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

CHAP. XI.

Of Proportion in figure.

YOur last proportion is that of figure, so called for that it yelds an ocular representation, your meeters being by good sym∣metrie reduced into certaine Geometricall figures, whereby the maker is restrained to keepe him within his bounds, and sheweth not onely more art, but serueth also much better for briefenesse and subtiltie of deuice. And for the same respect are also fittest for the pretie amourets in Court to entertaine their seruants and the time withall, their delicate wits requiring some commendable ex∣ercise to keepe them from idlenesse. I find not of this proportion vsed by any of the Greeke or Latine Poets, or in any vulgar writer, sauing of that one forme which they cal Anacreens egge. But being in Italie conuersant with a certaine gentleman, who had long tra∣uailed the Orientall parts of the world, and seene the Courts of the great Princes of China and Tartarie. I being very inquisitiue to know of the subtillities of those countreyes, and especially in matter of learning and of their vulgar Poesie, he told me that they are in all their inuentions most wittie, and haue the vse of Poesie or riming, but do not delight so much as we do in long tedious de∣scriptions, and therefore when they will vtter any pretie conceit, they reduce it into metricall feet, and put it in forme of a Lozange or square, or such other figure, and so engrauen in gold, siluer or iuorie, and sometimes with letters of ametist, rubie, emeralde or topas curiousely cemented and peeced together, they sende them in chaines, bracelets, collars and girdles to their mistresses to weare for a remembrance. Some fewe measures composed in this sort this gentleman gaue me, which I translated word for word and as neere as I could followed both the phrase and the figure, which is somewhat hard to performe, because of the restraint of the figure from which ye may not digresse. At the beginning they wil seeme

nothing pleasant to an English eare, but time and vsage wil make them acceptable inough, as it doth in all other new guises, be it for wearing of apparell or otherwise. The formes of your Geometri∣call figures be hereunder represented.

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The Lozange called Rombus

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The Fuzie or spindle, called Romboides

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The Tri∣angle, or Tricquet

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The Square or quadrangle

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The Pillaster, or Cillinder

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The Spire or taper, called piramis

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The Rondel or Sphere

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The egge or figure ouall

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The Tricquet reuerst

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The Tricquet displayed

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The Taper reuersed

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The Rōdel displayed

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The Lozange reuersed

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The egge displayed

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The Lozange rabbated

Of the Lozange.

The Lozange is a most beautifull figure, & fit for this purpose, being in his kind a quadrangle reuerst, with his point vpward like to a quarrell of glasse the Greekes and Latines both call it Rombus which may be the cause as I suppose why they also gaue that name to the fish commonly called the Turbot, who beareth iustly that figure, it ought not to containe aboue thirteene or fifteene or one

& twentie meetres, & the longest furnisheth the middle angle, the rest passe vpward and downward, still abating their lengthes by one or two sillables till they come to the point: the Fuzie is of the same nature but that he is sharper and slenderer. I will giue you an example or two of those which my Italian friend bestowed vpon me, which as neare as I could I translated into the same figure ob∣seruing the phrase of the Orientall speach word for word.

A great Emperor in Tartary whō they cal Can, for his good for∣tune in the wars & many notable conquests he had made, was sur∣named Temir Cutzclewe, this mā loued the Lady Kermesine, who presented him returning frō the cōquest of Corasoon (a great king∣dom adioyning) with this Lozange made in letters of rubies & dia∣mants entermingled, thus

Sound O Harpe Shril lie out Temir the stout Rider who with sharpe Trenching blade of bright steele Hath made his fiercest foes to feele All such as wrought him shame or harme The strength of his braue right arme, Cleauing hard downe vnto the eyes The raw skulles of his enemies, Much honor hath he wonne By doughtie deedes done In Cora soon And all the Worlde Round.

To which Can Temir answered in Fuzie, with letters of Emeralds and Ametists artifici∣ally cut and entermingled, thus

Fiue Sore batailes Manfully fought In blouddy fielde With bright blade in hand Hath Temir won & forst to yeld Many a Captaine strong and stoute And many a king his Crowne to vayle, Conquering large countreys and land, Yet ne uer wanne I vi cto rie, I speake it to my greate glo rie, So deare and ioy full vn to me, As when I did first con quere thee O Kerme sine, of all myne foes The most cruell, of all myne woes The smartest, the sweetest My proude Con quest My vi chest pray O once a daye Lend me thy sight Whose only light Keepes me Aliue.

Of the Triangle or Triquet.

The Triangle is an halfe square, Lozange or Fuzie parted vpon the crosse angles: and so his base being brode and his top narrow, it receaueth meetres of many sizes one shorter then another: and ye may vse this figure standing or reuersed, as thus.

A certaine great Sultan of Persia called Ribuska, entertaynes in loue the Lady Selamour, sent her this triquet reuest pitiously be∣moning his estate, all set in merquetry with letters of blew Saphire and Topas artificially cut and entermingled.

Selamour dearer than his owne life, To thy di stressed wretch cap tiue, Re buska whome late ly cast Most cru el ly thou perst With thy dead ly dart, That paire of starres Shi ning a farre Turne from me, to me That I may & may not see The smile, the loure That lead and driue Me to die to liue Tw••se yea thrise In — one houre.

To which Selamour to make the match egall, and the figure entire, answered in a standing Triquet richly engrauen with let∣ters of like stuffe.

Power Of death Nor of life Hath Selamour, With Gods it is rife To geue and bereue breath, I may for pitie perchaunce Thy lost libertie re store, Vpon thine othe with this penaunce, That while thou liuest thou neuer loue no more.

This condition seeming to Sultan Ribuska very hard to per∣forme, and cruell to be enioyned him, doeth by another figure in Taper, signifying hope, answere the Lady Selamour, which dittie for lack of time I translated not.

Of the Spire or Taper called Pyramis.

The Taper is the longest and sharpest triangle that is, & while he mounts vpward he waxeth continually more slender, taking both his figure and name of the fire, whose flame if ye marke it, is alwaies pointed, and naturally by his forme couets to clymbe: the

Greekes call him Pyramis of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Latines in vse of Archite∣cture call him Obeliscus, it holdeth the altitude of six ordinary tri∣angles, and in metrifying his base can not well be larger then a meetre of six, therefore in his altitude he wil require diuers rabates to hold so many sizes of meetres as shall serue for his composition, for neare the toppe there wilbe roome litle inough for a meetre of two sillables, and sometimes of one to finish the point. I haue set you downe one or two examples to try how ye can disgest the maner of the deuise.

Her Maiestie, for many parts in her most noble and vertuous nature to be found, re∣sembled to the spire. Ye must begin beneath according to the nature of the deuice

Skie.

Azurd in the assurde,

And better, And richer, Much greter,

Crown & empir After an hier For to aspire Like stame of fire In forme of spire

To mount on hie, Con ti nu al ly With trauel & teen Most gratious queen Ye haue made a vow Shews vs plainly how Not fained but true, To euery mans vew, Shining cleere in you Of so bright an hewe, Euen thus vertewe

Vanish out of our sight Till his fine top be quite To Taper in the ayre Endeuors soft and faire By his kindly nature Of tall comely stature Like as this faire figure

From God the fountaine of all good, are deri∣ued into the world all good things: and vpon her maiestie all the good fortunes any worldly creature can be furnisht with. Reade down∣ward according to the nature of the deuice.

God On Hie

From Aboue Sends loue, Wisedome, Iustice Courage, Bountie, And doth geue Al that liue,

Life & breath Harts ese helth Childrē, welth Beauty strēgth Restfull age, And at length A mild death.

He doeth bestow All mens fortunes Both high & low And the best things That earth cā haue Or mankind craue, Good queens & kings Fi nally is the same Who gaue you (madā) Seyson of this Crowne With poure soueraigne

Impug nable right, Redoubtable might, Most prosperous raigne Eternall re nowme, And that your chiefest is Sure hope of heauens blis.

The Piller, Pillaster or Cillinder.

The Piller is a figure among all the rest of the Geometricall most beawtifull, in respect that he is tall and vpright and of one bignesse from the bottom to the toppe. In Architecture he is con∣sidered with two accessarie parts, a pedestall or base, and a chapter or head, the body is the shaft. By this figure is signified stay, sup∣port, rest, state and magnificence, your dittie then being reduced into the forme of a Piller, his base will require to beare the breath of a meetre of six or seuen or eight sillables: the shaft of foure: the chapter egall with the base, of this proportion I will giue you one or two examples which may suffise.

Her Maiestie resembled to the crowned pil∣ler. Ye must read vpward.

Is blisse with immortalitie. Her trymest top of all ye see, Garnish the crowne Her iust renowne Chapter and head, Parts that maintain And womanhead Her mayden raigne Integritie: In honour and With veritie: Her roundnes stand Strēgthen the state. By their increase Without debate Concord and peace Of her support, They be the base With stedfastnesse Vertue and grace Stay and comfort Of Albions rest, The sounde Pillar And seene a farre Is plainely exprest Tall stately and strayt By this noble pourtrays

Philo to the Lady Calia, sendeth this Odolet of her prayse in forme of a Piller, which ye must read downeward.

Thy Princely port and Maiestie Is my terrene deitie, Thy wit and sence The streame & source Of eloquence And deepe discours, Thy faire eyes are My bright loadstarre, Thy speache a darte Percing my harte, Thy face alas, My looking glasse, Thy louely lookes My prayer bookes, Thy pleasant cheare My sunshine cleare, Thy rufull sight My darke midnight, Thy will the stent Of my content, Thy glorye flou•• Of myne honour, Thy loue doth giue The lyfe I lyue, Thy lyfe it is Mine earthly blisse: But grace & fauour in thine eies My bodies soule & souls paradise.

The Roundell or Spheare.

The most excellent of all the figures Geometrical is the round for his many perfections. First because he is euen & smooth, with∣out any angle, or interruption, most voluble and apt to turne, and to continue motion, which is the author of life: he conteyneth in him the commodious description of euery other figure, & for his ample capacitie doth resemble the world or vniuers, & for his in∣definitenesse hauing no speciall place of beginning nor end, bea∣reth a similitude with God and eternitie. This figure hath three principall partes in his nature and vse much considerable: the cir∣cle, the beame, and the center. The circle is his largest compasse or circumference: the center is his middle and indiuisible point: the beame is a line stretching directly from the circle to the center, & contrariwise from the center to the circle. By this description our maker may fashion his meetre in Roundel, either with the circum∣ference, and that is circlewise, or from the circūference, that is, like a beame, or by the circumference, and that is ouerthwart and dya∣metrally from one side of the circle to the other.

A generall resemblance of the Roundell to God, the world and the Queene.

All and whole, and euer, and one, Single, simple, eche where, alone, These be counted as Clerkes can tell, True properties, of the Roundell. His still turning by consequence And change, doe breede both life and sence. Time, measure of stirre and rest, Is also by his course exprest. How swift the circle stirre aboue, His center point doeth neuer moue: All things that euer were or be, Are closde in his concauitie. And though he be, still turnde and tost, No roome there wants nor none is lost. The Roundell hath no bonch or angle, Which may his course stay or entangle. The furthest part of all his spheare,

Is equally both farre and neare. So doth none other figure fare Where natures chattels closed are: And beyond his wide compasse, There is no body nor no place, Nor any wit that comprehends, Where it begins, or where it ends: And therefore all men doe agree, That it purports eternitie. God aboue the heauens so hie Is this Roundell, in world the skie, Vpon earth she, who beares the bell Of maydes and Queenes, is this Roundell: All and whole and euer alone, Single, sans peere, simple, and one.

A speciall and particular resemblance of her Maiestie to the Roundell.

FIrst her authoritie regall Is the circle compassing all: The dominion great and large Which God hath geuen to her charge: Within which most spatious bound She enuirons her people round, Retaining them by oth and liegeance. Within the pale of true obeysance: Holding imparked as it were, Her people like to heards of deere. Sitting among them in the middes Where she allowes and bannes and bids In what fashion she list and when, The seruices of all her men. Out of her breast as from an eye, Issue the rayes incessantly Of her iustice, bountie and might Spreading abroad their beames so bright, And reflect not, till they attaine

The fardest part of her domaine. And makes eche subiect clearely see, What he is bounden for to be To God his Prince and common wealth, His neighbour, kinred and to himselfe. The same centre and middle pricke, Whereto our deedes are drest so thicke, From all the parts and outmost side Of her Monarchie large and wide, Also fro whence reflect these rayes, Twentie hundred maner of wayes Where her will is them to conuey Within the circle of her suruey. So is the Queene of Briton ground, Beame, circle, center of all my round.

Of the square or quadrangle equilater.

The square is of all other accompted the figure of most sollidi∣tie and stedfastnesse, and for his owne stay and firmitie requireth none other base then himselfe, and therefore as the roundell or Spheare is appropriat to the heauens, the Spire to the element of the fire: the Triangle to the ayre; and the Lozange to the water: so is the square for his inconcussable steadinesse likened to the earth, which perchaunce might be the reason that the Prince of Philosophers in his first booke of the Ethicks, termeth a constant minded man, euen egal and direct on all sides, and not easily ouer∣throwne by euery litle aduersitie, hominem quadratū, a square man. Into this figure may ye reduce your ditties by vsing no moe verses then your verse is of sillables, which will make him fall out square, if ye go aboue it wil grow into the figure Trapezion, which is some portion longer then square. I neede not giue you any ex∣ample, bycause in good arte all your ditties, Odes & Epigrammes should keepe & not exceede the nomber of twelue verses, and the longest verse to be of twelue sillables & not aboue, but vnder that number as much as ye will.

The figure Ouall.

This figure taketh his name of an egge, and also as it is thought

his first origine, and is as it were a bastard or imperfect rounde declining toward a longitude, and yet keeping within one line for his periferie or compasse as the rounde, and it seemeth that he re∣ceiueth this forme not as an imperfection by any impediment vn∣naturally hindring his rotunditie, but by the wisedome and pro∣uidence of nature for the commoditie of generation, in such of her creatures as bring not forth a liuely body (as do foure footed beasts) but in stead thereof a certaine quantitie of shapelesse matter con∣tained in a vessell, which after it is sequestred from the dames bo∣dy receiueth life and perfection, as in the egges of birdes, fishes, and serpents: for the matter being of some quantitie, and to issue out at a narrow place, for the easie passage thereof, it must of necessitie beare such shape as might not be sharpe and greeuous to passe as an angle, nor so large or obtuse as might not essay some issue out with one part moe then other as the rounde, therefore it must be slenderer in some part, & yet not without a rotunditie & smooth∣nesse to giue the rest an easie deliuerie. Such is the figure Ouall whom for his antiquitie, dignitie and vse, I place among the rest of the figures to embellish our proportions: of this sort are diuers of Anacreons ditties, and those other of the Grecian Liricks, who wrate wanton amorous deuises, to solace their witts with all, and many times they would (to giue it right shape of an egge) deuide a word in the midst, and peece out the next verse with the other halfe, as ye may see by perusing their meetres.

Of the deuice or embleme, and that other which the Greekes call Anagramma, and we the Posie transposed.

ANd besides all the remembred points of Metricall proportiō, ye haue yet two other sorts of some affinitie with them, which also first issued out of the Poets head, and whereof the Courtly ma∣ker was the principall artificer, hauing many high conceites and curious imaginations, with leasure inough to attend his idle inuen∣tions: and these be the short, quicke and sententious propositions, such as be at these dayes all your deuices of armes and other amo∣rous inscriptions which courtiers vse to giue and also to weare in liuerie for the honour of their ladies, and commonly containe but two or three words of wittie sentence or secrete conceit till they

vnfolded or explaned by some interpretatiō. For which cause they be commonly accompanied with a figure or purtraict of ocular re∣presentation, the words so aptly corresponding to the subtilitie of the figure, that aswel the eye is therwith recreated as the eare or the mind. The Greekes call it Emblema, the Italiens Impresa, and we, a Deuice, such as a man may put into letters of gold and sende to his mistresses for a token, or cause to be embrodered in scutchions of armes, or in any bordure of a rich garment to giue by his noueltie maruell to the beholder. Such were the figures and inscriptions the Romane Emperours gaue in their money and coignes of lar∣gesse, and in other great medailles of siluer and gold, as that of the Emperour Augustus, an arrow entangled by the fish Remora, with these words, Festina lento, signifying that celeritie is to be vsed with deliberation: all great enterprises being for the most part either o∣uerthrowen with hast, or hindred by delay, in which case leasure in th'aduice, and speed in th'execution make a very good match for a glorious successe.

Th'Emperour Heliogabalus by his name alluding to the sunne, which in Greeke is Helios, gaue for his deuice, the coelestial sunne, with these words [Solimuicto] the subtilitie lyeth in the word [soli] which hath a double sense, viz. to the Sunne, and to him onely.

We our selues attributing that most excellent figure, for his in∣comparable beauty and light, to the person of our Soueraigne lady altring the mot, made it farre passe that of Th'Emperour Helioga∣balus both for subtilitie and multiplicitie of sense, thus, [Soli nun∣quam deficienti] to her onely that neuer failes, viz. in bountie and munificence toward all hers that deserue, or else thus, To her onely (whose glorie and good fortune may neuer decay or wane. And so it inureth as a wish by way of resemblaunce in [Simile dissimile] which is also a subtillitie, likening her Maiestie to the Sunne for his brightnesse, but not to him for his passion, which is ordinarily to go to glade, and sometime to suffer eclypse.

King Edvvarde the thirde, her Maiesties most noble progenitour, first founder of the famous order of the Gar∣ter, gaue this posie with it. Hony soit qui mal y pense, com∣monly thus Englished, Ill be to him that thinketh ill, but in mine opinion better thus, Dishonored be he, who meanes vnho∣norably.

There can not be a more excellent deuise, nor that could containe larger intendment, nor greater subtilitie, nor (as a mā may say) more vertue or Princely generosite. For first he did by it mild∣ly & grauely reproue the peruers construction of such noble men in his court, as imputed the kings wearing about his neck the gar∣ter of the lady with whom he danced, to some amorous alliance be∣twixt them, which was not true. He also iustly defended his owne integritie, saued the noble womans good renowme, which by licē∣tious speeches might haue bene empaired, and liberally recompen∣ced her iniurie with an honor, such as none could haue bin deuised greater nor more glorious or permanent vpon her and all the po∣steritie of her house. It inureth also as a worthy lesson and disci∣pline for all Princely personages, whose actions, imaginations, coū∣tenances and speeches, should euermore correspond in all trueth and honorable simplicitie.

Charles the fift Emperour, euen in his yong yeares shewing his valour and honorable ambition, gaue for his new order, the golden Fleece, vsurping it vpon Prince Iason & his Argonants rich spoile brought from Cholcos. But for his deuice two pillers with this mot Plus vltra, as one not content to be restrained within the limits that Hercules had set for an vttermost bound to all his trauailes, viz. two pillers in the mouth of the straight Gibraltare, but would go fur∣der: which came fortunately to passe, and whereof the good suc∣cesse gaue great commendation to his deuice: for by the valiancy of his Captaines before he died he conquered great part of the west Indias, neuer knowen to Hercules or any of our world before.

In the same time (seeming that the heauens and starres had con∣spired to replenish the earth with Princes and gouernours of great courage, and most famous conquerous) Selim Emperour of Tur∣kie gaue for his deuice a croissant or new moone, promising to him self increase of glory and enlargemēt of empire, til he had brought all Asia vnder his subiection, which he reasonably well accompli∣shed. For in lesse then eight yeres which he raigned, he conquered all Syria and Egypt, and layd it to his dominion. This deuice after∣ward was vsurped by Henry the second French king, with this mot Donec totum compleat orbem, till he be at his full: meaning it not so largely as did Selim, but onely that his friendes should knowe

how vnable he was to do them good, and to shew benificence vntil he attained the crowne of France vnto which he aspired as next successour.

King Levvis the twelfth, a valiant and magnanimous prince, who because hee was on euery side enuironed with mightie neighbours, and most of them his enemies, to let them perceiue that they should not finde him vnable or vnfurnished (incase they should offer any vnlawfull hostillitie) of suffificient forces of his owne, aswell to offende as to defend, and to reuenge an in∣iurie as to repulse it. He gaue for his deuice the Porkespick with this posie pres & loign, both farre and neare. For the Purpentines nature is, to such as stand aloofe, to dart her prickles from her, and if they come neare her, with the same as they sticke fast to wound them that hurt her.

But of late yeares in the ransacke of the Cities of Cartagena and S. Dominico in the West Indias, manfully put in execution by the prowesse of her Maiesties men, there was found a deuice made per∣aduenture without King Philips knowledge, wrought al in massiue copper, a king sitting on horsebacke vpon a monde or world, the horse prauncing forward with his forelegges as if he would leape of, with this inscription, Non sufficit orbis, meaning, as it is to be cō∣ceaued, that one whole world could not content him. This immea∣surable ambition of the Spaniards, if her Maiestie by Gods proui∣dence, had not with her forces, prouidently stayed and retranched, no man knoweth what inconuenience might in time haue insued to all the Princes and common wealthes in Christendome, who haue founde them selues long annoyed with his excessiue great∣nesse.

Atila king of the Huns, inuading Frāce with an army of 300000. fighting men, as it is reported, thinking vtterly to abbase the glory of the Romane Empire, gaue for his deuice of armes, a sword with a firie point and these words, Ferro & flamma, with sword and fire. This very deuice being as ye see onely accommodate to a king or conquerour and not a coillen or any meane souldier, a certaine base man of England being knowen euen at that time a bricklayer or mason by his science, gaue for his crest: whom it had better be∣come to beare a truell full of morter then a sword and fire, which

is onely the reuenge of a Prince, and lieth not in any other mans a∣bilitie to performe, vnlesse ye will allow it to euery poore knaue that is able to set fire on a thacht house. The heraldes ought to vse great discretion in such matters: for neither any rule of their arte doth warrant such absurdities, nor though such a coat or crest were gained by a prisoner taken in the field, or by a flag found in some ditch & neuer fought for (as many times happens) yet is it no more allowable then it were to beare the deuice of Tamerlan an Em∣perour in Tartary, who gaue the lightning of heauen, with a posie in that language purporting these words, Ira Dei, which also ap∣peared well to answer his fortune. For from a sturdie shepeheard he became a most mighty Emperour, and with his innumerable great armies desolated so many countreyes and people, as he might iustly be called [the vvrath of God.] It appeared also by his strange ende: for in the midst of his greatnesse and prosperitie he died so∣dainly, & left no child or kinred for a successour to so large an Em∣pire, nor any memory after him more then of his great puissance and crueltie.

But that of the king of China in the fardest part of the Orient, though it be not so terrible is no lesse admirable, & of much sharp∣nesse and good implication, worthy for the greatest king and con∣querour: and it is, two strange serpents entertangled in their amo∣rous congresse, the lesser creeping with his head into the greaters mouth, with words purporting [ama & time] loue & feare. Which posie with maruellous much reason and subtillity implieth the du∣tie of euery subiect to his Prince, and of euery Prince to his subiect, and that without either of them both, no subiect could be sayd en∣tirely to performe his liegeance, nor the Prince his part of lawfull gouernement. For without feare and loue the soueraigne authority could not be vpholden, nor without iustice and mercy the Prince be renowmed and honored of his subiect. All which parts are dis∣couered in this figure: loue by the serpents amorous entertangling: obedience and feare by putting the inferiours head into the others mouth hauing puissance to destroy. On th'other side, iustice in the greater to prepare and manace death and destruction to offenders. And if he spare it, then betokeneth it mercie, and a grateful recom∣pence of the loue and obedience which the soueraigne receaueth.

It is also worth the telling, how the king vseth the same in polli∣cie, he giueth it in his ordinarie liueries to be worne in euery vpper garment of all his noblest men and greatest Magistrats & the rest of his officers and seruants, which are either embrodered vpon the breast and the back with siluer or gold or pearle or stone more or lesse richly, according to euery mans dignitie and calling, and they may not presume to be seene in publick without them: nor also in any place where by the kings commission they vse to sit in iustice, or any other publike affaire, wherby the king is highly both hono∣red and serued, the common people retained in dutie and admira∣tion of his greatnesse: the noblemen, magistrats and officers euery one in his degree so much esteemed & reuerenced, as in their good and loyall seruice they want vnto their persons litle lesse honour for the kings sake, then can be almost due or exhibited to the king him selfe.

I could not forbeare to adde this forraine example to accōplish our discourse touching deuices. For the beauty and gallantnesse of it, besides the subtillitie of the conceit, and princely pollicy in the vse, more exact then can be remēbred in any other of any European Prince, whose deuises I will not say but many of them be loftie and ingenious, many of them louely and beautifull, many other ambi∣tious and arrogant, and the chiefest of them terrible and ful of hor∣ror to the nature of man, but that any of them be comparable with it, for wit, vertue, grauitie, and if ye list brauerie, honour and mag∣nificence, not vsurping vpon the peculiars of the gods. In my con∣ceipt there is none to be found.

This may suffice for deuices, a terme which includes in his ge∣nerality all those other, viz. liueries, cognizāces, emblemes, enseigns and impreses. For though the termes be diuers, the vse and intent is but one whether they rest in colour or figure or both, or in word or in muet shew, and that is to insinuat some secret, wittie, morall and braue purpose presented to the beholder, either to recreate his eye, or please his phantasie, or examine his iudgement, or occupie his braine or to manage his will either by hope or by dread, euery of which respectes be of no litle moment to the interest and orna∣ment of the ciuill life: and therefore giue them no litle commenda∣tion. Then hauing produced so many worthy and wise founders

of these deuices, and so many puissant patrons and protectours of them, I feare no reproch in this discourse, which otherwise the veni∣mous appetite of enuie by detraction or scorne would peraduen∣ture not sticke to offer me.

Of the Anagrame, or posie transposed.

ONe other pretie conceit we will impart vnto you and then trouble you with no more, and is also borrowed primitiuely of the Poet, or courtly maker, we may terme him, the [posie transpo∣sed] or in one word [a transpose] a thing if it be done for pastime and exercise of the wit without superstition commendable inough and a meete study for Ladies, neither bringing them any great gayne nor any great losse vnlesse it be of idle time. They that vse it for pleasure is to breed one word out of another not altering any letter nor the number of them, but onely transposing of the same, wherupon many times is produced some grateful newes or matter to them for whose pleasure and seruice it was intended: and bicause there is much difficultie in it, and altogether standeth vpon hap hazard, it is compted for a courtly conceit no lesse then the deuice before remembred. Lycophron one of the seuen Greeke Lyrickes, who when they met together (as many times they did) for their ex∣cellencie and louely concorde, were called the seuen starres [pleia∣des] this man was very perfit & fortunat in these transposes, & for his delicate wit and other good parts was greatly fauoured by Pto∣lome king of Egypt and Queene Arsinoe his wife. He after such sort called the king 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is letter for letter Ptolomaeus and Queene Arsinoe he called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is Arsinoe, now the subtil∣litie lyeth not in the conuersion but in the sence in this that Apo∣melitos, signifieth in Greek [hony sweet] so was Ptolome the sweetest natured man in the world both for countenance and conditions, and Iöneras, signifieth the violet or flower of Iuno a stile among the Greekes for a woman endued with all bewtie and magnifi∣cence, which construction falling out grateful and so truly, excee∣dingly well pleased the King and the Queene, and got Lycophron no litle thanke and benefite at both their hands.

The French Gentlemen haue very sharpe witts and withall a delicate language, which may very easily be wrested to any altera∣tion of words sententious, and they of late yeares haue taken this pastime vp among them many times gratifying their Ladies, and often times the Princes of the Realme, with some such thankfull noueltie. Whereof one made by François de Vallois, thus De façon suis Roy, who in deede was of fashion countenance and stature, besides his regall vertues a very king, for in a world there could not be seene a goodlier man of person. Another found this by Henry de Vallois [Roy de nulz hay] a king hated of no man, and was apparant in his conditions and nature, for there was not a Prince of greater affabilitie and mansuetude then he.

I my selfe seing this conceit so well allowed of in Fraunce and Italie, and being informed that her Maiestie tooke pleasure some∣times in desciphring of names, and hearing how diuers Gentlemen of her Court had essayed but with no great felicitie to make some delectable transpose of her Maiesties name, I would needs try my luck, for cunning I know not why I should call it, vnlesse it be for the many and variable applications of sence, which requireth per∣aduenture some wit & discretiō more then of euery vnlearned mā and for the purpose I tooke me these three wordes (if any other in the world) containing in my conceit greatest mysterie, and most importing good to all them that now be aliue, vnder her noble gouernement.

Elissabet Anglorum Regina.

Which orthographie (because ye shall not be abused) is true & not mistaken, for the letter zeta, of the Hebrewes & Greeke and of all other toungs is in truth but a double ss. hardly vttered, and H. is but a note of aspiration onely and no letter, which therefore is the by Greeks omitted. Vpon the transposition I found this to redound.

Multa regnabis ense gloria. By thy sword shalt thou raigne in great renowne.

Then transposing the word [ense] it came to be

Multa regnabis sene gloria. Aged and in much glorie shall ye raigne.

Both which resultes falling out vpon the very first marshalling of

the letters, without any darknesse or difficultie, and so sensibly and well appropriat to her Maiesties person and estate, and finally so effectually to mine own wish (which is a matter of much moment in such cases) I tooke them both for a good boding, and very fatal∣litie to her Maiestie appointed by Gods prouidence for all our comfortes. Also I imputed it for no litle good luck and glorie to my selfe, to haue pronounced to her so good and prosperous a fortune, and so thankefull newes to all England, which though it cannot be said by this euent any destinie or fatal necessitie, yet sure∣ly is it by all probabillitie of reason, so likely to come to passe, as any other worldly euent of things that be vncertaine, her Maiestie continuing the course of her most regal proceedings and vertuous life in all earnest zeale and godly contemplation of his word, & in the sincere administration of his terrene iustice, assigned ouer to her execution as his Lieutenant vpon earth within the compasse of her dominions.

This also is worth the noting, and I will assure you of it, that af∣the first search whereupon this transpose was fashioned. The same letters being by me tossed & tranlaced fiue hundreth times, I could neuer make any other, at least of some sence & conformitie to her Maiesties estate and the case. If any other man by triall happen vp∣on a better omination, or whatsoeuer els ye will call it, I will re∣ioyse to be ouermatched in my deuise, and renounce him all the thankes and profite of my trauaile.

When I wrate of these deuices, I smiled with my selfe, thinking that the readers would do so to, and many of them say, that such trifles as these might well haue bene spared, considering the world is full inough of them, and that it is pitie mens heades should be fedde with such vanities as are to none edification nor instruction, either of morall vertue, or otherwise behooffull for the common wealth, to whose seruice (say they) we are all borne, and not to fill and replenish a whole world full of idle toyes. To which sort of reprehendours, being either all holy and mortified to the world, and therefore esteeming nothing that sauoureth not of Theologie, or altogether graue and worldly, and therefore caring for nothing but matters of pollicie, & discourses of estate, or all giuen to thrift and passing for none art that is not gainefull and lucratiue, as the

sciences of the Law, Phisicke and marchaundise: to these I will giue none other aunswere then referre them to the many trifling poemes of Homer, Ouid, Virgill, Catullus and other notable writers of former ages, which were not of any grauitie or seri∣ousnesse, and many of them full of impudicitie and ribaudrie, as are not these of ours, nor for any good in the world should haue bene: and yet those trifles are come from many former siecles vnto our times, vncontrolled or condemned or supprest by any Pope or Patriarch or other seuere censor of the ciuill maners of men, but haue bene in all ages permitted as the conuenient solaces and recreations of mans wit. And as I can not denie but these conceits of mine be trifles: no lesse in very deede be all the most serious studies of man, if we shall measure grauitie and lightnesse by the wise mans ballance who after he had considered of all the profoundest artes and studies among men, in th'ende cryed out with this Epyphoneme, Vanitas vanitatum & omnia vanitas. Whose authoritie if it were not sufficient to make me beleeue so, I could be content with Democritus rather to condemne the vanities of our life by derision, then as Heraclitus with teares, saying with that merrie Greeke thus,

Omnia sunt risus, sunt puluis, & omnia nil sunt. Res hominum cunctae, nam ratione carent.

Thus Englished,

All is but a test, all dust, all not vvorth tvvo peason: For vvhy in mans matters is neither rime nor reason.

Now passing from these courtly trifles, let vs talke of our scho∣lastical toyes, that is of the Grammaticall versifying of the Greeks and Latines and see whether it might be reduced into our English arte or no.