will except) more noble or more necessary to the actiue life then memory:
because it maketh most to a sound iudgement and perfect worldly wisedome,
examining and comparing the times past with the present, and by them both
considering the time to come, concludeth with a stedfast resolution, what
is the best course to be taken in all his actions and aduices in this
world: it came vpon this reason, experience to be so highly commended in
all consultations of importance, and preferred before any learning or
science, and yet experience is no more than a masse of memories assembled,
that is, such trials as man hath made in time before. Right so no kinde of
argument in all the Oratorie craft, doth better perswade and more
vniuersally satisfie then example, which is but the representation of old
memories, and like successes happened in times past. For these regards the
Poesie historicall is of all other next the diuine most honorable and
worthy, as well for the common benefit as for the speciall comfort euery
man receiueth by it. No one thing in the world with more delectation
reuiuing our spirits then to behold as it were in a glasse the liuely
image of our deare forefathers, their noble and vertuous maner of life,
with other things autentike, which because we are not able otherwise to
attaine to the knowledge of by any of our sences, we apprehend them by
memory, whereas the present time and things so swiftly passe away, as they
giue vs no leasure almost to looke into them, and much lesse to know &
consider of them throughly. The things future, being also euents very
vncertaine, and such as can not possibly be knowne because they be not
yet, can not be vsed for example nor for delight otherwise then by hope.
Though many promise the contrary, by vaine and deceitfull arts taking vpon
them to reueale the truth of accidents to come, which if it were so as
they surmise, are yet but sciences meerely coniecturall, and not of any
benefit to man or to the common wealth, where they be vsed or professed.
Therefore the good and exemplary things and actions of the former ages,
were reserued only to the historicall reportes of wise and graue men:
those of the present time left to the fruition and iudgement of our
sences: the future as hazards and incertaine euentes vtterly neglected and
layd aside for Magicians and mockers to get their liuings by: such manner
of men as by negligence of Magistrates and remisses of lawes euery
countrie breedeth great store of. These historical men neuerthelesse vsed
not the matter so precisely to wish that al they wrote should be accounted
true, for that was not needefull nor expedient to the purpose, namely to
be vsed either for example or for pleasure: considering that many times it
is seene a fained matter or altogether fabulous, besides that it maketh
more mirth than any other, works no lesse good conclusions for example
then the most true and veritable: but often times more, because the Poet
hath the handling of them to fashion at his pleasure, but not so of
th'other which must go according to their veritie & none otherwise without
the writers great blame. Againe as ye know mo and more excellent examples
may be fained in one day by a good wit, then many ages through mans
frailtie are able to put in vse, which made the learned and wittie men of
those times to deuise many historicall matters of no veritie at all, but
with purpose to do good and no hurt, as vsing them for a maner of
discipline and president of commendable life. Such was the common wealth
of _Plato_, and Sir _Thomas Moores Vtopia_, resting all in deuise, but
neuer put in execution, and easier to be wished then to be performed. And
you shall perceiue that histories were of three sortes, wholly true and
wholly false, and a third holding part of either, but for honest
recreation, and good example they were all of them. And this may be
apparent to vs not onely by the Poeticall histories, but also by those
that be written in prose: for as _Homer_ wrate a fabulous or mixt report
of the siege of Troy, and another of _Ulisses_ errors or wandrings, so did
_Museus_ compile a true treatise of the life & loues of _Leander_ and
_Hero_, both of them _Heroick_, and to none ill edification. Also as
_Theucidides_ wrate a worthy and veritable historie, of the warres betwixt
the _Athenians_ and the _Peloponeses_: so did _Zenophon_, a most graue
Philosopher, and well trained courtier and counsellour make another (but
fained and vntrue) of the childhood of _Cyrus_ king of _Persia_,
neuertheles both to one effect, that is for example and good information
of the posteritie. Now because the actions of meane & base personages,
tend in very few cases to any great good example: for who passeth to
follow the steps, and maner of life of a craftes man, shepheard or sailer,
though he were his father or dearest frend? yea how almost is it possible
that such maner of men should be of any vertue other then their profession
requireth? Therefore was nothing committed to historie, but matters of
great and excellent persons & things that the same by irritation of good
courages (such as emulation causeth) might worke more effectually, which
occasioned the story writer to chuse an higher stile fit for his subiect,
the Prosaicke in prose, the Poet in meetre, and the Poets was by verse
exameter for his grauitie and statelinesse most allowable: neither would
they intermingle him with any other shorter measure, vnlesse it were in
matters of such qualitie, as became best to be song with the voyce, and to
some musicall instrument, as were with the Greeks, all your Hymnes &
_Encomia_ of _Pindarus_ & _Callimachus_, not very histories but a maner of
historicall reportes in which cases they made those poemes in variable
measures, & coupled a short verse with a long to serue that purpose the
better, and we our selues who compiled this treatise haue written for
pleasure a litle brief _Romance_ or historicall ditty in the English tong
of the Isle of great _Britaine_ in short and long meetres, and by breaches
or diuisions to be more commodiously song to the harpe in places of
assembly, where the company shalbe desirous to heare of old aduentures &
valiaunces of noble knights in times past, as are those of king _Arthur_
and his knights of the round table, Sir _Beuys_ of _Southampton_, _Guy_ of
_Warwicke_ and others like. Such as haue not premonition hereof, and
consideration of the causes alledged, would peraduenture reproue and
disgrace euery _Romance_, or short historicall ditty for that they be not
written in long meeters or verses _Alexandrins_, according to the nature &
stile of large histories, wherin they should do wrong for they be sundry
formes of poems and not all one.
_CHAP. XX._
_In what forme of Poesie vertue in the inferiour sort was commended._
In euerie degree and sort of men vertue is commendable, but not egally:
not onely because mens estates are vnegall, but for that also vertue it
selfe is not in euery respect of egall value and estimation. For
continence in a king is of greater merit, than in a carter, th'one hauing
all opportunities to allure him to lusts, and abilitie to serue his
appetites, th'other partly, for the basenesse of his estate wanting such
meanes and occasions, partly by dread of lawes more inhibited, and not so
vehemently caried away with vnbridled affections, and therefore deserue
not in th'one and th'other like praise nor equall reward, by the very
ordinarie course of distributiue iustice. Euen so parsimonie and
illiberalitie are greater vices in a Prince then in a priuate person, and
pusillanimitie and iniustice likewise: for to th'one, fortune hath
supplied inough to maintaine them in the contrarie vertues, I meane,
fortitude, iustice, liberalitie, and magnanimitie: the Prince hauing all
plentie to vse largesse by, and no want or neede to driue him to do wrong.
Also all the aides that may be to lift vp his courage, and to make him
stout and fearelesse (_augent animos fortunae_) saith the _Mimist_, and
very truly, for nothing pulleth downe a mans heart so much as aduersitie
and lacke. Againe in a meane man prodigalitie and pride are faultes more
reprehensible then in Princes, whose high estates do require in their
countenance, speech & expense, a certaine extraordinary, and their
functions enforce them sometime to exceede the limites of mediocritie not
excusable in a priuat person, whose manner of life and calling hath no
such exigence. Besides the good and bad of Princes is more exemplarie, and
thereby of greater moment then the priuate persons. Therefore it is that
the inferiour persons, with their inferiour vertues haue a certaine
inferiour praise, to guerdon their good with, & to comfort them to
continue a laudable course in the modest and honest life and behauiour.
But this lyeth not in written laudes so much as in ordinary reward and
commendation to be giuen them by the mouth of the superiour magistrate.
For histories were not intended to so generall and base a purpose, albeit
many a meane souldier & other obscure persons were spoken of and made
famous in stories, as we finde of _Irus_ the begger, and _Thersites_ the
glorious noddie, whom _Homer_ maketh mention of. But that happened (& so
did many like memories of meane men) by reason of some greater personage
or matter that it was long of, which therefore could not be an vniuersall
case nor chaunce to euery other good and vertuous person of the meaner
sort. Wherefore the Poet in praising the maner of life or death of anie
meane person, did it by some litle dittie or Epigram or Epitaph in fewe
verses & meane stile conformable to his subiect. So haue you how the
immortall gods were praised by hymnes, the great Princes and heroicke
personages by ballades of praise called _Encomia_, both of them by
historicall reports of great grauitie and maiestie, the inferiour persons
by other slight poemes.
_CHAP. XXI._
_The forme wherein honest and profitable Artes and sciences were treated._
The profitable sciences were no lesse meete to be imported to the greater
number of ciuill men for instruction of the people and increase of
knowledge, then to be reserued and kept for clerkes and great men onely.
So as next vnto the things historicall such doctrines and arts as the
common wealth fared the better by, were esteemed and allowed. And the same
were treated by Poets in verse _Exameter_ fauouring the _Heroicall_, and
for the grauitie and comelinesse of the meetre most vsed with the Greekes
and Latines to sad purposes. Such were the Philosophicall works of
_Lucretius Carus_ among the Romaines, the Astronomicall of _Aratus_ and
_Manilius_, one Greeke th'other Latine, the Medicinall of _Nicander_, and
that of _Oprianus_ of hunting and fishes, and many moe that were too long
to recite in this place.
_CHAP. XXII._
_In what forme of Poesie the amorous affections and allurements were
vttered._
The first founder of all good affections is honest loue, as the mother of
all the vicious is hatred. It was not therefore without reason that so
commendable, yea honourable a thing as loue well meant, were it in
Princely estate or priuate, might in all ciuil common wealths be vttered
in good forme and order as other laudable things are. And because loue is
of all other humane affections the most puissant and passionate, and most
generall to all sortes and ages of men and women, so as whether it be of
the yong or old or wise or holy, or high estate or low, none euer could
truly bragge of any exemption in that case: it requireth a forme of Poesie
variable, inconstant, affected, curious and most witty of any others,
whereof the ioyes were to be vttered in one sorte, the sorrowes in an
other, and by the many formes of Poesie, the many moodes and pangs of
louers, throughly to be discouered: the poore soules sometimes praying,
beseeching, sometime honouring, auancing, praising: an other while
railing, reuiling, and cursing: then sorrowing, weeping, lamenting: in the
ende laughing, reioysing & solacing the beloued againe, with a thousand
delicate deuises, odes, songs, elegies, ballads, sonets and other ditties,
moouing one way and another to great compassion.
_CHAP. XXIII._
_The forme of Poeticall reioysings._
Pleasure is the chiefe parte of mans felicity in this world, and also (as
our Theologians say) in the world to come. Therefore while we may (yea
alwaies if it could be) to reioyce and take our pleasures in vertuous and
honest sort, it is not only allowable, but also necessary and very
naturall to man. And many be the ioyes and consolations of the hart: but
none greater, than such as he may vtter and discouer by some conuenient
meanes: euen as to suppresse and hide a mans mirth, and not to haue
therein a partaker, or at least wise a witnes, is no little griefe and
infelicity. Therfore nature and ciuility haue ordained (besides the
priuate solaces) publike reioisings for the comfort and recreation of
many. And they be of diuerse sorts and vpon diuerse occasions growne: one
& the chiefe was for the publike peace of a countrie the greatest of any
other ciuill good. And wherein your Maiestie (my most gracious Soueraigne)
haue shewed your selfe to all the world for this one and thirty yeares
space of your glorious raigne, aboue all other Princes of Christendome,
not onely fortunate, but also most sufficient vertuous and worthy of
Empire. An other is for iust & honourable victory atchieued against the
forraine enemy. A third at solemne feasts and pompes of coronations and
enstallments of honourable orders. An other for iollity at weddings and
marriages. An other at the births of Princes children. An other for
priuate entertainements in Court, or other secret disports in chamber, and
such solitary places. And as these reioysings tend to diuers effects, so
do they also carry diuerse formes and nominations: for those of victorie
and peace are called _Triumphall_, whereof we our selues haue heretofore
giuen some example by our _Triumphals_ written in honour of her Maiesties
long peace. And they were vsed by the auncients in like manner, as we do
our generall processions or Letanies with bankets and bonefires and all
manner of ioyes. Those that were to honour the persons of great Princes or
to solemnise the pompe of any installment were called _Encomia_, we may
call them carols of honour. Those to celebrate marriages were called songs
nuptiall or _Epithalamies_, but in a certaine misticall sense as shall be
said hereafter. Others for magnificence at the natiuities of Princes
children, or by custome vsed yearely vpon the same dayes, are called songs
natall or _Genethliaca_. Others for secret recreation and pastime in
chambers with company or alone were the ordinary Musickes amorous, such as
might be song with voice or to the Lute, Citheron or Harpe, or daunced by
measures as the Italian Pauan and galliard are at these daies in Princes
Courts and other places of honourable of ciuill assembly, and of all these
we will speake in order and very briefly.
_CHAP. XXIIII._
_The forme of Poeticall lamentations_.
Lamenting is altogether contrary to reioising, euery man saith so, and yet
is it a peece of ioy to be able to lament with ease, and freely to poure
forth a mans inward sorrowes and the greefs wherewith his minde is
surcharged. This was a very necessary deuise of the Poet and a fine,
besides his poetrie to play also the Phisitian, and not onely by applying
a medicine to the ordinary sicknes of mankind, but by making the very
greef it selfe (in part) cure of the disease. Nowe are the causes of mans
sorrowes many: the death of his parents, friends, allies, and children:
(though many of the barbarous nations do reioyce at their burials and
sorrow at their birthes) the ouerthrowes and discomforts in battell, the
subuersions of townes and cities, the desolations of countreis, the losse
of goods and worldly promotions, honour and good renowne: finally the
trauails and torments of loue forlorne or ill bestowed, either by
disgrace, deniall, delay, and twenty other wayes, that well experienced
louers could recite. Such of these greefs as might be refrained or holpen
by wisedome, and the parties owne good endeuour, the Poet gaue none order
to sorrow them: for first as to the good renowne it is lost, for the more
part by some default of the owner, and may be by his well doings recouered
againe. And if it be vniustly taken away, as by vntrue and famous libels,
the offenders recantation may suffise for his amends: so did the Poet
_Stesichorus_, as it is written of him in his _Pallinodie_ vpon the
dispraise of _Helena_, and recouered his eye sight. Also for worldly goods
they come and go, as things not long proprietary to any body, and are not
yet subiect vnto fortunes dominion so, but that we our selues are in great
part accessarie to our own losses and hinderaunces, by ouersight &
misguiding of our selues and our things, therefore why should we bewaile
our such voluntary detriment? But death the irrecouerable losse, death the
dolefull departure of frendes, that can neuer be recontinued by any other
meeting or new acquaintance. Besides our vncertaintie and suspition of
their estates and welfare in the places of their new abode, seemeth to
carry a reasonable pretext of iust sorrow. Likewise the great ouerthrowes
in battell and desolations of countreys by warres, aswell for the losse of
many liues and much libertie as for that it toucheth the whole state, and
euery priuate man hath his portion in the damage: Finally for loue, there
is no frailtie in flesh and bloud so excusable as it, no comfort or
discomfort greater then the good and bad successe thereof, nothing more
naturall to man, nothing of more force to vanquish his will and to inuegle
his iudgement. Therefore of death and burials, of th'aduersities by
warres, and of true loue lost or ill bestowed, are th'onely sorrowes that
the noble Poets sought by their arte to remoue or appease, not with any
medicament of a contrary temper, as the _Galenistes_ vse to cure
[_contraria contrarijs_] but as the _Paracelsians_, who cure [_similia
similibus_] making one dolour to expell another, and in this case, one
short sorrowing the remedie of a long and grieuous sorrow. And the
lamenting of deathes was chiefly at the very burialls of the dead, also at
monethes mindes and longer times, by custome continued yearely, when as
they vsed many offices of seruice and loue towards the dead, and thereupon
are called _Obsequies_ in our vulgare, which was done not onely by
cladding the mourners their friendes and seruauntes in blacke vestures, of
shape dolefull and sad, but also by wofull countenaunces and voyces, and
besides by Poeticall mournings in verse. Such funerall songs were called
_Epicedia_ if they were song by many, and _Monodia_ if they were vttered
by one alone, and this was vsed at the enterment of Princes and others of
great accompt, and it was reckoned a great ciuilitie to vse such
ceremonies, as at this day is also in some countrey vsed. In Rome they
accustomed to make orations funeral and commendatorie of the dead parties
in the publique place called _Procostris_: and our _Theologians_, in stead
thereof vse to make sermons, both teaching the people some good learning,
and also saying well of the departed. Those songs of the dolorous
discomfits in battaile, and other desolations in warre, or of townes
saccaged and subuerted, were song by the remnant of the army ouerthrowen,
with great skrikings and outcries, holding the wrong end of their weapon
vpwards in signe of sorrow and dispaire. The cities also made generall
mournings & offred sacrifices with Poeticall songs to appease the wrath of
the martiall gods & goddesses. The third sorrowing was of loues, by long
lamentation in _Elegie_: so was their song called, and it was in a pitious
maner of meetre, placing a limping _Pentameter_, after a lusty _Exameter_,
which made it go dolourously more then any other meeter.
_CHAP. XXV._
_Of the solemne reioysings at the natiuitie of Princes children._
To returne from sorrow to reioysing it is a very good hap and no vnwise
part for him that can do it, I say therefore, that the comfort of issue
and procreation of children is so naturall and so great, not onely to all
men but specially to Princes, as duetie and ciuilitie haue made it a
common custome to reioyse at the birth of their noble children, and to
keepe those dayes hallowed and festiuall for euer once in the yeare,
during the parentes or childrens liues: and that by publique order &
consent. Of which reioysings and mirthes the Poet ministred the first
occasion honorable, by presenting of ioyfull songs and ballades, praysing
the parentes by proofe, the child by hope, the whole kinred by report, &
the day it selfe with wishes of all good successe, long life, health &
prosperitie for euer to the new borne. These poems were called in Greeke
_Genethaca_, with vs they may be called natall or birth songs.
_CHAP. XXVI._
_The maner of reioysings at mariages and weddings._