Stratagemes whereby he had the victory ouer his enemies. So as the Poets
seemed to haue skill not onely in the subtilties of their arte, but also
to be meete for all maner of functions ciuill and martiall, euen as they
found fauour of the times they liued in, insomuch as their credit and
estimation generally was not small. But in these dayes (although some
learned Princes may take delight in them) yet vniuersally it is not so.
For as well Poets as Poesie are despised, & the name become, of honorable
infamous, subiect to scorne and derision, and rather a reproch than a
prayse to any that vseth it: for commonly who so is studious in th'Arte or
shewes himselfe excellent in it, they call him in disdayne a
_phantasticall_: and a light headed or phantasticall man (by conuersion)
they call a Poet. And this proceedes through the barbarous ignoraunce of
the time, and pride of many Gentlemen, and others, whose grosse heads not
being brought vp or acquainted with any excellent Arte, nor able to
contriue, or in manner conceiue any matter of subtiltie in any businesse
or science, they doe deride and scorne it in all others as superfluous
knowledges and vayne sciences, and whatsoeuer deuise be of rare inuention
they terme it _phantasticall_, construing it to the worst side: and among
men such as be modest and graue, & of litle conuersation, nor delighted in
the busie life and vayne ridiculous actions of the popular, they call him
in scorne a _Philosopher_, or _Poet_, as much to say as a phantasticall
man, very iniuriously (God wot) and to the manifestation of their own
ignoraunce, not making difference betwixt termes. For as the cuill and
vicious disposition of the braine hinders the sounde iudgement and
discourse of man with busie & disordered phantasies, for which cause the
Greekes call him [Greek: phantasikos] so is that part being well affected,
not onely nothing disorderly or confused with any monstruous imaginations
or conceits, but very formall, and in his much multiformitie _vniforme_,
that is well proportioned, and so passing cleare, that by it as by a
glasse or mirrour, are represented vnto the soule all maner of bewtifull