of a dittie written extempore with this deuice, shewing not onley much
promptnesse of wit in the maker, but also great arte and a notable
memorie. Make me saith this writer to one of the comnpanie, so many
strokes or lines with your pen as ye would haue your song containe verses:
and let euery line bearue his seuerall length, euen as ye would haue your
verse of measure. Suppose of foure, fiue, sixe, or eight or more
sillables, and set a figure of euerie number at th'end of the line,
whereby ye may knowe his measure. Then where you will haue your rime or
concord to fall, marke it with a compast stroke or semicircle passing ouer
those lines, be they farre or neare in distance, as ye haue seene before
described. And bycause ye shall not thinke the maker hath premeditated
beforehand any such fashioned ditty, do ye your selfe make one verse
whether it be of perfect or imperfect sense, and giue it him for a theame
to make all the rest upon: if ye shall perceiue the maker do keepe the
measures and rime as ye haue appointed him, and besides do make his dittie
sensible and ensuant to the first verse in good reason, then may ye say he
is his crafts maister. For if he were not of a plentiful discourse, he
could not vpon the sudden shape an entire dittie vpon your imperfect
theame or proposition in one verse. And if he were not copious in his
language, he could not haue such store of wordes at commaundement, as
should supply your concords. And if he were not of a maruelous good memory
he could not obserue the rime and measures after the distances of your
limitation, keeping with all grauitie and good sense in the whole dittie.
_CHAP. XI._
_Of Proportion in figure._
Your last proportion is that of figure, so called for that it yelds an
ocular representation, your meeters being by good symmetrie reduced into
certaine Geometricall figures, whereby the maker is restrained to keepe
him within his bounds, and sheweth not onley more art, but serueth also
much better for briefenesse and subtiltie of deuice. And for the same
respect are also fittest for the pretie amourets in Court to entertaine
their seruants and the time withall, their delicate wits requiring some
commendable exercise to keepe them from idlenesse. I find not of this
proportion, vsed by any of the Greeke or Latine Poets, or in any vulgar
writer, sauing of that one forme which they cal _Anacreens egge._ But
being in Italie conuersant with a certaine gentleman, who had long
trauailed the Orientall parts of the world, and seene the Courts of the
great Princes of China and Tartarie. I being very inquisitiue to know of
the subtillities of those countreyes, and especially in matter of learning
and of their vulgar Poesie, he told me that they are in all their
inuentions most wittie, and haue the vse of Poesie or riming, but do not
delight so much as we do in long tedious descriptions, and therefore when
they will vtter any pretie conceit, they reduce it into metricall feet,
and put it in forme of a _Lozange_ or square, or such other figure, and so
engrauen in gold, siluer, or iuorie, and sometimes with letters of
ametist, rubie, emeralde or topas curiousely cemented and peeced together,
they sende them in chaines, bracelets, collars and girdles to their
mistresses to weare for a remembrance. Some fewe measures composed in this
sort this gentleman gaue me, which I translated word for word and as neere
as I could followed both the phrase and the figure, which is somewhat hard
to performe, because of the restraint of the figure from which ye may not
digresse. At the beginning they wil seeme nothing pleasant to an English
eare, but time and vsage will make them acceptable inough, as it doth in
all other new guises, be it for wearing of apparell or otherwise. The
formes of your Geometricall figures be hereunder represented.
[Illustration: labelled diagrams of lines of different lengths (forming
different shapes):
The Lozange, called Rombus (diamond)
The Fuzie or spindle, called Romboides (narrow diamond)
The Triangle or Tricquet (pyramid)
The Square or quadrangle (square)
The Pillaster or Cillinder (tall rectangle)
The Spire or taper, called piramis (tall pyramid)
The Rondel or Sphere (circle)
The egge or figure ouall (vertical egg)
The Tricquet reuerst (triangle)
The Tricquet displayed (hour-glass)
The Taper reuersed (narrow triangle)
The Rondel displayed (half circle upon the other half)
The Lozange reuersed (wide diamond <>) u
The Egge displayed (half oval upon the other half - n)
The Lozange rabbated (hexagon).]
_Of the Lozange._
The _Lozange_ is a most beautifull figure, & fit for this purpose, being
in his kind a quadrangle reuerst, with his point vpward like to a quarrell
of glasse the Greekes and Latines both call it _Rombus_ which may be the
cause as I suppose why they also gaue that name to the fish commonly
called the _Turbot_, who beareth iustly that figure, it ought not to
containe about thirteene or fifteene or one & twentie meetres, & the
longest furnisheth the middle angle, the rest passe vpward and downward,
still abating their lengthes by one or two sillables till they come to the
point: the Fuzie is of the same nature but that he is sharper and
slenderer. I will giue you an example of two of those which my Italian
friend bestowed vpon me, which as neare as I could I trnslated into the
same figure obseruing the phrase of the Orientall speach word for word.
A great Emperor in Tartary whom they cal _Can_, for his good fortune
in the wars & many notable conquests he had made, was surnamed
_Temir Cutzclewe_, this man loued the Lady _Kermesine_, who
presented him returning from the conquest of _Corasoon_ (a great kindgom
adioyning) with this _Lozange_ made in letters of rubies & diamants
entermingled thus:
Sound
O Harpe
Shril lie out
Temir the stout
Rider who with sharpe
Trenching slide of brite steele
Hath made his feircest foes so feele
All such as wrought him shame or harme
The strength of his braue right arme,
Cleauing hard downe vnto the eyes
The raw skulles of his enemies
Much honour hath he wonne
By doughtie deedes done
In Cora soon
And all the
Worlde
Round.
_To which_ Can Temir _answered in_ Fuzie, _with letters of Emeralds and
Ametists artificially cut and entermingled, thus
Five
Sore batailes
Manfully fought
In blouddy fielde
With bright blade in hand
Hath Temir won & forst to yeld
Many a Captaine strong and stoute
And many a king his Crowne to vayle,
Conquering large countreys and land,
Yet ne uer wanne I vic to rie
I speake it to my greate glorie
So deare and ioy full vn to me,
As when I did first con quere thee
O Kerme sine, of all myne foes
The most cruell, of all myne woes
The smartest , the sweetest
My proude con quest
My ri chest pray
O once a daye
Lend me thy sight
Whose only light
Keepes me
Alive.
_Of the Triange or Triquet._
The triangle is an halfe square, _Lozange_ or _Fuzie_ parted vpon the
crosse angles: and so his base being brode and his top narrow it receaueth
meetres of many sizes one shorter then another: and ye may vse this figure
standing or reuersed, as thus.
A certaine great Sultan of Persia called _Ribuska_, entertaynes in loue
the Lady _Selamour_, sent her this triquet reuest pitiously bemoaning his
estate, all set in merquetry with letters of blew Saphire and Topas
artificially cut and entermingled.
Selamour dearer then his owne life
To thy di stresssed wretch cap tive,
Ri buska whome late ly erst
Most cru el ly thou perst
With thy dead ly dart,
That paire of starres
Shi ning a farre
Turne from me, to me
That I may & may not see
The smile, the loure
That lead and driue
Me to die to liue
Twise yea thrise
In one
hourre.
To which _Selamour_ to make the match egall, and the figure entire,
answered in a standing Triquet richly engrauen with letters of like
stuffe.
Power
Of death
Nor of life
Hath Selamour,
With Gods it is rife
To giue and bereue breath
I may for pitie perchaunce
Thy lost libertie re - store,
Vpon thine othe with this penaunce,
That while thou liuest thou neuer loue no more.
This condition seeming to Sultan _Ribuska_ very hard to performe, and
cruell to be enjoyned him, doeth by another figure a Taper, signifying
hope, answere the Lady _Selamour_, which dittie for lack of time I
translated not.
_Of the Spire or Taper called Pyramis._
The Taper is the longest and sharpest triangle that is, & while
he mounts vpward he waxeth continually more slender, taking
both his figure and name of the fire, whole flame if ye marke it, is
alwaies pointed, and naturally by his forme couets to clymbe: the
Greekes call him Pyramis. The Latines in vse of Architecture
call him _Obeliscus_, it holdeth the altitude of six ordinary triangles,
and in metrifying his base can not well be larger then a
meetre of six, therefore in his altitude he will require diuers rabates
to hold so many sizes of meetres as shall serue for his composition,
for neare the toppe there wil be roome little inough for a meetre of
two sillables, and sometimes of one to finish the point. I haue set
you downe one or two examples to try how ye can disgest the
maner of the deuise.
_Her Maiestie, for many parts in her most noble and vertuous nature
to be found, resembled to the spire. Ye must begin beneath according
to the nature of the deuice_.
_Skie, 1
-----
A zurd 2
in the
assurde.
--------
And better, 3
And richer,
Much greter,
--------------
Crowne & empir
After an hier
For to aspire 4
Like flames of fire
In formes of spire
-------------------
To mount on hie,
Con ti nu al ly
With trauel & teen
Most gratious queen
Ye haue made a vow 5
Shewes vs plainly how
Not fained but true
To euery mans vue
Shining cleere in you
Of so bright an hewe
Euen thus vertwe
---------------------
Vanish out of our sight
Till his fine top be quite
To taper in the ayre 6
Endeavors soft and faire
By his kindly nature
Of tall comely stature
Like as this faire figure_
_From God the fountaine of all good, are deriued into the world
all good things: and vpon her maiestie all the good fortunes any
worldly creature can be furnisht with. Reade downward according
to the nature of the deuice.
1 God
On
Hie
Frome
2 A bove
Sends loue,
Wise dome,
Iu stice
Cou rage,
Boun tie,
3 And doth geue
All that liue
Life & breath
Harts ese helth
Children, welth
Beauty strength
Restfull age,
And at length
A mild death,
4 He doeth bestowe
All mens fortunes
Both high & low
And the best things
That earth can haue
Or mankind craue,
Good queens & kings
Fi nally is the same
Who gaue you (madam)
Seyson of this Crowne
With pouer soueraigne
5 Impug nable right,
Redoubt able might,
Most prosperous raigne
Eternall re nowne,
And that your chiefest is
Sure hope of heavens blis.
_The Piller, Pillaster or Cillinder._
The Piller is a figure among all the rest of the Geometricall most
beawtifull, in respect that he is tall and vpright and of one bignesse
from the bottom to the toppe. In Architecture he is considered with two
accessarie parts, a pedestall or base, and a chapter or head, the body is
the shaft. By this figure is signified stay, support, rest, state and
magnificence, your dittie then being reduced into the forme of a Piller,
his base will require to beare the breath of a meetre of six or seuen or
eight sillables: the shaft of foure: the chapter egall with the base, of
this proportion I will giue you one or two examples which may suffise.
_Her Maiestie resembled to the crowned piller, Ye must read vpward._
_Is blisse with immortalitie.
Her trymest top of all ye see,
Garnish the crowne.
Her iust renowne
Chapter and head,
Parts that maintain
And woman head
Her mayden raigne
In te gri tie:
In ho nour and
with ve ri tie:
Her roundnes stand
Strengthen the state.
By their increase
With out de bate
Concord and peace
Of her sup port,
They be the base
with stedfastnesse
Vertue and grace
Stay and comfort
Of Albi ons rest,
The sounde Pillar
And seene a farre
Is plainely exprest
Tall stately and strayt
By this no ble pour trayt_
_Philo to the Lady Calia, sendeth this Odolet of her prayse
in forme of a Piller, which ye must read downward._
_Thy princely port and Maijestie
Is my ter rene dei tie,
Thy wit and sense
The streame & source
Of e l o quence
And deepe discours,
Thy faire eyes are
My bright load starre,
Thy speach a darte
Percing my harte,
Thy face a las,
My loo king glasse,
Thy loue ly lookes
My prayer bookes,
Thy pleasant cheare
My sunshine cleare
Thy ru full sight
My darke midnight,
Thy will the stent
Of my con tent,
Thy glo rye flour
Of myne ho nour,
Thy loue doth giue
The lyfe I lyve,
Thy lyfe it is
Mine earthly blisse:
But grace & fauour in thine eies
My bodies soule & souls paradise._
_The Roundell or Spheare_.
The most excellent of all the figures Geometrical is the round for his
many perfections. First because he is euen & smooth, without any angle, or
interruption, most voluble and apt to turne, and to continue motion, which
is the author of life: he conteyneth in him the commodious description of
euery other figure, & for his ample capacitie doth resemble the world or
uniuers, & for his indefiniteness hauing no speciall place of beginning
nor end, beareth a similitude with God and eternitie. This figure hath
three principall partes in his nature and vse much considerable: the
circle, the beame, and the center. The circle is his largest compasse or
circumference: the center is his middle and indiuisible point: the beame
is a line stretching directly from the circle to the center, &
contrariwise from the center to the circle. By this description our maker
may fashion his meetre in Roundel, either with the circumference, and that
is circlewise, or from the circumference, that is, like a beame, or by the
circumference, and that is ouerthwart and dyametrally from one side of the
circle to the other.
_A generall resemblance of the Roundell to God, the world and the Queene._
_All and whole, and euer, and one,
Single, simple, eche where, alone,
These be counted as Clerkes can tell,
True properties, of the Roundell.
His still turning by consequence
And change, doe breede both life and sense.
Time, measure of stirre and rest.
Is also by his course exprest.
How swift the circle stirre aboue,
His center point, doeth neuer moue:
All things that euer were or be,
Are closde in his concauitie.
And though he be, still turnde and tost,
No roome there wants nor none is lost.
The Roundell hath no bonch or angle,
Which may his course stay or entangle.
The furthest part of all his spheare,
Is equally both farre and neare.
So doth none other figure fare
Where natures chattels closed are:
And beyond his wide compasse,
There is no body nor no place,
Nor any wit that comprehends,
Where it begins, or where it ends:
And therefore all men doe agree,
That it purports eternitie.
God aboue the heauens so hie
Is this Roundell, in world the skie,
Vpon earth she, who beares the bell
Of maydes and Queenes, is this Roundell:
All and whole and euer alone,
Single, sans peere, simple, and one._
A speciall and particular resemblance of her Maiestie to the Roundell.
_First her authoritie regall
Is the circle compassing all:
The dominion great and large
Which God hath geuen to her charge:
Whithin which most spatious bound
She enuirons her people round,
Retaining them by oth and liegeance.
Whithin the pale of true obeysance:
Holding imparked as it were,
Her people like to heards of deere.
Sitting among them in the middes
Where foe allowes and bannes and bids
In what fashion she list and when,
The seruices of all her men.
Out of her breast as from an eye,
Issue the rayes incessantly
Of her iustice, bountie and might
Spreading abroad their beams so bright
And reflect not, till they attaine
The fardest part of her domaine.
And makes eche subiect clearley see,
What he is bounden for to be
To God his Prince and common wealth,
His neighbour, kinred and to himselfe.
The same centre and middle pricke,
Whereto our deedes are drest so thicke,
From all the parts and outmost side
Of her Monarchie large and wide,
Also fro whence reflect these rayes,
Twentie hundred maner of wayes
Where her will is them to conuey
Within the circle of her suruey.
So is the Queene of Briton ground,
Beame, circle, center of all my round._
_ Of the square or quadrangle equilater._
The square is of all other accompted the figure of most folliditie and
stedfastnesse, and for his owne stay and firmitie requireth none other
base then himselfe, and therefore as the roundell or Spheare is appropriat
to the heauens, the Spire to the element of the fire: the Triangle to the
ayre, and the Lozange to the water: so is the square for his inconcussable
steadinesse likened to the earth, which perchaunce might be the reason
that the Prince of Philosophers in his first booke of the _Ethicks_,
termeth a constant minded man, euen egal and direct on all sides, and not
easily ouerthrowne by euery little aduersitie, _hominem quadratum_, a
square man. Into this figure may ye reduce your ditties by vsing no moe
verses then your verse is of sillables, which will make him fall out
square, if ye go aboue it wil grow into the figure _Trapezion_, which is
some portion longer then square. I neede not giue you any example, by
cause in good arte all your ditties, Odes & Epigrammes should keepe & not
exceede the nomber of twelue verses, and the longest verse to be of twelue
sillables & not aboue, but vnder that number as much as ye will.
_The figure Ouall._
This figure taketh his name of an egge, and also as it is thought his
first origine, and is as it were a bastard or imperfect rounde declining
toward a longitude, and yet keeping within one line for his periferie or
compasse as the rounde, and it seemeth that he receiueth this forme not as
an imperfection but any impediment vnnaturally hindring his rotunditie,
but by the wisedome and prouidence of nature for the commoditie of
generation in such of her creatures as bring not forth a liuely body (as
do foure footed beasts) but in stead thereof a certaine quantitie of
shapelesse matter contained in a vessell, which after it is sequestred
from the dames body receiueth life and perfection, as in the egges of
birdes, fishes, and serpents: for the matter being of some quantitie, and
to issue out at a narrow place, for the easie passage thereof, it must of
necessitie beare such shape as might not be sharpe and greeuous to passe
at an angle, nor so large or obtuse as might not essay some issue out with
one part moe then other as the rounde, therefore it must be slenderer in
some part, & yet not without a rotunditie & smoothnesse to giue the rest
an easie deliuerie. Such is the figure Ouall whom for his antiquitie,
dignitie and vse, I place among the rest of the figures to embellish our
proportions: of this sort are diuers of _Anacreons_ ditties, and those
other of the Grecian Liricks, who wrate wanton amorous deuises, to solace
their witts with all, and many times they would (to giue it right shape of
an egg) deuide a word in the midst, and peece out the next verse with the
other halfe, as ye may see by perusing their meetres.
When I wrate of these deuices, I smiled with myselfe, thinking that the
readers would do so to, and many of them say, that such trifles as these
might well haue bene spared, considering the world is full inough of them,
and that it is pitie mens heades should be fedde with such vanities as are
to none edification nor instruction, either of morall vertue, or otherwise
behooffull for the common wealth, to whose seruice (say they) we are all
borne, and not to fill and replenish a whole world full of idle toyes. To
which sort of reprehendours, being either all holy and mortified to the
world, and therefore esteeming nothing that fauoureth not of Theologie, or
altogether graue and worldy, and therefore caring for nothing but matters
of pollicie, & discourses of estate, or all giuen to thrift and passing
for none art that is not gainefull and lucratiue, as the sciences of the
Law, Phisicke and marchaundise: to these I will giue none other aunswere
then referre them to the many trifling poemes of _Homer, Ouid, Virgill,
Catullus_ and other notable writers of former ages, which were not of any
grauitie or seriousnesse, and many of them full of impudicitie and
ribaudrie, as are not these of ours, nor for any good in the world should
haue bene: and yet those trifles are come from many former siecles vnto
our times, vncontrolled or condemned or supprest by any Pope or Patriarch
or other seuere censor of the ciuill maners of men, but haue bene in all
ages permitted as the conuenient solaces and recreations of mans wit. And
as I can not denie but these conceits of mine be trifles: no lesse in very
deede be all the most serious studies of man, if we shall measure grauitie
and lightnesse by the wise mans ballance who after he had considered of
all the profoundest artes and studies among men, in th'ende cryed out with
this Epyphoneme, _Vanitas vanitatum & omnia vanitas_. Whose authoritie if
it were not sufficient to make me beleeue so, I could be content with
_Democritus_ rather to condemne the vanities of our life by derision, then
as _Heraclitus_ with teares, saying with that merrie Greeke thus,
_Omnia sunt risus, sunt puluis, & omnia nil sunt.
Res hominum cunctae, nam ratione carent._
Thus Englished,
_All is but a iest, all daft, all not worth two peason:
For why in mans matters is neither rime nor reason._
Now passing from these courtly trifles, let vs talke of our scholastical
toyes, that is of the Grammaticall versifying of the Greeks and Latines
and see whether it might be reduced into our English arte or no.
_CHAP. XII._
_How if all maner of sodaine innouatians were not very scandalous,
specially in the lawes of any langage or arte, the use of the Greeke and
Latine feete might be brought into our vulgar Poesie, and with good grace
enough._