The Arte of English Poesie Part 6

Besides all this there is in _Situation_ of the concords two other points, one that it go by plaine and cleere compa.s.se not intangled: another by enterweauing one with another by knots, or as it were by band, which is more or lesse busie and curious, all as the maker will double or redouble his rime or concords, and set his distances farre or nigh, of all which I will giue you ocular examples, as thus.

[Ill.u.s.tration: two diagrams: Concord in Plaine compa.s.se, has four lines with 1 and 4 connected and 2 and 3 connected; Concord in Entertangle, has alternating lines connected - 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 3 and 5, etc.]

And first in a _Quadreine_ there are but two proportions, for foure verses in this last sort coupled, are but two _Disticks_, and not a staffe _quadreine_ or of foure.

[Ill.u.s.tration: three diagrams of four lines each: first, with lines 1 and 4 connected and lines 2 and 3 connected; second, with lines 1 and 3 connected and lines 2 and 4 connected; third, with lines 1 and 2 connected and lines 3 and 4 connected.]

The staffe of fiue hath seuen proportions, whereof some of them be harsher and vnpleasaunter to the eare then other some be.

[Ill.u.s.tration: seven diagrams of five lines each: first, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 3 with 5; second, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 5, 3 with 4; third, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 2, 2 with 5, 3 with 4; fourth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 3, 4 with 5; fifth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 5, 2 with 3, 3 with 4; sixth, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 4 with 5; seventh, connecting these pairs of lines - 1 with 2, 2 with 4, 3 with 5.]

The _Sixaine_ or staffe of sixe hath ten proportions, whereof some be vsuall, some not vsuall, and not so sweet one as another.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ten diagrams of six lines each: first, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 5, 3 with 4; second, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 5 with 6; third, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 6, 3 with 4 and 5; fourth, connecting these lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 5, 3 with 6; fifth, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 4, 3 with 5; sixth, connecting these lines - 1 with 6, 2 with 3, 4 with 5; seventh, connecting these lines - 1 with 5, 2 with 6, 3 with 4; eighth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 5 and 6, 3 with 4; ninth, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 5, 4 with 6; tenth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2 and 4, 3 with 5 and 6.]

The staffe of seuen verses hath seuen proportions, whereof one onley is the vsuall of our vulgar, and kept by our old Poets _Chaucer_ and other in their historicall reports and other ditties: as in the last part of them that follow next.

[Ill.u.s.tration: eight diagrams of seven lines each: first, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 4 with 6, 5 with 7; second, connecting these lines - 1 with 3, 2 with 4, 3 with 5, 6 with 7; third, connecting these lines - 1 with 4, 2 with 3, 4 with 7, 5 with 6; fourth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 6 and 7, 3 with 4 and 5; fifth, connecting these lines - 1 with 7, 2 with 6, 3 with 4 and 5; sixth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 5 and 6, 3 with 4 and 7; seventh, connecting these lines - 1 with 4 and 7, 2 with 3, 5 and 6; eighth, connecting these lines - 1 with 2, 3 with 4 and 5, 6 with 7.]

The _huitain_ or staffe of eight verses, hath eight proportions such as the former staffe, and is because he is longer, he hath one more then the _sestaine_.

The staffe of nine verses hath yet moe then the eight, and the staffe of ten more then the ninth and the twelfth, if such were allowable in ditties, more then any of them all, by reason of his largenesse receiuing moe compa.s.ses and enterweauings, alwayes considered that the very large distances be more artificiall, then popularly pleasant, and yet do giue great grace and grauitie, and moue pa.s.sion and affections more vehemently, as it is well to be obserued by _Petrarcha_ his _Canzoni_.

Now ye may perceiue by these proportions before described, that there is a band to be giuen euery verse in a staffe, so as none fall out alone or vncoupled, and this band maketh that the staffe is sayd fast and not loose: euen as ye see in buildings of stone or bricke the mason giueth a band, that is a length to two breadths, & vpon necessitie diuers other sorts of bands to hold in the worke fast and maintaine the perpendicularitie of the wall: so in any staffe of seuen or eight or more verses, the coupling of the moe meeters by rime or concord, is the faster band: the fewer the looser band, and therefore in a _huiteine_ he that putteth foure verses in one concord and foure in another concord, and in a _dizaine_ fiue, sheweth him selfe more cunning, and also more copious in his owne language. For he that can find two words of concord, can not find foure or fiue or sixe, vnlesse he haue his owne language at will.

Sometimes also ye are driuen of neccesitie to close and make band more then ye would, lest otherwise the staffe should fall asunder and seeme two staues: and this is in a staffe of eight and ten verses: whereas without a band in the middle, it would seeme two _quadriens_ or two _quintaines_, which is an error that many makers slide away with. Yet _Chaucer_ and others in the staffe of seuen and sixe do almost as much a misse, for they shut vp the staffe with a _disticke_, concording with none other verse that went before, and maketh but a loose rime, and yet bycause of the double cadence in the last two verses serue the eare well inough. And as there is in euery staffe, band, giuen to the verses by concord more or lesse busie: so is there in some cases a band giuen to euery staffe, and that is by one whole verse running alone throughout the ditty or ballade, either in the middle or end of euery staffe. The Greekes called such vncoupled verse _Epimonie_, the Latines _Versus intercallaris_. Now touching the situation of measures, there are as manie or more proportions of them which I referre to the makers phantasie and choise, contented with two or three ocular examples and no moe.

Which maner or proportion by situation of measures giueth more efficacie to the matter oftentimes then the concords them selues, and both proportions concurring together as they needes must, it is of much more beautie and force to the hearers mind.

To finish the learning of this diuision, I will set you downe one example of a dittie written extempore with this deuice, shewing not onley much promptnesse of wit in the maker, but also great arte and a notable memorie. Make me saith this writer to one of the comnpanie, so many strokes or lines with your pen as ye would haue your song containe verses: and let euery line bearue his seuerall length, euen as ye would haue your verse of measure. Suppose of foure, fiue, sixe, or eight or more sillables, and set a figure of euerie number at th'end of the line, whereby ye may knowe his measure. Then where you will haue your rime or concord to fall, marke it with a compast stroke or semicircle pa.s.sing ouer those lines, be they farre or neare in distance, as ye haue seene before described. And bycause ye shall not thinke the maker hath premeditated beforehand any such fas.h.i.+oned ditty, do ye your selfe make one verse whether it be of perfect or imperfect sense, and giue it him for a theame to make all the rest upon: if ye shall perceiue the maker do keepe the measures and rime as ye haue appointed him, and besides do make his dittie sensible and ensuant to the first verse in good reason, then may ye say he is his crafts maister. For if he were not of a plentiful discourse, he could not vpon the sudden shape an entire dittie vpon your imperfect theame or proposition in one verse. And if he were not copious in his language, he could not haue such store of wordes at commaundement, as should supply your concords. And if he were not of a maruelous good memory he could not obserue the rime and measures after the distances of your limitation, keeping with all grauitie and good sense in the whole dittie.

_CHAP. XI._

_Of Proportion in figure._

Your last proportion is that of figure, so called for that it yelds an ocular representation, your meeters being by good symmetrie reduced into certaine Geometricall figures, whereby the maker is restrained to keepe him within his bounds, and sheweth not onley more art, but serueth also much better for briefenesse and subtiltie of deuice. And for the same respect are also fittest for the pretie amourets in Court to entertaine their seruants and the time withall, their delicate wits requiring some commendable exercise to keepe them from idlenesse. I find not of this proportion, vsed by any of the Greeke or Latine Poets, or in any vulgar writer, sauing of that one forme which they cal _Anacreens egge._ But being in Italie conuersant with a certaine gentleman, who had long trauailed the Orientall parts of the world, and seene the Courts of the great Princes of China and Tartarie. I being very inquisitiue to know of the subtillities of those countreyes, and especially in matter of learning and of their vulgar Poesie, he told me that they are in all their inuentions most wittie, and haue the vse of Poesie or riming, but do not delight so much as we do in long tedious descriptions, and therefore when they will vtter any pretie conceit, they reduce it into metricall feet, and put it in forme of a _Lozange_ or square, or such other figure, and so engrauen in gold, siluer, or iuorie, and sometimes with letters of ametist, rubie, emeralde or topas curiousely cemented and peeced together, they sende them in chaines, bracelets, collars and girdles to their mistresses to weare for a remembrance. Some fewe measures composed in this sort this gentleman gaue me, which I translated word for word and as neere as I could followed both the phrase and the figure, which is somewhat hard to performe, because of the restraint of the figure from which ye may not digresse. At the beginning they wil seeme nothing pleasant to an English eare, but time and vsage will make them acceptable inough, as it doth in all other new guises, be it for wearing of apparell or otherwise. The formes of your Geometricall figures be hereunder represented.

[Ill.u.s.tration: labelled diagrams of lines of different lengths (forming different shapes): The Lozange, called Rombus (diamond) The Fuzie or spindle, called Romboides (narrow diamond) The Triangle or Tricquet (pyramid) The Square or quadrangle (square) The Pillaster or Cillinder (tall rectangle) The Spire or taper, called piramis (tall pyramid) The Rondel or Sphere (circle) The egge or figure ouall (vertical egg) The Tricquet reuerst (triangle) The Tricquet displayed (hour-gla.s.s) The Taper reuersed (narrow triangle) The Rondel displayed (half circle upon the other half) The Lozange reuersed (wide diamond <>) u The Egge displayed (half oval upon the other half - n) The Lozange rabbated (hexagon).]

_Of the Lozange._

The _Lozange_ is a most beautifull figure, & fit for this purpose, being in his kind a quadrangle reuerst, with his point vpward like to a quarrell of gla.s.se the Greekes and Latines both call it _Rombus_ which may be the cause as I suppose why they also gaue that name to the fish commonly called the _Turbot_, who beareth iustly that figure, it ought not to containe about thirteene or fifteene or one & twentie meetres, & the longest furnisheth the middle angle, the rest pa.s.se vpward and downward, still abating their lengthes by one or two sillables till they come to the point: the Fuzie is of the same nature but that he is sharper and slenderer. I will giue you an example of two of those which my Italian friend bestowed vpon me, which as neare as I could I trnslated into the same figure obseruing the phrase of the Orientall speach word for word.

A great Emperor in Tartary whom they cal _Can_, for his good fortune in the wars & many notable conquests he had made, was surnamed _Temir Cutzclewe_, this man loued the Lady _Kermesine_, who presented him returning from the conquest of _Corasoon_ (a great kindgom adioyning) with this _Lozange_ made in letters of rubies & diamants entermingled thus: Sound O Harpe Shril lie out Temir the stout Rider who with sharpe Trenching slide of brite steele Hath made his feircest foes so feele All such as wrought him shame or harme The strength of his braue right arme, Cleauing hard downe vnto the eyes The raw skulles of his enemies Much honour hath he wonne By doughtie deedes done In Cora soon And all the Worlde Round.

_To which_ Can Temir _answered in_ Fuzie, _with letters of Emeralds and Ametists artificially cut and entermingled, thus

Five Sore batailes Manfully fought In blouddy fielde With bright blade in hand Hath Temir won & forst to yeld Many a Captaine strong and stoute And many a king his Crowne to vayle, Conquering large countreys and land, Yet ne uer wanne I vic to rie I speake it to my greate glorie So deare and ioy full vn to me, As when I did first con quere thee O Kerme sine, of all myne foes The most cruell, of all myne woes The smartest , the sweetest My proude con quest My ri chest pray O once a daye Lend me thy sight Whose only light Keepes me Alive.

_Of the Triange or Triquet._

The triangle is an halfe square, _Lozange_ or _Fuzie_ parted vpon the crosse angles: and so his base being brode and his top narrow it receaueth meetres of many sizes one shorter then another: and ye may vse this figure standing or reuersed, as thus.

A certaine great Sultan of Persia called _Ribuska_, entertaynes in loue the Lady _Selamour_, sent her this triquet reuest pitiously bemoaning his estate, all set in merquetry with letters of blew Saphire and Topas artificially cut and entermingled.

Selamour dearer then his owne life To thy di stresssed wretch cap tive, Ri buska whome late ly erst Most cru el ly thou perst With thy dead ly dart, That paire of starres s.h.i.+ ning a farre Turne from me, to me That I may & may not see The smile, the loure That lead and driue Me to die to liue Twise yea thrise In one hourre.

To which _Selamour_ to make the match egall, and the figure entire, answered in a standing Triquet richly engrauen with letters of like stuffe.

Power Of death Nor of life Hath Selamour, With G.o.ds it is rife To giue and bereue breath I may for pitie perchaunce Thy lost libertie re - store, Vpon thine othe with this penaunce, That while thou liuest thou neuer loue no more.

This condition seeming to Sultan _Ribuska_ very hard to performe, and cruell to be enjoyned him, doeth by another figure a Taper, signifying hope, answere the Lady _Selamour_, which dittie for lack of time I translated not.

_Of the Spire or Taper called Pyramis._

The Taper is the longest and sharpest triangle that is, & while he mounts vpward he waxeth continually more slender, taking both his figure and name of the fire, whole flame if ye marke it, is alwaies pointed, and naturally by his forme couets to clymbe: the Greekes call him Pyramis. The Latines in vse of Architecture call him _Obeliscus_, it holdeth the alt.i.tude of six ordinary triangles, and in metrifying his base can not well be larger then a meetre of six, therefore in his alt.i.tude he will require diuers rabates to hold so many sizes of meetres as shall serue for his composition, for neare the toppe there wil be roome little inough for a meetre of two sillables, and sometimes of one to finish the point. I haue set you downe one or two examples to try how ye can disgest the maner of the deuise.

_Her Maiestie, for many parts in her most n.o.ble and vertuous nature to be found, resembled to the spire. Ye must begin beneath according to the nature of the deuice_.

_Skie, 1 ----- A zurd 2 in the a.s.surde.

-------- And better, 3 And richer, Much greter, -------------- Crowne & empir After an hier For to aspire 4 Like flames of fire In formes of spire ------------------- To mount on hie, Con ti nu al ly With trauel & teen Most gratious queen Ye haue made a vow 5 Shewes vs plainly how Not fained but true To euery mans vue s.h.i.+ning cleere in you Of so bright an hewe Euen thus vertwe --------------------- Vanish out of our sight Till his fine top be quite To taper in the ayre 6 Endeavors soft and faire By his kindly nature Of tall comely stature Like as this faire figure_

_From G.o.d the fountaine of all good, are deriued into the world all good things: and vpon her maiestie all the good fortunes any worldly creature can be furnisht with. Reade downward according to the nature of the deuice.

1 G.o.d On Hie Frome 2 A bove Sends loue, Wise dome, Iu stice Cou rage, Boun tie, 3 And doth geue All that liue Life & breath Harts ese helth Children, welth Beauty strength Restfull age, And at length A mild death, 4 He doeth bestowe All mens fortunes Both high & low And the best things That earth can haue Or mankind craue, Good queens & kings Fi nally is the same Who gaue you (madam) Seyson of this Crowne With pouer soueraigne 5 Impug nable right, Redoubt able might, Most prosperous raigne Eternall re nowne, And that your chiefest is Sure hope of heavens blis.

_The Piller, Pillaster or Cillinder._

The Piller is a figure among all the rest of the Geometricall most beawtifull, in respect that he is tall and vpright and of one bignesse from the bottom to the toppe. In Architecture he is considered with two accessarie parts, a pedestall or base, and a chapter or head, the body is the shaft. By this figure is signified stay, support, rest, state and magnificence, your dittie then being reduced into the forme of a Piller, his base will require to beare the breath of a meetre of six or seuen or eight sillables: the shaft of foure: the chapter egall with the base, of this proportion I will giue you one or two examples which may suffise.

_Her Maiestie resembled to the crowned piller, Ye must read vpward._

_Is blisse with immortalitie.

Her trymest top of all ye see, Garnish the crowne.

Her iust renowne Chapter and head, Parts that maintain And woman head Her mayden raigne In te gri tie: In ho nour and with ve ri tie: Her roundnes stand Strengthen the state.

By their increase With out de bate Concord and peace Of her sup port, They be the base with stedfastnesse Vertue and grace Stay and comfort Of Albi ons rest, The sounde Pillar And seene a farre Is plainely exprest Tall stately and strayt By this no ble pour trayt_

_Philo to the Lady Calia, sendeth this Odolet of her prayse in forme of a Piller, which ye must read downward._

_Thy princely port and Maijestie Is my ter rene dei tie, Thy wit and sense The streame & source Of e l o quence And deepe discours, Thy faire eyes are My bright load starre, Thy speach a darte Percing my harte, Thy face a las, My loo king gla.s.se, Thy loue ly lookes My prayer bookes, Thy pleasant cheare My suns.h.i.+ne cleare Thy ru full sight My darke midnight, Thy will the stent Of my con tent, Thy glo rye flour Of myne ho nour, Thy loue doth giue The lyfe I lyve, Thy lyfe it is Mine earthly blisse: But grace & fauour in thine eies My bodies soule & souls paradise._

_The Roundell or Spheare_.