[“How like you this my maisters?” quoth[1661] I. “Very well,” sayd one: “the tragedy excelleth: the inuention also of the induction, and the descriptions are notable. But wheras hee fayneth to talke with the princes in hell, that I am sure will bee mislyked, because it is most certayne, that some of theyr soules be in heauen. And although hee herein doe follow allowed poets, in their description of hell, yet it sauoureth so much of purgatory, which the papistes haue digged thereout, that the ignorant may thereby bee deceiued.” “Not a whit I warrant you,” sayd I,[1662] “for hee meaneth not by his hell the place eyther of damned soules, or of such as lye for their fees, but rather the graue, wherein the dead bodyes of all sorts of people doe rest till time of the resurrection. And in this sence is hell taken often in the scriptures, and in the writings of learned christians. And so, as hee himselfe hath told mee, hee meaneth, and so would haue it taken.” “Tush,” quoth[1663] another, “what stand we here vpon? it is a poesy, and no diuinity: and it is lawfull for poets to faine what they list, so it bee appertinent to the matter: and therefore let it passe euen in such sort as you haue read it.” “With a good will,” quoth[1664] I. “But whereas you say a poet may faine what he list: in deede me thinke[1665] it should bee so, and ought to be well taken of the hearers: but it hath not at all times beene so allowed.” “Yee say troth,” quoth[1666] the reader: “for here followeth in the story, that after the death of this duke, one called _Collingbourne_ was cruelly put to death for making of a rime.” “I haue his tragedy here,” sayd[1667] I. For the better perceiuing whereof, you must imagine that you see him a maruailous well fauoured man, holding in his hand his owne heart, newely ripped out of his breast, and smoaking forth the liuely spirite: and with his hand,[1668] beckening to and fro, as it were to warne vs to auoide: and with his faint tongue and voice, saying as couragiously as bee may, these words that followe.] How _Collingbourne_ was cruelly executed for making a foolish ryme. 1. Beware, take heede, take heede, beware, beware[1669] You poets, you, that purpose to rehearce By any art what tyraunt’s doings are: _Erynnis_ rage is growne so fell and fearce, That vicious acts may not be toucht in verse: The muse’s[1670] freedome, graunted them of elde, Is barde, slye reasons treasons hye are helde. 2.