our health the sauegard of our bodies but the lawe of a Realme wherby the wicked are condempned and the godly are defended ¶ An Epistle to perswade a young ientleman to Mariage deuised by Erasmus in the behalfe of his frende ALbeit you are wyse enough of your selfe throughe that singulare wisedome of yours most louyng Cosyn and litle needes the aduise of other yet either for that olde fryndshippe whiche hath bene betwixt vs and continued with our age euen from our cradles or for suche your greate good turnes showed at all tymes towardes me or elles for that faste kynred and alliaunce whiche is betwixt vs I thought my selfe thus muche to owe vnto you if I woulde be suche a one in deede as you euer haue taken me that is to saie a man bothe frendly and thankeful to tell you freely whatsoeuer I iudged to apperteine either to the sauegarde or worshippe of you or any of yours and willyngly to warne you of the same We are better seen oftentymes in other mens matters than we are in our owne I haue felte often your aduise in myne owne affaires and I haue founde it to be as fortunate vnto me as it was frendly Nowe if you wil likewyse in your awne matters folowe my counsail I truste it shal so come to passe that neither I shal repent me for that I haue geuen you counsail nor yet you shal forthynkâ— your self that you haue obeyed and folowed myne aduise There was at supper with me the twelfe daie of Aprill when I laie in the countrie Antonius Baldus a man as you knowe that most earnestly tendreth your welfare and one that hath bene alwaies of great acquaintaunce and familiaritie with your sonne in lawe A heauie feast we had and ful of muche mournyng He tolde me greatly to bothe our heauinesse that your mother that moste godly woman was departed this lyfe your sister beyng ouercome with sorow heauinesse had made her selfe a Nunne so that in you onely remaineth the hope of issue and maintenanuce of your stocke â–ª whereupon your frendes with one consent haue offerde you in Mariage a ientlewoman of a good house and muche wealthe fayre of bodie very well brought vp and suche a one as loueth you with all her harte But you either for your late sorowes whiche you haue in freshe remembraunce or elles for Religion sake haue so purposed to lyue a syngle lyfe that neither can you for loue of your stocke neither for desier of issue nor yet for any entreatie that your frendes can make either by prayeng or by wepyng be brought to chaunge your mynde And yet notwithstandyng all this if you wil folowe my counsaill you shalbe of an other mynde and leauyng to lyue syngle whiche bothe is barren and smally agreeyng with the state of mannes nature you shall geue your selfe wholy to moste holy wedlocke And for this parte I will neither wishe that the loue of your fryndes whiche elles ought to ouercome your nature nor yet myne aucthoritie that I haue ouer you shoulde doe me any good at all to compasse this my requeste if I shall not proue vnto you by moste plaine reasons that it will be bothe muche more honest more profitable and also more pleasaunt for you to marie than to lyue otherwyse Yea what will you saie if I proue it also to be necessarie for you at this tyme to Marie And firste of all if honestie maie moue you in this matter the whiche emong all good men ought to bee of muche weighte what is more honest then Matrimonie the whiche CHRISTE hym selfe did make honest when not onely he vouchesaufed to bee at a Mariage with his Mother but also did consecrate the Mariage feaste with the first miracle that euer he did vpon yearche What is more holie then Matrimonie whiche the creatour of all thynges did institute did fasten and make holie and nature it selfe did establishe What is more praise worthie than that thyng the whiche whosoeuer shall dispraise is condempned streight for an Heretique Matrimonie is euen as honourable as the name of an Heretique is thought shamefull What is more right or mâ—ete than to geue that vnto the posteritie the whiche we haue receiued of our auncesters What is more inconsiderate than vnder the desire of holinesse to escew that as vnholie which God hym selfe the fountaine and father of al holinesse woulde haue to be counted as moste holie What is more vnmanly than that man shoulde go against the lawes of mankynde what is more vnthankfull than to deny that vnto youngelynges the whiche if thou haddest not receyued of thine elders thou couldest not haue bene the man liuyng able to haue denied it vnto theim That if you woulde knowe who was the first founder of Mariage you shal vnderstande that it came vp not by Licurgus nor yet by Moses nor yet by Solon but it was first ordeined instituted by the chief founder of all thynges commended by the â—ame made honourable and made holie by thesame For at the firste when he made man of the yearthe he did perceyue that his lyfe shoulde be miserable and vnsauerie excepte he ioyned Eue as maâ—e vnto hym Wherupon he did not make the wyfe vpon the same claie wherof he made man but he made her of Adams ribbes to the eude we might plainely vnderstande that nothyng ought to be more deare vnto vs theÌ„ our wyfe nothyng more nigh vnto vs nothyng surer ioyned and as a man woulde saie faster glewed together The selfe same GOD after the generall floude beyng reconciled to mankynde is saied to proclaime this lawe firste of all not that men shoulde lyue single but that they shoulde encrease be multiplied and fill the yearth But howe I praie you could this thyng be sauyng by mariage and lawful comyng together And first least we shoulde allege here either the libertie of Moyses lawe or els the necessitie of that tyme What other meanyng els hath that commune and commeÌ„dable reporte of Christe in the Gospell for this cause saieth he shall man leaue father and mother and cleaue to his wyfe And what is more holie than the reuerence and loue due vnto parentes and yet the truthe promised in Matrimonâ—e is preferred before it and by whose meanes Mary by GOD hym self at what time Forsouth not onely emoÌ„g the Iues but also emong the Christians Men forsake father and mother and takes themselfes wholie to their wyfes The sonne beyng past one and twentie yeres is free and at his libertie Yea the sonne beyng abdicated becommeth no sonne But it is death onely that parteth maried folke if yet death doe part them Now if the other Sacramentes whereunto the Churche of Christe chiefely leaneth bee reuerently vsed who doeth not see that this Sacramente shoulde haue the most reuerence of al the whiche was instituted of GOD and that firste and before all other As for the other they were instituted vpon yearthe this was
glasse to loke in But surelye I thynke he loked awrye for if I hadde bene in hys case I woulde haue tolde him that I espied a muche greater lowte before I sawe the glasse In augmentynge or diminishinge without all reason we geue good cause of muche pastyme As Diogenes seynge a pretye towne hauinge a greate payre of Gates at the comminge in Take hede quod he you menne of this towne lest your towne runne out of your gates That was a marueylous bygge Gate I trow or els a wonderfull little towne where suche passage shoulde be made A Frier disposed to tell misteries opened to the People that the soule of man was so little that a leuen thousande might daunce vpon the nayle of his thumbe One marueylinge much at that I praye you master Frier quod he wher shall the piper stande then when suche a number shall kepe so small a roume Mirthe is moued when vpon a trifle or a worde spoken an vnknowen matter and weightye affayre is opened As if one shoulde finde fault with some mannes sumptuous buildinge or other suche thinge whiche hadde founde muche faâ—oure at the same mans hande an other myght saye well sir he that builded this house saued your worship from hanginge when the time was A nececessarie note for him thaÌ„kefullye to remembre the builder of that house not slaunderouslye to speake euil of him It is a pleasaunt dissembling when we speake one thing merelye and thyncke an other earnestlye or elles when we prayse that which otherwise deserueth disprayse to the shaming of those that are taken to be most honest As in speakinge of one that is well knowen to be nought to saye emong all men that are sene to there is one that lacketh his rewarde He is the diligentiest felowe in hys callinge of all other he hath traueyled in behalfe of his countrey he hath watched daye and night to further his coÌ„mune weale â–ª and to aduaunce the dignitye therof and shall he go emptye home Who stode by it at suche a felde who played the man and cryed stoppe the thiefe when suche a man was robbed Who seeth good rule kept in suche a place can anye here charge him with bawdrye Whiche of you all dare saye or can say that euer you sawe him droâ—ke if then these be true ought not suche to be sene to and rewarded accordingelye For praysinge the vnworthye I remember once that our worthy Latimer did set out the deuyll for his diligence wonderfullie and preferred him for that purpose before all the Bishoppes in England And no doubte the wicked be more busye and stirrynge then the children of light be in their generation What talke you of suche a man say the an other there is an honest man ye maye be assured For if a man had neade of one he is ready at a pynche his body sweates for honesty if you come to him in a hotte sommers day you shal se his honestye in such sort to reeke that it woulde pitye any christian soule liuinge He hath more honestye with him then he neades and therfore bothe is able and will lende where it pleaseth him best Beware of him aboue all menne that eâ—uer you knewe He hathe no felowe there is none suche I thinke he wil not liue longe â–ª he is so honest a man the more pitye that suche good felowes shoulde knowe what deathe meaneth But it maketh no matter when he is gone all the worlde will speake of him hys name shall neuer dye he is so well knowen vniuersallye Thus we maye mockingelye speake well of him when there is not a noughtyer felowe wythin all Englande agayne and euen as well sette out his noughtines this way as thoughe we hadde in verye dede vttered all his noughty conditions plainelye and without iestinge Emonge al that euer were pleasaunte in this kinde of delite Socrates beareth the name and maye worthelye chalenge prayse Sir Thomas More with vs here in England â–ª had an excellent gifte not onely in this kinde but also in all other pleasaunt delites whose witte eueÌ„ at this houre is a wonder to al the worlde shalbe vndoubtedly euen vnto the worldes ende Unto this kinde of dissembling is nexte adioynâ—nge a maner of speache when wee geue an honeste name to an euyll deede As when I woulde call one accordingly that is of a noughtye behaâ—oure to saye Ah sirrha you are a marchant in dede Wher as I thinke a marchauntes name is honest Some olde felowes wheÌ„ they thinke one to be an heritique they will saye he is a gospeller Some newe felowes when they thinke one a Papist they wil call him straight a catholique be euen with him at the landes ende Contrariwise some will geue an â—uil name to a good thinge As a father louynge his Sonne tenderlye and hauynge no cause to be greued with him will sometimes saye to him Come hither sir knaue and the mother merelye beynge disposed wyll saye to her swete Sonne Ah you little horeson wyll you serue me so Where as I thyncke some womenne that ofte so saye wil sweare vpon a booke they are none suche and almoste I hadde sayde I dare sweare for some of theim my selfe if God hadde not forbidden me to sweare at all This Kynde also is pretye when we gather an other thinge by a mannes tâ—le then he woulde â—ladly we shoulde gather When Liuius Saliâ—ator a Romayne capitaine hadde kepte the Castell of Tarenâ—um losinge the towne to Anniâ—al his enemye and that Maximus therupoÌ„ had layed siege to the same towne and gotte it againe by the swerde then Saliâ—ator whyche thus kepte the Castell desiered him to remember that throughe his meanes he gotte the towne Why shoulde I not quod he thyncke so for if you had neuer lost it I had neuer gotte it To dissemble sometymes as thoughe wee vnderstode not what one meant declareth an apte witte â—nd much deliteth such as heare it Diogenes was asked on a time what wyne he loued beste to drincke Marye quod he an other mannes wyne meanynge that he loued that dryncke beste that coste him leaste The same Diogenes likewyse was asked what one shoulde geue hym to lette him haue a blowe at his heade Marye a Helmet quod he One Octaâ—ius a Libian borne as witnesseth Macrobius sayde vnto Tullie when he spake hys mynde vpon a matter Sir I heare you not I praye you speake owder No quod Tullie that is maruaile to me for as I do remember your eares are well bored thorowe meanynge that he was nayled vpon a Pillarie or â—lles hadde holes made in his eares whyche myght well serue as Tullie iested to receiue open ayre WheÌ„ Mettellus toke muster required Cesar to be there not abiding y t he should be absent thoughe his eyes greued him and said What man do you se nothing at all Yes marye quod Cesar as euil as I se I can se a lordship of yours the which was .iiii. or .v.
vertue to eschew vice wherein I vnderstande Horace ¶ Circumlocution CIrcumlocution is a large description either to sette forth a thyng more gorgeâ—uslie or els to hyde it if the eares cannot beare the open speakyng or when with fewe wordes we cannot open our meanyng to speake it more largely Of the first thus The valiaunt câ—urage of mightie Scipio subdued the force of Carthage and NumaÌ„tia Henry the fifte the most puissaunt Kyng of Englande with seuen thousand men toke the Frenshe Kyng prisoner with al the flower of nobilitie in Fraunce Of the seconde When Saule was casyng hymselfe vpon the grounde Dauid toke a peece of his garment tooke his weapon that laie by hym â–ª and might haue staine hym Suche a one defiled his bodie with suche an euill woman For the thirde parte the large commentaries written and the Paraphrasis of Erasmus englished are sufficient to showe the vse therof ¶ Vvhat is an Allegorie AN Allegorie is none other thyng but a Metaphore vsed throughout a whole sentence or Oration As in speakyng against a wicked offendour I might say thus Oh Lorde his nature was so euill and his witte so wickedly bente that he ment to bouge the shippe where he hymselfe sailed meanyng that he purposed the destruction of his owne countrie It is euill puttyng strong wine into weake vesselles that is to say it is euill trustyng some womeÌ„ with weightie matters The English Prouerbes gatherde by Ihon Heywood helpe wel in this behaulf the whiche commenly are nothyng elles but Allegories and darcke deuised sentences Now for the other fower figures because I mynde hereafter to speake more largely of them and Quintilian thynketh them more meete to be placed emong the figures of Exornacion I wil not trouble the reader with double inculcation and ewyse tellyng of one tale ¶ Of Schemes called otherwyse sentences of a worde and sentence I Might tary a longe tyme in declaryng the nature of diuerse Schemes whiche are woordes or sentencies altered either by speakyng or writyng contrarie to the vulgare custome of our speache without chaungyng their nature at all but because I knowe the vse of the figures in word is not so great in this our toÌ„gue I wil run them ouer with asmuche haste as I can ¶ The diuision of Schemes STraunge vsyng of any worde or sentence contrarie to our daiely wont is either when we adde or take away a sillable or a word or eucrease a sentence by chaunge of speache coÌ„trarie to the commune maner of speakyng ¶ Figures of a worde THose be called figures of a word when we chaunge a worde and speake it contrarie to our vulgare and daily speache Of the whiche sorte there are sixe in nomâ—er i. Addition at the first ij Abstraction from the first iij. Iuterlaâ—yng in the middest iiij Cuttyng from the middest v. Addyng at the ende vi Cuttyng from the end OF Addition As thus He did all to berattle hym Wherein appereth that a sillable is added to this worde rattle Here is good nale to sel for good ale Of Abstraction from the first thus As I romed al alone I ganne to thynke of matters greate In whiche sentence ganne is vsed for beganne Interlacyng in the middest As. Relligion for religion Cuttyng from the middest Idolatrie for Idololatrie Addyng at the end Hasten your busines for Haste your businesse Cuttyng from the end A faire may for maide Thus these figures are shortely sette out and as for the other Schemes whiche are vtterde in whole sentences and expressed by varitie of sreache I wil set them forth at large emong the coloures ornamentes of Elocution y t folowe ¶ Of coloures and ornamentes to commende and sette forth an Oration NOW when we are able to frame a sentence handsomly together obseruyng number and kepyng coÌ„position suche as shal lyke best the eare do know the vse of Tropes and can applie them to our purpose than thornamentes are necessarie in an OratioÌ„ sentences woulde bee furnished with moste beautifull figures Therfore to thende that they may be knowne suche as most commende and beautifie an Oration I wil set them forthe here in suche wise as I shal best be able folowyng the order whiche Tullie hath vsed in his Booke made of a perfite Oratour ¶ Restyng vpon a poyncte WHEN wee are earnest in a matter and feele the weight of our cause wee rest vpon some reason whiche serueth best for our purpose Wherin this figure appereth most helpeth muche to set forthe our matter For if we stil kepe vs to our strongest holde and make ofterecourse thither though we be dryueÌ„ through by-talke to go from it nowe and than we shall force them at length either so auoide our strong defence or elles to yelde into our handes ¶ An euident or plaine settyng forthe of a thyng as though it were presently doen. THis Figure is called a description or an euident declaratioÌ„ of a thyng as though we sawe it euen now doen. An example If our enemies shall inuade and by treason wynne the victorie we al shal dye euery mothers sonne of vs and our Citie shalbe destroied sticke stoone I see our children made slaues our daughters rauisshed our wifes caried away the father forced to kil his own sonne the mother her daughter the sonne his father the sucking child slaine in the mothers bosome one standyng to the kuees in anothers bloude Churches spoiled houses pluckte doune and al set in fier rounde about vs euery one cursyâ—g the day of their birth children criyng women wailyng and olde men passyng for vâ—ry thought and euery one thynkyng hymselfe most happy that is first ridde out of this worlde suche will the crueltie be of our enemies and with suche horrible hatred wil they seeke to dispatche vs. Thus where I might haue said we shal al be destroied and saie no more I haue by description sette the euill forth at large It muche auaileth to vse this figure in diuerse matters the whiche whosoeuer can do with any excellent gift vndoubtedly he shal muche delite the hearers The circumstaunces wel considered in euery cause geue muche matter for the plaine opening of the thyng Also similitudes examples coÌ„parisons from one thyng to another apte translacions and heaping of allegories and all suche figures as serue for amplifiyng do muche commende the liuely settyng forthe of any matter The miseries of the Courtiers lyfe might well be described by this kind of figure The commoditie of learnyng the pleasure of plowe men and the care that a Kyng hath And not onely are matters set out by description but men are painted out in their colours yea buildynges are set forth Kyngdomes and Realmes are portured places and tymes are described The Englishe man for feedyng and chaung of apparel The Duytche man for drynkyng The Frenche man for pryde and inconstaunce The SpaÌ„yard for nymblenes of bodie and muche disdaine The
shal we so lyue that one shal not loue another Man shoulde be vnto man as a God shal man be vnto man as a Deuil Hath God created vs and made vs to his owne likenesse endewyng vs with al the riches of the yearth that we might be obedient to his wil and shal we neither loue him nor like his How can we say that we loue God if there be no charitie in vs Do I loue hym whose mynde I wil hot folowe although it be right honest If you loue me saith Christe folow my commaundementes Christes will is suche that we shoulde loue God aboue al thinges and our neighbour as our self Then if we do not iustice wherin loue doeth consist we do neither loue man nor yet loue God The Wyse man saith The begynnyng of a good lyfe is to do iustice Yea the blessyng of the Lorde is vpon the heade of the iuste Heauen is theirs saith Dauid that do iustly froÌ„ tyme to tyme. What els then shal we do that haue any hope of the general resurrection but do the will of God and lyue iustly all the daies of our life Let euery man but consider with hymself what ease he shal finde therby I doubt not but euery one depely waiyng the same wil in hart confesse that iustice maketh plentie and that not one man coulde long hold his owne if lawes were not made to restraine mans will We trauaile now Wynter Sommer we watche and take thought for maintenaunce of wife children assuredly purposyng that though God shal take vs immediatly to leaue honestly for our familie Now to what ende were all our gatheryng together if iust dealyng were set a side if lawes bare no rule if what the wicked list that they may and what they may that they can what they can that they dare what they dare the same they do whatsoeuer they do no man of power is agreued therwith What maketh wicked meÌ„ which els woulde not acknowlege the Kyng as their souereigne lorde but the power of a lawe the practise of iustice for euil doers Could a Prynce mainteine his state royal if law and right had not prouided that euery man shoulde haue his owne Would seruauntes obey their masters the sonne his father the tenaunt his landlorde the citezen his maiour or Shirifeâ—if orders were not set iust dealyng appoincted for al states of men Therfore the true meanyng folke in all ages geue theÌ„ selues some to this occupacion some to that sekyng therin nothing els but to mainteine a poore life and to kepe them selues true men both to God and the worlde What maketh men to performe their bargaines to stand to their promises yelde their debtes but an order of a lawe grounded vpoÌ„ iustice Where right beareth rule there craft is coumpted vice The lyar is muche hated where truth is wel estemed The wicked theues are haÌ„ged where good men are regarded None can holde vp their heades or dare showe their faces in a well ruled commune weale that are not thought honest or at the least haue some honest way to lyue The Egiptians therfore hauyng a worthy and a wel gouerned publike weale prouided that none shoulde lyue idlye but that euery one monethly should geue an accompte how he spente his tyme and had his name regestrede in a Booke for the same purpose But Lorde if this lawe were vsed in England how many would come behynde hande with their reckenynges at the audite daie I feare me there doynges woulde be suche that it would be long ere they gotte there quietus est Therfore the wourse is our state the lesse that this euil is loked vnto And suerly if in other thynges we shoulde be as negligent this Realme could not long stand But thankes be to God we hang theim a pace that offende a lawe and therfore we put it to their choise whether they wil be idle and so fal to stealyng or no they knowe their rewarde go to it when they will But if therewithall some good order were taken for education of youthe and settyng loiterers on worke as thankes be to God the Citie is most Godly bent that way all would sooue be well without all doubt The wyse and discrete persons in al ages sought all meanes possible to haue an order in all thynges loued by iustice to directe al their doynges wherby appereth both an apt wil in suche men a natural stirryng by Godes power to make al men good Therfore if we doe not well we must blame our selues that lacke a wil and do not cal to God for grace For though it appere hard to do wel because no man can get perfection without continaunce yet assuredly to an humble mynde that calleth to God and to a willyng harte that faint would do his best nothing can be hard God hath set al thinges to sale for labour and kepeth open shop come who will Therefore in all ages whereas we see the fewest good we must wel thinke the most did lacke good wil to aske or seke for the same Lorde what loue had that worthie Prince Seleueus to maintein iustice to haue good lawes kepte of whome suche a wondrefull thyng is written For whereas he established moste holsome lawes for sauegarde of the LocrensiaÌ„s and his owne sonne thereupon taken in adultrie should lose bothe his iyes accordyng to the lawe then made and yet notwithstandyng the whole Citie thought to remitte the necessitie of his punishement for the honour of his father Seleucus woulde none of that in any wyse Yet at last through importunitie beyng ouercome he caused first one of his owne iyes to be pluckte out next after one of his sonnes iyes leauyng onely the vse of sight to hymself his sonne Thus through equitie of the lawe he vsed the dew meane of chastisement showyng hymself by a wonderful temperature both a merciful father a iust lawe maker Nowe happy are thei y t thus obserue a law thinking losse of body lesse hurt to the man then sparyng of punishemeÌ„t mete for the soule For God wil not faile theÌ„ that haue suche a desire to folowe his wil but for his promise sake he wil rewarde them for euer And now seeyng that iustice naturally is geueÌ„ to al men without the whiche we could not liue beyng warned also by God alwaies to doe vprightly perceauyng againe the commodities that redounde vnto vs by liuyng vnder a lawe the sauegard wherin we stand hauyng iustice to assiste vs I trust that not onely all men wil coÌ„mende iustice in worde but also wil liue iustly in dede the which that we may do God graunt vs of his grace Amen ¶ An Oration deliberatiue AN Oration deliberatiue is a meane wherby we do perswade or disswade entreate or rebuke exhorte or dehorte commende or coÌ„forte any man In this kynd of Oration we doe not purpose
miles from Rome declaringe that his building was ouer sumptuous and so howge withâ—ll muche aboue his degree that a blind man myght almost se it Nowe in those dayes ouercostlye building was generally hated because men sought by suche meanes to get fame beare rule in the commune weale The like also is of one Nasica who when he came to the Poet Ennius and askinge at the gates if Ennius were at home the maide of the house beinge so commaunded by her mâ—ster made aunswere that he was not within And when he perceyued that she so saidâ— by her maisters commaundemente he wente straight his waye and saide on more Nowe shortelye after when Ennius came to Nasica and called for him at the dore Nasica cried out alowde sayde Sirrha I am not at home What manne quod Ennius I heare the speake Do not I knowe thy voyce Then quod Nasica Ah shamelesse man that thou arte when I sought thee at thy home I did beleue thy maide when she said thou wast not at home and wilte not thou beleue me when I tel thee myne owne selfe that I am not at home It is a pleasaunte hearynge when one is mocked with the same that he bryngeth As when one Q. Opimius hauinge an euill name for hys light behauoure had saide to a pleasaunte man Egilius that semed to be wanton of liuing and yet was not so Ah my swete darling Egilia when wilt thou come to my house swete wenche with thy rocke thy spindle I dare not in good faith quod he mi mother hath forbidde me to come to anye suspected house where euil rule is kepte Those iestes are bitter whiche haue a hid vnderstanding in them wherof also a man maye gather muche more then is spoken A homelye felowe made his woful lamentation to Diogenes in most pitiful sorte because his wife had hanged her selfe vpon a Figge tree hopinge to finde some comforte at his hande But Diogenes hearinge this straunge deede For the loue of God quod he geue me some slippes of that tree that I might set them in some orcharde The frute liked him well and belyke he thought that such slippes woulde haue bene as good to dispatche noughtye womenne as lime twigges are thought mete to catch wild birdes withal An Archideacon beyng nothinge so wise as he was welthy nor yet so learned as he was worshipfull asked a yoâ—ge man once whether he hadde a good witte or no. Yes mary sir quod he your wytte is good inoughe if you kepe it still and vse it not for euerye thinge as you knowe is the worsse for the wearinge Thou sayest euen truth qâ—od he for that is the matter that I neuer vsed preachyngâ— for it is noâ—hyng but a waistyng of witâ—e and a spenâ—yng of wynde And â—et if I woulde preache I thynke I could do as wel as the best of them Yea sir ê™ he but yet I would ye should â—oâ— proue is for feare of strainyng your selfe to muche Why Doâ—â—t thou feare that ê™ he nay thou maist be assured I wâ—l neuer preache so long as I lyue God beeyng my good Lorde There are ouer many Heretiques for good meanyng men to speake any thyng now a daies You saie euen truth ê™ the young man and so went forthe but to tel al I had neede to haue tyme of an other worlde or at the lest to hâ—ue breathe of an other bodie An vnlearned Oratour made an OratioÌ„ on a tyme thynkyng that he had with his wel doyng deliâ—ed muche al mâ—n moued them to mercie pitie therfore sittyng doune he asked one Catulus if he had not moued the hearers to mercie Yes marie ê™ he that to great mercie pitie bothe for I thynk there is none here so hard harted but thought your oratioÌ„ very miserable therfore nedeful to be greatly piâ—ied Churlishe aunsweres lyke the hearers some tymes very well When the father was cast in iudgement the sonne seyng hym wepe Why wepe you father ê™ he To whome his father aunswered What Shall I syng I praie the seeyng by a lawe I am condempned to dye Socrates lykewyse beeyng moâ—ed of his wyfe because he shoulde dye an innocent and giltelesse in the lawe Why for shame woman ê™ he wilt thou haue me to dye giltie deseruyng When one had falâ—e into a ditche an other pitiyng his fall asked hym and said Alas how got you into that pit Why Gods mother ê™ the other doest thou aske me how I gotte in nay tel me rather in the mischief how I shal gette out There is an other contrarie vnto this kynd when a man suffereth wrong geueth no sharpe answere at al. As when Cato was stroken of one that caried a chest some saie a loÌ„g â—owle when the other said after he had hit hym Take hede sir I pray you why ê™ Cato doest thou cary any thyng els Folie and lacke of naturall wit or els wante of honestie geue good matter of myrthe often tymes When Scipio beyng Pretor had appoincted vnto a certaine Sicilian one to be his lawyer that was of a good house and had an euill witte litle better than half a foole I praie you ê™ the Sicilian to Scipio appoint this lawier for myne aduersarie and let me haue none at al hardely In speakyng against an euill man wishyng somewhat thereupon a iest may seene delitefull When an euill man had accused many persons and none toke any harme by hym but rather were acquited from tyme to tyme and taken the sooner for honest men Now would to Christes passion ê™ a naughtie fellow that he were myne accuser for theÌ„ should I bee taken for an honest man also through his accusacion Demonides hauyng crooked feete lost on a tyme bothe his shoone wherupoÌ„ he made his praier to God that his shoone might serue his feete that had stolne them away A shrewde wishe for hym that had the shoone and better neuer weare shoone than steale them so dearely Thynges gathered by coÌ„iecture to seeme otherwise than they are delite muche the eares being wel applied together One was charged for robbyng a Churche and almost euidently prouâ—d to be an offendour iâ— that behaulfe â–ª the saied man to saue hymself harmelesse reasoned thus Why ê™ he how should this be I neuer robbed house nor yet was euer faultie in any offence besides how then shoulde I presume to robbe a Churche I haue loued the Churche more than any other wil louers of the Churche robbe the Churche I haue geuen to the Churche howe happeneth that I am charged to take froÌ„ the Churche hauyng euer so good mind to church dignitie assure your selues thei passed litle of the Churche that would auenture to robbe the Churche Thei are no Churche men they are masterlesse men or rather S. Niclas Clarkes that lacke liuyng and goyng in procession takes the Churche to be an Hospitall for waie fairers or a praie for poore and nedie beggers but I am not
felowe thus good lorde what a handesome phrase of buildyng in this Thus are good wordes euil vsed when thei are not well applied and spokeÌ„ to good purpose Therfore I wishe that suche vntoward speakyng maie geue vs a good lesson to vse our tongue warely that our wordes and matter maie still agree together ¶ Of Composicion When we haue learned vsuall and accustomable wordes to set furthe our meanyng we ought to ioyne them together in apt order that the eare maie delite in hearyng the harmomonie I knowe some English men that in this poynct haue suche a gift in the Englishe as fewe in Latine haue the like and therfore delite the wise and lerned so muche with their pleasaunt composicion that many reioyce when thei maie heare suche and thynke muche learnyng is gotte when thei maie talke with suche Composicion therefore is an apte ioynyng together of wordes in suche order that neither the eare shal espie any ierre nor yet any man shalbe dulled with ouerlong drawing out of a sentence nor yet muche confounded with myngelyng of clauses suche as are nedelesse beyng heaped together without reason and vsed without nomber For by suche meanes the hearers will be forced to forgettefull oft what was saied first before the sentence be halfe ended or els bee blynded with confoundyng of many thynges together Some again will bee so shorte and in suche wise curtall their Sentences that thei had nede to make a commentarie immediatly of their meanyng or els the moste that heare them shalbe forced to kepe counsaill Some will speake oracles that a man cannot tell whiche waie to take theim some will be so fine so Poeticall with all that to their semyng there shall not stande one heire amisse yet euery body els shall thinke theÌ„ meter for a ladies chamber then for an earnest matter in any open assemblie Some wil roue so muche and bable so farre without order that a manne would thynke thei had a greate loue to heare themselfes speake Some repeate one woorde so often that if suche woordes could be eaten and chopte in so ofte as thei are vttered out thei would choke the widest throte in all England As thus If a man knewe what a mans life wer no man for any maÌ„nes sake would kill any man but one maÌ„ would rather help another man considryng man is borne for man to help maÌ„ no to hate man What man would not be choked if he chopâ— al these men at ones into his mouth neuer drouke after it Some vse ouermuche repeticioÌ„ of some one â—etter as pitiful pouertie praieth for a peny but puffed presuÌ„pcioÌ„ passeth not a poynct paÌ„peryng his panche w t pestileÌ„t pleasure procuring his passe porte to poste it to Hell pytte there to be punished with paines perpetuall Some will so sette their wordes that they muste be fayne to gape after euerye worde spokeÌ„ endinge one worde with a vowell and beginninge the next wyth an other whyche vndoubtedlye maketh the talke to seme mooste vnpleasaunte As thus Equirie assuredlye euerye iniurye auoydeth Some will set the carte before the horse as thus My mother and my father are both at home euen as thoughe the good man of the house ware no breaches or that the graye Mare were the better Horse And what thoughe it often so happeneth God wotte the more pitye yet in speakinge at the leaste let vs kepe a natural order and set the man before the woman for maners sake An other cominge home in haste after a long iourney sayeth to hys manne Come hither sir knaue helpe me of with my bootes and my spurres I praye you sir geue him leaue firste to plucke of youre spurres ere he meddle wyth your bootes or els your man is like to haue a madde pluckinge Who is so folyshe as to saye the counsayle and the kynge but rather the Kinge and his counsayle the father and the sonne and not contrary And so likewise in al other as they are in degree firste euermore to set them formost The wise therfore talkinge of diuers worthye menne together will firste name the worthiest and kepe a decent order in reportynge of their tale Some ende their sentences all alike makyng their talke rather to appeare rimed meter then to seme playne speache the whiche as it muche deliteth beynge measurablye vsed so it muche offendeth when no meane is regarded I hearde a preacher delityng much in thys kynd of composition who vsed so ofteÌ„ to ende his sentence with wordes like vnto that whiche wente before that in my iudgemente there was not a dosen sentences in hys whole sermon but they ended all in ryme for the most part Some not best disposed wished the Preacher a Lute that with his rimed sermon he myght vse some pleasaunt melodye and so the people myghte take pleasure diuers wayes and daunce if they liste Certes there is a meane no reason to vse any one thinge at all times seynge nothinge deliteth be it neuer so good that is alwayes vsed Quintilian likeneth the coloures of Rhetorique to a manâ—es eye sighte And nowe quod he I woulde not haue all the bodye to be â—ull of eyes or nothinge but eyes for theÌ„ the other partes shoulde wante their due place and proporcion Some ouerthwartelye sette their woordes placynge some one a myle frome his felowes not contented with a playne and caâ—ye composition but seke to sette wordes they can not tell howe and therfore one not likynge to be called and by printe published Doctoure of Phisike woulde neades be named of Phisike Doctour wherin appeared a wonderfull composition as he thought straunge vndoubtedlye but whether wise or no lette the learned sitte in iudgement vpon that matter An other As I rose in the mornynge quod one I mette a carte full of stones emptye Belike the manne was fastinge when the carte was full and yet we see that throughe straunge composition this sentence appeareth darke Some will tell one thinge .xx. times nowe in nowe out when a man would thinke they had almost ended they are ready to beginne againe as freshe as euer they were Such vayne repetitions declare both wante of witte and lacke of learninge Some are so homely in all their doynges and so grosse for their inuention that they vse altogither one maner of trade and seke no varietie to eschewe tediousnes Some burden their talke with nedelesse copye and will seme plentifull when they shoulde be shorte An other is so curious and so fine of his tongue that he can not tell in all the worlde what to speake Euerie sentence semeth commune and euerye worde generallye vsed is thought to be folyshe in his wise iudgemente Some vse so manye interpositions bothe in their talke and in their writinge that they make their sayinges as darke as hell Thus whaÌ„ faultes be knowen they may be auoyded and vertue the soner may take place when vice is forsene and eschewed as euill Of Exornation WHen wee haue learned apte woordes