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George Puttenham - The Arte of English Poesie

G >> George Puttenham >> The Arte of English Poesie







_CHAP. XXI._

_The forme wherein honest and profitable Artes and sciences were treated._


The profitable sciences were no lesse meete to be imported to the greater
number of ciuill men for instruction of the people and increase of
knowledge, then to be reserued and kept for clerkes and great men onely.
So as next vnto the things historicall such doctrines and arts as the
common wealth fared the better by, were esteemed and allowed. And the same
were treated by Poets in verse _Exameter_ fauouring the _Heroicall_, and
for the grauitie and comelinesse of the meetre most vsed with the Greekes
and Latines to sad purposes. Such were the Philosophicall works of
_Lucretius Carus_ among the Romaines, the Astronomicall of _Aratus_ and
_Manilius_, one Greeke th'other Latine, the Medicinall of _Nicander_, and
that of _Oprianus_ of hunting and fishes, and many moe that were too long
to recite in this place.




_CHAP. XXII._

_In what forme of Poesie the amorous affections and allurements were
vttered._


The first founder of all good affections is honest loue, as the mother of
all the vicious is hatred. It was not therefore without reason that so
commendable, yea honourable a thing as loue well meant, were it in
Princely estate or priuate, might in all ciuil common wealths be vttered
in good forme and order as other laudable things are. And because loue is
of all other humane affections the most puissant and passionate, and most
generall to all sortes and ages of men and women, so as whether it be of
the yong or old or wise or holy, or high estate or low, none euer could
truly bragge of any exemption in that case: it requireth a forme of Poesie
variable, inconstant, affected, curious and most witty of any others,
whereof the ioyes were to be vttered in one sorte, the sorrowes in an
other, and by the many formes of Poesie, the many moodes and pangs of
louers, throughly to be discouered: the poore soules sometimes praying,
beseeching, sometime honouring, auancing, praising: an other while
railing, reuiling, and cursing: then sorrowing, weeping, lamenting: in the
ende laughing, reioysing & solacing the beloued againe, with a thousand
delicate deuises, odes, songs, elegies, ballads, sonets and other ditties,
moouing one way and another to great compassion.




_CHAP. XXIII._

_The forme of Poeticall reioysings._


Pleasure is the chiefe parte of mans felicity in this world, and also (as
our Theologians say) in the world to come. Therefore while we may (yea
alwaies if it could be) to reioyce and take our pleasures in vertuous and
honest sort, it is not only allowable, but also necessary and very
naturall to man. And many be the ioyes and consolations of the hart: but
none greater, than such as he may vtter and discouer by some conuenient
meanes: euen as to suppresse and hide a mans mirth, and not to haue
therein a partaker, or at least wise a witnes, is no little griefe and
infelicity. Therfore nature and ciuility haue ordained (besides the
priuate solaces) publike reioisings for the comfort and recreation of
many. And they be of diuerse sorts and vpon diuerse occasions growne: one
& the chiefe was for the publike peace of a countrie the greatest of any
other ciuill good. And wherein your Maiestie (my most gracious Soueraigne)
haue shewed your selfe to all the world for this one and thirty yeares
space of your glorious raigne, aboue all other Princes of Christendome,
not onely fortunate, but also most sufficient vertuous and worthy of
Empire. An other is for iust & honourable victory atchieued against the
forraine enemy. A third at solemne feasts and pompes of coronations and
enstallments of honourable orders. An other for iollity at weddings and
marriages. An other at the births of Princes children. An other for
priuate entertainements in Court, or other secret disports in chamber, and
such solitary places. And as these reioysings tend to diuers effects, so
do they also carry diuerse formes and nominations: for those of victorie
and peace are called _Triumphall_, whereof we our selues haue heretofore
giuen some example by our _Triumphals_ written in honour of her Maiesties
long peace. And they were vsed by the auncients in like manner, as we do
our generall processions or Letanies with bankets and bonefires and all
manner of ioyes. Those that were to honour the persons of great Princes or
to solemnise the pompe of any installment were called _Encomia_, we may
call them carols of honour. Those to celebrate marriages were called songs
nuptiall or _Epithalamies_, but in a certaine misticall sense as shall be
said hereafter. Others for magnificence at the natiuities of Princes
children, or by custome vsed yearely vpon the same dayes, are called songs
natall or _Genethliaca_. Others for secret recreation and pastime in
chambers with company or alone were the ordinary Musickes amorous, such as
might be song with voice or to the Lute, Citheron or Harpe, or daunced by
measures as the Italian Pauan and galliard are at these daies in Princes
Courts and other places of honourable of ciuill assembly, and of all these
we will speake in order and very briefly.




_CHAP. XXIIII._

_The forme of Poeticall lamentations_.


Lamenting is altogether contrary to reioising, euery man saith so, and yet
is it a peece of ioy to be able to lament with ease, and freely to poure
forth a mans inward sorrowes and the greefs wherewith his minde is
surcharged. This was a very necessary deuise of the Poet and a fine,
besides his poetrie to play also the Phisitian, and not onely by applying
a medicine to the ordinary sicknes of mankind, but by making the very
greef it selfe (in part) cure of the disease. Nowe are the causes of mans
sorrowes many: the death of his parents, friends, allies, and children:
(though many of the barbarous nations do reioyce at their burials and
sorrow at their birthes) the ouerthrowes and discomforts in battell, the
subuersions of townes and cities, the desolations of countreis, the losse
of goods and worldly promotions, honour and good renowne: finally the
trauails and torments of loue forlorne or ill bestowed, either by
disgrace, deniall, delay, and twenty other wayes, that well experienced
louers could recite. Such of these greefs as might be refrained or holpen
by wisedome, and the parties owne good endeuour, the Poet gaue none order
to sorrow them: for first as to the good renowne it is lost, for the more
part by some default of the owner, and may be by his well doings recouered
againe. And if it be vniustly taken away, as by vntrue and famous libels,
the offenders recantation may suffise for his amends: so did the Poet
_Stesichorus_, as it is written of him in his _Pallinodie_ vpon the
dispraise of _Helena_, and recouered his eye sight. Also for worldly goods
they come and go, as things not long proprietary to any body, and are not
yet subiect vnto fortunes dominion so, but that we our selues are in great
part accessarie to our own losses and hinderaunces, by ouersight &
misguiding of our selues and our things, therefore why should we bewaile
our such voluntary detriment? But death the irrecouerable losse, death the
dolefull departure of frendes, that can neuer be recontinued by any other
meeting or new acquaintance. Besides our vncertaintie and suspition of
their estates and welfare in the places of their new abode, seemeth to
carry a reasonable pretext of iust sorrow. Likewise the great ouerthrowes
in battell and desolations of countreys by warres, aswell for the losse of
many liues and much libertie as for that it toucheth the whole state, and
euery priuate man hath his portion in the damage: Finally for loue, there
is no frailtie in flesh and bloud so excusable as it, no comfort or
discomfort greater then the good and bad successe thereof, nothing more
naturall to man, nothing of more force to vanquish his will and to inuegle
his iudgement. Therefore of death and burials, of th'aduersities by
warres, and of true loue lost or ill bestowed, are th'onely sorrowes that
the noble Poets sought by their arte to remoue or appease, not with any
medicament of a contrary temper, as the _Galenistes_ vse to cure
[_contraria contrarijs_] but as the _Paracelsians_, who cure [_similia
similibus_] making one dolour to expell another, and in this case, one
short sorrowing the remedie of a long and grieuous sorrow. And the
lamenting of deathes was chiefly at the very burialls of the dead, also at
monethes mindes and longer times, by custome continued yearely, when as
they vsed many offices of seruice and loue towards the dead, and thereupon
are called _Obsequies_ in our vulgare, which was done not onely by
cladding the mourners their friendes and seruauntes in blacke vestures, of
shape dolefull and sad, but also by wofull countenaunces and voyces, and
besides by Poeticall mournings in verse. Such funerall songs were called
_Epicedia_ if they were song by many, and _Monodia_ if they were vttered
by one alone, and this was vsed at the enterment of Princes and others of
great accompt, and it was reckoned a great ciuilitie to vse such
ceremonies, as at this day is also in some countrey vsed. In Rome they
accustomed to make orations funeral and commendatorie of the dead parties
in the publique place called _Procostris_: and our _Theologians_, in stead
thereof vse to make sermons, both teaching the people some good learning,
and also saying well of the departed. Those songs of the dolorous
discomfits in battaile, and other desolations in warre, or of townes
saccaged and subuerted, were song by the remnant of the army ouerthrowen,
with great skrikings and outcries, holding the wrong end of their weapon
vpwards in signe of sorrow and dispaire. The cities also made generall
mournings & offred sacrifices with Poeticall songs to appease the wrath of
the martiall gods & goddesses. The third sorrowing was of loues, by long
lamentation in _Elegie_: so was their song called, and it was in a pitious
maner of meetre, placing a limping _Pentameter_, after a lusty _Exameter_,
which made it go dolourously more then any other meeter.




_CHAP. XXV._

_Of the solemne reioysings at the natiuitie of Princes children._


To returne from sorrow to reioysing it is a very good hap and no vnwise
part for him that can do it, I say therefore, that the comfort of issue
and procreation of children is so naturall and so great, not onely to all
men but specially to Princes, as duetie and ciuilitie haue made it a
common custome to reioyse at the birth of their noble children, and to
keepe those dayes hallowed and festiuall for euer once in the yeare,
during the parentes or childrens liues: and that by publique order &
consent. Of which reioysings and mirthes the Poet ministred the first
occasion honorable, by presenting of ioyfull songs and ballades, praysing
the parentes by proofe, the child by hope, the whole kinred by report, &
the day it selfe with wishes of all good successe, long life, health &
prosperitie for euer to the new borne. These poems were called in Greeke
_Genethaca_, with vs they may be called natall or birth songs.




_CHAP. XXVI._

_The maner of reioysings at mariages and weddings._


As the consolation of children well begotten is great, no lesse but rather
greater ought to be that which is occasion of children, that is honorable
matrimonie, a loue by al lawes allowed, not mutable nor encombred with
such vaine cares & passions, as that other loue, whereof there is no
assurance, but loose and fickle affection occasioned for the most part by
sodaine sights and acquaintance of no long triall or experience, nor vpon
any other good ground wherein any suretie may be conceiued: wherefore the
Ciuill Poet could do no lesse in conscience and credit, then as he had
before done to the ballade of birth: now with much better deuotion to
celebrate by his poeme the chearefull day of mariages aswell Princely as
others, for that hath alwayes bene accompted with euery countrey and
nation of neuer so barbarous people, the highest & holiest, of any
ceremonie apperteining to man: a match forsooth made for euer and not for
a day, a solace prouided for youth, a comfort for age, a knot of alliance
& amitie indissoluble: great reioysing was therefore due to such a matter
and to so gladsome a time. This was done in ballade wise as the natall
song, and was song very sweetely by Musitians at the chamber dore of the
Bridegroome and Bride at such times as shalbe hereafter declared and they
were called _Epithalamies_ as much to say as ballades at the bedding of
the bride: for such as were song at the borde at dinner or supper were
other Musickes and not properly _Epithalamies_. Here, if I shall say that
which apperteineth to th'arte, and disclose the misterie of the whole
matter, I must and doe with all humble reuerence bespeake pardon of the
chaste and honorable eares, least I should either offend them with
licentious speach, or leaue them ignorant of the ancient guise in old
times vsed at weddings (in my simple opinion) nothing reproueable. This
_Epithalamie_ was deuided by breaches into three partes to serue for three
seuerall fits or times to be song. The first breach was song at the first
parte of the night when the spouse and her husband were brought to their
bed & at the very chamber dore, where in a large vtter roome vsed to be
(besides the musitiens) good store of ladies or gentlewomen of their
kinsefolkes, & others who came to honor the mariage, & the tunes of the
songs were very loude and shrill, to the intent there might no noise be
hard out of the bed chamber by the skreeking & outcry of the young
damosell feeling the first forces of her stiffe & rigorous young man, she
being as all virgins tender & weake, & vnexpert in those maner of
affaires. For which purpose also they vsed by old nurses (appointed to
that seruice) to suppresse the noise by casting of pottes full of nuttes
round about the chamber vpon the hard floore or pauement, for they vsed no
mattes nor rushes as we doe now. So as the Ladies and gentlewomen should
haue their eares so occupied what with Musicke, and what with their handes
wantonly scambling and catching after the nuttes, that they could not
intend to harken after any other thing. This was as I said to diminish the
noise of the laughing lamenting spouse. The tenour of that part of the
song was to congratulate the first acquaintance and meeting of the young
couple, allowing of their parents good discretions in making the match,
then afterward to sound cheerfully to the onset and first encounters of
that amorous battaile, to declare the comfort of children, & encrease of
loue by that meane chiefly caused: the bride shewing her self euery waies
well disposed and still supplying occasions of new lustes and loue to her
husband, by her obedience and amorous embracings and all other
allurementes. About midnight or one of the clocke, the Musicians came
again to the chamber dore (all the Ladies and other women as they were of
degree, hauing taken their leaue, and being gone to their rest.) This part
of the ballade was to refresh the faint and weried bodies and spirits, and
to animate new appetites with cherefull wordes, encoraging them to the
recontinuance of the same entertainments, praising and commending (by
supposall) the good conformities of them both, & their desire one to
vanquish the other by such friendly conflictes: alledging that the first
embracements neuer bred barnes, by reason of their ouermuch affection and
heate, but onely made passage for children and enforced greater liking to
the late made match. That the second assaultes, were less rigorous, but
more vigorous and apt to auance the purpose of procreation, that therefore
they should persist in all good appetite with an inuincible courage to the
end. This was the second part of the _Epithalamie_. In the morning when it
was faire broad day, & that by liklyhood all tournes were sufficiently
serued, the last actes of the enterlude being ended, & that the bride must
within few hours arise and apparrell her selfe, no more as a virgine, but
as a wife, and about dinner time must by order come forth _Sicut sponsa de
thalamo_, very demurely and stately to be sene and acknowledged of her
parents and kinsfolkes whether she were the same woman or a changeling, or
dead or aliue, or maimed by any accident nocturnall. The same Musicians
came againe with this last part, and greeted them both with a Psalme of
new applausions, for that they had either of them so well behaued them
selues that night, the husband to rob his spouse of her maidenhead and
saue her life, the bride so lustely to satisfie her husbandes loue and
scape with so litle daunger of her person, for which good chaunce that
they should make a louely truce and abstinence of that warre till next
night sealing the placard of that louely league, with twentie maner of
sweet kisses, then by good admonitions enformed them to the frugall &
thriftie life all the rest of their dayes. The good man getting and
bringing home, the wife sauing that which her husband should get,
therewith to be the better able to keepe good hospitalitie, according to
their estates, and to bring vp their children, (if God sent any)
vertuously, and the better by their owne good example. Finally to perseuer
all the rest of their life in true and inuiolable wedlocke. This ceremony
was omitted when men maried widowes or such as had tasted the frutes of
loue before, (we call them well experienced young women) in whom there was
no feare of daunger to their persons, or of any outcry at all, at the time
of those terrible approches. Thus much touching the vsage of _Epithalamie_
or bedding ballad of the ancient times, in which if there were any wanton
or lasciuious matter more then ordinarie which they called _Ficenina
licentia_ it was borne withal for that time because of the matter no lesse
requiring. _Catullus_ hath made of them one or two very artificiall and
ciuil: but none more excellent then of late yeares a young noble man of
Germanie as I take it _Iohannes secundus_ who in that and in his poeme _De
basis_, passeth any of the auncient or moderne Poetes in my iudgment.




_CHAP. XXVII._

_The manner of Poesie by which they uttered their bitter taunts, and priuy
nips, or witty scoffes and other merry conceits._


Bvt all the world could not keepe, nor any ciuill ordinance to the
contrary so preuaile, but that men would and must needs vtter their
splenes in all ordinarie matters also: or else it seemed their bowels
would burst, therefore the poet deuised a prety fashioned poeme short and
sweete (as we are wont to say) and called it _Epigramma_ in which euery
mery conceited man might without any long studie or tedious ambage, make
his frend sport, and anger his foe, and giue a prettie nip, or shew a
sharpe conceit in few verses: for this _Epigramme_ is but an inscription
or writting made as it were vpon a table, or in a windowe, or vpon the
wall or mantel of a chimney in some place of common resort, where it was
allowed euery man might come, or be sitting to chat and prate, as now in
our tauernes and common tabling houses, where many merry heades meete, and
scrible with ynke with chalke, or with a cole such matters as they would
euery man should know, & descant vpon. Afterward the same came to be put
in paper and in bookes, and vsed as ordinarie missiues, some of frendship,
some of defiaunce, or as other messages of mirth: _Martiall_ was the
cheife of this skil among the Latines, & at ahese days the best Epigrames
we finde, & of the sharpest conceit are those that haue bene gathered
among the reliques of the two muet _Satyres_ in Rome, _Pasquill_ and
_Marphorir_, which in time of _Sede vacante_, when merry conceited men
listed to gibe & iest at the dead Pope, or any of his Cardinales, they
fastened them vpon those Images which now lie in the open streets, and
were tollerated, but after that terme expired they were inhibited againe.
These inscriptions or Epigrammes at their beginning had no certaine author
that would auouch them, some for feare of blame, if they were ouer saucy
or sharpe, others for modestie of the writer as was that _disticke_ of
_Virgil_ which he set vpon the pallace gate of the emperour _Augustus_,
which I will recite for the breifnes and quicknes of it, & also for
another euente that fell out vpon the matter worthy to be remembred. These
were the verses.
_Nocte pluit tota, redeunt spectacula mane
Diuisum imperium cum Ioue Caesar habet._
Which I haue thus Englished,
_It raines all night, early the shewes returne
God and Caesar, do raigne and rule by turne._

As much to say, God sheweth his power by the night raines. Caesar his
magnificence by the pompes of the day.

These two verses were very well liked, and brought to th'Emperours
Maiestie, who tooke great pleasure in them, & willed the author should be
knowen. A sausie courtier profered him selfe to be the man, and had a good
reward giuen him: for the Emperour him self was not only learned, but of
much munificence toward all learned men: whereupon _Virgill_ seing him
self by his ouermuch modestie defrauded of the reward, that an impudent
had gotten by abuse of his merit, came the next night, and fastened vpon
the same place this halfe metre, foure times iterated. Thus.
_Sic vos non vobis
Sic vos non vobis
Sic vos non vobis
Sic vos non vobis_

And there it remained a great while because no man wist what it meant,
till _Virgill_ opened the whole fraude by this deuise. He wrote aboue the
same halfe metres this whole verse _Exameter_.
_Hos ego versiculos feci tulit alter honores._

And then finished the foure half metres, thus.
_Sic vos non vobis Fertis aratra boues
Sic vos non vobis Vellera fertis oues
Sic vos non vobis Mellificatis apes
Sic vos non vobis Indificatis aues._

And put to his name _Publius Virgilius Maro_. This matter came by and by
to Th'emperours eare, who taking great pleasure in the deuise called for
_Virgill_, and gaue him not onely a present reward, with a good allowance
of dyet a bonche in court as we vse to call it: but also held him for euer
after vpon larger triall he had made of his learning and vertue in so
great reputation, as he vouchsafed to giue him the name of a frend
(_amicus_) which among the Romanes was so great an honour and speciall
fauour, as all such persons were allowed to the Emperours table, or to the
Senatours who had receiued them (as frendes) and they were the only men
that came ordinarily to their boords, & solaced with them in their
chambers, and gardins when none other could be admitted.




_CHAP. XXVIII._

_Of the poeme called Epitaph used for memoriall of the dead._


An Epitaph is but a kind of Epigram only applied to the report of the dead
persons estate and degree, or of his other good or bad partes, to his
commendation or reproch: and is an inscription such as a man may
commodiously write or engraue vpon a tombe in few verses, pithie, quicke
and sententious for the passer by to peruse, and iudge vpon without any
long tariaunce: So as if it exceede the measure of an Epigram, it is then
(if the verse be correspondent) rather an Elegie then an Epitaph which
errour many of these bastard rimers commit, because they be not learned,
nor (as we are wont to say) their catftes masters, for they make long and
tedious discourses, and write them in large tables to be hanged vp in
Churches and chauncells ouer the tombes of great men and others, which be
so exceeding long as one must haue halfe a dayes leasure to reade one of
them, & must be called away before he come halfe to the end, or else be
locked into the Church by the Sexten as I my selfe was once serued reading
an Epitaph in a certain cathedrall Church of England. They be ignorant of
poesie that call such long tales by the name of Epitaphes, they might
better call them Elegies, as I said before, and then ought neither to be
engrauen nor hanged vp in tables. I haue seene them neuertheles vpon many
honorable tombes of these late times erected, which doe rather disgrace
then honour either the matter or maker.




_CHAP. XXIX._

_A certaine auncient forme of poesie by which men did vse to reproch their
enemies_.


As frendes be a rich a ioyfull possession, so be foes a continuall torment
and canker to the minde of man, and yet there is no possible meane to
auoide this inconuenience, for the best of vs all, & he that thinketh he
liues most blamelesse, liues not without enemies, that enuy him for his
good parts, or hate him for his euill. There be wise men, and of them the
great learned man _Plutarch_ that tooke vpon them to perswade the benefite
that men receiue by their enemies, which though it may be true in manner
of _Paradoxe_, yet I finde mans frailtie to be naturally such, and always
hath beene, that he cannot conceiue it in his owne case, nor shew that
patience and moderation in such greifs, as becommeth the man perfite and
accomplisht in all vertue: but either in deede or by word, he will seeke
reuenge against them that malice him, or practise his harmes, specially
such foes as oppose themselues to a mans loues. This made the auncient
Poetes to inuent a meane to rid the gall of all such Vindicatiue men: so
as they might be a wrecked of their wrong, & neuer bely their enemie with
slaunderous vntruthes. And this was done by a maner of imprecation, or as
we call it by cursing and banning of the parties, and wishing all euill to
a light vpon them, and though it neuer the sooner happened, yet was it
great easment to the boiling stomacke: They were called _Dirae_, such as
_Virgill_ made aginst _Battarus_, and _Ouide_ against _Ibis_: we
Christians are forbidden to vse such vncharitable fashions, and willed to
referre all our reuenges to God alone.

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