greater ought to be that which is occasion of children, that is honorable
matrimonie, a loue by al lawes allowed, not mutable nor encombred with
such vaine cares & passions, as that other loue, whereof there is no
assurance, but loose and fickle affection occasioned for the most part by
sodaine sights and acquaintance of no long triall or experience, nor vpon
any other good ground wherein any suretie may be conceiued: wherefore the
Ciuill Poet could do no lesse in conscience and credit, then as he had
before done to the ballade of birth: now with much better deuotion to
celebrate by his poeme the chearefull day of mariages aswell Princely as
others, for that hath alwayes bene accompted with euery countrey and
nation of neuer so barbarous people, the highest & holiest, of any
ceremonie apperteining to man: a match forsooth made for euer and not for
a day, a solace prouided for youth, a comfort for age, a knot of alliance
& amitie indissoluble: great reioysing was therefore due to such a matter
and to so gladsome a time. This was done in ballade wise as the natall
song, and was song very sweetely by Musitians at the chamber dore of the
Bridegroome and Bride at such times as shalbe hereafter declared and they
were called _Epithalamies_ as much to say as ballades at the bedding of
the bride: for such as were song at the borde at dinner or supper were
other Musickes and not properly _Epithalamies_. Here, if I shall say that
which apperteineth to th'arte, and disclose the misterie of the whole
matter, I must and doe with all humble reuerence bespeake pardon of the
chaste and honorable eares, least I should either offend them with
licentious speach, or leaue them ignorant of the ancient guise in old
times vsed at weddings (in my simple opinion) nothing reproueable. This
_Epithalamie_ was deuided by breaches into three partes to serue for three
seuerall fits or times to be song. The first breach was song at the first
parte of the night when the spouse and her husband were brought to their
bed & at the very chamber dore, where in a large vtter roome vsed to be
(besides the musitiens) good store of ladies or gentlewomen of their
kinsefolkes, & others who came to honor the mariage, & the tunes of the
songs were very loude and shrill, to the intent there might no noise be
hard out of the bed chamber by the skreeking & outcry of the young
damosell feeling the first forces of her stiffe & rigorous young man, she
being as all virgins tender & weake, & vnexpert in those maner of
affaires. For which purpose also they vsed by old nurses (appointed to
that seruice) to suppresse the noise by casting of pottes full of nuttes
round about the chamber vpon the hard floore or pauement, for they vsed no
mattes nor rushes as we doe now. So as the Ladies and gentlewomen should
haue their eares so occupied what with Musicke, and what with their handes
wantonly scambling and catching after the nuttes, that they could not
intend to harken after any other thing. This was as I said to diminish the
noise of the laughing lamenting spouse. The tenour of that part of the
song was to congratulate the first acquaintance and meeting of the young
couple, allowing of their parents good discretions in making the match,
then afterward to sound cheerfully to the onset and first encounters of
that amorous battaile, to declare the comfort of children, & encrease of
loue by that meane chiefly caused: the bride shewing her self euery waies
well disposed and still supplying occasions of new lustes and loue to her
husband, by her obedience and amorous embracings and all other
allurementes. About midnight or one of the clocke, the Musicians came
again to the chamber dore (all the Ladies and other women as they were of
degree, hauing taken their leaue, and being gone to their rest.) This part
of the ballade was to refresh the faint and weried bodies and spirits, and
to animate new appetites with cherefull wordes, encoraging them to the
recontinuance of the same entertainments, praising and commending (by
supposall) the good conformities of them both, & their desire one to
vanquish the other by such friendly conflictes: alledging that the first
embracements neuer bred barnes, by reason of their ouermuch affection and
heate, but onely made passage for children and enforced greater liking to
the late made match. That the second assaultes, were less rigorous, but
more vigorous and apt to auance the purpose of procreation, that therefore
they should persist in all good appetite with an inuincible courage to the
end. This was the second part of the _Epithalamie_. In the morning when it
was faire broad day, & that by liklyhood all tournes were sufficiently
serued, the last actes of the enterlude being ended, & that the bride must
within few hours arise and apparrell her selfe, no more as a virgine, but
as a wife, and about dinner time must by order come forth _Sicut sponsa de
thalamo_, very demurely and stately to be sene and acknowledged of her
parents and kinsfolkes whether she were the same woman or a changeling, or
dead or aliue, or maimed by any accident nocturnall. The same Musicians
came againe with this last part, and greeted them both with a Psalme of
new applausions, for that they had either of them so well behaued them
selues that night, the husband to rob his spouse of her maidenhead and
saue her life, the bride so lustely to satisfie her husbandes loue and
scape with so litle daunger of her person, for which good chaunce that
they should make a louely truce and abstinence of that warre till next
night sealing the placard of that louely league, with twentie maner of
sweet kisses, then by good admonitions enformed them to the frugall &
thriftie life all the rest of their dayes. The good man getting and
bringing home, the wife sauing that which her husband should get,
therewith to be the better able to keepe good hospitalitie, according to
their estates, and to bring vp their children, (if God sent any)
vertuously, and the better by their owne good example. Finally to perseuer
all the rest of their life in true and inuiolable wedlocke. This ceremony
was omitted when men maried widowes or such as had tasted the frutes of
loue before, (we call them well experienced young women) in whom there was
no feare of daunger to their persons, or of any outcry at all, at the time
of those terrible approches. Thus much touching the vsage of _Epithalamie_
or bedding ballad of the ancient times, in which if there were any wanton
or lasciuious matter more then ordinarie which they called _Ficenina
licentia_ it was borne withal for that time because of the matter no lesse
requiring. _Catullus_ hath made of them one or two very artificiall and
ciuil: but none more excellent then of late yeares a young noble man of
Germanie as I take it _Iohannes secundus_ who in that and in his poeme _De
basis_, passeth any of the auncient or moderne Poetes in my iudgment.
_CHAP. XXVII._
_The manner of Poesie by which they uttered their bitter taunts, and priuy
nips, or witty scoffes and other merry conceits._
Bvt all the world could not keepe, nor any ciuill ordinance to the
contrary so preuaile, but that men would and must needs vtter their
splenes in all ordinarie matters also: or else it seemed their bowels
would burst, therefore the poet deuised a prety fashioned poeme short and
sweete (as we are wont to say) and called it _Epigramma_ in which euery
mery conceited man might without any long studie or tedious ambage, make
his frend sport, and anger his foe, and giue a prettie nip, or shew a
sharpe conceit in few verses: for this _Epigramme_ is but an inscription
or writting made as it were vpon a table, or in a windowe, or vpon the
wall or mantel of a chimney in some place of common resort, where it was
allowed euery man might come, or be sitting to chat and prate, as now in
our tauernes and common tabling houses, where many merry heades meete, and
scrible with ynke with chalke, or with a cole such matters as they would
euery man should know, & descant vpon. Afterward the same came to be put
in paper and in bookes, and vsed as ordinarie missiues, some of frendship,
some of defiaunce, or as other messages of mirth: _Martiall_ was the
cheife of this skil among the Latines, & at ahese days the best Epigrames
we finde, & of the sharpest conceit are those that haue bene gathered
among the reliques of the two muet _Satyres_ in Rome, _Pasquill_ and
_Marphorir_, which in time of _Sede vacante_, when merry conceited men
listed to gibe & iest at the dead Pope, or any of his Cardinales, they
fastened them vpon those Images which now lie in the open streets, and
were tollerated, but after that terme expired they were inhibited againe.
These inscriptions or Epigrammes at their beginning had no certaine author
that would auouch them, some for feare of blame, if they were ouer saucy
or sharpe, others for modestie of the writer as was that _disticke_ of
_Virgil_ which he set vpon the pallace gate of the emperour _Augustus_,
which I will recite for the breifnes and quicknes of it, & also for
another euente that fell out vpon the matter worthy to be remembred. These
were the verses.
_Nocte pluit tota, redeunt spectacula mane
Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesar habet._
Which I haue thus Englished,
_It raines all night, early the shewes returne
God and Caesar, do raigne and rule by turne._
As much to say, God sheweth his power by the night raines. Caesar his
magnificence by the pompes of the day.
These two verses were very well liked, and brought to th'Emperours
Maiestie, who tooke great pleasure in them, & willed the author should be
knowen. A sausie courtier profered him selfe to be the man, and had a good
reward giuen him: for the Emperour him self was not only learned, but of
much munificence toward all learned men: whereupon _Virgill_ seing him
self by his ouermuch modestie defrauded of the reward, that an impudent
had gotten by abuse of his merit, came the next night, and fastened vpon
the same place this halfe metre, foure times iterated. Thus.
_Sic vos non vobis
Sic vos non vobis
Sic vos non vobis
Sic vos non vobis_
And there it remained a great while because no man wist what it meant,
till _Virgill_ opened the whole fraude by this deuise. He wrote aboue the
same halfe metres this whole verse _Exameter_.
_Hos ego versiculos feci tulit alter honores._
And then finished the foure half metres, thus.
_Sic vos non vobis Fertis aratra boues
Sic vos non vobis Vellera fertis oues
Sic vos non vobis Mellificatis apes
Sic vos non vobis Indificatis aues._
And put to his name _Publius Virgilius Maro_. This matter came by and by
to Th'emperours eare, who taking great pleasure in the deuise called for
_Virgill_, and gaue him not onely a present reward, with a good allowance
of dyet a bonche in court as we vse to call it: but also held him for euer
after vpon larger triall he had made of his learning and vertue in so
great reputation, as he vouchsafed to giue him the name of a frend
(_amicus_) which among the Romanes was so great an honour and speciall
fauour, as all such persons were allowed to the Emperours table, or to the
Senatours who had receiued them (as frendes) and they were the only men
that came ordinarily to their boords, & solaced with them in their
chambers, and gardins when none other could be admitted.
_CHAP. XXVIII._
_Of the poeme called Epitaph used for memoriall of the dead._
An Epitaph is but a kind of Epigram only applied to the report of the dead
persons estate and degree, or of his other good or bad partes, to his
commendation or reproch: and is an inscription such as a man may
commodiously write or engraue vpon a tombe in few verses, pithie, quicke
and sententious for the passer by to peruse, and iudge vpon without any
long tariaunce: So as if it exceede the measure of an Epigram, it is then
(if the verse be correspondent) rather an Elegie then an Epitaph which
errour many of these bastard rimers commit, because they be not learned,
nor (as we are wont to say) their catftes masters, for they make long and
tedious discourses, and write them in large tables to be hanged vp in
Churches and chauncells ouer the tombes of great men and others, which be
so exceeding long as one must haue halfe a dayes leasure to reade one of
them, & must be called away before he come halfe to the end, or else be
locked into the Church by the Sexten as I my selfe was once serued reading
an Epitaph in a certain cathedrall Church of England. They be ignorant of
poesie that call such long tales by the name of Epitaphes, they might
better call them Elegies, as I said before, and then ought neither to be
engrauen nor hanged vp in tables. I haue seene them neuertheles vpon many
honorable tombes of these late times erected, which doe rather disgrace
then honour either the matter or maker.
_CHAP. XXIX._
_A certaine auncient forme of poesie by which men did vse to reproch their
enemies_.
As frendes be a rich a ioyfull possession, so be foes a continuall torment
and canker to the minde of man, and yet there is no possible meane to
auoide this inconuenience, for the best of vs all, & he that thinketh he
liues most blamelesse, liues not without enemies, that enuy him for his
good parts, or hate him for his euill. There be wise men, and of them the
great learned man _Plutarch_ that tooke vpon them to perswade the benefite
that men receiue by their enemies, which though it may be true in manner
of _Paradoxe_, yet I finde mans frailtie to be naturally such, and always
hath beene, that he cannot conceiue it in his owne case, nor shew that
patience and moderation in such greifs, as becommeth the man perfite and
accomplisht in all vertue: but either in deede or by word, he will seeke
reuenge against them that malice him, or practise his harmes, specially
such foes as oppose themselues to a mans loues. This made the auncient
Poetes to inuent a meane to rid the gall of all such Vindicatiue men: so
as they might be a wrecked of their wrong, & neuer bely their enemie with
slaunderous vntruthes. And this was done by a maner of imprecation, or as
we call it by cursing and banning of the parties, and wishing all euill to
a light vpon them, and though it neuer the sooner happened, yet was it
great easment to the boiling stomacke: They were called _Dirae_, such as
_Virgill_ made aginst _Battarus_, and _Ouide_ against _Ibis_: we
Christians are forbidden to vse such vncharitable fashions, and willed to
referre all our reuenges to God alone.
_CHAP. XXX._
_Of short Epigrames called Posies._
There be also other like Epigrammes that were sent vsually for new yeares
giftes or to be Printed or put vpon their banketting dishes of suger
plate, or of march paines, & such other dainty meates as by the curtesie &
custome euery gest might carry from a common feast home with him to his
owne house, & were made for the nonce, they were called _Nenia_ or
_apophoreta_, and neuer contained aboue one verse, or two at the most, but
the shorter the better, we call them Posies, and do paint them now a dayes
vpon the backe sides of our fruite trenchers of wood, or vse them as
deuises in rings and armes and about such courtly purposes. So haue we
remembred and set forth to your Maiestie very briefly, all the commended
fourmes of the auncient Poesie, which we in our vulgare makings do imitate
and vse vnder these common names: enterlude, song, ballade, carroll and
ditty: borrowing them also from the French al sauing this word (song)
which is our naturall Saxon English word. The rest, such as time and
vsurpation by custome haue allowed vs out of the primitiue Greeke &
Latine, as Comedie, Tragedie, Ode, Epitaphe, Elegie, Epigramme, and other
moe. And we haue purposely omitted all nice or scholasticall curiosities
not meete for your Maiesties contemplation in this our vulgare arte, and
what we haue written of the auncient formes of Poemes, we haue taken from
the best clerks writing in the same arte. The part that next followeth to
wit of proportion, because the Greeks nor Latines neuer had it in vse, nor
made any obseruation, no more then we doe of their feete, we may truly
affirme, to haue bene the first deuisers thereof our selues, as [Greek:
autodidaktoi], and not to haue borrowed it of any other by learning or
imitation, and thereby trusting to be holden the more excusable if any
thing in this our labours happen either to mislike, or to come short of
th'authors purpose, because commonly the first attempt in any arte or
engine artificiall is amendable, & in time by often experiences reformed.
And so no doubt may this deuise of ours be, by others that shall take the
penne in hand after vs.
_CHAP. XXXI._
_Who in any age haue bene the most commended writers in our English
Poesie, and the Authors censure giuen upon them._
It appeareth by sundry records of bookes both printed & written, that many
of our countreymen haue painfully trauelled in this part: of whose works
some appeare to be but bare translations, other some matters of their owne
inuention and very commendable, whereof some recitall shall be made in
this place, to th'intent chiefly that their names should not be defrauded
of such honour as seemeth due to them for hauing by their thankefull
studies so much beautified our English tong (as at this day) it will be
found our nation is in nothing inferiour to the French or Italian for
copie of language, subtiltie of deuice, good method and proportion in any
forme of poeme, but that they may compare with the most, and perchance
passe a great many of them. And I will not reach aboue the time of king
_Edward_ the third, and _Richard_ the second for any that wrote in English
meeter: because before their times by reason of the late Normane conquest,
which had brought into this Realme much alteration both of our langage and
lawes, and there withall a certain martiall barbarousnes, whereby the
study of all good learning was so much decayd, as long time after no man
or very few entended to write in any laudable science: so as beyond that
time there is litle or nothing worth commendation to be founde written in
this arte. And those of the first age were _Chaucer_ and _Gower_ both of
them as I suppose Knightes. After whom followed _Iohn Lydgate_ the monke
of Bury, & that nameles, who wrote the _Satyre_ called Piers Plowman, next
him followed _Harding_ the Chronicler, then in king _Henry_ th'eight times
_Skelton_, (I wot not for what great worthines) surnamed the Poet
_Laureat_. In the latter end of the same kings raigne sprong vp a new
company of courtly makers, of whom Sir _Thomas Wyat_ th'elder & _Henry_
Earle of Surrey were the two chieftaines, who hauing trauailed into
Italie, and there tasted the sweete and stately measures and stile of the
Italian Poesie as nouices newly crept out of the schooles of _Dante
Arioste_ and _Petrarch_, they greatly pollished our rude & homely maner of
vulgar Poesie, from that it had bene before, and for that cause may iustly
be sayd the first reformers of our English meetre and stile. In the same
time or not long after was the Lord _Nicholas Vaux_, a man of much
facilitie in vulgar makings. Afterward in king _Edward_ the sixths time
came to be in reputation for the same facultie _Thomas Sternehold_, who
first translated into English certaine Psalmes of Dauid, and _Iohn
Hoywood_ the Epigrammatist who for the myrth and quicknesse of his
conceits more then for any good learning was in him came to be well
benefited by the king. But the principall man in this profession at the
same time was Maister _Edward Ferrys_ a man of no lesse mirth & felicitie
that way, but of much more skil, & magnificence in this meeter, and
therefore wrate for the most part to the stage, in Tragedie and sometimes
in Comedie or Enterlude, wherein he gaue the king so much good recreation,
as he had thereby many good rewardes. In Queenes _Maries_ time florished
aboue any other Doctour _Phaer_ one that was well learned & excellently
well translated into English verse Heroicall certaine bookes of _Virgils
Aeneidos_. Since him followed Maister _Arthure Golding_, who with no lesse
commendation turned into English meetre the Metamorphosis of _Ouide_, and
that other Doctour, who made the supplement to those bookes of _Virgils
Aeneidos_, which Maister _Phaer_ left vndone. And in her Maiesties time
that now is are sprong vp an other crew of Courtly makers Noble men and
Gentlemen of her Maiesties owne seruauntes, who haue written excellently
well as it would appeare if their doings could be found out and made
publicke with the rest, of which number is first that noble Gentleman
_Edward_ Earle of Oxford, _Thomas_ Lord of Bukhurst, when he was young,
_Henry_ Lord Paget, Sir _Philip Sydney_, Sir _Walter Rawleigh_, Master
_Edward Dyar_, Maister _Fulke Greuell_, _Gascon_, _Britton_, _Turberuille_
and a great many other learned Gentlemen, whose names I do not omit for
enuie, but to auoyde tediousnesse, and who haue deserued no little
commendation. But of them all particularly this is myne opinion, that
_Chaucer_, with _Gower, Lidgat_ and _Harding_ for their antiquitie ought
to haue the first place, and _Chaucer_ as the most renowmed of them all,
for the much learning appeareth to be in him aboue any of the rest. And
though many of his bookes be but bare translations out of the Latin &
French, yet are they wel handled, as his bookes of _Troilus_ and
_Cresseid_, and the Romant of the Rose, whereof he translated but one
halfe, the deuice was _Iohn de Mehunes_ a French Poet, the Canterbury
tales were _Chaucers_ owne inuention as I suppose, and where he sheweth
more the naturall of his pleasant wit, then in any other of his workes,
his similitudes comparisons and all other descriptions are such as can not
be amended. His meetre Heroicall of _Troilus_ and _Cresseid_ is very graue
and stately, keeping the staffe of seuen, and the verse of ten, his other
verses of the Canterbury tales be but riding ryme, neuerthelesse very well
becoming the matter of that pleasaunt pilgrimage in which euery mans part
is playd with much decency. _Gower_ sauing for his good and graue
moralities, had nothing in him highly to be commended, for his verse was
homely and without good measure, his wordes strained much deale out of the
French writers, his ryme wrested, and in his inuentions small subtillitie:
the applications of his moralities are the best in him, and yet those many
times very grossely bestowed, neither doth the substance of his workes
sufficiently aunswere the subtilitie of his titles. _Lydgat_ a translatour
onely and no deuiser of that which he wrate, but one that wrate in good
verse. _Harding_ a Poet Epick or Historicall, handled himselfe well
according to the time and maner of his subiect. He that wrote the Satyr of
Piers Ploughman, seemed to haue bene a malcontent of that time, and
therefore bent himselfe wholly to taxe the disorders of that age, and
specially the pride of the Romane Clergy, of whose fall he seemeth to be a
very true Prophet, his verse is but loose meetre, and his termes hard and
obscure, so as in them is litle pleasure to be taken. _Skelton_ a sharpe
Satirist, but with more rayling and scoffery then became a Poet Lawreat,
such among the Greekes were called _Pantomimi_, with vs Buffons,
altogether applying their wits to Scurrillities & other ridiculous
matters. _Henry_ Earle of Surrey and Sir _Thomas Wyat_, betweene whom I
finde very litle difference, I repute them (as before) for the two chief
lanternes of light to all others that haue since employed their pennes
vpon English Poesie, their conceits were loftie, their stiles stately,
their conueyance cleanely, their termes proper, their meetre sweete and
well proportioned, in all imitating very naturally and studiously their
Maister _Francis Petrarcha_. The Lord _Vaux_ his commendation lyeth
chiefly in the facillitie of his meetre, and the aptnesse of his
descriptions such as he taketh vpon him to make, namely in sundry of his
Songs, wherein he sheweth the counterfait action very liuely & pleasantly.
Of the later sort I thinke thus. That for Tragedie, the Lord of Buckhurst,
& Maister _Edward Ferrys_ for such doings as I haue sene of theirs do
deserue the hyest price: Th'Earle of Oxford and Maister _Edwardes_ of her
Maiesties Chappell for Comedy and Enterlude. For Eglogue and pastorall
Poesie, Sir _Philip Sydney_ and Maister _Challenner_, and that other
Gentleman who wrate the late shepheardes Callender. For dittie and
amourous _Ode_ I finde Sir _Walter Rawleyghs_ vayne most loftie, insolent,
and passionate. Maister _Edward Dyar_, for Elegie most sweete, solempne
and of high conceit. _Gascon_ for a good meeter and for a plentifull
vayne. _Phaer_ and _Golding_ for a learned and well corrected verse,
specially in translation cleare and very faithfuly answering their
authours intent. Others haue also written with much facillitie, but more
commendably perchance if they had not written so much nor so popularly.
But last in recitall and first in degree is the Queene our soueraigne
Lady, whose learned, delicate, noble Muse, easily surmounteth all the rest
that haue written before her time or since, for sence, sweetnesse and
subtillitie, be it in Ode, Elegie, Epigram, or any other kinde of poeme
Heroick or Lyricke, wherein it shall please her Maiestie to employ her
penne, euen by as much oddes as her owne excellent estate and degree
exceedeth all the rest of her most humble vassalls.
THE SECOND BOOKE,
OF PROPORTION POETICAL.
_CHAP. I._
_Of Proportion Poeticall._
It is said by such as professe the Mathematicall sciences, that all things
stand by proportion, and that without it nothing could stand to be good or
beautiful. The Doctors of our Theologie to the same effect, but in other
termes, say: that God made the world by number, measure and weight: some
for weight say tune; and peraduenture better. For weight is a kind of
measure or of much conueniencie with it: and therefore in their
descriptions be alwayes coupled together (_statica & metrica_) weight and
measures. Hereupon it seemeth the Philosopher gathers a triple proportion,
to wit, the Arithmeticall, the Geometricall, and the Musical. And by one
of these three is euery other proportion guided of the things that haue
conueniencie by relation, as the visible by light colour and shadow: the
audible by stirres, times and accents: the odorable by smelles of sundry
temperaments: the tastible by sauours to the rate: the tangible by his
obiectes in this or that regard. Of all which we leaue to speake,
returning to our poeticall proportion, which holdeth of the Musical,
because as we sayd before Poesie is a skill to speake & write
harmonically: and verses or rime be a kind of Musicall vtterance, by
reason of a certaine congruitie in sounds pleasing the eare, though not
perchance so exquisitely as the harmonicall concerts of the artificial
Musicke, consisting in strained tunes, as is the vocall Musike, or that of
melodious instruments, as Lutes, Harpes, Regals, Records and such like.
And this our proportion Poeticall resteth in fiue points: Staffe, Measure,
Concord, Scituation and figure all which shall be spoken of in their
places.
_CHAP. II._
_Of proportion in Staffe._