Sayings, Similitudes, and Conceits, Allusions, some knowne History, or other common place, such as are in the Courtier, and the second booke of Cicero de oratore. The last is; Respect to discerne, what fits 4. Disyour selfe; him to whom you write; and that which cretio you handle, which is a quality fit to conclude the rest, because it doth include all. And that must proceed from ripenesse of judgement, which as one truly saith, is gotten by foure meanes, God, Nature, Diligence, and Conversation. Serve the first well, and the rest will serve you.

We have spoken sufficiently of Oratory; let us now make a diversion to Poetry. Poetry in the De Primogeniture had many peccant humours, and is Poetica. made to have more now, through the Levity, and inconstancie of mens Judgements. Whereas indeed, it is the most prevailing Eloquence, and of the most exalted Charact. Now the discredits and disgraces are many it hath receiv'd, through mens study of Depravation or Calumny: their practise being to give it diminution of Credit, by lessening the Professors estimation, and making the Age afraid of their Liberty: And the Age is growne so tender of her fame, as she cals all writings Aspersions. (124)

That is the State word, the Phrase of Court, (Placentia Colledge) which some call Parasites Place, the Inne of Ignorance.

Whilst I name no persons, but deride follies; why should any man confesse, or betray himselfe? why doth not that of S. Hierome come into their minde; D. HieroVbi generalis est de vitiis disputatio, ibi nullius esse

nimus.

Pers. Sat.

Sexus fœmin'.

persona injuriam? It is such an inexpiable crime in Poets, to taxe vices generally; and no offence in them who, by their exception, confesse they have committed them particularly. Are wee fal'ne into those times that wee must not

Auriculas teneras mordaci rodere vero? 1. Livius. Remedii votum semper verius erat, quàm spes. If men may by no meanes write freely, or speake truth, but when it offends not; why doe Physicians cure with sharpe medicines, or corrosives? Is not the same equally lawfull in the cure of the minde, that is in the cure of the body? Some vices, (you will say) are soe foule, that it is better they should bee done, then spoken. But they that take offence where no Name, Character, or Signature doth blazon them, seeme to mee like affected as woemen; who, if they heare any thing ill spoken of the ill of their Sexe, are presently mov'd, as if the contumely respected their particular: and, on the contrary, when they heare good of good woemen, conclude, that it belongs to them all. If I see any thing that toucheth mee, shall I come forth a betraier of my selfe, presently? No; if I be wise i'le dissemble it; if honest, i'le avoid it: lest I publish that on my owne forehead, which I saw there noted without a title. A man, that is on the mending hand, will either ingeniously confesse, or wisely dissemble his disease. And, the wise, and vertuous, will never thinke any thing belongs to themselves that is written, but rejoyce that the good are warn'd not to bee such; and the ill to leave to bee such. The Person offended hath no reason to bee offended with the

writer, but with himselfe; and so to declare that ✓
properly to belong to him, which was so spoken of all
men, as it could bee no mans severall but his that
would willfully and desperately clayme it. It
sufficeth I know, what kinde of persons I displease,
men bred in the declining, and decay of vertue,
betroth'd to their owne vices; that have abandoned,
or prostituted their good names; hungry and ambi-
tious of infamy, invested in all deformity, enthrall'd
to ignorance and malice, of a hidden and conceal'd
malignitie, and that hold a concomitancy with all evill.
What is a Poet?

A Poet is that, which by the Greeks is call'd kar' ¿1⁄2oxǹv, & Пointǹs, a Maker, or a fainer: His Art, an Poeto. Art of imitation, or faining; expressing the life of man in fit measure, numbers, and harmony, according to Aristotle: From the word out, which signifies to make or fayne. Hence, hee is call'd a Poet, not hee which writeth in measure only; but that fayneth and formeth a fable, and writes things like the Truth. For, the Fable and Fiction is (as it were) the forme and Soule of any Poeticall worke, or Poeme.

What meane you by a Poeme?

✓

Virgilius.

A Poeme is not alone any worke, or composition of Poema. the Poets in many, or few verses; but even one alone Aeneid. verse sometimes makes a perfect Poeme. As, when Aeneas hangs up, and consecrates the Armes of Abas,

with this Inscription;

Aeneas hæc de Danais victoribus arma.
And calls it a Poeme, or Carmen. Such are those in
Martiall.

lib. 3.

Martial. lib. 8.

epig. 19.

G

Omnia, Castor, emis: sic fiet, ut omnia vendas. And,
Pauper videri Cinna vult, & est pauper. (125)

Horatius. So were Horace his Odes call'd, Carmina; his Lirik, Songs. And Lucretius designes a whole booke, in his sixt:

Lucretius.

Epicum.
Drama-
ticum.
Liricum.

Elegia

cum.

Epigramat. Poesis.

Artium
Regina.

Quod in primo quoque carmine claret. And anciently, all the Oracles were call'd, Carmina; or, what ever Sentence was express'd, were it much, or little, it was call'd, an Epick, Dramatick, Lirike, Elegiake, or Epigrammatike Poeme

But, how differs a Poeme from what wee call Poesy? A Poeme, as I have told you is the worke of the Poet; the end, and fruit of his labour, and studye. Poesy is his skill, or Crafte of making: the very Fiction it selfe, the reason, or forme of the worke. And these three voices differ, as the thing done, the doing, and the doer; the thing fain'd, the faining, and the fainer: so the Poeme, the Poesy, and the Poet. Now, the Poesy is the habit, or the Art: nay, rather the Queene of Arts: which had her Originall from heaven, received thence from the 'Ebrewes, and had in prime estimation with the Greeks, transmitted to the Latines, and all Nations, that profess'd Civility. Aristotle. The Study of it (if wee will trust Aristotle) offers to mankinde a certaine rule, and Patterne of living well, and happily; disposing us to all Civill offices of Society. If wee will beleive Tully, it nourisheth, and instructeth our Youth; delights our Age; adornes our prosperity; comforts our Adversity; entertaines us at home; keepes us company abroad, travailes with us; watches; devides the times of our earnest, and

M. T.
Cicero.

sports; shares in our Country recesses, and recreations; insomuch as the wisest, and best learned have thought her the absolute Mistresse of manners; and neerest of kin to Vertue. And, wheras they entitle Philosophy to bee a rigid, and austere Poesie: they have (on the contrary) stiled Poesy, a dulcet, and gentle Philosophy, which leades on, and guides us by the hand to Action, with a ravishing delight, and incredible Sweetnes. But, before wee handle the kindes of Poems, with their speciall differences; or make Poet: court to the Art it selfe, as a Mistresse, I would leade differyou to the knowledge of our Poet, by a perfect GrammaInformation, what he is, or should bee by nature, by tica. exercise, by imitation, by Studie; and so bring him Logic. Rhetoric. downe through the disciplines of Grammar, Logicke, Ethica. Rhetoricke, and the Ethicks, adding somewhat, out of all, peculiar to himselfe, and worthy of your Admittance, or reception.

entiæ.

ކ

First, wee require in our Poet, or maker, (for that 1. IngeniTitle our Language affordes him, elegantly, with the um. Greeke) a goodnes of naturall wit. For, wheras all other Arts consist of Doctrine, and Precepts: the Poet must bee able by nature, and instinct, to powre out the Treasure of his minde; and, as Seneca saith, Seneca. Aliquando secundum Anacreontem insanire jucundum esse: by which hee understands, the Poeticall Rapture. And according to that of Plato; Frustrà Poeticas Plato. fores sui compos pulsavit: And of Aristole; Nullum Aristotle. magnum ingenium sine mixturâ dementia fuit. Nec potest grande aliquid, & supra cæteros loqui, nisi mota mens. Then it riseth higher, as by a devine Instinct,