my +time such of them, as studied more vpon what apparel they should weare, +and what countenaunces they should keepe at the times of their audience, +then they did vpon th'effect of their errant or commission. + +And there is decency in that euery man should talke of the things they +haue best skill of, and not in that, their knowledge and learning serueth +them not to do, as we are wont to say, he speaketh of Robin hood that +neuer shot in his bow: there came a great Oratour before _Cleomenes_ king +of _Lacedemonia_, and vttered much matter to him touching fortitude and +valiancie in the warres: the king laughed: why laughest thou quoth the +learned man, since thou art a king thy selfe, and one whom fortitude best +becommeth? why said Cleomenes would it not make any body laugh, to heare +the swallow who feeds onely vpon flies to boast of his great pray, and see +the eagle stand by and say nothing? if thou wert a man of warre or euer +hadst bene day of thy life, I would not laugh to here thee speake of +valiancie, but neuer being so, & speaking before an old captaine I can not +choose but laugh. + +And some things and speaches are decent or indecent in respect of the time +they be spoken or done in. As when a great clerk presented king +_Antiochus_ with a booke treating all of iustice, the king that time lying +at the siege of a towne, who lookt vpon the title of the booke, and cast +it to him againe: saying, what a diuell tellest thou to me of iustice, now +thou seest me vse force and do the best I can to bereeue mine enimie of +his towne? euery thing hath his season which is called Oportunitie, and +the vnfitnesse or vndecency of the time is called Importunitie. + +Sometime the vndeceny ariseth by the indignitie of the word in respect of +the speaker himselfe, as whan a daughter of Fraunce and next heyre +generall to the crowne (if the law _Salique_ had not barred her) being set +in a great chaufe by some harde words giuen her by another prince of the +bloud, said in her anger, thou durst not haue said thus much to me if God +had giuen me a paire of, &c. and told all out, meaning if God had made her +a man and not a woman she had bene king of Fraunce. The word became not +the greatnesse of her person, and much lesse her sex, whose chiefe virtue +shamefastnesse, which the Latines call _Verecundia_, that is a naturall +feare to be noted with any impudicitie: so as when they heare or see any +thing tending that way they commonly blush, & is a part greatly praised in +all women. + +Yet will ye see in many cases how pleasant speeches and fauouring some +skurrillity and vnshamefastnes haue now and then a certaine decencie, and +well become both the speaker to say, and the hearer to abide, but that is +by reason of some other circumstance, as when the speaker himselfe is +knowne to be a common iester or buffon, such as take vpon them to make +princes merry, or when some occasion is giuen by the hearer to induce such +a pleasaunt speach, and in many other cases whereof no generall rule can +be giuen, but are best knowen by example: as when Sir _Andrew Flamock_ +king _Henry_ the eights standerdbearer, a merry conceyted man and apt to +skoffe, waiting one day at the kings heeles when he entred the parke at +Greenewich, the king blew his horne, _Flamock_ hauing his belly full, and +his tayle at commaundment, gaue out a rappe nothing faintly, that the king +turned him about and said how now sirra? _Flamock_ not well knowing how to +excuse his vnmannerly act, if it please you Sir quoth he, your Maiesty +blew one blast for the keeper and I another for his man. The king laughed +hartily and tooke it nothing offensiuely: for indeed as the case fell out +it was not vndecently spoken by Sir _Andrew Flamock_, for it was the +cleaneliest excuse he could make, and a merry implicatiue in termes +nothing odious, and therefore a sporting satisfaction to the kings mind, +in a matter which without some such merry answere could not haue bene well +taken. So was _Flamocks_ action most vncomely, but his speech excellently +well becoming the occasion. + +But at another time and in another like case, the same skurrillitie of +_Flamock_ was more offensiue, because it was more indecent. As when the +king hauing _Flamock_ with him in his barge, passing from Westminster to +Greenewich to visite a fayre Lady whom the king loued and was lodged in +the tower of the Parke: the king comming within sight of the tower, and +being disposed to be merry, said, _Flamock_ let vs rime: as well as I can +said _Flamock_ if it please your grace. The king began thus: + _Within this towre, + There lieth a flowre, + That hath my hart._ + +_Flamock_ for aunswer: _Within this hower, she will, &c._ with the rest in +so vncleanly termes, as might not now become me by the rule of _Decorum_ +to vtter writing to so great a Maiestie, but the king tooke them in so +euill part, as he bid _Flamock_ auaunt varlet, and that he should no more +be so neere vnto him. And wherein I would faine learne, lay this +vndecencie? in the skurrill and filthy termes not meete for a kings eare? +perchance so. For the king was a wise and graue man, and though he hated +not a faire woman, liked he nothing well to heare speeches of ribaudrie: +as they report of th'emperour _Octauian: Licet fuerit ipse +incontinentissimus, fuit tamen incontinense feuerissimus vltor._ But the +very cause in deed was for that _Flamocks_ reply answered not the kings +expectation, for the kings rime commencing with a pleasant and amorous +proposition: Sir _Andrew Flamock_ to finish it not with loue but with +lothsomnesse, by termes very rude and vnciuill, and seing the king greatly +fauour that Ladie for her much beauty by like or some other good partes, +by his fastidious aunswer to make her seeme odious to him, it helde a +great disproportion to the kings appetite, for nothing is so vnpleasant to +a man, as to be encountered in his chiefe affection, & specially in his +loues, & whom we honour we should also reuerence their appetites, or at +the least beare with them (not being wicked and vtterly euill) and +whatsoeuer they do affect, we do not as becommeth vs if we make it seeme +to them horrible. This in mine opinion was the chiefe cause of the +vndecencie and also of the kings offence. _Aristotle_ the great +philosopher knowing this very well, what time he put _Calistenes_ to king +_Alexander_ the greats seruice gaue him this lesson. Sirra quoth he, ye go +now from a scholler to be a courtier, see ye speake to the king your +maister, either nothing at all, or else that which pleaseth him, which +rule if _Calistenes_ had followed and forborne to crosse the kings +appetite in diuerse speeches, it had not cost him so deepely as afterward +it did. A like matter of offence fell out betweene th'Emperour _Charles_ +the fifth, & an Embassadour of king _Henry_ the eight, whom I could name +but will not for the great opinion the world had of his wisdome and +sufficiency in that behalfe, and all for misusing of a terme. The king in +the matter of controuersie betwixt him and Ladie _Catherine_ of +_Castill_ the Emperours awnt, found himselfe grieued that the Emperour +should take her part and worke vnder hand with the Pope to hinder the +diuorce: and gaue his Embassadour commission in good termes to open his +griefes to the Emperour, and to expostulat with his Maiestie, for that he +seemed to forget the kings great kindnesse and friendship before times +vsed with th'Emperour, aswell by disbursing for him sundry great summes of +monie which were not all yet repayd: as also furnishing him at his neede +with store of men and munition to his warres, and now to be thus vsed he +thought it a very euill requitall. The Embassadour for too much animositie +and more then needed in the case, or perchance by ignorance of the +proprietie of the Spanish tongue, told the Emperour among other words, +that he was _Hombre el mas ingrato enel mondo_, the ingratest person in +the world to vse his maister so. The Emperour tooke him suddainly with the +word, and said: callest thou me _ingrate_? I tell thee learne better +termes, or else I will teach them thee. Th'Embassadour excused it by his +commission, and said: they were the king his maisters words, and not his +owne. Nay quoth th'Emperour, thy maister durst not haue sent me these +words, were it not for that broad ditch betweene him & me, meaning the +sea, which is hard to passe with an army of reuenge. The Embassadour was +commanded away & no more hard by the Emperor, til by some other means +afterward the grief was either pacified or forgotten, & all this +inconuenience grew by misuse of one word, which being otherwise spoken & +in some sort qualified, had easily holpen all, & yet th'Embassadour might +sufficiently haue satisfied his commission & much better aduaunced his +purpose, as to haue said for this word [_ye are ingrate_,] ye haue not +vsed such gratitude towards him as he hath deserued: so ye may see how a +word spoken vndecently, not knowing the phrase or proprietie of a +language, maketh a whole matter many times miscarrie. In which respect it +is to be wished, that none Ambassadour speake his principall commandements +but in his own language or in another as naturall to him as his owne, and +so it is vsed in all places of the world sauing in England. The Princes +and their commissioners fearing least otherwise they might vtter any thing +to their disaduantage, or els to their disgrace: and I my selfe hauing +seene the Courts of Fraunce, Spaine, Italie, and that of the Empire, with +many inferior Courts, could neuer perceiue that the most noble personages, +though they knew very well how to speake many forraine languages, would at +any times that they had bene spoken vnto, answere but in their owne, the +Frenchman in French, the Spaniard in Spanish, the Italian in Italian, and +the very Dutch Prince in the Dutch language: whether it were more for +pride, or for feare of any lapse, I cannot tell. And _Henrie_ Earle of +Arundel being an old Courtier and a very princely man in all his actions, +kept that rule alwaies. For on a time passing from England towards Italie +by her maiesties licence, he was very honorably enterteined at the Court +of Brussels, by the Lady Duches of Parma, Regent there: and sitting at a +banquet with her, where also was the Prince of Orange, with all the +greatest Princes of the state, the Earle, though he could reasonably well +speake French, would not speake one French word, but all English, whether +he asked any question, or answered it, but all was done by Truchemen. In +so much as the Prince of Orange maruelling at it, looked a side on that +part where I stoode a beholder of the feast, and sayd, I maruell your +Noblemen of England doe not desire to be better languaged in the forraine +languages. This word was by and by reported to the Earle. Quoth the Earle +againe, tell my Lord the Prince, that I loue to speake in that language, +in which I can best vtter my mind and not mistake. + +Another Ambassadour vsed the like ouersight by ouerweening himselfe that +he could naturally speake the French tongue, whereas in troth he was not +skilfull in their termes. This Ambassadour being a Bohemian, sent from the +Emperour to the French Court, whereafter his first audience, he was highly +feasted and banquetted. On a time, among other a great Princesse sitting +at the table, by way of talke asked the Ambassador whether the Empresse +his his mistresse when she went a hunting, or otherwise trauailed abroad +for her solace, did ride a horsback or goe in her coach. To which the +Ambassadour answered vnwares and not knowing the French terme, _Par ma foy +elle chenauche fort bien; & si en prend grand plaisir_. She rides (saith +he) very well, and takes great pleasure in it. There was good smiling one +vpon another of the Ladies and Lords, the Ambassador wist not whereat, but +laughed himselfe for companie. This word _Chenaucher_ in the French tongue +hath a reprobate sence, specially being spoken of a womans riding. + +And as rude and vnciuill speaches carry a marueilous great indecencie, so +doe sometimes those that be ouermuch affected and nice: or that doe fauour +of ignorance or adulation, and be in the eare of graue and wise persons no +lesse offensive than the other: as when a sutor in Rome came to _Tiberius_ +the Emperor and said, I would open my case to your Maiestie, if it were +not to trouble your sacred businesse, _sacras vestras occupationes_ as the +Historiographer reporteth. What meanest thou by that terme quoth the +Emperor, say _laboriosas_ I pray thee, & so thou maist truely say, and bid +him leaue off such affected flattering termes. + +The like vndencie vsed a Herald at armes sent by _Charles_ the fifth +Emperor, to _Fraunces_ the first French king, bringing him a message of +defiance, and thinking to qualifie the bitterness of his message with +words pompous and magnificent for the kings honor, vsed much this terme +(sacred Maiestie) which was not vsually geuen to the French king, but to +say for the most part [_Sire_] The French king neither liking his errant, +nor yet of his pompous speech, said somewhat sharply, I pray thee good +fellow clawe me not where I itch not with thy sacred maiestie but goe to +they businesse, and tell thine errand in such termes as are decent betwixt +enemies, for thy master is not my frend, and turned him to a Prince of the +bloud who stoode by, saying, me thinks this fellow speakes like Bishop +_Nicholas_, for on Saint _Nicholas_ night commonly the Scholars of the +Countrey make them a Bishop, who like a foolish boy, goeth about blessing +and preaching with so childish termes, as maketh the people laugh at his +foolish counterfait speeches. + +And yet in speaking or writing of a Princes affaires & fortunes there is a +certaine _Decorum_, that we may not vse the same termes in their busines, +as we might very wel doe in a meaner persons, the case being all one, such +reuerence is due to their estates. As for example, if an Historiographer +shal write of an Emperor or King, how such a day hee ioyned battel with +his enemie, and being ouer-laide ranne out of the fielde, and tooke his +heeles, or put spurre to his horse and fled as fast as he could: the +termes be not decent, but of a meane souldier or captaine, it were not +vndecently spoken. And as one, who translating certaine bookes of _Virgils +AEneidos_ into English meetre, said that _AEneas_ was fayne to trudge out of +Troy: which terme became better to be spoken of a beggar, or of a rogue, +or a lackey: for so wee vse to say to such maner of people, be trudging +hence. + +Another Englishing this word of _Virgill_ [_fato profugus_] called _AEneus_ +[_by fate a fugitiue_] which was vndecently spoken, and not to the +Authours intent in the same word: for whom he studied by all means to +auaunce aboue all other men of the world for virtue and magnanimitie he +meant not to make him a fugitiue. But by occasion of his great distresses, +and of the hardnesse of his destinies, he would haue it appeare that +_AEneas_ was enforced to flie out of _Troy_, and for many yeeres to be a +romer and a wandrer about the world both by land and sea [_fato profugus_] +and never to find any resting place till he came into _Italy_, so as ye +may euidently perceiue in this terme [_fugitiue_] a notable indignity +offred to that princely person, and by th'other word a wanderer, none +indignitie at all, but rather a terme of much loue and commiseration. The +same translatour when he came to these words: _Insignem pietate virum tot +voluere casus tot adire labores compulit._ Hee turned it thus, what moued +_Iuno_ to tugge so great a captaine as _AEneus_, which word tugge spoken in +this case is so vndecent as none other coulde haue bene deuised, and tooke +his first originall from the cart, because it signifieth the pull or +draught of the oxen or horses, and therefore the leathers that beare the +chiefe stresse of the draught, the cartars call them tugges, and so wee +vse to say that shrewd boyes tugge each other by the eares, for pull. + +Another of our vulgar makers, spake as illfaringly in this verse written +to the dispraise of a rich man and couetous. Thou hast a misers minde +(thou hast a princes pelfe) a lewde terme to be spoken of a princes +treasure, which in no respect nor for any cause is to be called pelfe, +though it were neuer so meane, for pelfe is properly the scrappes or +shreds of taylors and of skinners, which are accompted of so vile price as +they be commonly cast out of dores, or otherwise bestowed vpon base +purposes: and carrieth not the like reason or decencie, as when we say in +reproch of a niggard or vserer, or worldly couetous man, that he setteth +more by a little pelfe of the world, than by his credit or health, or +conscience. For in comparison of these treasours, all the gold or siluer +in the world may by a skornefull terme be called pelfe, & so ye see that +the reason of the decencie holdeth not alike in both cases. Now let vs +passe from these examples, to treate of those that concerne the +comelinesse and decencie of mans behauiour. + +And some speech may be whan it is spoken very vndecent, and yet the same +hauing afterward somewhat added to it may become prety and decent, as was +the stowte worde vfed by a captaine in Fraunce, who sitting at the lower +end of the Duke of _Guyses_ table among many, the day after there had bene +a great battaile foughten, the Duke finding that this captaine was not +seene that day to do any thing in the field, taxed him priuily thus in al +the hearings. Where were you Sir the day of the battaile, for I saw ye +not? the captaine answered promptly: where ye durst not haue bene: and the +Duke began to kindle with the worde, which the Gentleman perceiuing, said +spedily: I was that day among the carriages, where your excellencie would +not for a thousand crownes haue bene seene. Thus from vndecent it came by +a wittie reformation to be made decent againe. + +The like hapned on a time at the Duke of Northumberlandes bourd, where +merry _John Heywood_ was allowed to sit at the tables end. The Duke had a +very noble and honorable mynde always to pay his debts well, and when he +lacked money, would not stick to sell the greatest part of his plate: so +had he done few dayes before. _Heywood_ being loth to call for his drinke +so oft as he was dry, turned his eye toward the cupbord and sayd I finde +great misse of your graces standing cups: the Duke thinking he had spoken +it of some knowledge that his plate was lately sold, said somewhat +sharpely, why Sir will not those cuppes serue as good a man as your selfe. +_Heywood_ readily replied. Yes if it please your grace, but I would haue +one of them stand still at myne elbow full of drinke that I might not be +driuen to trouble your men so often to call for it. This pleasant and +speedy reuers of the former wordes holpe all the matter againe, whereupon +the Duke became very pleasaunt and dranke a bolle of wine to _Heywood_, +and bid a cup should alwayes be standing by him. + +It were to busie a peece of worke for me to tell you of all the partes of +decencie and indecency which haue bene obserued in the speaches of man & +in his writings, and this that I tell you is rather to solace your eares +with pretie conceits after a sort of long scholasticall preceptes which +may happen haue doubled them, rather then for any other purpose of +institution or doctrine, which to any Courtier of experience, is not +necessarie in this behalfe. And as they appeare by the former examples to +rest in our speach and writing: so do the same by like proportion consist +in the whole behauiour of man, and that which he doth well and commendably +is euer decent, and the contrary vndecent, not in euery mans iudgement +alwayes one, but after their seuerall discretion and by circumstance +diuersly, as by the next Chapter shalbe shewed. + + + + + _CHAP. XXIIII._ + +_Of decencie in behauiour which also belongs to the consideration of the +Poet or maker._ + + +And there is a decency to be obserued in euery mans action & behauiour +aswell as in his speach & writing which some peraduenture would thinke +impertinent to be treated of in this booke, where we do but informe the +commendable fashions of language & stile: but that is otherwise, for the +good maker or poet who is in decent speach & good termes to describe all +things and with prayse or dispraise to report euery mans behauiour, ought +to know the comlinesse of an action aswell as of a word & thereby to +direct himselfe both in praise & perswation or any other point that +perteines to the Oratours arte. Wherefore some examples we will set downe +of this maner of decency in behauiour leauing you for the rest to our +booke which we haue written _de Decoro_, where ye shall see both partes +handled more exactly. And this decencie of mans behauiour aswell as of his +speach must also be deemed by discretion, in which regard the thing that +may well become one man to do may not become another, and that which is +seemely to be done in this place is not so seemely in that, and at such a +time decent, but at another time vndecent, and in such a case and for such +a purpose, and to this and that end and by this and that euent, perusing +all the circumstances with like consideration. Therefore we say that it +might become king _Alexander_ to giue a hundreth talentes to _Anaxagoras_ +the Philosopher, but not for a beggerly Philosopher to accept so great a +gift, for such a Prince could not be impouerished by that expence, but the +Philosopher was by it excessiuely to be enriched, so was the kings action +proportionable to his estate and therefore decent, the Philosophers, +disproportionable both to his profession and calling and therefore +indecent. + +And yet if we shall examine the same point with a clearer discretion, it +may be said that whatsoeuer it might become king _Alexander_ of his regal +largesse to bestow vpon a poore Philosopher vnasked, that might aswell +become the Philosopher to receiue at his hands without refusal, and had +otherwise bene some empeachement of the kings abilitie or wisedome, which +had not bene decent in the Philosopher, nor the immoderatenesse of the +kinges gift in respect of the Philosophers meane estate made his +acceptance the lesse decent, since Princes liberalities are not measured +by merite nor by other mens estimations, but by their owne appetites and +according to their greatnesse. So said king _Alexander_ very like himselfe +to one _Perillus_ to whom he had geuen a very great gift, which he made +curtesy to accept, saying it was too much for such a mean person, what +quoth the king if it be too much for thy self, hast thou neuer a friend or +kinsman that may fare the better by it? But peraduenture if any such +immoderat gift had bene craued by the Philosopher and not voluntarily +offred by the king it had bene vndecent to haue taken it. Euen so if one +that standeth vpon his merite, and spares to craue the Princes liberalitie +in that which is moderate and fit for him, doth vndecently. For men should +not expect till the Prince remembred it of himselfe and began as it were +the gratification, but ought to be put in remembraunce by humble +folicitations, and that is duetifull, & decent, which made king _Henry_ +th'eight her Maiesties most noble father, and for liberality nothing +inferiour to king _Alexander_ the great, aunswere one of his priuie +chamber, who prayd him to be good & gracious to a certaine old Knight +being his seruant for that he was but an ill begger, if he be ashamed to +begge we wil thinke scorne to giue. And yet peraduenture in both these +cases, the vndecencie for too much crauing or sparing to craue, might be +easily holpen by a decent magnificence in the Prince, as _Amazas_ king of +_AEgypt_ very honorably considered, who asking one day for one _Diopithus_ +a noble man of his Court, what was become of him for that he had not sene +him wait of long time, one about the king told him that he heard say he +was sicke and of some conceit he had taken that his Maiestie had but +slenderly looked to him, vsing many others very bountifully. I beshrew his +fooles head quoth the king, why had he not sued vnto vs and made vs pruie +of his want, then added, but in truth we are most to blame our selues, who +by a mindeful beneficence without sute should haue supplied his +bashfullnesse, and forthwith commaunded a great reward in money & pension +to be sent vnto him, but it hapned that when the kings messengers entred +the chamber of _Diopithus_, he had newly giuen vp the ghost: the +messengers sorrowed the case, and _Diopithus_ friends sate by and wept, +not so much for _Diopithus_ death, as for pitie that he ouerliued not the +comming of the kings reward. Therupon it came euer after to be vsed for a +prouerbe that when any good turne commeth too late to be vsed, to cal it +_Diopithus_ reward. + +In Italy and Fraunce I haue knowen it vsed for common pollicie, the +Princes to differre the bestowing of their great liberalities as +Cardinalships and other high dignities & offices of gayne, till the +parties whom they should seeme to gratifie be so old or so sicke as it is +not likely they should long enioy them. + +In the time of _Charles_ the ninth French king, I being at the Spaw +waters, there lay a Marshall of Fraunce called _Monsieur de Sipier_, to +vse those waters for his health, but when the Phisitions had all giuen him +vp, and that there was no hope of life in him, came from the king to him a +letters patents of six thousand crownes yearely pension during his life +with many comfortable wordes: the man was not so much past remembraunce, +but he could say to the messenger _trop tard_, _trop tard_, it should haue +come before, for in deede it had bene promised long and came not till now +that he could not fare the better by it. + +And it became king _Antiochus_, better to bestow the faire Lady +_Stratonica_ his wife vpon his sonne _Demetrius_, who lay sicke for her +loue and would else haue perished, as the Physitions cunningly discouered +by the beating of his pulse, then it could become _Demetrius_ to be +inamored with his fathers wife, or to enioy her of his guilt, because the +fathers act was led by discretion and of a fatherly compassion, not +grutching to depart from his deerest possession to saue his childes life, +where as the sonne in his appetite had no reason to lead him to loue +vnlawfully, for whom it had rather bene decent to die, then to haue +violated his fathers bed with safetie of his life. + +No more would it be seemely for an aged man to play the wanton like a +child, for it stands not with the conueniency of nature, yet when king +_Agesilaus_ hauing a great sort of little children, was one day disposed +to solace himself among them in a gallery where they plaied, and tooke a +little hobby horse of wood and bestrid it to keepe them in play, one of +his friends seemed to mislike his lightnes, o good friend quoth +_Agesilaus_, rebuke me not for this fault till thou haue children of thine +owne, shewing in deede that it came not of vanitie but of a fatherly +affection, ioying in the sport and company of his little children, in +which respect and as that place and time serued, it was dispenceable in +him & not indecent. + +And in the choise of a man's delights & maner of his life, there is a +decencie, and so we say th'old man generally is no fit companion for the +young man, nor the rich for the poore, nor the wise for the foolish. Yet +in some respects and by discretion it may be otherwise, as when the old +man hath the gouernment of the young, the wise teaches the foolish, the +rich is wayted on by the poore for their reliefe, in which regard the +conuersation is not indecent. + +And _Proclus_ the Philosopher knowing how euery indecencie is vnpleasant +to nature, and namely, how vncomely a thing it is for young men to doe as +old men doe (at leastwise as young men for the most part doe take it) +applyed it very wittily to his purpose: for hauing his sonne and heire a +notable vnthrift, & delighting in nothing but in haukes and hounds and gay +apparrell, and such like vanities, which neither by gentle nor sharpe +admonitions of his father, could make him leaue. _Proclus_ himselfe not +onely bare with his sonne, but also vsed it himselfe for company, which +some of his frends greatly rebuked him for, saying, o _Proclus_, an olde +man and a Philosopher to play the foole and lasciuious more than the +sonne. Mary, quoth _Proclus_, & therefore I do it, for it is the next way +to make my sonne change his life, when he shall see how vndecent it is in +me to leade such a life, and for him being a yong man, to keepe companie +with me being an old man, and to doe that which I doe. + +So is it not vnseemely for any ordinarie Captaine to winne the victory or +any other auantage in warre by fraud & breach of faith: as _Hanniball_ +with the Romans, but it could not well become the Romaines managing so +great an Empire, by examples of honour and iustice to doe as _Hanniball_ +did. And when _Parmenio_ in a like case perswaded king _Alexander_ to +breake the day of his appointment, and to set vpon _Darius_ at the +sodaine, which _Alexander_ refused to doe, _Parmenio_ saying, I would doe +it if I were _Alexander_, and I too quoth _Alexander_ if I were +_Parmenio_: but it behooueth me in honour to fight liberally with mine +enemies, and iustly to ouercome. And thus ye see that was decent in +_Parmenios_ action, which was not in the king his masters. + +A great nobleman and Counseller in this Realme was secretlie aduised by +his friend, not to vse so much writing his letters in fauour of euery man +that asked them, specially to the Iudges of the Realme in cases of +iustice. To whom the noble man answered, it becomes vs Councellors better +to vse instance for our friend, then for the Iudges to sentence at +instance: for whatsoeuer we doe require them, it is in their choise to +refuse to doe, but for all that the example was ill and dangerous. + +And there is a decencie in chusing the times of a mans busines, and as the +Spaniard sayes, _es tiempo de negotiar_, there is a fitte time for euery +man to performe his businesse in, & to attend his affaires, which out of +that time would be vndecent: as to sleepe al day and wake al night, and to +goe a hunting by torch-light as an old Earle of Arundel vsed to doe, or +for any occasion of little importance, to wake a man out of his sleepe, or +to make him rise from his dinner to talke with him, or such like +importunities, for so we call euery vnseasonable action, and the +vndecencie of time. + +_Callicrasides_ being sent Ambassador by the Lacedemonians, to _Cirus the +young king of Persia to contract him for money and men toward their warres +against the Athenians, came to the Court at such vnseasonable time as the +king was yet in the midst of his dinner and went away againe saying, it is +now no time to interrupt the kings mirth. He came againe another day in +the after noone, and finding the king ar a rere-banquet, and to haue taken +the wine somewhat plentifully, turned back againe, saying, I thinke there +is no houre fitte to deal with _Cirus_, for he is euer in his banquets; I +will rather leaue all business vndone, then doe any thing that shall not +become the Lacedemonians: meaning to offer conference of so great +importance to his Countrey, with a man so distempered by surfet as hee was +not likely to geue him any reasonable resolution in the cause. + +One _Eudamidas_ brother to the king _Agis_ of _Lacedemonia_, coming by +_Zenocrates_ schoole and looking in, saw him sit in his chaire, disputing +with a long hoare beard, asked who it was, one answered, Sir it is a wise +man and one of them searches after virtue, and if he haue not yet found it +quoth _Eudamidas_ when will he vse it, that now at his yeares is seeking +after it, as who would say it is not time to talke of matters when they +should be put in execution nor for an old man to be to seeke what virtue +is, which all his youth he should haue had in exercise. + +Another time coming to heare a notable Philosopher dispute, it happened, +that all was ended euen as he came, and one of his familiars would haue +had him requested the Philosopher to beginner againe, that were indecent +and nothing ciuill quoth _Eudamidas_, for if he should come to me +supperlesse when I had supped before, were it seemely for him to pray me +to suppe againe for his companie? + +And the place makes a thing decent or indecent, in which consideration one +_Eubondae_ being sent Embassadour into a forraine realme, some of his +familiars tooke occasion at the table to praise the wines and women of +that country in prefence of their owne husbands, which th'embassadour +mislikes, and when supper was ended and the guestes departed, tooke his +familiars aside, and told them that is was nothing decent in a strange +country to praise thewomen, nor specially a wife before her husbands face, +for inconueniencie that might rise thereby, aswell to the prayser as to +the woman, and that the chief commendation of a chaste matrone, was to be +known onely to her husband, and not to be observed by strangers and +guestes. + +And in the vse of apparel there is no little decency and vndecencie to be +perceiued, as well for the fashion as the stuffe, for it is comely that +euery estate and vocation should be knowen by the differences of their +habit: a Clarke from a lay man: a gentleman from a yeoman: a souldier from +a citizen, and the chief of euery degree from their inferiours, because in +confusion and disorder there is no manner of decencie. + +The Romaines of any other people most seuere censurers of decencie, +thought no vpper garment so comely for a ciuill man as a long playted +qowne, because it sheweth much grauitie & also pudicitie, hiding euery +member of the body which had not bin pleasant to behold. In somuch as a +certain _Proconsull_ or Legat of theirs dealing one day with _Ptolome_ +king of Egypt, seeing him clad in a straite narrow garment very +licentiously, disclosing euery part of his body, gave him a great checke +for it: and said that vnlesse he vsed more saf and comely garments, the +Romaines would take no pleasure to hold amitie with him, for by the +wantonness of his garment they would iudge the vanitie of his mind, not to +be worthy of their constant friendship. A pleasant old courtier wearing +one day in the sight of a great councellour, after the new guise a French +cloake scarce reaching to the wast, a long beaked doublet hanging downe to +his thies, & an high paire of silke netherstocks that couered all his +buttocks and loignes the Councellor marueled to see him in that sort +disguised, and otherwise than he had binwoont to be. Sir quoth the +Gentleman to excuse it: if I should not be able whan I had need to pisse +out of my doublet, and to do the rest in my netherstocks (vsing the plaine +terme) all men would say that I was but a lowte, the Councellor laughed +hartily at the absurditie of the speech, but what those sower fellows of +Rome haue said trowe ye? truly in mine opinion, that all such persons as +take pleasure to shew their limbes, specially those that natures hath +commanded out of sight, should be inioyned either to go starke naked, or +else to resort backe to the comely and modest fashion of their owne +countrie apparel, vsed by their old honourable auncestors. + +And there is a decency of apparel in respect of the place where it is to +be vsed: in the Court to be richely apparelled: in the countrey to weare +more plain & homely garments. For who would not thinke it a ridiculous +thing to see a Lady in her milke-house with a velvet gowne, and at a +bridal in her cassock of mockado: a Gentleman of the Countrey among the +bushes and briers, goes in a pounced dublet and a paire of embroidered +hosen, the the Cities to weare a fries Ierkin and a paire of leather +breeches? yet some such phantasticals haue I knowen, and one a certaine +knight, of all other the most vaine, who commonly would come to the +Sessions, and other ordinarie meetings and Commissions in the Countrey, so +bedect with buttons and aglets of gold and such costly embroideries, as +the poore plaine men of the Countrey called him for his gaynesse, the +golden knight. Another for the like cause was called Saint Sunday; I +thinke at this day they be so farre spent, as either of them would be +content with a good cloath cloake: and this came by want of discretion, to +discerne and deeme right of decencie, which many Gentlemen doe wholly +limite by the person or degree where reason doeth it by the place and +presence: which may be such as it might very well become a great Prince to +wear courser apparel than in another place or presence a meaner person. + +Neuerthelesse in the vse of a garment many occasions alter the decencies, +sometimes the qualities of the person, sometimes of the case, otherwise +the countrie custome, and often the constitution of lawes, and the very +nature of vse it selfe. As for example a king and prince may vse rich and +gorgeous apparel decently so cannot a meane person doo, yet if an herald +of armes to whom a king giueth his gowne of cloth of gold, or to whom it +was incident as a fee of his office, do were the same, he doth it +decently, because such hath alwaise bene th'allowances of heraldes: but if +such herald haue worne out, or sold, or lost that gowne, to buy him a new +of the like stuffe with his owne mony and to weare it, is not decent in +the eye and iudgement of them that know it. + +And the country custome maketh things decent in ves as in Asia for all men +to weare long gownes both a foot and horsebacke: in Europa short +gaberdins, or clokes, or iackets, euen for their vpper garments. The Turke +and Persian to weare great tolibants of ten, fifteene, and twentie elles +of linen a peece vpon their heads, which can not be remooued: in Europe to +were caps or hats, which vpon euery occasion of salutation we vse to put +of as a signe of reuerence. In th'East partes the men to make water +couring like women, with vs standing as a wall. With them to congratulat +and salute by giuing a becke with the head, or a bende of the bodies, with +vs here in England, and in Germany, and all other Northern parts of the +world to shake handes. In France, Italie, and Spaine to embrace ouer the +shoulder, vnder the armes, at the very knees, according the superiors +degree. With vs the wemen giue their mouth to be kissed in other places +their cheek, in many places their hand, or in steed of an offer to the +hand, to say these words _Beso los manos_. And yet some others surmounting +in all courtly ciuilitie will say, _Los manos & los piedes_. And aboue +that reach too, there be that will say to the Ladies, _Lombra de fus +pisadae_, the shadow of your steps. Which I recite vnto you to shew the +phrase of those courtly seruitours in yeelding the mistresses honour and +reuerence. + +And it is seen that very particular vse of it selfe makes a matter of much +decencie and vndecencie, without any countrey custome or allowance, as if +one that hath many yeares worne a gowne shall come to be seen weare a +iakquet or ierkin, or he that hath many yeares worne a beard or long haire +among those that had done the contrary, and come sodainly to be pold and +shauen, it will seeme not only to himself, a deshight and very vndecent, +but also to all others that neuer vsed to go so, vntill the time and +custome haue abrogated that mislike. + +So it was in England till her Maiesties most noble father for diuers good +respects, caused his owne head and all his Courtiers to be polled and his +beard to be cut short. Before that was thought more decent both for old +men and young to be all shauen and to weare long haire either rounded or +square. Now againe at this time, the young Gentlemen of the Court haue +taken vp the long haire trayling on their shoulders, and thinke it more +decent: for what respect I would be glad to know. + +The Lacedemonians bearing long bushes of haire, finely kept & curled vp, +vsed this ciuill argument to maintaine that custome. Haire (say they) is +the very ornament of nature appointed for the head, which therforeto vse +in his most sumptuous degree is comely, specially for them that be Lordes, +Maisters of men, and of a free life, hauing abilitie & leasure inough to +keepe it cleane, and so for a signe of seignorie, riches and libertie, the +masters of the Lacedemonians vsed long haire. But their vassals, seruaunts +and slaues vsed it short or shauen in signe of seruitude and because they +had no meane nor leasure to kembe and keepe it cleanely. It was besides +combersome to them hauing many businesse to attende, in some seruices +there might no maner of filth be falling from their heads. And to all +souldiers it is very noysome and a daungerous disauantage in the warres or +in any particular combat, which being the most comely profession of euery +noble young Gentleman, it ought to perswade them greatly from wearing long +haire. If there be any that seeke by long haire to helpe or to hide an ill +featured face, it is in them allowable so to do, because euery man may +decently reforme by arte, the faultes and imperfections that nature hath +wrought in them. + +And all singularities or affected parts of a mans behauiour seeme +vndecent, as for one man to march or let in the street more stately, or to +looke more solempnely, or to go more gayly & in other coulours or +fashioned garments then another of the same degree and estate. + +Yet such singularities haue had many time both good liking and good +successe, otherwise then many would haue looked for. As When _Dinocrates_ +the famous architect, desirous to be knowen to king _Alexander_ the great, +and hauing none acquaintance to bring him to the kings speech he came one +day to the Court very strangely apparelled in long skarlet robes, his head +compast with a garland of Laurell, and his face all to be slicked with +sweet oyle, and stoode in the kings chamber, motioning nothing to any man: +newes of this stranger came to the king, who caused him to be brought to +his presence, and asked his name and the cause of his repaire to the +Court. He aunswered, his name was _Dinocrates_ the Architect, who came to +present his Maiestie with a platforme of his own deuising, how his +Maiestie might buylde a Citie vpon the mountaine Athos in Macedonia, which +should beare the figure of a mans body, and tolde him all how. Forsooth +the breast and bulke of his body should rest vpon such a fiat: that hil +should be his head, all set with foregrowen woods like haire: his right +arme should stretch out to such a hollow bottome as might be like his +hand: holding a dish conteyning al the waters that should serue that +Citie: the left arme with his hand should hold a valley of all the +orchards and gardens of pleasure pertaining thereunto: and either legge +should lie vpon a ridge of rocke, very gallantly to behold, and so should +accomplish the full figure of a man. The king asked him what commoditie of +soyle, or sea, or nauigable riuer lay neere vunto it, to be able to +sustaine so great a number of inhabitants. Truly Sire (quoth _Dinocrates_) +I haue not yet considered thereof: for in trueth it is the barest part of +all the Countrey of Macedonia. The king smiled at it, and said very +honourably, we like your deuice well, and mean to vse your seruice in the +building of a Citie, but we wil chuse out a more commodious scituation: +and made him attend in that voyage in which he conquered Asia and Egypt, +and there made him chiefe Surueyour of his new Cite of Alexandria. Thus +did _Dinocrates_ singularitie in attire greatly further him to his +aduancement. + +Yet are generally all rare things and such as breede maruell & admiration +somewhat holding of the vndecent, as when a man is bigger & exceeding the +ordinary stature of a man like a Giaunt, or farre vnder the reasonable and +common size of men as a dwarfe, and such vndecencies do not angre vs, but +either we pittie them or scorne at them. + +But at all insolent and vnwoonted partes of a mans behauiour, we find many +times cause to mislike or to be mistrustfull, which proceedeth of some +vndecency that is in it, as when a man that hath alwaies bene strange and +vnacquainted with vs, will suddenly become our familiar and domestick: and +another that hath bene alwaies sterne and churlish, wilbe vpon the +suddaine affable and curteous, it is neyther a comely sight, nor a signe +of any good towards vs. Which the subtill Italian well obserued by the +successes thereof, saying in Prouerbe. + _Chi me fa meglio chenon fuole, + Tradito me ha o tradir me vuolo. + + He that speakes me fairer, than his woont was too + Hath done me harme, or meanes for to doo._ + +Now againe all maner of conceites that stirre vp any vehement passion in a +man, doo it by some turpitude or euill and vndecency that is in them, as +to make a man angry there must be some iniury or contempt offered, to make +him enuy there must proceede some vndeserued prosperitie of his egall or +inferiour, to make him pitie some miserable fortune or spectakle to +behold. + +And yet in euery of the these passions being as it were vndecencies, there +is a comelinesse to be discerned, which some men can keepe and some men +can not, as to be angry, or to enuy, or to hate, or to pitie, or to be +ashamed decently, that is none otherwise then reason requireth. This +surmise appeareth to be true, for _Homer_ the father of Poets writing that +famous and most honourable poeme called the _Iliades_ or warres of Troy: +made his commencement the magnanimous wrath and anger of _Achilles_ in his +first verse thus: [Greek: illegible] Sing foorth my muse the wrath of +_Achilles Peleus_ sonne: which the Poet would neuer haue done if the wrath +of a prince had not beene in some sort comely & allowable. But when +_Arrianus_ and _Curtius_ historiographers that wrote the noble gestes of +king _Alexander_ the great, came to prayse him for many things, yet for +his wrath and anger they reproched him, because it proceeded not of any +magnanimitie, but vpon surfet & distemper in his diet, not growing of any +iust causes, was exercised to the destruction of his dearest friends and +familiers, and not of his enemies nor any other waies so honorably as +th'others was, and so could not be reputed a decent and comely anger. + +So may al your other passions be vsed decently though the very matter of +their originall be grounded vpon some vndecencie, as it is written by a +certaine king of Egypt, who looking out of his window, and seing his owne +sonne for some grieuous offence, carried by the officers of his iustice to +the place of execution: he neuer once changed his countenance at the +matter, though the sight were neuer so full of ruth and atrocitie. And it +was thought a decent countenance and constant animositie in the king to be +so affected, the case concerning so high and rare a peece of his owne +iustice. But within few daies after when he beheld out of the same window +an old friend and familiar of his, stand begging an almes in the streete, +he wept tenderly, remembering their old familiarity and considering how by +the mutabilitie of fortune and frailtie of mans estate, it might one day +come to passe that he himselfe should fall into the like miserable estate. +He therfore had a remorse very comely for a king in that behalfe, which +also caused him to giue order for his poore friends plentiful reliefe. + +But generally to weepe for any sorrow (as one may doe for pitie) is not so +decent in a man: and therefore all high minded persons, when they cannot +chuse but shed teares, wil turne away their face as a countenance vndecent +for a man to shew, and so will the standers by till they haue supprest +such passion, thinking it nothing decent to behold such an vncomely +countenance. But for Ladies and women to weepe and shed teares at euery +little greefe it is nothing vncomely, but rather a signe of much good +nature & meekness of minde, a most decent propertie for that sexe, and +therefore they be for the more part more deuout and charitable, and +greater geuers of almes than men, and zealous relieuers of prisoners, and +beseechers of pardons, and such like parts of commiseration. Yea they be +more than so too: for by the common prouerbe, a woman will weepe for pitie +to see a gosling goe barefoote. + +But most certainly all things that moue a man to laughter, as doe these +scurrilities & other ridiculous behauiours, it is for some vndecencie that +is found in them: which maketh it decent for euery man to laugh at them. +And therefore when we see or heare a natural foole and idiot doe or say +any thing foolishly, we laugh not at him: but when he doeth or speaketh +wisely, because that is vnlike him selfe: and a buffonne or counterfet +foole, to heare him speake wisely which is like himselfe, it is no sport +at all, but for such a counterfait to talke and looke foolishly it maketh +us laugh, because it is no part of his naturall, for in euery vncomlinesse +there must be a certaine absurditie and disproportion to nature, and the +opinion of the hearer or beholder to make the thing ridiculous. But for a +foole to talke foolishly or a wiseman wisely, there is no such absurditie +or disproportion. + +And though at all absurdities we may decently laugh, & when they be no +absurdities not decently, yet in laughing is there an vndecencie for other +respectes sometime, than of the matter it selfe, Which made _Philippus_ +sonne to the first Christen Emperour, _Phillipus Arabicus_ sitting with +his father one day in the theatre to behold the sports, giue his father a +great rebuke because he laughed, saying that it was no comely countenance +for an Emperour to bewray in such a publicke place, nor specially to laugh +at euery foolish toy: the posteritie gaue the sonne for that cause the +name of _Philippus Agelastos_ or without laughter. + +I haue seene forraine Embassadours in the Queenes presence laugh so +dissolutely at some rare pastime or sport that hath beene made there that +nothing in the world could worse haue becomen them, and others very wise +men, whether it haue ben of some pleasant humour and complexion, or for +other default in the spleene, or for ill education or custome, that could +not vtter any graue and earnest speech without laughter, which part was +greatly discommended in them. + +And _Cicero_ the wisest of any Romane writers, thought it vncomely for a +man to daunce: saying, _Saltantem sobrium vidi neminem_. I neuer saw any +man daunce that was sober and his right wits, but there by your leaue he +failed, not our young Courtiers will allow it, besides that it is the most +decent and comely demeanour of all exultations and reioycements of the +hart, which is no lesse naturall to man then to be wise or well learned, +or sober. + +To tell you the decencies of a number of other behauiours, one might do it +to please you with pretie reportes, but to the skilfull Courtiers it +shalbe nothing necessary, for they know all by experience without +learning. Yet some few remembraunces wee will make you of the most +materiall, which our selues haue obserued, and so make an end. + +It is decent to be affable and curteous at meales & meetings, in open +assemblies more solemne and straunge, in place of authoritie and iudgement +not familiar nor pleasant, in counsell secret and sad, in ordinary +conferences easie and apert, in conuersation simple, in capitulation +subtill and mistrustfull, at mournings and burials sad and sorrowfull, in +feasts and bankets merry & ioyfull, in houshold expence pinching and +sparing, in publicke entertainement spending and pompous. The Prince to be +sumptuous and magnificent, the priuate man liberall with moderation, a man +to be in giuing free, in asking spare, in promise slow, in performance +speedy, in contract circumspect but iust, in amitie sincere, in ennimitie +wily and cautelous [_dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirit_, saith the +Poet] and after the same rate euery sort and maner of businesse or affaire +or action hath his decencie and vndecencie, either for the time or place +or person or some other circumstaunce, as Priests to be sober and sad, a +Preacher by his life to giue good example, a Iudge to be incorrupted, +solitarie and vnacqainted with Courtiers or Courtly entertainements, & as +the Philosopher saith _Oportet iudicem esse rudem & simplicem_, without +plaite or wrinkle, sower in looke and churlish in speach, contrariwise a +Courtly Gentleman to be loftie and curious in countenaunce, yet sometimes +a creeper and a curry fauell with his superiours. + +And touching the person we say it is comely for a man to be a lambe in the +house, and a Lyon in the field, appointing the decencie of his qualitie by +the place, by which reason also we limit the comely parts of a woman to +consist in foure points, that is to be a shrewe in the kitchin, a saint in +the Church, an Angell at the bourd, and an Ape in the bed, as the +Chronicle reportes by Mistresse _Shore_ paramour to king _Edward_ the +fourth. + +Then also there is a decency in respect of the persons with whom we do +negotiate, as with the great personages his egals to be solemne and surly, +with meaner men pleasant and popular, stoute with the sturdie and milde +with the meek, which is a most decent conuersation and not reprochfull or +vnseemely, as the prouerbe goeth, by those that vse the contrary, a Lyon +among sheepe and a sheepe among Lyons. + +Right so in negotiating with Princes we ought to seeke their fauour by +humilitie & not by sternnesse, nor to trafficke with them by way of indent +or condition, but frankly and by manner of submission to their wils, for +Princes may be lead but not driuen, nor they are to be vanquisht by +allegation, but must be suffered to haue the victorie and be relented +vnto: nor they are not to be challenged for right or iustice, for that is +a maner of accusation: nor to be charged with their promises, for that is +a kinde of condemnation: and at their request we ought not to be hardly +entreated but easily, for that is a signe of deffidence and mistrust in +their bountie and gratitude: nor to recite the good seruices which they +haue receiued at our hands, for that is but a kind of exprobration, but in +crauing their bountie or largesse to remember vnto them all their former +beneficences, making no mention of our owne merites, & so it is thankfull, +and in praysing them to their faces to do it very modestly: and in their +commendations not to be exessiue for that is tedious, and alwayes fauours +of suttelty more then of sincere loue. + +And in speaking to a Prince the voyce ought to be lowe and not lowde nor +shrill, for th'one is a signe of humilitie th'other of too much audacitie +and presumption. Nor in looking on them seeme to ouerlooke them, nor yet +behold them too stedfastly, for that is a signe of impudence or litle +reuerence, and therefore to the great Princes Orientall their seruitours +speaking or being spoken vnto abbase their eyes in token of lowlines, +which behauiour we do not obserue to our Princes with so good a discretion +as they do: & such as retire from the Princes presence, do not by & by +turne tayle to them as we do, but go backward or sideling for a reasonable +space, til they be at the wal or chamber doore passing out of sight, and +is thought a most decent behauiour to their soueraignes. I haue heard that +king _Henry_ th'eight her Maiesties father, though otherwise the most +gentle and affable Prince of the world, could not abide to haue any man +stare in his face or to fix his eye too steedily vpon him when he talked +with them: nor for a common suter to exclame or cry out for iustice, for +that is offensiue and as it were a secret impeachement of his wrong doing, +as happened once to a Knight in this Realme of great worship speaking to +the king. Nor in speaches with them to be too long, or too much affected, +for th'one is tedious th'other is irksome, nor with lowd acclamations to +applaude them, for that is too popular & rude and betokens either +ignoraunce, or seldome accesse to their presence, or little frequenting +their Courts: nor to shew too mery or light a countenance, for that is a +signe of little reuerence and is a peece of a contempt. + +And in gaming with a Prince it is decent to let him sometimes win of +purpose, to keepe him pleasant, & neuer to refuse his gift, for that is +vndutifull: nor to forgiue him his losses, for that is arrogant: nor to +giue him great gifts, for that is either insolence or follie: nor to feast +him with excessiue charge for that is both vaine and enuious, & therefore +the wise Prince king _Henry_ the seuenth her Maiesties grandfather, if his +chaunce had bene to lye at any of his subiects houses, or to passe moe +meales than one, he that would take vpon him to defray the charge of his +dyet, or of his officers and houshold, he would be maruelously offended +with it, saying what priuate subiect dare vndertake a Princes charge, or +looke into the secret of his expence? Her Maiestie hath bene knowne +oftentimes to mislike the superfluous expence of her subiects bestowed +vpon her in times of her progresses. + +Likewise in matter of aduise it is neither decent to flatter him for that +is seruile, neither to be to rough or plaine with him, for that is +daungerous, but truly to Counsell & to admonish, grauely not greuously, +sincerely not sourely: which was the part that so greatly commended +_Cineas_ Counsellour to king _Pirrhus_, who kept that decencie in all his +perswasions, that he euer preuailed in aduice, and carried the king which +way he would. + +And in a Prince it is comely to giue vnasked, but in a subiect to aske +vnbidden: for that first is signe of a bountifull mynde, this of a loyall +& confident. But the subiect that craues not at his Princes hand, either +he is of no desert, or proud, or mistrustfull of his Princes goodnesse: +therefore king _Henry_ th'eight to one that entreated him to remember one +Sir _Anthony Rouse_ with some reward for that he had spent much and was an +ill beggar: the king aunswered (noting his insolencie,) If he be ashamed +to begge, we are ashamed to giue, and was neuerthelesse one of the most +liberall Princes of the world. + +And yet in some Courts it is otherwise vsed, for in Spaine it is thought +very vndecent for a Courtier to craue, supposing that it is the part of an +importune: therefore the king of ordinarie calleth euery second, third or +fourth yere for his Checker roll, and bestoweth his _mercedes_ of his owne +meere motion, and by discretion, according to euery mans merite and +condition. + +And in their commendable delights to be apt and accommodate, as if the +Prince be geuen to hauking, hunting, riding of horses, or playing vpon +instruments, or any like exercise, the seruitour to be the same: and in +their other appetites wherein the Prince would seeme an example of vertue, +and would not mislike to be egalled by others: in such cases it is decent +their seruitours & subiects studie to be like to them by imitation, as in +wearing their haire long or short, or in this or that sort of apparrell, +such excepted as be only fitte for Princes and none els, which were +vndecent for a meaner person to imitate or counterfet: so is it not comely +to counterfet their voice, or looke, or any other gestures that be not +ordinary and naturall in euery common person: and therefore to go vpright +or speake or looke assuredly, it is decent in euery man. But if the Prince +haue an extraordinarie countenance or manner of speech, or bearing of his +body, that for a common seruitour to counterfet is not decent, and +therefore it was misliked in the Emperor _Nero_, and thought uncomely for +him to counterfet _Alexander_ the great by holding his head a little +awrie, & neerer toward the tone shoulder, because it was not his own +naturall. + +And in a Prince it is decent to goe slowly, and to march with leysure, and +with a certaine granditie rather than grauitie: as our soueraine Lady and +mistresse, the very image of maiestie and magnificence, is accustomed to +doe generally, vnlesse it be when she walketh apace for her pleasure, or +to catch her a heate in the colde mornings. + +Neuerthelesse, it is not so decent in a meaner person, as I haue obserued +in some counterfet Ladies of the Countrey, which vse it much to their owne +derision. This comelines was wanting in Queene _Marie_, otherwise a very +good and honourable Princesse. And was some blemish to the Emperor +_Ferdinando_, a most noble minded man, yet so carelesse and forgetfull of +himselfe in that behalfe, as I haue seene him runne vp a paire of staires +so swift and nimble a pace as almost had not become a very meane man, who +had not gone in some hastie businesse. + +And in a noble Prince nothing is more decent and welbeseeming his +greatnesse than to spare foule speeches, for that breedes hatred, and to +let none humble suiters depart out of their presence (as neere as may be) +miscontented. Wherein her Maiestie hath of all others a most Regall gift, +and nothing inferior to the good Prince _Titus Vespasianus_ in that point. + +Also, not to be passionate for small detriments or offences, nor to be a +reuenger of them, but in cases of great iniurie and specially of +dishonors: and therein to be the very sterne and vindicatiue, for that +sauours of Princely magnanimitie: nor to seeke reuenge vpon base and +obscure persons, ouer whom the conquest is not glorious, nor the victorie +honourable, which respect moued our soueraign Lady (keeping alwaies the +decorum of a Princely person) at her first comming to the crowne, when a +knight of this Realme, who had very insolently behaued himselfe toward her +when she was Lady _Elizabeth_, fell vpon his knee to her, and besought her +pardon: suspecting (as there was good cause) that he should haue bene sent +to the Tower, she said vnto him most mildly: do you not know that we are +descended of the Lion, whose nature is not to harme or pray vpon the +mouse, or any other such small vermin? + +And with these examples I thinke sufficient to leaue, geuing you +information of this one point, that all your figures Poeticall or +Rhethoricall are but obseruations of strange speeches and such as without +any arte at al we should vse, & commonly do, euen by very nature without +discipline But more or lesse aptly and decently, or scarcely, or +aboundantly, or of this or that kind of figure, & one of vs more then +another, according to the disposition of our nature, constitution of the +heart, & facilities of each mans vtterance: so as we may conclude, that +nature her selfe suggesteth the figure in this or that forme: but arte +aydeth the iudgement of his vse and application, which geues me occasion +finally and for a full conclusion to this whole treatise, to enforme you +in the next chapter how art should be vsed in all respects, and specially +in this behalfe of language, and when the naturall is more commendable +then the artificiall, and contrariwise. + + + + + _CHAP. XXV_. + +_That the good Poet or maker ought to dissemble his arte, and in what +cases the artificiall is more commended then the naturall, and +contrariwise._ + + +And now (most excellent Queene) having largely said of Poets & Poesie and +about what matters they be employed: then of all the commended fourmes of +Poemes, thirdly of metricall proportions, such as do appertaine to our +vulgar arte: and last of all set forth the poeticall ornament consisting +chiefly in the beautie and gallantness of his language and stile, and so +haue apparelled him to our seeming, in all his gorgious habilliments, and +pulling him first from the carte to the schoole, and from thence to the +Court, and preferred him to your Maiesties seruice, in that place of great +honour and magnificence to geue entertainment to Princes, Ladies of +honour, Gentlewomen and Gentlemen, and by his many moodes of skill, to +serue the many humors of men thither haunting and resorting, some by way +of solace, some of serious aduise and in matters aswell profitable as +pleasant and honest. Wee haue in our humble conceit sufficiently +perfourmed our promise or rather dutie to your Maiestie in the description +of this arte, so alwaies as we leaue him not vnfurnisht of one peece that +best befeemes that place of any other, and may serue as a principall good +lesson for al good makers to beare continually in mind, in the vsage of +this science: which is that being now lately become a Courtier he shew not +himself a craftsman, & merit to be disgraded, & with scorne sent back +againe to the shop, or other place of his first facultie and calling, but +that so wisely & discreetly he behaue himselfe as he may worthily returne +the credit of his place, and profession of a very Courtier, which is in +plaine termes, cunningly to be able to dissemble. But (if it please your +Maiestie) may it not seeme inough for a Courtier to know how to weare a +fether, and set his cappe a slaunt, his chaine _en echarpe_, a straight +buskin _al inglesse_, a loose _alo Turquesque_, the cape _alla Spaniola_, +the breech _a la Francoise_, and by twentie maner of new faishoned +garments to disguise his body, and his face with as many countenances, +whereof it seemes there be many that make a very arte, and studie who can +shew himselfe most fine, I will not say most foolish and ridiculous? or +perhaps rather that he could dissemble his conceits as well as his +countenances, so as he neuer speake as he thinkes, or thinke as he speaks, +and that in any matter of importance his words and his meaning very +seldome meete: for so as I remember it was concluded by vs setting foorth +the figure _Allegoria_, which therefore not impertinently we call the +Courtier or figure of faire semblant, or is it not perchance more +requisite our courtly Poet do dissemble not onely his countenances & +conceits, but also all his ordinary actions of behauiour, or the most part +of them, whereby the better to winne his purposes & good aduantages, as +now & then to haue a iourney or sicknesse in his sleeue, thereby to shake +of other importunities of greater consequence, as they vse their +pilgrimages in Fraunce, the Diet in Spaine, the baines in Italy? and when +a man is whole to faine himselfe sicke to shunne the businesse in Court, +to entertaine time and ease at home, to salue offences without discredite, +to win purposes by mediation in absence, which their presence would eyther +impeach or not greatly preferre, to harken after the popular opinions and +speech, to entend to their more priuate solaces, to practize more deepely +both at leasure & libertie, & when any publique affaire or other attempt & +counsaile of theirs hath not receaued good successe, to auoid therby the +Princes present reproofe, to coole their chollers by absence, to winne +remorse by lamentable reports, and reconciliation by friends intreatie. +Finally by sequestering themselues for a time fro the Court, to be able +the frecher & cleerer to discerne the factions and state of the Court and +of al the world besides, no lesse then doth the looker on or beholder of a +game better see into all points of auauntage, then the player himselfe? +and in dissembling of diseases which I pray you? for I haue obserued it in +the Court of Fraunce, not a burning feuer or a plurisie, or a palsie or +the hydropick and swelling gowte, or any other like disease, for if they +may be such as may be either easily discerned or quickly cured, they be +ill to dissemble and doo halfe handsomely serue the turne. + +But it must be either a dry dropsie, or a megrim or letarge, or a fistule +_in ano_, or some such other secret disease, as the common conuersant can +hardly discouer, and the Phisition either not speedily heale, or not +honestly bewray? of which infirmities the scoffing _Pasquil_ wrote, _Vleus +vesicae renum dolor in peno scirrus_. Or as I haue seene in diuers places +where many make themselues hart whole, when in deede they are full sicke, +bearing it stoutly out to the hazard of their health, rather then they +would be suspected of any lothsome infirmity, which might inhibit them +from the Princes presence, or entertainment of the ladies. Or as some +other do to beare a port of state & plentie when they haue neither penny +nor possession, that they may not seeme to droope, and be reiected as +vnworthy or insufficient for the greater seruices, or be pitied for their +pouertie, which they hold for a marueilous disgrace as did the poore +Squire of Castile, who had rather dine with a sheepes head at home & +drinke a cruse of water to it, then to haue a good dinner giuen him by his +friend who was nothing ignorant of his pouertie. Or as others do to make +wise they be poore when they be riche, to shunne thereby the publicke +charges and vocations, for men are not now a dayes (specially in states of +_Oligarchie_ as the most in our age) called somuch for their wisedome as +for their wealth, also to auoyde enuie of neighbours or bountie in +conuersation, for whosoeuer is reputed rich cannot without reproch, but be +either a lender or a spender. Or as others do to seeme very busie when +they haue nothing to doo, and yet will make themselues so occupied and +ouerladen in the Princes affaires, as it is a great matter to haue a +couple of wordes with them, when notwithstanding they lye sleeping on +their beds all an after noone, or sit solemnly at cardes in their +chambers, or enterteyning of the Dames, or laughing and gibing with their +familiars foure houres by the clocke, whiles the poore suter desirous of +his dispatch is aunswered by some Secretarie or page _il fault attendre, +Monsieur_ is dispatching the kings businesse into Languedock, Prouence +Piemont, a common phrase with the Secretaries of France. Or as I haue +obserued in many of the Princes Courts of Italie, to seeme idle when they +be earnestly occupied & entend to nothing but mischieuous practizes, and +do busily negotiate by coulor of otiation. Or as others of them that go +ordinarily to Church and neuer pray to winne an opinion of holinesse: or +pray still apace, but neuer do good deede, and geue a begger a penny and +spend a pound on a harlot, to speake faire to a mans face, and foule +behinde his backe, to set him at his trencher and yet sit on his skirts +for so we vse to say by a fayned friend, then also to be rough and +churlish in speach and apparance, but inwardly affectionate and fauouring, +as I haue sene of the greatest podestates and grauest iudges and +Presidentes of Parliament in Fraunce. + +These & many such like disguisings do we find in mans behauiour, & +specially in the Courtiers of forraine Countreyes, where in my youth I was +brought vp, and very well obserued their maner of life and conuersation, +for of mine owne Countrey I haue not made so great experience. Which +parts, neuerthelesse, we allow not now in our English maker, because we +haue geuen him the name of an honest man, and not of an hypocrite: and +therefore leauing these manner of dissimulations to all base-minded men, & +of vile nature or misterie, we doe allow our Courtly Poet to be a +dissembler only in the subtilties of his arte: that is, when he is most +artificiall, so to disguise and cloake it as it may not appeare, nor seeme +to proceede from him by any studie or trade of rules, but to be his +naturall: nor so euidently to be descried, as euery ladde that reades him +shall say he is a good scholler, but will rather haue him to know his arte +well, and little to vse it. + +And yet peraduenture in all points it may not be so taken, but in such +onely as may discouer his grossenes or his ignorance by some schollerly +affectation: which thing is very irkesome to all men of good trayning, and +specially to Courtiers. And yet for all that our maker may not be in all +cases restrayned, but that he may both vse and also manifest his arte to +his great praise, and need no more be ashamed thereof, than a shomaker to +haue made a cleanly shoe or a Carpenter to haue buylt a faire house. +Therefore to discusse and make this point somewhat cleerer, to weete, +where arte ought to appeare, and where not, and when the naturall is more +commendable than the artificiall in any humane action or workmanship, we +wil examine it further by this distinction. + +In some cases we say arte is an ayde and coadiutor to nature, and a +furtherer of her actions to good effect, or peraduenture a meane to supply +her wants, by renforcing the causes wherein shee is impotent and +defectiue, as doth the arte of phisicke, by helping the naturall +concoction, retention, distribution, expulsion, and other vertues, in a +weake and vnhealthie bodie. Or as the good gardiner seasons his soyle by +sundrie sorts of compost: as mucke or marle, clay or sande, and many times +by bloud, or lees of oyle or wine, or stale, or perchaunce with more +costly drugs: and waters his plants, and weedes his herbes and floures, +and prunes his branches, and vnleaues his boughes to let in the sunne: and +twentie other waies cherisheth them, and cureth their infirmities, and so +makes that neuer, or very seldome any of them miscarry, but bring foorth +their flours and fruites in season. And in both these cases it is no smal +praise for the Phisition & Gardiner to be called good and cunning +artificers. + +In another respect arte is not only an aide and coadiutor to nature in all +her actions, but an alterer of them, and in some sort a surmounter of her +skill, so as by meanes of it her owne effects shall appeare more +beautifull or straunge and miraculous, as in both cases before remembred. +The Phisition by the cordials hee will geue his patient, shall be able not +onely to restore the decayed spirites of man and render him health, but +also to prolong the terme of his life many yeares ouer and aboue the stint +of his first and naturall constitution. And the Gardiner by his arte will +not onely make an herbe, or flowr, or fruite, come forth in his season +without impediment, but also will embellish the same in vertue, shape, +odour and taste, that nature of her selfe woulde neuer haue done: as to +make the single gillifloure, or marigold, or daisie, double: and the white +rose, redde, yellow, or carnation, a bitter mellon sweete; a sweete apple, +soure; a plumme or cherrie without a stone; a peare without core or +kernell, a goord or coucumber like to a horne, or any other figure he +will: any of which things nature could not doe without mans help and arte. +These actions also are most singular, when they be most artificiall. + +In another respect, we say arte is neither an aider nor a surmounter, but +onely a bare immitatour of natures works, following and counterfeyting her +actions and effects, as the Marmesot doth many countenances and gestures +of man, of which sorte are the artes of painting and keruing, whereof one +represents the naturall by light colour and shadow in the superficiall or +flat, the other in body massife expressing the full and emptie, euen, +extant, rabbated, hollow, or whatsoeuer other figure and passion of +quantitie. So also the Alchimist counterfeits gold, siluer, and all other +mettals, the Lapidarie pearles and pretious stones by glasse and other +substances falsified, and sophisticate by arte. These men also be praised +for their craft, and their credit is nothing empayred, to say that their +conclusions and effects are very artificiall. Finally in another respect +arte is as it were an encountrer and contrary to nature, producing effects +neither like to hers, nor by participation with her operations, nor by +imitation of her paternes, but makes things and produceth effects +altogether strange and diuerse, & of such forme & qualitie (nature alwaies +supplying stuffe) as she neuer would nor could haue done of her selfe, as +the carpenter that builds a house, the ioyner that makes a table or a +bedstead, the tailor a garment, the Smith a locke or a key, and a number +of like, in which case the workman gaineth reputation by his arte, and +praise when it is best expressed & most apparant, & most studiously. Man +also in all his actions that be not altogether naturall, but are gotten by +study & discipline or exercise, as to daunce by measures, to sing by note, +to play on the lute, and such like, it is a praise to be said an +artificiall dauncer, singer, & player on instruments, because they be not +exactly knowne or done, but by rules & precepts or teaching of +schoolemasters. But in such actions as be so naturall & proper to man, as +he may become excellent therein without any arte or imitation at all, +(custome and exercise excepted, which are requisite to euery action not +numbred among the vitall or animal) and wherein nature should seeme to do +amisse, and man suffer reproch to be found destitute of them: in those to +shew himselfe rather artificiall then naturall, were no lesse to be +laughed at, then for one that can see well inough, to vse a paire of +spectacles, or not to heare but by a trunke put to his eare, nor feele +without a paire of ennealed glooues, which things in deed helpe an infirme +sence, but annoy the perfit, and therefore shewing a disabilitie naturall +mooue rather to scorne then commendation, and to pitie sooner then to +prayse. But what else is language and vtterance, and discourse & +persuasion, and argument in man, then the vertues of a well constitute +body and minde, little lesse naturall then his very sensuall actions, +sauing that the one is perfited by nature at once, the other not without +exercise & iteration? Peraduenture also it wil be granted, that a man sees +better and discernes more brimly his collours, and heares and feeles more +exactly by vse and often hearing and feeling and seing, & though it be +better to see with spectacles then not to see at all, yet is their praise +not egall nor in any mans iudgement comparable: no more is that which a +Poet makes by arte and precepts rather then by naturall instinct: and that +which he doth by long meditation rather then by a suddaine inspiration, or +with great pleasure and facillitie then hardly (and as they are woont to +say) in spite of Nature or Minerua, then which nothing can be more irksome +or ridiculous. + +And yet I am not ignorant that there be artes and methods both to speake +and to perswade and also to dispute, and by which the naturall is in some +sorte relieued, as th'eye by his spectacle, I say relieued in his +imperfection, but not made more perfit then the naturall, in which respect +I call those artes of Grammer, _Logicke_, and _Rhetorick_ not bare +imitations, as the painter or keruers craft and worke in a forraine +subiect viz. a liuely purtraite in his table of wood, but by long and +studious obseruation rather a repetition or reminiscens naturall, reduced +into perfection, and made prompt by use and exercise. And so whatsoeuer a +man speakes or perswades he doth it not by imitation artificially, but by +obseruation naturally (though one follow another) because it is both the +same and the like that nature doth suggest: but if a popingay speake, she +doth it by imitation of mans voyce artificially and not naturally being +the like, but not the same that nature doth suggest to man. But now +because our maker or Poet is to play many parts and not one alone, as +first to deuise his plat or subiect, then to fashion his poeme, thirdly to +vse his metricall proportions, and last of all to vtter with pleasure and +delight, which restes in his maner of language and stile as hath bene +said, whereof the many moodes and straunge phrases are called figures, it +is not altogether with him as with the crafts man, nor altogither +otherwise then with the crafts man, for in that he vseth his metricall +proportions by appointed and harmonicall measures and distaunces, he is +like the Carpenter or Ioyner, for borrowing their tymber and stuffe of +nature, they appoint and order it by art otherwise then nature would doe, +and worke effects in apparance contrary to hers. Also in that which the +Poet speakes or reports of another mans tale or doings, as _Homer_ of +_Priamus_ or _Vlisses_, he is as the painter or keruer that worke by +imitation and representation in a forrein subiect, in that he speakes +figuratiuely, or argues subtillie, or perswades copiously and vehemently, +he doth as the cunning gardiner that vsing nature as a coadiutor, furders +her conclusions & many times makes her effectes more absolute and +straunge. But for that in our maker or Poet, which restes onely in deuise +and issues from an excellent sharpe and quick inuention, holpen by a +cleare and bright phantasie and imagination, he is not as the painter to +counterfaite the naturall by the like effects and not the same, nor as the +gardiner aiding nature to worke both the same and the like, nor as the +Carpenter to worke effects vtterly vnlike, but euen as nature her selfe +working by her owne peculiar vertue and proper instinct and not by example +or meditation or exercise as all other artificers do, is then most admired +when he is most naturall and least artificiall. And in the feates of his +language and vtterance, because they hold as well of nature to be +suggested and vttered as by arte to be polished and reformed. Therefore +shall our Poet receaue prayse for both, but more by knowing of his arte +then by vnseasonable vsing it, and be more commended for his naturall +eloquence then for his artificiall, and more for his artificiall well +desembled, then for the same ouermuch affected and grossely or vndiscretly +bewrayed, as many makers and Oratours do. + + + + + _The Conclusion_. + + +And with this (my most gratious soueraigne Lady) I make an end, humbly +beseeching your pardon, in that I haue presumed to hold your eares so long +annoyed with a tedious trifle so as vnlesse it preecede more of your owne +Princely and naturall mansuetude then of my merite. I feare greatly least +you may thinck of me as the Philosopher Plato did of _Anueris_ an +inhabitant of the Citie _Cirene_, who being in troth a very actiue and +artificiall man in driuing of a Princes Charriot or Coche (as your +Maiestie might be) and knowing it himselfe well enough, comming one day +into Platos schoole, and hauing heard him largely dispute in matters +Philosophicall, I pray you (quoth he) geue me leaue also to say somewhat +of myne arte, and in deede shewed so many trickes of his cunning how to +lanche forth and stay, and chaunge pace, and turne and winde his Coche, +this way and that way, vphill downe hill, and also in euen or rough +ground, that he made the whole assemblie wonder at him. Quoth Plato being +a graue personage, verely in myne opinion this man should be vtterly vnfit +for any seruice of greater importance then to driue a Coche. It is great +pitie that so prettie a fellow, had not occupied his braynes in studies of +more consequence. Now I pray God it be not thought so of me in describing +the toyes of this our vulgar art. But when I consider how euery thing hath +his estimation by oportunitie, and that it was but the studie of my yonger +yeares in which vanitie raigned. Also that I write to the pleasure of a +Lady and a most gratious Queene, and neither to Priestes nor to Prophetes +or Philosophers. Besides finding by experience, that many times idlenesse +is lesse harmefull then vnprofitable occupation, dayly seeing how these +great aspiring mynds and ambitious heads of the world seriously searching +to deale in matters of state, be often times so busie and earnest that +they were better be vnoccupied and peraduenture althgether idle, I presume +so much vpon your Maiesties most milde and gracious iudgement howsoeuer +you conceiue of myne abilitie to any better or greater seruice, that yet +in this attempt ye wil allow of my loyall and good intent alwayes +endeuouring to do your Maiestie the best and greatest of those seruices I +can. + + + + + A Table of the Chapters in this booke, + and euery thing in them conteyned. + + +What a Poet and Poesie is, and who may be said the most + excellent Poet in our time. fol. 1 + +Whether there may be an arte of our English or vulgar Poesie. 3 + +How Poets were the first Priests, the first Prophets, + the first Legis-lators and Polititiens in the world. 3 + +How Poets were the first Philosophers, the first Astronomeers, + and Historiographers, and Orators, and Musicians in the world. 5 + +How euery wilde and sauadge people vse a kind of natural Poesie + in versiete and rime, as our vulgar is. 7 + +Whence the riming Poesie came first to the Greekes and Latines, + and how it had altered, and almost spilt their maner of Poesie. 7 + +How in the time of Charlemaynes raigne and many yeares after him, + the Latine Poets wrote in rime. 8 + +In what reputation Poets and Poesie were in the old time with + Princes, and otherwise generally, & how they be now become + contemptible, and for what causes. 11 + +How Poesie shoulde not be employed vpon vaine conceits, + nor specially those that bee vicious or infamous. 18 + +The subiect or matter of Poesie, what it is. 18 + +Of Poems and their sundrie sortes, and how thereby the + auncient Poets receaued Surnames. 19 + +In what forms of Poesie the gods of the gentils were praysed + and honored. 21 + +In what forme of Poesie vice, & the common abases of mans life + were reprehended. 24 + +How the Poesie for reprehension of vice, was reformed by two + manner of Poems, more euill than the first. 25 + +In what forme of Poesie the euill and outrageous behauiours + of Princes were reprehended. 25 + +In what forme of Poesie the great Princes and dominators + of the world were praised and honoured. 27 + +Of the places where in auncient time their enterludes and other + Poemes drammaticke were represented vnto the people. 28 + +Of the shepheards or pastorall poesie called Egologue, and + to what purpose it was first inuented and deuised. 30 + +Of historicall Poesie, by which the famous acts of princes and + the vertuous and worthy liues of our forefathers were reported. 31 + +In what forms of poesie vertue in the inferior sort was commended. 34 + +The forme wherein honest & profitable arts and sciences were treated. 35 + +In what forme of poesie the amarous affections and entertainments + were vttered. 36 + +The forme of poeticall reiocings. 36 + +The forme of poeticall lamentations. 37 + +The solemne reioysings at the birth and natiuitie of princes children. 40 + +The manner of reioysing at weddings and marriages, specially of great + Ladies and Gentlewomen and Dames of honour. 40 + +The manner of poesie by which they vttered their bitter tauntes + or priuy nippes, and witty scoffes and other merry conceits. 43 + +What manner of poeme they vsed for memorial of the dead. 45 + +An auncient forme of poesie by which men did vse to reproch their + enimies. 46 + +Of the short poeme called with vs posie. 47 + +Who in any age have beene the most commended writers in our English + poesie, and the Authors censure giuen vpon them. 48 + + + + The Table of the second booke. + + +Of proportion poeticall. fol. 53 + +Of proportion in Staff. 54 + +Of proportion in Measure. 55 + +How many sortes of measures we use in our vulgar. 58 + +Of the distinctions of mans voice and pauses allowed to our speech, + & of the first pause called Ceszure. 61 + +Of proportion in concord called Rime. 63 + +Of accent, stirre and time, evidently perceyued in the distinction + of mans voice, and in that which maketh the flowing of a Meetre. 64 + +Of your Cadences in which the meeter is made Symphonicall, & + when they be most sweet and solemne. 65 + +How the good maker will not wrench his word to helpe his rime, + either by falsifying his accent or his Ortographie. 67 + +Of concord in long and short measures, & by neare or farre + distances, and which of them is most commendable. 68 + +Of proportion by situation. 69 + +Of proportion in figure. 75 + +How if all manner of suddaine innouations were not very scandalous, + specially in the lawes of any language, the use of the Greeke + and Latine feet might be brought into our vulgar poesie & + with good grace inough. 85 + +A more particular declaration of the Metricall feete of the Greekes + and Latines, and of your feete of two times. 91 + +Of the feet of three times, and what vse we may haue of them + in our vulgar. 103 + +Of all the other of three times besides the Dactill. 106 + +Of your halfe foote in a verse & those verses which they called + perfect and defective. 107 + +Of the breaking of your wordes of many sillables, & when & how + it is to be vsed. 108 + + + + The Table of the third booke. + + +Of ornament poeticall and that it resteth in figures. 114 + +How our writing & speeches publique ought to be figuratiue, + and if they be not doo greatly disgrace the cause and + purpose of the speaker and writer. 115 + +How ornament poeticall is of two sortes according to the + double nature and efficacy of figures. 119 + +Of language and what speech our maker ought to vse. 119 + +Of stile, and that it is of three kindes, loftie, meane, + and low according to the nature of the subiect. 123 + +Of the loftie, meane, and low subiect. 127 + +Of figures and figuratiue speeches. 128 + +Sixe points set downe by our learned forefathers for a generall + rule or regiment of all good vtterance, be it by mouth or by + writing. 129 + +How the Greekes first and afterwardes the Latines inuented + new names for euery figure, which this Author is also enforced + to do in his vulgar arte. 130 + +A diuision of figures and how they serue in exornation of language. 131 + +Of Auricular figures apperteyning to single words and working by + their diuers sounds and audible tunes, alteration to the eare + onely and not to the minde. 134 + +Of Auricular figures perteyning to clawses of speech, and by + them working no little alteration to the eare. 135 + +Of Auricular figures working by disorder. 140 + +Of Auricular figures working by surplusage. 141 + +Of Auricular figures working by exchange. 142 + +Of Auricular figures that serue to make the meetre tuneable and + melodious, but not by defect nor surplusage, disorder nor exchange. 145 + + + + The names of your figures Auricular. + +Eclipsis, _or the figure of default._ 136 +Zeugma, _or the single supply._ 136 +Prozeugma, _or the ringleader._ 137 +Mezozeugma, _or the middlemarcher._ 137 +Hypozeugma, _or the rerewarder._ 137 +Sillepsis, _or the double supply._ 137 +Hypozeuxis, _or the substitute._ 138 +Aposiopesis, _or the figure of silence, otherwise + called the figure of interruption._ 139 +Prolepsis, _or the propounder._ 139 +Hiperbaton, _or the trespasser._ 140 +Parenthesis, _or the insertour._ 140 +Histeron proteron, _or the preposterous._ 141 +Enallage, _or figure of exchange._ 142 +Hipallage, _or the changeling._ 143 +Omoioteleton, _or the figure of likeloose._ 144 +Patimion, _or figure of like letter._ 145 +Asindeton, _or figure of lose language._ 145 +Polisindeton, _or the coople clause._ 146 +Irmus, _or the long lose._ 146 +Epitheton, _or the qualifier._ 147 +Endiades, _or the figure of twinnes._ 147 + +_Of the figures which we call Sensable, because they alter and affect + the minde by alteration of sense and first in single words._ 148 +Metaphora, _or the figure of transport._ 149 +Catacresis, _or the figure of abuse._ 150 +Metonymia, _or the misnamer._ 150 +Antonomasia, _or the surnamer._ 151 +Onomatopeia, _or the newnamer._ 151 +Epitheton, _or figure of attribution, otherwise + called the qualifier._ 152 +Metalepsis, _or the far-set._ 152 +Liptote, _or the moderator._ 153 +Paradiastole, _or the currifauel, otherwise + called the soother._ 154 +Meiosis, _or the disabler._ 154 +Tapinosis, _or the abbaser._ 154 +Synecdoche, _or the figure of quick conceit._ 154 +_Of sensable figures appertaining to whole speeches, and by them + affecting and altering the minde by force of sence and intendment._ 155 +Allegoria, _or figure of faire semblance._ 155 +Enigma, _or the riddle._ 157 +Parimia, _or the prouerbe._ 157 +Ironia, _or the drie mock._ 157 +Sarcasmus, _or the bitter taunt._ 158 +Asteismus, _the merry scoffe, or ciuill iest._ 158 +Micterismus, _or the fleering frumpe._ 158 +Antiphrasis, _or the broad floute._ 159 +Charientismus, _or the priuie nippe._ 159 +Hyperbole, _or the loud lier, otherwise + called the ouerreacher._ 159 +Periphrasis, _or the figure of ambage._ 161 +Synecdoche, _or the figure of quick conceit._ 162 +_Of figures sententious, otherwise called rhetoricall._ 163 +Anaphora, _or the figure of report._ 165 +Antistrophe, _or the counterturne._ 165 +Simploche, _or figure of reiteration._ 166 +Anadiplosis, _or the redouble._ 167 +Epanalepsis, _or the slow returne, otherwise + called the Eccho sound._ 167 +Epizeuxis, _or the vnderlay, otherwise + called the Cuckow spell._ 167 +Ploche, _or the doubler, otherwise + called the swift repeate._ 168 +Paranomasia, _or the nicknamer._ 168 +Traductio, _or the tranlater._ 170 +Antipophora, _or the figure of responce._ 170 +Sineciosis, _or the crossecoople._ 172 +Atanaclasis, _or the rebound._ 173 +Clymax, _or the marching figure._ 173 +Antimetauole, _or the counterchainge._ 174 +Insultatio, _or the disdainfull._ 175 +Antitheton, _or the quareller, otherwise + called the ouerthwart or rencounter._ 175 +Erotema, _or the questioner._ 176 +Echphonisis, _or the outcrie._ 177 +Brachiologia, _or the cutted comma._ 178 +Parison, _or the figure of euen._ 178 +Sinonimya, _or the figure of store._ 179 +Metanoia, _or the penitent, otherwise + called the figure of repentance._ 179 +Antenagoge, _or the recompencer._ 180 +Epiphonema, _or the close._ 181 +Auxesis, _or the auancer._ 182 +Meiosis, _or the disabler._ 183 +Dialisis, _or the dismembrer._ 185 +Merismus, _or the distributor._ 185 +Epimone, _or the loueburden._ 188 +Paradoxon, _or the wonderer._ 189 +Aporia, _or the doubtfull._ 189 +Epitropi, _or the figure of reference, otherwise + called the figure of submission._ 189 +Parrisia, _or the licentious._ 190 +Anachmosis, _or the importuner._ 190 +Paramologia, _or figure of admittance._ 190 +Etiologia, _or the tell-cause, otherwise + called the reason rendrer._ 191 +Dicheologia, _or the figure of excuse._ 192 +Noema, _or the figure of close conceit._ 193 +Orismus, _or the definer by difference._ 193 +Procatalepsis, _or the presumptuous._ 194 +Paralepsis, _or the passenger._ 194 +Commoratio, _or figure of aboade._ 194 +Metastasis, _or figure of remoue, otherwise + called the flitter._ 194 +Parecuasis, _or the straggler, otherwise + called the figure of digression._ 195 +Expeditio, _or the dispatcher._ 195 +Diologismus, _or the right reasoner._ 196 +Gnome, _or the director, otherwise + called the sagesayer._ 197 +Sinathrismus, _or the heaping figure._ 197 +Apostrophe, _or the turne tale._ 198 +Hipotiposis, _or the counterfait, otherwise + called the figure of representation._ 199 +Prosopographia, _or the counterfet countenance._ 199 +Prosopopeia, _or the false impersonation._ 200 +Chronographia, _or the counterfait of time._ 200 +Topographia, _or counterteit of place._ 200 +Pragmatographia, _or counterfait of action._ 203 +Omoiosis, _or the figure of resemblance._ 203 +Icon, _or resemblance by portrait, and ymagerie._ 204 +Parabola, _or resemblance misticall._ 205 +Paradigma, _or resemblance by example._ 205 +Exargasia, _or the gorgious, otherwise + called the bewtifull._ 206 +_Of the vices and deformitie in speech principally noted + by ancient Poets._ 208 +_How some vices in speeches are alwaies intollerable, some others + now and then borne withal by licence of approued authors._ 209 +Barbarismus, _or barbarous speech._ 209 +Solecismus, _or false speech._ 210 +Cacozelia, _or fonde affectation._ 210 +Soraismus, _or the vice called the mingle-mangle._ 211 +Cacosintheton, _or the misplacer._ 212 +Cacemphaton, _or foule speech._ 212 +Tautologia, _or selfe saying._ 213 +Acyron, _or the vncouth._ 214 +Pleonasmus, _or fault of full speech._ 215 +Macrologia, _or long language._ 215 +Periergia, _or ouerlabor, otherwise called the curious._ 216 +Tapinosis, _or the abbaser._ 216 +Bomphiologia, _or pompous speech._ 217 +Amphibologia, _or the ambiguous._ 217 +_What it is that generally makes our speech vertuous or vicious, + & of that which the Latines call decorum._ 218 +_Of decencie in behauiour and action, which also belongs to the + consideration of a Poet or maker._ 231 +_How the good poet or maker ought to dissemble his arte, and + in what cases the artificiall is more commended then the + naturall and contrariwise._ 250 +_The conclusion._ 257 + +FINIS. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Arte of English Poesie, by George Puttenham + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ARTE OF ENGLISH POESIE *** + +***** This file should be named 16420.txt or 16420.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/4/2/16420/ + +Produced by Bibliotheque nationale de France, Greg Lindahl, +Charles Bidwell and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print 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