¶ THREE PROPER, and wittie, familiar Letters: lately passed betvvene tvvo Vniuersitie men: touching the Earthquake in Aprill last, and our English refourmed Versifying.
With the Preface of a wellwiller to them both.
IMPRINTED AT LONdon, by H. Bynneman, dvvelling in Thames streate, neere vnto Baynardes Castell.
Anno Domini. 1580.
Cum gratia & priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis.
¶ TO THE CVRTEOVS Buyer, by a VVelwiller of the tvvo Authours.
CVrteous Buyer, (for I write not to the enuious Carper) it was my good happe, as I interpreate it, nowe lately at the fourthe or fifte h [...]e, to bee made acquainted wyth the three [...]ters following, by meanes of a faithfull friende, who with much [...] entreaty had procured the copying of them oute, at Immeritos handes. And I praye you, interprete it for your good happe, so soone after to come so easilye by them, throughe my meanes, who am onely to craue these twoo things at your handes, to thinke friendely of my friendly meaning, and to take them of me wyth this Presumption, In exiguo quandoque cespite latet lepus: and many pretious stones, thoughe in quantitie small yet in qualitie and valewe are esteemed for great. The first, for a good familiar and sensible Letter, sure liketh me verye well, and gyueth some hope of good mettall in the Author, in whome I knowe myselfe to be very good partes otherwise. But shewe me, or Immerito, two Englyshe Letters in Printe, in all pointes equall to the other twoo, both for the matter it selfe, and also for the manner of handling, and saye, wee neuer sawe good Englishe Letter in our liues. And yet I am credibly certified by the foresaide faithfull and honest friende, that himselfe hathe written manye of the same stampe bothe to Courtiers and others, and some of them discoursing vppon matter of great waight and importance, wherein he is said, to be fully as sufficient and hable, as in these schol [...]erly pointes of Learning. The whiche Letters and Discourses I would very gladly see in Writing, but more gladly in Printe, if it might be obtayned. And at this time to speake my conscience in a worde of these two following, I esteeme them for twoo of the rarest, and finest Treaties, as wel for ingenious deuising, as also for significant vttering, & cleanly conueying of his matter, that euer I read in this Tongue: and I hartily thanke God for bestowing vppon vs some such proper and hable men with their penne, as I hartily thanke the Author himselfe, for vsing his pleasaunte, and witty Talente, with so muche discretion, [Page 4] and with so little harme, contrarye to the veine of moste, whych haue thys singular conceyted grace in writing. If they had bene of their owne setting forth, I graunt you they might haue beene more curious, but beeyng so well, and so sufficiently done, as they are, in my simple iudgement, and hauing so many notable things in them, togither with so greate varietie of Learning, worth the reading, to pleasure you, and to helpe to garnish our Tongue, I feare their displeas [...]re the lesse. And yet, if they thinke I haue made them a faulte, in not making them priuy to the Publication: I shall be alwayes readye to make them the beste amende [...] [...] can, any other friendly waye. Surely, I wishe them bothe hartilye wel in the Lord, and betake you and them to his mercifull gouernemente, hoping, that he will at his pleasure conuerte suche good and diuine gifts as these, to the setting out of his own glory, and the benefite of his Churche. This XIX. of Iune. 1580.
[Page]Three proper wittie familiar Letters, lately passed betvvene tvvo Vniuersitie men, touching the Earthquake in April last, and our English reformed Versifying.
GOod Master H. I doubt not but you haue some great important matter in hande, which al this while restraineth youre Penne, and wonted readinesse in prouoking me vnto that, wherein your selfe nowe faulte. If there bée any such thing in hatching, I pray you hartily, lette vs knowe, before al the worlde sée it. But if happly you dwell altogither in Iustinians Courte, and giue your selfe to be deuoured of secreate Studies, as of all likelyhood you doe: yet at least imparte some your olde, or newe, Latine, or Englishe, Eloquent and Gallant Poesies to vs, from whose eyes, you saye, you kéepe in a manner nothing hidden. Little newes is here stirred [...] but that olde greate matter still depending. His Honoure neuer better. I thinke the Earthquake was also there wyth you (which I would gladly learne) as it was here with vs: ouerthrowing diuers old buildings, and péeces of Churches. Sure verye straunge to be hearde of in these Countries, and yet I heare some saye (I knowe not howe truely) that they [Page 6] haue knowne the like before in their dayes. Sed quid vobis videtur magnis Philosophis? I like your late Englishe Hexameters so excéedingly well, that I also [...]nure my Penne sometime in that kinde: whyche I fynd indéede, as I haue heard you often defende in worde, neither so harde, nor so harshe, that it will easily and fairely, yéelde it selfe to oure Moother tongue. For the onely, or chiefest hardnesse, whych seemeth, is in the Accente: whyche sometime gapeth, and as it were yawneth ilfauouredly, comming shorte of that it should, and sometime excéeding the measure of the Number, as in Carpenter, the middle sillable being vsed shorte in speache, when it shall be read long in Uerse, séemeth like a lame Gosling, that draweth one legge after hir: and Heauen, béeing vsed shorte as one sillable, when it is in Uerse, stretched out with a Diastole, is like a lame Dogge that holdes vp one legge. But it is to be wonne with Custome, and rough words must be subdued with Use. For, why a Gods name may not we, as else the Gróekes, haue the kingdome of oure owne Language, and measure our Accentes, by the sounde, reseruing the Quantitie to the Uerse? Loe here I let you sée my olde vse of toying in Rymes, turned into your artificial straightnesse of Uerse, by this Tetrasticon. I beséech you tell me your fancie, without parcialitie.
Séeme they comparable to those two, which I translated you ex tempore in bed, the last time we lay togither in Westminster?
I would hartily wish, you would either send me the Rules and P [...]ecepts of Arte, which you obserue in Quantities, or else followe mine, that M. Philip Sidney gaue me, being the very same which M. Drant deuised, but enlarged with M. [Page 7] Sidneys own iudgement, and augmented with my Obseruations, that we might both accorde and agrée in one: leaste we ouerthrowe one an other, and be ouerthrown of the rest. Truste me, you will hardly beléeue what greate good liking and estimation Maister Dyer had of youre Satyricall Verses, and I, since the viewe thereof, hauing before of my selfe had speciall liking of Englishe Versifying, am euen nowe aboute to giue you some token, what, and howe well therein I am able to doe: [...]or, to tell you trueth, I minde shortely at conuenient leysure, to sette forth a Booke in this kinde, whyche I entitle, Epithalamion Thamesis, whyche Booke I dare vndertake wil be very profitable for the knowledge, and rare for the Inuention, and manner of handling. For in setting forth the marriage of the Thames: I shewe his first beginning, and offspring, and all the Countrey, that he passe [...]h thorough, and also describe all the Riuers throughout Englande, whyche came to this Wedding, and their righte names, and right passage, &c. A worke beléeue me, of much labour, wherein notwithstanding Master Holinshed hath muche furthered and aduantaged me, who therein hath bestowed singular paines, in searching oute their firste heades, and sourses: and also in tracing, and dogging oute all their Course, til they fall into the Sea,
But of that more hereafter. Nowe, my Dreames, and dying Pellicane, being fully finished (as I partelye signified in my laste Letters) and presentlye to bée imprinted, I wil in haude forthwith with my Fa [...]ry Queene, whyche I praye you hartily send me with al expedition: and your frendly Letters, and long expected Iudgement wythal, whyche let not be shorte, but in all pointes suche, as you ordinarilye vse, and I extraordinarily desire. Multum vale. Westminster. Quarto Nona [...] Aprilis 1580. Sed, amabò te, Meum Corculum tibi se ex animo commendat plurimùm: iamdiu mirata, te nihil ad literas suas responsi dedisse. Vide queso, ne id tibi Capitale sit: Mihi [Page 8] certè quidem erit, neq tibi hercle impunè, vt opinor, I [...]erum vale, & qu [...]m voles saepè.
Postscripte.
I take best my Dreames shoulde come forth alone, being growen by meanes of the Gl [...]sse, (rūning continually in maner of a Paraphrase) full as great as my Calendar. Therin be some things excellently, and many things wittily discoursed of E. K. and the Pictures so singularly set forth, and purtrayed, as if Michael Angelo were there, he could (I think) nor amende the best, nor reprehende the worst. I know you woulde lyke them passing wel. Of my Stemmata Dudleiana, and especially of the sundry Apostrophes therein, addressed you knowe to whome, muste more aduisement be had, than so lightly to sende them abroade: howbeit, trust me (though I doe neuer very well,) yet in my owne fancie, I neuer dyd better: Veruntamen te sequor solùm: nunquam verò assequar.
A Pleasant and pitthy familiar discourse, of the Earthquake in Aprill last.
SIgnor Immerito, after as many gentle Godmorrowes, as your self, and your swéete Harte listeth: May it please your Maistershippe to dispense with a poore Oratour of yours, for breaking one principall graund Rule of our olde inuiolable Rules of Rhetorick, in shewing himselfe somewhat too pleasurably disposed in a sad matter: (of purpose, to méete with A coople of shrewde wittie new marryed Gentlewomen, which were more Inquisitiue, than Capable of Natures works) I will report you a prettie conceited discourse, that I had with them no longer agoe, than yesternight, in a Gentlemans house, here in Essex. Where being in the company of certaine curteous Gentlemen, and those two Gentlewomen, it was my chaunce to be well occupyed, I warrant you, at Cardes, (which I dare saye I scarcely handled a whole twelue moonth before) at that very instant, that the Earth vnder vs quaked, and the house shaked aboue: besides the moouing, and ratling of the Table, and fourmes, where wée sat. Where vpon, the two Gentlewomen hauing continually béene wrangling with all the rest, and especially with my selfe, and euen at that same very moment, making a great [Page 10] loude noyse, and much a doo: Good Lorde, quoth I, is it not woonderful straunge that the delicate voyces of two so propper fine Gentlewoomen, shoulde make such a suddayne terrible Earthquake? Imagining in good fayth, nothing in the worlde lesse, than that it shoulde be any Earthquake in déede, and imputing that shaking to the suddayne sturring, and remoouing of some cumberous thing or other, in the vpper Chamber ouer our Heades: which onely in effect most of vs noted, scarcely perceyuing the rest, béeing so closely and eagerly set at our game, and some of vs taking on, as they did. But beholde, all on the suddayne th [...]re commeth stumbling into the Parlour, the Gentleman of the house, somewhat straungely affrighted, and in a manner all agast, and telleth vs, as well as his Head and Tongue woulde giue him leaue, what a woonderous violent motion, and shaking there was of all things in his Hall: sensibly and visibly séene, as well of his owne selfe, as of many of his Seruauntes, and Neighbours there. I straite wayes beginnyng to thinke somewhat more s [...]riously of the matter: Then I pray you, good Syr, quoth I, send presently one of your seruauntes farther into the Towne, to enquire, if the like h [...]th happened there, as most likely is, and then must it néedes be some Earthquake. Whereat the good fearefull Gentleman being a little recomforted, (as misdoubting, and dreading before, I knowe not what in his owne House, as many others did) and immediately dispatching his man into the Towne, wée had by and by certayne woord, that it was ge [...]erall ouer all the Towne, and within lesse than a quarter of an howre after, that the very like be happened the next Towne too, being a farre greater and goodlyer Towne. The Gentlewoomens hartes nothing acquaynted with any such Accidentes, were maruellously daunted: and they, that immediately before were so eagerly, and gréedily praying on vs, began nowe forsooth, very demurely, and deuoutely to pray vnto God, and the one especially, that was euen nowe in the House toppe, I beséeche y [...]u hartily quoth shée, [Page 11] let vs leaue off playing, and fall a praying. By my truely, I was neuer so scared in my lyfe, Me thinkes it maruellous straunge. What good Parte [...]er? Cannot you pray to your selfe, quoth one of the Gentlemen, but all the House must heare you, and ring Allin to our Ladyes Mattins? I sée woomen are euery way v [...]hement, and affectionate. Your selfe was liker euen nowe, to make a fraye, than to pray: and will you nowe néedes in all hast bée on both your knées? Let vs, and you say it, first dispute the matter, what daunger, and terror it carryeth with it. God be praysed, it is already ceased, and héere be some present, that are able cunningly, and clearkly to argue the case. I beséeche you master, or mystresse, your zealous and d [...]uoute Passion a while. And with that turning to me, and smiling a little at the first: Nowe I pray you, Master H. what say you Philosophers, quoth he, to this suddayne Earthquake? May there not be some sensible Naturall cause therof, in the concauities of the Earth it self, as some forcible and violent Eruption of wynde, or the like? Yes no doubt, sir, may there, quoth I, as well, as an Intelligible Supernaturall: and peraduenture the great aboundaunce and superfluitie of waters, that fell shortly after Michaelmas last, béeyng not as yet dryed, or drawen vp with the heate of the Sunne, which hath not yet recouered his full attractiue strength and power, might minister some occasion th [...]reof, as might easily be discoursed by Naturall Philosophie, in what sorte the poores, and ventes, and crannies of the Earth being so stopped, and fylled vp euery where with moysture, that the windie Exhaltations, and Uapors, pent vp as it were in the bowels thereof, could not otherwise get out, and ascende to their Naturall Originall place. But the Termes of Arte, and verye Natures of things themselues so vtterly vnknowen, as they are to most héere, it were a péece of woorke to laye open the Reason to euery on [...]s Capacitie.
I know well, it is we that you meane, quoth one of ye Gentlewomen (whom for distinction sake, and bicause I imagine [Page 12] they would be loath to be named, I will hereafter call, Mystresse Inquisitiua, and the other, Madame Incredula:) now I beséeche you, learned Syr, try our wittes a little, and let vs heare a péece of your déepe Uniuersitie Cunning. Séeing you Gentlewomen will allgates haue it so, with a good will, quoth I: and then forsooth, very solemnly pawsing a whyle, most grauely, and doctorally procéeded, as followeth.
The Earth you knowe, is a mightie great huge body, and consisteth of many diuers, and contrarie members, & vaines, and arteries, and concaui [...]ies, wh [...]rein to auoide the absurditie of Vacuum, most necessarily be very great store of substantiall matter, and sundry Accidentall humours, & fumes, and spirites, either good, or bad, or mixte. Good they cannot possibly all be, whereout is ingendred so much bad, as namely so many poysonfull, and venemous Hearbes, and Beastes, besides a thousand infectiue, and contagious thinges else. If they be bad, bad you must néedes graunt is subiect to bad, and then can there not, I wa [...]rant you, want an Obiect, for bad to worke vpon. If mixt, which séemeth most probable, yet is it impossible, that there should be such an equall, and proportionable Temperature, in all, and singular re [...]pecte [...], but sometime the Euill (in the diuels name,) will as it were interchaungeably haue his naturall Predominaunt Course, and issue one way, or other. Which euill working vehemently in the partes, and malitiously encountering the good, forcibly tosse [...]h, and cruelly disturbeth the whole: Which conflict indureth so long, and is fostred with aboundaunce of corrupt putrified Humors, and ylfauoured grosse infected matter, that it must néedes (as well, or rather as ill, as in mens and womens bodyes) brust out in the ende into one perillous disease or other, and sometime, for want of Naturall voyding such fe [...]erous, and flatuous Spirites, as lurke within, into such a violent chill shiuering shaking Ague, as euen nowe you sée the Earth haue. Which Ague, or rather euery fitte thereof, we schollers call grossely, and homely, Terrae motus, a moouing, or sturring of the Earth, you Gentlew [...]men, that [Page 13] be learned, somewhat more finely, and daintily, Terr [...] metus, a feare, and agony of the Earth: we being onely mooued, and not terrified, you being onely in a manner terrified, & scarcely mooued therewith. Nowe here, (and it please you) lyeth the poynt, and quidditie of the controu [...]rsie, whether our Motus, or your Metus, be the better, & more consonant to the Principles and Maximes of Philosophy? the one being manly, and deuoyde of dreade, the other woomannish, and most wo [...]ully quiuering, and shiuering for very feare. In sooth, I vse not to dissemble with Gentlewoomen: I am slatly of Opinion, the Earth whereof man was immediately made, and not wooman, is in all proportions and similitudes liker vs than you, and when it fortuneth to be distemp [...]red, and disseas [...]d, either in part, or in whole, I am p [...]rsuad [...]d, and I belé [...]ue Reason, and Philosophy will beare me out in it, it only mooueth with the very impulsiue force of the malady, and not trembleth, or quak [...]th for dastardly feare.
Nowe, I beséeche you, what thinke ye, Gentlewomen, by this Reason? Reason, quoth Madame Incredula: By my truly, I can neither picke out Rime, nor Reason, out of any thing I haue hearde yet. And yet me think [...]s all should be Gospell, that commeth from you Doctors of Cambridge. But I sée well, all is not Gould, that glist [...]reth. In déede, quoth Mistresse Inquisitiua, héere is much adooe, I trowe, and little helpe. But it please [...]h Master H. (to delight himselfe, and these Gentlemen) to tell vs a trim goodly Tale of Robinhood, I knowe not what. Or suer if this be Gospell, I dowte, I am not in a good beléefe. Trust me truly, Syr your Eloquence farre pass [...]th my I [...]telligence. Did I not tell you aforehand, quo [...]h I, as muche? And yet would you néedes presume of your Capacities in such profound mysteries of Philosophie, and Priuiti [...]s of Nature, as these be? The very thinking whereof, (vnlesse happily it be per fidem implicitam, in beléeuing, as the learned beléeue, And saying, It is so, bycause it is so) is nighe enough, to caste you both into a fitte, or two, of a daungerous shaking feauer, vnlesse you presently [Page 14] séeke some remedie to preuent it. And in earnest, if ye wyll giue me leaue, vpon that small skill I haue in Extrinsecall, and Intrinsecall Physiognomie, & so foorth, I will wager all the money in my poore purse to a pottle of Hyppocrase, you shall both this night, within somwhat lesse than two howers and a halfe, after ye be layed, Dreame of terrible straunge Agues, and Agonyes as well in your owne prettie bodyes, as i [...] the mightie great body of the Earth. You are very merily disposed, God be praysed, quoth Mistresse Inquisitiua, I am glad to sée you so pleasurable. No doubt, but you are maruellous priuie to our dreames. But I pray you now in a little good earnest, doo you Schollers thinke, that it is the very reason in déede, which you spake of euen now? There be many of vs, good Mistresse, quoth I, of that opiniō: wherin I am content to appeale to ye knowledge of these learned Gentlemen here. And some a [...]ne, of our finest conceited heades defend this Positiō, (a very straūge Paradox in my fancie:) yt the Earth hauing taken in too much drinke, & as it were ouer lauish Cups, (as it hath sensibly done in a maner all this Winter past) now staggereth [...] & réeleth, & tottereth, this way and that way, vp & downe, like a drunken man, or wooman (when their Alebench Rhetorick cōmes vpon them, & specially the moouing Patheticall figure Pottypôsis,) & therefore in this forcible sort, you lately sawe, payneth it selfe to vomit vp againe, that so disordereth, and disquieteth the whole body within. And, forsoothe, a fewe new Contradictorie fellowes make no more of it, but a certaine vehement, and passionate néesing, or sobbing, or coffing, wherewithall they say, and as they say, say with great Physicall, and Naturall Reason, The Earth in some place, or other, euer lightly after any great, and suddayne alteration of weather, or diet, is excéedingly troubled, and payned, as namely this very Time of the yeare, after the extréeme pynching colde of Winter, and agayne in Autumne, after the extréeme parching heate of Sommer. But shall I tell you, Mistresse Inquisitiua? The soundest Philosophers in déede, and very déepest Secretaries [Page 15] of Nature, holde, if it please you, an other Assertion, and maintayne this for truth: (which at the leastwise, of all other séemeth maruellous reasonable, and is questionl [...]sse farth [...]st off from Heresie:) That as the Earth, vppon it, hath many stately, and boysterous & fierce Creatures, as namely, Men and Women, and diu [...]rs Beastes, wherof some one is in maner continually at variaunce and fewde with an other, euermore séeking to be reuenged vpō his enimie, which eft soones breaketh forth into profess [...]d and open Hostilitie: and then consequently followe set battels, & mortall warres: wherin the one partie bendeth all the force of his Ordinance and other Martiall furniture against the other: [...]o likewise within it too, it hath also some, as vengibly and frowardly bent, as for Example, Woormes, and Moules, and Cunnyes, and such other valiauntly highminded Creatures, ye Sonnes and daughters of Mars, & Bellona [...] that nurrish ciuill debate, and contrarie factions amongst them selues: which are seldome, or neuer ended too, without miserable bloudshed, and deadly warre: and then go me their Gunnes lust [...]ly off; and the one dischargeth his Péece co [...]tagious [...]y at the other: and there is suche a Generall dub a dubbe amongst them, and such horrible Thundering on euery syde, and suche a monstrous cruell shaking of one an others For [...]es and Castels, that the whole Earth agayne, [...] at the least, so muche of the Earth, as is ouer [...] or néere them, is terribly hoysed, and — No more An [...]s, or Ifs, for Gods sake, quoth the Madame, and this be your great Doctorly learning. Wée haue euen Enoughe alreadie for our Money: and if you shoulde goe a little farther, I feare mée, you woulde make vs nyghe as [...]unning as your selfe: and that woulde bée a great disgrace [...]o the Uniuersi [...]i [...]. Not a whi [...]te, gentle Madame, quoth I [...], there be of vs, that haue greater store in our bowgets, than we can well occupie our selues, and therefore we are glad as you sée, when by the fauourable, & gratious aspect of son [...]e bl [...]ssed Planet, and specially our Mercury, or your Venus, it is our good Fortune, [Page 16] to lighte on such good friendes, as you, and some other good Gentle woomen be, that take pleasure, & comfort in such good things. Wherat Mistresse Inquisitiua, laughing right out, and beginning to demaunde I know not what, (me thought, shée made, as if it shoulde haue béen some goodly plausible Iest, wherat shée is, and takes her selfe prettily good:) Well, well, Master H. quoth the Gentleman of the house, now you haue playde your part so cunningly with the Gentlewoomen, (as I warrant you shall be remembred of Inquisitiua [...] when you are gone, and may happely forget her: which I hope, Mistresse Incredula will do sometyme too, by hir leaue:) I pray you in earnest, let vs men learne some thing of you too: and especially I would gladly heare your Iudgement, and resolution, whether you counte of Earthquakes, as Naturall, or Supernaturall motions. But the shorter, all the better. To whom I made answere, in effect, as followeth:
Master Hs. short, but sharpe, and learned Iudgement of Earthquakes.
TRuely Syr, vnder correction, and in my fancie: The Earthquakes themselues I would saye are Naturall [...] as I veryly beléeue the Internall Causes there of, are: I meane those two Causes, which the Logicians call, the Materiall, and the Formall [...] Marr [...], the Exter [...]ll [...]auses, which are the Efficient and Finall, I take rather of the two, to be sup [...]rnaturall. I must [...]ra [...]e a little lea [...]e to l [...]ye open the matter.
The [...]teriall Cause of Earthquakes, (as was superficially [...]ouche [...] in the begin [...]ing of our speache, and is sufficiently proo [...]ed by Aristotle in ye seconde Booke of his Meteor [...],) is no doubt great aboundance of wynde, or stoare of gros [...] and [...]y [...] [...]s, and spirites, fast shut vp, & as a man would saye, emprysoned in the Caues, and Dange [...]ns of the Earth [...] [Page 17] which winde, or vapors, séeking to be set at libertie, and to get them home to their Naturall lodgings, in a great fume, violently rush out, and as it were, breake prison, which forcible Eruption, and strong breath, causeth an Earthquake. As is excellently, and very liuely expressed of Ouid, as I remember, thus:
The formall Cause, is nothing but the very manner of this same Motion, and shaking of the Earth without: and the violent kinde of striuing, and wrastling of the windes, and Exhalations within: which is, and must néedes be done in this, or that sort, after one fashion, or other. Nowe, syr, touching the other two Causes, which I named Externall: The first immediate Efficient, out of all Question, is God himselfe, the Creatour, and Continuer, and Corrector of Nature, and therefore Supernaturall: whose onely voyce carrieth such a reuerend and terrible Maiestie with it, that the very Earth againe, and highest Mountaines quake & tremble at the sounde and noyse thereof: the text is rife in euery mans mouth: Locutus est Dominus & contremuit Terra: howbeit, it is not to be gainesayd, that is holden of all the auncient Naturall Philosophers, and Astronomers, for the principall, or rather sole Efficient, that the Influence, and heate of the Sunne, and Starres, and specially of the thrée superior Planets, Saturne, Iupiter, and Mars, is a secondarie Instrumentall Efficient of such motions.
The finall, not onely that the wynde shoulde recouer his Naturall place, than which a naturall reasonable man goeth no farther, no not our excellentest profoundest Philosophers themselues: but sometime also, I graunt, to testifie and denounce the secrete wrathe, and indignation of God, or his [Page 18] sensible punishmen [...] vppon notorious malefactours, or, a threatning Caueat, and forewarning for the inhabitantes, or the like, depending vppon a supernaturall Efficient Cause, and tending to a supernaturall Morall End.
Which End, (for that I knowe is the very poynt, whereon you stande) albeit it be acknowledged Supernaturall and purposed, as I sayd, of a supernaturall Cause, to whom nothing at all is impossible, and that can worke supernaturally, and myraculously without ordinarie meanes, and inferiour causes: yet neuerthelesse is, we sée, commonly performed, by the qualifying, and conforming of Nature, and Naturall things, to the accomplishment of his Diuine and incomprehensible determination. For being, as the olde Philosophers call him, very Nature selfe, or as it hath pleased our later schoolemen to terme him, by way of distinction, Natura Naturans, he hath all these secondarie inferiour thinges, the foure Elementes, all sensible, and vnsensible, reasonable, and vnreasonable Creatures, the whole worlde, and what soeuer is contayned in the Compas of the worlde, being the workmanship of his owne hands, and, as they call them, Natura naturata, euer pliable and flexible Instrumentes at his Commaundement: to put in execution such Effectes, either ordinarie or extraordinarie, as shall séeme most requisite to his eternall Prouidence: and now in these latter dayes, very seldome, or in manner neuer worketh any thing so myraculously, and extraordinarily, but it may sensibly appeare, he vseth the seruice and Ministerie of his Creatures, in the atchóeuing thereof. I denie not, but Earthquakes (as well as many other fearefull Accidentes in the same Number,) are terrible signes, and, as it were certaine manacing forerunners, and forewarners of the great latter day; and therefore out of controuersie the more reuerendly to be considered vppon: and I acknowledge considering the Euentes, and sequeles, according to the collectiō and discourse of mans Reason, they haue séemed to Prognosticate, and threaten to this, and that Citie, vtter ruyne and destruction: to such a Country, [Page 19] a generall plague and pestilence: to an other place, the death of some mightie Potentate or great Prince: to some other Realme or Kingdome, some cruell imminent warres: and sundry the like dreadfull and particular Incidentes, as is notoriously euident by many olde and newe, very famous and notable Histories to that effect. Which of all other the auncient Romaines, long before the Natiuitie of Christ, did most religiously or rather superstitiously obserue, not without a number of solemne Ceremonies, and Hollydayes for the nonce, euer after any Earthquake, making full account of some such great rufull casualtie or other, as otherwhyles fell out in very déede: and namely, as I remember, the yeare Ante bellum Sociale, which was one of the lamentablest, and myserablest warres, that Italy euer sawe: and Plinie, or I knowe not well who, hath such a saying: Roma nunquam tremuit, vt non futurus aliquis portenderetur insignis Euentus.
But yet, notwithstanding, dare not I aforehand presume thus farre, or arrogate so much vnto my selfe, as to determine precisely and peremptorily of this, or euery the like singular Earthquake, to be necessarily, and vndoubtedly a sup [...]rnaturall, and immediate fatall Action of God, for this, or that singular intent, when as I am sure, there may be a sufficient Naturall, eyther necessarie or contingent Cause in the very Earth it selfe: and there is no question, but the selfe same Operation in Genere, or in specie, may at one tyme, procéeding of one Cause, and referred to one End, be preternaturall, or supernaturall: at another tyme, procéeding of an other, or the same Cause, and referred to an other End, but Ordinarie, and Naturall. To make shorte, I cannot sée, and would gladly learne, howe a man on Earth, should be of so great authoritie, and so familiar acquaintance with God in Heauen, (vnlesse haply for the nonce he hath lately intertained some few choice singular ones of his priuie Counsell) as to be able in such specialties, without any iustifyable certificate, or warrant) to reueale hys incomprehensible [Page 20] mysteries, and definitiuely to giue [...]entence of his Maiesties secret and inscrutable purposes. As if they had a key for all the lockes in Heauen, or as if it were as cleare and resolute a case, as the Eclipse of the Sunne, that darkened all the Earth, or at the least all the Earth in those Countries, at Christes Passion, happening altogether prodigiously and Metaphysically in Plenilunio, not according to the perpetuall course of Nature, in Nouilunio: in so much that Dionisius Areopagita, or some other graunde Philosopher, vpon the suddayne contemplation thereof, is reported in a certaine Patheticall Ecstasie to haue cryed out, Aut rerum Natura patitur, aut Mundi machina destruetur: as my minde giueth me, some of the simpler, and vnskilfuller sort, will goe nye to doe vpon the present sight, and agony of this Earthquake. Marry the Errour I graunt, is the more tollerable, though perhappes it be otherwhiles, (and why not euen nowe,) a very presumptuous Errour in déede, standing only vpon these two weake and deceitfull groundes, Credulitie and Ignoraunce: if so be inwardly (not onely in Externall shewe, after an Hypocriticall, and Pharisaicall manner) it certainly doo vs good for our reformation, and amendment, and séeme to preach [...] vnto vs, Paenitentiam agite, (as in some respect euery suche straunge and rare Accident may séeme:) how Ordinarie, and Naturall so euer the Cause shall appeare otherwise to the best learned: especially, as the Earthquake shall be knowne to endure a longer, or a shorter Tyme, or to be more or lesse generall, in more, or fewer places. Which two differences, touching the quantitie of Tyme, and Place, after I had a little more fully prosecuted, alledging certaine particuler Examples thereof, howe in some places huge Castels, in some Townes, in some great and mightie Cities, in some Shires and Seigniories, and Prouinces, in some whole Countryes, and Regions haue béen perillously mooued and shaken therewith: in one place, a long time together: in an other place, not so long, or at seuerall and parted times: in another, very short, as [...] God be thanked here euen nowe: and finally by the [Page 21] way, shewing a thirde and most notable difference of all, (as well for the present or imminent terrour and daunger, as otherwise) by the sundry species, and formes which Aristotle, Plinie, and other Meteorologicians haue set downe of Experience, as they haue heard, or read, or séen the earth to quake, to sturre, and hoyse vp Houses, Walles, Towers, Castelles, Churches, Minsters, whole Townes, whole Cities, whole Prouinces, without farther harme: to ruinate and ouerthrowe, and destroy some: to yawne and gape, and open lyke a graue, and cons [...]quently to swallow vp and deuour other: and sometime also to drinke vp whole riuers, and mightie bigge running waters withall, or to chaunge and alter their common woonted course some other way: to sinke and fall downewardes: to cast out and vomitte vp either huge vaste heapes, as it were Mountaines of Earth, or large Ilandes in the mayne Sea, neuer remembred, or séen before: or great ouer flowing waters, and fountaynes: or hotte scalding sulphurous lakes: or burning sparkles and flames of fire: to make a horrible hissing, gnashing, ratling, or some like woonderfull straunge noyse, (which all Effectes are credibly reported, and constantly auouched, of our most famous & best allowed Philosophers) a fewe such particularities, and distinctions, compendiously and familiarly coursed ouer. The good Gentleman gaue me hartily, as appeared, very great thankes, and tolde me plainly, he neuer either read, or heard halfe so much of Earthquakes before: confessing withall, that he yéelded resolutely to my opinion: that an Earthquake might as well be supposed a Naturall Motion of the Earth, as a preternaturall, or supernaturall ominous worke of God: and that he thought it hard, and almost impossible, for any man, either by Philosophie, or Diuinitie, euermore to determine flatly the very certaintie either way. Which also in conclusion was the verdit, and finall resolution of the greater and sager part of the Gentlemen present: & namely of an auncient learned common Lawyer, that had béen Graduate, and fellow of a Colledge in Cambridge, in Quéene [Page 22] Mari [...]s dayes. Who tooke vpon him, to knit vp the matter, & as he said, determine the controuersie, with the authoritie of all the naturall Philosophers, old or newe, Heathen or Christian, Catholique or Protestant, that euer he read, or heard tell of. Th [...]re Physickes quoth he, are in euery mans hands: they are olde enoug [...] to speake for them selues, and wée are young enough to turne our Bookes. They that haue Eyes and Tongues, let them sée, and reade. But what say you nowe, quoth I, to the staying and quieting of the Earthe, béeing once a moouing? May it not séeme a more myraculous woorke, and greater woonderment, that it shoulde so suddainely staye againe, being mooued, than that it shoulde so suddainely mooue, beyng quiet and still? Mooue or turne, or shake me a thing in lyke order, be it neuer so small, and lesse than a pynnes Head, in comparison of the great mightie circuite of the Earth, and sée if you shall not haue much more a doo to staye it presently, béeing once sturred, than to stu [...]re it at the very first. Whereat the Gentleman smyling, and looking merrily on the Gentlewoomen, héere is a schoole poynt, quoth he, that by your leaues, I beléeue will poase the better scholler of you both. But is it not more than tyme, thynke ye, wée were at Supper? And if you be a hungered, Maister H. you shall thanke no body but your selfe, that haue holden vs so long with your profounde and clerkly discourses, whereas our manner is to suppe at the least a long howre before this tyme. Beyng set, and newe occasion of spéeche ministered, our Supper put the Earthquake in manner out of our myndes, or at the least wise, out of our Tongues: sauing that the Gentlewoomen, nowe and then pleasauntly tyhyhing betweene them selues, especially Mystresse Inquisitiua, (whose minde did still runne of the drinking, and Néesing of the Earth,) repeated here, and there, a broken péece of that, which had béen already sayde before Supper. With déepe iudgement no doubt, and to maruellous great purpose, I warrant you a [...]ter the manner of woomen Philosophers, and Diuines.
[Page 23]And this summarily in Effect was our yesternyghtes graue Meteorologicall Conference, touching our Earthquake here in the Country: which being in so many neighbour Townes, and Uillages about vs, as I heare say of this morning, maketh me presuppose, the like was wyth you also at London, and elsewhere farther [...]f. And then forsoothe, must I desire Maister Immerito, to send me within a wéeke or two, some odde fresh paulting thréehalfepennie Pamphlet for newes: or some Balductum Tragicall Ballet in Ryme, and without Reason, setting out the right myserable, and most wo [...]ull estate of the wicked, and damnable worlde at these perillous dayes, after the deuisers best manner: or whatsoeuer else shall first take some of your braue London Eldertons in the Head. In earnest, I could wishe some learned, and well aduized Uniuersitie man, woulde vndertake the matter, and bestow some paynes in déede vppon so famous and materiall an argument. The generall Nature of Earthquakes by definition, and the speciall diuersitie of them by diuision, beyng perfectly knowen: (a thing soone done) and a complete Induction of many credible and autenticall, both olde and newe, diuine and prophane, Gréeke, Lattine, and other Examples, (with discretion, and iudgement, compyled and compared togither) being considerately and exactly made, (a thing not so easily done) much no doubt myght be alledged too or fro, to terrifie or pacifie vs, more or lesse. If it appeare by generall Experience, and the foresayde Historicall Induction of particulars, that Earthquakes, sine omni exceptione, are ominous, and significatiue Effectes, as they saye of Comets, and carrie euer some Tragicall and horrible matter with or after them: as eyther destruction of Townes and Cities, or decay of some mightie Prince, or some particular, or generall plague, warre, or the lyke, (vt supra) whatsoeuer the Materiall, or Formall cause be, Natural, or supernaturall, (howbeit for myne owne part I am resolued, as wel for the one, as for the other, [Page 24] that these two I speake of, both Matter and Fourme, are rather Naturall in both, than otherwise) it concerneth vs, vpon the vewe of so Effectuall and substaunciall euidence, to conceiue seriously, and reuerently of the other two Causes: the first, supreme Efficient, whose Omnipotent Maiestie hath nature self, and all naturall Creatures at commaundement: and the last finall, which we are to iudge of as aduisedly, and prouidently, as possibly we can, by the consideration, & comparison of Circumstances, the tyme when: the place where? the qualities, and dispositions of the persons, amongst whom such, and such an Ominous token is giuen. Least happily through ouer great credulitie, and rashnesse, we mistake Non causam pro causa, and sophistically be entrapped Elencho Finiū. Truely, I suppose, he had néede be an excellent Philosopher, a reasonable good Historian, a learned Diuine, a wise discrete man, and generally, such a one as our Doctor Still, & Doctor Byng are in Cambridge, that shoulde shew himselfe accordingly in this argument, and to the iudgement and contentation of the wisest, perfourme it exactly. My selfe remember nothing to the contrarie, either in Philosophie, or in Histories, or in Diuinitie either, why I may not safely & lawfully subscribe to the iudgement of the noble Italian Philosopher, and most famous learned Gentleman, whilest he liued, Lord of Mirandola, and Erle of Concordia, Counte Ioannes Franciscus Picus, in my opinion, very considerately, and partly Philosophically, partly Theologically set downe, in the sixt Chapter of his sixt Booke, against Cogging deceitfull Astrologers, and Southsayers, De rerum Praenotione, pro veritate Relligionis, contra Superstitiosas vanitates. In which Chapter, (if happely you haue not read it already,) you shall finde m [...]ny, but specially these thrée notable places, most effectuall and directly pertinent to the very purpose. The first more vniuersal [...]. Naturae opere fieri non potest, vt Ostentis, vt Monstris magni illi, seu dextri, seu sinistri euentus portendantur, & ab aliqua pendeant proxima causa, quae & futura etiam proferat. Impostura Daemonum, vt id fiat, videri potest. Sed & plaera (que) non monstrosa, [Page 25] non prodigiosa per se [...]e, pro monstri [...] tamen, & portentis, haberi possunt, & solent à quibusdam, quibus Rerum Natura non satis comperta est, causarum enim ignoratio, noua in re Admirationem parit. Propter quam, philosophari homines capisse, in exordys primae philosophiae scribit Aristoteles. Wherein those two seuerall points, Impostura Daemonum, and Ignoratio causaerum, are no doubt maruellous probable, and moste worthy bothe presentlye to bée noted nowe, and more fully to be discussed hereafter: appearing vnto me the verie right principall Causes of so manye erroneous opinions, and fantasticall superstitious dreames in this, and the like behalfe.
The seconde more speciall, as it were hitting the white in déede, and cleauing the Pinne in sunder.
Idem in Terraemotibus etiam, quod in fulguribus, fulminibus (que) interpretandis, obseruauit Antiquitas. Cuius Reiliber, Graeco eloquio, nuper ad manus peruenit, in Orpheum relatus Autorem: sed perabsurdum nimis, vt quod frequentissimè fit, pro vario terrae anhelitu, pro ventorum v [...]lentia, vaporum (que) conductione, (marke you that?) ex e [...] rerum futurarum significationem petere, quorum nec effectus esse possunt, nec causa, praeterq forte mortis inferendae illis, qui fulmen exceperit, aut qui terrarum hiatu perierit. Sed nec ab eadem proxima deduci causa possunt, à qua & futurae pendeant res, vt supra deductum est.
And then shortly after, the thirde, moste agréeable to the seconde, as flatlye determining on my side, and as directlye concluding the same position as may be.
Nec sanè Orpheus ille, si tamen Orpheus fuit, vllam affert omninò causam, cur quispiam ex terrae motibus, vrbium, hominum, regionum euenta praesagire possit. Solùm va [...] narrat arbitrio: si terrae contigerit motus, nocti, si aestate, si hyeme, si [...]urora, si interdus, quid portendatur: Quae certè, & saniore possunt a [...]bitrio refelli, & Experientiae testimonio, vt arbitror, non secus irrideri, ac supra Tagis portenta irrisimus, Haruspicinae Autoris.
A moste excellent sounde Iudgement in my conceit: and ful wel beséeming so Honorable and admirabl [...] a Witte, as out of Question, Picus Mirandula had: who b [...]ing yet scarcely [Page 26] thirty yeres of age, for his singularitie in al kind of knowleege, as wel diuine as prophane, was in Italy and France [...] as Paulus Iouius reporteth, surnamed Phoenix, as the odde, and in effecte the onely singular learned man of Europe: and to make shorte: suche a one, in moste respectes, as I woulde wis [...]e nowe to be tempering with this newe notorious incident: staying my selfe in the meane while vpon this probable and reasonable Interim of his: and preferring it before al the friuolous coniecturall Allegations, and s [...]rmises, that o [...]ce counterfaite, and reasonlesse Orphes oppose to the contrarye. But, Iesu, what is all this to Master Immerito? For soothe I knowe not by what mischaunce, these miserable balde odious thrée halfe penny [...]ellowes, alas, a company of silly béetleheaded Asses, came into my minde, that wil néedes be sturring, and taking on in euerye suche rare and vnaccustomed euent, as if they sawe farther in a Milstone, than all the worlde besides, whereas euerie man, that hathe but halfe an eye in his [...]ead [...] séeth them to be more blinde, than anye Buzzarde, or Bayarde, Scribimus indocti, docti (que) Poemata passim, and surely, as the worlde goeth nowe in Englande, rather the firste, for aught I sée, than the laste. O interim miseras Musas, & miserabiles: Where the faulte shoulde rest, viderint Oculi, at (que) capitae Reip. Mihi quidem ist hic, ne (que) seritur admodùm, ne (que) metitur. Non valdè me [...] nou [...]s Bibliotheca libros desiderat, s [...]ipsa, id est, quos ha [...]et, veteribus contenta est. Quid plura? T [...] vale, mi Immerito, at (que) ita tibi persuade, Aliquid esse eum, qui istorum longè est dissimilimus, quos Typographi nostri habent venales maximè. Commende mée. to thine owne good selfe, and tell thy dying Pellicane, and thy Dreames from me, I wil nowe leaue dreaming any longer of them, til with these eyes I sée them forth indéede: And then againe, I imagine your Magnificenza, will holde vs in suspense as long for your nine Englishe Commoedies, and your Latine Stemmata Dudleiana: whiche two shal go for my money, when all is done: especiallye if you woulde but bestow one seuennights pollishing and trimming vppon eyther. Whiche I praye th [...]e hartily d [...]e, for my pleasure, if not for [Page 27] the [...]r sake, nor thine owne profite. My Schollers Loue, or Reconcilement of contraries, is shrunke in the wetting: I hadde purposed to haue dispatched you a Coppie thereof, long ere this: but, no remedie, hitherto it hath alwayes gone thus with me: Some newe occasion, or other, euer carrieth me from one matter to another, & will neuer suffer me to finishe eyther one or other. And truly, Experto crede, it is as true a Uerse as euer was made, since the first Uerse, that euer was made: Pluribus intentus minor est ad singula sensus: whiche my Anticosmopolita, thoughe it gréeue him, can beste testifye, remayning still as we saye, in statu, quo, and neither an inche more forward, nor backewarde, than he was fully a twelue-month since in the Courte, at his laste attendaunce vpon my Lorde there. But the Birde that will not sing in Aprill, nor in May, maye peraduenture sing in September: and yet me thinkes, Sat cit [...], si sat bene, if I coulde steale but one poore fortnight, to peruse him ouer afreshe, and coppy him out anewe. Whiche I hope in God to compasse shortly. But I besé [...]ch you, what Newes al this while at Cambridge? That was wont to be euer one great Question. What? Det mihi Mater ipsa bonam veniam, eius vt aliqua mihi liceat Secreta, vni cuidam de eodem gremio obsequentissimo filio, reuelare: & sic pauci [...] hab [...]to. Nam aliàs fortasse pluribus: nunc non placet, non vacat, molestum asset. Tully, and Demosthenes nothing so much studyed, as they were wonte: Liuie, and Salust possiblye rather more than lesse: Lucian neuer so much: Aristotle muche named, but little read: Xenophon and Plato, reck [...]ed amongest Discoursers, and conceited Superficiall fellowes: much verball and sophisticall iangling: little [...]ubtile and effectuall disputing: noble and roy [...]ll Eloquence, the best an [...] persuasiblest Eloquence: no such Orators againe, as re [...]headded A [...] gelles: An excéeding greate difference, betwéene the countenaunces, and portes of those, that are braue and gallaunt, and of those, that are basely, or meanly apparelled: betwene the learned, and vnlearned, Tully, and Tom Tooly, in effect none at all.
[Page 28] Matchiauell a great man: Castilio of no small reputation: P [...]trach, and Boccace in euery mans mouth: Galateo [...] and Guazz [...] neuer so happy: ouer many acquainted with Vnico Are [...]no: The French and Italian when so highlye regarded of Scholiers? The Latine and Greeke, when so lightly? The Queene mother at the beginning, or ende of euery [...] conference: many bargaines of Mounsieur: Shymeirs a noble gallant fellowe: all inquisitiue after Newes, newe Bookes, newe Fashions, newe Lawes, newe Officers, and some after newe Elementes, and some after newe Heauens, and Helles to. Turkishe affaires familiarly knowen: Castels builded in the Ayre: muche adoe, and little helpe: Iacke would faine be a Gentlemanne: in no age so little so muche made of, euery one highly in his owne fauour, thinking no mans penny, so good siluer as his own: Something made of Nothing, in spite of Nature: Numbers made of Ciphars, in spite of Arte: Geometricall Proportion seldome, or neuer vsed, Arithmeticall ouermuch abused: Oxen and Asses (notwithstandiug the absurditie it séemed to Plautus) draw both togither in one, and the same Yoke: Conclusio ferè sequitur deteriorem partem. The Gospell taughte, not learned: Charitie key colde: nothing good, but by Imputation: the Ceremoniall Lawe, in worde abrogated: the Iudiciall in effecte disanulled: the Morall indéede abandoned: the Lighte, the Lighte in euery mans Lippes, but marke me their eyes, and tell me, if they looke not liker Howlets, or Battes, than Egles: as of olde Bookes, so of auntient Uertue, Honestie, Fidelitie, Equitie, newe Abridgementes: euery day freshe span newe Opinions: Heresie in Diuinitie, in Philosophie, in Humanitie, in Manners, grounded muche vpon heresay: Doctors contemned: the Text knowen of moste, vnderstood of fewe, magnified of all, practised of none: the Diuell not so hated, as the Pope: many Inuectiues, small amendment: Skill they say controlled of Will: and Goodnesse mastered of Goods: but Agent, and Patient muche alike, neither Barrell greatly better Herring: No more adoe aboute Cappes [Page 29] and Surplesses: Maister Cartwright nighe forgotten: The man you wot of, conformable, with his square Cappe on his rounde heade: and Non resident at pleasure: and yet Non-residents neuer better bayted, but not one the fewer, either I beléeue in Acte, or I beléeue, in Purpose. A nūber of our preachers sibbe to French Souldiors, at the first, more than Men, in the end, lesse than Women. Some of our pregnantest and soonest ripe Wits, of Hermogenes mettall for al the world: Olde men and Counsailours amongst Children: Children amongst Counsailours, and olde men: Not a f [...]we [...]ubble faced Iani, and chaungeable Camelions: ouer-manye Clawbackes, and Pickethanks: Réedes shaken of euerie Wind: Iackes of bothe sides: Aspen leaues: painted Sheathes, and Sepulchres: Asses in Lions skins: Dunglecockes: slipperye Eles: Dormise: I blush to thinke of some, that wéene themselues as fledge as the reste, being, God wot, as kallowe as the rest: euery yonker to speake of as politique, and as great a Commonwealths man as Bishoppe Gardner, or Doctor Wutton at the least: as if euerie man nowe adayes hauing the [...]raming of his own Horoscope, were borne in decimo coeli domicilio, and had al the Wit, Wisedome, and Worshippe in the world at commaundement. Sed heus in aurem: Meministin' quod ait Varro? Omnes videmur nobis esse belli, festiui, saperdae, cùm sumus Canopi: Dauid, Vlisses, and Solon, fayned themselues fooles and madmen: our fooles and madmen faine thē selues Dauids, Vlisses, and Solons: and would goe nigh to deceiue the cunningest, and best experienced Metaposcopus in a country: It is pity faire weather should euer do hurt, but I know what peace and qui [...]tnes hath done with some melancholy pickstrawes in the world: as good vnspoken as vnamē ded. And wil you néedes haue my Testimoniall of youre ol [...]e Controllers new behauior? A busy and dizy heade, a brazen forehead: a l [...]dden braine: a woodden wit: a copper face: a stony breast: a factious and eluish hearte: a founder of nouelties: a confounder of his owne, and his friends good gifts: a morning bookeworm, an afternoone maltworm: a right Iuggler, [Page 30] as ful of his sleights, wyles, fetches, casts of Legerdemaine, toyes to mocke Apes withal, odde shiftes, and knauish practizes, as his skin can holde. He often telleth me, he looueth me as himselfe, but out lyar out, thou lyest abhominably in thy throate. Iesu, I had nigh hand forgotten one thing, that ywis somtime I think often ynough vpon: Many Pupils, Iackemates, and Hayle fellowes wel met, with their Tutors, and by your leaue, some too, because forsooth they be Gentlemen, or great heires, or a little neater and gayer than their fellowes, (shall I say it for shame? beléeue me, tis too true) their very own Tutors. Ah mala Licentia, ab initio nō fuit sic. Stulta est omnis iuuenilis Doctrina, sine virili quadam Disciplina. Quasi verò pauperioribus duntaxat pueris, ac non multò magis generosa, at (que) nobili Iuuentuti conueniat, pristinae illius Institutionis, atque Educationis seueritas, & ingenuae, & prudentis, & cruditae, & cum Tutoris personae, tum pupillo, etiam ipsi perquam accomodatae. Vsquequaque sapere oportet: id erit telum acerrimum. Caetera faerè, vt [...]lim: Bellum inter Capita, & membra continuatum: [...] publicis defensa scholis, priuatis confirmata parietibus, omnibus loc [...]s ostentata, Scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire, hoc sciat alter. Pl [...]imi passim fit Pecunia, Pudor parui penditur: Nihili habentur Literae: Mihi crede, credendum nulli: O amice, amicus nemo. Quid tu interim? Quomodo te inquies geris? Quomodo? Optimum est aliena frui insania. Video: taceo, rideo: Dixi. Et tame [...] addam, quod ait Satyricus ille:
E meo municipio, Postridie quàm superiores de Terraemotusermones haberentur, id est, ni fallor, Aprilis septimo, Vesperi. With as manye gentle Goodnightes, as be letters in this tedious Letter.
POSTSCRIPTE.
This Letter may only be shewed to the two odde Gentlemen you wot of. M [...]rry I would haue those two to see it, as sone as you may conueniently. Non multis d [...]rmio: no [...] multis scr [...]bo: non cupio placere multis: Alij alios numeros la [...]dant, praeferunt, venerantur: Ego ferè apud nos, ferè apud vos Trinitatem. Verbum sapientisat: nosti caetera: & tres Charites habes ad vnguem.
A Gallant familiar Letter, containing an Ansvvere to that M. Immerito, vvith sundry proper examples, and some Precepts of our Englishe reformed Versifying.
SIgnor Immerito, to passe ouer youre néedelesse complaint, wyth the [...]sidue of your preamble (for of ye Earthquake I presuppose you haue ere this receyued my goodly discourse) and withall to let my la [...] [...]nglishe Hexametres goe as light [...]ye as they came: I cannot choose, but thanke and honour the good Aungell, (whether it were Gabriell or some other) that put so good a motion into the heads of those two excellent Gentlemen M. Sidney, and M. Dyer, the two very Diamondes of hir Maiesties Courte for many speciall and rare qualities: as to helpe forwarde our new famous enterprise for the Exchanging of Barbarous and Balductum Rymes with Artificial Uerses: the one being in manner of pure and fine Goulde, the other but counterfet, and base ylfauoured Copper. I doubt not but their liuelie example, and Practise, wil preuaile a thousand times more in short space, than the dead Aduertizement, and persuasion of M. Ascham to the same Effecte: whose Scholemaister notwithstanding I reuerence in resp [...]ct of so learned a Motiue. I would gladly be acquainted with M. Drants Prosodye, and I beséeche you, commende me to good M. Sidneys iudgement, and gentle [Page 32] M. Immeritos Obseruations. I hope your nexte L [...]tters, which I daily exspect, wil bring me in farth [...]r familiaritie & acquaintance with al thrée. Mine owne Rules and Precepts of Arte, I beléeue wil fal out not greatly repugnant, though peraduenture somewhat different: and yet am I not so resolute, but I can be content to res [...]rue the Coppying out and publishing therof, vntil I haue a little better consulted with my pillowe, and taken some farther aduize of Madame Sperienza. In the meane, take this for a general Caueat, and say I haue reuealed one great mysterie vnto you: I am of Opinion, there is no one more regular and iustifiable dir [...]ction, eyther for the assured, and infallible Certaintie of our English Artificiall Prosodye particularly, or generally to bring our Language into Arte, and to frame a Grammer or Rhetorike thereof: than first of all vniuersally to agrée vpon one and the same Ortographie, in all pointes conformable and proportionate to our Common Natural Prosodye: whether Sir Thomas Smithes in that respect be the most perfit, as surely it must néedes be very good: or else some other of profounder Learning, & longer Experience, than Sir Thomas was, shewing by necessarie demonstration, wherin he is defectiue, wil vndertake shortely to supplie his wantes, and make him more absolute. My selfe dare not hope to hoppe after him, til I sée something or other, too, or fro, publickely and autentically established, as it were by a generall Counsel, or acte of Parliament: and then peraduenture, standing vppon firmer grounde, for Companie sake, I may aduenture to do as other do. Interim, credit me, I dare geue no Preceptes, nor set downe any Certaine General Arte: and yet sée my boldenesse, I am not greatly squaimishe of my Particular Examples, whereas he that can but reasonably skil of the one, wil giue easily a shreude gesse at the other: considering that the one fetcheth his original and offspring from the other. In which respecte, to say troth, we Beginners haue the start, and aduauntage of our Followers, who are to frame and conforme both their Examples, and Precepts, according to that [Page 33] President which they haue of vs: as no doubt Homer or some other in Greeke, and Ennius, or I know not who else in Latine, did preiudice, and ouerrule those, that followed them, as well for the quantities of syllables, as number of féete, and the like: their onely Examples going for current payment, and standing in steade of Lawes, and Rules with the posteritie. In so much that it séem [...]d a sufficient warrant (as still it doth in our Common Grammer schooles) to make [...] in [...], and [...], in Vnus long, because the one hath [...], and the other, Vnus homo nobis, and so consequently in the rest. But to let this by-disputation passe, which is already so throughly discoursed and can [...]assed of the best Philosophers, and namely Aristotle, that poynt vs, as it were with the forefinger, to the very fountaines and head springes of Artes, and Artificiall preceptes, in the Analitiques, and Metaphysikes: most excellently set downe in these foure Golden Termes, the famoussest Termes to speake of in all Logique and Philosophie, [...]: shall I nowe by the way sende you a Ianuarie gi [...]t in Aprill: and as it w [...]re shewe you a Christmas Gambowlde after Easter? Were the manner so very fine, as the matter is very good, I durst presume of an other kinde of Plaudite and Gramercie, than now I will: but being as it is, I beséeche you, set parcialitie aside, and tell me your maisterships fancie.
A Nevv yeeres Gift to my old friend Maister George Bilchaunger: In commendation of three most precious Accidentes, Vertue, Fame, and Wealth: and finally of the fourth, A good Tongue.
He that wisheth, you may liue to see a hundreth Good Newe yeares, euery one happier, and merrier, than other.
Now to requite your Blindfolded pretie God, (wherin by the way I woulde gladly learne, why, Th [...], in the first, Y [...] in the first, and thirde, H [...], and My, in the last, being shorte, M [...], alone should be made longer in the very same) Imagin me to come into a goodly Kentishe Garden of your old Lords, or some other Noble man, and spying a florishing Bay Trée there, to demaunde ex tempore, as followeth: Thinke vppon Petrarches
and perhappes it will aduaunce the wynges of your Imagination a degrée higher: at the least if any thing can be added [Page 35] to the loftinesse of his conceite, whō gentle Mistresse Rosalinde, once reported to haue all the Intelligences at commaundement, and an other time [...] Christened her,Segnior Pegaso.
Encomium Lauri.
But séeing I must néedes bewray my store, and set open my shoppe wyndowes, nowe I pray thée, and coniure thée by all thy amorous Regardes, and Exorcismes of Loue, call a Parliament of thy Sensible, & Intelligible powers together, & tell me, in Tom Trothes earnest, what Il fecondo, & famoso Poeta, Messer Immerito, sayth to this bolde Satyriall Libell lately deuised at the instaunce of a certayne worshipfull Hartefordshyre Gentleman, of myne olde acquayntaunce: in Gratiam quorundam Illustrium Anglofrancitalorum, hic & vbique apud nos volitantium. Agedùm verò, nosti homines, tanquam tuam ipsius cutem.
Speculum Tuscanismi.
Tell me in good sooth, doth if not too euidently appeare, that this English Poet wanted but a good patterne before his [...]yes, as it might be some delicate, and choyce elegant Poe [...]e of good M. Sidneys, or M. Dvers, (ouer very Castor, & Pollux for [...]ach and many greater matters) when this trimme géere was in hatching: Much like some Gentlewooman, I coulde name in England, who by all Phisick and Phystognomie too, might as well haue brought forth all goodly faire children, as [Page 37] they haue now some ylfauored and deformed, had they at the tyme of their Conception, had in sight, the amiable and gallant beautifull Pictures of Adonis, Cupido, Ganymedes, or the like, which no doubt would haue wrought such [...]éepe impression in their fantasies, and imaginations, as their children, and perhappes their Childrens children too, myght haue thanked them for, as long as they shall haue Tongues in their beades.
But myne owne leysure fayleth me: and to say troth, I am lately become a maruellous great straunger at myne olde Mistresse Poetries, being newly entertayned, and dayly employed in our Emperour Iustinians seruice (sauing that I haue alreadie addressed a certaine pleasurable, and Morall Politique Naturall mixte deuise, to his most Honourable Lordshippe, in the same kynde, wherevnto my next Letter, if you please mée well, may perchaunce make you priuie:) marrie nowe, if it lyke you in the meane while, for varietie sake, to sée howe I taske a young Brother of myne, (whom of playne Iohn, our Italian Maister hath Cristened his Picciolo Giouannibattista,) Lo here (and God will) a péece of hollydayes exercise. In the morning I gaue him this Theame out of Ouid, to translate, and varie after his best fashion.
His translation, or rather Paraphrase before dinner, was first this:
And then fors [...]oth th [...] [...] t [...] make proofe of his facultie In P [...]meters too [...] a [...] withall.
And the last and largest of all, this:
Beléeue me, I am not to be charged with aboue one, or two of the Uerses: and a foure or fiue wordes in the rest. His afternoones Theame was borrowed out of him, whō one in your Coate, they say, is as much beholding vnto, as any Planet, or Starre in Heauen is vnto the Sunne: and is quoted as your self best remember, in the Glose of your October.
Within an houre, or there aboutes, he brought me these foure lust. e Hexameters, altered since not past in a worde, or two.
Uppon the viewe whereof, Ah my Syrrha, quoth I here is a gallant exercise for you in déede: we haue had a little prettie triall of you Latin, and Italian Translation: Let me sée now I pray, what you can [...] your owne Tongue: And with that, reaching a certaine famous Booke, called the [Page 38] newe Shephardes Calender: I turned to Willyes, and Thomalins Emblemes, in Marche: and bad him make them eyther better, or worse in English verse. I gaue him an other howr [...]s respite: but before I looked for him, he suddainely rushed vpon me, and gaue me his deuise, thus formally set downe in a faire péece of Paper.
With a small voluntarie Supplement of his owne, on the other side, in commendation of hir most gratious, and thrice excellent Maiestie:
In both not passing a worde, or two, corrected by mée. Something more I haue of his; partly that very day begun, and partly continued since: but yet not so perf [...]tly finished, that I dare committe the viewe, and examination thereof, to Messer Immeritoes Censure, whom after those same two incomparable and myraculous Gemini, Omni exceptione maiores, I recount, and chaulk vppe in the Catalogue of our very principall Englishe Aristarchi. Howbeit, I am nigh halfe perswaded, that in tyme (siquidem vltima primis respondeant) for length, bredth, and depth, it will not come far behinde your Epithalamion Thamesis: the rather, hauing so fayre a president, and patterne before his Eyes, as I warrant him, and he presumeth to haue of that: both Master Collinshead, and M. Hollishead too, being togither therein. [Page 40] But euer, & euer, me thinkes your great Catoes, Ecquid erit pretij, and our little Catoes, Res age quae prosunt, make suche a buzzing, & ringing in my head, that I haue little ioy to animate, & encourage either you, or him to goe forward, vnlesse ye might make account of some certaine ordinarie wages, at at the leastwise haue your meate, and drinke for your dayes workes. As for my selfe, howsoeuer I haue toyed, and tri [...]led heretofore, I am nowe taught, and I trust I shall shortly learne, (no remedie, I must of méere necessitie giue you ouer in the playne fielde) to employ my trauayle, and tyme wholly, or chiefely on those studies and practizes, that carrie as they saye, meate in their mouth, hauing euermore their eye vppon the Title De pane lucrando, and their hand vpon their halfpenny. For, I pray now, what saith M. Cuddie, alias you know who, in the tenth AEglogue of the foresaid famous new Calender?
But M [...]ster C [...]lli [...] Cloute is not euery body, and albeit his olde Companions, Master Cuddy, & Master Hobbmoll [...]e as little beholding to their Mistresse Poetrie, as euer you w [...]st: yet he peraduenture, by the meanes of hir speciall fauour, and some personall priuiledge, may happely liue by dying Pellicanes [...] and purchase great landes, and Lordshippes, [Page 41] with the money, which his Calendar and Dreames haue, and will affourde him. Extra iocum, I like your Dreames passingly well: and the rather, bicause they sauour of that singular extraordinarie veine and inuention, whiche I euer fancied moste, and in a manner admired onelye in Lucian, Petrarche, Aretine, Pasquill, and all the most delicate, and fine conceited Grecians & Italians: (for the Romanes to speake of, are but verye Ciphars in this kinde:) whose chiefest endeuour, and drifte was, to haue nothing vulgare, but in some respecte or other, and especially in liuely Hyperbolicall Amplifications, rare, queint, and odde in euery pointe, and as a man woulde saye, a degrée or two at the leaste, aboue the reache, and compasse of a common Schollers capacitie. In whiche respecte notwithstanding, as well for the singularitie of the manner, as the Diuinitie of the matter, I hearde once a Diuine, preferre Saint Iohns Reuelation before al the veriest Maetaphysicall Visions, & iollyest conceited Dreames or Extasies, that euer were deuised by one or other, howe admirable, or superexcellēt soeuer they séemed otherwise to the worlde. And truely I am so co [...]firmed in this opinion, that when I bethinke me of the verie notablest, and moste wonderful Propheticall, or Poeticall Uision, that euer I read, or hearde, me séemeth the proportion is so vnequall, that there hardly appeareth anye semblaunce of Comparison: no more in a manner (specially for Poets) than doth betwéene the incomprehensible Wisedome of God, and the sensible Wit of Man. But what néedeth this digression betwéene you and me? I dare saye you wyll holde your selfe reasonably wel satisfied, if youre Dreames be but as well estéemed of in Englande, as Petrarches Visions be in Italy: whiche I assure you, is the very worst I wish you. But, sée, how I haue the Arte Memoratiue at commaundement. In good faith I had once againe nigh forgotten your Faerie Queene: howbeit by good chaunce, I haue nowe sent hir home at the laste, neither in better nor worse case, than I founde hir. And must you of necessitie haue my Iudgement of hir in déede? To be plaine, [Page 50] I am voyde of al iudgement, if your Nine Comoedies, whervnto in imitation of Herodotus, you giue the names of the Nine Muses, (and in one mans fansie not vnworthily) come not néerer Ariostoes Comoedies, eyther for the finenesse of plausible Elocution, or the rarenesse of Poetical Inuention, than that Eluish Queene doth to his Orlando Furioso, which notwithstanding, you wil néedes séeme to emulate, and hope to ouergo, as you flatly professed your self in one of your last Letters. Besides that you know, it hath bene the vsual practise of the most exquisite and odde wittes in all nations, and specially in Italie, rather to shewe, and aduaunce themselues that way, than any other: as namely, those thrée notorious dyscoursing heads, Bibiena, Machiauel, and Aretine did, (to let Bembo and Ariosto pa [...]e) with the great admiration, and wonderment of the whole countrey: being in déede reputed matchable in all points, both for conceyt of Witte, and eloquent decyphering of matters, either with Aristophanes and Menander in Gréek, or with Plautus and Terence in Latin, or with any other, in any other tong. But I wil not stand greatly with you in your owne matters. If so be the Faerye Queene be fairer in your eie thā the Nine Muses, and Hobgoblin runne away with the Garland [...]rom Apollo: Marke what I saye, and yet I will not say that I thought, but there an End for this once, and fare you well, till God or some good Aungell putte you in a better minde.
And yet, bicause you charge me somewhat suspitiously [...] with an olde promise, to deliuer you of that iealousie, I am so farre from hyding mine owne matters from you, that loe, I muste a néedes be reuealing my friendes secreates, now an honest Countrey Gentleman, sometimes a Scholler: At whose request, I bestowed this pawlting [...]ungrely Rime vpon him, to present his Maistresse withall. The parties shall bée namelesse; sauing, that the G [...]ntlewomans true, or counterfaite Christen name, must necessarily be bewrayed.
[Page 55]of one, but wo [...]lde as well in Writing, as in Speaking, haue them vsed, as Monosyllaba, thus: heavn, seaevn, a leavn, as Maister Ascham in his Toxophilus doth Yrne, commonly written Yron:
Especially the difference so manifestly appearing by the Pronunciation, betwéene these twoo, a leavn a clocke and a leaven of Dowe, whyche lea—ven admitteth the Diastole, you speake of. But sée, what absurdities thys yl fauoured Orthographye, or rather Pseudography, hathe ingendred: and howe one errour still bréedeth and begetteth an other. Haue wée not, Mooneth, for Moonthe: sithence, for since: whilest, for whilste: phantasie, for phansie: euen, for evn: Diuel, for Divl: God hys wrath, for Goddes wrath: and a thousande of the same stampe: wherein the corrupte Orthography in the moste, hathe béene the sole, or principall cause of corrupte Prosodye in ouer many?
Marry, I confesse some wordes we haue indéede, as for example, fayer, either for beautifull, or for a Marte: ayer, bothe pro acre, and pro haeredè, for we say not Heire, but plaine Aire for him to (or else Scoggins Aier were a poore iest) whiche are commonly, and maye indifferently be vsed eyther way [...]s. For you shal as well, and as ordinarily heare fayer, as faire, and Aier, as Aire, and bothe alike: not onely of diuers and sundrye persons, but often of the very same: otherwhiles vsing the one, otherwhiles the other: and so died, or dyde: spied, or spide: tryed, or tride: fyer, or fyre: myer, or myre: wyth an infinyte companye of the same sorte: sometime Monosyllaba, sometime Polysyllaba.
To conclude both pointes in one, I dare sweare priuately to your selfe, and will defende publiquely againste any, it is neither Her [...]sie, nor Paradox, to sette downe, and stande vppon this assertion, (notwithstanding all the Preiudices and Presumptions to the contrarie, if they were tenne times as manye mo [...]) that it is not, either Position, or Dipthong, [Page 48] or Diastole, or anye like Grammer Schoole Deuice, that doeth, or can indéede, either make long or short, or encrease, or diminish the number of Sillables, but onely the common allowed, and receiued Prosodye: taken vp by an vniuersall consent of all, and continued by a generall vse, and Custome of all. Wherein neuerthelesse I grant, after long aduise, & diligent obseruation of particulars, a certain Uniform Analogie, and Concordance, being in processe of time espyed out. Sometime this, sometime that, hath béen noted by good wits in their Analyses, to fall out generally alyke? and as a man woulde saye, regularly in all, or moste wordes: as Position, Dipthong, and the like: not as firste, and essentiall causes of this, or that effecte, (here lyeth the point) but as Secundarie and Accidentall Signes, of this, or that Qualitie.
It is the vulgare, and naturall Mother Prosodye, that alone worketh the feate, as the onely supreame Foundresse, and Reformer of Position, Dipthong, Orthographie, or whatsoeuer else: whose Affirmatiues are nothing worth, if she once conclude the Negatiue: and whose secundae intentiones muste haue their whole allowance and warrante from hir primae. And therefore in shorte, this is the verie shorte, and the long: Position neither maketh shorte, nor long in oure Tongue, but so farre as we can get hir good leaue. Peraduenture, vppon the diligent suruewe, and examination of Particulars, some the like Analogie and Uniformity, might be founde oute in some other respecte, that shoulde as vniuersally and Canonically holde amongst vs, as Position doeth with the Latines and Gréekes. I saye, (peraduenture,) bycause, hauing not yet made anye speciall Obseruation, I dare not precisely affirme any generall certaintie: albeit I presume, so good and sensible a Tongue, as ours is, béeyng wythall so like itselfe, as it is, cannot but haue something equipollent, and counteruaileable to the beste Tongues, in some one such kinde of conformitie, or other. And this forsooth is all the Artificial Rules and Precepts, you are like to borrowe of one man at this time.
[Page 49] Sed amabo te, ad Corculi tui delicatissimas Literas, propediem, quā potero, accuratissimè: tot interim illam exquisitissimis salutibus, at (que) salutationibus impertiens, quot habet in Capitulo, capill [...]s semiaureos, semiargenteos, semig emmeos. Quid quaeris? Per tuam Venerem altera Rosalindula est: eam (que) non alter, sed idem ille, (tua, vt ante, bona cum gratia) copiosè amat Hobbinolus. O mea Domina Immerito, mea bellissima Collina Clouta, multo plus plurimùm salue, at (que) vale.
You knowe my ordinarie Postscripte: you may communicate as much, or as little, as you list, of these Patcheries, and fragments, with the two Gentlemen: but there a straw, and you loue me: not with any else, friend or foe, one, or other: vnlesse haply you haue a special desire to imparte some parte hereof, to my good friend M. Daniel Rogers: whose curtesies are also registred in my Marble b [...]ke. You know my meaning.
Nosti manum & stylum.
¶ TVVO OTHER, very commendable Letters, of the same mens vvriting: both touching the foresaid Artificiall Versifying, and certain other Particulars: More lately deliuered vnto the Printer.
IMPRINTED AT LONdon, by H. Bynneman, dvvelling in Thames streate, neere vnto Baynardes Castell.
Anno Domini. 1580.
Cum gratia & priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis.
¶ To the VVorshipfull his very singular good friend, Maister G. H. Fellovv of Trinitie Hall in Cambridge.
GOod Master G. I perceiue by your most curteous and frendly Letters your good will to be no lesse in déed, than I alwayes estéemed. In recō pence wherof, think I beséech you, that I wil spare neither spéech, nor wryting, nor aught else, whensoeuer, and wheresoeuer occasion shal be offred me: yea, I will not stay, till it be offred, but will séeke it, in al that possibly I may. And that you may perceiue how much your Counsel in al things preuaileth with me, and how altogither I am ruled and ouer-ruled thereby: I am now determined to alter mine owne former purpose, and to subscribe to your aduizemēt: being notwithstāding resolued stil, to abide your farther resolution. My principal doubts are these. First, I was minded for a while to haue intermitted the vttering of my writings: leaste by ouer-much cloying their noble eares, I should gather a contempt of my self, or else séme rather for gaine and commoditie to doe it, for some swéetnesse that I haue already tasted. Then also me séemeth the work too base for his excellent Lordship, being made in Honour of a priuate Personage vnknowne, which of some yl-willers might be vpbra [...]ded, not to be so worthie, as you knowe she is: or the matter not so weightie, that it should be offred to so weightie a Personage: or the like. The selfe former Title [Page 54] stil liketh me well ynough, and your fine Addition [...] lesse. If these, and the like doubtes, maye be of importaunce in your séeming, to frustrate any parte of your aduice, I béeséeche you, without the leaste selfe loue of your own purpose, councell me [...]or the beste: and the rather doe it faith [...]ullye, and carefully, for that, in all things I attribute so muche to your iudgement, that I am euermore content to ad [...]hil [...]te mine owne determinations, in respecte thereof. And indéede for your selfe to, it sitteth with you now, to call your wits, & senses togither, (which are alwaies at call) when occasion is so fairely offered of Estimation and Preferment. For, whiles the yron is hote, it is good striking, and minds of Nobles varie, as their Estates. Verùm ne quid durius.
I pray you bethinke you well [...]ereof, good Maister G. and forthwith write me those two or thrée special points and caueats for the nonce, De quibus in superioribus illis mellitissimis, longissimis (que) Litteris tuis. Your desire to heare of my late béeing with hir Maiestie, muste dye in it selfe. As for the twoo worthy Gentlemen, Master Sydney, and Master Dyer, they haue me, I thanke them, in some vse of familiarity: of whom, and to whome, what speache passeth for youre credite and estimation, I leaue your selfe to conceiue, hauing alwayes so well conceiued of my vnfained affection, and zeale towardes you. And nowe they haue proclaimed in their [...], a generall surceasing and silence of balde Rymers, and also of the verie beste to: in steade whereof, they haue by authotie of their whole Senate, prescribed certaine Lawes and rules of Quantities of English sillables, for English Verse: hauing had thereof already greate practi [...]e, and drawen mée to their faction. Newe Bookes I heare of none, but only of one, that writing a certaine Booke, called The Schoole of Abuse [...] and dedicating it to Maister Sidney, was for hys labor scorned: if at leaste it be in the goodnesse of that nature to scorne. Suche follie is it, not to regarde aforehande the inclination and qualitie of him, to whome wée dedicate oure Bookes. Suche mighte I happily incurre, entituling My [Page 55] Slomber, and the other Pamphlets, vnto his honor. I meant them rather to Maister Dyer. But I am, of late, more in loue wyth my Englishe Uersifying, than with Ryming: whyche I should haue done long since, if I would thē haue followed your councell. Sed te solum iam tum suspicabar cum [...] Aschanio sapere: nunc Aulam video egregios alere Poëtas Anglicos. Maister E. K. hartily desireth to be commended vnto your Worshippe: of whome, what accompte he maketh, youre selfe shall hereafter perceiue, by hys paynefull and dutifull Uerses of your selfe.
Thus muche was written at Westminster yesternight: but comming this morning, béeyng the sixtéenth of October, to Mystresse Kerkes, to haue it deliuered to the Carrier, I receyued youre letter, sente me the l [...]ste wéeke: whereby I p [...]rc [...]iue you otherwhiles continue your old exercise of Uersifying in English: whych glorie I had now thought shoulde haue bene onely ours héere at London, and the Court.
Truste me, your Uerses I like passingly well, and enuye your hidden paines in this kinde, or rather maligne, and grudge at your selfe, that woulde not once imparte so muche to me. But once, or twice, you make a breache in Maister Drants Rules: quod tamen condonabimus tanto Poetae, tuae (que) ipsius maximae in his rebus autoritati. You shall sée when we méete in London, (whiche, when it shall be, certifye vs) howe fast I haue followed after you, in that Course: beware, leaste in time I ouertake you. Veruntamen te solùm sequar, (vt saepenumerò sum professus,) nunquam sanè assequar, dum viuam. And nowe requite I you with the like, not with the verye beste, but with the verye shortest, namely with a fewe Iambickes: I dare warrant, they be precisely perfect for the féete (as you can easily iudge) and varie not one inch from the Rule. I will imparte yours to Maister Sidney, and Maister Dyer, at my nexte going to the Courte. I praye you, kéepe mine close to your selfe, or your verie entire friendes, Maister Preston, Maister Still, and the reste.
Iambicum Trimetrum.
I thought once agayne here to haue made an ende, with [...] heartie Vale, of the best fashion: but loe, an ylfauoured myschaunce. My last farewell, whereof I made great accompt, and muche maruelled you shoulde make no mention thereof, I am nowe tolde, (in the Diuels name) was thorough one mans negligence quite forgotten, but shoulde nowe vndoubtedly haue béene sent, whether I hadde come, or no. Seing it can now be no otherwise, I pray you take all togither, wyth all their faultes: and nowe I hope, you will vouchsafe mée an answeare of the largest size, or else I tell you true, you shall bée verye déepe in my debte: notwythstandyng, thys other swéete, but shorte letter, and fine, but fewe Uerses. But I woulde rather I might yet sée youre owne good selfe, and receiue a Reciprocall farewell from your owne sw [...]et [...] mouth.
Ad Ornatissimum virum, multis iamdiu nominibus clarissimum, G. H. Immerito sui, mox in Gallias nauigaturi, [...].
I was minded also to haue sent you some English verses: or Rymes, for a farewell: but by my Troth, I haue no spare time in the world, to thinke on such Toyes, that you knowe will demaund a fréer head, than mine is presently. I beséeche you by all your Curtesies, and Graces, let me be answered, ere I goe: which will be, (I hope, I feare, I thinke) the next wéeke, if I can be dispa [...]chéd of my Lorde. I goe thither, as sent by him, and maintained most what of him: and there am to employ my time, my body, my minde, to his Honours seruice. Thus with many superhartie Commendations, and Recommendations to your selfe, and all my friendes with you, I ende my last Farewell, not thinking any more to write vnto you, before I goe: and withall committing to your faith [...]ull Credence the eternall Memorie of our euerlasting friendship, the in [...]ialable Memorie of our vnspotted friendshippe, the sacred Memorie of our vowed friendship: which I beseech you Continue with vsuall writings, as you may, and of all things let me heare some Newes from you. As gentle M. Sidney, I thanke his good Worship, hath required of me, and so promised to doe againe. Qui [...]onet, vt [Page 61] facias, quod iam facis, you knowe the rest. You may alwayes send them most safely to me by Mistresse Kerke, and by none other. So once againe, and yet once more [...] Farewell most hartily, mine owne good Master H. and loue me, as I loue you, and thinke vpon poore Immerito, as he thinketh vppon you.
Leycester House. This .5. of October. 2579.
LIberalissimo Signor Immerito, in good soothe my poore Storehouse will presently affourd me nathing, either to recompence, or counteruaile your gentle Masterships, long, large, lauish, Luxurious, Laxatiue Letters withall, (now a Gods name, when did I euer in my life, hunt the Letter before? but, belike, theres no remedie, I must néedes be euen with you once in my dayes,) but only for soothe, a fewe Millions of Recommendations, and a running Coppie of the Uerses enclosed. Which Uerses, (extra iocum) are so well done in Lattin by two Doctors, and so well Translated into English by one odde Gentleman, and generally so well allowed of all, that chaunced to haue the perusing of them: that trust mée, G.H. was at the first hardly intreated, to shame himselfe, and tru [...]ly, now blusheth, to sée the [...]irst Letters of his name, stande so néere their Names, as of necessitie they must. You know yt Greeke prouerb, [...], and many colours, (as in a manner euery thing else) that [Page 62] seuerally by themselues, séeme reasonably good, and freshe ynough, beyng compared, and ouermatched wyth their betters, are maruellously disgraced, and as it were, dashed quite oute of Countenaunce. I am at this inst [...]n [...], very busilye, and hotly employed in certaine greate and seri [...]us affayres: whereof, notwithstanding (for all youre vowed, and long exp [...]rimented s [...]cre [...]) you are not like to heare a worde more at the moste, till I my selfe sée a World more at the leaste. And therefore, for this once I beséech you (notwithstanding your greate expectation of I knowe not what Uolumes for an aunsweare) content your good selfe, with these Presentes, (pardon me, I came lately out of a Scriueners shop) and in li [...]u of many gentle Farewels, & goodly God be wyes, at your departure: gyue me once againe leaue, to playe the Coun [...]aylour a while, if it be but to iustifie your liberall Mastershippes, Nostri Cato maxime sacli: and I con [...]ure you by the Contents of the Uerses, and Rymes [...]nclosed, and by al th [...] good, and bad Spirites, that attende vpon the Authors themselues, immediatly vpon the contemplation thereof, to abandon all other fooleries, and honour Uertue, the onely immortall and suruiuing Accident amongst so manye mortall, and euer-perishing Substaunces. As I strongly presume, so good a Terte, so clearkly handeled, by thrée so famous Doctours, as olde Maister Wythipole, and the other two bée, m [...]y easily, and will fully perswade you, howsoeuer you tush at the fourths vnsutable Paraphrase. But a worde or two, to your large, lauishe, laxatiue Letters, and then for thys time, Adieu. Of my credite, youre doubtes are not so redoubted, as youre selfe [...]uer suspiciously imagine: as I purpose shortely to aduize you more at large. Your hotte yron, is so hotte, that it striketh mée to the hearte, I dar [...] not come neare to strike it: The Tyde tarryeth no mann [...], but manye a good manne is fayne to tarry the Tyde. And I knowe some, whyche coulde be content to bée theyr own Caruers, that are gladde to thanke other for theyr courtesie: [Page 63] But Beggars, they saye, muste be no choosers.
Your new-founded [...] I honoure more, than you will or can suppose: and make greater accompte of the twoo worthy Gentlemenne, than of two hundreth Dionisij Areopagitae, or the verye notablest Senatours, that euer Athens dydde affourde of that number.
Your Englishe Trimetra I lyke better, than perhappes you will easily beléeue: and am to requite them wyth better, or worse, at more conuenient leysure. Marry, you must pardon me, I fin [...]e not your warrant so sufficiently good, and substauntiall in Lawe, that it can persuade me, they are all, so precisely perfect for the Féete, as your selfe ouer-partially wéene, and ouer-confidently auouche: especiallye the thirde, whyche hathe a foote more than a Lowce (a wonderous deformitie in a righte and pure Senarie) and the sixte, whiche is also in the same Predicament, vnlesse happly one of the féete be sawed off wyth a payre of Syncopes: and then shoulde the Orthographie haue testified so muche: and in steade of H [...]au [...]nli Virgin [...]ls, you should ha [...]e written, Hea [...]nl [...] Virgn [...]ls: & Virgn [...]ls againe in the ninth, & should ha [...]e made a Curtoll of Imm [...]r [...]t [...] in the laste: being all notwithstandyng vsuall, and tollerable ynoughe, in a mixte, and licentious Iambicke: and of two euilles, better (no doubte) the fyrste, than the laste: a thyrde superfluous sillable, thā a dull Spondee. Then me thinketh, you haue in my fancie somwhat too many Spondees beside: and whereas Trochee sometyme presumeth in the firste place, as namely in the second Uerse, Make thy, whyche thy, by youre Maistershippes owne authoritie muste néedes be shorte, I shall be faine to supplye the office of the Arte Memoratiue, and putte you in minde of a pretty Fable in Abstemio the Italian, implying thus much, or rather thus little in effect.
A certaine lame man beyng invited to a solempne Nuptiall Feaste, made no more adoe, but sate me hym roundlye downe foremoste at the hyghest ende of the Table. [Page 64] The Master of the feast, suddainly spying his presumption, and hansomely remoouing him from thence, placed me this haulting Gentleman belowe at the nether [...]nd of the bourd: alledging for his defence the common verse: Sedes nulla datur [...] praeterquam sexta Trochae [...]: and pleasantly alluding to this foote, which standing vppon two syllables, the one long, the other short, (much like, of a like, his guestes féete) is alwayes thrust downe to the last place, in a true Hexameter, and quite thrust out of doores in a pure, and iust Senarie. Nowe Syr, what thinke you [...] I began to thinke with my selfe, when I began to reade your warrant first: so boldly, and venterously set downe in so formall, and autentique wordes, as these, Precisely perfit, and not an inch from the Rule? Ah Syrrha, and Iesu Lord, thought I, haue we at the last gotten one, of whom his olde friendes and Companions may iustly glory, In eo solùm peccat, quòd nihil peccat: and that is yet more exacte, and precise in his English Comicall Iambickes, than [...]uer M. Watson himselfe was in his Latt [...]n Tragicall Iambickes, of whom M. Ascham reporteth, that he would neuer to this day suffer his famous Absolon to come abrode, onely because Anapaestus in Locis paribus, is twice, or thrice vsed in steade of Iambus? A small fault, ywisse, and such a one in M. Aschams owne opinion, as perchaunce woulde neuer haue béene espyed, no neither in Italy, nor in Fraeùnce. But when I came to the curious scanning, and fingering of euery foote, & s [...]llable: Lo here, quoth I, M. Watsons Anapaestu [...] for all the worlde. A good horse, that trippeth not once in a iourney: and M. Immerito doth, but as M. Watson, & in a manner all other Iambici haue done before him: marry he might haue spared his preface, or at y• least, that same restrictiue, & streightlaced t [...]rme, Precisely, and all had béen well enough: and I assure you, of my selfe, I beléeue, no péece of a fault marked at all. But this is the Effect of warrantes, and perhappes the Errour may rather procéede of his Master, M. Drantes Rule, than of himselfe. Howsoeuer it is, the matter is not great, and I alwayes was, and will euer continue of this Opinion, [Page 65] Pauca multis condonanda vitia Virtutibus, especially these being no Vitia neither, in a common and licencious Iambicke. Verùm ista obiter, non quidem contradicendi animo, aut [...]tiam corrigendi mihi crede: sed nostro illo Academico, pristino (que) more ratiocinandi. And to saye trueth, partely too, to requite your gentle courtesie in beginning to me, and noting I knowe not what breache in your gorbellyed Maisters Rules: which Rules go for good, I perceiue, and kéepe a Rule, where there be no better in presence. My selfe neither sawe them, nor heard of them before: and therefore will neither praise them, nor dispraise them nowe: but vppon the suruiewe of them, and farther conference, (both which I desire) you shall soone heare one mans opinion too or fro. Youre selfe remember, I was wonte to haue some preiudice of the man: and I still remaine a fauourer of his deserued, and iust commendation. Marry in these poyntes, you knowe, Partialitie in no case, may haue a foote: and you remember mine olde Stoicall exclamation [...] Fie on childish affection, in the discoursing, and deciding of schoole matters. This I say, because you charge m [...] with an vnknowne authoritie: which for aught I know yet, may as wel be either vnsufficient, or faultie, as otherwise: and I dare more than halfe promise, (I dare not saye, warrant) you shall alwayes in these kinde of controuersies, [...]inde me nighe hande answerable in mine owne defence. Reliqua omnia, quae de hac supersunt Anglicorum versuum ratione, in aliud tempus reseruabimus, ociosum magis. Youre Latine Farewell is a goodly braue yonkerly péece of work, and Goddilge yée, I am alwayes maruellously beholding vnto you, for your bountifull Titles: I hope by that time I haue béen resident a yeare or twoo in Italy, I shall be better qualifyed in this kind, and more able to requite your lauishe, and magnificent liberalitie that way. But to let Titles and Tittles passe, and come to the very pointe in déede, whiche so neare toucheth my lusty Trauayler to the quicke, and is one of the praedominant humors yt raigne in our cōmon Youths: Heus mi tu, bone proce, magne muli [...]rcularum amator, egregie Pamphile, [Page 66] eum aliquando tandem, qui t [...] manet, qui mulierosos omnes, qui vniuersam Faeministarum sectam, Respice finem. And I shal then be content to appeale to your owne learned experience, whether it be, or be not, too too true: quod dici solet àme saepe: àte ipso nonnun (que): ab expertis omnibus quotidie: Amare amarum: Nec deus, vt perhibent, Amor est, sed amaror, & error: & quicquid in eandem solet sententiam Empiric [...] ̄s aggregari. Ac scite mihi quidē Agrippa Ouidianam illam, de Arte Amandi, [...] videtur correxisse, meritó (que), de Arte Meretricandi, inscripsisse. Nec verò inepte alius, Amatores Alchumistis comparauit, aureos, argenteos (que) montes, at (que) fontes lepidè somniantibus, sed interim miserè immanibus Carbonum fumis propemodum occaecatis, at (que) etiam suffocatis: praeter (que) celebratum illum Adami Paradisum, alium esse quendam praedicauit, stultorum quo (que) Amatorum (que) mirabilem Paradisum: illum verè, hunc phantasticè, fanatice (que) beatorum. Sed haec alias, fortassis vberiùs. Credite me, I will neuer linne baityng at you, til I haue rid you quite of this yonkerly, & womanly humor. And as for your spéedy and hasty trauell: me thinks I dare stil wager al the Books & writings in my study, which you know, I estéeme of greater value, than al the golde & siluer in my purse, or chest, that you wil not, (and yet I muste take héede, how I make my bargaine with so subtile and intricate a Sophister) that you shall not, I saye, bée gone ouer Sea, for al your saying, neither the next, nor the nexte wéeke. And then peraduenture I may personally performe your request, and bestowe the swéetest Farewell, vpon your swéetmouthed Mashippe, that so vnswéete a Tong, and so sowre a paire of Lipp [...]s can affoorde. And, thinke you I will leaue my Il Pellegrino so? No I trowe. My Lords Honor, the expectation of his friendes, his owne credite and preferment, tell me, he muste haue a moste speciall care, and good r [...]garde of employing his trauaile to the best. And therfore I am studying all this fortnight, to reade him suche a Lecture in Homers Odysses, and Virgils AEneads, that I dare vndertake he shall not néede any further instruction, in Maister Turlers Trauayler, or Maister Zuingers [Page 67] Methodus Apodemica: but in his whole trauaile abroade, and euer after at home, shall shewe himselfe as verie liuelye and absolute picture of Vlysses and AEneas. Wherof I haue the stronger hope he muste néedes proue a most capable and apt subiecte (I speake to a Logician) hauing the selfe same Goddesses and Graces attendant vpon his body and mind, that euermore guided them, & their actions: especially ye ones Minerua, and the others Venus: that is (as one Doctor expoundeth it) the pollitique head, and wise gouernement of the one: and the amiable behauiour, and gratious courtesie of the other: the two verye principall, and moste singular Companions, of a right Trauailer: and as perhaps one of oure subtile Logicians woulde saye, the two inseparable, and indivisible accidents of the foresaide Subiects. De quibu [...] ipsis, caeteris (que) omnibus artifici [...] Apodemici instrumentis: inprimis (que) de Homerica illa, diuina (que) herba [...]) qua Vlissem suum Mercurius, aduersus Cyrcea & pocula, & carmina, & venena, morbos (que) omnes praemuniuit: & coram, vti spero, breui: & longè, vti soleo, copiosius: & fortasse etiam, aliquantò, quàm soleo, cum subtiliùs, tum verò Polliticè, Pragmatice (que) magis. Interim tribus eris syllabis contentus, ac valebis. Trinitie Hall, stil in my Gallerie. 23. Octob. 1579. In haste.
Certaine Latin Verses, of the frailtie and mutabilitie of all things, sauing onely Vertue: made by M. Doctor Norton, for the righ [...] Worship [...], M. Thomas Sackford, Master of Requestes vnto hir Maiestie. [...].
The same paraphrastically varied by M. Doctor Gouldingam [...] at the request of old [...] M. Wythipoll of Ipswiche.
Olde Maister Wythipols owne Translation.
The same Paraphrastically varied by Master G. H. at M. Peter Wythipolles request, for his Father.
M. Peter Wythipoll.