Defence of Poesie (1-5)

When the right vertuous E. W. and I were at the Emperours Court togither, wee gaue our selues to learne horsemanship of Ion Pietro Pugliano, one that with great commendation had the place of an Esquire in his stable: and hee according to the fertilnes of the Italian wit, did not onely affoord vs the demonstration of his practise, but sought to enrich our mindes with the contemplations therein, which he thought most precious. But with none I remember mine eares were at any time more loaden, then when (either angred with slow paiment, or mooued with our learnerlike admiration) hee exercised his speech in the praise of his facultie. He said souldiers were the noblest estate of mankind, and horsemen the noblest of souldiers. He said they were the maisters of warre, and ornaments of peace, speedie goers, and strong abiders, triumphers both in Camps and Courts: nay to so vnbleeued a point he proceeded, as that no earthly thing bred such wonder to a Prince, as to be a good horseman. Skill of gouernment was but a Pedanteria, in comparison, then would he adde certaine praises by telling what a peerlesse beast the horse was, the onely seruiceable Courtier without flattery, the beast of most bewtie, faithfulnesse, courage, and such more, that if I had not bene a peece of a Logician before I came to him, I thinke he would haue perswaded me to haue wished my selfe a horse. But thus much at least, with his no few words he draue into me, that selfeloue is better then any guilding, to make that seem gorgious wherin our selues be parties.

Wherin if Pulianos strong affection and weake arguments will not satisfie you, I wil giue you a nearer example of my selfe, who I know not by what mischance in these my not old yeares and idlest times, hauing slipt into the title of a Poet, am prouoked to say somthing vnto you in the defence of that my vnelected vocation, which if I handle with more good will, then good reasons beare with me, since the scholler is to be pardoned that followeth the steps of his maister. And yet I must say, that as I haue more iust cause to make a pittifull defence of poore Poetrie, which from almost the highest estimation of learning, is falne to be the laughing stocke of children, so haue I need to bring some more auaileable proofes, since the former is by no man bard of his deserued credit, the silly later, hath had euen the names of Philosophers, vsed to the defacing of it, with great daunger of ciuill warre among the Muses.

And first truly to all them that professing learning enuey against Poetrie, may iustly be obiected, that they go very neare to vngratefulnesse, to seeke to deface that which in the noblest nations and languages that are knowne, hath bene the first light giuer to ignorance, and first nurse whose milke litle by litle enabled them to feed afterwards of tougher knowledges. And will you play the Hedge-hogge, that being receiued into the den, draue out his host? Or rather the Vipers, that with their birth kill their parents? Let learned Greece in any of his manifold Sciences, be able to shew me one booke before Musæus, Homer, & Hesiod, all three nothing else but Poets. Nay let any Historie bee brought, that can say any writers were there before them, if they were not men of the same skill, as Orpheus, Linus, and some other are named, who hauing bene the first of that country that made pennes deliuerers of their knowledge to the postertie, nay iustly challenge to bee called their Fathers in learning. For not onely in time they had this prioritie, (although in it selfe antiquitie be venerable) but went before them, as causes to draw with their charming sweetnesse the wild vntamed wits to an admiration of knowledge. So as Amphion, was said to mooue stones with his Poetry, to build Thebes, and Orpheus to be listned to by beasts, indeed stonie and beastly people.

So among the Romans, were Liuius Andronicus, and Ennius, so in the Italian language, the first that made it aspire to be a treasure-house of Science, were the Poets Dante, Bocace, and Petrach. So in our English, were Gower, and Chawcer, after whom, encoraged & delighted with their excellent foregoing, others haue folowed to bewtify our mother toong, aswel in the same kind as other arts.

This did so notably shew it self, thatt the Philosophers of Greece durst not a long time apear to ye world, but vnder ye mask of poets. So Thales, Empedocles, and Parmenides, sang their naturall Philosophie in verses. So did Pithagoras and Phocillides, their morall Councels. So did Tirteus in warre matters, and Solon in matters of pollicie, or rather they being Poets, did exercise their delightfull vaine in those points of highest knowledge, which before them laie hidden to the world. For, that wise Solon was directly a Poet, it is manifest, hauing writ- ten in verse the notable Fable of the Atlantick Iland, which was continued by Plato. And truely euen Plato who so euer well considereth, shall finde that in the body of his worke though the inside & strength were Philosophie, the skin as it were and beautie, depended most of Poetrie. For all stands vpon Dialogues, wherein hee faines many honest Burgesses of Athens speak of such matters, that if they had bene set on the Racke, they would neuer haue confessed them: besides his Poeticall describing the circumstances of their meetings, as the well ordering of a banquet, the delicacie of a walke, with enterlacing meere Tales, as Gyges Ring and others, which, who knowes not to bee flowers of Poetrie, did neuer walke into Appollos Garden.