and you shall se fewe take any paines No not in the vineyard of the lorde For although none should folowe any trade of life for the gain sake but eueÌ„ as he seeth it is moste necessary for thaduauncement of Gods glory not passe in what estimacion thinges are had in this worlde yet because we are all so weake of wit in our teÌ„der yeres that we cannot weigh with our selfes what is best our body so neshe that it loketh euer to bee cherished wee take that whiche is moste gainfull for vs and forsake that altogether whiche we oughte moste to folowe So that for lacke of honest meanes and for want of good order the best waie is not vsed neither is Goddes honor in our first yeres remembred I had rather saide one make my child a cobler then a preacher a tankerd bearer then a scholer For what shall my sonne seke for learnyng when he shall neuer gette therby any liuyng Set my sonne to that whereby he maie get somewhat Do ye not se how euery one catcheth pulleth froÌ„ the churche what thei can I feare me one day thei will plucke doune churche and all Call you this the Gospell when men seke onely to prouide for their belies care not a grote though their soules go to helle A patrone of a benefice wil haue a poore yngrame soule to beare the name of a persone for .xx. marke or .x. li and the patrone hymself wil take vp for his snapshare as good as an .c. marke Thus God is robbed learnyng decaied England dishonored and honestie not regarded Thold Romaines not yet knowyng Christ and yet beyng led by a reuereÌ„t feare towardes God made this lawe Sacrum sacroue commendatuÌ„ qui clepserit rapseritue parricida est He that shall closely steale or forcibly take awaie that thyng whiche is holy or geuen to the holy place is a murderer of his couÌ„trey But what haue I said I haue a greater matter in hand then wherof I was a ware my penne hath run ouer farre when my leasure serueth not nor yet my witte is able to talke this case in suche wise as it should bee and as the largenesse therof requireth Therefore to my lawyer again whom I doubte not to perswade but that he shall haue the deuill and all if he learne a pase and dooe as some haue dooen before hym Therefore I will shewe howe largely this profice extendeth that I may haue him the soner to take this matter in hand The lawe therefore not onely bryngeth muche gain with it but also auaunceth men bothe to worshippe renoume and honour All men shall seke his fauour for his learnyng sake the best shall like his coÌ„pany for his callyng and his welth with his skill shalbe suche that none shalbe able to woorke hym any wrong Some consider profite by these circumstaunces folowyng To whom When. Where Wherefore NEither can I vse a better order then these circumstaunces minister vnto me To whom therefore is the Lawe profitable Marie to them that bee best learned that haue redy wittes and will take paines When is the lawe profitable Assuredly both now and euermore but especially in this age where all men go together by the eares for this matter and that matter Suche alteracion hath been heretofore that hereafter nedes muste ensue muche altercacion And where is all this a do Euen in litle Englande or in Westminster hall where neuer yet wanted busines nor yet euer shall Whereâ—â—â—e is the lawe profitable Undoubtedly because no manne could hold his awne if there were not an order to staie vs and a Lawe to restrain vs. And I praie you who getteth the money The lawyers no doubt And were not lande sometymes cheaper bought then got by the triall of a lawe Do not men commonly for trifles fall out Some for loppyng of a tree speÌ„des al that euer thei haue another for a Gose that graseth vpon his ground tries the lawe so hard that he proues him self a Gander Now when men bee so mad is it not easie to gette money emong theim Undoubtedly the lawyer neuer dieth a begger And no maruaill For an C. begges for hym and makes awaie all that thei haue to get that of hym the whiche the oftener he bestoweth the more still he getteth So that he gaineth alwaies aswell by encrease of lernyng as by storyng his purse with money wheras the other get a warme sonne often tymes and a flappe with a foxe 〈◊〉 for al that euer thei haue spent And why woulde they Tushe if it were to do againe thei would do it therfore the lawyre can neuer want a liuyng til the yearth want men and al be voyde ¶ The lawe easie to many and harde to some I Doubt not but my lawyer is perswaded that the law is profitable now must I beare him in haÌ„d that it is an easie matter to become a lawier â–ª the whiche if I shalbe able to proue I doubt not but he will proue a good lawier that right shortly â–ª the law is grouÌ„ded vpon reason And what hardenesse is it for a man by reason to fynde out reason That can not be straung vnto him the grounde wherof is graffed in his brest What though the lawe be in a straunge tongue the wordes may be gotte without any paine when the matter selfe is compast with ease Tushe a litle lawe will make a greate showe and therfore though it be muche to becomme excellent yet it is easie to get a taist And surely for getting of money a litle wil do asmuche good oftentymes as a greate deale There is not a word in the law but it is a grote in y e lawiers purse I haue know â—e diuâ—rse that by familiar talkyng moutyng together haue comme to right good learning without any great booke skil or muche beating of their braine by any close studie or secrete musyng in their chaÌ„ber But where some say the lawe is very harde and discourage young men from the studie therof it is to be vnderstande of suche as wil take no paines at al nor yet mynde the knowlege therof For what is not hard to man when he wanteth wil to do his best As good slepe and saie it is harde as wake and take no paines The lawe Godly Iuste Necessarie Pleasaunt WHat nedeth me to proue the lawe to be Godly iust or necessarie seeyng it is grounded vpon Goddes wil and all lawes are made for the maintenaunce of iustice If we will not beleue that it is necessarie let vs haue rebelles againe to disturbe the Realme Our nature is so fonde that we knowe not the necessitie of a thyng til wee fynde some lacke of the same Bowes are not estemed as they haue bene emong vs Englishmen but if we were ones well beaten by our enemies wee shoulde soone knowe the wante and with feelyng the smarte lament muche our folie Take awaie the lawe and take awaie our lifes for nothyng mainteineth our wealthe
in practise he maie doo as hym liketh best And surely I do thynke that nothyng so muche furthereth knowlege as daiely exercise and enuryng our selfes to do that in dede whiche we know in woorde And because examples geue greate lighte after these preceptes are set furthe I will commende two noble gentlemen Henry Duke of Suffolk and his brother lorde Charles Duke with hym ¶ An example of commendyng a noble personage BEtter or more wisely can none do then thei which neuer bestowe praise but vpon those that best deserue praise rather myndyng discretly what thei ought to dooe then vainly deuisyng what thei best can doo sekyng rather to praise menue suche as are founde worthy then curiously findyng meanes to praise matters suche as neuer wer in any For thei which speake otherwise then truthe is mynd not the commendacion of the persoâ—e but the settyng furthe of their awne learnyng As Gorgias in Plato praisyng vnrighteousnes Heliogabalus Oratours commendyng whoredome Phauorinus the Philosophier extollyng the feuer Quartaine thought not to speake as the cause required but would so muche saie as their wit would geue not weighyng the state of the cause but myndyng the want of their brain lookyng how muche could be said not passyng how litle should be saied But I bothe knowyng the might of Gods hand for suche as loue fables and the shame that in yearth redoundeth to euil reâ—orters will not commende that or those whiche neede no good praise but will commende them that no man iustly can dispraise nor yet any one is well able worthely to praise Their towardnes was suche their giftes so great that I know none whiche loue learnyng but hath sorowed the lacke of their beeyng and I knowe that the onely namyng of theim will stirre honest hartes to speake well of them I will speake of twoo brethren that lately departed the one Henry Duke of Suffolke and the other Lorde Charles his brother whom God thinkyng â—â—eter for heauen then to liue here vpon yearth toke from vs in his anger for the betteryng of our doynges and amendement of our euill liuyng These twoo gentlemen were borne in noble England bothe by father and mother of an high parentage The father called Duke Charles by mariage beyng brother to the worthy kyng of famous memorie HeÌ„ry theight was in suche fauour and did suche seruice that all Englaude at this houre doeth finde his lacke and Fraunce yet doth fele that suche a duke there was whom in his life tyme the godly loued the euil feared the wise men honored for his wit and the simple vsed alwaies for their counsaill Their mother of birthe noble and witte great of nature geÌ„tle and mercifull to the poore and to the godly and especially to the learned an earnest good patronesse and moste helpyng Lady aboue all other In their youthe their father died the eldest of theÌ„ beyng not past .ix. yeres of age After whose death their mother knowyng that welth without wit is like a sworde in a naked mannes hand assuredly certain that knowlege would confirme iudgemeÌ„t prouided so for their bringyng vp in al vertue and learnyng that ij like were not to be had within this realme again When thei begaÌ„ bothe to waâ—e somewhat in yeres beyng in their primetide spryng of their age thelder waityng of the kynges maiestie that now is was generally well estemed and sucheh ope was conceiued of his towardnes both for learnyng and al other thinges that fewe wer like vnto hym in al the courte The other kepyng his boke emong the Cambrige men profited as thei all well knowe bothe in vertue and learnyng to their greate admiracion For the Greke the Latine and the Italian I knowe he could dooe more then would be thought true by my report I leaue to speke of his skill in pleasaunt instrumentes neither will I vtter his aptnes in Musike his toward nature to all exercises of the body But his elder brother in this tyme besides his other giftes of the mynde whiche passed all othâ—r and were almoste incredible folowyng his fathers nature was so delited with ridyng and runnyng in armour vpon horsebacke and was so comely for that feacte and could do so well in chargyng his staffe beyng but .xiiij. yeres of age that menne of warre euen at this houre mone muche the want of suche a worthy gentleman Yea the Frenche men that first wondered at his learnyng when he was there emong theim and made a notable Oracion in Latine were muche more astonied wheÌ„ thei saw his comely ridyng and litle thought to finde these twoo ornamentes ioyned bothe in one his yeres especially beyng so tender and his practise of so small tyme. Afterward commyng from the courte as one that was desierous to be emong the learned he laie in Cambrige together with his brother where thei bothe so profited and so gently vsed themselfes that all Cambrâ—ge did reuerence bothe hym and his brother as two iewelles sent froÌ„ God Thelders nature was suche that he thought hymself best when he was emong the wisest and yet contempned none but thankefully vsed all gentle in behauor without childishenes stoute of stomacke without al pride bold with all warenesse and frendly with good aduisemeÌ„t The yonger beeyng not so ripe in yeres was not so graue in looke rather chereful then sad rather quicke then auncient but yet if his brother were sette a side not one that went beyonde hym A childe that by his awne inclinacion so muche yelded to his ruler as fewe by chastement haue doen the like pleasaunt of speeche prompte of witte stiryng by nature hault without hate kynde without crafte liberall of harte gentle in behauiour forward in all thynges gredy of learnyng and lothe to take a foyle in any open assembly Thei bothe in al attemptes sought to haue the victory and in exercise of witte not onely the one with the other did ofte stande in contencion but also thei bothe would matche with the best and thought themselfes moste happie when thei might haue any iust occasion to put their wittes in triall And now when this grene fruicte began to waxe ripe and all menne loâ—ged to haue tast of suche their greate forwardnesse God preuentyng mannes expectacion toke theim bothe aboute one houre and in so shorte tyme that first thei wer knowen to be dedde or any abrode could tell thei were sicke I neede not to reherse what bothe thei spake before their departure coÌ„sideryng I haue seuerally written bothe in Latine and in Englishe of thesame matter neither will I heape here so muche together as I can because I should rather renewe greate sorowe to many then do moste men any great good who loued them so well generally that fewe for a greate space after spake of these twoo gentle menne but thei shewed teares with the onely vtteraunce of their wordes and some through ouer muche sorowyng wer fain to forbeare speakyng God grauÌ„t vs also to liue that
then so taught as though thei neuer knewe theim or els neuer would vse them And therfore a certain learned man of muche excellencie beeyng asked what was suche a figure and suche a trope in Rhetorique I cannot tell ê™ he but I am assured if you loke in the boke of myne oracioÌ„s you shall not faile but finde theim So that though he knewe not the name of suche and suche figures yet the nature of theÌ„ was so familiar to his knowlege that he had thuse of them when soeuer he had nede Nowe though this man could well thus doo beyng of suche notable vnderstandyng yet it were foly that all should folowe his waie whiche want so good a wit And I thinke euen he himself should not haue lost by it neither if he had seen that in aglasse whiche he often vsed to do without knowlege Man is forgetfull and there is none so wise but counsaill maie dooe hym good Yea he shall dooe muche better that knoweth what arte other meâ— haue vsed what inuencion thei haue folowed what order thei haue kept and how thei haue best doen in euery part If he like not theirs he may vse his awne and yet none dooeth so euill I thynke but some good maie be got by hym The wise therfore wil not refuse to heare and the ignoraunt for want had nede to seke a will ¶ Thende of the .ii. bâ—ke ¶ The third boke ¶ Of apte chusyng and framyng of wordes and sentences together called Elocucion ANd now we are come to that parte of Rhetorique the whiche aboue al other is most beautifull wherby not onely wordes are apâ—ly vsed but also sentences are in right order framed For whereas Inuencion helpeth to finde matter and Disposicion serueth to place argumentes Elocucion getteth wordes to set furthe inuencion with suche beautie commendeth the matter that reason semeth to bee clad in purple walkyng afore bothe bare and naked Therfore Tullie saieth well to finde out reason aptly to frame it is the part of a wise man but to commende it by wordes and with gorgious talke to tell our conceipte that is onely propre to an Orator Many are wise but fewe haue the gift to set furthe their wisedome Many can tell their mynde in Englishe but fewe can vse mete termes and apt order suche as all men should haue and wise men will vse suche as nedes must be had when matters should be vttered Now then what is he at whom all men wonder and stande in a mase at the viewe of his wit Whose doynges are best estemed whoÌ„ do we moste reuerence and compt halfe a God emong men Euen suche a one assuredly that can plainly distinctly pleÌ„tifully and aptly vtter bothe wordes and matter and in his talke can vse suche conposicion that he maie appere to kepe an vniformitiee and as I might saie a nomber in the vttering of his senteÌ„ce Now an eloqueÌ„t man beyng smally learned can do muche more good in perswading by shift of wordes and mete placyng of matter then a greate learned clerke shalbe able with great store of learnyng wantyng wordes to set furth his meanyng Wherfore I muche maruaile that so many seke the only knowlege of thynges without any mynd to commende or set furthe their entendâ—ment seyng none caÌ„ knowe either what thei are or what thei haue without the gift of vtterance Yea bryng theÌ„ to speake their mynde and â—nter in talke with suche as are said to be learned you shal finde in theÌ„ suche laâ—â—e of vtterance that if you iudge theim by their tongue and expressyng of their mynde you must nedes saie thei haue no learnyng Wherin me thinkes thei do like some riche snudges that hauyng great wealth go with their hose out at heeles their shoes out at toes and their cotes out at bothe elbowes For who can tell if suche men are worth a grote when their apparel is so homely and al their behauior so base I can call theÌ„ by none other name but slouens that maie haue good geare and nether caÌ„ nor yet will ones weare it clenly What is a good thyng to a manne if he neither knowe thuse of it nor yet though he knowe it is able at all to vse it If we thinke it comelinesse and honestie to set furthe the body with handsome apparell and thynke theim worthie to haue money that bothe can and will vse it accordyngly I cannot otherwise se but that this part deserueth praise whiche standeth wholy in setâ—yng furthe the matter by apte wordes and sentences together beautifieth the tongue with greate chaunge of colours and varietie of figures ¶ Foure partes belongyng to Elocucion j. Plainnesse ij Aptenesse iij. Composicion iiij Exornacion EMong al other lessons this should first be learned y t we neuer affect any strauÌ„ge yâ—kehorne termes but so speake as is commonly receiued neither sekyng to be ouer fiâ—e nor yet liuyng ouer carelesse vsyng our speache as most men do ordryng our wittes as the fewest haue doen. Some seke so farre for outlaÌ„dishe Englishe that thei forget altogether their mothers laÌ„guage And I dare swere this if some of their mothers were aliue thei were not able to tell what thei say yet these fine Englishe clerkes will saie thei speake in their mother tongue if a maÌ„ should charge theÌ„ for couÌ„terfeityng the kynges English Some farre iorneid ientlemeÌ„ at their returne home like as thei loue to go in forrein apparell so thei wil pouder their talke w t ouersea laÌ„guage He that cometh lately out of France wil talke FreÌ„che English neuer blushe at the matter Another choppes in with Angleso Italiano the lawyer wil store his stomack with the pratyng of Pedlers The Auditour in makyng his accompt and rekenyng cometh in with sise sould and cater deâ—ere for vi s iiij d The fiue Courtier wil talke nothyng but Chaucer The misticall wise menne and Poeticall Clerkes will speake nothyng but quaint prouerbes and blynd allegories delityng muche in their awne darkenesse especially when none can tell what thei dooe saie The vnlearned or foolishe phantasticall that smelles but of learnyng suche felowes as haue seen learned men in their daies will so latine their tongues that the simple cannot but wonder at their talke and thynke surely thei speake by seme Reuelacion I knowe them that thynke Rhetorique to stande wholy vpon darke woordes and he that can â—atche an ynke horne terme by the taile hym thei compt to bee a fiue Englishe man and a good Rhetotician And the rather to set out this folie I will adde here suche a letter as Willyam Sommer himself could not make a better for that purpose Some will thinke swere it to that there was neuer any suche thyng writteÌ„ well I wil not fâ—rce any man to beleue it but I will saie thus muche and abide by it to the like haue been made heretofore and praised aboue the Mooâ—e Ponderyng expeÌ„dyng and reuolutyng with my self your ingent affabilitee
dissoluyng or wipyng awaie of all suche reasons as make against vs. The Conclusion is a clarkely gatheryng of the matter spoken before and a lappyng vp of it altogether Now because in euery one of these greate hede ought to be had and muche arte must be vsed to content and like all parties I purpose in the second boke to set furthe at large euery one of these that bothe we maie knowe in all partes what to folowe and what to eschewe And first when tyme shalbe to talke of any matter I would aduise euery man to consider the nature of the cause self that the rather he might frame his whole Oracion thereafter ¶ Euery matter is conteined in one of these .iiii. EIther it is an honest thyng whereof we speake or els it is filthy and vile or els betwixte bothe and doubtfull what to bee called or els it is some triflyng matter that is of small weight That is called an honest matter when either wee take in hande suche a cause that all menne would maintein or els gainsaie suche a cause that no man can well like Then do we hold and defende a filthy matter wheÌ„ either wee speake against our conscience in an euill matter or els withstande an vpright truthe The cause then is doubtfull when the matter is half honest and halfe vnhonest Suche are triflyng causes wheÌ„ there is no weight in theÌ„ as if one should phantasy to praise a Gose before any other beast liuyng as I knowe who did or of fruict to commende nuttes chefly as Ouid did or the feuer quartaine as Phauorinus did or the Gnatte as Uirgill did or the battaill of Frogges as Homere did or dispraise beardes or commende shauen heddes ¶ Good hede to bee taken at the firste vpon the handelyng of any matter in Iudgement NOT onely it is necessarie to knowe what maner of cause wee haue taken in hande when wee firste enter vpon any matter but also it is wisedome to consider the tyme the place the man for whom we speake the man against whom we speake the matter whereof we speake and the iudges before whom we speake the reasons that best serue to further our cause and those reasons also that maie seme somewhat to hynder our cause and in no wise to vse any suche at all or els warely to mitigate by protestacion the euill that is in theim and alwaies to vse whatsoeuer can bee saied to wynne the chief hearers good willes and perswade theim to our purpose If the cause go by fauour and that reason cannot so muche auaile as good wil shalbe able to do or els if mouyng affeccioÌ„s can do more good then bryngyng in of good reasons it is meete alwaies to vse that waie whereby we maie by good helpe get the ouer hand That if mine aduersaries reasons by me beyng coÌ„futed serue better to help forward my cause then mine awn reasons confirmed can be able to doe good I should wholy bestowe my tyme and trauaill to weaken and make slender all that euer he bringeth with hym But if I can with more ease proue myne awne saiynges â—ither with witnesses or with wordes then be able to coÌ„fute his with reason I must labour to withdrawe mennes myndes from myne aduersaries foundacion and require theÌ„ wholy to herken vnto that whiche I haue to saie beyng of it self so iust and so reasonable that none can rightly speake against it and shewe theim that greate pitie it were for lacke of the onely hearyng that a true matter should want true dealyng Ouer and besides all these there remain twoo lessons the whiche wisemenne haue alwaies obserued and therefore ought of all men assuredly to be learned The one is that if any matter be laied against vs whiche by reason can hardely bee auoyded or the whiche is so open that none almoste can deny it were wisedome in confutyng all the other reasons to passe ouer this one as though we sawe it not and therefore speake neuer a worde of it Or els if necessitie shall force a man to saie some what he may make an outward bragge as though there wer no matter in it euer so speakyng of it as though he would stande to the triall makyng men to beleue he would fight in the cause wheÌ„ better it were if necessitie so required to run clene awaie And herein though a man do flie and geue place euermore the gladder the lesse rauyng there is or stirryng in this matter yet he flieth wisely and for this ende that beyng fensed otherwise strongly appoyncted he maie take his aduersary at the best aduauntage or at the least werie hym with muche lingeryng and make hym with oft suche fliyng to forsake his chief defence The other lesson is that whereas we purpose alwaies to haue the victorie wee should so speake that we maie labour rather not to hynder or hurt our cause then to seke meanes to further it And yet I speake not this but that bothe these are right necessarie and euery one that will doo good muste take peines in theim bothe but yet notwithstandyng it is a fouler faulte a greate deale for an Orator to be founde hurting his awne cause then it should turne to his rebuke if he had not furthered his whole entent Therefore not onely is it wisedome to speake so muche as is nedefull but also it is good reason to leaue vnspoken so muche as is nedelesse the whiche although the wisest can do and nede no teachyng yet these common wittes offende muche nowe and then in this behalfe Some man beyng stirred shall hurt more our cause then twentie other Tauntyng wordes before some menne will not be borne at all Sharpe rebukyng of our aduersary or frumpes geuen before some persones cannot be sufferd at all Yea sometymes a man must not speake all that he knoweth for if he doo he is like to finde small fauour although he haue iuste cause to speake and maie with reason declare his mynde at large And albeit that witlesse folke can soner rebuke that whiche is fondly spoken then redely praise that whiche is wisely kept close yet the necessitie of the matter must rather be marked then the fonde iudgement of the people estemed What a sore saiyng were this When a lawyer should take in hande a matter concernyng life and death and another should aske how he hath sped to heare tel that the lawyer hath not onely cast awaie his clieÌ„t but vndoen hymself also in speakyng thynges inconsideratly as no doubt it ofteÌ„ happeneth that wise men and those also that bee none euill men neither maie vnwares speake thynges which afterward thei sore repent would cal backe again with losse of a greate soâ—â—e Now what a foly it is not to remember the tyme and the men Or who will speake that whiche he knoweth will not be liked if he purpose to finde fauour at their handes before whom he
quod he wil haue a Trope to be in these wordes This is my bodye But surely I would wishe the T. were taken awaye and they had that for their labour whiche is lefte behinde What carye you master Person quod a gentilman to a Prieste that hadde his woman on horsebacke behynde him haue you gotte your male behinde you No syr quod the Prieste it is my female The interpretation of a worde doth oft declare a witte As when one hath done a robbery some wil saye it is pitie he was a handsome man to y â— which another made answere you saye truthe syr for he hathe made these shyftes by hys handes and gotte his liuyng wyth lyght fingeringe therfore beinge handsome as you saye he is I woulde God he were handsomelye hanged Sometimes it is delightfull when a mannes word is taken and not his meaninge As when one hadde sayde to an other whose helpe he must nedes haue I am sory sir to put you to paynes The other aunswered I will ease you syr of that sorowe for I will take no paynes for you at all The turning of a word deniynge that wherwith we are charged aunswering a much worsse doth often moue the hearer There was one Bassus as Quintilian dothe tell whiche seinge a Ladye called Domitia to be very nighe her selfe spake his pleasure of her Wherupon she being greued charged hym wyth these woordes that he shoulde saye she wâ—s suche a pyuche penye as woulde sell her olde shoue for money whereupon he aunswered No forsothe madâ—me quod he I saide not so but these were my wordes I saide you bought olde shoâ—e suche as you coulde geâ— beste cheape for money The Hollanders woordes ars worthye rehearsall who beynge a pore man as Erasmus telleth the tale had a cow or two goyng in â—he communes wherupon it happened that an Oxe of a riche mans who then was Maior of the towne hadde gored the pore mannes cowe and almoste kylled her The pore man being in this case halfe vndone thought notwithstanding by a wittye deuise to get right iudgâ—ment of master Maior for the losse of his cowe if he gotte nothynge elles and therfore thus he framed his tale Sir so it is that my cowe hath gored and almoste kylled your Oxe What haâ—h she quod he by sainte Marye thou shalte pay for him then Naye quod the poore man I crye you mercye youre Oxe hathe gored my cowe Ah quod the Maior that is an other matter we wyl talke of that hereafter at more leasure These wordes were spoken of purpose but now you shal heare what an olde woman spake of simplicitie In the dotynge worlde when stockes were saintes and â—umme walles spake this olde grandamme was deuoutelye kneling vpon her knees before the ymage of our Ladye Wherupon a merye felowe asked her what she meante to crouche knele there Marie quod the olde mother I praye to our Ladye that she maye praye to her Sonne for me with that he laughed at her ignoraunce Wherupon she thinkinge that her wordes were spoken amisse corrected her owne sayinge in this wise Naye quod she I praye to Christe in heauen that he will praye for me to this good Ladye here Wordes rehearsed contrarie to that which was spoken as a man would say ouerthwartly answered do much abash the opponent delite the hearers As when Sergius Galba being sicke therfore â—eping his house had appointed certaine of his freÌ„des to hear a matter of one Libo Scribonius Tribune of the people a man muche noted for hys noughtye and vncleane life this Libo saide to him in this wise Good Lorde when shall wee see you Sir abroade out of youre Parloure Marye quod he when thou kepeste thy selfe oute of an other mannes chambre meanynge that he was ouer familiar with an other mans wife Thus we se howe and in what maner pleasaunt sawes are gathered and vsed vpon the occasion of diuers wordes spoken Pleasaunte sporte made by rehearsynge of â— whole matter THe nature whole course of a matter being largelye set oute with a comelye behauoure doth much delite the hearers and geuâ—th good cause of greate pastime And this difference is betwene a â—este in a word and a iest vtterde in a longe tale That whiche is still deliteful with what wordes soeuer you tell it is contâ—inâ—d in the substaunce or nature of a loÌ„ge tale that which loseth his grace by alteration of a worde is conteyned in the nature of a woorde They that can liuely tell pleasaunt tales and merye dedes done and set theim oute as well with gesture as with voyce leauynge nothynge behynde that maye serue for beautifiynge of their matter are mooste mete for thys purpose wherof assuredlye there are but fewe And whatsoeuer he is that canne aptelye tell his tale and wyth countenaunce voyce and gesture so temper his reporte that the hearers maye styll take delyte him counte I a man worthye to be hyghlye estemed For vndoubtedlye no man can dooe anye suche thinge excepte they haue a greate mother wytte and by experience confirmed suche their comelines wherunto by nature they were most apte Many a maÌ„ readeth histories heareth fables seeth worthye actes done euen in this our age but few can set them out accordingly and tel them liuely as the matter selfe requireth to be told The kindes of delitinge in this sorte are diuers wherof I will set forth many as hereafter they shall folowe Sporte moued by tellinge olde tales IF there be any olde tale or straunge history wel wittely applied to some maÌ„ liuing al meÌ„ loue to hear it of life As if one wer called Arthur some good felow that were well acquainted wyth kynge Arthures bokâ— and the knightes of his rounde table woulde wante no matter to make good sporte and for a nede woulde dubbe him knyght of the rounde table or els proue him to be one of his kynne or â—ls whiche were muche proue him to be Arthure hym selfe And so likewise of other names mery panions would make madde pastime Oftentimes the deformitie of a mans bodye geueth maâ—ter enoughe to be ryght merye or els a picture in shape lyke an other man will make some to laughe right hartely One being greued with an other man saide in his anger I will set the oute in thy coloures I will shewe what thou arte The other beinge therwith muche chafed shewe quod he what thou canste with that he shewed him pointinge with his finger a man with a bottell nose blobbe cheaked and as redde as a Bouchers bowle euen as like the other manne as anie one in all the worlde could be I neede not to saye that he was angrye An other good felowe beinge merelye disposed called his acquaintaunce vnto him said Come hither I saie and I wil shewe thee as verye a lowte as euer thou sawest in all thy lyfe before with that he offered him at his commynge a stele
the elementes haue their appointed course By an order we deuise we learne and frame our dooynges to good purpose By an order the Carpenter hath his Squyre his Rule and his Plummeâ— The Tailour his mette Yarde his measure The Mason his Former and his Plaine and euery one accordyng to his callyng frameth thynges thereafter For though matter be had and that in greate plentie yet al is to no purpose if an order be not vsed As for example What auaileth Stoone if Masons doe not worke it What good dothe clothe if Tailours take no measure or do not cutte it out Though Tymber be had for makyng a Shippe and al other thynges necessarie yet the shippe shal neuer be perfite till worke men begynne to set to their handes and ioyne it together In what a comenly order hath God made man whose shape is not thought perfite if any parte be altered yea al folke would take hym for a monster whose feete should occupie the place of his handes An army neuer getteth victorie that is not in araie and sette in good order of battail So an Oration hath litle force with it and dothe smally profite whiche is vtterde without all order And needes must he wander that knowes not howe to goe neither can he otherwyse chouse but stumble that gropynâ— in the darke can not tel where he is Yea he must nedes both leaue muche vnspoken repeate often thynges spokeÌ„ before not knowing what nor wher to speake best that geues hym selfe rather to take the chaunce of fortune than to folowe the right way of aduised counsell What shoulde a man do with a weapon that knoweth not howe to vse it What though one haue mountaines of golde what auaileth hym to haue suche heapes if he cannot tel how to bestow them It is not enough to haue learnyng but it is al to vse learnyng Therefore because this parte of bestowyng matter and placyng it in good order is so necessarie I will showe what the learned haue saied in this behaulfe so muche as I shall thynke nedeful Disposicâ—on what it is DIsposicion as Tullie doth define it is a certaine bestowyng of thynges and an apte declaryng what is meete for euery parte as tyme and place do beste require ¶ Diuidyng of Disposicion THere are two kyndes of disposyng and placyng of matter The one is when we folowe the appointed rule of Rethorique the whiche nature doth almost teache vs The other is wholy fasshioned by the discretion of hym that makes the Oration Rethorique doeth teache vs and nature also leadeth vs thereunto first to speake somwhat before we open our matter after that to tell the cause of our entent settyng forthe the matter plainly that al may vnderstand it then to proue our owne cause by good reason and to confute all suche thinges as are contrarie to our purpose last of al to gather the whole in a somme concludyng the matter briefely and so to make an ende Nowe to place those reasons whiche shoulde both serue to confirme and to confute and to tel in what parte of the Oration it were best to vse this reason and that reason that the rather wee might proue teache and perswade a right wyse man had nede to take this matter in hande For euen as the tyme the place the iudge and the matter it selfe shal geue cause so must a wyse body take his aduantage Sometymes it shalbe expedient to vse no preface at al or els when the matter is wel knowne it will be good to leaue the matter vntolde and streight to seeke the confirmacion vsyng some stronge reason for the same purpose Yea sometymes it may do good to neglecte the naturall order and begynne firste to proue the cause and afterwarde to tell it better than it was tolde before If the iudge or the hearers shalbe weried with other â—eportes before it is beste to goe to the matter and proue it out of hande with as briefe reasons and as strong as can be gatherde possible And in prouyng of our matters we had nede euermore rather to waie our reasons than to noÌ„ber them and thynke not that then we shall doe beste when haue the most but then looke to doe best when we haue the strongest And first of al the strongest should be vsed and the other placed in the middest of the Oration the whiche beeyng heaped together wil make a good mustar And yet this also would be learned whereas we vsed the best reasons at the first we shoulde also reserue some that were lyke good for the later end that the hearers might haue them freshe in their remembraunce when they shoulde geue iudgement The slender reasons that can do lesse good and yet not all for some may better be omitted woulde bee placed in the middest as I saied that bothe they might bee lesse marked or beeyng heaped there together they might doe more good especially when bothe weightie reasons went before and weightie reasons also folowed after Now a wyse man that hath good experience in these affaires and is able to make hym selfe a Rhetorique for euery matter will not bee bounde to any precise rules nor kepe any one order but suche onely as by reason he shall thynke best to vse beeyng maister ouer Arte rather then Arte shoulde be maister ouer hym rather makyng Art by witte than confoundyng witte by Arte. And vndoubtedly euen in so doyng he shal do right wel and contente the hearers accordyngly For what mattereth whether we folowe our Booke or no if wee folowe witte and appoint our selfe an order suche as may declare the truthe more plainely Yea some that be vnlearned and yet haue right good wittes will deuise with theim selues without any Booke learnyng what they wil saie and how muche they wil say appointyng their order and partyng it into thre or foure partes or more if neede be suche as they shal thynke especial pointes and most meete to bee touched Whose doynges as I can wel like muche commende them for the same so I would thynke them muche more able to do muche better if thei either by learning folowed a Paterne or els knewe the preceptes whiche leade vs to right order Rules wer therfore geuen and by muche obseruacion gathered together that those whiche could not see Arte hid in another mannes doynges should yet se the rules open all in an order set together therby iudge the rather of their doynges and by earnest imitacion seke to resemble suche their inuencion I cannot deny but that a right wise man vnlearned shall doo more good by his naturall witte then twentie of these common wittes that want nature to help arte And I know that rules wer made first by wise men and not wise men made by rules For these preceptes serue onely to helpe our nede suche as by nature haue not suche plentifull giftes And as for other vnto whom nature is more fauorable thei are rather put the soner in remeÌ„braunce that suche lessons are
but how In darkenes No forsouth by the light of his word And therfore Sainct Christofer beyng in the Sea and not well able to gette out that is to say beyng almost drouned in synne not knowyng whiche waie best to escape an Heremite appered vnto hym with a laÌ„terne a light therein the whiche dothe signifie none other thyng to the Christian but the true woorde of God whiche lighteneth the hartes of men geueth vnderstandyng to the youngelinges as the Prophet doth saie Againe Sainct George he is set on horsebacke killeth a Dragon with his speare whiche Dragon woulde haue deuoured a virgine whereby is none other thyng meÌ„t but that a Kyng and euery man vnto whom thexecution of iustice is committed should defende the innocent against the vngodly attemptes of the wicked and rather kill suche deuilles by marcial law than suffer the innocentes to take any wrong But who gaue our clargie any suche aucthoritie that those monsters shoulde bee in Churches as laye mens Bookes God forbadde by expresse worde to make any grauen Image and shal we be so bolde to breake Gods wil for a good entent and call these Idolles laie mens Bookes I could talke more largely of examples heape a nomber here together aswell of Ethnike Aucthours as of other here at home but for feare I should be tediouse these for this tyme that suffise ¶ Of Fables THe feigned fables such as are attributed vnto brute beastes would not be forgotten at any hand For not onely they delite the rude ignoraunt but also they helpe muche for perswasion And because suche as speake in open audience haue euer moe fooles to heare them than wise men to geue iudgement I would thynke it not amisse to speake muche accordyng to the nature and fansie of the ignoraunt that the rather thei might be wonne through fables to learne more weightie graue matters â–ª for al men cannot brooke sage causes and auncient collacions but wil lyke earnest matters the rather if some thing be spokeÌ„ there â—mong agreyng to their natures The multitude as Horace doth say is a beast or rather amoÌ„ster that hath many heades and therefore like vnto the diuersitie of natures varietie of inuencion must alwaies be vsed Talke altogether of moste graue matters or depely searche out the ground of thynges or vse the Quiddities of Dunce to sette forth Gods misteries you shal see the ignoraunt I warrant you either fal a slepe or elles bid you farewel The multitude must needes be made mery the more foolish your talke is the more wise wil they counte it to be And yet it is no foolishnesse but rather wisedome to wynne men by tellyng of fables to heare of Gods goodnesse Undoubtedly fables well sette forthe haue doen muche good at diuerse tymes and in diuerse coÌ„mune weales The Romaine Menenius Agrippa allegyng vpon a tyme a fable of the conflicte made betwixt the partes of a mans bodie and his belie quieted a marueilouse stirre that was lyke to ensewe pacified the vprore of â—ediciouse rebelles whiche els thought for euer to destroy their countrie Themistosâ—es perswaded the AtheniaÌ„s not to chaunge their Officers by rehersyng the fable of a scabbed fore For ê™ he when many flees stode feedyng vpon his rawe fleshe had wel fedde themselues he was contented at anothers persuasion to haue them slapte away whereupon their ensewed suche hungry flees afterwardes that the sorie foâ—e beyng al alone was eaten vp almost to the harde boone and therefore cursed the tyme that euery he agreed to any suche euil counsel In lyke maner ê™ Themistocles if you will chaunge Officers the hungry flees will eaâ—e you vp one after another whereas now you liue beyng but onely bitten and lyke to haue no farther harme but rather muche welth and quietnesse hereafter because they are filled and haue enough that heretofore suckte so muche of your bloud Now likewyse as I gaue a lesson how to enlarge an example so may fables also in lyke sorte be sette out augmented at large by Amplification Thus muche for the vse of fables Againe sometymes feiâ—ed Narrations and wittie inuented matters as though they were true in deede helpe wel to set forwarde a cause haue great grace in theÌ„ beyng aptely vsed wel inuented Luciane passeth in this pointe sir Thomas More for his Eutopia can soner be remeÌ„bred of me then worthely praised of any according as the excelleÌ„cie of his inuencioÌ„ in that behaulf doth most iustly require ¶ Digestion DIgestion is an ordely placyng of thynges partyng euery matter seuerally Tullie hath an example hereof in his Oration whiche he made for Sextus Roscius Amarinus There are three thynges ê™ Tullie whiche hynder Sextus Roscius at this tyme the accusacion of his aduersaries the boldenes of them and the power that they beare Eruscus his accuser hath taken vpoÌ„ hym to forge false matteâ— the Roscians kinsfolke haue boldly aduentured wil face out their doynges Chrisogonus here that most can do wil presse vs with his power ¶ A whisht or a warnyng to speake no more A Whisht is when we bid them holde their peace that haue least cause to speake and can do litle good with their talkyng Diogenes beeyng vpon the Sea emong a number of naughtie packes in a greate storme of wether when diuerse of these wicked felowes cried out for feare of drownyng some with fained prayour to Iuppiter some to Neptune and euery one as they beste fantaised the goddes aboue whishte ê™ Diogenes for vp Gods mother if God hym selfe knowe you be here you are lyke to be drowned euery mothers sonne of you Meanyng that they were so nought and so fainedly made their prayour to false Godes without mynde to amende their naughtie lyfe that the lyuyng God woulde not leaue them vnpunished though they cried neuer so fast Wee vse this figure likewyse when in speakyng of any man we saie whisht the woulfe it at hand when the same man cometh in the meane season of whome we spake before ¶ Contrarietie COntrarietie is when our talke standeth by contrarie wordes or sentences together As thus wee mighte despraise some one man he is of a straunge nature as euer I sawe for to his frende he is churlishe to his foe he is ientle geue him faire wordes and you offende hym checke hym sharpely and you wynne hym Let hym haue his will and he will flye in your face kepe hym shorte and you shal haue hym at commaundement ¶ Freâ—nesse of speache FReenesse of speache is when wee speake boldely without feare euen to the proudest of them whatsoeuer we please or haue list to speake Diogenes herein did excel and feared no man when he sawe iust cause to saie his mynde This worlde wanteth suche as he was and hath ouer many suche as neuer honest maÌ„ was that is to say flatterers fawners and southers of mennes saiynges ¶ Stomake grief
thinges whiche by manâ—es wit are coÌ„ceiued or thus Memorie is the power of the mind that conteineth thynges receiued that calleth to mynde thynges past renueth of freshe thynges forgotten ¶ The place of memorie THe Phisicians declare that in the former parte of the hed lieth the common sense the whiche is therfore so called because it geueth iudgement of al the fiue outwarde senses onely when thei are presently occupied aboute any thyng As when I heare a thyng or see a thyng my common sense iudgeth that then I doe heare or se thesame But the memorie called the Threasure of the mynde lieth in the hynder parte the whiche is made moste perfect by temperatnesse and moderacion of qualitees in the brain For where humours excede or want there must nedes ensue muche weakenesse of remembraunce Children therefore beyng ouer moyst and olde menne ouer drie haue neuer good memories Again where ouer muche cold is extreme moysture there is euer muche forgetfulnesse Therfore it auaileth greatly what bodies we haue and of what constitucion thei bee compacte together For suche as bee hotte and moyste do sone conceiue matters but thei kepe not long Again thei that bee colde and drie dooe hardely conceiue but thei kepe it surely when thei ones haue it And the reason is this heate beyng chief qualitee dooeth drawe thynges vnto it as we maie se by the Sonne the whiche notwithstaÌ„dyng are sone after dissipated resolued Again who hath seen a print made in water of any yerthly thing Then though heat and moysture together drawe thynges vnto them yet we se plainly thei cannot long hold theim But when the brain is cold and drie thynges are therfore the faster holden because it is the propertie of colde and drought to thicken all thynges and to harden theim faste together as we see the water through coldenesse is congeled and softe thynges are frosen oftentymes almoste as harde as a stone So that moysture through heate beyng chief qualitee doth drawe and drought through coldnesse whiche is chief contrary to heate dooeth harden and make thynges fast together But now how dooe wee knowe that the memorie resteth in the latter parte of the hedde No doubte experience hath proued and confirmed this to be moste true For there hath been some that beyng hurt in that place haue vtterly forgot their awne name I do remember one man that beeyng hurte in that place at the insurreccion of the Lincolne Shire men xv yeres past could not deuise the makyng of some Letters in his Crosse rowe when he tooke penne and ynke to write to his frende whereas before that tyme he wrote bothe faste and faire and was learned in the Latine And therefore when he wrote he would stande musyng a greate while before he could call to his remembraunce howe he vsed to make a P. a G. or suche another letter whereupon diuerse muche marueiled what he would haue or what he ment at the first tyme. For beyng greued and willing to aske help he could not vtter his meanyng for lacke of remembraunce and yet his tongue serued hym well otherwise to vtter whatsoeuer came in his hedde ¶ The diuision of memorie MEmorie is partly naturall and partly artificiall Naturall memorie is when without any preceptes or lessons by the onely aptenesse of nature we beare awaie suche thynges as wee heare Wherein some heretofore did muche excell and greatly passe all other As Themistocles who had so good a memorie that when one proffered to teache hym the arte of memorie naye by saincte Marâ—e ê™ he teache me rather the arte of forgettyng Declaryng thereby that his memorie was passyng good and that it was more pain for hym to forgette suche thynges as he would not kepe then hard to remember suche thinges as he would knowe Mithridates also hadde suche an excellente memorie that whereas he was Lorde and ruler ouer .xxij. straunge countries that spake diuers speaches one from an other he was able to talke wyth euerye one of theym in their owne countrey language Likewyse Cyrus Kynge of the Persians hauinge a greate armye of menne knewe the names of all his Souldiours Cyneas Ambassadoure for kinge Pyrrhus called euerye one by his name that was in the Parliamente house at Rome the seconde daye after he came thither the number of them beyng foure times as many as they â—e that belonge vnto the Parliament here in Englande Iulius Cesar is reported that he coulde reade heare and tel one what he should write so fast as his penne could runne and endite letters hym selfe altogether at one time Thus we see that naturallye menne haue hadde wonderfull memories as contrarywise there haue bene hearde of as straunge forgetfull wittes Some hathe not knowen his right hande from his lefte An other hath forgotte his owne name An other hath caried his knyfe in his mouth and hath runne rounde aboute the house sekinge for it An other hath tolde a tale halfe an houre together and immediatly after hath forgotte what he spake al that while Cicero telleth of one Curio that where as he woulde make a deuision of three partes he woulde either foget the thirde or make vp a fourthe contrarye to his firste purpose and entente This I remember beinge a boye that where as a preacher hadde taken vpon him to set forthe the .xij. Articles of our beliefe he coulde not in all the worlde finde oute paste nine So that he was fayne to saye he was assured there was twelue where soeuer the other thre were become and he doubted not but the hearers knewe theim better then he did and therfore he woulde for his parte saye no more but commit them all to God and those nine thought he were enoughe for him at that time to set forthe and expounde for their vnderstandinge Nowe the beste meane bothe to mende an euil memory and to preserue a good is firste to kepe a diet and eschewe surfites to slepe moderatelye to accompanye with women rarelye and laste of all to exercise the witte with cunnynge of manye thinges without Booke and euer to be occupied with one thinge or other For euen as by laboure the witte is whetted so by lithernes the witte is blunted But nowe concerning the other kinde of memorye called artificial I had nede to make a long discourse considering the straungenesse of the thinge to the English eare and the hardnes of the matter to the ignoraunte vnlearned But firste I will shew from whence it hath beginning and vpon what occasion it was first inuented before I aduenture to declare the preceptes that belonge vnto the same The firste founder of the arte of Remembraunâ—e THE inuention of this Arte is fatherde vpon Simonides for when the same manne as the fable recordeth had made in behalfe of a triumphaÌ„t Champion called Scopas for a certaine summe of money a Ballade suche as was then wonte to be made for Conquerours