Remarks 
 
 PLEASE RETURN TO THE OWNER.
 
 WILLIAM WEBBE 
 
 Graduate 
 
 A Discourse of 
 
 English Poetrie 
 
 1586 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 EDWARD ARBER 
 
 F.S.A. ETC. LATE EXAMINER IN ENGLISH 
 
 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 
 
 TO THE UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 LONDON 
 
 WESTMINSTER 
 A. CONSTABLE AND CO. 
 
 I89S
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 NOTES of William Webbe, .... 3 
 
 CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH AUTHORS referred to, . 5 
 
 INTRODUCTION,. ... . . . . - j 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY, . . . * . 10 
 
 A DISCOURSE OF ENGLISH POETRIE, 11 
 
 1. The Epiftle to Edward Sulyard, Efquire, . . 13 
 
 2. A Preface to the noble Poets of England, . . 17 
 
 3. A DISCOURSE OF ENGLISH POETRIE, . 21 
 (a) What Poetry is ? . . . .21 
 (6) The beginning of Poetry, and of what eftimation 
 
 it hath always been, . . . .21 
 
 (C) The ufe of Poetry, and wherein it rightly con- 
 
 fifted, ..... 25 
 
 (ll) The Author's judgment of Englifh Poets, . 30 
 
 (e) Cije fHatter of Emjlisfj ^octrir, . . 38-56 
 Ex. Comparifon of Thomas Pnaer's tranflation 
 
 of the sEneid with the original text of Virgil. 
 
 (f) 2Ehc IFHaniur nr JFcrin o 3iij}lislj ^octrie, . 56-84 
 
 A. RHYMED VERSE. 
 
 There be three fpecial notes neceflary to be obferved 
 in the framing of our accuftomed Englifh Rhyme: 
 
 (1) 7'Ae metre or verfe mnjl be proportionate, . 57 
 Ex. Criticifm of the different forts of Verfe in 
 
 Spencer's Shepherds Calender. 
 
 (2) The natural Accent of the words mujl not 
 bewre/le>t t ..... 62 
 
 (3) The Rhyme or like ending of Verfes, . 63 
 
 B. The Reformed kind of ENGLISH VERSE [i.e., 
 
 in CLASSICAL FEET], . . 67-84 
 
 Ex. The Author's tranflation of the firfl two 
 
 Eglo^ues of Virgil into Englifh Hexameters, 73-79 
 Ex. His tranflation of Hobbinoll's Song in the 
 
 Shepherds Calender into Englifh Sapphics, . 81-84 
 
 (g) The Canons or general Cautions of Poetry, pre- 
 
 fcribed by Horace : collected by George 
 Fabricius [l>. 23 April 1516 at Chemnitz, </. 
 
 13 Jiy 1570, .... 85-95 
 
 4. EPILOGUE, ...... 96
 
 NOTES 
 
 of 
 WILLIAM WEBBE. 
 
 Probable or approximate dates. 
 
 Very little is known of the Author of this work. The suggestion that he 
 was the WilKam Webbe, M.A., one of the joint Authors of a topographical 
 book The Vale Royal, 1648, fol., is quite anachronistic. 
 
 Messrs. Cooper, in Athena Cantabrigiensis, ii. 12. Ed. 1861, state that 
 our Author "was a graduate of this University, but we have no means of 
 determining his college. One of this name, who was of St. John's College, 
 was B.A. 1572-3 [the same year as Spenser], as was another who was of 
 Catharine Hall in 1581-2. His place of residence is unknown, although it 
 may perhaps be inferred that it was in or near the county of Suffolk. We 
 have no information as to his position in life, or the time or place of his 
 death. He was evidently a man of superior intellect and no mean attain- 
 ments." [Our Author apparently witnessed Tancred and Gismund in 1568, 
 and being evidently acquainted with Gabriel Harvey and Spenser (who left 
 Cambridge in 1578), must be the earlier graduate of the above two Webbes.] 
 
 1568. Tancred and Gismund, written by five members of the Inner 
 
 Temple, the first letters of whose names are attached to the 
 several acts, viz., Rod. Staff; Hen. No[well?]; G. All; Ch. 
 Hat[ton?]; and R. Wfilmot]: is 'curiously acted in view 
 of her Maiesty, by whom it was then princely accepted." 
 
 Webbe appears to have been present at the representation : 
 see 1591. Mr. J. P. Collier in his edition of ' Dodsley's Old 
 Plays,' i. 153, prints from a MS. what is apparently a por- 
 tion of this Tragedy as it was then acted, written in alternate 
 rhymes. He also states in his HLtt. of Dram. Poet, that it 
 ' is the earliest English play extant, the plot of which is known 
 to be derived from an Italian novel." Hi. 13. Ed. 1831. 
 1572-3. Our Author takes his B.A. at Cambridge. 
 
 1582. Nov. 28. Gabriel Poyntz presented Robert Wilmott, clerk to the 
 Rectory of North Okendon, Essex : 18 miles from London. 
 Newcourt Repertorium, ii. 447. Ed. 1710. 
 
 Flemyngs is a large manor house in Essex in the parish of Runwell, in the 
 hundred of Chelmsford ; from which town it is ten miles distant, and about 
 twenty-nine miles from London. ' This house commands extensive views of 
 some parts of the county and of Kent, including more than thirty parish 
 churches.' 
 
 Edward Sulyard succeeded, on the death of his father Eustace in 1546, to 
 Flemyngs and other possessions. He had two sons, Edward and Thomas, 
 and a daughter named Elizabeth. He was knighted on 23 July 1603 at 
 Whitehall by James I, before his coronation : and died in June 1610. Of his 
 two sons, Edward died without issue; Thomas, b. 1573, was knighted, and d. 
 March 1634; leaving a son Edward, who d. 7 Nov. 1692 without issue, ' the 
 last of the house and family.' See W. Berry, County Gen. Essex, 64. T. 
 Wright, Hist, of Essex, i. 142, 143. Ed. 1831. J. P[hilipot] Knts. Batch, 
 made by James I. 1660. 
 
 *1583 or 4. Webbe appears to have been at this time private tutor to Mr. 
 Sulyard's two sons, for he presented his MS. translation (now 
 lost) of the Georgics to Mr. Sulyard : see//. 55 and 16. 
 1585. DEC. 2. The Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's appoint Robert Wilmott, 
 M.A., to the Vicarage of Horndon on the Hill, twenty-four 
 miles from London, and a few miles from Flemyngs, where his 
 friend Webbe was a private tutor. Newcourt, idem. ii. 343.
 
 4 NOTES OF WILLIAM WEBBE. 
 
 1586. Of ' the pregnant ympes of right excellent hope,' Thomas 
 Sulyard was about thirteen years old, and his brother Edward 
 was older than him. 
 
 W. Webbe writes the present work in the summer evenings. 
 SEPT. 4. It is thus registered for publication. 
 "Robt. Walley 
 John Charlewood, Rd. of them, for printinge A Discourse o. 
 
 englishe poetrye vj d ." 
 
 J. P. Collier, Extr. of S tat. Ca.'s Kegrs. ii., 215. Ed. 1849. 
 
 1587. FEB. 5. Margaret, the mother of Mr. Sulyard died. She is buried at 
 
 Runwell. 
 
 1588. Warton quotes "a small black-lettered tract entitled The 
 Touch-stone of Wittes, chiefly compiled, with some slender 
 additions, from William Wehbe's Discourse of English 
 Poetrie, written by Edward Hake, and printed at London by 
 Edmund Bollifant." /. 804. Ed. 1870. 
 
 Our Author his pupils growing to manhood then appears to have gone, 
 possibly also in the same capacity of private tutor into the family of Henry 
 Grey, Esquire [created Baron Grey of Groby, 21 July 1603 : d. 1614] at 
 Pirgo, in the parish of Havering atte Bower, Essex ; fifteen miles from Lon- 
 don. Dugdale states that the first husband of one of the daughters of this 
 Henry Grey, Esquire, was a William Sulyard, Esquire. Baron, i. 722. 
 Ed. 1675. From this old Palace of the Queens of England Webbe wrote the fol- 
 lowing letter to Wilmott, which is reprinted in the revised edition of Tan- 
 cred and Gismund published in 1592: of which there are copies in the 
 Bodleian, and at Bridgewater House, and an imperfect one in the British 
 
 1591. U AuG.'8 34 ' *To* his f rend R. W. Master R. VV. looke not now for 
 the tearmes of an intreator, I wil beg no longer, and for your 
 promises, I wil refuse them as bad puiment : neither can I be 
 satisfied with any thing, but a peremptorie performance of an 
 old intention of yours, the publishing I meane of those wast 
 papers (as it pleaseth you to cal them, but as I esteem them, 
 a most exquisite inuention) of Gismunds Tragedie. Thinke 
 not to shift me off with longer delayes, nor alledge more ex- 
 cuses to get further respite, least I arrest you with nry Actum 
 est, and commence such a Sute of vr.kindenesse against you, 
 as when the case shall be scand before the ludges of courtesie, 
 the court will crie out of your immoderat modestie. And thus 
 much I tel you before, you shal not be able to wage against 
 me in the charges growing vpon this action, especially, if the 
 worshipful company of the Inner temple gentlemen patronize 
 my cause, as vndoubtedly they wil, yea, and rather plead 
 partially for me then let my cause miscary, because them- 
 selues are parties. The tragedie was by them most pithely 
 framed, and no lesse curiously acted in view of her Maiesty, 
 by whom it was then as princely accepted, as of the whole 
 honorable audience notably applauded : yea, and of al men 
 generally desired, as a work, either in statelines of shew, 
 depth of conceit, or true ornaments of poeticall arte, inferior 
 to none of the best in that kinde : no, were the Roman Seneca 
 the censurer. The braue youths that then (to their high 
 praises) so feelingly performed the same in action, did shortly 
 after lay vp the booke vnregarded, or perhaps let it run 
 abroade (as many parentes doe their children once past 
 dandling) not respecting so much what hard fortune might 
 befall it being out of their fingers, as how their heroical wits 
 might againe be quickly conceiued with new inuentions of 
 like worthines, wherof they haue been euer since wonderfull 
 fertill. But this orphan of theirs (for he wandreth as it were 
 fathcrlesse,) hath notwithstanding, by the rare and bewtiful 
 perfections appearing in him, hetherto neuer wanted great
 
 NOTES OF WILLIAM WEBBE. 5 
 
 fauourers, and louing presenters. Among whom I cannot 
 sufficiently commend your more then charitable zeale, and 
 scholerly compassion towards him, that haue not only rescued 
 and defended him from the deuouring iawes of obliuion, bul 
 vouchsafed also to apparrel him in a new sute at your own 
 charges, wherein he may again more boldly come abroad, 
 and by your permission retutne to his olde parents, clothed 
 perhaps not in richer or more costly furniture than it went 
 from them, but in handsomnes and fashion more answerable 
 to these times, wherein fashions are so often altered. Let one 
 word suffice for your encouragement herein : namely^ your 
 commendable pains in disrobing him of his antike cunositie, 
 and adorning him with the approoued guise of our stateliest 
 Englishe termes (not diminishing, but augmenting his arti- 
 ficial! colours of absolute poesie, deriued from his first parents) 
 cannot but bee grateful to most mens appetites, who vpon 
 our experience we know highly to esteem such lofty measures 
 of sen tenuously composed Tragedies. 
 
 How much you shal make me, and the rest of your priuate 
 Trends beholding vnto you, I list not to discourse : and there- 
 fore grounding vpon these alledged reasons, that the suppress- 
 ing of this Tragedie, so worthy for ye presse, were no other 
 thing then wilfully to defraud your selfe of an vniuersall thank, 
 your frends of their expectations, and sweete G. of a famous 
 eternitie. I will cease to doubt of any other pretence to 
 cloake your bashfulnesse, hoping to read it in print (which 
 lately lay neglected amongst your papers) at our next ap- 
 pointed meeting. 
 
 I bid you heartely farewell. From Pyrgo in Essex, August 
 the eight, 1591. Tuns fide et facilitate. GUIL. WEBBE. 
 It may also be noted that Wilmott dedicated this revised tragedy to two 
 Essex ladies : one of whom was Lady Anne Grey, the daughter of Lord 
 Windsor, and the wife of the above-mentioned Henry Grey, Esquire of Pirgo. 
 That the above R. Wilmott, Clergyman, is the same as the Reviser of the 
 play appears from the following passage in his Preface. 
 
 ''Hereupon I have indured some conflicts between reason and judgement, 
 whether it were convenient for the commonwealth, and the indecorum of my 
 calling (as some think it) that the memory of Tancred's Tragedy should be 
 again by my means revised, which the c-ftner I read over, and the more I 
 considered thereon, the sooner I was won to consent thereunto : calling to 
 mind that neither the thrice reverend and learned father, M. Beza, was 
 ashamed in his younger years to send abroad, in his own name, his Tragedy 
 of Abraham, nor that rare Scot (the scholar of our age) Buchanan, his most 
 pathetical fe/>tAa." ' Dodsley's Old Plays: ii. 165. Ed. by J. P. Collier, 1825. 
 If the identity may be considered as established, Wilmott the Poet lived 
 on till 1619 : when he was succeeded on his death by W. Jackson, in the 
 Rectory of North Okendon. Newcourt, idem. ii. 447. 
 
 No later information concerning W. Webbe than the above letter, has yet 
 been recovered. 
 
 CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH AUTHORS 
 
 REFERRED TO IN THE FOLLOWING Difcourft. 
 R. ASCHAM. The Scholemafter, . . 3*. 57 
 
 G. B. ? The Shippe of Safeguard*, 1569 . . 35 
 
 F. C. . ? . . . .35 
 
 T. CHURCHYARD. Churchyard's 'Chippes? 1575; Church- 
 yard's 'Chance,' 1580; Churchyards 'Charge, '1580; &c. 33 
 M. D. [? Mafter Dyer, i.e., Sir Edward Dyer] . . 33 
 
 ? DARRELL . ? . . -35
 
 6 CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH AUTHORS. 
 
 R. EDWARDES. Par. of Dainty Devifes, 1576; Comedies 33 
 Sir T. ELYOT. The Governor, 1538 . . 42,43 
 
 G. GASCOIGNE. Poftes, 1572; The Sleele Glas, &c., 1576. 33 
 
 B. GOOGE. Eglogs, Epytaphes, and Sonettes, 1563 ; tranf- 
 
 lation of Palingenius' Zodiac of Life. 1560. 1565. . 34 
 SirJ. GRANGE. The Golden Aphroditis, 1577 . . 35 
 
 G. HARVEY. . . . . . -35 
 
 HEIWOOD [either JOHN HEYWOOD or JASPER HEYWOOD] 37 
 W. HUNNIS. Paradife of Dainty Devifes, 1576, 1578 . 33 
 ? HYLL ? . . . " . . ,33 
 
 E. K. [i.e. EDWARD KIRKE] ... 33, 53 
 
 F. K. [? Fr. Kindlemarfh] Par. of Dainty Devifes, 1576, 1578 35 
 J. LYLY. Euphues, 1579-80 ; Plays . . .46 
 A. MUNDAY. The Mirrour of Mutabilitie, 1579 ; The 
 
 Paine of Pleafure, 1580 . . . -35 
 
 T. NORTON. Joint Author of Ferrex and Porrex, 1561 . 33 
 
 C. OCKLANDE. Anglorum Pralia, 1580, 1582 . . 30 
 [? DR. E.] SAND[YS]. Par. of Dainty Devifes, 1576, &c. . 33 
 E. SPENSER. Shepheards Calender, 1579, 1581, 1586 35, 52, 8l 
 HENRY, Earl of SURREY. Sonnets, &>c., inTottel's Mifc. 1557 33 
 T. TUSSER. Five hundred points of Good Hufbandru, 
 
 1557-80 ...... 33 
 
 THOMAS, Lord VAUX. Sonnetes, &c., in Tottel's Mifc. 
 
 1557 ; and Par. of Dainty Devifes, 1576 . . 33 
 
 E. VERE, Earl of OXFORD. Unpublifhed Sonnets . . 33 
 
 G. WHETSTONE. The Rocke of Regard, 1576 . . 35 
 R. WILMOTT. Tancred and Gifmund, 1568 . . 35 
 S. Y. [? M. YLOOP, i.e. M. POOLY in Par. of Dainty Devifes} 35 
 
 THE TRANSLATORS. 
 
 SENECA. 
 
 J. HEYWOOD. Troas, 1559; Thyejles, 1560; Hercules 
 
 Furens, 1561 . . . . .34 
 
 A. NEVILL. (Edipus, 1563 . . -34 
 
 J. STUDLEY. Medea, 1566; Agamemnon, 1566 . . 34 
 
 OVID. 
 
 G. TURBERVILLE. Heroical Epijlles, 1567 . . 34 
 
 A. GOLDING. Metamorphofes, 1565 , . 34, 51 
 
 T. CHURCHYARD. Triflia, 1578 . . . -34 
 
 T. DRANT. Satires, 1566; Art of Poetrie, 1567 . . 34 
 
 VIRGIL. 
 
 HENRY, Earl of SURREY. Two Books of the* jEneid,' 1557 33 
 T. PHAER, M.D. <)\rd Books of the* JEneid,' 1558-1562 33, 46-51 
 T. TWYNE. The remaining ?\rd Books, 1573 . . 34 
 
 A.FLEMING. Bucolicks, 1575, in rhyme. His Georgicsw- 
 
 ferred to at>. 55 appeared in 1589 . . 34, 55
 
 A Difcourfe of Engli/h Poetrie 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 jjPart from the exceflive rarity of this work, two 
 copies of it only being known ; it deferves 
 permanent republication as a good example 
 of the bed form of Effay Writing of its time ; and as 
 one of the feries of Poetical Criticifms before the ad- 
 vent of Shakefpeare as a writer, the ftudy of which is 
 fo effential to a right underflanding of our befl Verfe. 
 Although Poetry is the mofl ethereal part of 
 Thought and Expreffion ; though Poets muft be born 
 and cannot be made: yet is there an art of Poefy; 
 fet forth long ago by Horace but varying with differ- 
 ing languages and countries, and even with different 
 ages in the life of the fame country. In our tongue 
 Milton only excepted there is nothing approaching, 
 either in the average merit of the Journeymen or the 
 fuperlative excellence of the few Mafler-Craftfmen, the 
 Poefy of the Elizabethan age. Hence the value of 
 thefe early Poetical Criticifms. Their difcuflion of 
 principles is mofl helpful to all readers in the difcern- 
 ment of the fubtle beauties of the numberlefs poems 
 of that era : while for thofe who can, and who will ; 
 they will be found fingularly fuggeflive in the training 
 of their own Power of Song, for the inflrudlion and 
 delight of this and future generations. 
 
 A Cambridge graduate ; the private tutor, for fome 
 two or three years pafl, to Edward and Thomas Sul-
 
 8 Introduftion. 
 
 yard, the fons of Edward Sulyard Efquire, of Flem- 
 yngs, fituated in Effex, fome thirty miles diftant from 
 London . our Author gave his leifure hours to the 
 fludy of Latin and Englifh poetry. 
 
 He had acquainted himfelf with our older Poets, 
 and with the contemporary verfe: and, thinking for 
 himfelf, he endeavoured to fee exactly what Englifh 
 poetry actually was, and what it might and mould be- 
 come. Doubtlefs in his walks in the large park fur- 
 rounding the Old Manor Houfe this fubject often oc- 
 cupied his thoughts, and he fat down to commit his 
 opinions to the prefs, in the prefence and quietude of 
 a large and fair landfcape ftretching far away fouth- 
 ward beyond the Thames into Kent, diverfified with 
 the fpires of many churches and the mafts of many 
 paffing fhips : and all illuminated with the glow and 
 glory of the fummer evenings of 1586. 
 
 Webbe was as much affected with the ' immoderate 
 modefty' with which, five years later, he charged Wil- 
 mot, as any of the writers of that age. He dreads, at 
 /. 55, the unauthorized publication of his verfion of 
 the Georgics, and he muft have been moved deeply 
 by ' the rude multitude of rufticall Rymers, who will 
 be called Poets' before he ventured to advocate in 
 print ' the reformation of our Englifh Verfe,' i.e., the 
 abandonment of Rhyme for Metre. 
 
 He calls his work ' a Height fomewhat compyled for 
 recreation, in the intermyffions of my daylie bufmeffe,' 
 yet it is the mod extenfive piece of Poetical Criticifm 
 that had hitherto appeared. He had read, for he 
 quotes at /. 64, G. Gafcoigne's Certayne Notes, &c., 
 1575 : alfo Three proper and wittie, familiar Letters, 
 by Immerito [Edmund Spenfer] and G[abriel H[arvey] 
 1580, to which he alludes at /. 36. He may have 
 heard of Sir P. Sidney's Apologie for P0efrie[i$S2], 
 then circulating in manufcript, or of the young Scotch 
 King's Reulis and Cautelis of Scottijh Poefic, then being
 
 Introduction. 9 
 
 published at Edinburgh. Yet none of thefe is fo 
 lengthy, nor deals with the fame extent of fubjefl, 
 nor is illuflrated by original examples, as is this 
 Difcourfe. 
 
 Though the book is an honeft one, faithfully repre- 
 fenting the author's robufl mind ; it was written under 
 the ftrong influence of three works : Afcham's Schole- 
 mafter, 1570; Edwardes' Paradife of Dainty Dei'ifes, 
 1576; and Spenfer's Shepherdes Calender, anonymoufly 
 publifhed, without the author's confent, by E. K. [i.e., 
 Edward Kirke, as is generally believed] in 1579. He 
 follows Afcham as to the origin of Rhyme; and alfo in 
 his error as to SimmiasRhodiasat/. 57,&c. He quotes 
 W. Hunnis' poem at p. 66, from the collection of 
 Edwardes. It is alfo Webbe's great merit as a lover 
 and judge of poetry, that he inftinclively fixes upon 
 the Shepherdes Calender (never openly acknowledged 
 by Spenfer in his lifetime) as the revelation of a great 
 poet, as great an Englifh Poet indeed, as had yet ap- 
 peared. That Paftoral Poem gave Webbe a higher 
 reverence for Spenfer than his great Allegory breeds 
 refpect for him in many, now-a-days. 
 
 The facility of Rhyme, at a time when there were many 
 wonderfully facile Rhymers, induced Afcham, Webbe, 
 and many others to feek after a more difficult form of 
 Englifh verfe. Claffical feet Webbe himfelf experi- 
 enced to be a 'troublefome and vnpleafant peece of 
 labour,' fo he fought after fomething more adapted to 
 the nature of the language, 'fome perfect platforme or 
 Profodia of verifying.' Blank verfe would have fatif- 
 fied him, but he did not recognife its merits in Surrey's 
 tranflation of the sEneid. He is, however, warm in 
 his praife of Phaer's verfion of that work in hexame- 
 ters : and gives us three pieces of reformed verfe of 
 his own coinage ; two in hexameters, and one in 
 fapphics. 
 
 Finally, Webbe wrote 'thefe fewe leaues' 'to ftirre
 
 io Introduction. 
 
 vppe fome other of meete abilitie, to beflowe trauell 
 in this matter.' His wifh had been anticipated. Al- 
 ready a Matter Critic was at work we know not for 
 certainty whether it was George Puttenham, or who 
 elfe who, beginning to write in 1585, publifhed in 
 1589 The Arte of Englijh Poefie: which is the largefl 
 and ablefl criticifm of Englifh Poefy that appeared in 
 print, during the reign of Elizabeth. 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
 in the $utthor'$ lifetime. 
 
 I. As a feparate publication. 
 
 1. 1586. London. I vol. 410. See title on oppofite page. 
 
 Of the two copies known, the one here re- 
 printed is among the Malone books in the 
 Bodleian. The other pafled from hand to 
 hand at the following fales : always increafmg 
 in price. 
 1773. APR. 8. Mr. West's sale, No. 1856, los. 6d., 
 
 to Mr. Pearson. 
 1778. APR. 22. Mr. Pearson's sale, No. 1888, .3, 55., 
 
 to Mr. Stevens. 
 1800. MAY 19. Mr Stevens' sale, No. 1128, &, 8s., 
 
 to the Duke of Roxburghe. 
 1812. JUNE 2. The Roxburghe sale, No. 3168, ,64, 
 
 to the Marquis of Blandford. 
 
 3fc0tte$ since the ^utljor'.c; beatl). 
 
 I. As a feparate publication. 
 
 3. 1870. DEC. I. London. EngliJJi Reprints-, fee title at 
 
 1 vol. 8vo. /. I. 
 
 II. With other works. 
 
 2. 1815. London. Ancient Critical E/ays, Ed. by J. Haflc- 
 
 2 vols. 4to. wood. A Difcourfe of Englijh Poetrie oc- 
 
 cupies Vol. ii., pp. 13-95.
 
 OOOOOUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 
 
 ADifcourfeofEng- 
 li/h Poetrie. 
 
 Together, with the Authors 
 iudgment, touching the re- 
 formation of our Eng- 
 lifh Verfe. 
 
 By William Webbe 
 Graduate. 
 
 Jmprinted at London, 
 
 by lohn Charlewood for 
 
 Robert VValley 
 
 1586. 
 
 OOOOOUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
 
 To the right vvorfhip= 
 
 full, learned, and moft gentle Gentle- 
 
 man, my verie good Master, Ma. 
 
 Edward Suliard, Efquire. W. W. 
 
 wyfheth his harts defire. 
 
 |Ay it pleafe you Syr, thys ma 
 more to beare with my rudenes, in 
 prefenting vnto your viewe, an other 
 flender conceite, of my fimple capa' 
 city: wherin although I am not able 
 to bring you anie thing, which is 
 meete to detains you from your more ferious matters: 
 yet vppon my knowledge of your former courtefy and 
 your fauourable countenaunce towardes all enterprifes 
 of Learning, I dare make bold to craue your accustomed 
 patience, in turning ouerfome of thefefewe leaues, which 
 I Jhall account a greater recompence, then the wry ting 
 thereof may deferue.
 
 i 4 The Epiftle. 
 
 The fir me hope of your wonted gentlenes, not any good 
 lyking of myne owne labour, made me thus prefumptu- 
 oujly to craue your worships patronage for my poore 
 booke. A pretty aunfwere is reported by fame to be made 
 by Appelles to King Alexander, who (in difport) taking 
 vp one of his penfilles to drawe a line, and asking t/ie 
 Paynters iudgment of his draught, It is doone (quoth 
 Apelles) like a King: meaning indeede it was drawen as 
 hepleafed, but was nothing leffe then good workmanshippe. 
 Myfelfe in like fort, taking vppon me, to make a draught 
 of Englifh Poetry, and requejling your worfliyps cenfure 
 of the fame, you wyll perhaps gyue me thys verdift, It 
 was doone like a Scholler, meaning, as I could, but 
 indeede more like to a learner, then one through grounded 
 in Poeticall workmanship. 
 
 Alexander in drawing his lyne, leaned fometime too 
 hard, otherwhyle^ too foft, as neuer hauing beene appren- 
 tice to the Arte: I in drawing this Poeticall difcourfe, 
 make it fome where tojlraight (leaning out the cheefe col- 
 lour es and ornaments of Poetry) in an other place to wydc 
 (fluffing in peeces little pertinent to true Poetry) as one 
 neuer acquainted wyth the learned Mufes. What then ? 
 as he being a king, myght meddle in what Scyence him 
 It/led, though therein Jiee had no skyll: fo I beeing a 
 learner, wyll try e my cunning in fome parts of Learning, 
 though neuer fofimple. 
 
 Nowe, as for my faucie preffing vppon your expected 
 fauor in crauing your iudgment, I befeech you let me
 
 The Epiftle. 15 
 
 make thys excufe: that whereas true Gcntilitie did 
 neuer withdrawe her louing affeclion from Lady Learn- 
 ing, so I am perfwaded, that your worshyppe cannot 
 chufe, but continue your wonted fauourable benignitie 
 towardes all the indeuourers to learning, of "which 
 corporation I doo indeede profeffe my felfe one fillie 
 member. 
 
 For fith the wryters of all ages, haue fought as an un- 
 doubted Bulwarke and stedfajl fauegarde the patronage 
 of Nobilitye, (a JJiielde as fure as can be to learning) 
 wherin toJJirowde andfafelye place their feuerall inuen- 
 tions: why should not Ifeekefome harbour for my poore 
 trauell to reste and Jlaye vppon, beeing of it felfe vnable 
 to JJiyft the carping cauilles and byting f comes of lewde 
 controllers ? 
 
 And in trueth, where myght I rather choofe a fure 
 defence and readye refuge for the fame, then where I fee 
 perfecte Gentility e, and nobleneffe of minde, to be fajle 
 lynched with excellencie of learning and affable courtefye ? 
 Moreouer, adde thys to the aide of myne excufe: that I 
 fende it into your fight, not as anie wyttie peece of worke 
 that may delight you: but being a fleight fomewhat com- 
 py led for recreation, in the intermyffions of my day lie 
 bufinejje, (euen thys Summer Eueninges) as a token of 
 that earnest and unquenchable defyre I haue to shewe my 
 felfe duetifull and welwylling towardes you. W hereunto 
 I am continually enfiamed more and more, when I con- 
 fider eyther your fauourable freendshyppe. vfed towardes
 
 16 The Epiftle. 
 
 my felfe, or your gentle countenaunce fJiewed to my fimple 
 trauelles. The one I haue tryed in that homely tranfla. 
 tion I prefented vnto you; the other I finde true in your 
 curfeous putting to my truft, and dooing me fo great 
 honejly and credite, with the charge of thefe toward 
 young Gentlemen your fonnes. 
 
 To which pregnant ympes of right excellent hope, 1 
 would I were able, or you myght haue occaflon to make 
 triall of my louing minde: who shoulde well perceyue my 
 felfe to remayne vnto them a faythfull and trujly Achates, 
 euenfo farre as my wealth my woe, my power or per rill, 
 my penne or witte, my health or lyfe mayferue to ferche 
 myne ability. 
 
 Huge heapes of wordes I myght pyle togetJier to troubk 
 you withall: eyther of my felfe or of my dooinges, (as 
 fame doo) or of your worjhyppes commendable vertues (as 
 the mojle doo) But I purpofely chufc rather to let pafft 
 thefpreading of that worthy fame which you haue euer 
 defer ued, then to runne in fufpicion of fawning flattery 
 which I euer abhorred. 
 
 Therefore once againe crauing your gentle pardon, 
 
 and patience in your ouerlooking thys rude 
 
 Epiftle: and wyshing more happineffe then 
 
 my penne can expreffe to you and your 
 
 whole retinewe, I rest. 
 
 Your worfJiippes faithfull 
 
 Seruant W. W.
 
 A Preface to the noble 
 Poets of Englande. 
 
 |Mong the innumerable fortes of Eng- 
 lyfhe Bookes, and infinite fardles of 
 printed pamphlets, wherewith thys 
 Countrey is peflered, all fhoppes 
 fluffed, and euery ftudy furnifhed: 
 the greateft part I thinke in any 
 one kinde, are fuch as are either 
 meere Poeticall, or which tende in fome refpec~le (as 
 either in matter or forme) to Poetry. Of fuch Bookes 
 therfore, fith I haue beene one, that haue had a 
 defire to reade not the feweft, and becaufe it is an 
 argument, which men of great learning haue no ley- 
 fure to handle, or at leaft hauing to doo with more 
 ferious matters doo leaft regarde : If I write fomething, 
 concerning what I thinke of our Englifh Poets, or ad- 
 uenture to fette downe my fimple iudgement of Englifh 
 Poetrie, I truft the learned Poets will giue me leaue, 
 and vouchfafe my Booke paffage, as beeing for the 
 rudeneffe thereof no preiudice to their noble ftudies, 
 but euen (as my intent is) an injlar cotis to flirre vppe 
 fome other of meete abilitie, to beftowe trauell in this 
 matter: whereby I thinke wee may not onelie get the 
 meanes which wee yet want, to difcerne betweene good 
 writers and badde, but perhappes alfo challenge from 
 the rude multitude of rufticall Rymers, who will be 
 called Poets, the right practife and orderly courfe of 
 true Poetry. 
 
 It is to be wondred at of all, and is lamented of
 
 1 8 The Preface. 
 
 manie, that where as all kinde of good learning, haue 
 afpyred to royall dignitie and flatelie grace in our 
 Englifh tongue, being not onelie founded, defended, 
 maintained, and enlarged, but alfo purged from faultes, 
 weeded of errours, and pollifhed from barbaroufnes, by 
 men of great authoritie and iudgement : onelie Poetrie 
 hath founde feweft frends to amende it, thofe that can, 
 referuing theyr Ikyll to themfelues, thofe that cannot, 
 running headlong vppon it, thinking to garnifh it with 
 their deuifes, but more corrupting it with fantafticall 
 errours. What fhoulde be the caufe, that our Englifh 
 fpeeche in fome of the wyfefl mens iudgements, hath 
 neuer attained to anie fufficient ripenes, nay not ful 
 auoided the reproch of barbaroufnes in Poetry? the 
 rudenes of the Countrey, or bafeneffe of wytts.- or the 
 courfe Dialeft of the fpeeche ? experience vtterlie dif- 
 proueth it to be anie of thefe: what then? furelie the 
 canckred enmitie of curious cuflome . which as it neuer 
 was great freend to any good learning, fo in this hath 
 it grounded in the moft, fuch a negligent perfwafion 
 of an impoffibilitie in matching the befl, that the fineft 
 witts and moft diuine heades, haue contented them- 
 felues with a bafe kinde of fingering.- rather debafing 
 theyr faculties, in fetting forth theyr fkyll in the cour- 
 fefl manner, then for breaking cuftome, they would 
 labour to adorne their Countrey and aduaunce their 
 flyle with the higheft and moft learnedft toppe of 
 true Poetry. The rudenes or vnaptneffe of our 
 Countrey to be either none or no hinderaunce, if 
 reformation were made accordinglie, the exquifite ex- 
 cellency in all kindes of good learning nowe flourifh- 
 ing among vs, inferiour to none other nation, may 
 fufficiently declare.
 
 The Preface. I9 
 
 That there be as fharpe and quicke wittes in Eng- 
 land as euer were among the peereleffe Grecians, or 
 renowmed Romaines, it were a note of no witte at all 
 in me to deny. And is our fpeeche fo courfe, or our 
 phrafe fo harfhe, that Poetry cannot therein finde a 
 vayne whereby it may appeare like it felfe ? why mould 
 we think fo bafely of this ? rather then of her fifter, I 
 meane Rhetoricall Eloquution, which as they were by 
 byrth Twyns, by kinde the fame, by originall of one 
 defcent: fo no doubt, as Eloquence hath founde fuch 
 fauoures, in the Englifh tongue, as me frequenteth not 
 any more gladly: fo would Poetrye if there were the 
 like welcome and entertainment gyuen her by our 
 Englifh Poets, without queftion afpyre to wonderfull 
 perfection, and appeare farre more gorgeous and delect- 
 able among vs. Thus much I am bolde to fay in 
 behalfe of Poetrie, not that I meane to call in queftion 
 the reuerend and learned workes of Poetrie, written in 
 our tongue by men of rare iudgement, and moft excel- 
 lent Poets: but euen as it were by way of fupplication 
 to the famous and learned Lawreat Mailers of Eng- 
 lande, that they would but confult one halfe howre 
 with their heauenly Mufe, what credite they might 
 winne to theyr natiue fpeeche, what enormities they 
 might wipe out of Englim Poetry, what a fitte vaine 
 they might frequent, wherein to fhewe forth theirworthie 
 faculties: if Englim Poetrie were truely reformed, and 
 fome perfect, platforme or Profodia of verifying were 
 by them ratifyed and fette downe : eyther in immitation 
 of Greekes and Latines, or where it would fkant abyde 
 the touch of theyr Rules, the like obferuations felected 
 and eftablifhed by the naturall affectation of the 
 fpeeche. Thus much I fay, not to perfwade you that
 
 2 o The Preface. 
 
 are the fauourers of Englifhe Poetry but to mooue it 
 to you : beeing not the firfle that haue thought vpon 
 this matter, but one that by confent of others, haue 
 taken vppon me to lay it once again in your wayes, if 
 perhaps you may flumble vppon it, and chance to looke 
 fo lowe from your diuine cogitations, when your Mufe 
 mounteth to the flarres, and ranfacketh the Spheres of 
 heauen/ whereby perhaps you may take compaffion of 
 noble Poetry, pittifullie mangled and defaced, by rude 
 frnatterers and barbarous immitatours of your worthy 
 fludies. If the motion bee worthy your regard it is 
 enough to mooue it, if not, my wordes woulde fimply 
 preuaile in perfwading you, and therefore I refl vppon 
 thys onely requeft, that of your courtefies, you wyll 
 graunt pafiage, vnder your fauourable corrections, for 
 this my fimple cenfure of Englifh Poetry, wherein if 
 you pleafe to runne it ouer, you (hall knowe breefely 
 myne opinion of the moft part of your accuflomed 
 Poets and particularly, in his place, the lyttle 
 fomewhat which I haue fifted out of my 
 weake brayne concerning thys 
 reformed verfifying. 
 
 VV: W:
 
 A Difcourfe of Eng= 
 
 lifhe Poetrie. 
 
 ijNtending to write fome difcourfe of 
 Englifh Poetrie, I thinke it not 
 amyfle if I fpeake fomething gene- 
 rally of Poetrie, as, what it is, whence 
 it had the beginning, and of what 
 eflimation it hath alwayes beene 
 and ought to be among al forts of 
 people. Poetrie called in Greeke 
 beeing deriued from the Verbe Troi'ew, which 
 fignifieth in Latine facere, in Englifh, to make, may 
 properly be denned, the arte of making : which word 
 as it hath alwaies beene efpecially vfed of the befl of 
 our Englifh Poets, to expreffe ye very faculty of 
 fpeaking or wryting Poetically, fo doth it in deede 
 containe mofl fitly the whole grace and property of 
 the fame, ye more fullye and effectually then any other 
 Englifh Verbe. That Poetry is an Arte, (or rather a 
 more excellent thing then can be contayned wythin 
 the compafie of Arte) though I neede not flande long 
 to prooue, both the witnes of Horace, who wrote dc 
 arte Poetica, and of Terence, who calleth it Artem 
 Muficam, and the very naturall property thereof may 
 fufficiently declare : The beginning of it as appeareth 
 by Plato, was of a vertuous and mod deuout purpofe,
 
 22 A Difcourfe of 
 
 who witneffeth, that by occafion of meeting of a great 
 company of young men, to folemnize ye feafls which 
 were called Panegeryca, and were wont to be cele- 
 brated euery fift yeere, there, they that were mod preg- 
 nant in wytt, and indued with great gyfts of wyfedome 
 and knowledge in Muficke aboue the reft did vfe 
 commonly to make goodly verfes, meafured according 
 to the fweeteft notes of Muficke, containing the prayfe 
 of fome noble vertue, or of immortalitie, or of fome 
 fuch thing of greateft eftimation: which vnto them 
 feemed, fo heauenly and ioyous a thing, that, think- 
 ing fuch men to be infpyrde with fome diuine inftinct 
 from heauen, they called them Vates. So when other 
 among them of the fined wits and apteft capacities 
 beganne in imitation of thefe to frame ditties of lighter 
 matters, and tuning them to the ftroake of fome of the 
 pleafantefl kind of Muficke, then began there to grow 
 a diftinction and great diuerfity betweene makers and 
 makers. Whereby (I take it) beganne thys difference : 
 that they which handled in the audience of the people, 
 graue and neceffary matters, were called wife men or 
 eloquent men, which they meant by 'Vates: and the 
 reft which fange of loue matters, or other lighter 
 deuifes alluring vnto pleafure and delight, were called 
 Poetcz or makers. Thus it appeareth, both Eloquence 
 and Poetrie to haue had their beginning and originall 
 from thefe exercifes, beeing framed in fuch fweete 
 meafure of fentences and pleafant harmonic called 
 Pifyios, which is an apt compofition of wordes or 
 claufes, drawing as it were by force ye hearers eares 
 euen whether foeuer it lyfteth: that Plato affirmeth 
 therein to be contained AoT/rcia an inchauntment, as 
 it were to perfwade them anie thing whether they would 
 or no. And heerehence is fayde, that men were firft 
 withdrawne from a wylde and fauadge kinde of life, to 
 ciuillity and gentlenes, and ye right knowledge of 
 humanity by the force of this meafurable or tunable 
 fpeaking. 
 
 This opinion mall you finde confirmed throughout
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 23 
 
 the whole workes of Plato and Arijlotle. And that fuch 
 was the eflimation of this Poetry at thofe times, that they 
 fuppofed all wifedome and knowledge to be included 
 myftically in that diuine inflinction, wherewith they 
 thought their Vates to bee infpyred. Wherevpon, 
 throughout the noble workes of thofe mod excellent 
 Philofophers before named, are the authorities of Poets 
 very often alledged. And Cicero in his Tufculane quef- 
 tions is of that minde, that a Poet cannot exprefle 
 verfes aboundantly, fufficiently, and fully, neither his 
 eloquence can flowe pleafauntly, or his wordes founde 
 well and plenteoufly, without celeftiall inflinction: 
 which Poets themfelues doo very often and gladlie 
 witnes of themfelues, as namely Quid in. 6. Fafto: 
 Est deus in nobis Agitante callefcimus illo. etc. Where- 
 vnto I doubt not equally to adioyne the authoritye of 
 our late famous Englifh Poet, who wrote the Sheep- 
 heards Calender, where lamenting the^ decay of Poetry, 
 at thefe dayes, faith mofl fweetely to 'the fame. 
 
 Then make thee winges of thine afpyring wytt, 
 
 And whence thou earned flye back to heauen apace, etc. 
 
 Whofe fine poeticall witt, and mod exquifite learning, 
 as he (hewed aboundantly in that peece of worke, in my 
 iudgment inferiour to the workes neither of Theocritus 
 in Greeke, nor Virgill in Latine, whom hee narrowly 
 immitateth : fo I nothing doubt, but if his other workes 
 were common abroad e, which are as I thinke in ye clofe 
 cuflodie of certaine his freends, we mould haue of our 
 owne Poets, whom wee might matche in all refpects 
 with the beft. And among all other his workes what- 
 foeuer, I would wyfh to haue the fight of hys Engli/h 
 Poet, which his freend E. K. did once promife to 
 publifhe, which whether he performed or not, I knowe 
 not, if he did, my happe hath not beene fo good as 
 yet to fee it. 
 
 But to returne to the eflimation of Poetry. Befides 
 ye great and profitable fruites contained in Poetry, for
 
 24 A Difcourfe of 
 
 the inflruction of manners and precepts of good life 
 (for that was cheefly refpected in the firfl age of Poetry) 
 this is alfo added to the eternall commendations of 
 that noble faculty : that Kinges and Princes, great and 
 famous men, did euer encourage, mayntaine, and reward 
 Poets in al ages: becaufe they were thought onely to 
 haue the whole power in their handes, of making men 
 either immortally famous for their valiaunt exploytes 
 and vertuous exercifes, or perpetually infamous for 
 their vicious Hues. Where vppon it is faid of Achilles, 
 that this onely vantage he had of Heftor, that it was 
 his fortune to be extolled and renowned by the hea- 
 uenly verfe of Homer, And as Tully recordeth to be 
 written of Alexander, that with natural teares he wept 
 ouer Achilles Tombe, in ioy that he conceiued at the 
 confideration, howe it was his happe to be honoured 
 wyth fo diuine a worke, as Homers was. Ariftotle, a 
 moft prudent and learned Philofopher,beeing appointed 
 Schoolemafler to the young Prince Alexander, thought 
 no worke fo meete to be reade vnto a King, as the 
 worke of Homer ; wherein the young Prince being by 
 him inilructed throughly, found fuch wonderfull delight 
 in the fame when hee came to maturity, that hee would 
 not onely haue it with him in all his iourneyes, but in 
 his bedde alfo vnder his pyllowe, to delight him and 
 teache him both nights and dayes. The fame is 
 reported of noble Scipio, who finding the two Bookes 
 of Homer in the fpoyle of Kyng Darius, efleemed them 
 as wonderfull precious lewelles, making one of them 
 hi* companion for the night, the other for the day. 
 And not onely was he thus affected to yat one peece 
 or parte of Poetry, but fo generally he loued the profef- 
 fors thereof, that in his mofl ferious affayres, and hot- 
 tefl warres againfl Numantia and Carthage he could 
 no whitte be without that olde Poet Ennius in his 
 company. But to fpeake of all thofe noble and wyfe 
 Princes, who bare fpeciall fauour and countenaunce to 
 Poets, were tedious, and would require a rehearfall of 
 all fuch, in whofe time there grewe any to credite and
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 25 
 
 eftimation in that faculty. Thus farre therefore may 
 fuffice for the eftimation of Poets. Nowe I thinke 
 mofl meete, to fpeake fomewhat, concerning what hath 
 beene the vfe of Poetry, and wherin it rightly confided, 
 and whereof confequently it obteyned fuch eftimation. 
 
 To begin therefore with the firft that was firft worthe- 
 lye memorable in the excellent gyft of Poetrye, the 
 befl wryters agree that it was Orpheus, who by ,,the 
 fweete gyft of his heauenly Poetry, withdrew men from 
 raungyng vncertainly, and wandring brutifhly about, 
 and made them gather together, and keepe company, 
 made houfes, and kept fellowfhippe together, who 
 therefore is reported (as Horace fayth) to aflwage the 
 fierceneffe of Tygers, and mooue the harde Flynts. 
 After him was Amphion, who was the firft that caufed 
 Citties to bee builded, and men therein to Hue decently 
 and orderly according to lawe and right. Next, was 
 Tyrtaus, who began to practife warlike defences, to 
 keepe back enemies, and faue themfelues from inuafion 
 of foes. In thys place I thinke were moft conuenient 
 to rehearfe that auncient Poet Pyndarus: but of the 
 certaine time wherein he flourished, I am not very 
 certaine : but of the place where he continued mofte, 
 it flioulde feeme to be the Citty of Thebes, by Plinie 
 who reporteth, that Alexander in facking the fame 
 Cittie, woulde not fuffer the houfe wherein he dwelt to 
 be fpoyled as all the reft were. After thefe was Homer, 
 who as it were in one fumme comprehended all know- 
 ledge, wifedome, learning, and pollicie, that was inci- 
 dent to the capacity of man. And who fo lifte to take 
 viewe of hys two Bookes, one of his Iliades, the other 
 his Odifsea, (hall throughly perceiue what the right vfe 
 of Poetry is : which indeede is to mingle profile with 
 pleafure, and fo to delight the Reader with pleafantnes 
 of hys Arte, as in ye meane time, his mind may be well 
 inftructed with knowledge and wifedome. For fo did 
 that worthy Poet frame thofe his two workes, that in 
 reading the firft, that is his Iliads, by declaring and 
 fetting forth fo liuely the Grecians affembly againft
 
 26 A Difcourfe of 
 
 Troy, together with their proweffe and fortitude againft 
 their foes, a Prince (hall learne not onely courage, and 
 valiantneffe, but difcretion alfo and pollicie to encounter 
 with his enemies, yea a perfect forme of wyfe confulta- 
 tions, with his Captaines, and exhortations to the people, 
 with other infinite commodities. 
 
 Agayne, in the other part, wherein are defcribed the 
 manifold and daungerous aduentures of Vliffes, may a 
 man learne many noble vertues: and alfo learne to 
 efcape and auoyde the fubtyll practifes, and perrilous 
 entrappinges of naughty perfons: and not onely this, 
 but in what fort alfo he may deale to knowe and per- 
 ceiue the affections of thofe which be neere vnto him, 
 and moll familiar with him, the better to put them in 
 truft with his matters of waight and importaunce. 
 Therefore I may boldly fette downe thys to be the 
 trueft, aunciented and bed kinde of Poetry, to direct 
 ones endeuour alwayes to that marke, that with delight 
 they may euermore adioyne commoditie to theyr 
 Readers: which becaufe I grounde vpon Homer the 
 Prince of all Poets, therefore haue I alledged the order 
 of his worke, as an authority fufficiently proouing this 
 affertion. 
 
 Nowe what other Poets which followed him, and 
 beene of greated fame, haue doone for the mofle 
 parte in their feuerall workes I wyll briefely, and as my 
 flender ability wyll feme me declare. But by my leaue, 
 I mud content my felfe to fpeake not of all, but of fuch 
 as my felfe haue feene, and beene beft acquainted 
 withall, and thofe not all nor the mode part of the 
 auncient Grecians, of whom I know not how many 
 there were, but thefe of the Latinifts, which are of 
 greateft fame and mod obuious among vs. 
 
 Thus much I can fay, that Ariflotle reporteth none 
 to haue greatly flourifhed in Greece, at lead wyfe not 
 left behynd them any notable memoriall, before the 
 time of Homer. And Tully fayth as much, that there 
 were none wrytt woorth the reading twyce in the 
 Romaine tongue, before ye Poet Ennius. And furely
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 27 
 
 as the very fumme or cheefeft eflence of Poetry, dyd 
 alwayes for the moft part confifl in delighting the 
 readers or hearers wyth pleafure, fo as the number of 
 Poets increafed, they flyll inclyned thys way rather 
 then the other, fo that moft of them had fpeciall 
 regarde, to the pleafantnefle of theyr fine conceytes, 
 whereby they might drawe mens mindes into admira- 
 tion of theyr inuentions, more then they had to the 
 profitte or commoditye that the Readers moulde 
 reape by their works. And thus as I fuppofe came 
 it to paffe among them, that for the moft part of them, 
 they would not write one worke contayning fome ferious 
 matter : but for the fame they wold likewife powre foorth 
 as much of fome wanton or laciuious inuention. Yet 
 fome of the auncienteft fort of Grecians, as it feemeth 
 were not fo much difpofed to vayne delectation: as 
 Ariftotle fayth of Empedocles, that in hys Judgment he 
 was onely a naturall Philofopher, no Poet at all, nor 
 that he was like vnto Homer in any thing but hys 
 meeter, or number of feete, that is, that hee wrote in 
 verfe. After the time of Homer, there began the firfte 
 Comedy wryters, who compyled theyr workes in a better 
 ftile which continued not long, before it was expelled 
 by penalty, for fcoffing too broade at mens manners, 
 and the priuie reuengements which the Poets vfed 
 againft their ill wyllers. Among thefe was Eupolis, 
 Cratinus, and Art/lophenes, but afterward the order of 
 thys wryting Comedies was reformed and made more 
 plaufible: then wrytte Plato, Comicus, Menander, and 
 I knowe not who more. 
 
 There be many moft profitable workes, of like anti- 
 quity, or rather before them, of the Tragedy writers : 
 as of Euripides, and Sophocles, then was there Phoci- 
 tides and Theagines, with many other : which Tragedies 
 had their inuention by one Thefpis, and were pollifhed 
 and amended by sEfchilus. The profitte or difcom- 
 moditie which aryfeth by the vfe of thefe Comedies and 
 Tragedies, which is moft, hath beene long in contro- 
 uerfie, and is fore vrged among vs at thefe dayes : what
 
 28 A Difcourfe of 
 
 I thinke of the fame, perhaps I fhall breefely declare 
 anon. 
 
 Nowe concerning the Poets which wrote in homely 
 manner, as they pretended, but indeede, with great 
 pythe and learned iudgment, fuch as were the wryters 
 of Sheepeheards talke and of hufbandly precepts, who 
 were among the Grecians that excelled, befides Theo- 
 critus and Hefiodus I know not, of whom the firfl, 
 what profitable workes he left to poflerity, befides hys 
 Idillia or contentions of Goteheards, tending mod to 
 delight, and pretty inuentions, I can not tell. The 
 other, no doubt for his Argument he tooke in hande, 
 dealt very learnedly and profitably, that is, in precepts 
 of Hufbandry, but yet fo as he myxed much wanton 
 ftuffe among the reft. 
 
 The firft wryters of Poetry among the Latines, 
 fhoulde feeme to be thofe, which excelled in the fram- 
 ing of Commedies, and that they continued a long time 
 without any notable memory of other Poets. Among 
 whom, the cheefeft that we may fee or heare tell of, 
 were thefe. Ennius, Ccedlius, N&uius, Lidnius, Atti- 
 tius, Turpitius, Trabea, Lufdus, Plautus, and Terens. 
 Of whom thefe two laft named, haue beene euer fince 
 theyr time moft famous, and to thefe dayes are efteemed, 
 as greate helpes and furtheraunces to the obtayning of 
 good Letters. But heere cannot I ftaye to fpeake of 
 the moft famous, renowned and excellent, that euer 
 writte among the Latine Poets, P. Virgill, who per- 
 formed the very fame in that tongue, which Homer had 
 doone in Greeke : or rather better if better might as 
 Sex. Propert. in his Elegies gallantly recordeth in his 
 praife, Nefdo quid magis nqfdtur Iliade. Vnder the 
 perfon of ^Eneas he exprefleth the valoure of a worthy 
 Captaine and valiaunt Gouernour, together with the 
 perrilous aduentures of warre, and polliticke deuifes at 
 all aflayes. And as he immitateth Homer in that worke, 
 fo dooth he likewyfe followe the very fteps of Theo- 
 critus, in his moft pythy inuentions of his sglogues\ 
 and likewyfe Hefiodus in h.s Georgicks or bookes of
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 29 
 
 Hufbandry, but yet more grauely, and in a more decent 
 flyle. But notwithflanding hys fage grauity and won- 
 derfull wifedome, dyd he not altogether reflrayne his 
 vayne, but that he would haue a cafl at fome wanton 
 and fkant comely an Argument, if indeede fuch trifles 
 as be fathered vppon him were his owne. There fol- 
 lowed after him, very many rare and excellent Poets, 
 whereof the mofl part writt light matters, as Epigram- 
 mes and Elegies, with much pleafant dalliance, among 
 whom may be accounted Propertius, Tibtillus, Catullus, 
 with diuers whom Quid fpeaketh of in diuers places of 
 his workes. Then are there two Hyfloricall Poets, no 
 leffe profitable then delightfome to bee read : Silius and 
 Lucanus : the one declaring the valiant prowefle of two 
 noble Captaines, one enemie to the other, that is, Sripio 
 and Haniball: the other likewife, the fortitude of two 
 expert warriours (yet more lamentably then the other 
 becaufe thefe warres were ciuill) Pompey and Cafar. 
 The next in tyme (but as mofl men doo account, and 
 fo did he himfelfe) the fecond in dignity, we will ad 
 ioyne Quid, a mofl learned, and exquifite Poet. The 
 worke of greatefl profitte which he wrote, was his 
 Booke of Metamorphofis, which though it confifled ol 
 fayned Fables for the mofl part, and poeticall inuentions, 
 yet beeing moralized according to his meaning, and the 
 trueth of euery tale beeing difcouered, it is a worke of 
 exceeding wyfedome and founde Judgment If one 
 lyfl in like manner, to haue knowledge and perfect 
 intelligence of thofe rytes and ceremonies which were 
 obferued after the Religion of the Heathen, no more 
 profitable worke for that purpofe, then his bookes 
 De fastis. The refl of his dooinges, though they tende 
 to the vayne delights of loue and dalliaunce (except 
 his Tristibus wherein he bewayleth hys exile) yet furely 
 are mixed with much good counfayle and profitable 
 leffons if they be wifely and narrowly read. After his 
 time I know no worke of any great fame, till the time 
 of Horace, a Poet not of the fmoothefl flyle, but in 
 fliarpneffe of wytt inferiour to none, and one to whom
 
 3 o A Difcourfe of 
 
 all the reft both before his time and fince, are very much 
 beholding. About the fame time luuenall and Perfius, 
 then Martial, Seneca a moft excellent wryter of Trage- 
 dies, Boetius, Lucretius , Statius, Val: Flaccus, Manilius, 
 Anfonius, Claudian, and many other, whofe iuft times 
 and feuerall woorkes to fpeake of in this place, were 
 neither much needefull, nor altogeather tollerable, 
 becaufe I purpofed an other argument. Onely I will 
 adde two of later times, yet not farre inferiour to the 
 mofl of them aforefayde, Pallengenius, and Bap. Man- 
 tuanus, and for a finguler gyft in a fweete Heroicall 
 verfe, match with them Chr. Oclan. the Authour of 
 our Anglorum Prcelia. But no we leaft I ftray too farre 
 from my purpofe, I wyl come to our Englifli Poets, to 
 whom I would I were able to yeelde theyr deferued 
 commendations : and affoorde them that cenfure, which 
 I know many woulde, which can better, if they were 
 nowe to write in my fleede. 
 
 I know no memorable worke written by any Poet in 
 our Englifh fpeeche, vntill twenty yeeres paft: where 
 althoughLearningwasnotgenerally decayde at any time, 
 efpecially fmce the Conqueft of King William Duke of 
 Normandy, as it may appeare by many famous works 
 and learned bookes (though not of this kinde) wrytten 
 by Bymoppes and others : yet furelye that Poetry was 
 in fmall price among them, it is very manifeft, and no 
 great maruayle, for euen that light of Greeke and Latine 
 Poets which they had, they much contemned, as ap- 
 peareth by theyr rude verifying, which of long time 
 was vfed (a barbarous vfe it was) wherin they conuerted 
 the naturall property of the fweete Latine verfe, to be 
 a balde kinde of ryming, thinking nothing to be lear- 
 nedly written in verfe, which fell not out in ryme, that 
 is, in wordes whereof the middle worde of eche verfe 
 mould found a like with the laft, or of two verfes, the 
 ende of both mould fall in the like letters as thus. 
 
 O ma viuentes, verfus audite fequentcs.
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 3J 
 
 And thus likewyfe. 
 
 Propter hcec et alia dogmata doftorum 
 Reor effe melius et magis decorum: 
 Quifquefaam habeat, et non proximorum. 
 
 This brutifh Poetrie, though it had not the beginning 
 in this Countrey, yet fo hath it beene affected heere, that 
 the infection thereof would neuer (nor I thinke euer 
 will) be rooted vppe againe: I meane this tynkerly 
 verfe which we call ryme : Matter Afcham fayth, that 
 it firft began to be followed and maintained among the 
 Hunnes and Gothians, and other barbarous Nations, 
 who with the decay of all good learning, brought it into 
 Italy; from thence it came into Fraunce, and fo to 
 6Vrwfly,atlaftconueyed into England, by men indeede 
 of great wifedome and learning, but not confiderate nor 
 circumfpect in that behalfe. But of this I muft intreate 
 more heereafter. 
 
 Henry the firft King of that name in England, is 
 wonderfully extolled, in all auncient Recordes of me- 
 mory, for hys finguler good learning, in all kinde of 
 noble ftudies, in fo much as he was named by his fur- 
 name Beaucleark, as much to fay, as Fayreclerke 
 (whereof perhappes came ye name of Fayreclowe) what 
 knowledge hee attained in the fkyll of Poetry, I am 
 not able to fay, I report his name for proofe, that 
 learning in this Country was not little efteemed of at 
 that rude time, and that like it is, among other ftudies, 
 a King would not neglect the faculty of Poetry. The 
 firft of our Englilh Poets that I haue heard of, was lohn 
 Gower, about the time of king Rychard the feconde, as 
 it mould feeme by certayne coniectures bothe a Knight, 
 and queftionleffe a finguler well learned man : whofe 
 workes I could wyfh they were all whole and perfect 
 among vs, for no doubt they contained very much deepe 
 knowledge and delight: which maybe gathered by his 
 freend Chawcer, who fpeaketh of him oftentimes, in
 
 3 2 A Difcourfe of 
 
 diuer[s] places of hys workes. Chawcer, who for that 
 excellent fame which hee obtayned in his Poetry, was 
 alwayes accounted the God of Englifh Poets (fuch a 
 tytle for honours fake hath beene giuen him) was next 
 after, if not equall in time to Gower, and hath left many 
 workes, both for delight and profitable knowledge, farre 
 exceeding any other that as yet euer fmce hys time 
 directed theyr fludies that way. Though the manner 
 of hys flile may feeme Wunte and courfe to many fine 
 Englifh eares at thefe dayes, yet in trueth, if it be equally 
 pondered, and with good iudgment aduifed, and con- 
 firmed with the time wherein he wrote, a man fhall 
 perceiue thereby euen a true picture or perfect fhape 
 of a right Poet. He by his delightfome vayne, fo 
 gulled the eares of men with his deuifes, that, although 
 corruption bare fuch fway in mod matters, that learning 
 and truth might fkant bee admitted to fliewe it felfe, 
 yet without controllment, myght hee gyrde at the vices 
 and abufes of all flates, and gawle with very lharpe and 
 eger inuentions, which he did fo learnedly and plea- 
 fantly, that none therefore would call him into queftion. 
 For fuch was his bolde fpyrit, that what enormities he 
 faw in any, he would not fpare to pay them home, 
 eyther in playne words, or els in fome prety and pleafant 
 couert, that the fimpleft might efpy him. 
 
 Neere in time vnto him was Lydgate a Poet, furely 
 for good proportion of his verfe, and meetely currant 
 flyle, as the time affoorded comparable with Chawcer, 
 yet more occupyed in fuperflicious and odde matters, 
 then was requehte in fo good a wytte : which, though 
 he handled them commendably, yet the matters them- 
 felues beeing not fo commendable, hys eflimation hath 
 beene the leffe. The next of our auncient Poets, that 
 I can tell of, I fuppofe to be Pierce Ploughman, who 
 in hys dooinges is fomewhat harfhe and obfcure, but 
 indeede a very pithy wryter, and (to hys commendation 
 I fpeake it) was the firft that I haue feene, that obferued 
 ye quantity of our verfe without the curiofity of Ryme. 
 
 Since thefe I knowe none other tyll the time of
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 33 
 
 Skelton, who writ in the time of Kyng Henry the eyght, 
 who as indeede he obtayned the Lawrell Garland, fo 
 may I wyth good ryght yeelde him the title of a Poet: 
 hee was doubtles a pleafant conceyted fellowe, and of 
 a very fharpe wytte, exceeding bolde, and would nyppe 
 to the very quick e where he once fette holde. Next 
 hym I thynke I may place matter George Gq/koyne, as 
 painefull a Souldier in the affayres of hys Prince and 
 Country, as he was a wytty Poet in his wryting : whofe 
 commendations, becaufe I found in one of better 
 iudgment then my felfe, I wyl fette downe hys wordes, 
 and fuppreffe myne owne, of hym thus wryteth E. K. 
 vppon the ninth ^glogue of the new Poet 
 
 Matter George Gq/koyne a wytty Gentleman and the 
 very cheefe of our late rymers, who and if fome partes 
 of learning wanted not (albeit is well knowne he altoge- 
 ther wanted not learning) no doubt would haue attayned 
 to the excellencye of thofe famous Poets. For gyfts 
 of wytt, and naturall promptnes appeare in him aboun- 
 dantly. I might next fpeake of the dyuers workes of 
 the olde Earle of Surrey : of the L. Vaus, of Norton, 
 of Brijlow, Edwardes, Tuffer, Churchyard. Wyl: 
 Hunnis: Haiwood: Sand: Hyll\ S. Y. M. D. and 
 many others, but to fpeake of their feuerall gyfts, and 
 aboundant fkyll mewed forth by them in many pretty 
 and learned workes, would make my difcourfe much 
 more tedious. 
 
 I may not omitte the deferued commendations of 
 many honourable and noble Lordes, and Gentlemen, in 
 her Maietties Courte, which in the rare deuifes of 
 Poetry, haue beene and yet are mott excellent (kyl- 
 full, among whom, the right honourable Earle of Oxford 
 may challenge to him felfe the tytle of ye mott excellent 
 among the rett. I can no longer forget thofe learned 
 Gentlemen which tooke fuch profitable paynes in trans- 
 lating the Latine Poets into our Englifh tongue, whofe 
 defertes in that behalfe are more then I can vtter. 
 Among thefe, I euer etteemed, and while I lyue, in my 
 conceyt I mall account Matter D.Phaer: without doubt 
 C
 
 3 4 A Difcourfe of 
 
 the beft: who as indeede hee had the beft peece of 
 Poetry whereon to fette a mofl gallant verfe, fo per- 
 formed he it accordingly, and in fuch fort, as in my 
 confcience I thinke would fcarcely be doone againe, if 
 it were to doo again. Notwithftanding, I fpeak it but 
 as myne own fancy, not preiudiciall to thofe that lift to 
 thinke otherwyfe. Hys worke whereof I fpeake, is the 
 englifhing of ^Eneidos of Virgill, fo farre foorth as it 
 pleafed God to fpare him life, which was to the halfe 
 parte of the tenth Booke, the reft beeing fmce wyth no 
 lefle commendations finifhed, by that worthy fcholler 
 and famous Phifition Mafter Thomas Tuyne. 
 
 Equally with him may I well adioyne Mafter Arthur 
 Golding, for hys labour in englifhing Quids Metamor- 
 phofis, for which Gentleman, furely our Country hath 
 for many refpects greatly to gyue God thankes : as for 
 him which hath taken infinite paynes without ceafing, 
 trauelleth as yet indefatigably, and is addicted without 
 fociety, by his continuall laboure, to profit this nation 
 and fpeeche in all kind of good learning. The next, 
 very well deferueth Mafter Barnabe Googe to be placed, 
 as a painefull furtherer of learning: hys helpe to Poetry 
 befides hys owne deuifes, as the tranflating of Pallen- 
 genius. Lodiac. Abraham F/emmhig as in many prety 
 Poefis of hys owne, fo in tranflating hath doone to hys 
 commendations. To whom I would heere adioyne one 
 of hys name, whom I know to haue excelled, as well 
 in all kinde of learning as in Poetry moft efpecially, 
 and would appeare fo, if the dainty morfelles, and fine 
 poeticall inuentions of hys, were as common abroade 
 as I knowe they be among fome of hys freendes. I wy} 
 craue leaue of the laudable Authors of Seneca in Eng- 
 lifh, of the other partes of Quid, of Horace, of Mantuan, 
 and diuers other, becaufe I would haften to ende thys 
 rehearfall, perhappes offenfyue to fome, whom eythei 
 by forgetfulnes, or want of knowledge, I muft needes 
 ouer paffe. 
 
 And once againe, I am humbly to defire pardon of 
 the learned company of Gentlemen Schollers, and
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 35 
 
 ftudents of the Vniuerfities, and Innes of Courte, yf I 
 omitte theyr feuerall commendations in this place, 
 which I knowe a great number of them haue worthely 
 deferued, in many rare deuifes, and finguler inuentions 
 of Poetrie : for neither hath it beene my good happe, 
 to haue feene all which I haue hearde of, neyther is 
 my abyding in fuch place, where I can with facility get 
 knowledge of their workes. 
 
 One Gentleman notwithflanding among them may I 
 not ouerflyppe, fo farre reacheth his fame, and fo worthy 
 is he, if hee haue not already, to weare the Lawrell 
 wreathe, Mafler George Whetftone, a man fingularly 
 well fkyld in this faculty of Poetrie: To him I wyl 
 ioyne Anthony Munday, an earnefl traueller in this 
 arte, and in whofe name I haue feene very excellent 
 workes, among which furely, the mofl exquifite vaine 
 of a witty poeticall heade is mewed in the fweete fobs 
 of Sheepheardes and Nymphes : a worke well worthy 
 to be viewed, and to bee efleemed as very rare Poetrie. 
 With thefe I may place loJin Graunge, Knyght, Wyl- 
 mott, Darrell, F. C. F. K. G. B. and many other, 
 whofe names come not nowe to my remembraunce. 
 
 This place haue I purpofely referued for one, who 
 if not only, yet in my iudgement principally deferueth 
 the tytle of the rightefl Englifh Poet, that euer I read : 
 that is, the Author of the Sheepeheardes Kalender, 
 intituled to the woorthy Gentleman Mafler Phillip 
 Sydney, whether it was Mailer Sp. or what rare Schol- 
 ler in Pembrooke Hall foeuer, becaufe himfelf and his 
 freendes, for what refpect I knowe not, would not 
 reueale it, I force not greatly to fette downe : forry I 
 am that I can not find none other with whom I might 
 couple him in this Catalogue, in his rare gyft of Poetry: 
 although one there is, though nowe long fince, ferioufly 
 occupied. in grauer fludies, (Mafler Gabriell Haruey) 
 yet, as he was once his mofl fpecial freende and fellow 
 Poet, fo becaufe he hath taken fuch paynes, not onely 
 in his Latin Poetry (for which he enioyed great com- 
 mendations of the befl both in iudgment and dignity in
 
 3 6 A Difcourfe of 
 
 thys Realme) but alfo to reforme our Englifh verfe, and 
 to beautify the fame with braue deuifes, of which I 
 thinke the cheefe lye hidde in hatefull obfcurity : there- 
 fore wyll I aduenture to fette them together, as two of 
 the rarefl witts, and leamedft mailers of Poetrie in 
 England. Whofe worthy and notable fkyl in this 
 faculty, I would wyih if their high dignities and ferious 
 bufmeffes would permit, they would ftyll graunt to bee 
 a furtheraunce to that reformed kinde of Poetry, which 
 Mailer Haruey did once beginne to ratify : and furely 
 in mine opinion, if hee had chofen fome grauer matter, 
 and handled but with halfe that fkyll, which I knowe 
 he could haue doone, and not powred it foorth at a 
 venture, as a thinge betweene^ iefl and earnefl, it had 
 taken greater effect then it did. 
 
 As for the other Gentleman, if it would pleafe him 
 or hys freendes to let thofe excellent Poemes, whereof 
 I know he hath plenty, come abroad, as his Dreames, 
 his Legends, his Court of Cupid, his English Poet with 
 other : he ihoulde not onely ilay the rude pens of my 
 felfe and others, but alfo fatiffye the thirily defires of 
 many which defire nothing more, then to fee more of 
 hys rare inuentions. If I ioyne to Mailer Hamey hys 
 two Brethren, I am affured, though they be both bufied 
 with great and waighty callinges (the one a godly and 
 learned Diuine, the other a famous and ikylfull Phifition) 
 yet if they lyfted to fette to their helping handes to 
 Poetry, they would as much beautify and adorne it as 
 any others. 
 
 If I let pafle the vncountable rabble of ryming Ballet 
 makers and compylers of fenceleife fonets, who be moil 
 bufy, to ftuffe euery flail full of grofie deuifes and vn- 
 learned Pamphlets : I truft I mall with the beft fort be 
 held excufed. Nor though many fuch can frame an 
 Alehoufe fong of fiue of fixe fcore verfes, hobbling vppon 
 fome tune of a Northen lygge, or Robyn hoode, or 
 La lubber etc. And perhappes obferue iuil number of 
 fillables, eyght in one line, fixe in an other, and there 
 withall an A to make a iercke in the ende : yet if thefe
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 37 
 
 might be accounted Poets (as it is fayde fome of them 
 make meanes to be promoted to ye Lawrell) furely we 
 (hall fhortly haue whole fwarmes of Poets : and euery 
 one that can frame a Booke in Ryme, though for want 
 of matter, it be but in commendations of Copper nofes 
 or Bottle Ale, wyll catch at the Garlande due to Poets : 
 whofe potticall poeticall (I mould fay) heades, I would 
 wyfhe, at their wormipfull comencements might in 
 fleede of Lawrell, be gorgioufly garnifhed with fayre 
 greene Barley, in token of their good affection to our 
 Engliflie Malt. One fpeaketh thus homely of them, with 
 whofe words I wyll content my felfe for thys time, be- 
 caufe I woulde not bee too broade wyth them in myne 
 owne fpeeche. 
 
 In regarde (he meaneth of the learned framing the 
 newe Poets workes which writt the Sheepheardes Calen- 
 der.) I fcorne and fpue out the rakehelly rout of our 
 ragged Rymers, (for fo themfelues vfe to hunt the Let- 
 ter) which without learning boafte, without Judgment 
 iangle, without reafon rage and fume, as if fome inflinct 
 of poeticall fpyrite had newlie rauifhed them, aboue 
 the meaneffe of common capacity. And beeing in 
 the midfl of all their brauery, fuddainly for want of 
 matter or of Ryme, or hauing forgotten their former 
 conceyt, they feeme to be fo payned and trauelled in 
 theyr remembraunce, as it were a woman in Chyldbyrth, 
 or as that fame Pythia when the traunce came vpon 
 her. Os rabidum fera cor da domans etc. 
 
 us farre foorth haue I aduentured to fette 
 downe parte of my fimple iudgement con- 
 cerning thofe Poets, with whom for the 
 mod part I haue beene acquainted through 
 myne owne reading : which though it may
 
 3 8 A Difcourfe of 
 
 feerae fomething impertinent to the tytle of my Booke, 
 yet I truft the courteous Readers wyll pardon me, con- 
 fidering that poetry is not of that grounde and antiquity 
 in our Englifh tongue, but that fpeaking thereof only 
 as it is Englifh, would feeme like vnto the drawing of 
 ones pycture without a heade. 
 
 Nowe therefore by your gentle patience, wyll I wyth 
 like breuity make tryall, what I can fay concerning 
 our Englifhe Poetry, firfl in the matter thereof, then in 
 the forme, that is, the manner of our verfe : yet fo as 
 I mufl euermore haue recourfe to thofe times and 
 wryters, whereon the Englifh poetry taketh as it were 
 the difcent and proprietye. 
 
 Englifh Poetry therefore beeing confidered accord- 
 ing to common cuflome and auncient vfe, is, where 
 any worke is learnedly compiled in meafurable fpeeche, 
 and framed in wordes contayning number or propor- 
 tion of iufl fyllables, delighting the readers or hearers 
 as well by the apt and decent framing of wordes in 
 equall refemblance of quantity, commonly called verfe, 
 as by the fkyllfull handling of the matter whereof it is 
 intreated. I fpake fomewhat of the beginning of thys 
 meafuring of wordes in iufl number, taken out of 
 Plato: and indeede the regarde of true quantity in 
 Letters and fyllables, feemeth not to haue been much 
 vrged before the time of Homer in Greece, as 
 Ariftotle witneffeth. 
 
 The matters whereof verfes were firfl made, were 
 eyther exhortations to vertue, dehortations from vice, 
 or the prayfes of fome laudable thing. From thence 
 they beganne to vfe them in exercifes of immitating 
 fome vertuous and wife man at their feafles : where as 
 fome one fhoulde be appointed to reprefent an other 
 mans perfon of high eflimation, and he fang fine ditties 
 and wittie fentences, tunably to their Mufick notes. 
 Of thys fprang the firfl kinde of Comedyes, when they 
 beganne to bring into thefe exercifes, more perfons 
 then one, whofe fpeeches were deuifed Dyalogue wife, 
 in aunfwering one another. And of fuch like exer-
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 39 
 
 cifes, or as fome wyll needes haue it, long before the 
 other, began the firfl Tragedies, and were fo called of 
 rpayos, becaufe the Actor when he began to play his 
 part, flewe and offered a Goate to their Goddeffe : but 
 Commedies tooke their name of Ko/ta'^eiv KCU aSciv 
 comefsatum ire, to goe a feafling, becaufe they vfed to 
 goe in proceflion with their fport about the Citties and 
 Villages, mingling much pleafaunt myrth wyth theyr 
 graue Religion, and feafling cheerefully together wyth 
 as great ioy as might be deuifed. But not long after 
 (as one delight draweth another) they began to inuent 
 new perfons and newe matters for their Comedies, 
 fuch as the deuifers thought meetefl to pleafe the 
 peoples vaine : And from thefe, they beganne to pre- 
 fent in fhapes of men, the natures of vertues and 
 vices, and affections and quallities incident to men, 
 as luflice, Temperance, Pouerty, Wrathe, Vengeaunce, 
 Sloth, Valiantnes, and fuch like, as may appeare by 
 the auncient workes of Arijlophanes. There grewe at 
 lafl to be a greater diuerfitye betweene Tragedy wryters 
 and Comedy wryters, the one expreffing onely forrow- 
 full and lamentable Hyflories, bringing in the perfons 
 of Gods and Goddeffes, Kynges and Queenes, and 
 great flates, whofe parts were cheefely to expreffe mod 
 miferable calamities and dreadfull chaunces, which 
 increafed worfe and worfe, tyll they came to the mofl 
 wofull plight that might be deuifed. 
 
 The Comedies on the other fide, were directed to a 
 contrary ende, which beginning doubtfully, drewe to 
 fome trouble or turmoyle, and by fome lucky chaunce 
 alwayes ended to the ioy and appeafement of all 
 parties. Thys diflinction grewe as fome holde opinion, 
 by immitation of the workes of Homer : for out of his 
 Iliads, the Tragedy wryters founde dreadfull euents, 
 whereon to frame their matters, and the other out of 
 hys Odyffea tooke arguments of delight, and pleafant 
 ending after dangerous and troublefome doubles. So 
 that, though there be many fortes of poeticall wrytings, 
 and Poetry is not debarred from any matter, which
 
 4 o A Difcourfe of 
 
 may be exprefled by penne or fpeeche, yet for the 
 better vnderftanding, and breefer method of thys 
 difcourfe, I may comprehende the fame in three fortes, 
 which are Comicall, Tragicall, Hiflori[c]all. Vnder the 
 firft, may be contained all fuch Epigrammes, Elegies 
 and delectable ditties, which Poets haue deuifed re- 
 fpecting onely the delight thereof: in the feconde, all 
 dolefull complaynts, lamentable chaunces, and what 
 foeuer is poetically expreffed in forrow and heauines. 
 In the third, we may comprife, the refle of all fuch 
 matters, which is indifferent betweene the other two, 
 doo commonly occupy the pennes of Poets : fuch, are 
 the poeticall compyling of Chronicles, the freendly 
 greetings betweene freendes, and very many fortes 
 befides, which for the better diflinction may be refer- 
 red to one of thefe three kindes of Poetry. But once 
 againe, leafl my difcourfe runne too farre awry, wyll 
 I buckle my felfe more neerer to Englifh Poetry: the 
 vfe wherof, becaufe it is nothing different from any 
 other, I thinke befl to confirme by the teflimony of 
 Horace, a man worthy to beare authority in this 
 matter: whofe very opinion is this, that the perfect 
 perfection of poetrie is this, to mingle delight with 
 profitt in fuch wyfe, that a Reader might by his read- 
 ing be pertaker of bothe, which though I touched in 
 the beginning, yet I thought good to alledge in this 
 place for more confirmation thereof fome of hys owne 
 wordes. In his treatife de arte Poetica, thus hee fayth. 
 
 Aut prodeffe volunt aut deleftare poetce, 
 Autfimul et iucunda et idonea dicere vita. 
 
 As much to faie: All Poets defire either by their 
 works to profitt or delight men, or els to ioyne both 
 profitable and pleafant leflbns together for the inflruc- 
 tion of life. 
 
 And again
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 4 i 
 
 Omne tulit punElum qui mifcuit vtile duld, 
 Leftorum dekflando pariterque mouendo. 
 
 That is, He miffeth nothing of his marke which 
 ioyneth profitt with delight, as well delighting his 
 Readers, as profiting them with counfell. And that 
 whole Epiflle which hee wryt of his Arte of Poetrie, 
 among all the parts thereof, runneth cheefelie vppon 
 this, that whether the argument which the Poet hand- 
 leth, be of thinges doone, or fained inuentions, yet 
 that they mould beare fuch an Image of trueth, that 
 as they delight they may likewife profitt. For thefe 
 are his wordes. FiEla voluptatis caufa fint proxima 
 verts. Let thinges that are faigned for pleafures fake, 
 haue a neere refemblance of ye truth. This precept 
 may you perceiue to bee mofl duelie obferued of 
 Chawcer: for who could with more delight, prefcribe 
 fuch wholfome counfaile and fage aduife, where he 
 feemeth onelie to refpect the profitte of his leffons and 
 inftructions? or who coulde with greater wifedome, or 
 more pithie (kill, vnfold fuch pleafant and delightfome 
 matters of mirth, as though they refpected nothing, 
 but the telling of a merry tale? fo that this is the 
 very grounde of right poetrie, to giue profitable coun- 
 faile, yet fo as it mufl be mingled with delight. For 
 among all the auncient works of poetrie, though the 
 mofl of them incline much to that part of delighting 
 men with pleafant matters of fmall importaunce, yet 
 euen in the vainefl trifles among them, there is not 
 forgotten fome profitable counfaile, which a man may 
 learne, either by flatte precepts which therein are pre- 
 fcribed, or by loathing fuch vile vices, the enormities 
 whereof they largelie difcouer. For furelie, I am of 
 this opinion, that the wantoned Poets of all, in their 
 mofl laciuious workes wherein they bufied themfelues, 
 fought rather by that meanes to withdraw mens 
 mindes (efpeciallie the befl natures) from fuch foule 
 vices, then to allure them to imbrace fuch beaflly 
 follies as they detected.
 
 42 A Difcourfe of 
 
 Horace fpeaking of the generall dueties of Poets, 
 fayth, Os tenerum pueri balbumque poeta fugitat, and 
 manie more wordes concerning the profitte to be hadde 
 out of Poets, which becaufe I haue fome of them com- 
 prifed into an Englifh tranflation of that learned and 
 famous knight, Sir Tfwmas Elyot, I wyll fet downe his 
 wordes. 
 
 The Poet fafhioneth by fome pleafant meane, 
 The fpeeche of children ftable and vnfure : 
 Gulling their eares from wordes and thinges vncleane, 
 Giuing to them precepts that are pure : 
 Rebuking enuy and wrath if it dure : 
 Thinges well donne he can by example commend, 
 To needy and ficke he doth alfo his cure 
 To recomfort if ought he can amende. 
 
 And manie other like wordes are in that place of Ho- 
 race to like effect. Therefore poetrie, as it is of it felfe, 
 without abufe is not onely not vnprofitable to the Hues 
 and ftudies of menne, but wonderfull commendable and 
 of great excellencie. For nothing can be more accept- 
 able to men, or rather to be wifhed, then fweete allure- 
 ments to vertues, and commodious caueates from vices? 
 of which Poetrie is exceeding plentifull, powring into 
 gentle witts, not roughly and tirannicallie, but it is were 
 with a louing authoritie. Nowe if the ill and vndecent 
 prouocations, whereof fome vnbridled witts take occafion 
 by the reading of laciuious Poemes, bee obiected : fuch 
 as are Quids loue Bookes, and Elegies, Tibullus, Catul- 
 lus, and Martials workes, with the Comedies for the 
 mod part of Plautus and Terence: I thinke it eafily 
 aunfwered. For though it may not iufllie be denied, 
 that thefe workes are indeede very Poetrie, yet that 
 Poetrie in them is not the effentiall or formall matter 
 or caufe of the hurt therein might be affirmed, and 
 although that reafon mould come fhort, yet this might 
 be fufficient, that the workes themfelues doo not cor- 
 rupt, but the abufe of the vfers, who vndamaging their
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 43 
 
 owne difpofitions, by reading the difcoueries of vices, 
 referable foolifh folke, who comming into a Garden 
 without anie choife or circumfpection tread downe the 
 fairefl flowers, and wilfullie thruft their fingers among 
 the nettles. 
 
 And furelie to fpeake what I verelie thinke, this is 
 mine opinion : that one hauing fufficient fkyll, to reade 
 and vnderfland thofe workes, and yet no ftaie of him 
 felfe to auoydeinconueniences, which the remembraunce 
 of vnlawfull things may ftirre vppe in his minde, he, in 
 my iudgement, is wholy to bee reputed a laciuious dif- 
 pofed perfonne, whom the recitall of fins whether it be 
 in a good worke or a badde, or vppon what occafion 
 foeuer, wyll not ftaie him but prouoke him further vnto 
 them. Contrariwife, what good leffons the warie and 
 fkylful Readers mail picke out of the very worfl of them, 
 if they lift to take anie heede, and reade them not of 
 an intent to bee made the worfe by them, you may fee 
 by thefe fewe fentences, which the forefayd Sir Thomas 
 Elyott gathered as he fayth at all aduentures, intreat- 
 ing of the like argument. Firft Plautus in commenda- 
 tions of vertue, hath fuch like wordes. 
 
 Verely vertue doth all thinges excell, 
 For if liberty, health liuing or fubftaunce, 
 Our Country our parents, and children doo well, 
 It hapneth by vertue : fhe doth all aduaunce, 
 Vertue hath all thinges vnder gouernaunce : 
 And in whom of vertue is founde great plenty, 
 Any thing that is good may neuer be dainty. 
 
 Terence, in Eunucho hath a profitable fpeeche, in 
 blafing foorth the fafhions of harlots, before the eyes 
 of young men. Thus fayth Parmeno. 
 
 In thys thing I tryumphe in myne owne conceite, 
 That I haue found for all young men the way, 
 Howe they of Harlots fhall know the deceite, 
 Their witts and manners : that thereby they may 
 Them perpetuallie hate, for fo much as they
 
 44 A Difcourfe of 
 
 Out of their owne houfes be frefti and delicate, 
 Feeding curioufly: at home all day 
 Lyuing beggerlie in mofl wretched eftate. 
 
 And many more wordes of the fame matter, but 
 which may be gathered by thefe fewe. 
 
 Quid, in his moft wanton Bookes of loue, and the 
 remedies thereof, hath very many pithie and wife fen- 
 tences, which a heedefull Reader may marke, and chofe 
 out from ye other ftuffe. This is one. 
 
 Tyme is a medicine of it mall profitt, 
 Wine gyuen out of tyme may be annoyaunce. 
 And man mall irritat vice if he prohibitt, 
 When time is not meete vnto his vtteraunce. 
 Therfore if thou yet by counfayle art recuperable, 
 Fly thou from idlenes and euer be ftable. 
 
 Martiall, a mofl diffolute wryter among all other, 
 yet not without many graue and prudent fpeeches, as 
 this is one worthy to be marked of thefe fond youthes 
 which intangle theyr wytts in raging loue, who ftepping 
 once ouer fhoes in theyr fancyes, neuer reft plunging 
 till they be ouer head and eares in their follie. 
 
 If thou wylt efchewe bitter aduenture, 
 
 And auoyde the annoyance of a penfifull hart, 
 
 Set in no one perfon all wholly thy pleafure, 
 
 The lefle maift thou ioy, but the leffe malt thou fmart. 
 
 Thefe are but fewe gathered out by happe, yet fuffi- 
 cient to fhewe that the wife and circumfpect Readers 
 may finde very many profitable leflbns, difperfed in 
 thefe workes, neither take any harme by reading fuch 
 Poemes, but good, if they wil themfelues. Neuerthe- 
 les, I would not be thought to hold opinion, that the 
 reading of them is fo tollerable, as that there neede no 
 refpect to be had in making choyfe of readers or 
 hearers : for if they be prohibited from the tender and 
 vnconflant wits of children and young mindes, I thinke
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 45 
 
 it not without great reafon : neyther am I of that 
 deuiliifh opinion, of which fome there are, and haue 
 beene in England, who hauing charge of youth to in- 
 flruct them in learning, haue efpecially made choyfe of 
 fuch vnchildifh fluffe, to reade vnto young Schollers, 
 as it moulde feeme of fome filthy purpofe, wylfully to 
 corrupt theyr tender mindes, and prepare them the 
 more ready for theyr loathfome dyetts. 
 
 For as it is fayd of that impudent worke of Ludane^ 
 a man were better to reade none of it then all of it, fo 
 thinke I that thefe workes are rather to be kept alto- 
 gether from children, then they mould haue free liberty 
 to reade them, before they be meete either of their 
 owne difcretion or by heedefull inftruction, to make 
 choyfe of the good from the badde. As for our 
 Englifhe Poetrie, I know no fuch perilous peeces 
 (except a fewe balde ditties made ouer the Beere potts, 
 which are nothing lefle then Poetry) which anie man 
 may vfe and reade without damage or daunger : which 
 indeed e is leffe to be meruailed at among vs, then 
 among the olde Latines and Greekes, confidering 
 that Chriftianity may be a ftaie to fuch illecibrous 
 workes and inuentions, as among them (for their Arte 
 lake) myght obtaine paflage. 
 
 Nowe will I fpeake fomewhat, of that princelie part 
 of Poetrie, wherein are difplaied the noble actes and 
 valiant exploits of puiflaunt Captaines, expert fouldiers, 
 wife men, with the famous reportes of auncient times, 
 fuch as are the Heroycall workes of Homer in Greeke, 
 and the heauenly verfe of Virgils dEneidos in Latine : 
 which workes, comprehending as it were the fumme 
 and ground of all Poetrie, are verelie and incompar- 
 ably the bed of all other. To thefe, though wee haue 
 no Englifh worke aunfwerable, in refpect of the glorious 
 ornaments of gallant handling : yet our auncient Chroni- 
 clers and reporters of our Countrey affayres, come 
 moft neere them : and no doubt, if fuch regarde of 
 our Englifh fpeeche, and curious handling of our verfe, 
 had beene long fince thought vppon, and from time to
 
 4 6 A Difcourfe of 
 
 time been pollifhed and bettered by men of learning, 
 iudgement, and authority, it would ere this, haue 
 matched them in all refpects. A manifefl example 
 thereof, may bee the great good grace and fweete vayne, 
 which Eloquence hath attained in our fpeeche, be- 
 caufe it hath had the helpe of fuch rare and finguler 
 wits, as from time to time myght flill adde fome 
 amendment to the fame. Among whom I thinke 
 there is none that will gainfay, but Mailer lohn Lilly 
 hath deferued mofle high commendations, as he which 
 hath flept one fteppe further therein then any either 
 before or fince he fhft began the wyttie difcourfe of 
 his Euphues. Whofe workes, furely in refpecte of his 
 finguler eloquence and braue compofition of apt words 
 and fentences, let the learned examine and make tryall 
 thereof thorough all the partes of Rethoricke, in fitte 
 phrafes, in pithy fentences, in gallant tropes, in flowing 
 fpeeche, in plaine fence, and furely in my Judgment, I 
 thinke he wyll yeelde him that verdict, which Quint ilian 
 giueth of bothe the beft Orators Demofthenes and 
 Tully, that from the one, nothing may be taken away, 
 to the other, nothing may be added. But a more 
 neerer example to prooue my former aflertion true (I 
 meane ye meetneffe of our fpeeche to receiue the beft 
 forme of Poetry) may bee taken by conference of that 
 famous tranflation of Mailer D. Phaer with the coppie 
 it felfe, who foeuer pleafe with courteous iudgement but 
 a little to compare and marke them both together : and 
 weigh with himfelfe, whether the Engliih tongue might 
 by little and little be brought to the verye maieily of a 
 ryght Heroicall verfe. Firft you may marke, how Virgill 
 alwayes fitteth his matter in hande with wordes agree- 
 able vnto the fame aifection, which he expreffeth, as in 
 hys Tragicall exclamations, what pathe[ti]call fpeeches 
 he frameth? in his comfortable confolations, howe 
 fmoothely hys verfe runnes ? in his dreadfull battayles, 
 and dreery byckerments of warres, howe bygge and 
 boyilrous his wordes found ? and the like notes in all 
 partes of his worke may be obferued. Which excellent
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 47 
 
 grace and comely kind of choyfe, if the tranflatour hath 
 not hitte very neere in our courfe Englifh phrafe iudge 
 vprightly: wee wyll conferre fome of the places, not 
 picked out for the purpofe, but fuch as I tooke turning 
 ouer the Booke at randon. When the Troyans were 
 fo toft about in tempeflious wether, caufed by ALolus 
 at lunoes requeft, and driuen vpon the coafle QiAffrick 
 with a very neere fcape of their Hues : jEneas after hee 
 had gone a land and kylled plenty of victuals for his 
 company of Souldiours, hee deuided the fame among 
 them, and thus louinglie and fweetely he comforted 
 them. ALn. Lib. i. 
 
 et diet is mcerentia pectora mulcet 
 O focii (neque ignarifumus ante malorum) 
 O pafsi grauiora: dabit deus his quoquefinem 
 Vos etfcyllceam rabiem, penitufque fonantes, 
 Accestis fcopulos : vos et cydopea faxa 
 Experti, reuocate animos, mxftumque timorem 
 Mittite, forfan et hac olim meminiffe iuuabit. 
 Per varies cafus, per tot difcrimina rerum 
 Tendimus in Latinm: fedes vbifata quietas 
 Osiendunt, illic fas regna refurgere troia. 
 Durate, et vofmet rebus feruatefecundis. 
 Talia voce rtfert, airifque ingentibus agtr 
 Spem vulta fimulat, premit altum corde dolorem. 
 
 Tranflated thus. 
 
 And then to cheere their heauy harts with thefe words he 
 
 him bent. 
 O Mates (quoth he) that many a woe haue bidden and 
 
 borne ere thys, 
 Worfe haue we feene, and this alfo mall end when Gods 
 
 wyll is. 
 Through Sylla rage (ye wott) and through the roaring 
 
 rocks we pafl, 
 Though Cyclops more was full of feare, yet came we 
 
 through at lad.
 
 4 8 A Difcourfe of 
 
 Plucke vppe your harts, and driue from thence both 
 
 feare and care away. 
 
 To thinke on this may pleafure be perhapps another day. 
 By paynes and many a daunger fore, by fundry chaunce 
 
 we wend, 
 
 To come to Italy, where we truft to find our refling ende : 
 And where the deflnyes haue decreed Troyes Kingdome 
 
 eft to ryfe 
 Be bold and harden now your harts, take eafe while eafe 
 
 applies 
 Thus fpake he tho, but in his hart huge cares had him 
 
 opprefl, 
 >uTemblin 
 
 Diflembling hope with outward eyes full heauy was his 
 bred. 
 
 Againe, marke the wounding of Dido in loue with 
 ^neas, with howe choyfe wordes it is pithily defcribed, 
 both by the Poet and the tranflator in the beginning 
 of the fourth booke. 
 
 At Regina graui iam dudumfaucia euro, 
 Volnus alii venis, et cceco carpitur igni, etc. 
 
 By this time perced fatte the Queene fo fore with loues 
 
 defire, 
 Her wound in euery vayne (he feedes, (he fryes in 
 
 fecrete fire. 
 
 The manhood of the man full oft, full oft his famous lyne 
 She doth reuolue, and from her thought his face cannot 
 
 vntwyne. 
 His countnaunce deepe (he drawes and fixed fafl (he 
 
 beares in bred, 
 His words alfo, nor to her carefuil hart can come no reft. 
 
 And in many places of the fourth booke is the fame mat- 
 ter fo gallantly profecuted in fweete wordes, as in mine 
 opinion the coppy it felfe goeth no whit beyond it 
 Compare them likewife in the woefull and lamentable
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 49 
 
 cryes of the Queene for the departure of^neas, towards 
 the ende of that Booke. 
 
 Terque quaterque manu peftus pcrcuffa decorum 
 Fiauentifque abfdffa comas, proh lupiter, ibit 1 
 Hie ait, et nostris uiluferit aduena Regnis ? etc. 
 
 Three times her hands (he bet, and three times flrake her 
 
 comely brefl, 
 Her golden hayre fhe tare and frantiklike with moode 
 
 oppreft, 
 
 She cryde, O htpiter, O God, quoth fhe, and fhall a goe? 
 Indeede ? and fhall a flowte me thus within my king- 
 dome fo ? 
 
 Shall not mine Annies out, and all my people them purfue? 
 Shall they not fpoyle their fhyps and burne them vp with 
 
 vengance due ? 
 Out people, out vppon them, follow fafl with fires and 
 
 flames, 
 Set fayles aloft, make out with oares, in fhips, in boates, 
 
 in frames. 
 What fpeake I ? or where am I ? what furies me doo 
 
 thus inchaunt? 
 O Dydo, wofull wretch, now deflnyes fell thy head 
 
 dooth haunt. 
 
 And a little after preparing to kyll her owne felfe. 
 
 But Dydo quaking fierce with frantike moode and 
 
 griefly hewe. 
 With trembling fpotted cheekes, her huge attempting 
 
 to perfue. 
 Befides her felfe for rage, and towards death with 
 
 vifage wanne, 
 Her eyes about fhe rolde, as redde as blood they 
 
 looked than.
 
 5 o A Difcourfe of 
 
 At laft ready to fall vppon ^Eneas fworde. 
 
 O happy (welaway) and ouer happy had I beene, 
 
 If neuerTroian fliyps (ahlas) my Country more had feene. 
 
 Thus fayd me wryde her head, and vnreuenged muft 
 
 we die ? 
 But let vs boldly die (quoth (hee) thus, thus to death 
 
 I ply. 
 
 Nowe likewife for the braue warlike phrafe and bygge 
 founding kynd of thundring fpeeche, in the hotte fkyr- 
 mylhes of battels, you may confer them in any of the 
 laft fiue Bookes : for examples fake, thys is one about 
 the ninth Booke. 
 
 Et clamor totis per propugnacula muris, 
 Intendunt aeries arcus, amentaque torquent. 
 Sternitur omnefolum telis, tumfcutcs cauaque 
 Dant fonitum flictu galetz : pugna asperfurgitl etc. 
 
 A clamarous noyfe vpmounts on fortreffe tops and 
 
 bulwarks tovvres, 
 They ftrike, they bend their bowes, they whirle from 
 
 firings fharp fhoting (howres. 
 All flreetes with tooles are flrowed, than helmets, 
 
 (kulles, with battrings marrd. 
 And mieldes dimyuering cracke, vprifeth roughneffe 
 
 byckring hard 
 Looke how the temped ftorme when wind out wrafl- 
 
 ling blowes at fouth, 
 Raine ratling beates the grownde, or clowdes of haile 
 
 from Winters mouth, 
 Downe dafhyng headlong driues, when God from flcyes 
 
 with griefly fteuen, 
 His watry fhowres outwrings, and whirlwind clowdes 
 
 downe breakes from heauen. 
 
 And fo foorth much more of the like effect
 
 Englifh Poetne. 5 i 
 
 Onely one companion more will I defire you to marke 
 at your leyfures, which may ferue for all the reft, that 
 is, the defcription of Fame, as it is in the 4. booke, 
 towardes the end, of which it followeth thus. 
 
 Monstrum horrendum ingens cui quot funt corpore pluma 
 Tot vi%ilos oculi etc. 
 
 Monfter gaftly great, for euery plume her carkafle beares, 
 Like number learing eyes (he hath, like number 
 
 harkning eares, 
 Like number tongues, and mouthes me wagges, a 
 
 wondrous thing to fpeake, 
 At midnight foorth fhee flyes, and vnder made her 
 
 found dooth fqueake. 
 All night me wakes, nor {lumber fweete doth take nor 
 
 neuer fleepes. 
 By dayes on houfes tops (hee fits or gates of Townes 
 
 me keepes. 
 On watching Towres me clymbes, and Citties great 
 
 me makes agaft, 
 Both trueth and falfhood forth me telles, and lyes 
 
 abroade doth caft. 
 
 But what neede I to repeate any more places? there 
 is not one Booke among the twelue, which wyll not 
 yeelde you moft excellent pleafure in conferring the 
 tranflation with the Coppie, and marking the gallant 
 grace which our Englime fpeeche affoordeth. And in 
 trueth the like comparifons, may you choofe out 
 through the whole tranflations of the Metamorphofis by 
 Mafter Golding who (confidering both their Coppyes) 
 hath equally deferued commendations for the beauti- 
 fying of the Englifh fpeeche. It would be tedious 
 to flay to rehearfe any places out of him nowe: let 
 the other fuffice to prooue, that the Englifh tongue 
 lacketh neyther variety nor currantneffe of phrafe for 
 any matter.
 
 52 A Difcourfe of 
 
 
 Wyll nowe fpeake a little of an other kinde 
 of poetical writing, which might notwith- 
 flanding for the variableneffe of the argu- 
 ment therein vfually handled, bee com- 
 prehended in thofekindes before declared : 
 that is, the compyling Eglogues, as much to fay as 
 Goteheardes tales, becaufe they bee commonly Dia- 
 logues or fpeeches framed or fuppofed betweene 
 Sheepeheardes, Neteheardes, Goteheardes, or fuch 
 like fimple men : in which kind of writing, many haue 
 obtained as immortall prayfe and commendation, as 
 in any other. 
 
 The cheefefl of thefe is Theocritus in Greeke, next 
 him, and almofl the very fame, is Virgill in Latin. 
 After Virgyl in like fort writ Titus Calphurnius and 
 Baptijla Manttian, wyth many other both in Latine 
 and other languages very learnedlye. Although the 
 matter they take in hand feemeth commonlie in ap- 
 pearaunce rude and homely, as the vfuall talke of 
 fimple clownes: yet doo they indeede vtter in the 
 fame much pleafaunt and profitable delight. For 
 vnder thefe perfonnes, as it were in a cloake of fimpli- 
 citie, they would eyther fette foorth the prayfes of 
 theyr freendes, without the note of flattery, or enueigh 
 grieuoufly againfl abufes, without any token of byt- 
 ternefle. 
 
 Somwhat like vnto thefe works, are many peeces of 
 Chawcer, but yet not altogether fo poeticall. But 
 nowe yet at ye lafl hath England hatched vppe one 
 Poet of this forte, in my confcience comparable with 
 the befl in any refpect: euen Mafler Sp\ Author of 
 the Sheepeheardes Calender, whofe trauell in that peece 
 of Englifh Poetrie, I thinke verely is fo commendable, 
 as none of equall Judgment can yeelde him lefle prayfe
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 53 
 
 for hys excellent flcyll, and fkylfull excellency (hewed 
 foorth in the fame, then they would to eyther Theo- 
 critus or Virgill, whom in mine opinion, if the courfe- 
 nes of our fpeeche (I meane the courfe of cuflome 
 which he woulde not infringe) had beene no more let 
 vnto him, then theyr pure natiue tongues were vnto 
 them, he would haue (if it might be) furpaffed them. 
 What one thing is there in them fo worthy admiration, 
 whereunto we may not adioyne fome thing of his, of 
 equall defert? Take Virgil and make fome little 
 comparifon betweene them, and iudge as ye (hall 
 fee caufe. 
 
 Virgill hath a gallant report of Augujlus couertly 
 compryfed in the firfl jEglogue: the like is in him, of 
 her Maieflie, vnder the name of Eliza. Virgill maketh 
 a braue coloured complaint of vnftedfaft freendfhyppe 
 in the perfon of Cory don; the lyke is him in his 5 
 jEglogue. Agayne behold the pretty Paflorall con- 
 tentions of Virgill in the third JEglogue: of him in ye 
 eight Eglogue. Finally, either in comparifon with, 
 them, or refpect of hys owne great learning, he may 
 well were the Garlande, and fleppe before ye beft of 
 all Englifh Poets that I haue feene or hearde : for I 
 thinke no lefle deferueth (thus fayth , K in hys 
 commendations) hys wittineffe in deuifing, his pithi 
 neffe in vttering, his complaintes of loue fo louely, his 
 difcourfes of pleafure fo pleafantly, his Paftrall rude 
 nes, his Morrall wyfeneffe, his due obferuing of decorum 
 euery where, in perfonages, in feafon, in matter, in 
 fpeeche, and generally in all feemely fimplicity, of 
 handling hys matter and framing hys wordes. The 
 occafion of his worke is a warning to other young men, 
 who being intangled in loue and youthful vanities, 
 may learne to looke to themfelues in time, and to 
 auoyde inconueniences which may breede if they be 
 not in time preuented. Many good Morrall leflbns 
 aie therein contained, as the reuerence which young 
 men owe to the aged in the fecond Eglogue: the 
 caueate or warning to beware a fubtill profeffor of
 
 54 A Difcourfe of 
 
 freendfliippe in the fift Eglogue: the commendation of 
 good Paftors, and fhame and difprayfe of idle and 
 ambitious Goteheardes in the feauenth, the loofe and 
 retchleffe lyuing of Popifh Prelates in the ninth. The 
 learned and fweete complaynt of the contempt of 
 learning vnder the name of Poetry in the tenth. 
 There is alfo much matter vttered fomewhat couertly, 
 efpecially ye abufes of fome whom he would not be 
 too playne withall : in which, though it be not appar- 
 ant to euery one, what hys fpeciall meaning was, yet 
 fo fkilfully is it handled, as any man may take much 
 delight at hys learned conueyance, and picke out 
 much good fence in the mod obfcurefl of it. Hys 
 notable prayfe deferued in euery parcell of that worke, 
 becaufe I cannot exprefle as I woulde and as it mould : 
 I wyll ceafe to fpeake any more of, the rather becaufe 
 I neuer hearde as yet any that hath reade it, which 
 hath not with much admiration commended it. One 
 only thing therein haue I hearde fome curious heades 
 call in queflion: viz: the motion of fome vnfauery 
 loue, fuch as in the fixt Eglogue he feemeth to deale 
 withall (which fay they) is fkant allowable to Englifh 
 eares, and might well haue beene left for the Italian 
 defenders of loathfome beafllines, of whom perhappes 
 he learned it : to thys obiection I haue often aunfwered 
 and (I thinke truely) that theyr nyce opinion ouer 
 fhooteth the Poets meaning, who though hee in that 
 as in other thinges, immitateth the auncient Poets, yet 
 doth not meane, no more did they before hym, any 
 difordered loue, or the filthy lufl of the deuillifh 
 Pederaftice taken in the worfe fence, but rather to 
 (hewe howe the diffolute life of young men in tangled 
 in loue of women, doo neglect the freendmyp and 
 league with their olde freendes and familiers. Why 
 (fay they) yet he mold gyue no occafion of fufpition, 
 nor offer to the viewe of Chriflians, any token of fuch 
 filthineffe, howe good foeuerhys meaning were: where- 
 vnto I oppofe the fimple conceyte they haue of matters 
 which concerne learning or wytt, wylling them to gyue
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 55 
 
 Poets leaue to vfe theyr vayne as they fee good : it is 
 their foolyfh conftruction, not hys wryting that is 
 blameable. Wee mud prefcrybe to no wryters, (much 
 leffe to Poets) in what forte they fhould vtter theyr 
 conceyts. But thys wyll be better difcuffed by fome 
 I hope of better abillity. 
 
 One other forte of Poeticall wryters remayneth yet 
 to bee remembred, that is, The precepts of Hufbandry, 
 learnedly compiled in Heroycall verfe. Such were the 
 workes of Hefiodus in Greeke, and Virgils Georgickes 
 in Latine. What memorable worke hath beene hand- 
 led in immitation of thefe by any Englifh Poet, I know 
 not, (fane onely one worke of M. Tuffer, a peece 
 furely of great wytt and experience, and wythal very 
 prettilye handled) And I thinke the caufe why our 
 Poets haue not trauayled in that behalfe, is efpecially, 
 for that there haue beene alwayes plenty of other 
 wryters that haue handled the fame argument very 
 largely. Among whom Mafter Barnabe Googe, in 
 tranflating and enlarging the moft profitable worke of 
 Heresbachius, hath deferued much commendation, as 
 well for hys faythfull compyling and learned increasing 
 the noble worke, as for hys wytty tranflation of a 
 good part of the Georgickes of Virgill into Englifh 
 verfe. 
 
 Among all the tranflations, which hath beene my 
 fortune to fee, I could neuer yet finde that worke of 
 the Georgicks wholly performed. I remember once 
 Abraham Flemming in his conuerfion of the Eglogues, 
 promifed to tranflate and publifhe it : whether he dyd 
 or not I knowe not, but as yet I heard not of it. I 
 my felfe wott well I beftowed fome time in it two or 
 three yeeres fmce, turning it to that fame Englifh verfe, 
 which other fuch workes were in, though it were rudely: 
 howe beit, I did it onely for mine owne vfe, and vppon 
 certayne refpectes towardes a Gentleman mine efpeciall 
 freende, to whom I was defirous to fhewe fome token 
 of duetifull good wyll, and not minding it fhould goe 
 farre abroade, confidering howe flenderly I ranne it
 
 5 6 A Difcourfe of 
 
 ouer, yet fmce then, hath one gott it in keeping, who 
 as it is told me, eyther hath or wyll vnaduifedly pub- 
 lime it : which iniury though he meanes to doo me in 
 myrth, yet I hope he wyll make me fome fuffycient 
 recompence, or els I mall goe neere to watch hym the 
 like or a worfe turne. 
 
 But concerning the matter of our Englyfh wryters, 
 lett thys fuffice : nowe (hall ye heare my iimple fkyl in 
 what I am able to fay concerning the forme and 
 manner of our Englyfhe verfe. 
 
 The mod vfuall and frequented kind of our Englifh 
 Poetry hath alwayes runne vpon, and to this day is 
 obferued in fuch equall number of fyllables, and like- 
 nes of wordes, that in all places one verfe either im- 
 mediatly, or by mutuall interpofition, may be aunfwer- 
 able to an other both in proportion of length, and 
 ending of lynes in the fame Letters. Which rude 
 kinde of verfe, though (as I touched before) it rather 
 difcrediteth our fpeeche, as borrowed from the Bar- 
 barians, then furnifheth the fame with any comely 
 ornament : yet beeing fo ingraffed by cuflome, and fre- 
 quented by the moft parte, I may not vtterly diflalowe 
 it, lead I fhould feeme to call in queftion the iudge- 
 ment of all our famous wryters, which haue wonne 
 eternall prayfe by theyr memorable workes compyled 
 in that verfe. 
 
 For my part therefore, I can be content to efteeme 
 it as a thing, the perfection whereof is very commend- 
 able, yet fo as wyth others I could wyfh it were 
 by men of learning and ability bettered, and made 
 more artificiall, according to the woorthines of our 
 fpeeche. 
 
 The falling out of verfes together in one like founde, 
 is commonly called in Englifh, Ryme, taken from the 
 Greeke worde Pufyxos, which furely in my Judgment is 
 verye abufiuelye applyed to fuch a fence : and by thys, 
 the vnworthineffe of the thing may well appeare, in 
 that wanting a proper name, wherby to be called, it 
 borroweth a word farre exceeding the dignitye of it,
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 57 
 
 and not appropriate to fo rude or bafe a thing. For 
 Ryme is properly, the iuft proportion of a claufe or 
 fentence, whether it be in profe or meeter, aptly com- 
 prifed together : wherof there is both an naturall and 
 an artificiall compofition, in any manner or kynde ot 
 fpeeche, eyther French, Italian, Spanifh or Englifh : 
 and is propper not onely to Poets, but alfo to Readers, 
 Oratours, Pleaders, or any which are to pronounce or 
 fpeake any thing in publike audience. 
 
 The firft begynning of Ryme (as we nowe terme it) 
 though it be fomewhat auncient, yet nothing famous. 
 In Greece (they fay) one Symias Mhodias, becaufe he 
 would be finguler in fomthing, wryt poetically of the 
 Fable, contayning howe lupiter beeing in fhape of a 
 Swanne, begatte the Egge on Leda, wherof came 
 Caflor, Pollux, and Helena, whereof euery verfe ended 
 in thys Ryme, and was called therefore (iov but thys 
 foolyfhe attempt was fo contemned and difpyfed, 
 that the people would neither admitte the Author nor 
 Booke any place in memory of learning. Since that 
 it was not hearde of, till ye time ye Hunnes and 
 Gothians renued it agayne, and brought it into Italic. 
 But howfoeuer or wherefoeuer it beganne, certayne it 
 is, that in our Englifh tongue it beareth as good grace, 
 or rather better, then in any other : and is a faculty 
 whereby many may and doo deferue great prayfe and 
 commendation, though our fpeeche be capable of a 
 farre more learned manner of verifying, as I wyl partly 
 declare heereafter. 
 
 There be three fpeciall notes neceffary to be obferued 
 in the framing of our accuflomed Englifh Ryme : the 
 firfl is, that one meeter or verfe be aunfwerable to an 
 other, in equall number of feete or fyllables, or pro- 
 portionable to the tune whereby it is to be reade or 
 meafured. The feconde, to place the words in fuch 
 forte, as none of them be wrefted contrary to the 
 naturall inclination or affectation of the fame, or more 
 truely ye true quantity thereof. The thyrd, to make 
 them fall together mutually in Ryme, that is, in wordes
 
 5 s A Difcourfe of 
 
 of like founde, but fo as the wordes be not difordered 
 for the Rymes fake, nor the fence hindered. Thefe 
 be the moft pryncipall obferuations, which I thinke 
 requifite in an Englifh verfe : for as for the other 
 ornaments which belong thereto, they be more 
 properly belonging to the feuerall gyfts of fkylfull 
 Poets, then common notes to be prefcribed by me : 
 but fomewhat perhaps I (hall haue occafion to fpeake 
 heereafter. 
 
 Of the kyndes of Englifh verfes which differ in 
 number of fyllables, there are almoft infinite : which 
 euery way alter according to hys fancy, or to the 
 meafure of that meeter, wherein it pleafeth hym to 
 frame hys ditty. Of the bed and moft frequented I 
 wyll rehearfe fome. The longed verfe in length, 
 which I haue feene vfed in Englifh confifteth of fix- 
 teene fyllables, cache two verfes ryming together, 
 thus. 
 
 Wher vertue wants and vice abounds, there wealth is but a bayted hooke, 
 To make men swallow down their bane, before on danger deepe they looke. 
 
 Thys kynde is not very much vfed at length thus, but 
 is commonly deuided, eche verfe into two, whereof 
 eche fhal containe eyght fyllables, and ryme crofle 
 wyfe, the firft to the thyrd, and the fecond to the 
 fourth, in this manner. 
 
 Great wealth is but a bayted hooke. 
 Where vertue wants, and vice aboundes : 
 Which men deuoure before they looke, 
 So them in daungers deepe it drownes. 
 
 An other kynd next in length to thys, is, where eche 
 verfe hath fourteene fyllables, which is the moft ac- 
 cuftomed of all other, and efpecially vfed of all the 
 tranflatours of the Latine Poets for the moft part thus. 
 My mind with furye fierce inflamde of late I know not howe, 
 Doth burne ParnaflTus hyll to fee, adornd wyth Lawrell bowe. 
 
 Which may likewyfe and fo it often is deuyded. eche
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 59 
 
 verfe into two, to [the?] firfl hauing eyght fillables, the 
 fecond fixe, wherof the two fixes fhall alwayes ryme, 
 and fometimes the eyghtes, fometimes not, according 
 to the wyll of the maker. 
 
 My minde with furye fierce inflamde, 
 
 Of late I knowe not howe : 
 Doth burne Pernaffus hyll to fee, 
 
 Adornd wyth Lawrell bowe. 
 
 There are nowe wythin this compafle, as many fortes 
 of verfes as may be deuifed differences of numbers: 
 wherof fomeconfifl of equall proportions, fome of long 
 and fhort together, fome of many rymes in one flaffe 
 (as they call it) fome of croffe ryme, fome of counter 
 ryme, fome ryming wyth one worde farre diflant from 
 another, fome ryming euery thyrd or fourth word, and 
 fo likewyfe all manner of dytties applyable to euery 
 tune that may be fung or fayd, diflinct from profe or 
 continued fpeeche. To auoyde therefore tedioufneffe 
 and confufion, I wyll repeate onely the different fortes 
 of verfes out of the Sheepeheardes Calender, which 
 may well ferue to beare authentic in thys matter. 
 
 There are in that worke twelue or thirteene fundry 
 forts of verfes, which differ eyther in length, or ryme, 
 of deflinction of the flaues: but of them which differ 
 in length or number of fillables not pafl fixe or feauen. 
 The firfl of them is of tenne fillables. or rather fiue 
 feete in one verfe, thus, 
 
 A Sheepheards boy no better doo him call, 
 When Winters waflfull fpight was almofl fpent. 
 
 This verfe he vfeth commonly in hys fweete com- 
 playntes, and mornefull ditties, as very agreeable to 
 fuch affections. 
 
 The fecond fort hath naturally but nyne fyllables, 
 and is a more rough or clownifh manner of verfe, vfed 
 mofl commonly of him if you mark him in hys
 
 60 A Difcourfe of 
 
 fatyricall reprehenfions, and his Sheepeheardes home- 
 lyeft talke, fuch as the fecond sEglogue is. 
 
 Ah for pitty wyll rancke Winters rage, 
 Thefe bytter blafls neuer gynne to affwage. 
 
 The number of nine fillables in thys verfe is very often 
 altered, and fo it may without any difgrace to the 
 fame, efpecially where the fpeeche mould be mofl 
 clownifh and fimple, which is much obferued of hym. 
 
 The third kynd is a pretty rounde verfe, running 
 currantly together, commonly feauen fillables or fome- 
 time eyght in one verfe, as many in the next, both 
 ryming together: euery two hauing one the like verfe 
 after them, but of rounder wordes, and two of them 
 likewyfe ryming mutually. That verfe exprefieth 
 notably, light and youthfull talke, fuch as is the 
 thyrde SEglogue betweene two Sheepheardes boys 
 concerning loue. 
 
 Thomalin why fitten we fo 
 As weren ouerwent with woe 
 Vpon fo fayre a morrowe? 
 The ioyous time now nigheth faft 
 That wyll allay this bitter blafl. 
 And flake the Winter forrow. 
 
 The fourth fort containeth in eche ftaffe manie 
 vnequall verfes, but moft fweetelie falling together, 
 which the Poet calleth the tune of the waters fall. 
 Therein is his fong In prayfe of Eliza. 
 
 Ye daintie Nymphes which in this bleffed brooke 
 
 doo bathe your brefl, 
 Forfake your watrie bowres and hether looke, 
 
 at my requeft. 
 
 And eke yee Virgins that on Parnafs dwell, 
 Whence floweth Helicon the learned Well, 
 
 helpe me to blaze 
 
 her woorthy praife 
 That in her fex doth all excell. etc.
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 61 
 
 The fift, is a deuided verfe of twelue fillables into 
 two verfes, whereof I fpake before, and feemeth mod 
 meete for ye handling of a Morrall matter, fuch as is 
 the praife of good Paflors, and the difpraife of ill in 
 the feauenth ^Eglogue. 
 
 The fixt kinde, is called a round, beeing mutuallie 
 fung betweene two: one fmgeth one verfe, the other 
 the next, eche rymeth with himfelfe. 
 
 er. It fell vppon a holie cue 
 
 Hey ho holliday 
 Per. When holie fathers wont to fhrieue, 
 ?S25gl. Thus ginneth our Rondelay. etc. 
 
 The feauenth forte is a verie tragicall mournefull 
 meafure, wherein he bewayleth the death of fome 
 freend vnder the perfon of Dydo. 
 
 Vp then Melpomene the mournfulft Mufe of nyne, 
 
 fuch caufe of mourning neuer hadfl afore : 
 Vp griefly ghoftes, and vp my mournfull ryme : 
 matter of myrth now malt thou haue no more. 
 Dydo my deere alas is dead, 
 Dead and lyeth wrapt in leade : 
 
 O heauie hearfe 
 
 Let dreaming teares be powred out in (lore 
 O carefull vearfe. 
 
 Thefe fortes of verfes for breuities fake haue I chofen 
 foorth of him, whereby I mall auoide the tedious re- 
 hearfall of all the kindes which are vfed: which I 
 thinke would haue beene vnpoffible, feeing they may 
 be altered to as manie formes as the Poets pleafe: 
 neither is there anie tune or ftroke which may be fung 
 or plaide on inftruments, which hath not fome poetical 
 ditties framed according to the numbers thereof: fome 
 to Rogero, fome to Trenchmore, to downe right Squire, 
 to Galliardes, to Pauines, to lygges, to Brawles, to all 
 manner of tunes which euerie Fidler knowes better 
 then my felfe, and therefore I will let them pafle.
 
 62 A Difcourfe of 
 
 Againe, the diuerfities of the ftaues (which are the 
 number of verfes contained with the diuifions or 
 partitions of a ditty) doo often times make great 
 differences in thefe verfes. As when one ftaffe con- 
 taineth but two verfes, or (if they bee deuided) foure : 
 the firft or the firft couple hauing twelue fillables, the 
 other fourteene, which verfifyers call Powlters mea- 
 fure, becaufe fo they tall[i]e their wares by dozens. Alfo, 
 when one ftaffe hath manie verfes, whereof eche one 
 rimeth to the next, or mutuallie croffe, or diftant by 
 three, or by foure, or ended contrarye to the begin- 
 ning, and a hundred fortes, whereof to fhewe feuerall 
 examples, would bee too troublefome: nowe for the 
 fecond point. 
 
 The naturall courfe of moft Englifh verfes feemeth 
 to run vppon the olde lambicke ftroake, and I may 
 well thinke by all likelihoode, it had the beginning 
 thereof. For if you marke the right quantitie of our 
 vfuall verfes, ye fhall perceiue them to containe in 
 found ye very propertie of lambick feete, as thus. 
 
 u o u u u u u 
 
 I that my flender oaten pipe in verfe was wont to founde: 
 
 For tranfpofe anie of thofe feete in pronouncing, and 
 make fhort either the two, foure, fixe, eight, tenne, 
 twelue fillable, and it will (doo what you can) fall out 
 very abfurdly. 
 
 Againe, though our wordes can not well bee forced 
 to abyde the touch of Pofition and other rules of Pro- 
 fodia, yet is there fuch a naturall force or quantity in 
 eche worde, that it will not abide anie place but one, 
 - without fome foule difgrace : as for example try anie 
 verfe, as thys, 
 
 Of fhapes tranfformdetobodies flrange I purpofeto intreate. 
 
 Make the firft tillable long, or the third, or the fift and 
 
 fo foorth : or contrariwife make the other fillables to 
 
 admitte the fhortneffe of one of them places, and fee
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 63 
 
 what a wonderfull defacing it wil be to the wordes, as 
 thus. 
 
 u u o <J u u o 
 
 Of flrange bodies tranfformd to fhapes purpofe I to in treat. 
 
 So that this is one efpeciall thing to be taken heede of 
 in making a good Englifh verfe, that by difplacing no 
 worde bee wrefted againft his naturall propriety, where- 
 vnto you lhal perceyue eche worde to be affected, and 
 may eafilie difcerne it in wordes of two fillables or aboue, 
 though fome there be of indifferencie, that wyll ftand 
 in any place. Againe, in chouching the whole fentence, 
 the like regarde is to be had, that wee exceede not too 
 boldly in placing the verbe out of his order, and too 
 farre behinde the nowne : which the neceffitie of Ryme 
 may oftentimes vrge. For though it be tollerable in 
 a verfe to fette wordes fo extraordinarily as other 
 fpeeche will not admitt, yet heede is to be taken, leall 
 by too much affecting that manner, we make both the 
 verfe vnpleafant and the fence obfcure. And fure it is 
 a wonder to fee the folly of manie in this refpect, that 
 vfe not onely too much of thys ouerthwart placing, or 
 rather difplacing of wordes, in theyr Poemes and verfes, 
 but alfo in theyr profe or continued writings : where 
 they thinke to rolle mofl fmoothlie, and flow mofl 
 eloquently, there by this means, come foorth theyr 
 fentences dragging at one Authors tayle as they were 
 tyde together with poynts, where often you fhall tarrie 
 (fcratching your heade) a good fpace before you (hall 
 heare hys principall verbe or fpeciall word, leafte hys 
 finging grace, which in his fentence is contained mould 
 be leffe, and his fpeeche feeme nothing poeticall. 
 
 The thyrd obferuation is, the Ryme or like ending 
 of verfes : which though it is of lead importance, yet 
 hath won fuch credite among vs, that of all other it is 
 mofl regarded of the greatefl part of Readers. And 
 furely as I am perfwaded, the regarde of wryters to this, 
 hath beene the greatefl decay of that good order of 
 verfifying, which might ere this haue beene eftablifhed
 
 6 4 A Difcourfe of 
 
 in our fpeeche. In my Judgment, if there be any orna- 
 ment in the fame, it is rather to be attributed to the 
 plentifull fulneffe of our fpeeche, which can affoorde 
 ryming words fufficient for the handling of any matter, 
 then to the thing it felfe for any beautifying it bringeth 
 to a worke : which might bee adorned with farre more 
 excellent collours then ryming is. Notwithftanding I 
 cannot but yeelde vnto it (as cuftome requireth) the 
 deferued prayfes, efpecially where it is with good Judge- 
 ment ordered. And I thinke them right worthy of 
 admiration, for their readines and plenty of wytt and 
 capacity, who can with facility intreate at large, and 
 as we call it extempore, in good and fencible ryme, 
 vppon fome vnacquainted matter. 
 
 The ready fkyll of framing anie thing in verfe, befides 
 the natural! promptnefle which many haue therevnto, 
 is much helped by Arte, and exercife of the memory: 
 for as I remember, I reade on^e among Gaskoynes 
 workes, a little inftruction to verifying, where is pre- 
 fcribed as I thinke thys courfe of learning to veriifye 
 in Ryme. 
 
 When ye haue one verfe well letled, and decently 
 ordered which you may difpofe at your pleafure, to 
 ende it with what word you wyll : then what foeuer the 
 word is, you may fpeedilie runne ouer the other wordes 
 which are aunfwerable therevnto, (for more readines 
 through all the letters Alphabetically) whereof you may 
 choofe that which wyll beft fitte the fence of your matter 
 in that place : as for example : if your laft worde ende 
 in Booke, you may ftraightwayes in your minde runne 
 them ouer thus. Brooke, Cooke, crooke, hooke, looke, 
 nooke, pooke, rooke, forfooke, tooke, awooke etc. 
 Nowe it is twenty to one, but alwayes one of thefe mall 
 iumpe with your former worde and matter in good 
 fence. If not, then alter the firfl. 
 
 And indeede I thinke, that next to the Arte of 
 memory, thys is the readyeft way to attaine to the 
 faculty of ryming well Extempore, efpecially if it be 
 helped with thus much paynes. Gather together all
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 65 
 
 manner of wordes efpecially Monaftllables, and place 
 them Alphabetically in fome note, and either haue 
 them meetely perfectly by hart (which is no verye 
 labourfome matter) or but looke them dilligently ouer 
 at fome time, practifing to ryme indifferent often, 
 whereby I am perfwaded it wil foone be learned, fo as 
 the party haue withall any reafonable gyft of knowledge 
 and learning, whereby hee want not bothe matter and 
 wordes altogether. 
 
 What the other circumflaunces of Ryniing are, as 
 what wordes may tollerably be placed in Ryme, and 
 what not : what words doo bed become a Ryme, and 
 what not, how many fortes of Ryme there is : and fuch 
 like I wyll not flay nowe to intreate. There be many 
 more obferuations and notes to be prefcribed, to the 
 exacte knowledge of veriifying, which I truft wilbe 
 better and larger laide forth by others, to whom I de- 
 ferre manie confiderations in this treatife : hoping that 
 fome of greater fkill will fhortlie handle this matter in 
 better forte. 
 
 Nowe the fundry kindes of rare deuifes, and pretty 
 inuentions which come from ye fine poeticall vaine of 
 manie in flrange and vnacuftomed manner, if I could 
 report them, it were worthie my trauell : fuch are the 
 turning of verfes: the infolding of wordes: the fine 
 repititions : the clarklie conu eying of contraries, and 
 manie fuch like. Whereof though I coulde fette downe 
 manie: yet becaufe I want bothe manie and the beft 
 kindes of them, I will ouerpaffe : onelie pointing you 
 to one or two which may fuffice for example. 
 
 Looke vppon the rufull fong of Colin fung by 
 Cuddie in the Sheepheardes Calender, where you mail 
 fee a finguler rare deuife of a dittie framed vpon thefe 
 fixe wordes Woe, founde, cryes, pafl, fleep, augment, 
 which are moft prettilie turned and wounde vppe 
 mutually together, expreffing wonderfully the doleful- 
 neffe of the fong. A deuife not much vnlike vnto the 
 fame, is vfed by fome, who taking the laft wordes of a 
 certaine number of verfes, as it were by the rebound 
 
 E \
 
 66 A Difcourfe of 
 
 of an Echo, fhall make them fall out in forae prettie 
 fence. 
 
 Of this forte there are fome deuifed by lohn Graunge, 
 which becaufe they be not long I wyll rehearfe one. 
 
 If feare oppreffe howe then may hope me fhielde? 
 Denyall fayes, vayne hope hath pleafed well, 
 But as fuch hope thou wouldeft not be thine, 
 So would I not the like to rule my hart. 
 For if thou louefl it bidds thee graunt forthwith 
 Which is the ioy whereof I Hue in hope. 
 
 Here if you take the lafl worde of euerie verfe, and 
 place them orderlie together, you mail haue this fen- 
 tence : Shielde well thyne hart with hope. But of 
 thefe Echoes I knowe indeede verie daintie peeces of 
 worke, among fome of the fineft Poets this day in Lon- 
 don : who for the rarenefle of them keepe them priuelie 
 to themfelues, and wil not let them come abroad. 
 
 A like inuention to the laft rehearfed, or rather a 
 better, haue I feene often practifed in framing a whole 
 dittie to the Letters of ones name, or to the wordes of 
 fome two or three verfes which is very witty, as for 
 example this is one of W. Jifunnts, which for the 
 Ihortnes I rather chufde then fome yat are better. 
 
 If thou defire to Hue in quiet reft, 
 Gyue eare and fee, but fay the bell. 
 
 Thefe two verfes are nowe as it were refolued into 
 dyuers other, euery two wordes or fillables being the 
 beginning of an other like verfe, in this fort. 
 
 If thou ^delight in quietnes of life, 
 
 Defire I to fhunne from brawles, debate and flrife : 
 
 To Hue J in loue with GOD, with freend and foe, 
 
 In rest Iflialt fleepe when other cannot fo. 
 
 Gyue eare fto all, yet doo not all beleeue, 
 And fee ) the end and then thy fentence gyue : 
 But fay I For trueth of happy Hues affignde 
 The best \hath he that quiet is in minde.
 
 Englifti Poetrie. 67 
 
 Thus are there infinite fortes of fine conueiances (as 
 they may be termed) to be vfed, and are much fre- 
 quented by verfifyers, as well in compofition of their 
 verfe, as the wittines of their matter : which all I will 
 referre to the confideration of euerie pleafant headded 
 Poet in their proper gifts : onelie I fett downe thefe 
 fewe fortes of their formes of verfifying, which may 
 (land in fteede to declare what manie others may be 
 deuifed in like forte. 
 
 But nowe to proceede to the reformed kind of Eng- 
 lifh verfe which manie haue before this, attempted to 
 put in practife, and to eftablifh for an accuftomed right 
 among Englifh Poets, you fhall heare in like manner 
 my fimple iudgment concerning the fame. 
 
 I am fully and certainlie perfwaded, that if the true 
 kind of verfifying in immitation of Greekes and Latines, 
 had beene practifed in the Englifti tongue, and put in 
 vre from time to tyme by our Poets, who might haue 
 continually beene mending and pollyftiing the fame, 
 euery one according to their feuerall giftes : it would 
 long ere this haue afpyred to as full perfection, as in 
 anie other tongue whatfoeuer. For why may I not 
 thinke fo of our Englifti, feeing that among the 
 Romaines a long time, yea euen till the dayes of 
 Tully, they efteemed not the Latine Poetrie almoil 
 worth any thing, irf refpecte of the Greeke, as appear- 
 eth in the Oration pro Archia Poeta : yet afterwardes 
 it increafed in credite more and more, and that in 
 fhort fpace : fo that in Virgilks time, wherein were 
 they not comparable with the Greekes ? So likewife, 
 now it feemeth not currant for an Englifh verfe to runne 
 vpon true quantity, and thofe feete which the Latines 
 vfe, becaufe it is ftraunge, and the other barbarous 
 cuftome, beeing within compaffe of euery bafe witt, 
 hath worne it out of credite or eftimation. But if our 
 wryters, beeing of learning and iudgment, would rather 
 infringe thys curious cuftome, then omitte the occafion 
 of inlarging the credite of their natiue fpeeche, and 
 theyr owne prayfes, by practifing that commendable
 
 68 A Difcourfe of 
 
 kind of wryting in true verfe : then no doubt, as in 
 other partes of learning, fo in Poetry, fhoulde not 
 (loupe to the beft of them all in all maner of orna- 
 ment and comlinefle. But fome obiect that our 
 wordes are nothing refemblaunt in nature to theirs, 
 and therefore not poflible to bee framed with any good 
 grace after their vfe : but cannot we then as well as the 
 Latines did, alter the cannon of the rule according to 
 the quality of our worde, and where our wordes and 
 theyrs wyll agree, there to iumpe with them, where 
 they will not agree, there to eflablifh a rule of our 
 owne to be directed by? Likewife, for ye tenor of 
 the verfe might we not (as Horace dyd in the Latine) 
 alter their proportions to what fortes we lifted, and to 
 what we fawe wold beft become the nature of the 
 thing handled, or the quallity of the words ? Surely 
 it is to be thought that if any one, of found Judgment 
 and learning, fhoulde putt foorth fome famous worke, 
 contayning dyuers formes of true verfes, fitting the 
 meafures, according to the matter : it would of it felfe 
 be a fufficient authority without any prefcription of 
 rules, to the moft part of Poets, for them to follow and 
 by cuftome to ratify. For fure it is, that the rules and 
 principles of Poetry, were not precifely followed and 
 obferued of the firfl beginners and wryters of Poetry, 
 but were felected and gathered federally out of theyr 
 workes, for the direction and behoofe of their followers. 
 And indeede, he that fhall with heedefull Judgment 
 make tryall of the Englifh wordes, fhall not finde them 
 fo groffe or vnapt, but that they wyll become any one 
 of ye moft accuflomed fortes of Latine or Greeke 
 verfes meetely, and run thereon fomewhat currantly. 
 
 I my felfe, with fimple fkyll I confefle, and farre 
 vnable Judgment, haue ventured on a fewe, which not- 
 withflanding the rudenes of them may ferue to fhewe 
 what better might bee brought into our fpeeche, if thofe 
 which are of meete abilitye woulde beftowe fome trauell 
 and endeuour thereuppon. But before I fette them 
 downe, I wyll fpeake fomewhat of fuch obferuations as
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 69 
 
 I could gather neceffary to the knowledge of thefe 
 kinde of verfes, lead I fhould feeme to runne vpon 
 them rafhly, without regarde either of example or 
 authority. 
 
 The fpeciall poyntes of a true verfe, are the due 
 obferuations of the feete, and place of the feete. 
 
 The foote of a verfe, is a meafure of two fillables, or 
 of three, diflinguiflied by time which is eyther long or 
 fhorL A foote of two fillables, is eyther fimple or 
 mixt, that is, of like time or of diuers. A fimple foote of 
 two fillables is likewife twofolde, eyther of two long 
 
 fillables called Spondceus, as goodneffe, or of two 
 
 fhort called Pyrrichius as o u hyther. A myxt foote of 
 2. fillables, is eyther of one fhort and one long called 
 Iambus as u - dying: or of one long and one fhort, 
 called Choreus as u gladly. A foote of 3. fillables 
 in like forte is either fimple or myxt. The fimple is 
 
 eyther Moloffus, that is of three long, as forgiue- 
 
 nes: or Trochceus, that is of 3. fhort, as u o o merylie. 
 The mixt is of 6. diuers fortes, i. Dactylus, of one long, 
 and two fhort, as u u happily. 2. Anapcetus, of two 
 fhorte, and one long, as u o - t\r\auelers. 3. Bacchius, 
 
 of one fhort, and two long, as o remembrers. 
 
 4. Palimbachius, of two long and one fhort, as o 
 
 accorded. 5. Creticus of a long, a fhort, and a long, 
 u daungerous. 6. Amphibrachus, of a fhort, a long, 
 and a fhort, as u - u reioyced. 
 
 Many more deuifions of feete are vfed by fome, but 
 thefe doo more artificially comprehende all quantities 
 neceflary to the fkanning of any verfe, according to 
 Tallaus in hys Rethorique. The place of the feete is 
 the difpofing of them in theyr propper roomes, whereby 
 may be difcerned the difference of eche verfe which is 
 the right numbring of the fame. Now as for the quan- 
 tity of our wordes, therein lyeth great difficultye, and the 
 cheefefl matter in this faculty. For in truth there being 
 fuch diuerfity betwixt our words and the Latine, it 
 cannot flande indeede with great reafon that they 
 (houlde frame, wee beeing onelie directed by fuch rules
 
 70 A Difcourfe of 
 
 as ferue for onely Latine words, yet notwithflanding 
 one may well perceiue by thefe fewe, that thefe kinde 
 of verfes would well become the fpeeche, if fo bee there 
 were fuch Rules prefcribed, as woulde admitt the plac- 
 ing of your apted and fulled wordes together. For 
 indeede excepting a fewe, of our Monafyllables, which 
 naturally fhoulde mod of them be long, we haue almoft 
 none, that wyll ftande fitlie in a fhort foote : and ther- 
 fore if fome exception were made againft the precife 
 obferuation of Position, and certaine other of the rules, 
 then might we haue as great plenty and choyfe of good 
 woordes to furnifh and fette foorth a verfe, as in any 
 other tongue. 
 
 Likewife if there were fome derection in fuch wordes, 
 as fall not within the compaffe of Greeke or Latine 
 rules, it were a great helpe, and therefore I had great 
 miffe in thefe few which I made. Such as is the laft 
 fillable in thefe wordes, able, noble, or pofflble and 
 fuch like : againe for the nature and force of our W, of 
 our th, of our 00, and ee, of our wordes which admytte 
 an e in the ende after one or two Confonantes, and 
 many other. I for my part, though (I mufl needes 
 confeffe) many faultes efcaped me in thefe fewe, yet 
 tooke I as good heede as I coulde, and in trueth did 
 rather alwaies omitt the bed wordes and fuch as would 
 naturally become the fpeech bed, then I wolde com- 
 mitte any thing, which fhoulde notorioufly impugne the 
 Latine rules, which herein I had onely for my direction. 
 Indeede mod of our Monafyllables I am forced to make 
 fhort, to fupply the want of many fhort wordes requifite 
 in thefe verfes. The Participle A, being but the Eng- 
 lifh article adioyned to Nownes, I alwayes make fhort, 
 both alone and in compofition, and likewife the wordes 
 of one fillable ending in E, as the, when it is an article, 
 lie, Jhe, ye, etc. we I thinke fhould needes be alwayes 
 long becaufe we pronounce continually We. I, beeing 
 alone danding for the Pronowne Ego, in my Judgment 
 might well be vfed common : but becaufe I neuer fawe 
 it vfed but fhort I fo obferued it Words ending in y
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 71 
 
 I make ftiort without doubt, fauing that I haue marked 
 in others one difference which they vfe in the fame, 
 that is to make it fhort in the ende o of an Aduerb, as 
 gladly, and long in the ende - of an Adiectiue as goodly : 
 but the reafon is as I take it, becaufe the Adiectiue is 
 or mould be moft commonly written thus goodlie. 
 0, beeing an Aduerbe is naturally long : in the ende of 
 wordes both Monafyllables and other I thinke it may 
 be vfed common. The firft of Pollifyllables I directed 
 according to the nature of the worde, as I thought moft 
 aunfwerable to Latine examples, fauing that fomewhere 
 I am conftrayned to ftraine curtefy with the prepofition 
 of a worde compounded or fuch like, which breaketh 
 no great fquare: as in defence or depart, etc. The 
 myddle fillables which are not very many, come for the 
 moft part vnder the precinct of Pofition, whereof fome 
 of them will not poffibly abide the touch, and therfore 
 muft needes be a little wrefted : fuch are commonly ye 
 Aduerbs of three fillables, as mournfully, fpyghtfully 
 and fuch like words, deriued of this Adiectiue, full: 
 and therfore if there be great occafion to vfe them, they 
 muft be reformed by detracting onely (/) and then they 
 ftand meetely currant, as mournfuly. The laft fillables 
 I wholly directed fo neere as I could to the touch of 
 common rules. 
 
 The moft famous verfe of all the reft, is called Hexa- 
 metrum Epicum, which confifteth of fixe feete, wherof 
 the firft foure are indifferently either Spondai orDaflyli, 
 the fift is euermore a dactyl, aud the fixt a Spondee, as 
 thus. 
 
 Tyterus happily thou liest tumbling vnder a beetchtree. 
 
 Thys kinde of verfe I haue onely feene to be practifed 
 in our Englifh fpeeche : and indeede wyll ftand fome- 
 what more orderlye therein then any of the other 
 kindes, vntill we haue fome tolleration of wordes made 
 by fpeciall rule. The firft that attempted to practife 
 thys verfe in Englifh, mould feeme to be the Earle of 
 Surry, who tranflated fome part of Virgill into verfe
 
 72 A Difcourfe of 
 
 indeede, but without regard of true quantity of fillables. 
 There is one famous Diftichon, which is common in the 
 mouthes of all men, that was made by one Mafter VVat- 
 fon, fellowe of S. lohns Colledge in Cambrydge about 
 40. yeeres pafl, which for the fweetnes and gallantnes 
 therof in all refpects doth mat[c]h and furpaffe the 
 Latine coppy of Horace, which he made out of Homers 
 wordes, qui mores hominum etc. 
 
 All trauellers doo gladlie report great praife to Vliffes 
 
 O U(J \J U 
 
 For that heknewemaniemensmaners, and f aw many titties. 
 
 Which two verfes if they be examined throughout all 
 the rules and obferuations of the befl verifying, (hall 
 bee founde to attaine the very perfection of them all. 
 There be two other not much inferiour to thefe, which 
 I found in ye Glofle of E. K. vppon the fift sEglogue 
 of the newe Poet : which Tully tranflated out of Greeke 
 into Latine, Hxc habui qua edi etc. 
 
 All that I eate did I toy and all that I greedilie gorged. 
 
 As for thofe manie goodlie matters left J for others. 
 
 Which though they wyll not abide the touch of 
 Synalapha in one or two places, yet perhappes fome 
 Englifh rule which might wyth good reafon be eftab- 
 lifhed, would make them currant enough, and auoyde 
 that inconuenience which is very obuious in our 
 wordes. The great company of famous verfes of thys 
 fort, which Mailer Haruey made, is not vnknowne to 
 any and are to be viewed at all times. I for my part, fo 
 farre as thofe examples would leade me, and mine 
 owne fmall Ikyll affoorde me, haue blundered vppon 
 thefe fewe, whereinto I haue tranflated the two firfl 
 ^Eglogues of Virgill : becaufe I thought no matter of 
 mine owne inuention, nor any other of antiquitye 
 more fitte for tryal of thys thyng, before there were 
 fome more fpeciall direction, which might leade to a 
 lefle troublefome manner of wryting.
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 
 
 73 
 
 The Argument of the firft 
 
 Vnder the perfonne of Tityrus Vyrgill beeing figured him- 
 felfe, declareth to Melibeus an nother Neateheard, the great 
 benefittes he receyued at Augujlus hand, who in the fpoyle 
 of Mantua gaue him hys goods and fubilaunce againe. 
 
 JHclibaeug. STitsntf. 
 
 TItyrus, happilie thou lyste tumbling vnder a beech tree, 
 All in a fine oat e pipe thefe fweete fongs lustilie chaunting: 
 V Ve, poore foules goe to wracke, and from thefe coast es beremooued, 
 And fro our pastures fweete: thou Tityr, ateafe in a shade plott 
 Makst thicke groues to refound withfonges of braue Amarillis. 
 
 Melibaeus, he was no man but a God who releeude me: 
 Euer he shalbe my God : from this fame Sheepcot his alters 
 Neuer, a tender LambefJiall want, with blood to bedew them, 
 This good gift did he glue, to my steer cs thus freelie to wander, 
 And to myfelfe (thoufeest) on pipe to refound what J lifted.
 
 74 A Difcourfe of 
 
 JfctUbxeo*. 
 
 Grutch theefure I doo not, but this thing makes me to wonder, 
 Whence comes all this adoo: with grieeuous painc not a little 
 Can I remooue my Goates: here, Tityre skant get I forward 
 Poore olde crone, two twyns at a clappe ith boyfterous hafilles 
 Leftjhe behind, best hope f my flock laid hard on a bare stone. 
 Had not a luckleffe lotte poffest our mindes, I remember 
 Warnings oft fro the blajl burnt oake wefaw to befent vs. 
 Oft did a left hand crow foretell thefe thinges in her hull tree, 
 But this God let vs heai e what he was, good Tityre tell me. 
 
 TJiatfame Cittiefo braue which Rome was wont to be catted, 
 Foole did Ithinke, to be like this of ours, where we to the pastures 
 Wonted were to remooue from dammes our young prettie Cattell. 
 Thus didj thinke young whelpes, and Kids to be like to the 
 
 mothers, 
 
 Thus did I wont compare manie great thinges with many little. 
 But this aboue all townes as loftily mounteth her high head, 
 As by the lowe bafe shrubbes tall Cypreffe shooteth aboue them. 
 
 Jttelibaettf. 
 And what did theemooue thatneedes thou mustgoe to fee Romel 
 
 Freedome: which though late, yet once lookt backe to my pore 
 
 Jlate, 
 
 After time when hairesfrom my beard did ginne to be whitish: 
 Yet lookt back at lajl and found me out after a long time. 
 When Amarill was once obtainde, Galatea departed: 
 For (for I will confeffe) whilst as Galatea did hold mee, 
 Hope did I notforfreedome, and care had I none to my cattell. 
 Though manie f air eyoungbeastes our f olde for theaulters aforded
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 75 
 
 And manie eheefes good fro my prejfe vverefent to the Cittie: 
 Seldome times did I bring anie store of pence fro the markett. 
 
 O Amarill, wherefore, to thy Gods (very much did I meruaile) 
 Heauilie thou didft praie: ripefruites vngathered all still: 
 Tityrus is not at home: thefe Pyne trees Tityre mijl thee. 
 Fountaines longd for thee: thefe hedgrowes wisht thy return 
 home 
 
 What was then to bedoonelfrom bondage coitld not J wind out: 
 Neither I could haue found fuch gentle Gods any where els. 
 There did I fee (Melibcee) that youth whofe hestes I by courfe 
 
 still 
 
 Fortnights whole to obferue on the Alters fure will I not faile. 
 Thus did he gent lie graunt to my fute when first I demaunded. 
 Keepe your heardes poore Jlaues as erst, let bulles to the makes 
 
 still. 
 
 Happy oldeman, then thou Jhalt hatie thy farmeto remaine still, 
 Large and large to thy f elf e, others nought but stonie grauell : 
 And foule fiymie rush wherewith their lees be befprinkled. 
 Here no vnwoonted foode Jtiall grieue young theaues who be 
 
 laded, 
 
 Nor the infections foule of neighbours flocke Jhall annoie them. 
 Happie olde man. In Jhaddowy bankes and coole prettie places , 
 Heere by the qiiaintedfloodes andfprings most holie remaining. 
 Here, thefe quickfets fre/h which lands feuer out fro thy 
 
 neighbors 
 
 And greene willow rowes which Hiblcs bees doo reioice in, 
 Oft fine whistring noife, /hall bring fweete fleepe to thy fences. 
 Vnder a Rock fide here will proyner chaunt merrie ditties. 
 Neither on highe Elme trees, thy beloude Doues loftilie fitting, 
 Nor prettte Turtles trim, will ceafe to crooke with a good cheer e.
 
 7 6 A Difcourfe of 
 
 First, therefore fwift buckes shall flie for f code to the skies ward, 
 And from fish with drawn broade feas themfelues shal auoia. 
 
 hence: 
 
 First, (both borders broke) Ararisflial run to the Parthanes, 
 And likewife Tygris shall againe r untie backe to the Germanes: 
 Ere his countnauncefweete shallflippe once out from my hartroote. 
 
 Wepoorefoules, mujlfome to the land cold Affrica packe hence. 
 Some to the farre Scythia, and fame must to thefwiftflood Oaxis. 
 Some to Britannia coajles quite parted farre fro the -whole world. 
 Oh thefe paflures pure shall I nere more chance to behold y eel 
 And our cottage poore with warme turues couerd about trim. 
 Oh thefe trim tilde landes,f}iall a rechleffe fouldier haue t/ieml 
 AndJJiall a Barbarian Jiaue this cropped fee what a mif chief t 
 D if cord vile hatharaifde? for whom was our labour alltooke ? 
 Now Meliboze ingraft pcarie stocks, fette vines in an order. 
 Now goe (my braue flocke once that were) O now goe my 
 
 Neuer againe fJiall I now in a greene bowre fweetelie repofed 
 See ye in queachie briers farre a loofe clambring on a high hill. 
 Nowfhall Ifing no lygges, nor whilst I doo fall to my iunkets. 
 Shall ye my Goates, cropping fweete flowres and leaues fit 
 about me. 
 
 Yet thou maist tarrie heere, and keepe me companie this night, 
 All on a leauie couch : good Aples ripe I doo not lacke, 
 Chestnutts fweete good store, andplentie ofcurddes will Ifet thee. 
 Marke t the Towne how chimnie tops doo beginne to befmoaking 
 And fro the Mountaines high how Jhaddowes grow to be larger.
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 
 
 The feconde ^Eglogue called 
 Alexis. 
 
 The Argument. 
 
 VirgiH in the perfonne of Corydon as fome thinke, com- 
 playneth that he is not fo gratious with Auguftus as he 
 would bee : or els it is to be referred to a youth Alexander, 
 which was giuen him of AJinius Pollio, whom he blameth 
 for the vnftedfaflnes of his witt and wandering appetite, in 
 refufing the freendly counfayle which he vfed to giue him. 
 
 THat Sheepheard Corydon did burne in loue with Alexis, 
 All his maflersdeare : and nought had he whereby to hope 
 Onely in beechen groues, and dolefome fhaddowy places, [for. 
 Dailie reforted he : there thefe rude difordered outcryes, 
 Hylles and defert woodes throughout thus mournfully tuned. 
 O hard harted Alex, haft, thou no regard to my fweete fong? 
 Pyttiefl me not a whitt : yea makfl me now that I mall dye. 
 Yet doo the beafl.es find out fine fhades and trim pretty 
 
 coole plottes, 
 
 And fro the fun beames fafe lie lyzardes vnder a bufhtufte : 
 And for workmen toughe with boyling heate fo beparched, 
 Garlick fauery fweete and coole hearbes plenty be drefled. 
 But, by the fcorcht banke fydes i' thy foote fteppes ftil I goe 
 
 plodding.
 
 7 s A Difcourfe of 
 
 Hedgerowes ho tt doo refound with Gram ops mournfully fqueak- 
 O had I not ben better abyd Amarillis her anger ? [ing, 
 And her proude difdaine ? yea better abyde my Menalcas ? 
 What though brown did he feeme ? yea what though thou be 
 
 fo gallant 
 
 O thou fine chery cheekt child truft not t' much to thy beauty. 
 Black violetts are tooke when dayfes white be refufed. 
 Me thou dofl defpife vnknowne to thy felfe yet Alexis : 
 What be my riches greate in neate, in milke what aboundance. 
 In Sicill hylles be my Lambes of which there wander a thoufand. 
 All times, colde and hote yet frefh milke neuer I wanted. 
 Such be my Muficke notes, as (when his flockes he recalling) 
 Amphion of Dirce did vfe on more Aracynthus. 
 Much mimapt I am not, for late in a bancke I behelde me, 
 When flill feas were calme, to thy Daphnis neede not I giue 
 
 place 
 
 No, though thou be the iudge, if pictures haue any credite. 
 O were thou content to remaine with me by the dovvnes heere, 
 In thefe lodgings fmall, and helpe me proppes to put vnder, 
 And trym kydling flocke with me to driue to the greene fieldes: 
 Pan in fmging fweete with me fhouldfl brauely refemble: 
 Pan, was firfl the inuenter, pypes to adioyne in an order: 
 Pan, poore flockes and Sheepheardes to mod duly regardeth. 
 Thofefine lips thou needfl not feare to brufewith afweete pype : 
 What dyd Amynt forfake i'this excercife to be cunning? 
 One pype with feauene fundry (lops matcht fweetly together. 
 Haue I my felfe, Damaetas which ats death he bequeathd me, 
 And fayd, heere, thou art now thefecond which euer hath ought 
 So fayd Damaetas : but Amyntas fpightfully fcornde it [it 
 Alfo, two pretty fmall wyld kyddes, mofl goodlie befpotted 
 Haue I, that heere i' the dales doo runne skant fafe I doo 
 
 feare me. 
 
 Twyce in a day two teates they fuck: for thee will I keepe them : 
 Wondrous faine to haue had them both was Theflylis of late. 
 And fo fhe mall : for I fee thou fcornfl whatfo-euer I giue thee. 
 Come hyther O thou fweete face boy : fee fee, to thy felfe heere 
 How fayre Nymphes in baskets full doo bring manie Lillies: 
 White violets fweete Nais plucks and bloomes fro the Poppies, 
 Narcyfs, and dyll flowres mod fweete that fauoureth alfo.
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 79 
 
 Cafia. broade mary Goldes, with pancyes, and Hyacinthus. 
 And I my felfe rype peaches foft as filke will I gather. 
 And fuch Chefnutts as Amarill was wont to reioyce at. 
 Ploms wyll I bring likewife : that fruite (hall be honored alfo. 
 And ye O Lawrell twygges that I croppe, and myrte thy 
 
 felfe next. 
 For ye be wont, (bound both in a bunch) moft fweetely to 
 
 fauour. 
 
 Thou art but aClowneCorydon: thefe gifts efteemes not Alexis: 
 Nor by thy gifts to obtaine art meete to incounter Tolas. 
 Wretch (ahlas) whats this that I wifh? fouth blafts to the 
 
 yong flowers 
 
 Or cleere cry flail ftreames with loathfome fwyne to be troubled. 
 Ah mad boy from whom dooft runne? why Gods ithe woods 
 
 dwelt: 
 
 And Paris erft of Troy : Pallas moft gladly reioyfeth, 
 In thefe bowres : and in trym groues we all chiefely delight 
 
 vs. 
 Grym Lyoneffe doth courfe curfl woolues, fo wolues doo 
 
 the kydlinges. 
 And thefe wanton Kyddes likewife thefe faire Cytifus 
 
 flowers. 
 
 Thee Corydon (O Alex) fome pleafure euery wight pulles. 
 See thefe yoked fteeres fro the plough nowe feeme to be 
 
 lett loofe. 
 And thefe fhadowes large doo declare thys fun to depart 
 
 hence 
 Styll I doo burne in loue. What meane in loue to be lookt 
 
 for? 
 
 Ah Corydon Corydon, what raging fury dooth haunt thee, 
 Halfe cropt downe be thy vynes and broade brauncht elmes 
 
 ouerhang them. 
 
 Rather about fome needefull worke now bufy thy felfe well, 
 Either on Ofyers tuffe or bulrufh weaue pretty basketts. 
 And if Alexis fcorne thee ftill, mayft hope for another. 
 
 FINIS.
 
 8o A Difcourfe of 
 
 I durfl not enterpryfe to goe any further with this 
 rude tranflation : beeing for the refpects aforefayd a 
 troublefome and vnpleafant peece of labour: And 
 therefore thefe mall fuffice till further occafion (hall 
 ferue to imploy fome profitable paynes in this behalfe. 
 
 The next verfe in dignity to the Hexameters, is ye 
 Carmen Elegiacum which confifleth of foure feete and 
 two od fillables : viz : the two firft feete, eyther Daftyli 
 or Spondcei indifferent, the one long fillable : next two 
 
 Daflyli and an other long fillable oo o o - 
 
 oo- fome doo meafure it in this forte (and more truely 
 yet not fo readily to all) accounting firft two indiffer- 
 ently either Dactyli or Spond&i, then one Spondai, 
 and two Anapcejli. But it commeth all to one reckon- 
 ing. Thys verfe is alwayes vnfeperably adioyned 
 vnto the Hexameter, and ferueth efpecially to the 
 handling of loue and dalliances, whereof it taketh 
 the name. It will not frame altogether fo currantlye 
 in our Englifh as the other, becaufe the fhortnefle 
 of the feconde Penthimimer will hardly be framed 
 to fall together in good fence, after the Latine rules. 
 I haue not feene very many of them made by any, 
 and therefore one or two for example fake fhall 
 be fufficient. 
 
 This Dijlichon out of Quid. 
 
 Ingenium quondam fuerat pretiofius auro, 
 
 At nunc barbaries grandis habere nihil. 
 
 May thus be tranflated 
 
 Learning once was thought tobebetterthen anygoldwas, 
 Now he that hath not wealth is but a barbarian. 
 
 And thys 
 
 Omniafunt hominum tenui pendentiafilo'. 
 
 Etfubito cafu qux valuers ruunf. 
 Tis but a (lender thread, which all mens dates do de- 
 pend on : 
 And mofl goodly thinges quickly doo fall to decay.
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 81 
 
 As for the verfes Phalodum and lambicum, I haue 
 not as yet made any tryall in them : but the Sapphic I 
 affure you, in my iudgment wyl doo very pretty, if ye 
 wants which I fpeake were once fupplied. For tryall 
 of which I haue turned the new Poets fweete fong of 
 Eliza into fuch homely Sapphick as I coulde. 
 
 Thys verfe confifleth of thefe fiue feete, one Chore, 
 one fpondce, one da fly I, and two Chords, with this 
 addition, that after euery third verfe be fette one 
 Adonium verfe, which confifteth of a daflyl and a 
 fponda. It is more troublefome and tedious to frame 
 in our fpeeche by reafon they runne without difference, 
 euery verfe being a like in quantity throughout, yet in 
 my Judgement flandeth meetely well in the fame. I 
 pray looke the Coppy which I haue tranflated in the 
 fourth dLglogue of the Sheepheardes Calender : ye fong 
 of Colins making which Hobbinoll fingeth in prayfe 
 of the Queenes maiefty, vnder the name of Eliza. 
 
 YE dainty Nymphes that in this blefled brooke, 
 doo bathe your breft : 
 Forfake your watry bowres and hether looke, 
 
 at my requeft : 
 
 And onely you Virgins that on Parnafs dwell. 
 Whence floweth Helicon the learned well, 
 helpe me to blafe 
 her worthy praife 
 That in her fex doth all excell. 
 
 Of fayre Eliza be your filuer fong 
 
 that bleffed wight : 
 The flowre of Virgins, may me flourifh long, 
 
 in princely plight. 
 
 For me is Syrinx daughter without fpott, 
 Which Pan the Sheepheards God on her begot : 
 
 fo fprang her grace, 
 
 of heauenly race, 
 No mortall blemifh may her blott. 
 
 See where me fittes, etc. 
 F
 
 A Difcourfe of 
 The Saphick verfe. 
 
 ou o 
 
 /'"A ye Nymphes mofl. fine who refort to this brooke, 
 \_J For to bathe there your pretty breads at all times : 
 Leaue the watrifh bowres, hyther and to me come 
 
 at my requefl nowe. 
 
 And ye Virgins trymme who refort to Parnafs, 
 Whence the learned well Helicon beginneth : 
 Helpe to blafe her worthy deferts, that all els 
 
 mounteth aboue farre. 
 Nowe the filuer fonges of Eliza fmg yee, 
 Princely wight whofe peere not among the virgins 
 Can be found : that long me may remaine among vs. 
 
 now let vs all pray. 
 
 For Syrinx daughter me is, of her begotten 
 Of the great God fan, thus of heauen aryfeth, 
 All her exlent race : any mortall harde happe 
 
 cannot aproche her. 
 
 See, me fittes mofl feemely in a grafly greene plott, 
 Clothed in weedes meete for a princely mayden, 
 Bode with Ermines white, in a goodly fcarlett 
 
 brauely befeeming. 
 
 Decked is that crowne that vpon her head flandes 
 With the red Rofe and many Daffadillies, 
 Bayes, the Primrofe and violetts, be fette by : how 
 
 ioyfull a. fight ifl. 
 
 Say, behold did ye euer her Angelike face, 
 Like to Pha>be fayre ? or her heauenly hauour 
 And the princelike grace that in her remaineth ? 
 
 haue yee the like feene ? 
 M edled ift red rofe with a white together 
 Which in either cheeke do depeinct a trymme cheere, 
 Her maieflie and eye to behold fo comely, her 
 
 like who remembreth ?
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 83 
 
 Phoebus once peept foorth with a goodly guilt hewe, 
 For to gaze : but when he fawe the bright beames 
 Spread abroade fro' her face with a glorious grace, 
 
 it did amaze him. 
 
 When another funne he behelde belowe heere, 
 Blufht he red for fhame, nor againe he durft looke : 
 Would he durft bright beames of his owne with hers match, 
 
 for to be vanquifht 
 
 Shew thy felfe now Cynthia with thy cleere rayes, 
 And behold her: neuer abafht be thou fo : [beauty, how 
 When me fpreades thofe beames of her heauenly 
 thou art in a dump dafht ? 
 
 But I will take heede that I match not her grace, 
 With the Laton feede, Niobe that once did, 
 Nowe me doth therefore in a ftone repent: to all 
 
 other a warning. 
 
 Pan he may well boafte that he did begit her 
 Such a noble wight, to Syrinx is it ioy, 
 That fhe found fuch lott with a bellibone trym 
 
 for to be loaden. 
 
 When my younglinges firfl to the dammes doo bleat out, 
 Shall a milke white Lambeto my Lady beoffred : [grome. 
 For my Goddeffe fhee is yea I my felfe her Heard- 
 though but a rude Clowne. 
 Vnto that place Caliope dooth high her, 
 Where my Goddeffe mines : to the fame the Mufer 
 After her with fweete Violines about them 
 
 cheerefully tracing 
 
 Is not it Bay braunche that aloft in handes they haue, 
 Eune to giue them fure to my Lady Eliza : 
 O fo fweete they play and to the fame doo fing too 
 
 heaunly to heare ifl. 
 
 See, the Graces trym to the ftroake doo foote it, 
 Deftly dauncing, and meriment doo make them, 
 Sing to the inftruments to reioyce the more, but 
 
 wants not a fourth grace ?
 
 84 A Difcourfe of 
 
 Then the daunce wyll be eune, to my Lady therefore 
 Shalbe geune that place, for a grace (he fhall be 
 Por to fill that place that among them in heaune, me 
 
 may be receiued. 
 
 Thys beuy of bright Nymphes, whether ift goe they now? 
 Raunged all thus fine in a rowe together? 
 They be Ladies all i' the Lake behight foe? 
 
 they thether all goe. 
 
 One that is there chiefe that among the reft goes, 
 Called is Chores of Olyues me beares a 
 Goodly Crownett, meete for a Prince that in peace 
 
 euer abideth. 
 
 All ye Sheepheardes maides that about the greene dwell, 
 Speede ye there to her grace, but among ye take heede 
 All be Virgins pure that aproche to deck her, 
 
 duetie requireth. 
 
 When ye mall prefent ye before her in place, 
 See ye not your felues doo demeane too rudely: 
 Bynd the fillets: and to be fine the wafte gyrt 
 
 faft with a tawdryne 
 
 Bring the Pinckes therewith many Gelliflowres fweete, 
 And the Cullambynes : let vs haue the Wynefops, 
 With the Cornation that among the loue laddes 
 
 wontes to be worne much. 
 Daffadowndillies all a long the ground ftrowe, 
 And the Cowflyppe with a prety paunce let heere lye. 
 Kyngcuppe and Lillies fo beloude of all men 
 
 And the deluce flowre. 
 
 One verfe there remaineth vntranflated as yet, with 
 fome other of this forte, which I meant to haue finifhed, 
 but by reafon of fome let which I had, I am con- 
 flrained to defer to fome other time, when I hope to 
 gratify the Readers with more and better verfes of this 
 fort: for in trueth I am perfwaded a little pa me taking 
 might furnifli our fpeeche with as much pleafaunt 
 delight in this kinde of verfe, as any other whatfoeuer.
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 
 
 Heere followe the Cannons or gene- 
 
 rall cautions of Poetry, prefcribed by Horace, 
 firfl gathered by Georgius Fabricius Cremni- 
 cenfls: which I thought good to annex to 
 tliys Treatife, as very neceffary obferuations 
 to be marked of all Poets. 
 
 In his Epijlle ad P if ones 
 
 de arte Poetica. 
 
 ]Irfl let the inuention be meete for the 
 matter, not differing, or flraunge, 
 or monflrous. For a womans head, 
 a horfe necke, the bodie of a 
 dyuers coloured Byrd, and many 
 members of fundry creatures com- 
 pact together, whofe legges ending 
 like a Fyfhes tayle : this in a picture 
 is a wonderful deformitie : but if there be fuch 
 diuerfitye in the frame of a fpeeche, what can be 
 more vncomely or ilfauoured? 
 
 2. The ornaments or colours mufl not bee too many, 
 nor rafhly aduentured on, neither mufl they be vfed 
 euery where and thrufl into euery place. 
 
 3. The proprietie of fpeeche mufl bee duely obferued 
 that wayghty and great matters be not fpoken flenderly, 
 or matters of length too briefly : for it belongeth much 
 both to the comlineffe and nature of a matter: that
 
 86 A Difcourfe of 
 
 in big matters there be lykewife vfed boyflerous 
 wordes. 
 
 4. In Poeticall defcriptions, the fpeeche mufl not 
 exceede all credite, nor any thing fainedlie brought in, 
 againft all courfe of nature. 
 
 5. The difpofmg of the worke muft be fuch, that 
 there be no offence committed, as it were by too ex- 
 quifite dilligence : for many thinges may be oft com- 
 mitted, and fome thing by too curious handling be 
 made offenciue. Neyther is it in one part to be well 
 furnimed, and in another to be neglected. Which is 
 prooued by example of a Caruer, who expreffed very 
 artificially the heade and vpper part of a body, but the 
 reft hee could not make an ende of. Againe, it is 
 prooued thus, that a body mould not be in other 
 partes beautifull, and yet bee deformed in the crooked 
 nofe : for all the members in a well fhapen bodie muft 
 be aunfwerable, found, and well proportioned. 
 
 6. He that taketh in hande to write any thing muft 
 firft take heede that he be fufikient for the fame : for 
 often vnwary fooles through their rafhnes are ouertooke 
 with great want of ability 
 
 7. The ornament of a worke confifteth in wordes, 
 and in the manner of the wordes, are either fimple or 
 mixt, newe or olde, propper or tranflated. In them 
 all good Judgment muft be vfed and ready wytt The 
 chiefeft grace is in the mod frequented wordes, for the 
 fame reafon holdeth in wordes, as doth in coynes, that 
 the moft vfed and tried are beft efteemed. 
 
 8. The kinde of verfe is to be confidered and aptly 
 applied to the argument, in what meafure is moft meete 
 for euery fort The moft vfuall kindes are foure, the 
 Heroic, Eltgiac, Jambick, and Lyric. 
 
 9. One muft vfe one kynde of fpeeche alike in all 
 wrytings. Sometime the Lyric ryfeth aloft, fometime 
 the comicall. To the Tragicall wryters belong properly 
 the bygge and boyfterous wordes. Examples muft be 
 interplaced according fitly to the time and place. 
 
 10. Regarde is to be had of affections : one thing
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 87 
 
 becommeth pleafant perfons, an other fadde, an other 
 vvrathfull, an other gentle, which mufl all be heedefully 
 refpected, Three thinges therefore are requifite in 
 verfes, beauty, fweetnes, and the affection. Theo- 
 phraftus fayth that this beauty or delectableneffe is a 
 deceyt, and Arifiotle calleth it rvpawia oAtyoK/aovtW, a 
 momentany tyrany. Sweetneffe retayneth a Reader, 
 affection moueth him. 
 
 11. Euery perfon mufl be fitted accordingly, and the 
 fpeeche well ordered : wherein are to be confidered the 
 dignity, age, fex, fortune, condition, place, Country, etc. 
 of eche perfon. 
 
 12. The perfonnes are eyther to be fayned by the 
 Poets them felues, or borrowed of others, if he borrow 
 them, then muft hee obferue TO o/^oiov, that is, that 
 he folow that Author exactly whom he purpofeth to 
 immitate, and whereout he bringeth his examples. 
 But if he fayne newe perfonnes, then mufl he keepe 
 his TO 6{j.a\6v, that is equallie : fo bringing them in eche 
 place, that it be alwayes agreeable, and the laft like 
 vnto the firft, and not make one perfon nowe a bolde 
 boafter, and the fame ftraightwaies a wife warie man, 
 for that is paffing abfurd. Againe, euery one mufl 
 obferue TO appoa-rov, which is interpreted conuenientiam, 
 fitneffe : as it is meete and agreeable euery where, a 
 man to be ftoute, a woman fearefull, a feruant crafty, 
 a young man gentle. 
 
 13. Matters which are common may be handled by a 
 Poet as they may be thought propper to himfelfe alone. 
 All matters of themfelues are open to be intreated of 
 by any man : but if a thing be handled of fome one in 
 fuch fort, as he thereby obtaine great prayfe, he maketh 
 it his owne or propper to himfelfe, as many did write 
 of the Troiane war, but yet Homer made matter which 
 was common to all, propper to himfelfe. 
 
 14. Where many thinges are to be taken out of 
 auncienter tongues, as the Latines tooke much out of 
 the Greekes, the wordes are not fo precifelie to be fol- 
 lowed, but that they bee altered according to the iudg-
 
 88 A Difcourfe of 
 
 ment and will of the Immitator, which precept is bor- 
 rowed of Tully, Non verbum verbo necefse cst reddere. 
 
 15. The beginning mufl not be foolifhly handled, 
 that is, flraungly or too long. 
 
 1 6. The propofition or narration let it not be far 
 fetched or vnlikely, and in the fame forget not the dif- 
 ferences of ages and perfons. 
 
 17. In a Comedie it is needfull to exhibite all the 
 actions openlie, as fuch as are cruell, vnhonefl, or ougly, 
 but fuch thinges may better bee declared by fome meete 
 and handfome wordes, after what forte they are fup- 
 pofed to bee doone. 
 
 18. If a Commedye haue more Actes then fiue, it is 
 tedious, if fewer, it is not fufficient 
 
 It fytteth not to bring in the perfonnes of Gods, but 
 in verie great matters. Cicero fayth, when the Tra- 
 gedy wryters cannot bring theyr matters to good paffe, 
 they runne to God. Let not more perfonnes fpeake 
 together then foure for auoyding confufion. 
 
 The Chart mufl be well garnifhed and fette foorth : 
 wherein eyther menne are admonimed, or reprehended, 
 or counfayled vnto vertue. Such matter mufl bee 
 chofen for the Chorus, as may bee meete and agreeable 
 to that which is in hand. As for inftruments and fmg- 
 ing, they are Reliques of olde fimplicitye. For the 
 Muficke commonlye vfed at Theaters and the licen- 
 cioufneffe of theyr fonges, which together wyth theyr 
 wealth increafed among the Romaines, is hurtfull to 
 difcipline and good manners. 
 
 19. In a Satyr the clownifh company and rurall Gods, 
 are brought in to temperate the Heauineffe of Trage- 
 dies, wyth fome myrth and paflyme. In iefling it mufl 
 be obferued that it bee not lacyuious or Rybaldlike, or 
 flaunderous, which precept holdeth generallie in all 
 fortes of wrytynges. 
 
 In a Satyr greate heede is to be taken, of the place, 
 of the day, and of the perfonnes : as of Bacchus, Silenus, 
 or the Satyres. Againe of the vnmeetnefTe or incon- 
 uenience of the matter, and of the wordes that they be
 
 Englifh Poetne. 8 9 
 
 fitted according to the perfons : of Decorum, that he 
 which reprefented fome noble perfonage in the Trage- 
 die, bee not fome bufy foole in the Satyr: finallie of 
 the hearers, leaft they bee offended by myxing filthy 
 matters with ieftes, wanton toyes wyth vnhonefl, or 
 noyfome with merry thinges. 
 
 20. The feete are to be applied propper to euery 
 kinde of verfe, and therin a Poet muft not vfe too 
 much licence or boldnes. The auncient writers in 
 lambick verfes vfed at firfl pure lambicks : Afterwards 
 Spondceus was admitted into Locos impares, but at lafl 
 fuch was the licentious cuflome, that they woulde 
 both Spondceus where they lifted, and other feete 
 without regarde. 
 
 21. In compyling of verfes great care and circum- 
 fpection muft be vfed. 
 
 Thofe verfes which be made Extempore, are of no 
 great eftimation: thofe which are vnartificiall, are 
 vtterly repelled as too foolifh. Though many doo 
 lightlie regard our verfes, yet ought the Carelefnefle of 
 the hearers to bee no caufe in vs of errour and negli- 
 gence. Who defireth to make any thing worthy to be 
 heard of learned eares, let hym reade Greeke Authors 
 heedefullie and continually. 
 
 22. Artes haue their increafinges euen as other 
 things, beeing naturall, fo haue Tragedies which were 
 firft rudely inuented by Thefpis, at laft were much 
 adorned by ALfchylus : at the firft they were practifed 
 in Villages of the Countrey, afterwardes brought to 
 ftages in great Citties. 
 
 23. Some Artes doo increafe, fome doo decay by a 
 certayne naturall courfe. The olde manner of Com- 
 medies decayde, by reafon of (laundering which therein 
 they vied againft many, for which there was a penaltie 
 appointed, leaft their bitternes mould proceede too 
 farre: In place of which among the Latines came the 
 Satyres. 
 
 The auncient Authors of Comedies, were Eupolis, 
 Crafinus, and Ariftophanes, of the middle forte Plato
 
 9 o A Difcourfe of 
 
 Comicus, of the lafl kinde Menander, which continued 
 and was accounted the mofl famous. 
 
 24. A Poet (h ould not content himfelfe onely with 
 others inuentions' but himfelfe alfo by ye example of 
 old wryters fliolde bring fomething of his owne in- 
 duftry, which may bee laudable. So did they which 
 writte among the Latines the Comedies called Togatce, 
 whofe arguments were taken from ye Greekes, and the 
 other which wrytt the Pretextata, whereof the argu- 
 ments were Latine. 
 
 25. Heedefulnefie and good compofition maketh a 
 perfecte verfe, and that which is not fo may be 
 reprehended. The faculty of a goode witte exceedeth 
 Arte. 
 
 26. A Poet that he may be perfect, hath neede to 
 haue knowledge of that part of Philofophy which 
 informeth ye life to good manners. The other which 
 pertaineth to naturall thinges, is lefle plaufible, hath 
 fewer ornaments, and is not fo profitable. 
 
 27. A Poet to the knowledge of Philofophie fhoulde 
 alfo adde greater experience, that he may know the 
 fafhions of men and difpofitions of people. Thys 
 profit is gott by trauelling, that whatfoeuer he wryteth 
 he may fo expreffe and order it, that hys narration 
 may be formable. 
 
 28. The ende of Poetry is to wryte pleafant thinges, 
 and profitable. Pleafant it is which delighteth by 
 beeing not too long, or vneafy to be kept in memory, 
 and which is fomewhat likelie, and not altogether 
 forged. Profitable it is, which flyrreth vppe the 
 mindes to learning and wifedome. 
 
 29. Certaine efcapes are to be pardoned in fome 
 Poets, fpecially in great workes. A faulte may bee 
 committed either in refpect of hys propper Arte, or 
 in fome other Arte: that a Poet flioulde erre in pre- 
 cepts of hys owne arte, is a fliamefull thing, to com- 
 mitte a faulte in another Arte is to be borne withal : as 
 in Virgil^ who fayneth that ALneas comming into 
 Affrica flew with hys darte certaine Stagges, whereas
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 9 i 
 
 indeede Affrica hath in it none of thofe beaftes. Such 
 errours doo happen eyther by vnheedefulnes, when 
 one efcapeth them by negligence : or by the common 
 fragility of man, becaufe none there is which can 
 know all thinges. Therefore this laft kinde of errour 
 is not to be llucke vppon. 
 
 30. A good Poet mould haue refpect to thys, how 
 to retaine hys Reader or hearer. In a picture fome 
 thing delighteth beeing fette farre of, fomething nearer, 
 but a Poet mould delight in all places as well in funne 
 as fhaddowe. 
 
 31. In a Poet is no meane to be admitted, which if 
 hee bee not he of all is the word of all. 
 
 32. A Poeme if it runne not fweetely and fmoothly 
 is odious: which is proued by a fimile of the two 
 fenfes, hearing and tafling, as in fweete and pleafaunt 
 meates. And the Poem mufl bee of that forte, that 
 for the fweeteneffe of it may bee acceptable and con- 
 tinue like it felfe vnto the ende, leaft it wearye or 
 driue away a Reader. 
 
 33. He that would wryte any thing worthy the pof- 
 teritye, let him not enterprife any thing wherevnto his 
 nature is not agreeable. Mercury is not made of wood (as 
 they fay) neyther doth Minerua fauour all iludies in 
 euery one. In all Artes nature is the beft helpe, and 
 learned men vfe commonly to fay that A Poet is as well 
 borne as made a Poet. 
 
 34. Let no man efleeme himfelfe fo learned, but that 
 he may fubmytte hys wrytinges to the iudgments of 
 others, and correct and throughly amend the fame 
 himfelfe. 
 
 35. The profitte of Poetry fprang thus, for that the 
 auncient wyfe men fet downe the bed things that per- 
 tained to mans life, manners, or felicity, and examining 
 and proouing the fame by long experience of time, 
 when they are aged they publifhed them in wrytinges. 
 The vfe of Poetry what it was at the firft, is manifefl 
 by the examples of the mofte learned men: as of 
 Orpheus who firft builded houfes: of Amphion who
 
 92 A Difcourfe of 
 
 made Citties, of Tyrtaus who firfl made vvarre: of 
 Homer, who wryt mofl wyfely. 
 
 36. In an artificial! Poet three thinges are requifite, 
 nature, Arte, and dilligence. 
 
 37. A wryter mufl learne of the learned, and he 
 muft not fticke to confefle when he erreth : that the 
 worfe he may learne to auoyde, and knowe howe to 
 follow the better. 
 
 The confeffion of an errour betoken a noble and a 
 gentle minde. Celfus and Quintillian doo report of 
 Hippocrates, that leafl he mould deceiue his poflerity, 
 he confefled certayne errours, as it well became an 
 excellent minded man, and one of great credite. For 
 (as fayth Cdfus} light witts becaufe they haue nothing, 
 wyll haue nothing taken from them. 
 
 38. In making choife of fuch freendes as mould tell 
 vs the trueth, and correct our wrytinges, heedefull 
 iudgment mufl bee vfed: leafl eyther we choofe vn- 
 (kylfull folke, or flatterers, or diflemblers. The vnfkil- 
 full know not how to iudge, flatterers feare to offende, 
 diflemblers in not prayfmg doo feeme to commende. 
 
 39. Let no man deceiue himfelfe, or fuffer himfelfe 
 to be deceiued, but take fome graue learned man to be 
 iudge of his dooing, and let him according to hys 
 counfayle change and put out what hee thinketh good. 
 
 40. He which will not flatter and is of ability to 
 iudge, let him endeuour to nothing fo much, as to the 
 correction of that which is wrytten, and that let be 
 doone with earneft and exquifite iudgment He which 
 dooth not thus, but offendeth wilfully in breaking his 
 credite too rafhly, may be counted for a madde, furious, 
 and franticke foole. 
 
 41. The faultes commonly in verfes are feauen, as 
 either they be deflitute of Arte, of facility, or ornament: 
 or els, they be fuperfluous, obfcure, ambicious, or 
 needelefle.
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 93 
 
 Out of the Epiftles ad Meccenatem, 
 Aiigitftiim, et Florum. 
 
 42. An immitation mould not be too feruile or fuper- 
 flitious, as though one durfl not varry one iotte from 
 the example : neyther mould it be fo fencelefle or vn- 
 fkilfull, as to immitate thinges which are abfurde, and 
 not to be followed. 
 
 43. One mould not altogether treade in the fleppes 
 of others, but fometime he may enter into fuch wayes 
 as haue not beene haunted or vfed of others. Horace 
 borrowed ye lambick verfe of Archilocus, expreffing 
 fully his numbers and elegant[l]y, but his vnfeemely 
 wordes and pratling tauntes hee moflewyfhlye fhunned. 
 
 44. In our verfes we mould not gape after the phrafes 
 of the fimpler forte, but ftriue to haue our writings 
 allowable in the iudgments of learned menne. 
 
 45. The common peoples iudgments of Poets is 
 feldome true, and therefore not to be fought after. 
 The vulgar fort in Rome iudged Pacuuious to be very 
 learned, Accius to bee a graue wryter, that Affranius 
 followed Menander, Plautus, Epicharmus : that Terence 
 excelled in Arte Ccecilius in grauity : but the learned 
 forte were not of this opinion. There is extant in 
 Macrobius (I knowe not whether Angellius) the like 
 verdite concerning them which wryt Epigrammes. 
 That Catullus and Caluus wrytt fewe thinges that were 
 good, Nceuius obfcure, Hortenfius vncomely, Cynna 
 vnpleafant, and Memmius rough. 
 
 46. The olde wryters are fo farre to be commended, 
 as nothing be taken from the newe : neyther may we 
 thinke but that the way lyeth open ftyll to others to
 
 94 A Difcourfe of 
 
 attaine to as great matters. Full well fayd Side, tins to 
 Eucherius, I reuerence the olde wryters, yet not fo as 
 though I leffe efleemed the vertues and defertes of the 
 wryters in this age. 
 
 47. Newnes is gratefull if it be learned : for certaine 
 it is, Artes are not bothe begunne and perfected at 
 once, but are increafed by time and ftudie. which 
 notwithftanding when they are at the full perfection, 
 doo debate and decreafe againe. 
 
 Cic. de orat. There is nothing in the world which 
 burfteth out all at once, and commeth to light all 
 wholly together. 
 
 48. No man mould dare to practife an Arte that is 
 daungerous, efpecially before he haue learned the 
 fame perfectly: fo doo guyders of Shyppes: fo doo 
 Phifitions : but fo did not manie Romaine Poets (yea 
 fo doo not too many Englifh wryters) who in a certaine 
 corragious heate gaped after glory by wryting verfes, 
 but fewe of them obtayned it 
 
 49. A Poet mould be no leffe fkylfull in dealing 
 with the affectes of the mynde, then a tumbler or a 
 luggler fhoulde bee ready in his Arte. And with fuch 
 pyth fhoulde he fette foorth hys matters, that a Reader 
 fhoulde feeme not onely to heare the thing, but to fee 
 and be prefent at the dooing thereof. Which faculty 
 Fabius calleth vrroTacrtu and Arijlotle -n-po o/i/xarov Oecrtv 
 
 50. Poets are either fuch as defire to be liked of on 
 ftages, as Commedie and Tragedie wryters : or fuch as 
 woulde bee regeftred in Libraries. Thofe on ftages 
 haue fpeciall refpect to the motions of the minde, that 
 they may ftirre bothe the eyes and eares of their 
 beholders. But the other which feeke to pleafe 
 priuately with[in] the walles, take good aduifement in 
 their workes, that they may fatiffy the exact iudgments 
 of learned men in their ftudies. 
 
 51. A Poet fhoulde not bee too importunate, as to 
 offende in vnfeafonable fpeeches: or vngentle, as to 
 contemne the admonitions of others: or ambicious, as
 
 Englifh Poetrie. 95 
 
 to thinke too well of his owne dooinges : or too way- 
 ward, as to thinke, reward enough cannot be gyuen him 
 for his deferte, or finally too proude, as to defyre to 
 be honoured aboue meafure. 
 
 52. The emendations of Poemes be very neceflary, 
 that in the obfcure poyntes many thinges may be 
 enlightned, in the bafer partes many thinges may be 
 throughly garnifhed. Hee may take away and put 
 out all vnpropper and vnfeemely words, he may with 
 difcretion immitate the auncient wryters, he may 
 abridge thinges that are too lofty, mittigate thynges 
 that are too rough, and may vfe all remedies of fpeeche 
 throughout the whole worke. The thinges which are 
 fcarce feemely, he may amende by Arte and methode. 
 
 53. Let a Poet firft take vppon him, as though he 
 were to play but an Actors part, as he may bee 
 efteemed like one which wryteth without regarde, 
 neyther let him fo pollim his works, but that euery 
 one for the bafenefle thereof, may think to make as 
 good. Hee may likewyfe exercife the part of geflurer, 
 as though he feemed to meddle in rude and common 
 matters, and yet not fo deale in them, as it were for 
 variety fake, nor as though he had laboured them 
 thoroughly but tryfled with them, nor as though he 
 had fweat for them, but practifed a little. For fo to 
 hyde ones cunning, that nothing mould feeme to bee 
 laborfome or exquifite, when notwithftanding, euery 
 part is pollifhed with care and fludie, is a fpeciall gyft 
 which Ariftotle calleth Kprftyv. 
 
 54. It is onely a poynt of wyfedome, to vfe many 
 and choyfe elegant words, but to vnderftand alfo and 
 to fet foorth thinges which pertaine to the happy ende 
 of mans life. Wherevppon the Poet Horace, calleth 
 the Arte poeticall, without the knowledge of learning 
 and philofophy, a prating "vanity. Therfore a good 
 and allowable Poet, muft be adorned with wordes, 
 plentious in fentences, and if not equall to an Orator, 
 yet very neere him, and a fpecial louer of learned men. 
 
 FINIS.
 
 9 6 ^4 Difcourfe of Englijh Poetrie. 
 
 Epilogus. 
 
 [His fmall trauell (courteous Reader) 
 I defire thee take in good worth : 
 which I haue compyled, not as an 
 exquifite cenfure concerning this 
 matter, but (as thou mayfl well per- 
 ceiue, and) in trueth to that onely 
 ende that it might be an occafion, 
 to haue the fame throughly and. 
 with greater difcretion, taken in hande and laboured 
 by fome other of greater abilitie : of whom I knowe 
 there be manie among the famous Poets in Lon- 
 don, who bothe for learning and leyfure, may 
 handle this Argument far more pythilie then my 
 felfe. Which if any of them wyll vouchfafe to doo, I 
 truft wee mail haue Englifhe Poetry at a higher price 
 in fhort fpace : and the rabble of balde Rymes fhall 
 be turned to famous workes, comparable (I fuppofe) 
 with the beft workes of Poetry in other tongues. In 
 the meane time, if my poore fkill, can fette the fame 
 any thing forwarde, I wyll not ceafe to praclife the 
 fame towardes the framing of fome apt Englifh Profodia: 
 flyll hoping, and hartelie wifhing to enioy firft 
 the benefitte of fome others iudgment, 
 whofe authority may beare greater 
 credite, and whofe learn- 
 ing can better per- 
 forme it 
 
 Tumbull & Spears, Printers, Edinburgh.
 
 A List of WORKS 
 
 Edited by 
 
 Professor EDWARD ARBER 
 
 F.S.A. ; Fellow of King's College, London ; Him. Member of the Virginia 
 and Wisconsin Historical Societies ; late English Examiner at the 
 London University; and also at the Victoria University, Man- 
 chester ; Emeritus Professor of English Language and 
 Literature, Mason College, Birmingham. 
 
 An English Garner 
 
 English Reprints 
 
 The War Library 
 
 The English Scholar's Library 
 
 The first Three English Books on America 
 
 The first English New Testament, 1526 
 
 The Paston Letters, 1422-1509. Edited 
 
 by JAMES GAIRDNER. 3 vols. 
 A List of 837 London Publishers, 1553- 
 
 1640 
 
 All the Works in this Catalogue are published at net prices, 
 
 ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND CO., 
 14, PARLIAMENT ST., WESTMINSTER.
 
 NOTE 
 
 THE ENGLISH GARNER, THE ENGLISH REPRINTS, and THE 
 ENGLISH SCHOLAR'S LIBRARY are now issued in a new style 
 of binding. A few copies in. the old style are still to be had, 
 and will be supplied if specially ordered, as long as the stock 
 lasts. Sotne of Professor A rber's Publications can still be sup- 
 plied on Large Paper. Prices on application to the Booksellers 
 or from the Publishers. 
 
 ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO.
 
 An English Garner 
 
 INGATHERINGS FROM OUR HISTORY AND LITERATURE. 
 
 %* Abridged Lists of the Texts ; many of which are very 
 
 rare, and not obtainable in any other form. 
 
 VOL I. 
 Large Crown &vo, cloth, $s. net. 
 
 English Political, Naval, and Military History, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 1. The Expedition to Scotland in May, 1543. 
 
 2. R. PEEKE'S fight at Xerez with a quarter-staff against three 
 Spaniards at once, armed with poniards and daggers ; when he 
 killed one and put the other two to flight. 1625. 
 
 3. The Capture of Cris, in Galatia, by Captain QUAILE and 35 
 men. 1626. 
 
 4. Ranks in the British Army, about 1630. 
 
 5. The Return of CHARLES II. to Whitehall, 1660. 
 
 6. The Retaking of St. Helena, 1673. 
 
 English Voyages, Travels, Commerce, etc., etc. 
 
 7. The Beginnings of English Trade with the Levant, 1511-1570. 
 
 8. The Voyage from Lisbon to Goa of the first Englishman 
 (THOMAS STEVENS, a Jesuit) known to have reached India by the 
 Cape of Good Hope. 1572. 
 
 9. The extraordinary captivity, for nineteen years, of Captain 
 ROBERT KNOX in Ceylon ; with his singular deliverance. 1660- 
 1679. 
 
 English Life and Progress. 
 
 10. The Benefits of observing Fish Days. 1594. 
 
 11. The Great Frost. Cold doings in London. 1608. 
 
 12. The Carriers of London, and the Inns they stopped at, in 
 1637. 
 
 13. A Narrative of the Draining of the Fens. 1661. 
 
 English Literature, Literary History, and 
 Biography. 
 
 14. Sir HENRY SIDNEY. A Letter to his son PHILIP, when at 
 Shrewsbury School. 
 
 English Poetry. 
 
 15. Love Posies. Collected about 1590. 
 
 16. Sir PHILIP SIDNEY. ASTROPHEL and STELLA [Sonnets] 
 1591. With the story of his affection for Lady PENELOPE DEVER- 
 EUX, afterwards RICH. 
 
 17. EDMUND SPENSER and others. ASTROPHEL. A Pastoral 
 Elegy on Sir PHILIP SIDNEY. 1591. 
 
 18. JOHN DENNIS. The Secrets of Angling [i.e. Trout Fishing}. 
 1613. Forty years before WALTON'S Angler. 
 
 19. Many other single Poems by various Authors.
 
 2 An English Garner. 
 
 VOL II. 
 
 Large Crown Svo, cloth, $s. net. 
 
 English Political, Naval, and Military History, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 1. The Triumph at Calais and Boulogne of HENRY VIII. [with 
 ANNE BOLEYN] and FRANCIS I. November, 1532. 
 
 2. The Coronation Procession of Queen ANNE [BOLEYN] from 
 the Tower through London to Westminster. June, 1533. 
 
 3. English Army Rations in 1591. 
 
 4. Rev. T. PRINCE. A History of New England in the form of 
 Annals, from 1602 to 1633. Published at Boston, N.E., in 1736- 
 1755. This is the most exact condensed account in existence of the 
 foundation of our first Colonies in America. 
 
 English Voyages, Travels, Commerce, etc., etc. 
 
 5. Captain T. SANDERS. The unfortunate voyage of the Jesus 
 to Tripoli, where the crew were made slaves. 1584-1585. 
 
 6. N. H. The Third Circumnavigation of the Globe, by THOMAS 
 CAVENDISH, in the Desire. 1586-1588. 
 
 7. The famous fight of the Dolphin against Five Turkish Men- 
 of-War off Cagliari. 1617. 
 
 English Life and Progress. 
 
 8. Dr. J. DEE. The Petty Navy Royal. [Fisheries]. 1577. 
 
 9. Captain HITCHCOCK. A Political Plat \Scheme\ etc. [Her- 
 ring Fisheries.] 
 
 10. D. DEFOE. The Education of Women. 1692. 
 
 English Literature, Literary History, and 
 Biography. 
 
 11. F. MERES. A Sketch of English Literature, etc., up to 
 September, 1598. This is the most important contemporary 
 account of SHAKESPEARE'S Works to this date ; including some 
 that have apparently perished. 
 
 12. J. WRIGHT. The Second Generation of English Actors, 
 1625-1670. This includes some valuable information respecting 
 London Theatres during this period. 
 
 English Poetry. 
 
 13. Sir P. SIDNEY. Sonnets and Poetical Translations. Before 
 
 1587- 
 
 14. H. CONSTABLE, and others. DlANA. [Sonnet.] 1594. 
 
 15. Madrigals, Elegies, and Poems, by various other Poets.
 
 An English Garner. 
 
 VOL. III. 
 
 Large Crown 8vo, clotk, $j. net. 
 
 English Political, Naval, and Military 
 History, etc., etc. 
 
 1. W. PATTEN. The Expedition into Scotland : with the Battle 
 of Pinkie Cleugh or Musselburgh, 1547. This was the " Rough 
 Wooing of MARY, Queen of Scots," whom the English wanted to 
 marry EDWARD VI. 
 
 English Voyages, Travels, Commerce, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 2. J. H. VAN LINSCHOTEN. Voyage to Goa and back, in 
 Portuguese carracks. 1583-1592. 
 
 This work showed the way to the East, and led to the formation 
 of the Dutch and the English East India Companies. For nearly 
 three years this Dutchman, returning in charge of a cargo of 
 pepper, spices, etc. , was pinned up in the Azores by the English 
 ships ; of whose daring deeds he gives an account. 
 
 3. E. WRIGHT. The voyage of the Earl of CUMBERLAND to 
 the Azores in 1589. This is a part of LINSCHOTEN'S story re-told 
 more fully from an English point of view. 
 
 4. The first Englishmen JOHN NEWBERY and RALPH FITCH 
 that ever reached India overland, vid Aleppo and the Persian 
 Gulf, in 1583-1589. They met with LINSCHOTEN there ; and 
 also T. Stevens, the Jesuit, see vol. i. p. 130. 
 
 English Life and Progress. 
 
 CAIUS. M.D. Of English Dogs. 1536. Translated from 
 tin by A. FLEMING in 1576. 
 
 6. Britain's Buss. A Computation of the Cost and Profit of a 
 Herring Buss or Ship. 1615. 
 
 English Literature, Literary History, and 
 Biography. 
 
 7. T. ELLWOOD. Relations with J. MILTON. This young 
 Quaker rendered many services to the Poet ; amongst which was 
 the suggestion of Paradise Regained. 
 
 8. J. DRYDEN. Of Dramatic Poesy. An Essay. This charm- 
 ing piece of English Prose was written in 1665 and published in 
 1668. With it is given the entire Controversy between DRYDEN 
 and Sir R. HOWARD on this subject. 
 
 English Poetry. 
 
 9. S. DANIEL. DELIA. [Sonnets.] 1594. 
 
 10. T. CAMPION, M.D. Songs and Poems. 1601-1613. 
 
 11. Lyrics, Elegies, etc., by other Poets. 
 
 5- J- C 
 the Latir
 
 4 An English Garner. 
 
 VOL IV. 
 
 Large Crown 8vo, f/otA, $s. net. 
 
 English Political, Naval, and Military History, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 1. E. UNDERBILL, " the Hot Gospeller," Imprisonment in 1553, 
 with Anecdotes of Queen MARY'S Coronation Procession, WYATT'S 
 Rebellion, the Marriage of PHILIP and MARY, etc. 
 
 2. J. Fox. The Imprisonment of the Princess ELIZABETH. 
 1554-1555. 
 
 3. Texts relating to the Winning of Calais and Guisnes by the 
 French in January, 1556. 
 
 4. The Coronation Procession of Queen ELIZABETH. January, 
 
 I 559- 
 
 5. Sir THOMAS OVERBURY. Observations of Holland, Flanders, 
 and France, in 1609. A most sagacious Political Study. 
 
 6. JAMES I. The Book of Sports. 1618 
 
 7. Abp. G. ABBOTT. Narrative of his Sequestration from Office 
 in 1627 by CHARLES I., at the instigation of BUCKINGHAM and 
 LAUD. 
 
 8. Major-General Sir T. MORGAN. Progress [i.e. March] in 
 France and Flanders, with the 6,000 " Red Coats " at the taking of 
 Dunkirk, etc. , in 1657-8. 
 
 English Voyages, Travels, Commerce, etc., etc. 
 
 9. The first Britons who ever reached the city of Mexico : T. 
 BLAKE, a Scotchman, before 1536; and J. FIELD and R. TOMSON, 
 1556. 
 
 10. The wonderful recovery of the Exchange from forty-five 
 Turkish pirates of Algiers by J. RAWLINS and twenty-four other 
 slaves. February, 1622. 
 
 English Life and Progress. 
 
 11. T. GENTLEMAN. England's Way to Win Wealth. [Fish- 
 eries.] The Dutch obtained more wealth from their Herring 
 Fishery along the English shores than the Spaniards did from their 
 American gold mines. 
 
 English Poetry. 
 
 12. ? T. OCCLEVE. The Letter of CUPID. 1402. 
 
 13. L. SHEPPARD. JOHN BON and Mast[er] PARSON. [A Satire 
 on the Mass.] 1551. 
 
 14. Rev. T. BRICK. A Register of the Tormented and Cruelly 
 Burned within England. 1555-1558. These verses give the names 
 of most of the Marian Martyrs. 
 
 15. J. C. ALCILIA ; PHILOPARTHEN'S loving folly ! [Love 
 Poems.] 1595. 
 
 16. G. WITHER. Fair VIRTUE, the Mistress of PHIL'ARETE. 
 1622. This is WITHER'S masterpiece. Over 6,000 lines of verse 
 in many metrical forms. 
 
 17. The Songs that JOHN DOWLAND, the famous Lutenist, set 
 to music.
 
 An English Garner. 5 
 
 VOL. V. 
 
 Large Crown 8vo, doth, $s. net. 
 
 English Political, Naval, and Military History, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 1. J. SAVILE, King JAMES'S entertainment at Theobalds, and 
 his Welcome to London. 1603. 
 
 2. G. DUGDALE. The Time Triumphant. King JAMES'S Coro- 
 nation at Westminster, 25 July, 1603 ; and Coronation Procession 
 [delayed by the Plague], 15 March, 1604. 
 
 English Voyages, Travels, Commerce, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 3. The Voyages to Brazil of WILLIAM HAWKINS, Governor of 
 Plymouth and father of Sir JOHN, about 1530. 
 
 4. Sir J. HAWKINS. First Voyage to the West Indies, 1562- 
 1563. This was the beginning of the English Slave Trade. 
 
 5. R. BODENHAM. A Trip to Mexico. 1564-1565. 
 
 6. SirJ. HAWKINS. Second Voyage to the West Indies. 1564- 
 1565. 
 
 7. Sir J. HAWKINS. Third and disastrous Voyage to the West 
 Indies, 1567-1569 : with the base treachery of the Spaniards at San 
 Juan de Ulna, near Vera Cruz; and the extraordinary adventures 
 of Three of the Survivors. This was DRAKE'S 2nd Voyage to the West 
 Indies ; and the first in which he commanded a ship, the Judith. 
 
 8. Sir F. DRAKE'S 3rd (1570), 4th (1571), and 5th (1572-73), 
 Voyages to the West Indies. Especially the 5th, known as The 
 Voyage to Nombre de Dios : in which, on n February, 1573, he 
 first saw the Pacific Ocean ; and then besought GOD to give him 
 life to sail once in an English ship on that sea. [See opposite page.] 
 
 English Life and Progress. 
 
 9. B. FRANKLIN. ' Poor Richard ' improved. Proverbs of 
 Thrift and to discourage useless expense. Philadelphia, 1757. 
 
 English Poetry. 
 
 10. B. BARNES. PARTHENOPHIL and PARTHENOPHE. Sonnets, 
 Madrigals, Elegies and Odes. 1593. [A perfect Storehouse of 
 Versification, including the only treble Sestine in the language.] 
 
 11. ZEPHERIA. [Canzons.] 1594. 
 
 12. SirJ. DAVIES. Orchestra or a Poem on Dancing. 1596. 
 
 13. B. GRIFFIN. FIDESSA, more chaste than kind. [Sonnets.] 
 1596. 
 
 14. Sir J. DAVIES. Nosce teipsum I In two Elegies : (i) Of 
 Human Knowledge, (2) Of the Soul of Man and the Immortality 
 thereof. 1599. 
 
 15. SirJ. Davies. Hymns of ASTRJEA [i.e. Queen ELIZABETH]. 
 In acrostic verse. 1599.
 
 6 An English Garner. 
 
 VOL. VI. 
 
 Large Crown Sve, cloth, $s. net. 
 
 English Political, Naval, and Military 
 History, etc., etc. 
 
 i. The Examination, at Saltwood Castle, Kent, of WILLIAM of 
 THORPE, by Abp. T. ARUNDELL, 7 August, 1407. Edited by W. 
 TYNDALE, 1530. This is the best account of Lollardism from the 
 inside, given by one who was the leader of the second generation of 
 Lollards. 
 
 English Voyages, Travels, Commerce, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 CHILTON. Travels in Mexico. 1568-1575. 
 BION. An Account of the Torments, etc. 1708. 
 
 English Life and Progress. 
 
 4. The most dangerous Adventure of R. FERRIS, A. HILL, and 
 W. THOMAS ; who went in a boat by sea from London to Bristol. 
 1590. 
 
 5. Leather. A Discourse to Parliament. 1629. 
 
 6. H. PEACHAM. The Worth of a Penny, or a Caution to keep 
 Money. 1641. With all the variations of the later Editions. 
 
 7. Sir W. PETTY. Political Arithmetic. [Written in 1677.] 
 1690. One of the earliest and best books on the Science of Wealth. 
 
 English Literature, Literary History, and 
 Biography. 
 
 8. ISAAC BICKERSTAFF, Esq. [Dean J. Swift.] Predictions for 
 the year 1708. [One of these was the death of J. PARTRIDGE, the 
 Almanack Maker, on 29 March, 1708.] Other tracts of this 
 laughable controversy follow. 
 
 9. [I. GAY.] The Present State of Wit. 3 
 Survey of our Periodical Literature at this date ; 
 
 I:]: 
 
 r tracts 01 tms 
 
 May. 1711. [A 
 : ; including the 
 
 Review, Tatler, and Spectator.] 
 
 " Law \i.e. 
 
 .. -ioft. 
 JOHN* BULL \_England] the Clothier, NICHOLAS FROG \Hollan 
 
 10. [Dr. J. ARBUTHNOT.] Law [t.. War] is a Bottomless Pit, 
 exemplified in the Case of the Lord STRUTT {the Kings of Spain], 
 
 the Linendraper, and LEWIS BABOON [Louis XIV. of Bourbon = 
 France]. In four parts. 1712. 
 
 This famous Political Satire on the War of the Spanish Succes- 
 sion was designed to prepare the English public for the Peace of 
 Utrecht, signed on n April, 1713. In part I., on 28 February, 
 1712, first appeared in our Literature, the character of JOHN BULL, 
 for an Englishman. 
 
 11. T. TlCKELL. The life of ADDISON. 1721. 
 
 12. Sir R. STEELE. Epistle to W. CONGREVE [in reply]. 1722. 
 
 English Poetry. 
 
 13. The first printed Robin Hood Ballad. Printed about 1510. 
 
 14. W. PERCY. COELIA. [Sonnets.] 1594. 
 
 15. G. WITHER. FIDELIA. [This is WITHER'S second master-
 
 An English Garner. 
 
 piece. The lament of a Woman thinking that she is forsaken in 
 love.] 1615. 
 
 16. M. DRAYTON. IDEA. [Sonnets.] 1619. 
 
 17. The Interpreter. [A Political Satire interpreting the mean- 
 ing of the Protestant, The Puritan, The Papist.] 1622. 
 
 VOL. VII. 
 Large Crcnvn &vo, cloth, $s. net. 
 
 English Political, Naval, and Military 
 History, etc., etc. 
 
 1. Sir F. VERE, General of the English troops in the Dutch ser- 
 vice. Commentaries of his Services : at (i) the Storming of Cadiz 
 in 1596, (2) the Action at Turnhout in 1597, (3) The Battle of Nieu- 
 port in 1600 ; but especially (4) the Siege of Ostend, of which place 
 he was Governor from n June, 1601, to 7 June, 1602. 
 
 2. The retaking of The Friends Adventure from the French by 
 R. LYDE and a boy. 1693. 
 
 English Voyages, Travels, Commerce, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 3. H. PITMAN. Relation, etc. For doing noble Red Cross 
 work at the Battle of Sedgemoor this surgeon was sent as a White 
 Slave to Barbadoes, etc. 1689. 
 
 English Life and Progress. 
 
 4. W. KEMP'S [SHAKESPEARE'S fellow Actor] .Nine Days' 
 Wonder ; performed in a Morris Dance from London to Norwich. 
 April, 1600. 
 
 5. A series of Texts on the indignities offered to the Established 
 Clergy, and especially the Private Chaplains, in the Restoration Age, 
 by the Royalist laity ; including 
 
 Dr. J. EACHARD'S witty 'Grounds of the Contempt of the 
 Clergy and Religion. ' 1670. 
 
 English Literature, Literary History and 
 Biography. 
 
 6. Another Series of Tracts, in prose and verse, illustrating the 
 great Public Services rendered by D. DEFOE, up to the death of 
 Queen Anne ; including : 
 
 D. DEFOE. An Appeal to Honour and Justice, etc. 1715. 
 
 D. DEFOE. The True Born Englishman. 1701. 
 
 D. DEFOE. The History of Kentish Petition. 1701. 
 
 D. DEFOE. LEGION'S Memorial. 1701. 
 
 D. DEFOE. The Shortest Way with the Dissenters, etc. 1702. 
 
 D. DEFOE. A Hymn to the Pillory. 1703. 
 
 D. DEFOE. Prefaces to the Review. 1704-1710. 
 
 English Poetry. 
 
 7. T. DELONEY. Three Ballads on the Armada fight. August, 
 1588. 
 
 8. R. L. (i) DIEI.LA [Sonnets] ; (2) The Love of DOM DIF.GO 
 and GYNEURA. 1596. *
 
 8 An English Garner. 
 
 9. AN. Sc. DAIPHHANTUS, or the Passions of Love. 1604. 
 
 See also above. 
 
 D. DEFOE. The True Born Englishman. 1701. 
 
 D. DEFOE. A Hymn to the Pillory. 1703. 
 
 VOL. VIII. 
 
 Large Crown 8vo, cloth, s. net. 
 
 This Index Volume will, if possible, contain the following : 
 
 English Political, Naval, and Military 
 
 History, etc., etc. 
 
 1. J. PROCTOR. The History of WY ATI'S Rebellion. 1554. 
 
 2. The burning of Paul's Church, London. 1568. 
 
 3. G. GASCOIGNE the Poet. The Spanish Fury at Antwerp. 
 
 4. J. LiNGHAM. English Captains in the Low Countries. 
 1584. 
 
 5. The Burial of MARY QUEEN of Scots at Peterborough Cathe- 
 dral, i August, 1587. 
 
 6. T. M. The Entertainment of JAMES I. from Edinburgh to 
 London. 1603. 
 
 7. Bp. W. BARLOW. The Hampton Court Conference. 1604. 
 
 8. The speeches in the Star Chamber at the Censure of BAST- 
 WICK, BARTON, and PRYNNE. 1637. 
 
 9. N. N. The Expedition of the Prince of ORANGE. 1688. 
 
 English Voyages, Travels, Commerce, 
 etc., etc. 
 
 10. The strange things that happened to R. HASLETON in his ten 
 years' Travels. 1585-1595. 
 
 11. E. PELLHAM. The miraculous Deliverance of eight English- 
 men left in Greenland, anno 1630, nine months and twelve days. 
 
 English Life and Progress. 
 
 12. J. MAY. The Estate of Clothing [the manufacture of woollen 
 Cloths\r\ow'm England. 1613. 
 
 English Poetry. 
 
 13. A translation [? by Sir E. DYER] of Six of the Idyllia of 
 THEOCRITUS. 1588. 
 
 14. Verses penned by D. GWIN, eleven years a slave in the 
 Spanish galleys, and presented by him to Queen ELIZABETH on 18 
 August, 1588. 
 
 15. W. SMITH. CHLORES. [Sonnets.] 1596. 
 
 16. T. STORER. The Life and Death of Cardinal WOLSEY. 
 
 1599- 
 
 17. E. W. Thameseidos. In 3 Cantos. 1600. 
 
 18. Some Collections of Posies. 1624-1679. 
 
 Chronological List of Works included in 
 
 the Series. 
 
 Index.
 
 "{Reprints. 
 
 No. Text. t. d. 
 
 1. Milton Areopagitica . . . 1644 1 
 
 2. LatimeP The Ploughers . . . 1549 1 
 
 3. Gosson The School of Abuse . . 1579! 
 
 4. Sidney An Apology for Poetry . ? 1580 1 
 5- E. Webbe Travels . . . . 1590 1 
 
 6. Selden Table Talk .... 1634-54 1 
 
 7. Ascham Toxophilus . . . . 1544 1 
 
 8. AddiSOn Criticism on Paradise Lost . 1711-12 1 
 
 9. Lyly EUPHUES . . . 1579-80 4 
 
 10. VilliePS The Rehearsal . . . 1671 1 
 
 11. GaSGOigne The Steel Glass, etc, . . 1576 1 
 
 12. Earle Micro-cosmographie . . 1628 1 
 
 13. Latimer 7 Sermons before EDWARD VI. 1549 1 6 
 
 14. More Utopia .... 1516-57 1 
 
 t$. Puttenham The Art of English Poesy . 1589 2 6 
 
 16. Howell Instructions for Foreign Travel 1642 1 
 
 17. Udall Roister Doister . . . 1553-66 1 
 
 18. Mk. Of Eves. The Revelation, etc. . 1186-1410! 
 
 19. James I. A Counterblast to Tobacco, etc. 1604 1 
 
 20. NauntOn Fragmenta Regalia . . 1653 1 
 
 21. WatSOn Poems .... 1582-93 1 6 
 
 22. Habington CASTARA .... 1640 1 
 
 23. Aseham The Schoolmaster . . 1570 1 
 
 24. Tottel's Miscellany [Songs and Sonnets] 1557 2 6 
 
 25. LeveP Sermons . . . . 1550 1 
 
 26. W. Webbe A Discourse of English Poetry 1586 1 
 
 27. Lord Bacon A Harmony of the Essays 1597-16265 
 
 28. Roy, etc. Read me, and be not wroth I 1528! 6 
 
 29. Raleigh, etc. Last Fight of the < Revenge' 1591! 
 
 30. Googe Eglogues, Epitaphs, and Sonnets 1563 1 
 
 41 6 
 
 (For full titles, etc., see pp. 10-19.)
 
 io English Reprints. 
 
 i. JOHN MILTON. 
 
 Areopagitica. 1644. 
 
 (a) AREOPAGITICA : A Speech of Mr. JOHN MILTON For the 
 Liberty of Unlicencd Printing, To the Parliament of England. 
 
 () A Decree of Starre-Chamber, concerning Printing, made the eleuenth 
 of July last past, 1637. 
 
 (c) An Order of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for the 
 Regulating of Printing, &c. 1643. 
 
 LORD MACAULAY. He attacked the licensing system in that sublime 
 treatise which every statesman should wear as a sign upon his hand, and as 
 frontlets between his eyes. Edinburgh Review, p. 344, August, 1825. 
 
 H. HALLAM. Many passages in this famous tract are admirably elo- 
 quent : an intense love of liberty and truth flows through it ; the majestic 
 soul of MILTON breathes such high thoughts as had not been uttered before. 
 Introduction to the Literature of Europe, iii. 660. Ed. 1839. 
 
 W. H. PRESCOTT. The most splendid argument perhaps the world had 
 then witnessed on behalf of intellectual liberty. History of FERDINAND 
 and ISABELLA, iii. 391. Ed. 1845. 
 
 2. HUGH LATIMER. 
 
 Ex- Bishop of Worcester. 
 
 The Ploughers. 1549. 
 
 A notable Sermon of ye reuerende Father Master HUGHE 
 LATIMER, whiche he preached in ye Shrouds at paules churche 
 in London on the xviii daye of Januarye. 
 
 SIR R. MORISON. Did there ever any one (I say not in England only, 
 but among other nations) flourish since the time of the Apostles, who 
 preached the gospel more sincerely, purely, and honestly, than Hrr.H 
 LATIMER, Bishop of Worcester! Apomaxis Calumniarum . . quibus 
 JOANNBS COCLEUS &*C., {. 78. Ed. 1537. 
 
 It was in this Sermon, that LATIMKR (himself an ex-Bishop) astonished 
 his generation by saying that the Devil was the most diligent Prelate and 
 Preacher in all England. " Ye shal neuer fynde him idle I warraunte 
 you." 
 
 3. STEPHEN GOSSON. 
 
 Stud. Oxon. 
 
 The School of Abuse. 1579. 
 
 (a) The Schoole of Abuse. Contenting a pleasaunt inuective 
 against Poets, Pipers, Plaiers, Jesters, and such like Caterpillers 
 of a Commonwealth; Setting up the Flagge of Defiance to their 
 mischieuous exercise and ouerthrowing their Bithvarkes, by Pro- 
 phane Writers, Naturall reason and common experience. 1579- 
 
 (b) An Apologie of the Schoole of Abuse, against Poets, Pipers, 
 Players, and their Excusers. [Dec.] 1579. 
 
 V This attack is thought to have occasioned SIR PHILIP SIDNBY'S writ- 
 ing of the following Apologue for Poesie. 
 
 GOSSON was, in succession, Poet, Actor, Dramatist, Satirist, and a 
 Puritan Clergyman.
 
 English Reprints. 1 1 
 
 4. Sir PHILIP SIDNEY. 
 
 An Apology for Poetry. [? 1580.] 
 
 An Apologie for Poelrie. Written by the right noble, vertuous, 
 and learned Sir PHILIP SIDNEY, Knight, 1595. 
 
 H. W. LONGFELLOW. The defence of Poetry is a work of rare merit. It 
 is a golden little volume, which the scholar may lay beneath his pillow, as 
 CHKYSOSTOM did the works of ARISTOPHANES. North American Review, 
 / 57- January, 1832. 
 
 The Work thus divides itself: 
 
 The Etymology of Poetry. 
 
 The Anatomy of the Effects of Poetry. 
 
 The Anatomy of the Parts of Poetry. 
 
 Objections to Poetry answered. 
 
 Criticism of the existing English Poetry. 
 
 5. EDWARD WEBBE, 
 
 A Chief Master Gunner. 
 
 Travels. 1590. 
 
 The rare and most wonderful thinges which EDWARD WEBBE 
 an Englishman borne, hath seene and passed in his troublesome 
 trauailes, in the Citties of Jerusalem, Damasko, Bethelem and 
 Galely : and in all the landes of lewrie, Egipt, Grecia, Russia, 
 and in the Land of Prester John. 
 
 Wherein is set foorth his extreame slauerie sustained many 
 yeres togither, in the Gallies and wars of the great Turk against 
 the Landes of Persia, Tartaria, Spaine, and Portugal!, with the 
 manner of his releasement and coining to England. [1590.] 
 
 6. JOHN SELDEN. 
 
 Table Talk. [1634-1654.] 
 
 Table Talk : being the Discourses (jfJOHN SELDEN, Esq. ; or 
 his Sence of various Matters of -weight and high consequence, 
 relating especially to Religion and State. 1689. 
 
 S. T. COLERIDGE. There is more weighty bullio 
 I ever found in the same number of pages of any ui 
 O ! to have been with SELDEN over his glass of win 
 an outlet and a vehicle of wisdom. Literary R 
 .836. 
 H. HALLAM. This very short and small volum 
 exalted notion of SELDEN'S natural talents than an 
 Introduction to the Literature of Europe, iii. 34 
 Above all things, Liberty. 
 
 i sense in this book than 
 inspired writer. . . . 
 , making every accident 
 ais. iii. 361-2. Ed. 
 
 gives, perhaps, a more 
 of his learned writings. 
 Ed. 1836.
 
 12 English Reprints. 
 
 7. ROGER ASCHAM. 
 
 Toxophilus. 1544. 
 
 Toxophilus, the Schole of Shootinge, conteyned in two bookes. 
 
 To all Gentlemen and yomen of Englande, pleasaunte for theyr 
 pastime to rede, and profitable for theyr use to follow both in war 
 and peace. 
 
 In a dialogue between TOXOPH1LUS and PHILOLOGUS, ASCHAM not 
 only gives us one of the very best books on Archery in our language : but 
 as he tells King Henry VIII., in his Dedication, "this litle treatise was 
 purposed, begou, and ended of me, onelie for this intent, that Labour, 
 Honest pastime, and Vertu might recouer againe that place and right, that 
 Idlenesse, Unthriftie Gaming, and Vice hath put them fro." 
 
 8. JOSEPH ADDISON. 
 
 Criticism on Paradise Lost. 1711-1712. 
 
 From the S#ectator,l>eing its Saturday issues between 31 December, 1711, 
 and 3 May, 1712. In these papers, which constitute a Primer to Paradise 
 Lost, ADDISON first made known, and interpreted to the general English 
 public, the great Epic poem, which had then been published nearly half a 
 
 After a general discussion of the Fable, the Characters, the Sentiments, 
 the Language, and the Defects of MILTON'S Great Poem ; the Critic devotes 
 a Paper to the consideration of the Beauties of each of its Twelve Books. 
 
 9. JOHN LYLY, 
 
 Novelist, Wit, Pott, and Dramatist. 
 
 Euphues. 1579-1580. 
 
 EUPHVES, the Anatomy of Wit. Very pleasant for all 
 Gentlemen to reade, and most necessary to remember. 
 
 Wherein are conteined the delights that Wit followeth in his 
 youth, by the pleasantnesse of loue, and the happinesse he reafeth 
 in age by the perfectnesse of Wisedome. 1579. 
 
 EUPHUES and his England. Containing his voyage and 
 adnentures, myxed with sundry pretie discourses of honest Loue, 
 the description of the countrey, the Court, and the manners of 
 that Isle. 1580. 
 
 Of great importance in our Literary History.
 
 English Reprints. 13 
 
 10. GEORGE VILLIERS, 
 
 Second Duke of BUCKINGHAM. 
 
 The Rehearsal. 1671. 
 
 The Rehearsal, as it -was Acted at the Theatre Royal. 
 
 Many of the passages of anterior plays that were parodied in this famous 
 Dramatic Satire on DRYDEN in the character of BAYES, are placed on 
 opposite pages to the text. BRIAN FAIRFAX'S remarkable life of this Duke 
 of BUCKINGHAM is also prefixed to the play. 
 
 The Heroic Plays, first introduced by Sir W. D'AVENANT, and afterwards 
 greatly developed by DRYDEN, are the object of this laughable attack. LACY, 
 who acted the part of BA YKS, imitated the dress and gesticulation of DRY- 
 DEN. 
 
 The Poet repaid this compliment to the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, in 1681, 
 by introducing him in the character of ZlMRA in his ABSOLOM and 
 ACHITOPHEL. 
 
 ii. GEORGE GASCOIGNE, 
 
 Soldier and Poet. 
 
 The Steel Glass, &c. 1576. 
 
 (a) A Remembrance of the wel Employed life, and godly end, of 
 GEORGE GASKOIGNE, Esquire, who deceassed at Stalmford in 
 Lincoln shire, the 7 of October, 1577. The reporte of GEOR. 
 WHETSTONS, Gent. 1577. 
 
 There is only one copy of this metrical Life. It is in the Bodleian Library. 
 
 (b) Certayne notes of instruction concerning the making of 
 verse or ryme in English. 1575. 
 
 This is our First printed piece of Poetical Criticism. 
 
 (c) The Steele Glas. 
 
 Written in blank verse. 
 
 Probably the fourth printed English Satire : those by BARCLAY, ROY, and 
 Sir T. WYATT being the three earlier ones. 
 
 (d) Thecomplaynt </PHiLOMENE. An Elegie. 1576. 
 
 12. JOHN EARLE, 
 
 Afterwards Bishop of SALISBURY. 
 
 Microcosmographie. 1628. 
 
 Micro-cosmographie, or a Peece of the World discovered ; in 
 Essays and Characters. 
 
 This celebrated book of Characters is graphically descriptive of the Eng- 
 lish social life ef the time, as it presented itself to a young Fellow of Merton 
 College, Oxford ; including A She precise Hypocrite, A Sceptic in Religion, 
 A good old man, etc. 
 
 This Work is a notable specimen of a considerable class of books in our 
 Literature, full of interest ; and which help Posterity much better to uuder- 
 stand the Times in which they were written.
 
 14 English Reprints. 
 
 13. HUGH LATIMER, 
 
 Ex-Bishop of WORCESTER. 
 Seven Sermons before Edward VI. 1549. 
 
 The fyrste \_seuentJi\ Sermon of Mayster HUGHE LATIMER, 
 whiche he preached before the Kynges Maiestie -my thin his graces 
 palayce at Westminster on each Friday in Lent. 1549. 
 
 Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH. LATIMER, . . . brave, sincere, honest, in- 
 flexible, not distinguished as a writer or a scholar, but exercising his power 
 over men's minds by a fervid eloquence flowing from the deep conviction 
 which animated his plain, pithy, and free-spoken Sermons. Hisiory of 
 England, ii. 291. Ed. 1831. 
 
 14. Sir THOMAS MORE. 
 
 Translation of Utopia. 1516-1557. 
 
 A frutefull and pleasaunt worke of the best state of a publique 
 iveale, and of the new yle called Utopia : Written in Latine by 
 Sir THOMAS MORE, Knyght, and translated into Englyshe by 
 RALPH ROBYNSON. 
 
 LORD CAMPBELL. Since the time of PLATO there had been no composi- 
 tion given to the world which, for imagination, for philosophical discrimina- 
 tion, for a familiarity with the principles of government, for a knowledge of 
 the springs of human action, for a keen observation of men and manners, and 
 for felicity of expression, could be compared to the Utopia.. Lives of the 
 Lord Chancellors (Life of Sir. T. More), i. 583. Ed. 1845. 
 
 In the imaginary country of Utopia, MORE endeavours to sketch out 
 State based upon t 
 property ; and consequ 
 
 , 
 
 a State based upon two principles (i) community of goods, no private 
 tly (2) no 
 
 15. GEORGE PUTTENHAM, 
 
 A Gentleman Pensioner to Queen ELIZABETH. 
 
 The Art of English Poesy. 1589. 
 
 The Arte of English Poesie. 
 
 Contriued into three Bookes : The first of POETS and POESI E, 
 the second of PROPORTION, the Mzrofo/'ORNAMBNT. 
 
 W. OLDYS. It contains many pretty observations, examples, characters, 
 and fragments of poetry for those times, now nowhere else to be met with. 
 Sir WALTER RALEIGH, liv. Ed. 1736. 
 
 O. GILCHRIST. On many accounts one of the most curious and entertain- 
 ing, and intrinsically one of the most valuable books of the age of QUEEN 
 ELIZABETH. The copious intermixture of contemporary anecdote, tradition, 
 manners, opinions, and the numerous specimens of coeval poetry nowhere else 
 preserved, contribute to form a volume of infinite amusement, curiosity, and 
 value. Centura Liieraria, i. 339. Ed. 1805. 
 
 This is still also an important book on Rhetoric and the Figures of Speech.
 
 English Reprints. 15 
 
 16. JAMES HOWELL, 
 
 Clerk of the Council to CHARLES I. ; afterwards Historiographer to 
 
 CHARLES II. 
 Instructions for Foreign Travel. 1642. 
 
 Instructions for forreine travelle. Shewing by what cours, and 
 in what compasse of time, one may take an exact Survey of the 
 Kingdomes and States of Christendoms, and arrive to the practical 
 knowledge of the Languages, to good purpose. 
 
 The MURRAY, BsEDEKER, and Practical Guide to the Grand Tour 
 of Europe, which, at that time, was considered the finishing touch to the 
 complete education of an English Gentleman. 
 
 The route sketched out by this delightfully quaint Writer, is France, 
 Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Holland. The 
 time allowed is 3 years and 4 months : the months to be spent in travelling, 
 the years in residence at the different cities. 
 
 17. NICHOLAS UDALL, 
 
 Master, first of Eton College, then of Westminster School. 
 
 Roister Bolster. [1553-1566.] 
 
 This is believed to be the first true English Comedy that ever came to the 
 press. . 
 
 From the unique copy, which wants a title-page, now at Eton College ; 
 and which is thought to have been printed in ls66. 
 Dramatis Persona. 
 
 RALPH ROISTER DOISTER. 
 
 MATTHEW MBRRYGREEK. 
 
 GAWIN GOODLUCK, affianced to Dante CUSTANCE. 
 
 TRISTRAM TRUSTY, his friend. 
 
 DOBINET DOUGHTY, " boy " to ROISTER DOISTER. 
 
 TOM TRUEPENNY, servant to Dame CUSTANCE. 
 
 SIM SURESBY, servant to GOODLUCK. 
 
 Scrivener. 
 
 Harpax. 
 
 Dame CHRISTIAN CUSTANCE, a widow. 
 
 MARGERY MUMBLECRUST, htr nurse. 
 
 TIBET TALK Af'-"-' 
 
 ANNOT ALYFA 
 
 her maidens. 
 
 1 8. A Monk of Evesham, 
 
 The Revelation, &c. ii86[-i4io]. 1485. 
 
 IT Here begynnyth a marvellous reuelacion that was schewyd 
 of almighty god by sent Nycholas to a monke of Euyshamme yn 
 the days of Kynge Richard thefyrst. And the yere of own lord, 
 M.C.Lxxxxvi. 
 
 One of the rarest of English books printed by one of the earliest of English 
 printers, WILLIAM DE MACLINIA ; who printed this text about 1485, in the 
 lifetime of CAXTON. 
 
 The essence of the story is as old as it professes to be ; but contains later 
 additions, the orthography, being of about 1410. It is very devoutly written, 
 and contains a curious Vision of Purgatory. 
 
 The writer is a prototype of BUNYAN : and his description of the Gate in 
 the Crystal Wall of Heaven, and of the solemn and marvellously sweet 
 Peal of the Bells of Heaven that came to him through it, is very 
 beautiful.
 
 1 6 English Reprints. 
 
 19. JAMES I. 
 
 A Counterblast to Tobacco. 1604. 
 (a) The Essays of a Prentise, in the Diuine Art of Poesie. 
 
 Printed while JAMES VI. of Scotland, at Edinburgh in 1585 ; and includes 
 Ane Short treatise, contesting some Reulis and Cautelis to be obstruit and 
 eschnvit in Scottis Poesie, which is another very early piece of printed 
 Poetical Criticism. 
 
 (6) A Counterblast e to Tobacco. 1604. 
 
 To this text has been added a full account of the Introduction and Early 
 use of Tobacco in England. The herb first came into use in Europe as a 
 medicinal leaf for poultices : smoking it was afterwards learnt from the 
 American Indians. 
 
 Our Royal Author thus sums up his opinion : 
 
 "A custome lothsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmefull to the 
 braine, dangerous to the lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, 
 nearest resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomless." 
 
 20. Sir ROBERT NAUNTON, 
 
 Matter of the Court of Wards. 
 
 Fragmenta Regalia. 1653. 
 
 Fragmenta Regalia: or Observations on the late Queen 
 ELIZABETH, her Times and Favourites. [1630.] 
 
 Naunton writes : 
 
 "And thus I have delivered up this my poor Essay ; a little Draught of 
 this great Princess, and her Times, with the Servants of her State and 
 favour." 
 
 21. THOMAS WATSON, 
 
 Londoner, Student-at-Law. 
 
 Poems. 1582-1593. 
 
 (a) The 'EKaronwaOia or Passionate Centurie of Loue. 
 Divided into two parts : whereof, the first expresseth the 
 
 Author's sufferance in Loue: the latter, his long fat-well to Loue 
 and all his lyrannie. 1582. 
 
 (b) MELIBCEUS, Sive Ecloga in obit um Honoratissimi Viri 
 Domini FRANCISCO WALSINGHAMI. 1590. 
 
 (c) The same translated into English, by the Author. 1590. 
 
 (d) The Tears of Fancie, or Loue disdained. 1593. 
 
 From the unique copy, wanting Sonnets 9-16, in the possession of S. 
 CHRISTIE MILLER, Esq., of BritweTl.
 
 English Reprints. 17 
 
 22. WILLIAM HABINGTON, 
 
 Castara. 1640. 
 
 CASTARA. The third Edition, Corrected and augmented. 
 
 CASTARA was Lady LUCY HERBERT, the youngest child of the first 
 Lord Powis ; and these Poems were chiefly marks of affection during a pure 
 courtship followed by a happy marriage. With these, are also Songs of 
 Friendship, especially those referring to the Hon. GEORGE TALBOT. 
 
 In addition to these Poems, there are four prose Characters ; on A 
 Mistress, A Wife, A Friend, and The Holy Man. 
 
 23. ROGER ASCHAM, 
 
 The Schoolmaster. 1570. 
 
 The Sfholemaster, or plane and perfite way of teachyng 
 children to understand^ write, and speake, in Latin tong, but 
 specially purposed for the priuate brynging up of youth in lentle- 
 man and Noble mens houses, &-V. 
 
 This celebrated Work contains the story of Lady JANE GREY'S delight 
 in reading PLA TO, an attack on the I talianatcd Englishman of the time, 
 and much other information not specified in the above title. 
 
 In it, ASCHAM gives us very fully his plan of studying Languages, which 
 may be described as the double translation of a model book. 
 
 24. HENRY HOWARD, 
 
 Earl of SURREY. 
 
 Sir THOMAS WYATT. 
 
 NICHOLAS GRIMALD. 
 
 Lord VAUX. 
 
 Tottel's Miscellany. 5 June, 1557. 
 
 Songes and Sonettes, written by the right honourable Lordt 
 HENRY HOWARD late Earle o/SvRREV, and other. 
 
 With 39 additional Poems from the second edition by the same printer, 
 RICHARD TOTTEL, of 31 July, 1557. 
 
 This celebrated Collection is the First of our Poetical Miscellanies, and 
 also the first appearance in print of any considerable number of English 
 Sonnets. 
 
 TOTTEL in his Address to the Reader, says : 
 
 "That to haue wel written in verse, yea and in small parcelles, deserueth 
 great praise, the workes of diuers Latines, Italians, and other, doe proue 
 sufficiently. That our long is able in that kynde to do as praiseworthely as 
 ye rest, the honorable stile of the noble carle of Surrey, and the weightinesse- 
 of the depewitted Sir Thomas Wyat the elders verse, with seuerall graces in 
 sondry good Englishe writers, doe show abundantly."
 
 1 8 English Reprints. 
 
 25. Rev. THOMAS LEVER, 
 
 Fellow and Preacher of St. John's College, Cambridge. 
 
 Sermons. 1550. 
 
 (a) A fruitfull Sermon in Paules church at London in the 
 Shroudes. 
 
 (6) A Sermon preached the fourth Sunday in Lent before the 
 Kynges Maiestie, and his honourable Counsell. 
 
 (c) A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse. 1550. 
 
 These Sermons are reprinted from the original editions, which are of 
 extreme rarity. They throw much light on the communistic theories of the 
 Norfolk rebels'; and the one at Paul's Cross contains a curious account 
 of Cambridge University life in the reign of EDWARD VI. 
 
 26. WILLIAM WEBBE, 
 
 Graduate. 
 
 A Discourse of English Poetry. 1586. 
 
 A Discourse of English Poetrie. Together with the Authors 
 iudgcment, touching the reformation of our English Verse. 
 
 Another of the early pieces of Poetical Criticism, written in the year in 
 which SHAKBSI'EARE is supposed to have left Stratford for London. 
 
 Only two copies of this Work are known, one of these was sold for .64. 
 
 This Work should be read with STANYHURST'S Translation of sEneid, 
 I.-IV., 1582, see p. 64. WEBBE was an advocate of English Hexameters ; 
 and here translates VIKGIL'S first two Eglogues into them. He also trans- 
 lates into Sapphics COLIN'S Song in the Fourth Eglogue of SI'ENSER'S 
 Shepherd's Calentiar. 
 
 27. FRANCIS BACON. 
 
 afterwards Lord VERUI.A.M Viscount ST. ALBANS. 
 
 A Harmony of the Essays, &c. 1597-1626. 
 
 And after nty manner, I alter ever, when I add. So that nothing is 
 finished, till all be finished.-^ FRANCIS BACON, 27 Feb., i6io-[ii]. 
 
 (a) Essays, Religious Meditations, and Places of perswasion 
 and disswasion. 1597. 
 
 (b) Tlu Writings of Sir FRANCIS BACON Knight the Kinges 
 Sollicitor General in Moralitie, Policie, Historic. 
 
 (c) The Essaies of Sir FRANCIS BACON Knight, the Kings 
 Solliciter GetteralL 
 
 (d) The Essayes or Counsells, Civill and Morall of FRANCIS 
 Lord VERULAM, Viscount ST. ALBAN. 1625.
 
 English Reprints. 19 
 
 28. WILLIAM ROY. JEROME BARLOW. 
 
 Franciscan Friars. 
 
 Read me, and be not wroth I [1528.] 
 
 (a) Rede me and be nott ivrotke, 
 For 1 saye no tkyngc but trothe. 
 I ivill ascende makynge my state so Aye, 
 That my pompous honoitre shall never dye. 
 O Caytyfe when thou thynkest least of all, 
 With confusion thou shalt have a fall. 
 
 This is the famous satire on Cardinal WOLSEY, and is the First English 
 Protestant book ever printed, not being a portion of Holy Scripture. See 
 /. 22 for the Fifth such book. 
 
 The next two pieces form one book, printed by HANS LUFT, at Marburg, 
 in 1530. 
 
 (b) A proper dyaloge, betwene a Genlillman and a husband- 
 man, eche complaynynge to oilier their miserable calamite, through 
 the ambition of the clergy e. 
 
 (c) A compendious old treatyse, shewynge, how that we ought 
 to have the scripture in Englysshe. 
 
 29. Sir WALTER RALEIGH. GERVASE 
 MARKHAM. J. H. VAN LINSCHOTEN. 
 
 The Last Fight of the " Revenge." 1591. 
 
 (a) A Report of the truth of the fight about the lies of Acores, 
 this last la Sommer. Betwixt the REUENGE, one of her 
 Maiesties Shippes, and an ARMADA of the King of Spaine. 
 
 [By Sir W. RALEIGH.] 
 
 (A) The most honorable Tragedie of Sir RICHARD GRINUILE, 
 Knight. 1595. 
 
 [By GERVASE MARKHAM.] 
 (f) [The Fight and Cyclone at the Azores. 
 
 [By JAV HUYGHEN VAN LINSCHOTEN.] 
 
 Several accounts are here given of one of the most extraordinary Sea 
 fights in our Naval History. 
 
 30. BARNABE GOOGE. 
 
 Eglogues, Epitaphs, and Sonnets. 1563. 
 Eglogs, Epytaphes, and Sonettes Newly uritten by BARNABE 
 GOOGE. 
 
 Three copies only known. Reprinted from the Huth copy. 
 
 In the prefatory Notts of the Life and Writings of B. GOOGE, will be 
 found an account of the trouble he had in winning MARY DARELL for his 
 wife. 
 
 A new Literature generally begins with imitations and translations. 
 When this book first appeared, Translations were all the rage among the 
 "young England" of the day. This Collection of original Occasional 
 Verse is therefore the more noticeable. The Introduction gives a glimpse 
 of the principal Writers of the time, such as the Authors of the Mirror for 
 Magistrates, the Translators of SENECA'S Tragedies, etc., and including 
 such names as BALDWIN, BAVANDE, BLUNDESTON, NEVILLE, NORTH, 
 NORTON, SACKVILLE, and YELVERTON.
 
 2O Works in the Old Spelling. 
 
 The English Scholar's Library. 
 
 16 Parts are now published, in Cloth Boards, 2 Is. 
 
 Any part may be obtained separately. 
 
 The general character of this Series will be gathered 
 
 from the following pages: 21-26. 
 
 s. d. 
 
 1. WILLIAM CAXTON. Reynard the Fox. 1 6 
 
 2. JOHN KNOX. The First Blast of the 
 
 Trumpet 16 
 
 3. CLEMENT ROBINSON and others. A 
 
 handful of Pleasant Delights . 1 6 
 
 4. [SIMON FISH.] A Supplication for 
 
 the Beggars 16 
 
 5. [Rev. JOHN UDALL.] Diotrephes. . 1 6 
 
 6. [ ? ] The Return from Parnassus . 1 6 
 
 7. THOMAS DECKER. The Seven Deadly 
 
 Sins of London . . . .16 
 
 8. EDWARD ARBER. An Introductory 
 Sketch to the "Martin Marpre- 
 
 late" Controversy, 1588-1690 . 3 
 
 9. [Rev. JOHN UDALL.] A Demonstra- 
 
 tion of Discipline . . . .16 
 
 10. RICHARD STANIHURST. " ./Eneid L- 
 
 IV." in English hexameters. . .30 
 
 11. "The Epistle" 16 
 
 12. ROBERT GREEN. Menaphon . .16 
 
 13. GEORGE JOY. An Apology to William 
 
 Tyndale 16 
 
 14. RICHARD BARNFIELD. Poems . .30 
 
 1 5. Bp. THOMAS COOPER. An Admonition 
 
 to the People of England . .30 
 
 16. Captain JOHN SMITH. Works. 1120 
 
 pages. Six Facsimile Maps. 2 Vols . 12 6
 
 The English Scholars Library. 21 
 i. William Caxton, 
 
 our first Printer. 
 
 Translation of REYNARD THE FOX. 1481. 
 [COLOPHON.] / haue not added ne mynusshed but haue 
 folowed as nyghe as I can my copye -which was in dutche / and by 
 me WILLIAM CAXTON translated in to this rude and symple 
 englyssh in th[e] abbey of westmestre. 
 
 Interesting for its own sake ; but especially as being translated as well as 
 printed by CAXTON, who finished the printing on 6 June, 1481. 
 
 The Story is the History of the Three fraudulent Escapes of the Fox 
 from punishment, the record of the Defeat of Justice by flattering lips and 
 dishonourable deeds. It also shows the struggle between the power of 
 Words and the power of Blows, a conflict between Mind and Matter. It 
 was necessary for the physically weak to have Eloquence : the blame of 
 REYNARD is in the frightful misuse he makes of it. 
 
 The author says, "There is in the world much seed left of the Fox, 
 wh'.-h now over all groweth and cometh sore up, though they have no red 
 beards." 
 
 2. John Knox, 
 
 the Scotch Reformer. 
 
 THE FIRST BLAST OF THE TRUMPET, &c. 
 
 1558. 
 
 (a) The First Blast of a Trumpet against the monstrous 
 Regiment of Women. 
 
 (b) The Propositions to be entreated in the Second BLAST. 
 This work was wrung out of the heart of JOHN KNOX, while, at Dieppe, 
 
 he heard of the martyr fires of England, and was anguished thereby. At 
 that moment the liberties of Great Britain, and therein the hopes of the 
 whole World, lay in the laps of four women MARY of Loraine, the Regent 
 of Scotland ; her daughter MARY (the Queen of Scots); Queen MARY 
 TUDOR ; and the Princess ELIZABETH. 
 The Volume was printed at Geneva. 
 
 (c) KNOX'S apologetical Defence of his FIRST BLAST, c., to 
 Queen ELIZABETH. 1559. 
 
 3. Clement Robinson, 
 
 and divers others. 
 
 A HANDFUL OF PLEASANT DELIGHTS. 
 
 1584. 
 
 A Handeful of pleasant deliles, Containing sundrie new Sonets 
 and delectable Histories, in diuers kindes of Aleeter. Newly 
 deuised to the newest tunes that are now in vse, to be sung : 
 euerie Sonet orderly pointed to his proper Tune. With new 
 additions of certain Songs, to verie late deuised Notes, not 
 commonly knowen, nor -vsed heretofore. 
 
 OPHELIA quotes from A Noscgaie, &c., in this Poetical Miscellany ; of 
 which only one copy is now known. 
 
 It also contains the earliest text extant of the Ladie Greensleeues, which 
 first appeared four years previously. 
 
 This is the Third printed Poetical Miscellany in our language.
 
 22 The English Scholars Library 
 4. [Simon Fish, 
 
 of Gray's Inn.} 
 
 A SUPPLICATION FOR THE BEGGARS. 
 
 [? 1529.] 
 
 A Supplicacyon for the Beggars. 
 
 Stated by J. Fox to have been distributed in the streets of London on 
 Candlemas Day [2 Feb., 1519]. 
 
 This is the Fifth Protestant book (not being a portion of Holy Scripture 
 that was printed in the English Language. 
 
 The authorship of this anonymous tract, is fixed by a passage in Sir T. 
 MORE'S Apology, of 1533, quoted in the Introduction. 
 
 5. [Rev. John Udall, 
 
 Minister at Kingston on Thames.} 
 
 DlOTREPHES. 
 
 The state of the Chiirch of Englande, laid open in a conference 
 betweene DIOTREPHES a Byshopp, TERTULLUS a Papiste, DE- 
 METRIUS an vsurer, PANDOCHUS an Innekeeper, and PAULE a 
 preacher of the word of God. 
 
 This is the forerunning tract of the MARTIN RTARPRELATE Contro- 
 versy, For the production of it, ROBERT WALDEGRAVE, the printer, was 
 ruined ; and so became available for the printing of the Mnrtinist invectives. 
 
 The scene of the Dialogue is in PANDOCHUS'S Inn, which is in a posting- 
 town on the high road from London to Edinburgh. 
 
 6. L ? ] 
 THE RETURN FROM PARNASSUS. 
 
 [Acted 1602.] 1606. 
 
 The Returne from Pernassus : or The Scourge of Simony. 
 Pnbliquely acted by the Students in Saint Johns Colledge in 
 Caml 
 
 This play, written by a University man in December, 1601, brings 
 WILLIAM KEMP and RICHARD BURBAGE on to the Stage, and makes them 
 speak thus : 
 
 " KEMF. Few of the vniuersity pen plaies well, they smell too much of 
 that writer Quid and that writer Metamorphosis, and talke too much of 
 Proserpina and luff Her. Why herees our fellow Shakespeare puts them 
 all downe, I (Ay} and Ben lonson too. O that Ben lonson is a pestilent 
 fellow, he brought vp Horace giuing the Poets a pill, but our fellow Shake- 
 speare hath given him a purge that made him be ray his credit : 
 
 " BURBAGR. It's a shrewd fellow indeed : " 
 
 What this controversy between SHAKESI-EARK and JONSON was, has not 
 yet been cleared up. It was evidently recent, when (in Dec., 1601) this 
 play was written.
 
 The English Scholar s Library. 23 
 7. Thomas Decker, 
 
 The Dramatist. 
 
 THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF 
 LONDON, &c. 1606. 
 
 The seuen deadly Sinnes of London : drawn in seuen seuerall 
 Coaches, through the seuen seuerall Gates of the Citie, bringing 
 the Plague with them. 
 
 A prose Allegorical Satire, giving a most vivid picture of London life, in 
 October, 1606. 
 The seven sins are 
 
 FRAUDULENT BANKRUPTCY. 
 LYING. 
 
 CANDLELIGHT (Deeds of Darkness). 
 SLOTH. 
 
 APISHNESS (Changes of Fashion). 
 SHAVING (Cheating), and CRUELTY. 
 
 Their chariots, drivers, pages, attendants, and followers, are all allegori- 
 cally described. 
 
 8. The Editor. 
 
 AN INTRODUCTORY SKETCH TO THE 
 MARTIN MARPRELATE CONTROVERSY. 
 
 1588-1590. 
 
 (a) The general Episcopal Administration, Censorship, &*c. 
 (&) The Origin of the Controversy. 
 \c\ Depositions and Examinations. 
 
 (d) State Documents. 
 
 (e) The Brief held by Sir JOHN PUCKERING, against the 
 Martinists. 
 
 The REV. J. UDALL (who was, however, not a Martinist) ; Mrs. CRANE, 
 of Molesey, Rev. J. PENRY, Sir R. KNIGHTLEY, of Fawsley, near North- 
 ampton ; HUMPHREY NEWMAN, the London cobbler ; JOHN HALES, Esq., of 
 Coventry ; Mr. and Mrs. WEEKSTON, of Wolston : JOB THROCKMORTON, 
 Esq. ; HENRY SHARPE, bookbinder of Northampton, and the four printers. 
 
 (f) Miscellaneous Information. 
 
 (g) Who were the Writers who wrote tinder the name of MAR- 
 TIN MARPRELATE? 
 
 9. [Rev. John Udall, 
 
 Minister at Kingston on TIiames.\ 
 
 A DEMONSTRATION OF DISCIPLINE. 1588. 
 
 A Demonstration of the trueth of that discipline which 
 CHRISTE hath prescribed in his wordefor the gouernement of his 
 Church, in all times and places, vntil the ende of the worlde. 
 
 Printed with the secret Martinist press, at East Molesey, near Hampton 
 Court, in July, 1588 ; and secretly distributed with the Epitome in the 
 following November. 
 
 For this Work, UDALL lingered to death in prison. 
 
 It is perhaps the most complete argument, in our language, for Presby- 
 terian Puritanism, as it was then understood. Its author asserted for it, the 
 infallibility of a Divine Logic ; but two generations had not passed away, 
 before (under the teachings of Experience) much of this Church Polity had 
 been discarded.
 
 24 The English Scholar's Library. 
 10. Richard Stany hurst, 
 
 the Irish Historian. 
 Translation 0/" ^ENEID I. -IV. 1582. 
 
 Thet fi rst fovre Bookes of VIRGIL his ^neis translated intoo 
 English heroical [i.e., hexameter] verse by RICHARD STANY- 
 HURST, wyth oother Poetical diuises theretoo annexed. 
 
 Imprinted at Leiden in Holland by IOHN PATES, Anno 
 M.D.LXXXII. 
 
 This is one of the oddest and most grotesque books in the English 
 language ; and having been printed in Flanders, the original Edition is of 
 extrttne rarity. 
 
 The present text is, by the kindness of Lord ASHBURNHAM and S. 
 CHRISTIE-MILLER, Esq., reprinted from the only two copies known, neither 
 of which is quite perfect. 
 
 GABRIEL HARVEY desired to be epitaphed, The Inventor of tfie English 
 Hexameter; and STANYHURST, in imitating him, went further than any 
 one else in maltreating English words to suit the exigencies of Classical feet. 
 
 1 1 . Martin Marpr elate. 
 THE EPISTLE. 1588. 
 
 Oh read ouer D. JOHN BRIDGES, for it is a -worthy worke : 
 Or an epitome of the fyrste Booke of that right worshipfull vol- 
 ume, written against the Puritanes, in the defence of the noble 
 cleargie, by as worshipfull a prieste, JOHN BRIDGES, Presbyter, 
 Priest or Elder, doctor of Diuillitie, and Deane of Sarum. 
 
 The Epitome [p. 26] is not yet published, but it shall be, when 
 the Byshops are at convenient leysure to view the same. In the 
 meane time, let them be content with this learned Epistle. 
 
 Printed oversea, in Europe, within two furlongs of a Boun- 
 sing Priest, at the cost and charges of M. MARPRELATE, gentle- 
 man. 
 
 12. Robert Greene, M.A. 
 MENAPHON. 1589- 
 
 MENAPHON. CAMILLAS alarum to slumbering EUPHUES, 
 in his melancholie Cell at Silexedra. Wherein are deciphered 
 the variable effects of Fortune, the wonders of Lone, the triumphes 
 of inconstant Time. Displaying in sundrie conceipted passions 
 (figured in a continuate Historie) the Trophees that Vertue 
 carrieth triumphant, maugre the wrath of Enuie, or the resolu- 
 tion of Fortune. 
 
 One of GREENE'S novels with TOM NASH'S Preface, so important in refer- 
 ence to the earlier HAMLET, before SHAKESPEARE'S tragedy. 
 
 GREENE'S " love pamphlets" were the most popular Works of Fiction in 
 England, up to the appearance of Sir P. SIDNEY'S Arcadia, in 1590.
 
 The English Scholars Library. 25 
 13. George Joy, 
 
 an early Protestant Reformer. 
 
 AN APOLOGY TO TINDALE. 1535- 
 
 An Apologye made by GEORGE JOYE to satisfye (if it may be) 
 W. TINDALE : to pourge and defende himself ageinst so many 
 sclattnderottsc lyes faytied vpon him in TINDAL'S uncharitable 
 andunsober Pystle so well wort hye to be prefixed lot the Reader to 
 induce him into the iinderstanding of Ays new Testament dili- 
 gently corrected and printed in the yeare of our Lorde, 1534, in 
 Nouember [Antwerp, 27 Feb., 1535. 
 
 This almost lost book is our only authority in respect to the surreptitious 
 editions of the English New Testament, which were printed for the English 
 market with very many errors, by Antwerp printers who knew not English, 
 in the interval between TINDALE'S first editions in 1526, and his revised Text 
 (above referred to) in 1534. 
 
 14. Richard Barnfield. 
 
 c/Darlaston, Staffordshire. 
 
 POEMS. 1594-1598. 
 
 The affectionate Shepherd. Containing the Complaint of 
 DAPHNisyir the Loue of GANYMEDE. 
 
 In the following Work, BARNFIELD states that this is " an imitation of 
 Virgill, in the second Eglogue of Alexis" 
 
 CYNTHIA. With Certaine Sonnets, and the Legend of CAS- 
 SANDRA. 1595. 
 
 The Author thus concludes his Preface : " Thus, hoping you will beare 
 with my rude conceit of Cynthia (if for no other cause, yet, for that it is the 
 First Imitation of the verse of that excellent Poet, Maister Spencer, in his 
 Fayrie Queene), I leaue you to the reading of that, which I so much desire 
 may breed your delight. 
 
 The Encomion of Lady PECUNIA : or, The Praise of Money. 
 1598. 
 
 Two of the Poems in this Text have been wrongly attributed to SHAKE- 
 SPEARE. The disproof is given in the Introduction. 
 
 1 5. T[homas] C[ooper]. 
 
 [Bishop 0/WlNCHESTR.} 
 
 ADMONITION TO THE PEOPLE OF 
 ENGLAND. 
 
 An admonition to the people of England Wherein are an- 
 swered, not onley the slaunderous vntrttethes, reprochfully vttered 
 by MARTIN the Libeller, but also many other Crimes by some of 
 his broode, objected generally against all Bishops, and the chief e of 
 the Cleargie, purposely to deface and discredit the present state of 
 the Church. [Jan. 1589]. 
 
 This is the official reply on the part of the Hierarchy, to MARTIN MAR- 
 PRBLATE-s Epistle of [Nov.] 1508 : see No. n. on/. 24. 
 
 It was published between the appearance of the Epistle and that of the 
 Epitome.
 
 26 The English Scholar s Library. 
 
 1 6. Captain John Smith, 
 
 President of Virginia., and Admiral of New England. 
 
 WORKS. 1608-1631. zvols.i2s.6d. 
 A complete edition, with six facsimile plates. 
 Occasion was taken, in the preparation of this Edition, dispas- 
 sionately to test the Author's statements. The result is perfectly 
 satisfactory. The Lincolnshire Captain is to be implicitly believed 
 in all that he relates of his own personal knowledge. 
 The following are the chief Texts in this Volume : 
 (i.) A true Relation of Occurrences in Virginia. 1608. 
 (a. ) A Map of Virginia. 1612. 
 (3.) A Description of New England. 1616. 
 (4.) New England's Trials. 1620 and 1622. 
 (5.) The History of Virginia, New England, and Bermuda. 
 1624. 
 
 (6.) An Accidence for young Seamen. 1626. 
 (7.) His true Travels, Adventures, and Observations. 1630. 
 (8.) Advertisements for Planters in New England, or any- 
 where. 1631. 
 
 The first Three English Books on 
 America. [? I5ii]-i555. 
 
 This work is a perfect Encyclopedia respecting the earliest 
 Spanish and English Voyages to America. 
 
 Small Paper Edition, 456 pp., in One Volume, Demy 4/0, 
 ji is. 
 
 Large Paper Edition in One Volume, Royal ^to, 3 $s. 
 The Three Books are 
 
 (i.) Of the new landes, etc. Printed at Antwerp about isn. 
 This is the first English book in -which the word America [*'. t. 
 Armonica] occurs. 
 
 (2.) A Treatise of the new India, etc. Translated by 
 RICHARD EDEN from SEBASTIAN MUENSTER'S Cosmography: 
 and printed in 1553. The Second English Book on America. 
 
 (3. ) The Decades of the New World, etc., by PIETRO MARTIRE 
 [PETRUS MARTYR], translated by RICHARD EDEN, and printed in 
 1555. The Third English Book on America. SHAKESPKARE 
 obtained the character of CALIBAN from this Work. 
 
 A List of 837 London Publishers, 
 
 This Master Key to English Bibliography for the period also 
 gives the approximate period that each Publisher was in busi- 
 ness. 
 
 Demy 4/0, 32//., los. 6d. rut.
 
 2 7 
 Fcap. $to t Cloth, Gilt, ics. 6d. net. 
 
 THE ONLY KNOWN FRAGMENT OF 
 
 The First printed 
 English New Testament, in Quarto. 
 
 BY W. TINDALE AND W. ROY. 
 
 Sixty photo-lithographed pages y preceded by a critical PREFACE. 
 
 BRIEFLY told, the story of this profoundly interesting work is as 
 follows : 
 
 In 1524 TINDALE went from London to Hamburgh ; where 
 remaining for about a year, he journeyed on to Cologne ; and 
 there, assisted by WILLIAM ROY, subsequently the author of the 
 satire on WOLSEY, Rede me and be nott wrothe [see/. 19], he began 
 this first edition in 410, with glosses, of the English New Testament. 
 
 A virulent enemy of the Reformation, COCHLJEUS, at that time an 
 exile in Cologne, learnt, through giving wine to the printer's men, 
 that P. QUENTAL the printer had in hand a secret edition of three 
 thousand copies of the English New Testament. In great alarm, he 
 informed HERMAN RINCK, a Senator of the city, who moved the 
 Senate to stop the printing ; but CoCHL^EUS could neither obtain a 
 sight of the Translators, nor a sheet of the impression. 
 
 TINDALE and ROY fled with the printed sheets up the Rhine to 
 Worms ; and there completing this edition, produced also another 
 in 8vo, without glosses. Both editions were probably in England by 
 March, 1526. 
 
 Of the six thousand copies of which they together were com- 
 posed, there remain but this fragment of the First commenced 
 edition, in 410 ; and of the Second Edition, in 8vo, one complete 
 copy in the Library of the Baptist College at Bristol, and an 
 imperfect one in that of St Paul's Cathedral, London. 
 
 In the Preface, the original documents are given intact, in 
 connection with 
 
 Evidence connected with, the first Two Editions of the English 
 New Testament, viz., in Quarto and Octavo 
 I. WILLIAM TINDALE'S antecedent career. 
 II. The Printing at Cologne. 
 
 III. The Printing at Worms. 
 
 IV. WILLIAM ROY'S connection with these Editions. 
 V. The landing and distribution in England. 
 
 VI. The persecution in England. 
 
 Typographical and Literary Evidence connected with the present 
 Fragment 
 
 I, It was printed for TINDALE by PETER QUENTAL at 
 
 Cologne, before 1526. 
 II. It is not a portion of the separate Gospel of Matthew printed 
 
 previous to that year. 
 
 III. It is therefore certainly a fragment of the Quarto. 
 Is the Quarto a translation of LUTHER'S German Version f 
 Text. The prologge. Inner Marginal References. Outer 
 Marginal Glosses. 
 %* For a continuation of this Story see G. JOY'S Apology at /. 25.
 
 28 THE WAR LIBRARY. 
 
 Captain WILLIAM SIBORNE. 
 
 The Waterloo Campaign. 1815. 
 
 4th Ed. Crown 8vo. 832 pages. 13 Medallion Portraits of 
 Generals. 1 5 Maps and Plans. 
 
 Bound in Red Cloth, uncut edges. FIVE SHILLINGS, Net. 
 
 The Work is universally regarded to be the best general Account 
 in the English language of the Twenty Days' War : including the 
 Battles of Quatre Bras, Ligny, Waterloo, and Wavre ; and the 
 subsequent daring March on Paris. It is as fair to the French as 
 it is to the Allies. 
 
 WILLIAM BEATTY, M.D., Surgeon of H. M.S. Victory. 
 
 An Authentic Narrative of 
 
 the Death of Lord Nelson. 
 
 2ist October, 1805. 
 2nd Ed. Crown vo. 96 pages. Two Illustrations : 
 
 (i) Of Lord NELSON in the dress he wore when 
 he received his mortal wound. 
 
 (a) Of the Bullet that killed him. 
 
 Bound in Blue Cloth, uncut edges. HALF-A-CROWN, Net
 
 29 
 
 The Paston Letters. 
 1422-1509. 
 
 A NEW EDITION, containing upwards of 400 letters, 
 etc., hitherto unpublished. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 JAMES GAIRDNER, 
 
 Of the Public Record Office. 
 
 3 Voh. Fcap. Svo, Cloth extra, 15s. net. 
 
 " The Paston Letters are an important testimony to the progressive con- 
 dition of Society, and come in as a precious link in the chain of moral history 
 of England, which they alone in this period supply. They stand, indeed, 
 singly, as far as I know, in Europe ; for though it is highly probable that 
 in the archives of Italian families, if not in France or Germany, a series of 
 merely private letters equally ancient may be concealed ; I do not recollect 
 that any have been published. They are all written in the reigns of HENRY 
 VI. and EDWARD IV., except a few that extend as far as HENRY VII., by 
 different members of a wealthy and respectable, but not noble, family ; and 
 are, therefore, pictures of the life of the English gentry of that age." 
 HENRY HALLAM, Introduction to the Literature of Europe, i. 228, 
 Ed. 1837. 
 
 These Letters are the genuine correspondence of a family in Nor- 
 folk during the Wars of the Roses. As such, they are altogether 
 unique in character ; yet the language is not so antiquated as to 
 present any serious difficulty to the modern reader. The topics of 
 the letters relate partly to the private affairs of the family, and 
 partly to the stirring events of the time : and the correspondence 
 includes State papers, love letters, bailiffs accounts, sentimental 
 poems, jocular epistles, etc. 
 
 Besides the public news of the day, such as the Loss of Nor- 
 mandy by the English ; the indictment, and subsequent murder at 
 sea of the Duke of SUFFOLK ; and all the fluctuations of the great 
 struggle of YORK and LANCASTER ; we have the story of JOHN 
 PASTON'S first introduction to his wife ; incidental notices of severe 
 domestic discipline, in which his sister frequently had her head 
 broken ; letters from Dame ELIZABETH BREWS, a match-making 
 Mamma, who reminds the youngest JOHN PASTON that Friday is 
 "Saint Valentine's Day," and invites him to come and visit her 
 family from the Thursday evening till the Monday, etc., etc. 
 
 Every Letter has been exhaustively annotated ; and a Chrono- 
 logical Table, with most copious Indices, conclude the Work.
 
 THE "WHITEHALL EDITION" 
 
 OF THE WORKS OF 
 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. 
 
 Edited from the Original Texts by H. ARTHUR DOUBLEDAY, 
 
 with the assistance of T. GREGORY FOSTER and ROBERT ELSON. 
 
 In 12 volumes, imperial i6mo. 
 
 The special features to which the publishers would call atten- 
 tion are the TYPE, which is large enough to be read with com- 
 fort by all ; the NUMBERING of the LINES, for convenience of 
 reference ; the ARRANGEMENT of the PLAYS in chronological 
 order ; and the GLOSSARY which is given at the end of each 
 play. The text has been carefully edited from the original 
 editions, and follows as nearly as possible that of the Folio of 
 1623. A few notes recording the emendations of modern 
 Editors which have been adopted are printed at the end of each 
 play. 
 
 The volumes are handsomely bound in buckram and in cloth, 
 $j. per volume. Also in half-parchment, gilt top, 6s. per 
 volume. 
 
 SOME PRESS OPINIONS OF "THE WHITEHALL 
 SHAKESPEARE." 
 
 " The print is clear, the paper good, the margin sufficient, and the volume 
 not too cumbersome." Times. 
 
 "The text gives every evidence of being edited with care and scholarship. 
 . . . On the whole, The Whitehall Shakespeare promises to be one of 
 the most generally attractive among the many editions of the bard which 
 compete for public favour." Scotsman. 
 
 " The general effect is excellent ... it deserves a great success.' 1 
 National Observer. 
 
 " The Whitehall Shakespeare commends itself by its convenient form, 
 and its clear and handsome type, as well as by some special features, among; 
 which is the alphabetical index to all the characters in the plays in each 
 volume." Daily News. 
 
 " It combines, as far as possible, the requirements of a library and popular 
 edition." Literary World. 
 
 " There is certainly no edition of Shakespeare in the market which is 
 more prettily got up or better printed. . . . One of the best editions for 
 the general reader that have ever appeared in this country." Scottish 
 Leader. 
 
 " Paper, print, and binding leave little to be desired." Standard. 
 
 WESTMINSTER: ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO., 
 14, PARLIAMENT STREET. 
 

 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
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