The Defence of Poesie.
Let vs rather plant more Lawrels for to ingarland the Poets heads (which honor of being Lawreate, as besides them onely triumphant Captaines were, is a sufficient authoritie to shewe the price they ought to bee held in) then suffer the ill sauoured breath of such wrong speakers once to blow vppon the cleare springs of Poesie. But since I haue runne so long a Carrier in this matter, me thinkes before I giue my penne a full stoppe, it shall be but a litle more lost time, to enquire why England the Mother of excellent mindes should be growne so hard a stepmother to Poets, who certainely in wit ought to passe all others, since all onely proceedes from their wit, beeing indeed makers of themselues, not takers of others. How can I but exclaime. Musa mihi causas memoria quo numine laeso, Sweete Poesie that hath aunciently had Kings, Emperours, Senatours, great Captaines, such as besides a thousandes others, Dauid, Adrian, Sophocles, Germanicus, not onelie to fauour Poets, but to bee Poets: and of our nearer times, can present for her Patrons, a Robert King of Scicill, the great King Fraunces of Fraunce, King Iames of Scotland; such Cardinalls as Bembus, and Bibiena; suche famous Preachers and Teachers, as Beza and Melanchchon; so learned Philosophers, as Fracastorius, and Scaliger; so great Orators, as Pontanus, and Muretus; so pearcing wits, as George Buchanan; so graue Counsailours, as besides manie, but before all, that Hospitall of Fraunce; then whome I thinke that Realme neuer brought fortha more
