and one of
them very impertinent, because it could not otherwise be intended, but
that _Menelaus_, fighting with the Troians, the Troians must of necessitie
fight with him.

[Sidenote: _Periergia_, or Ouerlabor, otherwise called the curious.]
Another point of surplusage lieth not so much in superfluitie of your
words, as of your trauaile to describe the matter which yee take in hand,
and that ye ouer-labour your selfe in your businesse. And therefore the
Greekes call it _Periergia_, we call it ouer-labor, iumpe with the
originall: or rather [_the curious_] for his ouermuch curiositie and
studie to shew himselfe fine in a light matter, as one of our late makers,
who in most of his things wrote very well, in this (to mine opinion) more
curiously than needed, the matter being ripely considered: yet is his
verse very good, and his meetre cleanly. His intent was to declare how
vpon the tenth day of March he crossed the riuer of Thames, to walke in
Saint _Georges_ field, the matter was not as great as ye may suppose.
_The tenth of March when Aries receiued
Dan Phoebus raies into his horned head,
And I my selfe by learned lore perceiued
That Ver approcht and frosty winter fled
I crost the Thames to take the cheerefull aire,
In open fields, the weather was so faire._

First, the whole matter is not worth all this solemne circumstance to
describe the tenth day of March, but if he had left at the two first
verses it had bene inough. But when he comes with two other verses to
enlarge his description, it is not only more than needes, but also very
ridiculous for he makes wise, as if he had not bene a man learned in some
of the mathematickes (by learned lore) that he could not haue told that
the x. of March had fallen in the spring of the yeare: which euery carter,
and also euery child knoweth without any learning. Then also when he saith
[_Ver approcht, and frosty winter fled_] though it were a surplusage
(because one season must needes geue place to the other) yet doeth it well
inough passe without blame in the maker. These, and a hundred more of such
faultie and impertinent speeches may yee finde amongst vs vulgar Poets
when we be carelesse of our doings.

[Sidenote: _Tapinosis_, or the Abbaser.]
It is no small fault in a maker to vse such wordes and termes as do
diminish and abbase the matter he would seeme to set forth, by imparing
the dignitie, height vigour or maiestie of the cause he takes in hand, as
on