The Defence of Poesie.
ourselues withall. Exercise indeed we do, but that verie fore-backwardly; for where we should exercise to know, we exercise as hauing knowne: and so is our braine deliuered of much matter, which neuer was begotten by knowledge. For there being two principall parts, Matter to be expressed by words, and words to expresse the matter: In neither, wee vse Art or imitation rightly. Our matter is, Quodlibet, indeed though wrongly performing, Ouids Verse. Quicquid conabor dicere, Versus erit: neuer marshalling it into anie assured ranck, that almost the Readers cannot tell where to finde themselues. Chawcer vndoubtedly did excellently in his Troilus and Creseid: of whome trulie I knowe not whether to meruaile more, either that hee in that mistie time could see so clearly, or that wee in this cleare age, goe so stumblingly after him. Yet had hee great wants, fit to be forgiuen in so reuerent an Antiquitie. I account the Mirrour of Magistrates, meetly furnished of bewtiful partes. And in the Earle of Surreis Lirickes, manie thinges tasting of a Noble birth, and worthie of a Noble minde. The Sheepheards Kallender, hath much Poetrie in his Egloges, indeed woorthie the reading, if I be not deceiued. That same framing of his style to an olde rusticke language, I dare not allow: since neither Theocritus in Greeke, Virgill in Latine, nor Sanazara in Italian, did affect it. Besides these, I doo not remember to haue seene but fewe (to speake boldly) printed, that haue poeticall sinnewes in them. For proofe whereof, let but moste of the Versesbe
