_CHAP. XI._

_Of poemes and their sundry formes and how thereby the auncient Poets
receaued surnames._


As the matter of Poesie is diuers, so was the forme of their poemes &
maner of writing, for all of them wrote not in one sort, euen as all of
them wrote not vpon one matter. Neither was euery Poet alike cunning in
all as in some one kinde of Poesie, not vttered with like felicitie. But
wherein any one most excelled, thereof he tooke a surname, as to be called
a Poet _Heroick, Lyrick, Elegiack, Epigrammatist_ or otherwise. Such
therefore as gaue them selves to write long histories of the noble gests
of kings & great Princes, entermedling the dealings of the gods, halfe
gods or _Heroes_ of the gentiles, & the great & waighty consequences of
peace and warre, they called Poets _Heroick_, whereof _Homer_ was chief
and most auncient among the Greeks, _Virgill_ among the Latines. Others
who more delighted to write songs or ballads of pleasure, to be song with
the voice, and to the harpe, lute, or citheron & such other musical
instruments, they were called melodious Poets [_melici_] or by a more
common name _Lirique_ Poets, of which sort was _Pindarus, Anacreon_ and
_Callimachus_ with others among the Greeks: _Horace_ and _Catullus_ among
the Latines. There were an other sort, who sought the fauor of faire
Ladies, and coueted to bemone their estates at large, & the perplexities
of loue in a certain pitious verse called _Elegie_, and thence were called
_Eligiack_: such among the Latines were _Ouid, Tibullus_, & _Propertius_.
There were also Poets that wrote onely for the stage, I meane playes and