The Arte of Rhetorique for the vse of all suche as are studious of Eloquence sette forth in English by THOMAS Wilson Anno Domini M.D.LIII. Mense Ianuarij GVALTERVS HADDONVS D. IVRIS CIVILIS ET OXOniensâ—s Collegij Magdalenensis Praese◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soror est affata sororem Quem dâ—dicit nuper sermo BrÃtannus erat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tacuit magno perculsae dolore Nam nondum nostro nouerat ore loquâ— Audijt haec 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vuâ—lsonus forte magister Qui fuerat nostros addideratque sonos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutam uerbis solatus amâ—cis Seâ—ocat rogitat num esse BrÃtanna uelâ—t Dcijciens oculos respondit uelle lâ—benter Sed se quâ— possit non reperâ—re uia Ipse uias inquit tradam legesque loquendi Quomodò perfectè uerba Brâ—tanna loces Liberat â—lle â—idem nostro sermone politur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nostra est utraque facta soror Anglâ—a nobâ—lium 〈◊〉 charus sermo sororum Est tâ—bi sermonis charus author erit NICOLAI VDALLI IN OPERIS COMmendationem Tetrasticâ—on VT Logice lingua nos est affata Brâ—tanna Sic modo Rhetoricé uerba Britanna sonat Vtraque nempe soror patrem cognoscit eundem Anglia iam natis mater utramque fouet ROBERTI HILERMII IN RHETORICEM THOmae Vuilsoni Epigramma ANglâ—a serua diu quondam uexata Tyrannis Libera nunc regnat Rege potÃta pio Et cui iura dedâ—t Roma imperiosa tot annos Legâ—bus â—psa suis uiuit â—mperijs Libertas â—gitur regnâ—que antÃqua potestas ReddÃta nunc Anglis quos rÃgat Oceanus Quod licet egregium decus immortale parenti ConcilÃet magno Rexque Edoarde tÃbà Gloria prisca tamen gentis uel nomen auÃtum Hoc est nam fuerant libera sceptra tuis At quòd barbaries uestris nunc exulat orâ—s Pulsaque rusticitas his dominata prÃus Hoc opus hoc uestrum est uobis per secula famaâ— Quod dabit uestrum nomen ad astra feret Barbara gens siquidem gemino sub PrÃncÃpe talâ— Artibus enituâ—t nobâ—lâ—tata bonis MorÃbus coâ—pta est lâ—udandis arte magistra AEditaque ingenij sunt documenta uÃrûm Vâ—uâ—da testantur uÃgÃlem monimenta laborem ScrÃptaque tot nulla quae moritura die Exemplum mihi sit de tot Scriptoribus unus Namque ommes celebres nemo referre queat Vuilsonus patrio sub quo sermone magistro Pierides Musae perdÃdâ—cêre loquà Cuâ— tamen haud satis est quod cum ratione loquantur Ni quoque concinnâ— non putat esse satis Atque ob Ãd addubÃtans ne operi pars ulla deesset Hâ—sce dedÃt Musis hanc modo RhetorÃcem O quanta his scrÃptis linguae regnique futura est Maâ—estas honos si fauor adfuerit THOMAS VVILSONVS IN Anglicam Rhetoricen ANglia si doceat quod Graecia docta quâ—d obstat Quo mÃnus ex Anglis AnglÃa uera scÃat Non quâ—a Graeca potes uel calles uerba Latina Doctus es aut sapÃens sed quâ—a uera uâ—des Aurea secreto tegitur sapientia sensu AbdÃta sensa tenes Anglus es ergo scÃens Sed mea Rhetoricen nequeat cûm lingua polÃre Cui uacat hoc unum quod ualet oro uelâ—t To the right honorable Lorde Iohn Dudley Lorde Lisle Earle of Warwike and maister of the horse to the kynges maiestie your assured to commaund Thomas Wilson WHen Pyrrhus Kynge of the Epirotes made battayle agaynste the Romaynes could neither by force of Armes nor yet by anye Policye wynne certayne stronge holdes he vsed coÌ„munely to send one Cineas a noble Oratour and sometimes scholer to Demosthenes to perswade with the Capitaynes people that were in them that they shoulde yelde vp the sayde holde or townes without fyght or resistaunce And so it came to passe that through the pithye eloquence of this noble Oratoure diuers stronge Castels and Fortresses were peaceablye geuen vp into the handes of Pirrhus whyche he shoulde haue founde verye harde and tedious to wynne by the sworde And this thinge was not Pirrhus himselfe ashamed in his commune talke to the prayse of the sayde Oratoure openlye to confesse allegynge that Cineas throughe the eloquence of his tongue wanne moe Cityes vnto him then euer him selfe shoulde els haue bene able by force to subdue Good was that Oratour whiche coulde do so muche wise was that king which woulde vse suche a meane For if the worthines of eloqueÌ„ce may moue vs what worthier thing can there be theÌ„ with a word to winne cities whole couÌ„tries If profite may perswade what greater gayne can we haue then withoute bloudshed to achiue a conquest If pleasure may prouoke vs what greater delite do we know theÌ„ to se a whole multitude with the onely talke of a man rauished drawen whiche waye him liketh best to haue them Boldly then may I aduenture and without feare steppe forthe to offer that vnto your Lordeshyppe whiche for the dignitye is so excellente and for the vse so necessarye that no man oughte to be withoute it whiche either shall beare rule ouer manye or muste haue to do wyth matters of a Realme Consideringe therfore your Lordshyps hyghe estate worthy callyng I knowe nothyng more sittynge wyth your honoure then to the gyfte of good reason and vnderstandynge wherwith we see you notably endued to ioyne the perfection of Eloquente vtteraunce And because that aswell by your Lordeshyppes moste tender imbracynge of all suche as be learned as also by your right studious exercises you do euidently declare not onely what estimation you haue of all learnynge and excellente qualities ingenerall but also what a speciall desyre and affection you beare to eloquence I therfore commende to youre Lordeshyppes tuition and patronage thys traictise of Rhethorique to the ende that both ye maye get some furtherauÌ„ce by the same I also be discharged of my faithefull promyse this laste yere made vnto you For where as it pleased you emonge other talke of learnynge earnestlye to wyshe that ye myghte one daye see the Preceptes of Rhetorique sette forthe by me in Englyshe as I hadde erste done the Rules of Logique hauynge in my Countrey thys laste Somer a quiet time of vacation wyth the ryghte worshypfull sir Edwarde Dymmoke Knyghte I traueyled so muche as my leasure myghte serue therunto not onelye to declare my good harte to the satisfiynge of youre requeste in that behalfe but also throughe that your mocion to helpe the towardnes of some other not so well furnished as your Lordeshyppe is For as touchinge your selfe by the tyme that perfect experience of manifolde and weyghtye matters of the commune weale shall haue encreased the eloquence whyche alreadye dothe naturallye flowe in you I doubt nothing but that you wil so farre be better then this my boke that I shal not onelye blowshe to chalenge you for a Scholer in the Arte of Rhetorique by me
should seeme rather to doe the office of a father then the dutie of an highe minister Paulus Emilius after his moste noble victorie had of Kyng Perse desired of God that if after suche a triumphe there were any harme lyke to happen to the Romaines the same might fal vpon his owne house Whereupon when God had taken his two children from hym immediatly after he thancked God for grauÌ„tyng him his bound For in so doyng he was a meane that the people rather lamented Paulus Emilius lacke theÌ„ that Paulus or any bewailed any misfortune that the Romains had Examples be innumerable of those whiche vsed lyke moderation in subduyng their affections as Zenophon Quintus Martius Iulius Cesar Tiberius Cesar Emperours bothe of Rome But what seeke I for misfortunate men if any suche be misfortunate seyng it is an harder matter and a greater peece of worke to finde out happie men Let vs loke round about euen at home and we shal finde enowe subiect to this misfortune for who liueth that hath not lost Therfore I woulde wishe your grace euen nowe to come in againe with God and although he be angry yet show you your self most obedient to his wil coÌ„sideryng he is Lorde ouer Kynges Emperours and ouer al that be bothe in heauen and in yearth and spareth noone whom he listeth to take and no doubt he wil take all at the last His dart goeth daily neither is any darte cast in vaine whiche is sent amongest a whole armie standyng thicke together Neither can you iustly lament that they lyued no longer for they lyued long enough that haue liued well enough You muste measure your children by their vertues not by their yeres For as the wise man saith a mans wisedom is the grey heeres and an vndefiled life is the old age Happie is that mother that hath had Godly children and not she that hath had long lyuyng children For if felicitie should stande by length of tyme some tree were more happy then is any man for it liueth longer and so likewyse brute beastes as the Stagge who liueth as Plinius dothe say two hundreth yeares and more If we woulde but consider what man is we shoulde haue small hope to lyue and litle cause to put any great assuraunce in this lyfe Let vs se him what he is Is his body any thyng els but a lumpe of earth made together in suche forme as we do see A frail vessell a weake carion subiect to miserie cast doune with euery light disease a man to daie to morowe none A flower that this daie is freshe to morowe withereth Good Lorde do we not see that euen those thynges whiche nourishe vs doe rotte dye as herbes birdes beastes water and al other without the whiche we cannot lyue And how can we lyue euer that are susteined by dead thinges Therfore when any one doth dye why do we not thynke that this may chaunse to euery one whiche now hath chaunsed to any one We be now as those that stande in battail raie Not one man is suer of him selfe before an other but al are in daunger in lyke maner to death â–ª That your children died before other that were of riâ—er yeares we may iudge that their ripenes for vertue and all other giftes of nature were brought euen to perfection wherby deaâ—h thâ— soner approched for nothyng long lasteth that is sone excellent God gaue your grace two most excellent childreÌ„ God neuer geueth for any long tyme those that be right excellent Their natures were heauenly and therfore more meete for God then man Emong frute we se some appels are sone ripe and fal from the tree in the middest of summerâ— other be stil greene tary til winter hereupoÌ„ are coÌ„monly called wynter frute Euen so it is with meâ— some dye young some dye old some die in their midle age Your sunnes wer euen .ij. suche already as some hereafter may be with long coÌ„tinuance of tyme. Thei had that in their youth for the giftes of nature whiche al men would require of theÌ„ bothe scacelie in their age Therfore beeyng both now ripe they were now most ready for God There was a childe in Rome of a mans quantite for face legges oâ— her partes of his body wherupon wise men iudged he would not be long liuyng How could your grace thynke that when you sawe auncient wisdoÌ„ in the one most pregnant wit in the other meruailouse sobriete in the elder most laudable gentlines in the younger them bothe most studious in learnyng most forward in al feates aswel of the body as of the mind beyng two suche so excellent that they were lyke long to continue with you God neuer suffreth such excelleÌ„t rare iewels long to enherite therth Whatsoeuer is nie perfectioÌ„ the same is most nigh falling Uertue being oâ—s absolute caÌ„not long be seen with these our fleshly iyes neither can that cary the latter end with other that was ripe it self first of al before other Fier goth out the soner the clearer that it burneth that light lasteth longest that is made of most course matter In greene wood we may see that where as the fuel is not most apt for burning yet the fier lasteth loÌ„ger than if it were nourished with like quantitie of drie wood EueÌ„ so in the nature of man the mynde beeyng ripe the body decaiyeth streight and life goeth away beeyng ones brought to perfection Neither can there be any greater token of shorte lyfe than full ripenes of naturall witte The whiche is to the bodie as the heate of the Sunne is to thynges yearthly Therfore iudge right honourable ladie that euen now they both died when they both wer most readie for God neither thinke that thei died ouer soone because thei liued no loÌ„ger They died both Gods seruauntes therfore they died wel and in good tyme. God hath set their tyme and taken them at his tyme blessed children as they be to reigne with hym in the kyngdom of his father prepared for them from the beginnyng Unto whose wil I wishe and I truste your grace doth wholy referre your wil thankyng hym as hartely for that he hath taken them as you euer thanked hym for that he euer lent you them I knowe the wicked wordes of some vngodly folke haue muche disquieâ—ed your grace notwithstandyng God beyng iudge of your naturall loue towardes your children and al your faithful frendes and seruauntes bearyng earnest witnes with your grace of the same there vngodly talke the more lightely is to bee estemed the more vngodly that it is Nay your grace may reioyce rather that whereas you haue doen well you heare euill accordyng to the wordes of Christe Blessed are you when men speake al euil thynges against you And again consider GOD is not ledde by the reporte of men to iudge his creatures but perswaded by y e true knowlege of euery mans conscience
oute gobbets where belchinge were thoughte greate shame yea and suche gobbets as none coulde abyde the smell and to fyll the whole house wyth euill sauoure and thy whole bosome with muche filthines what an abhominable shame is it aboue all other It had bene a fowle dede of it selfe to vomite where no suche gentilmen were yea where no gentilmen were yea wher no Englysh men were yea wher no men were yea wher no coÌ„pany were at al or it had ben euil if he had borne no maner of office or had ben no publique officer or had not bene the kinges officer but being not onely an officer but a publike officer and that the kynges officer yea suche a kinges doyng such a dede I caÌ„ not tel in y â— world what to say to him Diuers examples mayebe inuented like vnto this As thus againste an heade officer in a noble mans house I myght enueigh thus Now Lorde what a man is he he was not ashamed beyng a gentilman yea a man of good yeres and much aucthoritie and the heade Officer in a Dukes house to playe at dyce in an alâ—house wyth boyes bawdes and verlets It had bene a a greate faulte to playe at so vile a game emonge suche vile persons beynge no gentilman beynge no officer beyng not of suche yeres But beynge bothe a man of fayre landes of an auncient house of great aucthoritie an officer to a duke yea and to suche a Duke and a man of such yeres that his white heeres shoulde warne him to auoyde all suche folyâ— to play at suche a game with suche roysters aâ—d such verlets yâ—a and that in such a house as none come thither but theues bawdes and Ruffians nowe before God I can not speake shame enoughe of him There is an other kynde of Amplification when vnto the hyghest there is added some thinge higher then it is As thus There is not a better preacher emonge theim all excepte Hughe Latimer the father of all preachers Thâ—re is no better Latine man within England excepte Gualter Haddon the laweâ— Againe we amplifye a matter not ascendyng by degrees but speakinge that thinge onely than the whiche no greater thinge can be spoken As thus Thou haste killed thyne owne mother what shall I saye more thou hast kylled â—hine owne mother Thou hast deceaued thy soueraine Lord and kinge what shall I saye more thou hast deceiued thy soueraine Lorde and kinge Sometymes wee amplifie by comparynge and take oure grounde vpon the weakest and least the whiche if they seme greate then muste that neades appeare grâ—ate whyche wee woulde amplifie and encrease As Tullie againste Catiline My seruauntes in good south if they feared me in such sort as all the Citezens do feare thee I would thinke it best for me to forsake my house Thus by vsing the lesse first this seÌ„tence is encreased fewe seruauntes are coÌ„pared with all the citezens bondmen are compared with free men Tullie the master is compared with Catiline the traytour which was neither lord nor ruler ouer the Citezens and Tullies house is compared with the Citye By comparing of examples we vse also to encrease oure matter As thus Did the Maior of London thrust throughe Iacke Straw beinge but a verlet rebell and onely disquietinge the Citye and shall the kynge suffeâ— Capiâ—aâ—ne Kete to liue in Englandes grounde and â—â—ioye the 〈◊〉 of his realme beinge a most tyrannouâ— trayâ—oure aâ—d such a rebell as sought to ouerthrow the whole Reâ—â—mâ— Here is Iacke Strawe compared with Capitaine Ketâ— the Citye of London with the whole Realme the Maioâ— with the kinge So that if he which is a priuate person and hathe no power of deathe myghte punyshe wyth deathe the disquietynge of a Citye the kynge him selfe hauynge all power in his hande maye iustelye punishe hym that seketh to ouerthrowe his whole realme The places of Logique helpe ofte for Amplification As where men haue a wronge opinion and thynke theft a greater faulte then slaunder one myght proue the contrarye aswell by circumstaunces as by argumentes And first he might shewe that slaunder is thefte and that euerye slaunderer is a thiefe For as well the slaunderer as the thiefe doe take away an other mannes possession againste the owners will After that he might shewe that a slaunderer is worse then anye thiefe because a good name is better then all the goodes in the worlde and that the losse of money maye be recouered but the losse of a mannes good name can not be called backe againe and a thefe maye restore that agayne whiche he hath taken awaye but a slaunderer can not geue a man his good name againe whiche he hath taken froÌ„ him Agayne he that stealeth goodes or cattell robbes onely but one man but an euill tongued man infecteth all their mindes vnto whose eares this reporte shall come Besides this there are lawes remedies to subdue theues but there is no lawe agaynste an euyll tongue Agayne all suche haynous Offences are euer the more greuouslye punished the more closlie and more craftelye they are committed As it is thought a greater faulte to kyll one with poyson then to kyll him with the swerde and a more haynous offence to coÌ„mit murder then to coÌ„mit maÌ„slaughter we maye gather an argument also from the instrumente or maner of doyng As a thefe hath done this offence wyth hys hande a slaunderer hath done it with his tongue Agayne by the iudgement of al menne enchauncement is a notable euill But they that infecte a prynce or a kinge wyth wycked counsayle are not they more wycked enchaunters considerynge they doe as muche as if one shoulde Poyson a conduite head or a Riuer from whence al men featche their water And yet they do more for it is a greater fault to poison the mynde than the bodie Thus by the places and circumstaunces great matter might be made By contrraries set together thynges oftentymes appere greater As if one shoulde set Lukes Ueluet against Geane veluet the Lukes wil appere better and the Geane wil seeme worser Or sette a faire woman against a foule and she shal seeme muche the fairer and the other muche the fouler Accordyng whereunto there is a saiyng in Logique â–ª Contraria inter se opposita magis elucescunt That is to say Contraries beyng set the one against the other appere more euident Therefore if any one be disposed to set furâ—he chastitie he may bryng in of the contrariâ— parte whordome and show what a fouly offence it is to liue so vnclenly and then the deformitie of whoredome shall muche sette forthe chastitie or if one be disposed to perswade his felow to learnyng and knowlege he may showe of the contrarie what a naked wretche man is yea how muche a man is no man and the life no lyfe when learnyng oâ—es waÌ„teth The lyke helpe we may haue by comparyng lyke examples together either of creatures liuyng or of thynges not liuyng As in speakyng of constauncie to showe
are these A Metaphore or translation of wordes A worde makinge Intellection Abusion Transmutation of a word Transumption Chaunge of a name Circumlocution Tropes of a longe continued speache or sentence are these An Allegorie or inuersion of wordes Mountinge Resemblinge of thinges Similitude Example Vvhat is a Metaphore A Metaphore is an alteration of a woorde from the proper and naturall meanynge to that whiche is not proper and yet agreeth therunto by some lykenes that appeareth to be in it An Oration is wonderfullye enriched when apte Metaphores are gotte and applied to the matter Neither can anye one perswade effectuouslye and winne men by weyght of his Oration withoute the helpe of woordes altered and translated The diuerâ—itye of translations FIrste we alter a worde from that which is in the minde to that which is in the bodye As when we perceyue one that hath begiled vs we vse to saye Ah sirrha I am gladde I haue smelled you oute Beinge greued with a matter we saye communelye we can not digest it The Lawyer receiuing money more then neadeth oftentimes will saye to his Client wythout any translation I fele you wel wheÌ„ the pore man thinketh y t he doth well vnderstand his cause and will helpe him to some good â—nde For so communelye we saye when we knowe a mans minde in anye thinge This kinde of mutation is muche vsed when we talke earnestlye of any matter From the creature wythout reason to that whyche hathe reason THE seconde kinde of translation is when we goo from the creature wythout reason to that whiche hathe reason or contrarye from that whiche hathe reason to that whiche hath no reason As if I shoulde saye such an vnreasonable brawler did nothinge elles but barke like a Dogge or like a Fore Women are saide to chatter churles to grunte boyes to whyne and yonge men to yell Contrariwise we call a Foxe false a Lyon proude and a Dogge flatteringe From the lyuynge to that whyche hath no lyfe FRom the liuynge to the not liuynge we vse many translations As thus You shall praye for al men dispersed throughoute the face of the earthe The arme of a tree The syde of a Bancke The lande cryeth for vengeaunce From the liuinge to the not liuing Hatred buddeth emonge malicious men his wordes flowe out of his mouthe I haue a whole world of busines In obseruing the worke of Nature in al seueral substauÌ„ces we maye finde translations at wyll then the whiche nothinge is more profitable for anye one that myndeth by hys vtteraunce to stirre the hartes of menne either one waye or other A worde makinge called of the Grecians Onomatopeia is when we make wordes of oure owne mynde suche as be deriued from the nature of thinges As to call one Patche or Cowlson whom we see to do a thinge folyshelye because these two in their time were notable foles Or when one is lustye to saye Taratauntara declaringe therby that he is as lustye as a Trumpette is delitefull and styrringe or when one woulde seme galaunte to crye hoyghe whereby also is declared courage Boyes beynge greued will saye some one to an other Sir I wyll cappe you if you vse me thus and withholde that frome me whyche is myne owne meanynge that he will take his cappe from him Againe when we see one gaye and galaunte we vse to saye he courtes it Quod one that reasoned in diuinitie wyth his felowe I like well to reason but I can not chappe these textes in scripture if I shoulde dye for it meaning that he coulde not tell in what chapiter thinges were conteyned althoughe he knewe full well that there were suche sayinges Intellection INtellection called of the Gretians Synecdoche is a Trope when wee gather or Iudge the whole by the parte or part by the whole As thus The king is come to London meaning therby that other also be come with him The Frenche man is good to kepe a Forte or to skyrmishe on horsebacke wherby we declare the Frenchmen generally By the whole y e part thus All Cambridge sorowed for the deathe of Bucer meaninge the most parte All Englande reioyseth that pilgrimage is banished and Idolatrye for euer abolished and yet all England is not glad but the most parte The like phrases are in the Scripture as when the Magians came to Jerusalem asked where he was that was borne Kyng of the Iewes Herode starte vp beeyng greatly troubled and al the citie of Ierusalem with hym and yet al the Citie was not troubled but the most part By the signe we vnderstande the thyng signified as by an Iuie garlande we iudge there is wyne to sel. By the signe of a Beare Bul Lyon or any suche wee take any house to be an Inne By eatyng breade at the Communion wee remember Christes death and by Faith receiue hym spiritually ¶ Abusion ABusion called of the Grecians Catachresis is when for a certaine proper woorde we vse that whiche is most nighe vnto it As in callyng some water a fishe ponde though there be no fisshe in it at all or elles when we saie here is long talke and small matter Whiche are spoken vnproperly for we cannot measure either talke or matter by length or breadth ¶ Transmutacion of a worde TRansmutacion helpeth much for varietie the whiche is when a woorde hath a proper signification of the owne beyng referred to an other thyng hath an other meanyng the Grecians cal it Metonymia the whiche is diuerse waies vsed When we vse the auâ—â—hor of a thyng for the thyng selfe As thus Put vpon you the Lord Iesus Crhiste that is to say be in liuyng suche a one as he was The Pope is banished England that is to saie al his superstition and Hypocrisie either is or shoulde be gone to the Deuill by the Kynges expresse will and commaundement Againe when that whiche doeth conteyne is vsed for that whiche is conteined As thus I haue dronk an hoggeshead this weeke Heauen may reioyce and hell may lament when olde men are not couetouse Contrarywise when the thyng conteined is vsed for the thyng conteinyng As thus I praie you come to me that is to say come to my house Fourthely when by the efficient cause the effecte is streight gatherde thereupon As thus The Sonne is vp that is to saie it is day This felowe is good with a long bowe that is to saie he shouteth wel ¶ Transumption TRansumption is when by digrees wee go to that whiche is to be shewed As thus Suche a one lyeth in a darke doungeon now in speaking of darkenesse we vnderstand closenesse by closenesse we gather blackenesse and by blackenesse we iudge depenesse ¶ Chaunge of name CHaunge of a name is when for the propre name some name of an office or other calling is vsed As thus the Prophete of God saith Blessed are they whoâ—e synnes be not imputed vnto them meanyng Dauid The Poete saieth It is a
STomake grief is when we will take the matter as hote as a tost We nede no examples for this matter hote men haue to many of whom they may be bould and spare not that fynde them selues a colde Some tymes we enâ—reate earnestly and make meanes by praâ—er to wynne fauour Somtymes we seke fauour by speakyng well of the companie present As. Thorowe your helpe my lordes this good deede hath been done Some tymes we speake to hurte our aduersaries by settyng forth their euil behauior Sometymes we excuse a fault and accuse the reporters Sometymes we wishe vnto God for redresse to euil Sometimes we curse the extreme wickednes of some pastgood roisters In al whiche I thynke neither examples neede nor yet any rehersal had been greately necessarie coÌ„sidering al these come without any great learnyng sauing that for apt bestowing iudgement is right nedeful ¶ Of figures in sentencies called Schemes WHen any sentence vpon the placyng or settyng of wordes is said to be a figure thesaied is alwaies called a Scheme the whiche wordes beyng altered or displaced the figure streight doth lose his name and is called no more a scheme Of this sorte there be diuerse suche as hereafter folowe ¶ Doublettes DOublettes is when we reherse one and thesame worde twise together Ah wretche wretche that I am Tullie against Catiline inueighyng sore against his traiterouse attemptes saith after a loÌ„g rehersed matter and yet notwithstandyng all this notouriouse wickednesse the maÌ„ liueth stil liueth Nay mary he cometh into the counsel house whiche is more An other Darrest thou showe thy face thou wretched theef thou theefe I saie to thyne owne father darrest thou looke abrode Thus the ofte repeatyng of one worde doth munhe stirre the hearer and makes the worde seeme greater as though a sworde were ofte digged thrust twise or thrise in one place of the bodie ¶ Alteryng parte of a worde ALteryng parte of a word is when we take a letter or sillable from some word or els adde a letter or sillable to a worde As thus WilliaÌ„ Somer seyng muche a do for accomptes makyng that the Kynges Maiestie of most worthie memorie Henry theight wanted mony suche as was due vnto hym And please your grace ê™ he you haue so many frauditours so many conueiers and so many deceiuers to get vp your money that they get al to themselues Whether he said true or no let God iudge that it was vnhappely spoken of a foole I thynke he had some Scholemaister he shoulde haue saied Auditours Surueyours and Receauours ¶ Repetition REpetition is when we begynne diuerse sentencies one after another with one and thesame worde As thus When thou shalt appere at the terrible daâ—e of iudgemeÌ„t before the high maiestie of God where is then thy richesse where is then thy deintie faire where is theÌ„ thy great band of men where are then thy faire houses wher are then al thy laÌ„des pastures parkes forestes I might saie thus of our soueraine lord the Kynges maiestie that now is Kyng Edwarde hath ouerthrowne idololatrie Kyng Edwarde hath bannished superstition Kyng Edward by Gods helpe hath brought vs to the true knowlege of our creation Kyng Edwarde hath quieted our coÌ„sciencies laboured that al his people should seeke healthe by the death and Passion of Christ alone ☞ Conuersion COnuersion is an ofte repeatyng of the last worde is contrarie to that which went before WheÌ„ iust dealing is not vsed welth goeth away fryndship goeth away truth goeth awaie all goodnes to speake at a worde goeth awaie Where affections beare rule there reason is subdued honestie is subdued good wil is subdued al thinges els that withstande euil for euer are subdued ¶ Comprehension COmprehersion is when bothe the aboue rehersed figures are in one kynd of speakyng vsed so that bothe one first worde must ofte be rehersed likewise al one last worde What winneth the hartes of men Liberalitie What causeth men to aduenture their lifes and dye willyngly in defence of their masters Liberalitie What coÌ„tinueth the staâ—e of a Kyng Liberalitie What becometh a woman best first of al Silence What seconde Silence What third Silence What fourth Silence Yea if a man should aske me til dowmes day I would stil crie silence silence without the whiche no woman hath any good gifte but hauing thesame no doubt she must haue many other notable giftes as the whiche of necessitie do euer folow suche a vertue ¶ Progression PRogression standeth vpoÌ„ contrarie sentences which answere one another If we would rebuke a naughty boie we might with coÌ„mendyng a good boie say thus What a boie are thou in coÌ„parâ—son of this fellow here Thou sleapes he wakes thou plaies he studies thou art euer abrode he is euer at home thou neuer waites he stil doth his attendaunce thou carest for no body he doeth his dutie to al men thou doest what thou caâ—st to hurt al please none he doth what he can to hurte none please all ¶ Lyke endyng and lyke fallyng THen the sentences are said to ende lyke when those wordes do end in like sillables which do lacke cases Thou liues wickedly thou speakes naughtely The rebelles of Northfolke ê™ a most worthie man that made an inuectiue against theÌ„ through slauerie slew Nobilitie in dede miserably in fashioÌ„ cruelly in cause deuilishly Sentencies also are said to fal like when diuerse wordes in one sentencâ—e ende in lyke cases that in ryme By great trauaile is got muche auaile by earnest affection men learne discrecion These .ij. kyndes of Exornacion are then most delitefull when contrarie thynges are repeated together when that ones again is vtterde whiche before was spoken when sentencies are turned and letters are altered Of the first this may be an example Where learnyng is loued there labour is estemed but wher sleuth is thought solace there rudenes taketh place A Kyng is honoured that is a Kyng in dede wil you drink or you go or wil you go or you drinke There is a diffrence betwixt an horsemilne a milnehorse He is a meter man to driue the Carte than to serue in the Courte Through labouâ— cometh honour through ydell lyuyng foloweth hangyng Diuerse in this our tyme delite muche in this kynd of writyng whiche beeyng measurably vsed deliteth muche the hearers otherwyse iâ— offendeth and werieth mens eares with sacitie S. Augustine had a goodly gifte in this behaulf yet some thinkes he forgot measure and vsed ouermuche this kynde of figure Notwithstandyng the people were suche wher he liued that they toke muche delite in rimed sentences in Orations made ballade wise Yea thei were so nyce so waiwarde to please that excepte the Preacher from tyme to tyme coulde ryme out his Sermon they woulde not long abide the hearyng Tacitus also sheweth that in his tyme the iudges
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