Where it is euident that a dampe being but a breath or vapour, and not to be discerned by the eye, ought not to haue this _epithete (darke,)_ no more then another that praysing his mistresse for her bewtifull haire, said very improperly and with an vncouth terme. _Her haire surmounts Apollos pride, In it such bewty raignes._
Whereas this word _raigne_ is ill applied to the bewtie of a womans haire, and might better haue bene spoken of her whole person, in which bewtie, fauour, and good grace, may perhaps in some sort be said to raigne as our selues wrate, in a _Partheniade_ praising her Maiesties countenance, thus: _A cheare where loue and Maiestie do raigne, Both milde and sterne, &c._
Because this word Maiestie is a word expressing a certaine Soueraigne dignitie, as well as a quallitie of countenance, and therefore may properly be said to _raigne_, & requires no meaner a word to set him foorth by. So it is not of the bewtie that remaines in a womans haire, or in her hand or any other member: therfore when ye see all these unproper or harde Epithets vsed, ye may put them in the number of [_uncouths_] as one that said, the _flouds of graces_: I haue heard of _the flouds of teares_, and _the flouds of eloquence_, or of any thing that may resemble the nature of a water-course, and in that respect we say also, _the streames of teares_, and _the streames of utterance_, but not _the streames of graces_, or of _beautie_. Such manner of vncouth speech did the Tanner of Tamworth vse to king _Edward_ the fourth, which Tanner hauing a great while mistaken him, and vsed very broad talke with him, at length perceiuing by his traine that it was the king, was afraide he should be punished for it, said thus with a certaine rude repentance. _I hope I shall be hanged tomorrow._
For _[I fear me] I shall be hanged_, whereat the king laughed a good, not only to see the Tanners vaine feare, but also to heare his ill shapen terme, and gaue him for recompence of his good sport, the inheritance of Plumton parke, I am afraid the Poets of our time that speake more finely and correctedly will come too short of such a reward.
[Sidenote: The vice of Surplusage.] Also the Poet or makers speech becomes vicious and vnpleasant by nothing more than by vsing too much surplusage: and this both not only in a word or two more than ordinary, but in whole clauses, and peraduenture large sentences impertinently spoken, or with more labour and curiositie than is requisite.