The arte of English poesie Contriued into three bookes: the first of poets and poesie, the second of proportion, the third of ornament.

CHAP. IIII.

How the Poets were the first Philosophers, the first Astronomers and Historiographers and Oratours and Musitiens of the world.

VTterance also and language is giuen by nature to man for per∣swasion of others, and aide of them selues, I meane the first a∣bilite to speake. For speech it selfe is artificiall and made by man, and the more pleasing it is, the more it preuaileth to such purpose as it is intended for: but speech by meeter is a kind of vtterance, more cleanly couched and more delicate to the eare then prose is, because it is more currant and slipper vpon the tongue, and withal tunable and melodious, as a kind of Musicke, and therfore may be tearmed a musicall speech or vtterance, which cannot but please the hearer very well. Another cause is, for that it is briefer & more compendious, and easier to beare away and be retained in memo∣rie, then that which is contained in multitude of words and full of tedious ambage and long periods. It is beside a maner of vtterance more eloquent and rethoricall then the ordinarie prose, which we vse in our daily talke: because it is decked and set out with all ma∣ner of fresh colours and figures, which maketh that it sooner in∣uegleth the iudgement of man, and carieth his opinion this way and that, whither soeuer the heart by impression of the eare shalbe most affectionatly bent and directed. The vtterance in prose is not of so great efficacie, because not only it is dayly vsed, and by that occasion the eare is ouerglutted with it, but is also not so voluble

and slipper vpon the tong, being wide and lose, and nothing nu∣merous, nor contriued into measures, and sounded with so gallant and harmonical accents, nor in fine alowed that figuratiue conuey∣ance, nor so great licence in choise of words and phrases as meeter is. So as the Poets were also from the beginning the best perswaders and their eloquence the first Rethoricke of the world. Euen so it became that the high mysteries of the gods should be reuealed & taught, by a maner of vtterance and language of extraordinarie phrase, and briefe and compendious, and aboue al others sweet and ciuill as the Metricall is. The same also was meetest to register the liues and noble gests of Princes, and of the great Monarkes of the world, and all other the memorable accidents of time: so as the Poet was also the first historiographer. Then forasmuch as they were the first obseruers of all naturall causes & effects in the things generable and corruptible, and from thence mounted vp to search after the celestiall courses and influences, & yet penetrated further to know the diuine essences and substances separate, as is sayd be∣fore, they were the first Astronomers and Philosophists and Me∣taphisicks. Finally, because they did altogether endeuor thēselues to reduce the life of man to a certaine method of good maners, and made the first differences betweene vertue and vice, and then tem∣pered all these knowledges and skilles with the exercise of a dele∣ctable Musicke by melodious instruments, which withall serued them to delight their hearers, & to call the people together by ad∣miration, to a plausible and vertuous conuersation, therefore were they the first Philosophers Ethick, & the first artificial Musiciens of the world. Such was Linus, Orpheus, Amphiō & Museus the most ancient Poets and Philosophers, of whom there is left any memo∣rie by the prophane writers. King Dauid also & Salomon his sonne and many other of the holy Prophets wrate in meeters, and vsed to sing them to the harpe, although to many of vs ignorant of the Hebrue language and phrase, and not obseruing it, the same seeme but a prose. It can not bee therefore that anie scorne or indignitie should iustly be offred to so noble, profitable, ancient and diuine a science as Poesie is.