according to the time and maner of his subiect. He that wrote the Satyr of Piers Ploughman, seemed to haue bene a malcontent of that time, and therefore bent himselfe wholly to taxe the disorders of that age, and specially the pride of the Romane Clergy, of whose fall he seemeth to be a very true Prophet, his verse is but loose meetre, and his termes hard and obscure, so as in them is litle pleasure to be taken. _Skelton_ a sharpe Satirist, but with more rayling and scoffery then became a Poet Lawreat, such among the Greekes were called _Pantomimi_, with vs Buffons, altogether applying their wits to Scurrillities & other ridiculous matters. _Henry_ Earle of Surrey and Sir _Thomas Wyat_, betweene whom I finde very litle difference, I repute them (as before) for the two chief lanternes of light to all others that haue since employed their pennes vpon English Poesie, their conceits were loftie, their stiles stately, their conueyance cleanely, their termes proper, their meetre sweete and well proportioned, in all imitating very naturally and studiously their Maister _Francis Petrarcha_. The Lord _Vaux_ his commendation lyeth chiefly in the facillitie of his meetre, and the aptnesse of his descriptions such as he taketh vpon him to make, namely in sundry of his Songs, wherein he sheweth the counterfait action very liuely & pleasantly. Of the later sort I thinke thus. That for Tragedie, the Lord of Buckhurst, & Maister _Edward Ferrys_ for such doings as I haue sene of theirs do deserue the hyest price: Th'Earle of Oxford and Maister _Edwardes_ of her Maiesties Chappell for Comedy and Enterlude. For Eglogue and pastorall Poesie, Sir _Philip Sydney_ and Maister _Challenner_, and that other Gentleman who wrate the late shepheardes Callender. For dittie and amourous _Ode_ I finde Sir _Walter Rawleyghs_ vayne most loftie, insolent, and passionate. Maister _Edward Dyar_, for Elegie most sweete, solempne and of high conceit. _Gascon_ for a good meeter and for a plentifull vayne. _Phaer_ and _Golding_ for a learned and well corrected verse, specially in translation cleare and very faithfuly answering their authours intent. Others haue also written with much facillitie, but more commendably perchance if they had not written so much nor so popularly. But last in recitall and first in degree is the Queene our soueraigne Lady, whose learned, delicate, noble Muse, easily surmounteth all the rest that haue written before her time or since, for sence, sweetnesse and subtillitie, be it in Ode, Elegie, Epigram, or any other kinde of poeme Heroick or Lyricke, wherein it shall please her Maiestie to employ her penne, euen by as much oddes as her owne excellent estate and degree exceedeth all the rest of her most humble vassalls. THE SECOND BOOKE, OF PROPORTION POETICAL. _CHAP. I._ _Of Proportion Poeticall._