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, 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 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