so ample and plentifull to enriche them whereby thei growe to be lordes ouer many thousandes of poundes yet the wealthe gotten by it is so iniurious that thei are a greate plague to all partes of the coÌ„mon wealthe so many daungers and mischiues riseth of theÌ„ Cato the noble and wise 〈◊〉 of Rome being demaunded diuers questions what was firste to bee sought in a familie or housholde the aunsweres not likyng the demaunder this question was ashed O Cato what senfeÌ„ce giue you of Vsurie that is a goodlie matter to bee enriched by Then Cato aunswered in fewe woordes Quid hominem occidere What saie you to be a murderer Soche a thyng faieth he is Vsurie A brief sentence againste Vsurers but wittely pronounced from the mouth of a godlie sage noble and descrite persone whiche sentence let the Vsurer ioigne to his Vsure retourned and repeate at the retourne thereof this sentence of Cato I haue murthered This one sentence will discourage any Vsurer knowyng hymself a murtherer Though moche more maie be spoken against it this shalbe sufficient The Hebrues calleth Vsurie by the name of Shecke that is a bityng gaine of the whiche many haue been so bitten that whole families haue been deuoured beggerie haue been their gaine And as Palingenius noteth Debitor aufugiens portat cum faenore sortem The debtour often tymes saieth he runneth awaie and carieth with hym the debte and gaines of the Vsurie The Grekes calleth Vsurie Tokos that is properlie the trauaile of women of their childe soche is their Vsurie a daungerous gettyng Demosthenes likeneth their state as thus as if terrestriall thynges should be aboue the starres and the heaueÌ„s and celestialle bodies gouerned by the base and lowe terrestriall matters whiche by no meanes can conserue the excellencie of them for of them onely is their matter substauÌ„ce and nature conserued ¶ Exclusion of mercie WHerefore to whom regimente and gouernemente is committed on whose administracion the frame of the coÌ„mon wealth doe staie it self thei ought with al wisedome and moderacion to procede in soche causes whose office in worthinesse of state and dignitie maketh theÌ„ as Goddes on the yearth at whose mouthes for wisedome counsaill and fortunate state infinite people doe depende It is no smal thing in that their sword aucthoritee doeth sette or determine all thinges that tendereth a prosperous state whereupon with all integritee and equitée thei ought to temper the affeccions of their mynde and accordyng to the horrible facte and mischiues of the wicked to exasperate agrauate their terrible iudgemente and to extirpate from the yearth soche as be of no societie in life The 〈…〉 the thief the adulterer for by these all vertue 〈…〉 out all godlie societie extinguished citâ—â—â— râ—alâ—es and câ—untries prostrate plagued for the toleraâ—ion of their 〈…〉 agâ—inst sâ—ch â—renâ—â—hip in iudgemente muste cease and accordyng to the state of the cause equitee to retaine frendship money muste not blinde nor rewardes to force and temper Iudgementes but accordyng to the veritâ—â— of the cause to adde a conclusion Worthelie the pictures of Princes Gouernours and Magistrates in auncient tymes doe shewe this where the antiquitée maketh theim without handes therein it sheweth their office and iudgemente to proceade with equitée rewardes not to blind or suppresse the sinceritie of the cause Magistrates not to bee bounde to giftes not rewardes to rule their sentence Alciatus in his boke called Emblemata in senatuÌ„ sancti principis Effigies manibus trunce ante altaria diâ—â—â—e Hic resident quarum himine capta prior Signa potestatis fumme sanctique senatus Thebanis fuerant ista reperta viris Cur resident Quia mente graues decet esse quieta Iuridicos animo nec variare leui Cur sine sunt manibus Capiant ne xenia nec se Pollicitis flecti muneribus ve smant Cecus est princeps quod solis auribus absque Affectu constans iussa senatus agit Where vertue and integritie sheweth it self in the persone and cause to vpholde and maintain the same Roote out horrible vices from common wealthe that the more surer and stronge foundacion of vertue maie be laied for that onelie cause the scepter of kinges the â—â—â—ice of magistrates was left to the posteritee of allâ—ges ¶ Lawfull and just SEyng that lawes bee godlie and vniuersally thei temper equitée to all states and giue according to iustice euery man his owne he 〈◊〉 vertue that disposâ—â—â—e than other manne of his own and 〈…〉 Iustice And thereupon his beastly life by 〈…〉 forceth and driueth lawe and Magistrate to terrible iudgement For who so against right without order or lawe violateth an other man soche a one lawes of iustice muste punishe violentlie and extirpate from societée beyng a 〈◊〉 of societee ¶ Profitable IF soche wicked persones be restrained and seuerelie punished horrible vices will be rooted out all artes sciences and godlie occunacions maintained vpholded and kept Then there must bee a securitee in all states to practise godlines a mutuall concorde The Magistrate with equitée the subiecte with faithful and humble obedience accomplishyng his state office and callyng Whereupon by good Magistrates and good subiectes the common wealthe and kyngdom is in happie state stablished For in these twoo poinctes as Plato doeth saie there is vertuous rule and like obedience ¶ Easie and possible AL this maie easely be doen when wickednes is cutte of in his firste groweth when the magistrate driueth continually by sworde and authoritee all menne to obedience bothe of lawes and gouernuurs Then in al good common wealthes vices are neuer tolerated to take roote because the beginnyng and increase of vices is sone pulled vp his monsterous kyngdome thereby ouerthrowen ¶ The conclusion SO doyng happie shall the kyng be happie kyngdome and moste fortunate people ¶ The parte of Rhetorike called praise â—His Oracion which is 〈◊〉 praise is a declamacioÌ„ of the vertuous or good qualitees properties belongyng to any thyng whiche dâ—â—th procede by certaine notes of aâ—te All thynges that maie be seeâ—â— with the iye of 〈◊〉 touched or with any other senâ—â— apprâ—hendâ—d â–ª that maie be praised or dispraised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fâ—â—â—e Beaâ—â—â— Orthardes Stones Trees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caâ—â—â—â—â— Tâ—â—â—â—â— â—aâ—dâ—ins 〈◊〉 Artes. Sciâ—ncâ—â— Any vertue maie be praised as wisedome rightuousnes fortitude magnanimitie temperaunce liberalitee with all other These are to be celebrated with praise The persone as Iulius Cesar Octauius Auguâ—â—â—â— Hiereâ—â—le Tullie Cato Demosthenes Thynges as rightuousnes temperaunce Tymes as the Spring tyme of the yere Sommer Haruest Winter Places as Hauens Orthardes Gardeins Toures Castles Temples Iâ—â—andes Beastes wantyng reason as Horse Shepe Oxen 〈…〉 In the praise of vertue this maie be saied THe excellencies of it the antiquitâ—e and originalls beginnyng 〈…〉 any region by it as no 〈…〉 without vertues and to extoll the same in makyng a comparison with other giftes of nature or with other giftes
common place though it semeth to be made againste this man or that man because the matter of the same shall properly pertain to all giltie of the same matter Pristianus sheweth that this parte of Rhetorike is as it were a certaine exaggeracion of reason to induce a manifest probacion of any thyng committed As for example a Theife taken in a robberie in whom neither shamefastnesse nor sparcle of grace appereth against soche a one this oracion maie be made to exasperate the Iudges from all fauour or affeccion of pitie to be shewed ¶ The order of this Oracion followeth with these notes to be made by ¶ The firste Proheme â–ª DEmosthenes the famous Orator of Athenes in his oracioÌ„ made against AristogitoÌ„ doeth saie that Lawes wherewith a common wealthe citie or Region is gouerned are the gifte of God a profitable Discipline among men a restraint to with holde and kepe backe the wilfull rashe and beastilie life of man and therupoÌ„ Aristotle and Plato doe shewe that through the wicked behauour of men good lawes were first ordained for of ill maners saie thei rose good lawes where lawes doe cease and good order faileth there the life of man will growe rude wild and beestlie Man beyng a chiefe creature or God indued with manie singuler vertues is framed of nature to a mutuall and Godlie societie of life without the whiche moste horrible wolde the life bee for not onlie by concorde and agremente the life of man dothe consiste but al things on the earth haue therin their being the heauens and lâ—ghtes conteined in the same haue a perpetuall harmonie concente in finishyng their appointed race The elementes of the worlde where with the nature and substaunce of all thinges doe consiste onlie by a harmonie and temperature of eche parte haue their abidyng increase prosperous beyng otherwise their substaunce perisheth and nature in all partes decaieth Kyngdomes and common wealthes doe consiste in a harmonie so long as vertue and all singularitie tempereth their state and gouernemente and eche member thereof obeieth his function office and callynge and as partes of thesame bodie euerie one as nature hath ordained theim occupiyng their roume and place the vse of euerie parte all to the vse and preseruacion of the hole bodie and as in the bodie so in the common wealthe the like concorde of life oughte to be in euery part the moste principall parte accordyng to his dignitie of office as moste principall to gouerne thother inferior partes and it thei as partes moste principal of thesame bodie with all moderacion and equabilitie teÌ„peryng their state office and calling The meanest parte accordyng to his lowe state appliyng hymselfe to obeie and serue the moste principall wherein the perfecte and absolute frame of common wealthe or kyngdome is erected And seyng that as the Philosophers doe saie of ill maners came good lawes that is to saie the wicked and beastlie life of man their iniurius behauiour sekyng to frame themselues from men to beastes moued the wise and Godlie elders to ordaine certaine meanes to rote discipline whereby the wickedlie disposed personne should bee compelled to liue in order to obeie Godlie lawes to the vpholdyng of societie Therefore all suche as dissolue lawes caste doune good order and state of common wealth out as putride and vnprofitable weedes to be extirpated and plucked vp from Citie and Common wealthe from societie who by mischeuous attemptes seke to extinguishe societie anntie and concord in life Princes gouernors with al other magistrates ought in their gouernment to imitate the practise of the Phisician the nature of man wekedned and made feble with to moche abundaunce of yll humors or ouermoch with ill bloode replenished to purge and euacuate that and all to the preseruacion and healthe of the whole bodie for so was the meanyng of the Philosopher intreatyng of the politike gouernment of kingdome and commonwealth when thei compared a kingdome to the bodie of man the thefe and robber as a euill and vnprofitable member and all other as without all right order lawe equitie and iustice doe breake societie of life be the against lawe and nature possessing the goodes of a other man are to bee cutte of as no partes méete to remaine in any societie ¶ The seconde Proheme THe chifest cause that moued gouernours and magistrates to cutte of the race of theues and violeÌ„te robbers and of all other mischeuous persons was that by them a confusion would ensue in al states What Citee could stande in prosperous state yea or what house priuatlie inhabited where lawes and aucthoritee were exiled where violence will luste and appetite of pestiferous men might without terrour bee practised If the labour and industrie of the godlie should be alwaie a praie to y e wicked and eche mannes violence and iniurious dealyng his owne lawe the beaste in his state would bee lesse brutishe and iniurious Who so seketh to caste doune this societee he is not méete to be of any societée whiche he dissolueth Who so robbeth or stealeth to liue by the gooddes of an other manne as his possession is by violence and againste Nature so by violence and against nature their pestiferous doinges do frame their confusion their execrable desietable purpose do make theim a outcaste from all good people and as no members thereof cut of from all societée their euill life râ—â—â—th perpetual ignomie and shame And 〈…〉 the tragicall ende of their enterprise ¶ The contrarie HErein the lose and dissolute state of gouernments called of the Grekes Democratia haue contented the wilfull heddes of pestiferous men wherein euery man must bee a ruler Their owne will is their Lawe there luste setteth order no Magistrate but euery one to hymself a Magistrate All thynges in common as long as that state doeth remain emong the wicked a most happie state coumpted a wished state to idell persones but it continueth not Herein the murtherer the thiefe were meete to be placed The greater thiefe the better manner the moste execrable murtherer a moste mete persone for soche state of gouernemente There is no nacion vnder the Sunne but that one tyme or other this troublous state hath molested theim and many haue sought to sette vp soche a monsterous state of regiment a plagued common wealthe and to be detested Soche was the order of men when thei liued without lawes When the whole multitude were scattered no citee Toune or house builded or inhabited but through beastlie maners beastlie dispersed liued wilde and beastlie But the wise sage and politike heddes reduced by wisedome into a societie of life nature leadyng thereto Houses and habâ—tacions were then for necessitte made families multiplied villages and Taunes populoustie increased and Citees raised emong so infinite people Nature by God inuented and stablished Lawe and the sage and wise persones pronounced and gaue sentence vpon Lawes Whereupon by the
aunciente tymes herein doe shew and the decrées of auncient elders also how horrible a thing adulterie is when thei punishe it with death Who knoweth not emōg the Israelites and in the olde lawe thei wer stoned to death Well as Magistrates are in common wealthes remoued or as times chaunge lawes also are chaunged and dissolued and as the Prouerbe is Lex vt Regio the Lawes are accordyng to the Region Afterwarde Valerius Publicola a man ascendyng to high nobilitée of honour and fame emong the Romaines gaue this Lawe Qua neminem licebat indicta causa necare By this lawe it was not lefull any manne to be put to death their cause not examined in Iudgemente this was a goodlie Lawe Then afterwarde Lawe giuers rose in the common wealth that with more facilitee tolerated that vice then wickednesse flowed adulterie not punished by death And sence that the Romaine Empire wrapped and snared with soche mischiues hath decaied in fame nobilitée and vertue Many a parte of their dominion plagued deuoured and destroied The good and godlie menne nede not to feare any Lawe godlie their life beyng in vertue and godlines nurtured The terrible sentence of a lawe forceth the good and godlie to perseuere and continue in godlines The terrible sentence of a Lawe cutteth of the wicked enterprises of pestiferous menne Vice where lawe is not to correcte will inure it self by custome as a Lawe or borne and tolerated againste a Lawe Therefore as adulterie without Iudgemente to bee punished worthie of death is vngodlie so it ought not to bee passed ouer or tolerated in any Region or common wealth as no lawe seuerely to punishe the same ¶ The contrarie AL other lawes doe differ from that rigorous lawe of Solon and Plate herein yea and though thei be vices horrible yet thei ar not determined with out the sentēce of the Magistrate and Iudge But this cruell Lawe of Solon doeth repugne all lawes stablished in all Citees and common wealthes And sithe the lawe is of hymself vniuersall with equitée giuing and tempering to all states Fonde muste that Lawe bee of Solon whiche rashely without consideracion of iudgement doeth procede no man ought in his own cause to be his own iudge or Magistrate This is argument sufficient to confounde the lawe of Solon All Lawes are repugnaunte to that because with Iudgement thei procede against vices moste pestiferous In common wealthes Theft is by lawe pronounced worthie of death whereupon also the Magistrate and Iudge determineth the matter and heareth of bothe the action of the case before he condempneth so in all other mischiues But you maie saie many mischiues riseth of adulterie Although it so be the Iudge determineth vpon Murder whiche is in like sort horrible soche also as dooe séeke to caste into perill their countrée and by treason to destroie the same Iudgemente proceadeth by determinacion of the Lawe and Iudge And so in all other wicked factes and mischiuous enterprises the Iudgement in euery cause procedeth as Lawe and right willeth from the mouthe of the Iudge he beyng a liuelie Lawe to the Lawe written The cruell Lawe of Solon is like to the phantasie and wille of a tyraunte who as phantasie and will leadeth murdereth at his pleasure whose will is alwaies a sufficient Lawe to hymself as who should saie so I wille so I commaunde my wille shall stande for a Lawe but godlie lawes doe iustlie accordyng to reason and vertue tempereth the cause of euery man No godlie Lawe maketh the accuser his owne Iudge ¶ Lawfull WHo so by Lawe is iudged and the offence proued there is no excuse in the malefactour nor suspicion seing that accordyng to lawe the fact is punished and as Demosthenes saieth twoo thynges moued the wise Elders to make Lawes that the wicked should bee hindered and cutte of from their purpose and that good men seyng by a lawe the actes of pestiferous men kepte vnder by the terrour of them are afraied to commit the like facte This was euen accordyng to lawe The terrible sentence of a law executed vpon moste wicked persones doe kepe vnder many a mischiuous enterprise whiche through the dolefull and lamentable ende of the wicked doe driue and force all other to all godlines ¶ Iuste THe accuser by Lawe and Iudge is able to defende hymself whē his cause is ended accordyng to law Vertue thereby vpholded when by order of lawe vice is condempned The malifactour hath no excuse all staie and colour remoued the accuser by iuste Lawe pleateth when the law is thereby supported and saued And herein a greate parte of Iustice is placed when the fauour of the Iudge or frendship is onely on the cause the persone neclected that is Iustice to giue to euery one his owne ¶ Profitable IT must be profitable to the whole bodie of the common wealthe when by the Iustice of godlie lawes vertue is in high price aduaunced vice by the open sentence and manifeste profe conuicted the malefactour shall be knowen the sincere and godlie deliuered and from tyme to tyme maintained Lawes as thei be vniuersall so thei openlie ought to giue sentence ¶ Possible THen without lawe to procede and iudgemente of the Magistrate as Solon did in this lawe it were not possible any common wealthe to florishe therby Therefore in Iudgemente ought the cause of euery one to be pleated and examined that thereby all suspicion greuous enormitees maie be put of Vice is not therefore tolerated because for a tyme Iudgemente ceaseth but hereupon vices are more depely rooted out all people knowyng the determinacion of the lawe and the manifest sentēce of the Iudge heard A terrour ensueth to al malefactours and pestiferous men good men are incensed to all godlines whē vice by Lawe is condempned cutte of and destroied Good menne by Lawe and aucthoritée vpholded and maintained This is the state of good lawes by order to procede the cause in Iudgemente examined the facte proued vertue in any persone vpholded vice in all caste doune and defaced so there is good Lawe as Demosthenes saieth sincere Iudge and sentence inuiolable Rhetorike and Logike giuen of nature Arte furthereth nature Logike Rhetorike Logike Eloquence zeno Logike Similitude Logike Rhetorike like to the hande Rhetorike Logike and Rhetorike absolute in fewe The vertue of cioquence Demosthenes Tisias Gorgias Eschines Tullie Cato The Emperors of Rome famous in Eloquence Thusidides Corcurians Peloponesians Corinthians Lacedemonians Mituleniās Athenians Demosthenes Socrates Cato Crassus Antonius Catulus Cesar Philippe the kyng of the Macidoniās The saiyng of Philippe Demosthenes The ground of al learning what is a fable Morall Three sortes of fables i. A fable of reason ii Morall iii. Mixt. Poetes inuentours of fables Oratours vse fables Good doctrin in fables Hesiodus Ouide Demosthenes vsed fables The fable of Demosthenes of the Asse and the shadowe The contencion vpon the shadowe and the Asse Fadles well applied bee singuler
if he reade the aucthours life and actes therin or the Godlie preceptes in his fables shall giue abundant praise 3. Then thirdlie place the morall whiche is the interpretacion annexed to the Fable for the fable was inuented for the moralles sake 4. Then orderlie in the fowerth place declare the nature of thynges conteined in the Fable either of man fishe foule beaste plante trées stones or whatsoeuer it be There is no man of witte so dulle or of so grosse capacitée but either by his naturall witte or by reading or sences he is hable to saie somwhat in the nature of any thyng 5. In the fifte place sette forthe the thynges reasonyng one with an other as the Ant with the Greshopper or the Cocke with the precious stone 6. Thē in the vj. place make a similitude of the like matter 7. Then in the seuenth place induce an exāple for the same matter to bée proued by 8. Laste of all make the Epilogus whiche is called the conclusion and herein marke the notes folowyng how to make an Oracion thereby ¶ An Oracion made vpon the fable of the Shepeherdes and the wolues ¶ The fable THe Wolues on a tyme perswaded the Shepeherdes that thei would ioyne amitee and make a leagne of concord and vnitee the demaunde pleased the Shepeherdes foorthwith the Wolues requested to haue custodie of the bande Dogges because els theiwould be as thei are alwaies an occasion to breake their league and peace the Dogges beyng giuen ouer thei were one by one murthered and then the Shepe were wearied ¶ The praise of the aucthour THe posteritee of tymes and ages muste needes praise the wisedome and industrie of all soche as haue lefte in monumentes of writyng thynges worthie fame what can bee more excellently set foorthe or what deserueth chiefer fame and glorie then the knowledge of artes and sciences inuented by our learned wise and graue aūcestours and so moche the more thei deserue honour and perpetuall commendacions because thei haue been the firste aucthours and beginners to soche excellencies The posteritée praiseth and setteth forth the wittie and ingenious workes of Apelles Parthesius and Polucletus and all soche as haue artificially setforth their excellent giftes of nature But if their praise for fame florishe perpetuallie and increaseth for the worthines of theim yet these thynges though moste excellent are inferiour to vertue for the ende of artes and sciences is vertue and godlines Neither yet these thynges dissonaunt from vertue and not associate are commendable onely for vertues sake and to the ende of vertue the wittes of our auncestours were incensed to inuent these thynges But herein Poludetus Apelles and Parthesius maie giue place when greater vertues come in place then this my aucthour Esope for his godly preceptes wise counsaill and admonicion is chiefly to bée praised For our life maie learne all goodnes all vertue of his preceptes The Philosophers did neuer lo liuely sette forthe and teache in their scholes and audience what vertue and godlie life were as Esope did in his Fables Citees and common wealthes maie learne out of his fables godlie concorde and vnitee by the whiche meanes common wealthes florisheth and kingdoms are saued Herein ample matter riseth to Princes and gouernours to rule their subiectes in all godlie lawes in faithfull obedience the subiectes also to loue and scrue their prince in al his affaires and busines The father maie learne to bring vp and instructe his childe thereby The child also to loue and obeie his parentes The huge and monsterous vices are by his vertuous doctrine defaced and extirpated his Fables in effcet contain the mightic volumes and bookes of all Philosophers in morall preceptes the infinite monumētes of lawes stablished If I should not speake of his commendacion the fruictes of his vertue would shewe his commendacions but that praise surmounteth all fame of glory that commendeth by fame it self the fruictes of fame in this one Fable riseth to my aucthour whiche he wrote of the Shepeherd and the Wolues ¶ The Morall WHerein Esope wittely admonisheth all menne to beware and take heede of cloked and fained frendship of the wicked and vngodlie whiche vnder a pretence and offer of frendship or of benefite seeke the ruin dammage miserie or destruccion of man toune citée region or countree ¶ The nature of the thyng OF all beastes to the quantitée of his bodie the Wolue passeth in crueltée and desire of bloode alwaies vnsaciable of deuouryng neuer contented with his pray The Wolfe deuoureth and eateth of his praie all in feare and therefore oftentymes he casteth his looke to be safe from perill and daunger And herein his nature is straunge frō all beastes the iyes of the Wolfe tourned from his praie immediatlie the praie prostrate vnder his foote is forgotten and forthwith he see keth a newe praie so greate obliuion and debilitee of memorie is giuen to that beaste who chieflie seketh to denoure his praie by night The Wolues are moche inferior to the bandogges in strength bicause nature hath framed thē in the hinder parts moche more weaker and as it were manned and therefore the bandogge dooeth ouermatche theim and ouercome them in fight The Wolues are not all so mightie of bodie as the Bandogges of diuers colours of fight more sharpe of lesse heddes but in smellyng the nature of a Dogge passeth all beastes and creatures whiche the historie of Plinie dooe shewe and Aristotle in his booke of the historie of beastes therein you shall knowe their excellente nature The housholde wanteth not faithfull and trustie watche nor resistaunce in the cause of the maister the Bandogge not wantyng Plinie sheweth out of his historie how Bandogges haue saued their Maister by their resistaunce The Dogge of all beastes sheweth moste loue and neuer leaueth his maister the worthines of the bādogge is soche that by the lawe in a certaine case he is counted accessarie of Felonie who stealeth a Bandogge from his maister a robberie immediatly folowing in the same family As concernyng the Shepe for their profite and wealthe that riseth of theim are for worthines waiyng their smalle quantitie of bodie aboue all beastes Their fleshe nourisheth purely beyng swete and pleasaunt their skinne also serueth to diuers vses their Wolles in so large and ample maner commodious seruyng all partes of common wealthes No state or degrée of persone is but that thei maie goe cladde and adorned with their wolles So GOD in his creatures hath created and made man beyng a chief creatour and moste excellent of all other all thinges to scrue him and therefore the Stoicke Philosophers doe herein sheweth excellencie of man to be greate when all thinges vpon the yearth and from the yearth doe serue the vse of man yet emong men there is a diuersitee of states and a difference of persones in office and cōdicion of life As concernyng the Shepherde
can not take place to help theÌ„ Soche as do folowe the life of the Greshopper are worthie of their miserie who haue no witte to foresée seasons and tymes but doe suffer tyme vndescretly to passe whiche fadeth as a floure thold Romaines do picture Ianus with two faces a face behind an other before which resemble a wiseman who alwaies ought to knowe thinges paste thynges presente and also to be experte by the experience of many ages and tymes and knowledge of thynges to come ¶ The comparison betwene the twoo thynges WHat can be more descritlie doen then the Ante to be so prouident and politike as that all daunger of life necessitie is excluded the stormie times of Winter ceaseth of might honger battereth not his walles hauyng soche plentie of foode for vnlooked bitter stormes and seasons happeneth in life whiche when thei happen neither wisedoÌ„ nor pollicie is not able to kepe backe Wisedome therefore it is so to stande that these thynges hurte not the miserable ende of the Greshopper sheweth vnto vs whiche maie be an example to all menne of what degree so euer thei bee to flie slothe and idelnesse to be wise and discrite ¶ Of contraries AS diligence prouidence and discrete life is a singulare gift whiche increaseth all vertues a pillar staie and a foundacion of all artes and science of common wealthes and kyngdomes So contrarily sloth and sluggishnesse in all states and causes defaseth destroyeth and pulleth doune all vertue all science and godlines For by it the mightie kyngdome of the LidiaÌ„s was destroied as it semeth no small vice when the Lawes of Dracâ— dooe punishe with death idelnesse ¶ The ende THerefore the diligence of the Ante in this Fable not onelie is moche to be commended but also her example is to bee followed in life Therefore the wiseman doeth admonishe vs to go vnto the Ant and learne prouidence and also by the Greshopper lette vs learne to auoide idelnes lesse the like miserie and calamitie fall vpon vs. ¶ Narratio THis place followyng is placed of Tullie after the exordium or beginnyng of Oracion as the seconde parte whiche parte of Rhetorike is as it were the light of all the Oracion folowing conteining the cause matter persone tyme with all breuitie bothe of wordes and inuencion of matter ¶ A Narracion A Narracion is an exposicion orderlaracion of any thyng dooen in deede or els a settyng forthe forged of any thyng but so declaimed and declared as though it were doen. A narracion is of three sortes either it is a narracion historicall of any thyng contained in any aunciente storie or true Chronicle Or Poeticall whiche is a exposicion fained set for the by inuencion of Poetes or other Or ciuill otherwise called Iudiciall whiche is a matter of controuersie in iudgement to be dooen or not dooen well or euill In euery Narracion ye must obserue sixe notes 1. Firste the persone or doer of the thing whereof you intreate 2. The facte doen. 3. The place wherein it was doen. 4. The tyme in the whiche it was doen. 5. The maner must be shewed how it was doen. 6. The cause wherevpon it was doen. There be in this Narracion iiij other properties beloÌ„ging 1. First it must be plain and euident to the hearer not obscure 2. short and in as fewe wordes as it maie be for soche a matter 3. Probable as not vnlike to be true 4. In wordes fine and elegante ¶ A narracion historicall vpon Semiramis Queene of Babilon how and after what sort the obtained the gouernment thereof AFter the death of Ninus somtime kyng of Babilon his soonne Nuius also by name was left to succede hym in all the Assirian Monarchie Semiramis wife to Ninus the firste feared the tender age of her sonne wherupon she thought that those mightie nacions and kyngdomes would not obaie so young and weake a Prince Wherfore she kept her sonne from the gouernmente and moste of all she feared that thei would not obaie a woman forthwith she fained her self to be the soonne of Ninus and bicause she would not be knowen to bee a woman this Quene inuented a newe kinde of tire the whiche all the Babilonians that were men vsed by her commaundement By this straunge disguised tire and apparell she not knowen to bee a woman ruled as a man for the space of twoo and fourtie yeres she did marueilous actes for she enlarged the mightie kyngdome of Babilon and builded the same citée Many other regions subdued and vallauntlie ouerthrowen she entered India to the whiche neuer Prince came sauing Alexander the greate she paâ—â—ed not onely men in vertue counsaill and valiaunt stomacke but also the famous counsailours of Assiria might not contende with her in Maiestie pollicie and roialnes For at what tyme as thei knewe her a woman thei enuied not her state but marueiled at her wisedome pollicie and moderacion of life at the laste she desiryng the vnnaturall lust and loue of her soonne Ninus was murthered of hym ¶ A narracion historicall vpon kyng Richard the third the cruell tiraunt â–ª RIchard duke of Glocester after the death of Edward the fowerth his brother king of England vsurped the croune moste traiterouâ—â—â—e and wickedlie this kyng Richard was sâ—â—ll of stature deformed and ill shaped his shoulders beared not equalitie a pulyng face yet of countenaunce and looke cruell malicious deceiptfull bityng and chawing his nether lippe of minde vnquiet pregnaunt of witte quicke and liuely a worde and a blowe wilie deceiptfull proude arrogant in life and cogitacion bloodie The fowerth daie of Iulie he entered the tower of London with Anne his wife doughter to Richard Exle of Warwick and there in created Edward his onely soonne a child of ten yeres of age Prince of Wales At the same tyme in the same place he created many noble peres to high prefermente of honour and estate and immediatly with feare and faint harte bothe in himself and his nobles and commons was created king alwaies a vnfortunate and vnluckie creacion the harts of the nobles and commons thereto lackyng or faintyng and no maruaile he was a cruell murtherer a wretched caitiffe a moste tragicall tyraunt and blood succour bothe of his nephewes and brother George Duke of Clarence whom he caused to bee drouned in a Butte of 〈…〉 the staires sodainlie remoued wheron he stepped the death of the lorde Riuers with many other nobles compassed and wrought at the young Princes commyng out of Wales the .xix. daie of Iuly in the yere of our lorde 1483. openly he toke vpon him to be king who sekyng hastely to clime fell according to his desart sodainly and ingloriously whose Embassage for peace Lewes the Frenche king for his miseheuous boodie slaughter so moche abhorred that he would neither see the Embassador nor heare the Embassage for he murthered his .ij. nephues by the handes of one Iames Tirrell
obedience of lawes and preeminente authoritie of Magistrates The state of mightie kyngdomes and Common wealthes haue growen to soche a roialnesse and loftie state many famous kingdomes haue been on the face of the yearth many noble Princes from tyme to tyme succedyng whiche without a order of godlie lawes could not haue continued What was the cause that the mightie Monarchies continued many hundred yeres did the losse and dissolute life of subiectes and Princes cause the same but good lawes and obedience to orders Therefore where Magistrates bothe in life and office liue in the obedience of Lawes the multitude inferiour by example of the Magistrates singularitie incensed dooe place before them their example of life as a strong lawe Theodosius Emperor of Rome writyng to Volufianus his chief Pretor as concernyng his office in these woordes saieth Digna vox est maiestate regnantis legibus alligatum se principem profiteri Adeo de autoritate Iuris nostra pendet autoritas et reuera maius imperio est submittere legibus principatum oraculo presentis edicti quod nobis licere non patimur alijs indicamus It is a worthie saiyng and meete for the Maiestie of a Prince to acknowledge hymself vnder his lawe For our aucthoritie power and sworde doeth depende vpon the force might and aucthoritie of Lawes and it passeth all power and aucthoritie his gouernemente and kyngdome to be tempered by lawe as a moste inuiolable Oracle and decrée so to doe as we prouulgate to other Whereupon it is manifeste what force godlie lawes gaue to the Prince what aucthoritie Take lawes awaie all order of states faileth the Prince by Lawe is a terrour to the malefactour his Maiestie is with all humblenesse serued feared and obeied By lawes his state maketh hym as a God emong menne at whose handes thé preseruacion of eche one of house citee and countrie is sought Seing bothe lawes and the Prince haue that honour and strength that without them a Chaos a confusion would followe in the bodie of all common wealthes and kyngdomes Let them by aucthoritie and lawe bee confounded that practise to subuerte aucthoritie to neclecte the Prince and his godlie lawes ¶ The exposition THe theife or any other iniurious persons doeth seke to bee aboue all lawes exempted from all order vnder no obedience their pestiferous dealyng dooe vtter the same For as Demosthenes the famous Orator of Athenes doeth saie If that wicked men cease not their violeÌ„ce if that good men in all quietnes and securitie can not enioys their owne goddes while lawe and aucthoritie of the magistrate seuerelie and sharply vseth his aucthoritie and sword If dailie the heddes of wicked men cease not to subuerte lawes orders and decrees godlie appoincted Whiles that in all Citees and common wealthes the Princes and gouernours are by lawes a terror to them Lawes then ceasyng the dreadfull senteÌ„ce of the Iudge and Magistrate wanting The sworde vndrawen all order confounded what a confusion would followe yea what an open passage would bee lefte open to all wickednesse The terrour of Lawes the sworde and aucthoritie of the Magestrate depresseth and putteth doune the bloodie cogitacions of the wicked and so hindereth and cutteth of many horrible and bloodie enterprises Els there would bee neither Prince Lawe nor subiects no hedde or Magistrate but euery manne his owne hedde his owne lawe and Magistrate oppression and violence should bee lawe and reason and wilfull luste would bee in place of reason might force and power should ende the case Wherefore soche as no lawe no order nor reason will driue lo liue as members in a common wealthe to serue in their functioÌ„ Thei are as Homere calleth theim burdeins to the yearth for thei are of no societie linked with Nature who through wickednesse are disseuered abhorryng concorde of life societie and felowship Whom sinister and bitter stormes of fortune doe daiely vexe and moleste who in the defence of their countrie are masmed and thereby their arte and science for imbecilitie not practised all art otherwise wantyng extreme pouertee fallyng on them reason muste moue and induce all hartes to pitee chieflie their state who in defence and mainteinaunce of our Countrie Prince and to the vpholdyng of our priuate wealthe at home are become debilitated deformed and maimed els their miseries will driue them to soche hedlesse aduentures that it maie bee saied as it was saied to Alexander the Greate Thy wartes O Prince maketh many theues and peace will one daie hang them vp Wherein the Grecians as Thusidides noteth had a carefull prouidence for all soche as in the defence of their Countrie were maimed yea euen for their wiues and children of all soche as died in warre to be mainteined of the commoÌ„ charge and threasure of Grece Reade his Oracion in the seconde booke niade vpon the funerall of the dedde soldiours ¶ A comparison of vices THe dronkarde in his state is beastlie the proude and arrogante persone odious the riotous and prodigall persone to be contempned the coueitous and nigardlie manne to bee reietted But who so by violence taketh a waie the goodes of an other man or by any subtill meanes iniustlie possesseth the same is detestable with all seueritée to be punished The adulterer and the harlotte who by brutishe behauiour leude affection not godlines leadyng theréto who by their vnchast behauior and wanton life doe pollute and coÌ„taminate their bodie in whom a pure muide ought to be reposed Who therowe beastly affection are by euill maners transformed to beastes and as moche as in theim lieth multipliyng a brutishe societie The homicide in his state more horrible accordyng to his outragious and bloodie life is to bee tormented in like sort all other vices accordyng to their mischiues reason Lawe and Iustice must temper and aggrauate due reward and sentence to them ¶ The sentence NO vice was more greuous and horrible emong the Scithians then thefte for this was their saiyng Quid 〈…〉 potent silicet furarl what can be safe if thefte bee â—eâ—ull or tolerated Herein the vniuersalle societee of â—â—â— is caste doune hereby a confusion groweth and a subuersion in all states immediatlie followeth equitee iustice and all sincere dealyng is 〈…〉 violence extirpateth vertue and aucthoritie is 〈◊〉 of ¶ The digression THe facte in other maie be with more facilitie tolerated in that to theim selues the facte and conuersacion of life is moste perâ—â—â—â—â—us and hâ—rtfull but by so he kinde of nature whole kyngdomes and common wealthes would bee 〈…〉 for a prosperous state and common wealthe a common woe and calamitee would fall on them tumultes and vprores maintained right and lawe exiled neither in field quitnes welth or riches houses spoiled families extinguished in all places sedicion warre for peace violence for right will and â—â—st for lawe a hedlesse order in all states And as concernyng Vsurers though their 〈◊〉 be neuer
pollicie soche a one was Epaminundas to his enemies and coūtrée ¶ The comparison NEither Hector of Troie nor Achilles of Grece might bee compared with Epaminundas Numa Pompilius was not more godlie Adriane the Emperour of Roome no better learned nor Galba the Emperour more valiaunte Nerua no more temperate nor Traianus more noble neither Cocles nor Decius Scipionor Marcus Regulus did more valiauntly in the defence of their countrie soche a one was this Epaminundas ¶ The conclusion OF many thynges these fewe are recited but if his whole life and vertues wer worthely handeled fewe would beleue soche a rare gouernour so vertuous a Prince so hardie and valiaunte a capitaine to haue remained in no age ¶ The parte of Rhetorike called dispraise THis parte of Rhetorike which is called dispraise is a suuectiue Oracion made againste the life of any man This part of Rhetorike is contrary to that whiche is before set called laus that is to saie praise and by contrary notes procedeth for the Oratour or declaimer to entreate vpō This parte of Rhetorike is called of the Grekes Psogos In praise we extoll the persone First by his countrée Then by his auncestours and parentes In the third place by his education and institucion Then in the fowerth place of his actes in life In the fifte place vse a comparison comparyng the persone with other whiche are more inferiour Then the conclusion Now in dispraise contrarily we doe procede Firste in the dispraise of his countrée Of his auncetours and parentes His educacion is dispraised Then his actes and deedes of life Also in your comparison with other dispraise hym Then in the laste place adde the conclusion All thynges that maie be praised maie be dispraised ¶ The dispraise of Nero. AS vertue meriteth commendacion and immortall renoume for the nobilitée and excellencie reposed in it so ougle vices for the deformitée of them are in mynd to be abhorred and detested and with all diligence counsaile and wisedome aucided As pestiferous poison extinguisheth with his corrupcion and nautinesse the good and absolute nature of all thinges so vice for his pestiferous nature putteth out vertue and rooteth out with his force all singularitée For vice and vertue are so of nature contrary as fire and water the violence of the one expelleth the other for in the mansion of vertue vice at one tyme harboreth not neither vertue with vice can be consociate or vnited for vertue is a singuler meane or Mediocrite in any good enterprise or facte with order and reason finished Whose acte in life doeth repugne order and reason disseuered from all Mediocrite soche do leaue iustice equitée wisedome temperaunce fortitude magnanimitée and al other vertues bothe of minde and body onely by vertues life men shewe theimselues as chief creatures of God with reason as a moste principall gifte beautified and decorated In other giftes man is farre inferiour to beastes both in strength of bodie in celeritée and swiftnesse of foote in labour in industrie in sense nothyng to bee compared to beastes with beastes as a peculier and proper thyng wee haue our bodie of the yearth but our minde whiche for his diuinitée passeth all thynges immortall maketh vs as gods emōg other creatures The bodie therefore as a aliaunt and forain enemie beyng made of a moste base moste vile and corruptible nature repugneth the mynde This is the cause that wickednesse taketh soche a hedde and that the horrible facte and enterprise of the wicked burste out in that reason exiled and remoued from the minde the ougle perturbacions of the minde haue their regiment power and dominiō and where soche state of gouernemente is in any one bodie in priuate and domesticalle causes in forraine and publike affaires in kyngdome and cōmon wealthe Vertue fadeth and decaieth and vice onely beareth the swaie Lawe is ordered by luste and their order is will soche was the tyme and gouernment of this wicked Nero. ¶ Of his countres NEro was a Romaine borne though in gouernement he was wicked yet his coūtrée was famous and noble for the Romaines wer lordes and heddes ouer all the worlde The vttermoste Indians the Ethiopes the Persians feared the maiestie and aucthoritée of the Romaines From Romulus who was the firste founder and builder of that Citee the Romaines bothe had their name of hym and grew afterward to marueilous puisaunt roialnes There was no nacion vnder the Sunne but it dreaded their Maiestie or felte their inuincible handes there hath been many mightie kyngdomes on the face of the yearth but no kyngdome was able with like successe and felicitée in their enterprise or for like famous gouernors and continuance of their state to compare with them This was and is the laste mightée Monarchie in the worlde Roome a olde aunciente citee inhabited firste of the Aborigines which came from Troie The prouidence of God so disposeth the tymes and ages of the world the state of kyngdomes by the fall of mightier kyngdomes meaner grewe to power and glorie The Carthagineans contended by prowes and magnanimitee to be lordes ouer the Romaines Carthage was a greate mightie olde auncient famous citee in the whiche valiaunte wise and pollitike gouernours helde therein regiment long warres was susteined betwene the Romaines and Carthagineans emong whom infinite people and many noble péeres fell in the duste Fortune and happie successe fell to the Romaines the people of Carthage vāquished and prostrate to the grounde Scipio the noble Consull beyng at the destruccion of it seeyng with his iye Carthage by fire brunte to ashes saied Talis exitus aliquando erit Rome euē as of Carthage like shall the destruccion of Rome bee as for continuaunce of the Romaine state of their glorie power and worthie successe no nacion vnder the Sunne can compare with theim soche was the state of Rome wherein wicked Nero raigned ¶ Of his anncestours DOmitianus Nero the sonne of Domitius Enobarbus Agrippina was his mothers name this Agrippina was Empresse of Rome wife to Claudius Tiberius the daughter of his brother Germanicus This Agrippina the Chronicle noteth her to be indued with al mischief and crucltée For Tiberius her housbande hauyng by his firste wife children thei were murthered by her because she might thei beyng murthered with more facilitée further the Empire to her soonnes handes many treasons conspired against them oftentimes Agrippina poisoned her husbande then Nero succeded ¶ Of his educacion SEneca the famous Poete Philosopher was scholemaister to Nero who brought hym vp in all nobilitie of learnyng mete for his state though that Nero was wickedlie of nature disposed as his beastlie gouernement sheweth yet wickednes in him was by the seueritie of Seneca and his castigacion depressed for Traianus Emperour of Rome would saie as concernyng Nero for the space of fiue yeres no Prince was like to hym for good gouernement after fiue yeres losely and dissolutly he gouerned ¶ Of his actes THis
there bee then in a vnitée of life the housebande to liue with his wife The beastes in their kinde doe condemne mannes brutishe affections herein there is no facte that sheweth a man or woman more like to beastes then whoredome ¶ The obieccion But you will saie many calamitées happeneth in mariage ¶ The solucion Fortunne herein is to bee blamed and not mariage if any misfortune happeneth to manne therein the felicitée and quiet state that any man enioieth thereby The discrete eleccion is therein approued in the state itself nothyng can bee founde worthie reprehension if a man will impute the bitter stormes of life to mariage whatseouer happeneth our owne reason maie iudge contrary Place before thy iyes all the affaires and occupacions of this life bee all tymes pleasaunte to the housebande man many a colde storme perceth his bodie and many a mightie tempeste dooeth moiest hym and greue hym Sommer is not the tyme to caste his seede in the grounde or implowyng to occupie hymself shall he therfore leaue his housebandrie or doeth he rather neclecte it his diligence therein is the more and labour more industrious From whence commeth the tempeste the stormes and bitter seasons From his house from his wife from his art and occupacion all those thynges by violence are expelled from the aire No state of life is able to giue riches healthe or securitée to his state There hath been princes and Emperours nedie full of infirmitées and sickenes in daungerous state oppressed with many calamitées was their dignitie and office the cause of their calamitées No God tempreth the state of euery one how and after what sorte to possesse the same Some are fulle fortunate in Mariage if Mariage were of necessitée the cause then all should be onely fortunate or onely vnfortunate then in mariage is not the cause if in marige the maners doe disagrée and loue is extinguished blame thyn own maners thy choise and thy eleccion The Mariner that passeth the daungerous Seas and by dreadfull tempestes and huffyng waues is alwaies in perille and many often tymes drouned The Marchaunt lesyng his marchaundise by shipwrack shall thei impute the daunger and losse to their wife at home Or doe the Mariners leaue for all these tempestes their arte of Nauigacion Or the owner breake his shippe Or the Marchaunt proue no aduentures because of his losse and many haue been of this sort drouned No. But more earnestlie thei dooe assaie theim selues thereto Because warre spoileth many a man of his life doe Princes therefore leaue to moue armour againste the enemie but because who so in the defence of his countrée dieth manfullie is worthelie aduaunced and in perpetuall memorie no daunger is refused because euill thynges happeneth in life is the state of good thynges to be auoided and eschued Were it not vnsemelie if housebande men for no storme or tempeste doe leaue their state their laborious and rough coÌ„dition of life nor the shipman his arte of Nauigacion because he seeth many drouned venteryng thesame and he hymself often tymes in daunger nor the soldiour or capitain their perilous condicion of life doe leaue for daunger Should Mariage bée lesse sette by because alwaies riches and quietnes happeneth not ¶ The obieccion The losse of a good wife and children is a greate grefe to any man and a cause to blame mariage ¶ The aunswere You your self are borne to dye thei also by death obaye likewise Nature this is the Lawe of Nature ones to dye whiche you seeme to blame Thou the death of thy wife and childreÌ„ is not the blame in Mariage What is the cause that you dye Natures imbecillitie and weakenes then in theim Mariage is not the cause Nature in her firste molde hath so framed all wherefore doe you ascribe that to mariage that is founde faultée in Nature Thei die that marie not what infirmitie daunger or peril happeneth to any in mariage as sharpe and perilous doe molest and torment the other If any manne by death leaseth aright honeste wife clothed with all chastites demurenesse sobrietée and also with all singularitée of vertue adorned he hath losse a rare treasure a iewell of price not in all to bee sounde Did you loue your wife that was so goodlie so honeste and vertuous there was greate cause saie you for her vertuous sake God hath chosen her froÌ„ a mortall creature to immortalitée with her it can not bee better There is no cause why you should blame mariage for the losse of her or of thy children or for the losse of thee she to blame mariage If for thy owne sake this sorowe bee Estseipsum amantis non amici it is then of a self loue to thy self not for her cause for I muste aunswere as Lelius did to Aâ—â—ricanus Cumea optime esseactuÌ„ quis neget quid est quod no assecuta est immortalitatem Who can deny saieth he but that with her it can not bee better What is it that she hath not attained Immortalitée She was vertuous chaiste sober descrete of behauiour womanlie for her vertues beloued Well now she hath immortalitée and blesse are you sorie thereat that were enuious Did you loue her liuyng loue her also departed her vertuous shewed vnto vs her immortalitee ¶ The obieccion There is a care for the wife and children if the housband dye before theim ¶ The aunswere If thou leaue them riches hope not that thy riches shal be a staie to theim though thei bee innumerable a wretched a miserable executour wasteth and destroieth oftentymes the fruictes of thy trauaile who reioyseth more of thy death then of thy life Or thy childrens father in Lawe shall spoile and spende with a merie harte that whiche thou haste long tâ—rauailed for Staie thy self and thyne vpon Gods prouidence for it hath been seen many a riche widowe with infinite treasure lefte to her children also like porcions descendyng afterwarde bothe wife and children haue been brought to miserie and beggerlie state Otherwise poore children committed to the prouidence of God and vertuouslie brought vp and the wife in like state yet thei haue so passed their daies that thei haue rose to a goodlie state See that thy richesse bée not iniuriouslie gotten by falshode by liyng by Vsurie if it so be then Male parta male dilabuntur That is this gooddes euill gotte euill spente soche riches neuer giue déepe roote to their ofspryng That is an euill care by a iniurious care to purchase thynges and gooddes wickedlie Also mariage taketh awaie widowhed and doeth repare with a newe freshe mariage the lacke and priuacion of the other She that was by death left a widowe mariage again hath coupled her to a newe housbande and doeth restore that whiche death tooke awaie That that death dissolueth and destroieth mariage increaseth augmeÌ„teth and multiplieth Bee it so but mariage is a painfull life it forceth euery one to trauaile to vpholde and
maintaine his state I commende not the idell life neither a life occupied to no vertuous ende Nature moueth euery manne to loue hymself and his so thy care and paine be to a godlie purpose It is commendable It is the duetie of euery man as his power witte and industrie is able to emploie thereto his cogitacion To laboure for thy wife whom thou loueste and deare children thy laboure is pleasure the ioye easeth thy labour To behold thyself in thy children thei beyng vertuouslie broughte vp it is a goodlie comfort to liue with a chaste woman sober and continente her vertues be a continuall pleasure a passyng ioye In mariage ought to be greate deliberacion whom thou chosest to thy continuall compainie or felowshippe her life paste well knowen her parentes and kindrede how honeste and vertuous her maners her fame how commendable her countinaunce sober a constaunt iye and with shamefastnes beautified a mouthe vttering fewe woordes discretlie She is not to be liked whō no vertuous qualitées in her educaciō beutifieth and adorneth the goodlie qualitees sheweth the well framed and nurtured mynde These thynges maie be sufficiente to shewe what excellencie is in mariage and how necessarie it is to the procreacion and preseruaciō of mankind ¶ Legislatio ¶ A Oracion either in the defence of a Lawe or againste a Lawe MAny learned menne are in this opinion that vpon a Lawe alledged a Oracion maie bee made in the defence of it or matter maie be suppeditated to inuaigh by force of argument againste it Although the lawe alleged be in maner the whole cause bicause it doeth cōtain al the matter included in the oracion In this Oracion the persone is induced to be spoken vppon vnknowne vncertaine wherefore it is to be placed rather in the state and forme of consultacion and to bée examined with iudgement The induccion of a Lawe is in twoo sortes A confirmacion of any olde Lawe or a confutacion As for example The Ciuill Lawe doeth well commende bondmen to be manumised that is to be made free The lawe is herein to be praised that willeth the coūsail of the parentes frendes to be knowne before the contracte Vpon a Lawe alledged worthelie matter maie rise waighyng the godlie ende whereunto the Lawe was firste inuented derreed and stablished what profite thereof ensueth and foloweth What it is to vertue a mainteiner otherwise if it be not profitable What moued any one to frame and ordain soche a Lawe as was to a common wealthe vnprofitable to vertue no aider if it were a profitable Lawe and godlie it is as Demosthenes safeth of God inuented though by famous wife and godlie menne stablished and decréed Good Lawes tempereth to all states equitee and iustice without fauour or frendship no more to the one then the other The order to make an Oracion by a lawe is in this sort First make a prohemiū or beginning to enter your matter In the seconde place adde a contrary to that whiche you will entreate vpon Then shewe it lawfull Iuste Profitable Possible You maie as in Thesis whiche was the Oracion before vse a contradiction or obiection and to that make an answere or solucion ¶ A confutacion of that Lawe whiche suffered adultrie to bee punished with death no iudgement giuen thereupon SOlon who was a famous Philosopher in the time of Cresus king of Lidia and a lawe giuer to the Athenians by whose Lawes and godlie meanes the Athenians were long and prosperouslie gouerned Emong many of his lawes this Solon set forthe againste adulterers Fas esse deprehendentimaechum in ipso adulterio interficere it shalbee lawfull saieth he who so taketh an adulterer in his beastlie facte to kill hym Solon beyng a wise man was more rigorous and cruell in this one Lawe then he ought to be A meruailous matter and almoste vncredible so wise so noble and worthy a Lawe giuer to bruste out with soche a cruell and bloodie lawe that without indgement or sentence giuen the matter neither proued nor examined adulterie to be death Wherefore reason forceth euery manne to Iudge and ponder with hymself that either adulterie is a moste horrible vice moste beastlie pestiferous and not mere to tary vpon the censure and sentence of a Iudge or Solon was not so wise discrete and a politike persone but a rashe and fonde lawe giuer that in soche a terrible voice he should burste out as adulterie so horrible as not worthie to be pondered examined and boulted of in Iudgemente The Athenians receiued that Lawe thei did also obaie his other lawes Their dominions thereby in felicitée was gouerned there was no populous nomber of adulterers to let that Lawe thei liued mosts godlie a straunge worlde a rare moderacion of that age and people Plato the godlie Philosopher who leste in his woorkes and monumentes of learnyng greate wisedome and also godlie Lawes in his bookes intiteled vpon Lawes and gouernement of a common wealth did not passe by in silence to giue and ordain a Lawe against adulterie Who also as it semed Iudged adulterie as moste horrible and detestable in his .ix. booke de Legibus This is the Lawe Adulteram deprehensam impune occidi a viro posse The adultrous woman saith he taken in the crime her housbande maie without daunger of death or feare of punishement slea her A straunge matter twoo so noble so famous for wisedome to make adulterie present death no Iudgement or sentence of Magistrate procedyng to examime and iudge vpon the state of the cause A man maie saie O goodlie age and tyme in vertue tempered eche state as seemeth brideled and kepte vnder and farre frō voluptuousnes remoued There was no stewes or Baudes houses where soche Lawes and Lawmakers were Sobrietée was in maides and chastitée harboured in matrones and wedded wiues a harte inuiolable to honeste conuersacion Where adulterie is cutte of there many detestable vsces and execrable purposes are remoued Cato the sage Peere of Rome indued with like seueritée did fauour that lawe and highlie extolled it Although adulterie bee a detestable vice horrible yea although it be worthie death better it were by iudgemente and the sentence of the Magistrate the faute to bee determined then at the will of euery manne as a Lawe by death to bee ended the common wealthe shalbee in more quiet state when the horrible factes of wicked menne by the Lawe made worthie of deathe are neuerthelesse by a liuelie Lawe whiche is the Iudge pronounced and condemned accordyng to the Lawe Els many mischiues might rise in all kyngdomes and common wealthes vnder a colour of lawe many a honeste persone murthered and many a murtherer by cloke of a Lawe from daunger saued In Rome somtime a Lawe there was ordained againste adulterie whiche was called Lex Iulia this Lawe Octauius Augustus set foorthe The Lawe was thus Gladio iussit animaduerti in adulteros The lawe commaunded adulterers to be hedded The chronicles of
The fable of the Bishop of Elie to the duke of Buckyngham The fable of the Bishop of Rochester againste the graunt of the Chauntries The firste exercise Inuentours of al excellent artes and sciences commended to the posteritee Apelles Parthesius Polucletus The ende of all artes is to godlie life Esope worthie moche commendacioÌ„ Philophie in fables Realmes maie learne concorde out of Esopes fables Preceptes to Kynges and Subiectes Preceptes to parentes and children The content of al Lawes I true praise commeÌ„ded by fame it self The wolue moste rauening cruell The wolues of all beastes moste obâ—â—uious The wolue inferiour to the bandogge The Dogge passeth all creatures in smellyng Plinie The worthines of Shepe The wolle of Shepe riche and commodious Man a chief creature Stoike Philosophers The office of the shepeherdes are profitable and necessarie wealth profit and riches riseth of the wolles of Shepe Man called of the Philosophers a little worlde The bodie of man without concord of the partes perisheth The common wealthe like to the bodie of manne Menenius The baseste parte of the bodie moste necessarie The amiable parte of the body doe consiste by the baseste and moste beformeste The Shepeherdes state necessarie The state of the husbande manne moste necessarie No meane state to be contempned Rotten members of the coÌ„mon wealth Plato A common wealth doe consiste by vnitie of all states Aristotle what is a coÌ„mon wealth A liuely exaÌ„ple of commoÌ„ wealthe The counsail of wolues Lycaon The firste progenie of wolues The inuencion of the Poet Ouide to compare a wicked man to a wolue Lycaon Lycaon chauÌ„ged into a wolue wolue Manner The counsail of wolues The counsail of wicked meÌ„ to mischief The cogitacions of wicked men and their kyngdoÌ„ bloodie The state of counsailours worthie chief honour and veneracion Plato Homere The Shepeherdes name giueÌ„ to the office of kyngs The state or good counsallers troublous A comparision from a lesse to a greater The worthie state of Princes and counsailours The amitie of wicked menns To beleue lightly a furtheraunce to perill The praise of Esope Cresus Samians Licerus Delphos winter The Ante. The Ante. Manne Greshopper A poincte of wisedome A wise cogitacion Pouertie Wisedome Housebande menne Frendship Homere Nature The cause of our bearth Ianus Prouidence Diligence Idelnes The Ante. Tyme Persone The cause The facte The waie how The facte The place The persone The tyme â–ª The place The horrible murther of king Richard The facte The tyme. The maner how The cause The state of a wicked maÌ„ A dolefull stale of a quene The wicked facte of kyng Richard a horror and dread to the commons God permit meanes to pull doune tyrauntes Lichefelde Leicester Bosworthe Kyng Richard killed in Bosworth fielde The tyme. The persone The cause The fame and glorie of Britaine The prowes of Iulius Cesar The maner how Cesars communicacion with the marchauntes as concernyng the lande of Britaine The ware politike gouernement of y t Britaines Aliaunce in tyme traiterous Britain somtyme called of the Grekes Olbion not Albion Caius Volusenus Embassadour to Britaine Comas Atrebas secoÌ„de Embassador from Cesar Cassibelane king of London at the ariue of Cesar Cassibelane a worthie Prince ImanueÌ„cius The Troynouauntes by treason let in Cesar Treason a confusion to the mightiest dominions A senteÌ„ce grauen of Britaine in the commendacion of Cesar Lusimachus Prodicus Gorgias Leontinus Demosthenes learned eloquence of Isocrates All excelleâ—◠〈…〉 is attained The roote of learnyng bitter Who is a vnfortunate childe Good educacion the foundacion of the Romaine Empire Euill educacion bringeth to rume mightie kingdoms Lydiâ— Cyrus The decay of a kyngdome The mightie dominions of Cyrus Euill educacion Pithagoras Eatona Lycurgus Vertue Vice Pleasure Idlenes Ignoraunce Alexander the great coÌ„mended for diligence Gnome The praise of Homere The content of Homers bookes Alexander The Ilias of Homere mete for princes to looke vpon The state of many kinges in one lande Athenes Carthage in a monarchie The state of many kinges mone lande A monarchie in heauen One Sunne The Ante. The Bee Constancius Licinius Marabodius Pompey Cesar Marius Silla Assiria the first monarchie The monarchie of the Medes The PersiaÌ„ Macedonia Asia Siria Egipte in a Monarchie Tirannis Nero Domicianus Caligula what doeth beautifie the throne of a Prince Aristocratia The ende of Aristocratia Politeia Tirannis Oligarthia Democratia A monarchie prefarred of the Persians The duetie of al noble peres Darius Kyngdomes rise and fall The answer of Alexander to Darius as coÌ„cernyng a monarchie AlexaÌ„der the great prefarred a Monarchie Alexanders monarchie fel by many kinges Antipater Crates Meliagrus Perdiceas Ptolemeus Learcus Cassander Menander Leonatus Lusimacus Eumenes Seleucus Fraunce Spaine Germanie Britaine The vanities of Poetes The battaill of Troie x yeres for a harlotte The vain inuention of Poetes Plato reiecteth Poetes from the common wealth Helena The cause of the forged inuencion Nocommendacion in vpholdyng and maintainyng of hariottes Helena followed Paris Vertuous life worthie commendation in al ages Lucrecia Tarquinius the kyng banished for rauishyng Lucrecia and all of his name banished Penelopes chastitie Nestor Vlisses Grece the lande of faire women Vncomelie Beautie without vertue nothyng of valour Beautie a poison in a adulterous mynde Beautie sone fadeth Paris Helenas louer Phrigia Vncomelie Grece the fountain of al learnyng Menelaus housbande to Helena Harlottes loue dissentbled Troians Grecians Absurditie The defence of Helena Troie a kingdome of whordome Nature abhorreth the warre of the Grecians Helena Priamus Ambicion Eesar fell by ambicion Discorde Pompey Romulus killed Remus by ambicion Iustinus Chronicles moste necessary to be red The worthinesse of histories what is a historie An ignorant life 〈…〉 The knowlege of Histories maketh vs as it were liuyng in all ages Historiogriphers The treason of the Assyrians Darius Babilon taken of the Assyrians The fact of Zopyrus Zopyrus caused the deformitie of his bodie for the good state of his countrie The pollicie of Zopyrus Trogus PoÌ„peius Zopyrus The saiyng of Tullie Plato 〈…〉 The state of a publike wealthe is to beeÌ„ preferred before a priuate wealth Pericles A good subiecte is redie to liue and die for his countrie Horacius Cocles Marcus Attilius Cynegerus Hismenias Thrasibulus Leonides kyng or the Lacedemonians Leonides Agesilaus Conon Lisander Archidamus Codrus Epamniundas Grecians Troians Romans who liueth in shame Epamenundas a most noble and valiaunt pere The order of Athenes Thusidides The duetie of all good subiectes The cause of our birthe The facte of Zopyrus The fact of Zopyrus Zopyrus deformed a beautie of his countree Why it is called a common place Pristianus what are Lawes Aristotle Plato Order Man borne by nature to societee All thinges beyng on the yearth dooe consiste by a harmonie or concorde Order conserueth common wealth Euil maners was theoccasion of good Lawes Theiues not mete to be in any societie Why theiues and wicked men are cut of by lawe A due rewardes for thieues and murtherers
Democratia The thiefe The murtherer Houses Families Tounes Citees Obedience of Lawes did stablishe the mightie monarchies The life of the Magistrate a lawe The Epistle of Theodosiuâ—s Emperor of Rome Princes Lawe Theiues and all iniurious persones Demosthenes in Aristogiton The force of lawes wicked men burdeins of the yearth Maimed soldiours muste be prouided for The saiyng of a shuld our to Alexander the greate The druÌ„kard The proude persone The prodigal The coueites is The robber The adulterer The hariot The homicide Thefte horrible amoÌ„g the Scitheans A sentence agenst thefte Horrible vices Vserers The sentence of Cato against vsurers Vsure is â—â—â—ther The sentence of Cato a discomfort 〈…〉 Vsure a dangerous gaue Princes and magistrates be as Gods on the earth The 〈◊〉 â–ª The Theue The Adulteror Whey the pictures of magistrates bee picturid with oute handes Princes and magistrates graue â—â—â—stante Lawes giue equitee to all states What briueth y e magistrate to horrible sentence against wicked persons Magistrate Subiect The begynnyng of vice is to be cutaf Wherein the praise of a citie consisteth The praise of London Brutus builded LondoÌ„ in the. â— yeare of his raine Fraunce and Scotlande vpholdid by y e gouernors of this lande Cambridge Oxforde Obliuion Who liue in all ages Good fame chieflie routeth after death Tuilie Demostheues Iulius Cesar Ocrauius Augustus Vespasianus Theodosius Traianus Adrranus Good man good magistrate boothe a good man and a good magistrate The saiynge of the Philosophers Obliuion Cadmus Amphion Hercules Nobility rose by vertue Cesar Scipio Catilina Marcus Antonius Commodus Seuerus Marcus Antonius Caracalla Aiax Vlisses Nobilitee A beginnyng of nobilitee Galerius a Shepherds sonne Emperor of Rome Probus a Gardeiners sonne Emperour The dutie of good gouernors Nowe a kingdome riseth to all felicitie Couetousnes a great euill Beotia Thebes A valiant capitain to his countrie a pillar to his â—â—â—mie a occasioÌ„ to dexteritie Hector Achilles Numa Pompeius Adrianus Vertue Vice what is vertue Rome Carthage Destruction of Rome to ashes in tune Agrippina Seneca schol maister to Nero. The dreame of Agrippina mother to Nero in his concepcion Nero a viper Pontus Colchis Cappadocia Armenia Nero vnworthie to be chronicled Seneca â–ª The shamful life of Nero. Galba Caius Iulius The death of Nero. Nero. Caligula Domitianus Antoninus Plato Aristotle Tullie Thusidides The enuious manne The ignoraunte Darius Philip. Demostheues Antipater Demosthenes Archias Marcus Antonius Tullie Eidolopoeia Lucius Brutus Catiline Kyngdomes Okes. Cedars Fortune hath no staie Hector Priamus The armie of Xerxes Xerxes a cowarde Xerxes laste in battaile and first to runne awaie The pride of Xerxes Themistocles The saiyng of Vespasianus A sentence comfortable to al princes Kyngdomes continue by mariage and coÌ„mon welth The dignitee of man sheweth the worthines of mariage Godlie procreacion A similitude The libertie in mariage A brutishe societie with harlottes Ehastitee in mariage The loue of a harlotte Hercules Omphala The harlottes lesson to her louers The life of the Amazones Thalestris The offer of a woman to Alexander The answer of Alexander to the offer The facte of the matrones of Rome Papirius The OracioÌ„ of a matrone to the Senatours Eleccion in Mariage Emperours Mariage The Mariners The Marchauntes warre The lawe of Nature A chaste woman A wretched executour Gods prouidence Death Mariage The mariage of a chaste woman The choise of a wife Lawe The moste rigorous and moste cruell lawe of SoloÌ„ Adulterie a horrible vice Plato againste adultrie made a lawe Catos sentence vpon adulterie Lawe The Iudge a liuely lawe A godly law The good manne Lawe Vice as a lawe by custome Adulterie The lawe vniuersall and equall to all menne Thefte The Iudge liuely lawe The will of a tyraunte his owne lawe Lawes were made for two causes The state of good lawes