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A PREFACE, OR RATHER A BRIEFE APOLOGIE OF POETRIE, AND OF THE Author and Translator of this Poeme.
THe learned Plutarch in his Laconicall Apothegmes, tels of a So∣phister that made a long and tedious Oration in praise of Hercules, and expecting at the end thereof for some great thankes and ap∣plause of the hearers, a certaine Lacedemonian demanded him, who had dispraised Hercules? Me thinkes the like may be now said to me, taking vpon me the defence of Poesie: for surely if learning in generall were of that account among vs, as it ought to be a••ong all men, and is among wise men, then should this my Apologie of Poesie (the very first nurse and auncient grandmother of all learning) be as vaine and supersluous as was that Sophisters, because it might then be answered and truly answe∣red, that no man disgraced it. But sith we liue in such a time, in which nothing can escape the enuious tooth and backiting tongue of an impure mouth, and wherein euery blind corner hath a squint-eyed Zoilus, that can looke aright vpon no mans doings, (yea sure there be some that will not sticke to call Hercules himselfe a dastard, because forsooth he fought with a club and not at the rapier and dagger:) therefore I thinke no man of iudge∣ment will iudge this my labour needlesse, in seeking to remoue away those slaunders that either the malice of those that loue it not, or the folly of those that vnderstand it not, hath deuised against it: for indeed as the old saying is, Scientia non habet inimicum praeter ignoran∣tem: Knowledge hath no soe but the ignorant.* 1.1 But now because I make account I haue to deale with three sundrie kinds of reprouers, one of those that condemne all Poetrie, which (how strong head soeuer they haue) I count but a very weake faction; another of those that allow Poetrie, but not this particular Poeme, of which kind sure there cannot be many: a third of those that can beare with the art, and like of the worke, but will find fault with my not well handling of it, which they may not onely probably, but I doubt too truly do, being a thing as commonly done as said, that where the hedge is lowest, there doth euery man go ouer. Therefore against these three I must arme me with the best de∣fensiue weapons I can: and if I happen to giue a blow now and then in mine owne defence, and as good fencers vse to ward and strike at once, I must craue pardon of course, seeing our law allowes that is done se defendendo: and the law of nature teacheth vim vi repellere. First therefore of Poetrie it selfe,* 1.2 for those few that generally disallow it, might be sufficient to alledge those many that generally approue it, of which I could bring in such an armie, not of souldiers, but of famous Kings and captaines, as not onely the sight, but the very sound of them were able to vanquish and dismay the small forces of our aduersaries. For who would once dare to oppose himselfe against so many Alexanders, Caesars, Scipios, (to omit infinite other Princes, both of former and later ages, and of forraine and nearer countries) that with fauour, with studie, with practise, with example, with honors, with gifts, with preferments, with great and magnificent cost, haue encouraged and aduanced Poets and Poetrie? As witnesse the huge Theaters and Amphitheaters, monuments of stupendi∣ous charge, made onely for Tragedies and Comedies, the workes of Poets to be represen∣ted on: but all these aides and defences I leaue as supersluous, my cause I count so good, and the euidence so open, that I neither need to vse the countenance of any great state to bolster it, nor the cunning of any suttle lawyer to enforce it: my meaning is plainely