THe learned Plutarch in his Laconicall Apothegmes , tels of a Sophister that made a long and tedious Oration in praise of Hercules , and expecting at the end thereof for some great thankes and applause 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 among 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 answered , 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 iudgement 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 ignorantem : Knowledge hath no soe but the ignorant . The diuision of the Apologie 〈◊〉 three parts . 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 defensiue 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 , Of Poetrie . 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 stupendious charge , made onely for Tragedies and Comedies , the workes of Poets to be represented 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 and bonafide , confessing all the abuses that can truly be obiected against some kind of Poets , to shew you what good vse there is of Poetrie . Neither do I suppose it to be greatly behouefull for this purpose , to trouble you with the curious definitions of a Poet and Poesie , and with the subtill distinctions of their sundrie kinds , nor to dispute how high and supernaturall the name of a Maker is , so christned in English by that vnknowne Godfather , that this last yeare saue one , viz. 1589. set forth a booke , called the Art of English Poetrie : and least of all do I purpose to bestow any long time to argue , whether Plato , Zenophon and Erasmus , writing fictions and dialogues in prose , may iustly be called Poes ; or whether Lucan writing a storie in verse be an Historiographer , or whether Master Faire translating Virgil , Master Golding translating Ouids Metamorphosis , and my selfe in this worke that you see , be any more then versifiers , as the same Ignoto termeth all translators : for as for all , or the most part of such questions , I will referre you to Sir Philip Sidneys Apologie , who doth handle them right learnedly , or to the forenamed treatise , where they are discoursed more largely , and where , as it were a whole receit of Poetrie is prescribed , with so many new named figures , as would put me in great hope in this age to come would breed many excellent Poets , saue for one obseruation that I gather out of the very same booke . For though the poore gentleman laboreth greatly to proue , or rather to make Poetrie an art , and reciteth as you may see in the plurall number , some pluralities of patternes , and parcels of his owne Poetrie , with diuers peeces of Partheniads and hymnes in praise of the most praise-worthy : yet whatsoeuer he would proue by all these , sure in my poore opinion he doth proue nothing more plainely , then that which M. Sidney and all the learneder sort that haue written of it do pronounce , namely that it is a gift and not an art ; I say he proueth it , because making himselfe and many others so cunning in the art , yet he sheweth himself so slender a gift in it , deseruing to be commended as Martiall praiseth one that he compares to Tully : Carmina quod scribis , musis & Apolline nullo Laudari debes , hoc Ciceronis habes . But to come to the purpose , and to speake after the phrase of the common sort , that terme all that is written in verse Poetrie , and rather in scorne then in praise , bestow the name of a Poet on euery base rimer and ballad-maker : this I say of it , and I thinke I say truly , that there are many good lessons to be learned out of it , many good examples to be found in it , many good vses to be had of it , and that therefore it is not , nor ought not to be despised by the wiser sort , but so to be studied and employed , as was intended by the first writers and deuisers thereof , which is to soften and polish the hard and rough dispositions of men , and make them capable of vertue and good discipline .

I cannot denie but to vs that are Christians , in respect of the high end of all , which is the health of our soules , not onely Poetrie , but all other studies of Philosophie , are in a manner vaine and supersluous : yea ( as the wise man faith ) whatsoeuer is vnder the sunne is vanitie of vanities , and nothing but vanitie . But sith we liue with men and not with saints , and because few men can embrace this strict and stoicall diuinitie , or rather indeed , for that the holy Scriptures , in which those high mysteries of our saluation are contained , are a deepe and profound studie , and not subiect to euery weake capacitie , no nor to the highest wits and iudgements , except they be first illuminate by Gods spirit , or instructed by his teachers and preachers : therefore we do first reade some other authors , making them as it were a looking-glasse to the eyes of our mind ; and then after we haue gathered more strength , we enter into profounder studies of higher mysteries , hauing first as it were enabled our eyes by long beholding the sunne in a bason of water , at last to looke vpon the sunne it selfe . So we reade how that great Moses , whose learning and sanctitie is so renowned ouer all nations , was first instructed in the learning of the Aegyptians , before he came to that high contemplation of God and familiaritie ( as I may so terme it ) with God . So the notable Prophet Daniel was brought vp in the learning of the Chaldeans , and made that the first step of his higher vocation to be a Prophet . If then we may by the example of two such speciall seruants of God , spend some of our yong yeares in studies of humanitie , what better and more sweet study is there for a yong man then Poetrie ? specially Heroicall Poesie , that with her sweete statelinesse doth erect the mind , and lift it vp to the consideration of the highest matters ; and allureth them , that of themselues would otherwise loth them , to take and swallow and digest the wholsome precepts of Philosophie , and many times euen of the true Diuinitie . Plutarch de audiendis Poetis . Wherefore Plutarch hauing written a whole treatise of the praise of Homers workes , and another of reading Poets , doth begin this latter with this comparison , that as men that are sickly and haue weake stomackes or daintie tastes , do many times thinke that flesh most delicate to eate , that is not flesh , and those fishes that be not fish : so yong men ( saith he ) do like best that Philosophie that is not Philosophie , or that is not deliuered as Philosophie : and such are the pleasant writings of learned Poets , that are the popular Philosophers and the popular Diuines . Tasso . Canto 1. staffe 3. Likewise Tasso in his excellent worke of Ierusalem Liberato , likeneth Poetrie to the Physicke that men giue vnto little children when they are sicke : his verse is this in Italian , speaking to God with a pretie Prosopopeia : Sai , che la corre il mondo , oue piu versi Di sue dulcezze , il lusingier Parnaso : E che'lvero condito in molli versi . I piuschiui allettando ha persuaso Cosi al'egro fanciul porgiamo asperso Disoaui liquor gli Orli del vaso Succhi amari ing annato in tanto ei beue E dal inganno suo vita receue . Thou knowst , the want on wordlings euer runne To sweete Parnassus fruites , how otherwhile The truth well sawe'd with pleasant verse hath wonne Most squeamish stomackes with the sugred stile : So the sicke child that potions all doth shunne , With comfets and with sugar we beguile , And cause him take a wholesome sowre receit , He drinkes , and saues his life with such deceit . This is then that honest fraud , in which ( as Plutarch saith ) he that is deceiued is wiser then he that is not deceiued , and he that doth deceiue , is honester then he that doth not deceiue .

But briefly to answer to the chiefe obiections , Agrippa de vanitate scientiarum . cap. 4. Cornelius Agrippa , a man of learning and authoritie not to be despised , maketh a bitter inuectiue against Poets and Poesie , and the summe of his reproofe of it is this ( which is all that can with any probablitie be said against it : Foure obiections against Poetry . ) That it is a nurse of lies , a pleaser of fooles , a breeder of dangerous errors , and an inticer to wantonnesse . I might here warne those that will vrge this mans authoritie to the disgrace of Poetrie , to take heed ( of what calling soeuer they be ) least with the same weapon that they thinke to giue Poetrie a blow , they giue themselues a maime . For Agrippa taketh his pleasure of greater matters then Poetrie : I maruell how he durst do it , saue that I see he hath done it , he hath spared neither myters nor scepters . The courts of Princes , where vertue is rewarded , iustice maintained , oppressions releeued , he cals them a Colledge of Giants , of tyrants , of oppressors , warriors : the most noble sort of noble men , he termeth cursed , bloudie , wicked , and sacrilegious persons . Noble men ( and vs poore Gentlemen ) that thinke to borrow praise of our auncestors deserts and good fame , he affirmeth to be a race of the sturdier sort of knaues , and licencious liuers . Treasurers and other great officers of the common wealth , with graue counsellers , whose wise heads are the pillars of the state , he affirmeth generally to be robbers and peelers of the realme , and priuie traitors that sell their Princes fauours , and rob wel-deseruing seruitors of their reward . I omit as his peccadilia , how he nicknameth priests saying , for the most part they are hypocrites ; lawiers , saying they are all theeues ; phisitians , saying they are many of them murtherers : so as I thinke it were a good motion , and would easily passe by the consent of the three estates , that this mans authoritie should be vtterly ad●ihilated , that dealeth so hardly and vniustly with all sorts of professions . But for the reiecting of his writings , I refer it to others that haue power to do it , and to condemne him for a generall libeller , but for that he writeth against Poetrie , Answer to the first of lying . I meane to speake a word or two in refuting thereof . And first for lying , I might if I list excuse it by the rule of Poetica licentia , and claime a priueledge giuen to Poetrie , whose art is but an imitation ( as Aristotle calleth it ) and therefore are allowed to faine what they list , according to that old verse , Iuridicis , Erebo , fisco , fas viuere rapto , Militibus , medicis , tortori , occidere Ludo est : Mentiri Astronomis , pictoribus atque Poetis . Which because I count it without reason , I will English it without rime . Lawyers , Hell , and the Checquer are allowed to liue on spoile , Souldiers , Phisitians , and hangmen make a sport of murther , Astronomers , Painters , and Poets may lye by authoritie . Thus you see , that Poets may lye if they list Cum priuilegio : but what if they lye least of all other men ? what if they lye not at all ? then I thinke that great slaunder is verie vniustly raised vpon them . For in my opinion they are said properly to lye , that affirme that to be true that is false : and how other arts can free themselues from this blame let them look that professe them : but Poets neuer affirming any for true , but presenting them to vs as fables and imitations , cannot lye though they would : and because this obiection of lyes is the chiefest , and that vpon which the rest be grounded , I wil stand the longer vpon the clearing thereof .

The ancient Poets haue indeed wrapped as it were in their writings diuers and sundrie meanings , which they call the sences or mysteries thereof . First of all for the literall sence ( as it were the vtmost barke or ryne ) they set downe in manner of an historie , the acts and notable exploits of some persons worthie memorie ; then in the same fiction , as a second rine and somewhat more fine , as it were nearer to the pith and marrow , they place the Morall sence , profitable for the actiue life of many , approuing vertuous actions , and condemning the contrarie . Manie times also vnder the selfesame words they comprehend some true vnderstanding of naturall Philosophíe , or sometime of politike gouernement , and now and then of diuinitie : and these same sences that comprehend so excellent knowledge we call the Allegorie , which Plutarch defineth to be when one thing is told , and by that another is vnderstood . Now let any man iudge , if it be a matter of meane art or wit , to containe in one historicall narration either true or fained , so many , so diuerse , and so deepe conceits : but for making the matter more plaine I will alledge an example thereof .

Perseus sonne of Iupiter is fained by the Poets to haue slaine Gorgon , Ouids Meta●●orph . 4. and after that conquest atchieued , to haue flowen vp to heauen . The Historicall sence is this , Perseus the sonne of Iupiter , by the participation of Iupiters vertues that were in him ; or rather comming of the stock of one of the kings of Creet , or Athens so called ; slue Gorgon a tyrant in that countrey ( Gorgon in greeke signifieth earth ) and was for his vertuous parts exalted by men vp into heauen . Morally it signifieth thus much , Perseus a wise man , sonne of Iupiter endewed with vertue from aboue , slayeth sinne and vice , a thing base and earthly ; signified by Gorgon , and so mounteth to the skie of vertue : It signifies in one kinde of Allegorie thus much ; the mind of man being gotten by God , and so the childe of God , killing and vanquishing the earthlinesse of this Gorgonicall nature , ascendeth vp to the vnderstanding of heauenly things , of high things , of eternall things , in which contemplation consisteth the perfection of man : this is the naturall allegorie , because man , one of the chiefe works of nature : It hath also a more high and heauenly Allegorie , that the heauenly nature , daughter of Iupiter , procuring with her continuall motion , corruption and mortalitie in the interiour bodies , seuered it selfe at last from these earthly bodies , and flew vp on high , and there remaineth for euer . It hath also another Theologicall Allegorie , that the angelicall nature , daughter of the most high God the creator of all things ; killing and ouercomming all bodily substance , signified by Gorgon , ascended into heauen : the like infinite Allegories I could picke out of other Poeticall fictions , saue that I would auoid tediousnesse . It sufficeth me therefore to note this , that the men of greatest learning and highest wit in the auncient times , did of purpose conceale these deepe mysteries of learning , and as it were couer them with the veile of fables and verse for sundrie causes : one cause was , that they might not be rashly abused by prophane wits , in whom science is corrupted , like good wine in a bad vessell : another cause why they wrote in verse , was conseruation of the memorie of their precepts , as we see yet the generall rules almost of euerie art , not so much as husbandrie , but they are of●ner recited and better remembred in verse then in prose : another , and a principall cause of all , is to be able with one kinde of meate and one dish ( as I may so call it ) to feed diuers-tastes . For the weaker capacities will feed themselues with the pleasantnesse of the historie and sweetnes of the verse , some that haue stronger stomackes will as it were take a further tast of the Moralisence , a third sort more high conceited then they , will digest the Allegorie : so as indeed it hath bene thought by men of verie good iudgement , such manner of Poeticall writing was an excellent way to preserue all kinde of learning from that corruption which now it is come to since they left that mysticall writing of verse . Now though I know the example and authoritie of Aristotle and Plato be still vrged against this , who tooke to themselues another manner of writing : first I may say indeed that lawes were made for poore men , and not for Princes , for these two great Princes of Philosophie , brake that former allowed manner of writing , yet Plato still preserued the fable , but refused the verse . Aristotle though reiecting both , yet retained still a kinde of obscuritie , insomuch he answered Alexander , who reprooued him in a sort , for publishing the sacred secrets of Philosophie , that he had set forth his bookes in a sort , and yet not set them forth ; meaning that they were so obscure that they would be vnderstood of few , except they came to him for instructions ; or else without they were of verie good capacitie and studious of Philosophie . But ( as I say ) Plato howsoeuer men would make him an enemie of Poetrie ( because he found indeed iust fault with the abuses of some comicall Poets of his time , or some that sought to set vp new and strange religions ) yet you see he kept stil l that principall part of Poetrie , which is fiction and imitation ; and as for the other part of Poetrie which is verse , though he vsed it not , yet his maister Socrates euen in his old age wrote certaine verses , as Plutarke testifieth : but because I haue named the two parts of Poetrie , namely inuention or fiction , and verse , let vs see how well we can authorise the vse of both these . First for fiction , against which as I told before , many inuei●h , calling it by the foule name of lying , though notwithstanding , as I then said , it is farthest from it : Demosthenes the famous and renowned Orator , when he would perswade the Athenians to warre against Philip , told them a solemne tale how the Wolues on a time sent Ambassadors to the sheepe , offering them peace if they would deliuer vp the dogs that kept their folds , with all that long circumstance ( needelesse to be repeated ) by which he perswaded them far more strongly then if he should haue told them in plaine termes , that Philip sought to bereaue them of their chiefe bulwarks & defences , to haue the better abilitie to ouerthrow them . But what need we fetch an authority so far off from heathen authors , that haue many neerer hand both in time and in place ? Bishop Fisher a stout Prelat though I do not praise his Religion ) when he was assaid by king Henrie the eight for his good will and assent for the suppression of Abbyes , the king alledging that he would but take away the superflu●ties , and let the substance stand still , or at least see it conuerted to better and more godly vses : the graue Bishop answered it in this kinde of Poeticall parable : He said there was an axe that wanting a helue came to a thicke and huge ouergrown wood , and be sought some of the great okes in that wood , to spare him so much timber as to make him a handle or helue , promising that if he might finde that fauour , he would in recompence thereof , haue great regard in preseruing that wood , in pruning the branches , in cu●●ing away the vnprofitable and superfluous boughes , in paring away the b●yers and thornes that were combersome to the fayre trees , and making it in fine a groue of great delight and pleasure : but when this same axe had obtained his su●e , he so laid about him , and so pared away both timber and top and lop , that in short space of a woodland he made it a champion , and made her liberalitie the instrument of her ouerthrow .

Now though this Bishop had no very good successe with his parable , yet it was so farre from being counted a lye , that it was plainly seene soone after that the same axe did both hew downe those woods by the roots , and pared him off by the head , and was a peece of Prophecie , as well as a peece of Poetrie : and indeed Prophets and Poets haue bene thought to haue a great affinitie , as the name Vates in Latin doth testifie . But to come againe to this manner of fiction or parable , the Prophet Nathan , reprouing king Dauid for his great sinne of adulterie and murther , doth he not come to him with a pretie parable , of a poore man and his lambe that lay in his bosome , and eat of his bread , and the rich man that had whole flocks of his owne would needs take it from him ? In which as it is euident it was but a parable , so it were vnreuerent and almost blasphemous to say it was a lye . But to go higher , did not our Sauiour himselfe speake in parables ? as that deuine parable of the sower , that comfortable parable of the Prodigall sonne , that dreadfull parable of Diues and Lazarus , though I know of this last , many of the fathers hold that it is a storie indeed , and no parable . But in the rest it is manifest , that he that was all holinesse , all wisedome , all truth , vsed parables , and euen such as discreet Poets vse , where a good and honest and wholsome Allegorie is hidden in a pleasant and pretie fiction , Two parts of Poetr●e , Imitation or inuention , and Verse . and therefore for that part of Poetrie of Imitation , I thinke no body will make any question , but it is not onely allowable , but godly and commendable , if the Poets ill handling of it doe nor marre and peruert the good vse of it . The other part of Poetrie , which is Verse , as it were the clothing or ornament of it , hath many good vses ; of the helpe of memorie I spake somewhat before ; for the words being couched together in due order , measure , and number , one doth as it were bring on another , as my selfe haue often proued , and so I thinke do many beside , ( though for my owne part I can rather bost of the marring a good memorie , then of hauing one , ) yet I haue euer found , that Verse is easier to learne , and farre better to preserue in memorie , then is prose . Another speciall grace in Verse is the forcible manner of phrase , in which if it be well made , it farre excelleth loose speech or prose : a third is the pleasure and sweetenesse to the eare , which makes the discourse pleasant vnto vs often time when the matter it selfe is harsh and vnacceptable ; for my owne part I was neuer yet so good a husband , to take any delight to hear● one of mv ploughmen tell how an acre of wheat must be fallowd and twy fallowd , and how cold land should be burned , and how fruitfull land must be well harrowed , but when I heare one read Virgil where he saith : Saepe etiam steriles incendere profuit agros , Atque leuem stipulam crepitantibus vrere flammis . Siue inde occultas vires & pabula terrae Pinguia concipiunt ; siue illis omne per ●onem Excoquitur vitium , atque exsudat inutilis humor , &c.

And after . Mulium adeo , rastris glebas qui frangit inertes Vimineasque trahit crates , iuuat arua .

With many other lessons of homely husbandrie , but deliuered in so good Verse that me thinkes all that while I could find in my heart to driue the plough . But now for the authoritie of Verse , if it be not sufficient to say for them , that the greatest Philosophers , and grauest Senatours that euer were , haue vsed them both in their speeches and in their writings , that precepts of all Arts haue beene deliuered in them , that verse is as auncient a writing as prose , and indeed more auncient , in respect that the oldest workes extant be verse , as Orphaeus , Linus , Hesiodus , and others beyond memorie of man , or mention almost of historie ; if none of these will serue for the credit of it , yet let this serue , that some part of the Scripture was written in verse , as the Psalmes of Dauid , and certaine other songs of Deborah , of Salomon and others , which the learnedest diuines do affirme to be verse , and find that they are in meeter , though the rule of the Hebrew verse they agree not on . Sufficeth it me onely to proue that by the authoritie of sacred Scriptures , both parts of Poesie , inuention or imitation , and verse are allowable , and consequently that great obiection of lying is quite taken away and refuted . Now the second obiection is pleasing of fooles ; I haue already showed , how it displeaseth not wise men , Answ●re to the s●●ond obiection . now if it haue this vertue to , to please the fooles , and ignorant , I wold thinke this an article of prayse not of rebuke : wherefore I confesse that it pleaseth fooles and so pleaseth them , that if they marke it and obserue it well , it will in time make them wise , for in verse is both goodnesse and sweetnesse , Rubarb and Sugercandie , the pleasant and the profitable : wherefore as Horace sayth , Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit vtile dulci , he that can mingle the sweete and wholsome , the pleasant and the profitable , he is indeed an absolute good writer , & such be Poets , if any be such , they present vnto vs a prettie tale , able to keepe a childe from play , and an old man from the chimnie corner : Or as the same Horace saith , to a couetous man : Tantalus à labris sitiens fugientia captat Flumina , quid rides ? mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur .

One tels a couetous man a tale of Tantalus , that sits vp to the chinne in water , and yet is plagued with thirst . This signifies the selfesame man to whom the tale is told , that wallows in plentie , and yet his miserable minde barres him of the vse of it : As my selfe knew and I am sure many remember Iustice Randall of London , a man passing impotent in body but much more in mind , that leauing behind him a thousand pounds of gold in a chest ful of old boots and shoes , yet was so miserable , that at my Lord Maiors dinner they say he would put vp a widgen for his supper , and many a good meale he did take of his franke neighbour the widdow Penne : but to come to the matter , this same great sinne that is laide to Poetrie of pleasing fooles , A 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 is fufficiently answered if it be worth the answering . Now for the breeding of errours which is the third Obiection , I see not why it should breed any when none is bound to beleeue that they write , nor they looke not to haue their fictions beleeued in the literall sence , and therefore he that well examine whence errours spring , shall finde the writers of prose & not of verse , the authors and maintainers of them , and this point I count so manifest as it needes no proofe . The last reproofe is lightnes and wantonnes , this is indeed an Obiection of some importance , sith as Sir Philip Sidney confesseth , Cupido is crept euen into the Heroicall Poemes , & consequently maketh that also , subiect to this reproofe : I promised in the beginning not partially to praise Poesie , but plainly and honestly to confesse that , that might truely be obiected against it , and if any thing may be , sure it is this lasciuiousnesse ; yet this I will say , that of all kinde of Poesie , the Heroicall is least infected therewith . The other kindes I will rather excuse then defend , though of all the kindes of Poesie it may be sayd , where any scurrilitie and lewdnesse is found , there Poetrie doth not abuse vs , but writers haue abused Poetrie . And brieflie to examine all the kindes : First the Tragicall is meerely free from it , as representing onely the cruell and lawlesse proceedings of Princes , mouing nothing but pitie or detestation . The Comicall ( whatsoeuer foolish play makers make it offend in this kind ) yet being rightly vsed , it represents them so as to make the vice scorned and not embraced . The Satyrike is meerly free from it , as being wholy occupied in mannerly and couertly reprouing of all vices . The Elegie is stil mourning : as for the Pastorall with the Sonnet or Epigramme , though many times they sauour of wantonnesse and loue and toying , and now and then breaking the rules of Poetrie , go into plaine scurrilitie , yet euen the worst of them may be not ill applied , and are , I must confesse , too delightfull , in so much as Martial saith , Laudant illa , sed ista legunt .

And in another place , Erubuit posuitque , meum Lucrecia librum : Sed coram Bruto . Brute recede , leget .

Lucrecia ( by which he signifies any chast matron ) will blush and be ashamed to reade a lasciuious booke : but how ? not except Brutus be by , that is , if any graue man should see her reade it ; but if Brutus turne his backe , she will to it againe and reade it all . But to end this part of my Apologie , as I count and conclude Heroicall Poesie allowable , and to be read and studied without all exception : so may I boldly say , that Tragedies well handled , be a most worthy kind of Poesie ; that Comedies may make men see and shame at their owne faults , that the rest may be so written and so read , as much pleasure and some profite may be gathered out of them . And for mine owne part , as Scaliger writeth of Virgil , so I beleeue , that the reading of a good Heroicall Poeme may make a man both wiser and honester : and for Tragedies , to omit other famous Tragedies , that that which was played at Saint Iohns in Cambridge , of Richard the third , would moue ( I thinke ) Phalaris the tyrant , and terrifie all tyrannous minded men , from following their foolish ambitious humors , seeing how his ambition made him kill his brother , his nephewes , his wife , beside infinite others ; and last of all after a short and troublesome raigne , to end his miserable life , and to haue his bodie harried after his death . Then for Comedies : how full of harmelesse mirth is our Cambridge Pedantius ? and the Oxford Bellum Grammaticale ? or to speake of a London Comedie , how much good matter , yea and matter of state , is there in that Comedie called the play of the Cards ? in which it is shewed how foure Parasiticall knaues robbe the foure principall vocations of the Realme , videl , the vocation of Souldiers , Schollers , Merchants and Husbandmen . Of which Comedie I cannot forget the saying of a notable wise counseller that is now dead , who when some ( to sing Placebo ) aduised that it should be forbidden , because it was somewhat too plaine , Sir Frances Walsingham . and indeed as the old saying is , sooth boord is no boord , yet he would haue it allowed , adding it was fit that they which do that they should not , should heare that they wold not . Finally , if Comedies may be so made as the beholders may be bettered by them , without all doubt all other sorts of Poetrie may bring their profite as they do bring delight ; and if all , then much more the chiefe of all , which by all mens consent is the Heroicall . And thus much be said for Poesie .

Now for this Poeme of Orlando Furioso , which as I haue heard , hath bene disliked by some , though by few of any wit or iudgement , it followes that I say somewhat in defence thereof , The second part of the Apology . which I will do the more moderatly and coldly , by how much the paines I haue taken in it ( rising as you may see to a good volume ) may make me seeme a more partiall praiser . Wherefore I will make choise of some other Poeme that is allowed and approued by all men , and a little compare them together : and what worke can serue this turne so fitly as Virgils Aeneados , whom aboue all other it seemeth my author doth follow , as appeares both by his beginning and ending . The one begins , Arma virumque cano .

The other , Le donne I cauallieri l' arme gli amori Le cortesie l' audace imprese io canto .

Virgil ends with the death of Turnus : Vitaque cum gemitu fugit indignata sub vmbras .