The Defence of Poesie.
Poetrie, yet is it indeed a chain-shot against all learning or bookishnes, as they commonly terme it. Of such mind were certaine Gothes, of whom it is written, that hauing in the spoile of a famous Cittie, taken a faire Librarie, one hangman belike fit to execute the frutes of their wits, who had murthered a great number of bodies, woulde haue set fire in it. No said an other verie grauely, take heed what you do, for while they are busie about those toyes, wee shall with more leisure conquere their Countries. This indeed is the ordinarie doctrine of ignorance, and many words sometimes I haue heard spent in it: but bicause this reason is generally against al learning, as wel as Poetrie, or rather all learning but Poetrie, because it were too large a digression to handle it, or at least too superfluous, since it is manifest that all gouernment of action is to be gotten by knowledge, and knowledge best, by gathering manie knowledges, which is reading; I onely with Horace, to him that is of that opinion, Iubio stultum esse libenter: for as for Poetrie it selfe, it is the freest from this obiection, for Poetrie is the Companion of Camps. I dare vndertake, Orlando Furioso, or honest king Arthure, will neuer displease a souldier: but the quidditie of Ens & Prima materia, will hardly agree with a Corcelet. And therefore as I said in the beginning, euen Turkes and Tartars, are delighted with Poets. Homer a Creeke, flourished, before Greece flourished: and if to a slight coniecture, a coniecture may bee apposed, truly it may seem, that as by him their learned mē tooke almost their first light of knowledge, so their actiue men, receiued their first motions ofcourage.
