The Arte of English Poesie | Page 8

formall, and in his much
multiformitie vniforme, that is well proportioned, and so passing cleare,
that by it as by a glasse or mirrour, are represented vnto the soule all
maner of bewtifull visions, whereby the inuentiue parte of the mynde is
so much holpen, as without it no man could deuise any new or rare
thing: and where it is not excellent in his kind, there could be no
politique Captaine, nor any witty enginer or cunning artificer, nor yet
any law maker or counsellor of deepe discourse, yea the Prince of
Philosophers stickes not to say _animam non intelligere absque
phantasmate_, which text to another purpose _Alexander Aphrodiscus_
well noteth, as learned men know. And this phantasie may be
resembled to a glasse as hath bene sayd, whereof there be many
tempers and manner of makinges, as the perspectiues doe acknowledge,
for some be false glasses and shew thinges otherwise than they be in
deede, and others right as they be in deede, neither fairer nor fouler, nor
greater nor smaller. There be againe of these glasses that shew thinges
exceeding faire and comely, others that shew figures very monstruous
& illfauored. Euen so is the phantasticall part of man (if it be not
disordered) a representer of the best, most comely and bewtifull images
or apparances of thinges to the soule and according to their very truth.
If otherwise, then doth it breede Chimeres & monsters in mans

imaginations, & not onely in his imaginations, but also in all his
ordinarie actions and life which ensues. Wherefore such persons as be
illuminated with the brightest irradiations of knowledge and of the
veritie and due proportion of things, they are called by the learned men
not phantastics_ but _euphantasiote, and of this sorte of phantasie are
all good Poets, notable Captaines stratagematique, all cunning artificers
and enginers, all Legislators Polititiens & Counsellours of estate, in
whose exercises the inuentiue part is most employed and is to the sound
& true iudgement of man most needful. This diuersitie in the termes
perchance euery man hath not noted, & thus much be said in defence of
the Poets honour, to the end no noble and generous minde be
discomforted in the studie thereof, the rather for that worthy &
honorable memoriall of that noble woman twise French Queene, Lady
Anne_ of Britaine, wife first to king _Charles the viij and after to Lewes
the xij, who passing one day from her lodging toward the kinges side,
saw in a gallerie Master Allaine Chartier the kings Secretarie, an
excellent maker or Poet leaning on a tables end a sleepe, & stooped
downe to kisse him, saying thus in all their hearings, we may not of
Princely courtesie passe by and not honor with our kisse the mouth
from whence so many sweete ditties & golden poems haue issued. But
me thinks at these words I heare some smilingly say, I would be loath
to lacke liuing of my own till the Prince gaue me a maner of new Elme
for my riming: And another to say I haue read that the Lady Cynthia
came once downe out of her skye to kisse the faire yong lad Endimion
as he lay a sleep: & many noble Queenes that haue bestowed kisses
upon their Princes paramours, but neuer vpon any Poets. The third me
thinks shruggingly saith, I kept not to sit sleeping with my Poesie till a
Queene came and kissed me: But what of all this? Princes may giue a
good Poet such conuenient countenaunce and also benefite as are due to
an excellent artificer, though they neither kisse nor cokes them, and the
discret Poet lookes for no such extraordinarie fauours, and aswell doth
he honour by his pen the iust, liberall, or magnanimous Prince, as the
valiaunt, amiable or bewtifull though they be euery one of them the
good giftes of God. So it seemes not altogether the scorne and ordinarie
disgrace offered vnto Poets at these dayes, is cause why few Gentlemen
do delight in the Art, but for that liberalitie, is come to fayle in Princes,
who for their largesse were wont to be accompted th'onely patrons of

learning, and first founders of all excellent artificers. Besides it is not
perceiued, that Princes them selues do take any pleasure in this science,
by whose example the subiect is commonly led, and allured to all
delights and exercises be they good or bad, according to the graue
saying of the historian. _Rex multitudinem religione impleuit, quæ
semper regenti similis est._ And peraduenture in this iron & malitious
age of ours, Princes are lesse delighted in it, being ouer earnestly bent
and affected to the affaires of Empire & ambition, whereby they are as
it were inforced to indeuour them selues