to _Lewes_ the xij, who passing one day from her lodging toward the kinges
side, saw in a gallerie _Master Allaine Chartier_ the kings Secretarie, an
excellent maker or Poet leaning on a tables end a sleepe, & stooped downe
to kisse him, saying thus in all their hearings, we may not of Princely
courtesie passe by and not honor with our kisse the mouth from whence so
many sweete ditties & golden poems haue issued. But me thinks at these
words I heare some smilingly say, I would be loath to lacke liuing of my
own till the Prince gaue me a maner of new Elme for my riming: And another
to say I haue read that the Lady _Cynthia_ came once downe out of her skye
to kisse the faire yong lad _Endimion_ as he lay a sleep: & many noble
Queenes that haue bestowed kisses upon their Princes paramours, but neuer
vpon any Poets. The third me thinks shruggingly saith, I kept not to sit
sleeping with my Poesie till a Queene came and kissed me: But what of all
this? Princes may giue a good Poet such conuenient countenaunce and also
benefite as are due to an excellent artificer, though they neither kisse
nor cokes them, and the discret Poet lookes for no such extraordinarie
fauours, and aswell doth he honour by his pen the iust, liberall, or
magnanimous Prince, as the valiaunt, amiable or bewtifull though they be
euery one of them the good giftes of God. So it seemes not altogether the
scorne and ordinarie disgrace offered vnto Poets at these dayes, is cause
why few Gentlemen do delight in the Art, but for that liberalitie, is come
to fayle in Princes, who for their largesse were wont to be accompted
th'onely patrons of learning, and first founders of all excellent
artificers. Besides it is not perceiued, that Princes them selues do take
any pleasure in this science, by whose example the subiect is commonly
led, and allured to all delights and exercises be they good or bad,
according to the graue saying of the historian. _Rex multitudinem
religione impleuit, quæ semper regenti similis est._ And peraduenture in
this iron & malitious age of ours, Princes are lesse delighted in it,
being ouer earnestly bent and affected to the affaires of Empire &