Wits Treasury
Poets.
AS ſome do vſe an Amethiſt in compo-
tations agaynſt drunkennes: ſo cer-
tain precepts are to be vſed in hearing and
reading of poets, leaſt they infect the mind
Plut. & Plin.lib.37.cap.9.
As in thoſe places where many holſome
hearbes doe growe, there alſo growes ma-
ny poyſonfull weedes: ſo in Poets there
are many excellent things, and many peſti
lent matters.
Plut.
As
Wits Common-wealth.
277
As
Simoniàes
ſayde, that the
Theſſali-
ans were more blockiſh, then that they
could be deceiued of him: ſo the riper and
pregnanter the wit is, the ſooner it is cor-
rupted of Poets.idem.
As
Cato
when he was a ſcholler woulde
not beleeue his maiſter, except hee rende-
red a reaſon of that he taught him: ſo wee
are not to beleeue Poets in all that they
write or ſay, except they yeelde a reaſon.
Idem.
As in the ſame paſture the Bee ſeaſeth
on the flower, the Goate grazeth on the
ſhrub, the ſwine on the root, and the Oxen,
Kine and Horſes on the graſſe: ſo in Poets
one ſeeketh for hiſtorie, an other for orna-
ment of ſpeech, another for proofe, and an
other for precepts of good life. idem.
As they that come veri ſuddainlie out
of a very darke place, are greatly troubled,
except by little and little they be accuſto-
med to the light: ſo in reading of Poets,
the opinions of Phyloſophers are to bee
ſowne in the mindes of young ſchollers,
leaſt many diuerſities of doctrines doe af-
terwardes diſtract their mindes. idem.
As in the portraiture of murder or inceſt,
we praiſe the Art of him that drewe it, but
we deteſt the thing it ſelſe: ſo in laſciuious
Poets let vs imitate their elocution, but
execrate
The ſecond part of
excrate their wantonnes. idem.
Some thinges that are not excellent of
themſelues, are good for ſome, bicauſe they
are meet for them: ſo ſome things are com-
mended in Poets, which are fit and correſ-
pondent for the perſons, they ſpeake of, al-
though in themſelues they bee filthy and
not to be ſpoken: As lame
Demonides
wi-
ſhed, that the ſhoes that were ſtolne from
him, might fit his feet that had ſtoln them,
idem.
As that ſhip is endaungered, where all
leane to one ſide, but is in ſafetie, on lea-
ning one way, and another another way:
ſo the diſſenſion of Poets among them-
ſelues, doth make them, that they leſſe in-
fect their readers. And for this purpoſe our
Satyriſts,
Hall, the Author of Pigmalions
Image, and certaine Satyres
, Rankins, and
ſuch others, are very profitable.
As a Bee doth gather the iuice of honie
from flowres, whereas others are onely de-
lighted with the colour and ſmel: ſo a Phi-
loſopher findeth that among Poets which
is profitable for good life, when as others
are tickled only with pleaſure.
Plut
.
As wee are delighted in the picture of a
Viper of a ſpider artificially encloſed with
in a precious iewell: ſo Poets do delight vs
in yͤ learned & cũning depainting of vices.
As
Wits Common-wealth.
278
As ſome are delighted in coũterfet wines
confected of fruites, not that they refreſh
the hart, but that they make drunke: ſo
ſome are delighted in Poets only for their
obſcenity, neuer reſpecting their eloquẽce
good grace, or learning.
As Emperors, kings and princes haue in
their handes authority to dignifie or diſ-
grace their nobles, attendants, ſubiects and
vaſſals: ſo Poets haue the whole power in
their handes to make men either immor-
tally famous for their valiant exploites and
vertuous exerciſes, or perpetually infa-
mous for their vicious liues.
As God giueth life vnto man: ſo a Poet
giueth ornament vnto it.
As the Greeke and Latine Poets haue
wonne immortall credit to their natiue
ſpeech, beeing encouraged and graced by
liberall patrones and bountifull Benefac-
tors: ſo our famous and learned Lawreat
maſters of Englãd would entitle our Eng-
liſh to far greater admired excellency, if ei-
ther the Emperor Auguſtus
, or
Octauia
his
ſiſter, or noble
Mecænas
were aliue to re-
warde and countenaunce them; or if our
witty Comedians and ſtately Tragedians
(the glorious and goodlie repreſenters of
all fine witte, glorified phraſe and queint
action) bee ſtill ſupported and vphelde,
by which meanes for lacke of Patrones
The ſecond part of
(ô ingratefull and damned age) our Poets
are ſoly or chiefly maintained, countenan-
ced and patronized.
In the infancy of Greece, they that hand-
led in the audience of the people, graue &
neceſſary matters, were called wiſe men or
eloquent men, which they ment by
Vates
:
ſo the reſt, which ſang of loue matters, or
other lighter deuiſes alluring vnto pleaſure
and delight, were called Poetæ or makers,
As the holy Prophets and ſanctified A-
poſtles could neuer haue foretold nor ſpo-
ken of ſuch ſupernaturall matters, vnleſſe
they had bin inſpired of God: ſo
Cicero
in
his Tuſculane queſtions is of yͤ minde, that
a Poet cannot expreſſe verſes aboundant-
ly, ſufficiently, and fully, neither his elo-
quence can flow pleaſantly, or his wordes
found well and plenteouſly, without cele-
ſtiall inſtinction; which Poets themſelues
do every often and gladly witnes of them-
ſelues, as namely
Ouid in 6, Faſt.
Eſt Deus, in nobis agitãte caleſcimus illo,& c
And our famous English Poet
Spenſer
,
who in his
Sheepeheards Calender
lamen-
ting the decay of Poetry at theſe dayes,
faith moſt ſweetly to the fame.
Then make thee wings of thine aſpiring wit
And whence thou cameſt fly backe to hea-
uen apace, &c
As
Wits Common-wealth.
279
As a long gowne maketh not an Aduo-
cate, although a gowne be a fit ornament
for him: ſo riming nor verſing maketh a
Poet, albeit the Senate of Poets hath cho-
ſen verſe as their fitteſt rayment; but it is yͤ
faining notable images of vertues, vices, or
what elſe, with that delightfull teaching,
which muſt bee the right deſcribing note
to knowe a Poet by, Sir Philip Sidney in his
Apology for Poetry.
A comparatiue diſcourſe of
our Engliſh Poets,with the
Greeke, Latine, and Ita-
lian Poets.
AS Greece had three Poets of great an-
tiquity, Orpheus, Linus and Muſaus;
and
Italy
, other three auncient Poets,Liui-
us Andronicus,Ennius & Plautus
: ſo hath
England three auncient Poets, Chaucer,
Gower
and
Lydgate.
As
Homer
is reputed the Prince of Greek
Poets; and Petrarch of Italian Poets: ſo
Chaucer is accounted the God of English
Poets.
As
Homer
was the firſt that adorned the
Greek tongue with true quantity: ſo
Piers
Plowman
was the firſt that obſerued the
true quantitie of our verſe without the
curioſitie
The ſecond part of
curioſitie of Rime.
Ouid
writ a Chronicle from the begin-
ning of the world to his own time, that is,
to the raign of Auguſtus the Emperour: ſo
hath Harding the Chronicler (after his ma
ner of old harſh riming) from
Adam
to his
time, that is, to the raigne of King Edward
the fourth.
As
Sotades Maronites
yͤ Iambicke Poet
gaue himſelfe wholy to write impure and
laſciuious things: ſo
Skeltō
(I know not for
what great worthines, ſurnamed the Poet
Laureat) applied his wit to ſcurrilities and
ridiculous matters, ſuch amōg the Greeks
were called Pantomimi, with vs Buffons.
As Conſaluo Periz that excellent lear-
ned man, and Secretary to King Philip of
Spayne
, in tranſlating the Ulyſſes of Hom-
er out of Greeke into Spaniſh, hath by
good iudgement auoided the faulte of Ry-
ming, although not fully hit perfect and
true verſifying: ſo halh
Henrie Howarde
that true and noble Earle of Surrey
in tran-
ſlating the fourth book of
Virgils Æneas
,
whom Michael Drayton in his Englands
heroycall Epiſtles hath enternized for an E-
piſtle to his faire
Geraldine
.
As theſe Neoterickes Iouianus Ponta-
nus, Politanus,
Marullus Tarchamota
, the
two Stroze the father and the ſon, Palin-
genius
Wits Common-wealth 280
genius,
Mantuanus , Philelphus
,
Quintianus
Stoa
and
Germanus Brixius
haue obtained
renown and good place among the aunci-
ent Latine Poets: ſo alſo theſe Engliſh
men being Latine Poets,
Gualter Haddon
,
Nicholas Car
,
Gabriel Haruey
,
Chriſtopher
Ocland
,
Thomas Newton
with his Leyland,
Thomas Watſon
,
Thomas Campion
,
Bruno
ſwerd
&
Willey
, haue attained good report
and honorable aduancement in the Latin
Empyre.
As the Greeke tongue is made famous
and eloquent by
Homer
,
Heſiod
,
Euripedes,
Aeſchilus, Sophocles, Pindarus, Phocylides
and
Ariſtophanes
; and the Latine tongue
by
Virgill
,
Ouid
,
Horace
,
Silius Italicus
,
Lucanus
,
Lucretius
,
Auſonius
and
Clau-
dianus
: ſo the Engliſh tongue is mightily
enriched, and gorgeouſlie inueſted in rare
ornaments and reſplendent abiliments by
ſir
Philip Sidney
,
Spencer
,
Daniel
,
Drayton
,
Warner
,
Shakeſpeare
,
Marlow
and
Chap-
man
.
As
Xenophon
, who did imitate ſo excel-
lently, as to giue vs effigiens iuſhimpery, the
portraiture of a iult Empyre vnder yͤ name
of
Cyrus
(as
Cicero
ſaieth of him) made
therein an abſolute heroicall Poem; and as
Heliodorus
writ in proſe his ſugred inuētiō
of that picture of Loue in
Theagines
and
Cariclea
The ſecond part of
Cartclea, and yet both excellent admired
Poets: ſo ſir Philip Sidney writ his immortal
Poem, The Counteſſe of Pembrookes Ar-
cadia, in Profe, and yet our rareſt Poet.
As Sextus Propertius faide;
Neſcio quid
magis naſcitur Iliade: ſo l ſay of Spencers
Fairy Queene, I knowe not what more ex-
cellent or exquiſite Poem may be written.
As Achilles had the aduantage of Hec-
tor, becauſe it was his fortune to bee extol-
led and renowned by the heauenly verſe
of Homer:
ſo Spenſers Eliſa
the
Fairy Queen
hath the aduantage of all the Queenes in
the worlde, to bee eternized by ſo diuine
a Poet.
As Theocritus is famouſed for his Idyllia
in Greeke, and Virgill for his Eclogs in La-
tine:ſo Spencer thier imitatour in his Shep-
heardes Calender, is renowned for the like
argument, and honoured for fine Poeticall
inuention, and moſt exquiſit wit.
As Parthenius Nicaus excellently ſung
the praiſes of his Arete: ſo Daniel hath di-
uinely ſonetted the matchleſſe beauty of
his Delia.
As euery one mourneth, when hee hea-
reth of the lamentable plangors of
Thra-
cian Orpheusfor his deareſt
Euridice: ſo e-
uery one paſſionateth, when he readeth the
afflicted death of Daniels diſtreſſed
Roſa-
mond.
As
Wits Common-wealth 281
As Lucan hath mournefully depainted
the ciuil wars of Pompey & Cæſar: ſo hath
Daniel the ciuill wars of Yorke and Lan-
caſter; and Drayton the ciuill wars of Ed-
ward the ſecond, and the Barons.
As Virgil doth imitate Catullus in yͤ like
matter of Ariadne for his ſtory of Queene
Dido: ſo Michael Drayton doth imitate
Ouid in his Englands Heroical Epiſtles.
As Sophocles was called a Bee for the
ſweetness of his tongue: ſo in Charles Fitz-
Iefferies Drake, Drayton is termed Golden-
mouth’d, for the purity and pretiouſneſſe of
his ſtile and phraſe.
As
Accius
,
M. Attilius
and
Milithus
were called
Tragædiographi
, becauſe they
writ Tragedies: ſo may wee truly terme
Michael Drayton Tragædiographi
, for
his paſſionate penning the downfals of va-
liant Robert of Normandy, chaſt
Matilda
,
and great Gaueſton.
As
Ioan
.
Honterus
in Latine verſe writ 3.
Bookes of Coſinography wͭ Geographicall
tables: ſo
Michael Drayton
is now in pen-
ning in Engliſh verſe a Poem called Po-
lu-olbion Geographical and Hydrographi-
call of all the foreſts, woods, mountaines,
fountaines, riuers, lakes, flouds, bathes and
ſprings that be in England.
As
Aulus Perſius Flaccus
is reported a-
mong
Oo
The ſecondpart of
mong al writers to be of an honeſt life and
vpright conuerſation: ſo
Michael Drayton
(que toties honoris & amoris caufa nomino)
among ſchollers, ſouldiours, Poets, and all
ſorts of people, is helde for a man of vertu-
ous diſpoſition, honeſt conuerſation, and
wel gouerned cariage, which is almoſt mi-
raculous among good wits in theſe decli-
ning and corrupt times, when there is no-
thing but rogery in villainous man, & whẽ
cheating and craftines is counted the clea-
neſt wit, and ſoundeſt wiſedome.
As
Decius Auſonius Gallus in libris Fa-
ſtorum
, penned the occurrences of yͤ world
from the firſt creation of it to his time, that
is, to the raigne of the Emperor
Gratian
: ſo
Warner
in his abſolute
Albions Englande
hath moſt admirably penned the hiſtorie
of his own country from
Noah
to his time,
that is, to the raign of Queene
Elizabeth
;
I haue heard him termd of the beſt wits of
both our Vniverſities, our Engliſh
Homer
.
As
Euripedes
is the moſt ſententious a-
mong the Greek Poets: ſo is
Warner
amõg
our Engliſh Poets.
As the ſoule of
Euphorbus
was thought
To liue in
Pythagoras
: ſo the ſweete wittie
ſoule of
Ouid
liues in mellifluous & hony-
tounged
Shakespeare
, witnes his
Venus and
Adonis
, his
Lucrece
, his fugred Sonnets
among
Wits Common-Wealth.
282
among his priuate friends, & c.
As
Plautus
and
Seneca
are accounted
the beſt for Comedy and Tragedy among
the Latines: ſo
Shakeſpeare
among yͤ Eng-
liſh is the moſt excellent in both kinds for
the ſtage;for Comedy, witnes his
Gētlemē
of Verona
, his
Errors
, his
Loue labors ſoft
, his
Loue Labours wonne
, his
Midſummers night
dreame
, & his
Merchant of Venice
:for Tra-
gedy, his
Richard the 2.
Richard the 3.
Hen-
ry the 4.
King Iohn
,
Titus Andronicus
and
his
Romeo and Iuliet
.
As
Epius Stolo
ſaid, that the Muſes would
ſpeak with
Plautus
tongue, if they would
ſpeak Latin; ſo I ſay that the Muſes would
ſpeak with
Shakespeares
fine filed phraſe, if
they would ſpeak Engliſh.
As
Muſaeus
, who wrote the loue of
Hero
and Leander
, had two excellent ſchollers,
Thamaras & Hercules
: ſo hath he in Eng-
Land two excellent Poets, imitators of him
In the ſame argument and ſubiect,
Chriſto-
pher Marlow
, and
George Chapman
.
As
Ouid
ſaith of his worke;
Iamp opus exegi, quod nec Iouis ira, nec ignis,
Nec poterit ferrum, nec edax abolere vetuſtas.
And as
Horace
ſaith of his;
Exegi monu-
mentũ aere perennius; Regaliq; ſitu pyramidũ
altius; Quod non imber edax; Non Aquilo
impotens poſſit diruere; aut innumerabilis
annorum
Oo2
The ſecondpart of
annorum ſeries & fuga temporum
: ſo fay I
ſeuerally of ſir
Philip Sidneys
,
Spencers Da-
niels
,
Draytons
,
Shakeſpeares
, and
Warners
workes;
Non Iouis ira: imbres: Mars: ferrum:
flamma, ſenectus,
Hoc opus unda: lues: turbo: venena ruent.
Et quanquam ad plucherrimum hoc opirs e-
uertendum tres illi Dij conſpirabũt, Cronus,
Vulcanus, & pater ipſe gentis;
Non tamen annorum ſeries, non flamma,
necenſis,
Æternumpotuit hoc abolere Decus.
As Italy had
Dante
,
Boccace
,
Petrarch
,
Taſſo
,
Celiano
and
Arioſto
: ſo England had
Mathew Roydon
,
Thomas Atchelow
,
Tho-
Mas Watſon
,
Thomas Kid
,
Robert Greene
&
George Peele
.
As there are eight famous and cheife
languages, Hebrew, Greek, Latine, Syriack,
Arabricke, Italian, Spaniſh, and French: ſo
there are eight notable feurall kindes of
Poets,Heroick, Lyricke, Tragicke, Comicke,
Satiricke, Iambicke, Elegiacke & Paſtoral.
As
Homer
and
Virgil
among the Greeks
and Latines are the chiefe Heroick Poets:
to
Spencer
and
Warner
be our chiefe heroi-
call Makers.
As
Pindarus
,
Anacreon
, and
Callimachus
among the Greekes; and
Horace
and
Ca-
tullus
Wits Common-wealth.
283
tullus
among the Latines are the beſt Ly-
rick Poets: ſo in this faculty the beſt among
our Poets are
Spencer
(who excelleth in all
kinds)
Daniel
,
Drayton
,
Shakeſpeare
,
Brettȭ
As theſe Tragicke Poets flouriſhed in
Greece, Aeſchylus,
Euripedes
,
Sophocles
,
A-
lexander
, Aetolus, Achaeus Erithraeus,
A-
ſtydamas Atheniȇſis
,
Apollodorus Tarſenſis
,
Nicomachus Phrygius
,
Theſpis Atticus
, and
Timon Apolloniates
; and theſe among the
Latines,
Accius
,
M. Attilius
,
Pomponius
Secundus
and
Seneca
: ſo theſe are our beſt
for Tragedie, the Lorde
Buckhurſt
, Doctor
Leg
of Cambridge, Doctor
Edes
of Ox-
forde, maiſter
Edward Ferris,
, the Authour
of the Mirrour for Magiſtrates,
Marlow
,
Peele
,
Watſon
,
Kid
,
Shakeſpeare
,
Drayton
,
Chapman
,
Decker
, and
Beniamin Iohn-
son.
As
M. Anneus Lucanus
writ two excel-
lent Tragedies, one called Medea, the o-
ther (de Incendio Troiaecum Priami calami-
tate): ſo Doctor Leg hath penned two fa-
mous tragedies, ȳ one of
Richard the ʒ
. the
other of the deſtruction of Ieruſalem.
The beſt Poets for Comedy among the
Greeks are theſe,
Menander
,
Ariſtophanes
,
Eupolis Athenienſis
,
Alexis Terius
,
Nico-
ſtratus
,
Amipſias Athenienſis
,
Anaxādrides
Rhodius
,
Ariſtonymus
,
Archippus Atheniȇſis
and
Oo3
The ſecondpart of
and
Callias Athenienſis
; and among the
Latines,
Plautus
,
Terence
,
Næuius
,
Sext.
Turpilius
,
Licinius Imbrex
, and
Virgilius
Romanus
:ſo the beſt for Comedy amongſt
vs bee,
Edward
Earle of Oxforde, Doctor
Gager
of Oxforde, Maiſter Rowley
once a
rare Scholler of learned Pembrooke Hall
in Cambridge, Maiſter Edwardes
one of
her Maieſties Chappell, eloquent and wit-
tie
Iohn Lilly
,
Lodge
,
Gaſcoyne
,
Greene
,
Shakeſpeare
,
Thomas Naſh
,
Thomas Hey-
wood
,
Anthony Mundye
our beſt plotter,
Chapman
,
Porter
,
Wilſon
,
Hathway
, and
Henry Chettle
.
As
Horace
,
Lucilius
,
Iuuenal
,
Perſius
&
Lucullus
are the beſt for Satyre among
the Latines: ſo with vs in the ſame faculty
theſe are chiefe,
Piers Plowman
,
Lodge
,
Hall of Imanuel Colledge in Cambridge;
the Authour of Pigmalions Image, and cer-
taine Satyrs; the Author of Skialetheia
.
Among the Greeks I wil name but two
for Iambicks,
Archilochus Parius
, and
Hip
-
ponax Epheſius
: ſo amongſt vs I name but
two Iambical Poets,
Gabriel Haruey
, and
Richard Stanyhurſt
, bicauſe I haue ſeene no
mo in this kind.
As theſe are famous among the Greeks
for Elegie,
Melanthus
,
Mymnerus Colo
-
phonius
,
Olympius Myſius
,
Parthenius Ni
-
cæus
Wits Common-Wealth.
284
cæus
,P hiletas Cous
,
Theogenes Megaren
-
ſis
, and Pigres Halicarnaſſӕus
; and theſe
among the Latines,
Mecænas
,
Ovid
,
Ti
-
bullus
,Propertius
,
T. Valgius
,
Caſſius
Seuerus
&
Clodius Sabinus
: ſo theſe are the
moſt paſſionate among vs to bewaile and
bemoane the perplexities of Loue,
Henrie
Howard
Earle of Surrey, ſir
Thomas Wyat
the elder, ſir Francis Brian, ſir Philip Sid-
ney,
ſir Walter Rawley
, ſir
Edward Dyer
,
Spencer
,
Daniel
,
Drayton
,
Shakeſpeare
,
Whetſtone
,
Gaſcoyne
,
Samuell Page
fome-
times fellow of
Corpus Chriſti Colledge
in Oxford, Churchyard, Bretton.
As
Theocritus in Greeke,
Virgil
and
Mantuā in Latine, Sonazar in Italian, and
the Authour of Amyntæ Guadia and Wal-
ſinghams Melibæus are the beſt for paſto-
rall: ſo amongſt vs the beſt in this kind are
ſir Philip Sidney
,maſter Challener
,
Spencer
,
Stephen Goſſon
,
Abraham Fraunce
and
Barnefield
.
Theſe and many other
Epigrammatiſts
Latin tongue hath,
Q. Catulus
,
Porcius Li
-
cinius
,
Quintus Corniſicius
,
Martial
,
Cn
.
Getulicus
, and wittie ſir
Thomas Moore
: ſo
in Engliſh we haue theſe,
Heywood
,
Drāte
,
Kendal
,
Baſtard
,
Dauies
.
As noble
Mecænas
that ſprung from the
Hetruſcan Kinges not onely graced Poets
by
O o 4,
The ſecond part of
by his bounty, but alſo by beeing a Poet
himſelfe; and as Iames the 6. nowe king of
Scotland is not only a fauorer of Poets, but
a Poet, as my friend maſter Richard Barneſ-
fielde hath in this Diſticke paſſing well re-
corded:
The King of Scots now liuing is a Poet,
As his Lepanto, and his furies ſhow it:
ſo Elizabeth our dread ſoueraign and gra-
cious Queene is not only a liberal patrone
vnto Poets, but an excellent Poet herſelfe,
whoſe learned, delicate and noble Muſe
ſurmounteth, be it in Ode, Elegy, Epigram
or in any other kind of Poem Heroicke, or
Lyricke.
Octauia ſiſer vntoAuguſtus the Empe-
rour was exceeding bountifull vnto Virgil,
who gaue him for making 26. verſes 1137
pounds, to wit, tenne Seſtertiaes for euerie
verſe, which amount to aboue 43. pounds
for euery verſse: ſo learned Mary, the ho-
norable Counteſſe of Pembrook
, the noble
ſiſter of immortall ſir Philip Sidney, is very
liberall vnto Poets; beſides ſhee is a moſt
delicate Poet, of whome I may ſay, as
Antipater Sidonius writeth of Sappho:
Dulcia Mnemoſyne demirans carmina
Sapphus,
Qurſiuit decima Pieris unde foret.
Among
Wits Common-wealth 285
Among others in times paſt, Poets had
theſe fauourers, Auguſtus, Mecaenas, So-
phocles, Germanicus, an Emperour, a noble
man, a Senatour, and a Captaine: ſo of la-
ter times Poets haue theſe patrones, Ro-
bert king of Sicil, the great king Frances of
France king Iames of Scotland, & Queene
Elizabeth of England.
As in former times two great Cardinals,
Bembus & Biena, did countenance Poets:
ſo of late yeares two great preachers haue
giuen them their right hands in felowſhip,
Beza and Melancthon.
As the learned philoſophers Fracaſtorius
and Scaliger haue highly prized them: ſo
haue the eloquent Orators Pontanus and
Muretus very gloriouſly eſtimated them.
As Georgius Buckananus Iephthe, amõgſt
all moderne Tragedies is able to abide the
touch of Ariſtotles precepts, and Euripe-
des examples: ſo is Biſhop Watſons Abſalon.
As Terence for this tranſlations out of
Apollodorus & Menander, and Aquilius
for
his tranſlation out of Menander
, and C.
Germanicus Augustus for his out of Arae
tus, and Auſonius for his tranſlated Epi
grams out of Greeke, and Doctor Iohnſon
for his Frogge-fight out of Homer, and
Watſon for his Antigone out of Sophocles
,
haue got good commendations: ſo theſe
verſiſers
The ſecond part of
verſiſers for their learned tranſlations are
of good note among vs, Phaer
for
Vir-
gils
Aeneads
, Goldings
for
Ouids
Meta-
morphoſis
, Harington for his
Orlādo Furioſo
,
the tranflators of Senecaes Tragedies
,
Bar-
nabe Googe
for Palingenius
,
Turberuile
for
Ouids Epiſtles
and Mantuan, and Chap-
man for his inchoate
Homer
.
As the Latines haue thefe Emblematiſts,
Andreas Alciatus, Reuſnerus, and Sambu-
cus: ſo we haue theſe,
Geffrey Whitney
, An-
drew Willet
, and
Thomas Combe
.
As
Nonnus Panapolyta
writ the Goſpell
of faint Iohn in Greeke Hexameters:ſo ler-
uis Markham hath written Salomons Can
ticles
in Engliſh verſe.
As C.Plinius
writ the life of Pomponius
Secūdus: ſo yong
Charles Fitz-Ieſſrey
, that
high touring Falcon, hath moſt gloriouſly
penned the honourable life and death of
worthy ſir
Francis Drake
.
As
Heſiod
writ learnedly of husbandry
in Greeke: ſo hath
Tuſſer
very wittily and
experimentally written of it in Engliſh.
As Antipater Sidonius
was famous for
extemporall verſe in Greeke, and Ouid for
his
Quicquid conabar dicere verſus erat
:
ſo was our Tarleton, of whome Doctour
Caſe that learned phyſitian thus ſpeaketh
in the ſeuenth Booke, ſeuenteenth chap-
ter
Wits Common-wealth
286
ter of his Politikes; Aristoteles
ſuum
Theo-
doretum laudauit quendamperitum Tragæ-
diarum actorem
; Cicero ſuum Roſcium: nos
Angli Tarletonum, in cuius voce vultu
omnes iocoſi aſſectus,
in cuius cerebroſo ca-
pite lepidae facetiae habitant
. And ſo is now
our wittie Wilſon, who, for learning
and extemporall witte in this facultie, is
without compare or compeere, as to his
great and eternall commendations he ma-
nifeſted in his chalenge at the Swanne on
the Banke ſide.
As
Achilles
tortured the deade bo-
die of
Hector
, and as
Antonius
, and his
wife
Fuluia
tormented the liueleſſe corps
of
Cicero
: ſo Gabriell Haruey hath ſhewed
the ſame inhumanitie to
Greene
that lies
full low in his graue.
As
Eupolis
of Athens vſed great liber-
tie in taxing the vices of men: ſo dooth
Thomas Naſh
, witneſſe the broode of the
Harueys.
As Actaeon
was wooried of his owne
hounds: ſo is Tom Naſh
of his Ile of Dogs
.
Dogges were the death of
Euripedes,
but bee not diſconſolate gallant young
Iuuenall,
Linus
, the ſonne of
Apollo
died
the ſame death. Yet God forbid that ſo
braue a witte ſhould ſo baſely periſh, thine
are
Wits Common-wealth
286v
are but paper dogges, neither is thy ba-
baniſhment like Ovids, eternally to conuerſe
with the barbarous Getes. Therefore com-
fort thy ſelfe ſweet tom. with Ciceros
glorious retrun to Rome, & with the coun-
ſel Aeneas giues to his ſeabeaten ſoldiors,
lib. I.Aenid.
Pluck vp thine heart, & driue from thence
both feare and care away:
To thinke on this may pleaſure be perhaps
another day.
Durato, & temet rebus ſeruato ſecundis.
As Anacreon died by the pot: ſo George
Peele
by the pox.
As Archeſilaus Prytanæus periſhed by
wine at a drunken feaſt, as Hermippus testi-
fieth in
Diogenes
: ſo Robert Greene died of
a ſurfet taken at Pickeld Herrings, & Rhe-
nish wine, as witneſeth Thomas Naſh, who
was at the fatall banquet.
As Iodelle, a French tragical poet beeing
an Epicure, and an Atheiſt, made a pitifull
end: ſo our tragicall poet Marlow for his
Epicuriſme and Atheiſme had a tragicall
death; you may read of this Marlow more
at large in the Theatre of Gods iudgements,
in the 25. chapter entreating of Epicures
and Atheiſts.
As the poet Lycophron was ſhot to death
by a certain riual of his: ſo Chriſtopher Mar
low
Wits Common-wealth
287
low was ſtabd to death by a bawdy Ser-
uingman, a riuall of his in his lewde loue.
