Chapter 11

[Sidenote: Kyngdomes.] WHat kyngdome can alwaies assure his state, or glory? What strength can alwaies last? What [Sidenote: Okes. Cedars.] power maie alwaies stande? The mightie O- kes are somtyme caste from roote, the Ceadars high by tempestes falle, so bitter stormes dooe force their strength. Soft waters pearseth Rockes, and ruste the massie Iron doeth bryng to naught. So nothyng can by stre[n]gth so stande, but strength maie ones decaie: yea, mightie kingdoms in time decaie haue felt. Kingdomes weake haue rose to might, and mightie kyngdomes fallen, no counsaile can preuaile, no power, no strength, or might in lande. God disposeth Princes seates, their kyngdome there with stan- des. I knewe before the brickell state, how kyngdomes ruine caught, my iye the chaunge of fortune sawe, as Priamus did aduaunce his throne, by fauour Fortune gat, on other For- tune then did froune, whose kingdom did decaie. Well, now [Sidenote: Fortune hath no staie.] I knowe the brickle state, that fortune hath no staie, all rashe her giftes, Fortune blind doeth kepe no state, her stone doth roule, as floodes now flowe, floodes also ebbe. So glory doth remaine, sometyme my state on high, was sette in Princelie throne, my porte and traine ful roiall was, a kyng my father also was, my housband scepter held. Troie and Phrigia ser- ued his becke, many kynges his power did dreade, his wille their power did serue. The fame of Troie and Brute, his glorie and renoume, what landes knoweth not? But now his falle, all toungues can speake, so greate as glorie was, though kyngdomes stronge was sette, loftie Troie in duste prostrate doeth lye, in blood their glorie, people, kyng are fal- len, no Quene more dolefull cause hath felte. The sorowes depe doe passe my ioyes, as Phebus light with stormes caste [Sidenote: Hector.] doune. Hectors death did wounde my hart, by Hectors might Troie stiffe did stande, my comforte Hector was, Priamus ioye, of Troie all the[m] life, the strength, and power, his death [Fol. lj.r] did wound me for to die, but alas my dolefull and cruell fate to greater woe reserueth my life, loftie Troie before me felle, sworde, and fire hath seate and throne doune caste. The dedde on heapes doeth lye, the tender babes as Lions praies [Sidenote: Priamus.] are caught in bloode, before my sight, Priamus deare mur- dered was, my children also slain, who roiall were, and prin- ces mates. No Queene more ioye hath tasted, yet woe my io- yes hath quite defaced. My state alwaie in bondage thrall, to serue my enemies wille, as enemie wille, I liue or dye. No cruell force will ridde my life, onely in graue the yearth shal close my woes, the wormes shall gnawe my dolefull hart in graue. My hedde shall ponder nought, when death hath sence doune caste, in life I sought no ioye, as death I craue, no glorie was so wished as death I seeke, with death no sence. In prison depe who dolefull lieth, whom Fetters sore dooeth greue. Their dolefull state moste wisheth death, in dongion deepe of care my harte moste pensiue is, vnhappie state that wisheth death, with ioye long life, eche wight doeth craue, in life who wanteth smart? Who doeth not féele, or beare som- time, a bitter storme, to doleful tune, mirth full oft chaunged is, the meaner state, more quiet rest, on high, who climes more deper care, more dolefull harte doeth presse, moste tempestes hie trees, hilles, & moutaines beare, valleis lowe rough stor- mes doeth passe, the bendyng trees doeth giue place to might by force of might, Okes mightie fall, and Ceders high ar re[n]t from the roote. The state full meane in hauen hath Ancre caste, in surgyng seas, full ofte in vaine to saue the maste, the shippe Ancre casteth.

¶ The descripcion.

THis exercise profitable to _Rhetorike_, is an Ora- cio[n] that collecteth and representeth to the iye, that which he sheweth, so Priscianus defineth it: some are of that opinion, that descripcion is not to bee placed emo[n]g these exercises, profitable to _Rhetorike_. Because [Fol. lj.v] that bothe in euery Oracion, made vpon a Fable, all thyn- ges therein conteined, are liuely described. And also in euery Narracion, the cause, the place, the persone, the time, the fact, the maner how, ar therin liuely described. But most famous and Eloquente men, doe place descripcion, in the nomber of these exercises. Descripcio[n] serueth to these things, the person, as the Poete Lucane describeth Pompei & Cesar: the person is described, thynges or actes, tymes, places, brute beastes.

_Nec coiere pares, alter vergentibus annis In senium longo que toge, tranquilior vsu. Dedidicit. &c._

Homer describeth the persone of Thersites, in the second booke of his Ilias.

Homer setteth out Helena, describing the persone of Me- nalaus and Ulisses, in the fowerth booke of Ilias.

Thynges are described, as the warres attempted by sea and lande, of Xerxes.

Lucan describeth the war of the Massilia[n]s against Cesar[.]

Thusidides setteth forthe in a descripcion, the warres on the sea, betwene the Corcurians, and the Corinthians.

Tymes are described, as the Spryng tyme, Sommer, Winter, Harueste, Daie, Night.

Places are described, as Citees, Mountaines, Regions, Floodes, Hauens, Gardeines, Temples: whiche thynges are sette out by their commoditees, for Thusidides often ty- mes setteth forthe Hauens and Citees.

Lucane also describeth at large, the places, by the whiche the armie of Cesar and Pompei passed. The descripcion of a- ny man, in all partes is to bee described, in mynde and bodie, what he was.

The acttes are to bee described, farre passed, by the pre- sente state thereof, and also by the tyme to come.

As if the warre of Troie, should be set forthe in a descrip- cion, it must bée described, what happened before the Greci- ans arriued at Troie, and how, and after what sorte it was [Fol. lij.r] ouerthrowne, & what thing chaunced, Troie being destroid.

So likewise of Carthage, destroied by the Romaines. Of Hierusalem, destroied by Titus Uespasianus, what ad- monicion thei had before: of what monsterous thynges hap- pened also in that ceason: Of a Comete or blasyng Starre, and after that what followed.

Lucane also setteth forthe the warres of Pompe and Ce- sar, what straunge and marueilous thynges fell of it.

¶ A descripcion vpon Xerxes.

WHen Darius was dedde, Xerxes his soonne did succede hym, who also tooke vpon him to finishe the warres, bego[n] by his father Darius, against Grece. For the whiche warres, preperacion was made, for the space of fiue yeres, after that [Sidenote: The armie of Xerxes.] Xerxes entered Grece, with seuen hundred thousande Persi- ans, and thrée hundred thousande of forrain power aided him that not without cause, Chronicles of aunciente tyme dooe shewe, mightie floodes to be dried vp of his armie. The migh[-] tie dominions of Grece, was not hable to receiue his houge, and mightie power, bothe by sea and lande: he was no small Prince, whom so many nacions, so mightie people followed hym, his Nauie of Shippes was in nomber tenne hundred [Sidenote: Xerxes a cowarde.] thousande, Xerxes had a mightie power, but Xerxes was a cowarde, in harte a childe, all in feare the stroke of battaile moued. In so mightie an armie it was marueile, the chiefe Prince and Capitaine to be a cowarde, there wanted neither men, nor treasure, if ye haue respecte to the kyng hymself, for cowardlinesse ye will dispraise the kyng, but his threasures beeyng so infinite, ye will maruaile at the plentie thereof, whose armie and infinite hoste, though mightie floodes and streames, were not able to suffice for drinke, yet his richesse [Sidenote: Xerxes laste in battaile, and first to runne awaie.] semed not spente nor tasted of. Xerxes hymself would be laste in battaile to fight, and the firste to retire, and runne awaie. In daungers he was fearfull, and when daunger was paste, [Fol. lij.v] he was stoute, mightie, glorious, and wonderfull crakyng, [Sidenote: The pride of Xerxes.] before this hassarde of battaile attempted. He thought hym self a God ouer nature, all landes and Seas to giue place to hym, and puffed with pride, he forgatte hymself: his power was terrible, his harte fainte, whereupon his enteryng into Grece was not so dreaded, as his flight fro[m] thence was sham[-] full, mocked and scorned at, for all his power he was driuen backe from the lande, by Leonides king of the Lacedemoni- ans, he hauing but a small nomber of men, before his second battaile fought on the Sea: he sente fower thousande armed men, to spoile the riche and sumpteous temple of Apollo, at Delphos, from the whiche place, not one man escaped. After that Xerxes entered Thespia, Platea, and Athenes, in the whiche not one man remained, those he burned, woorkyng his anger vpon the houses: for these citees were admonished to proue the maisterie in wodden walles, whiche was ment to bee Shippes, the power of Grece, brought into one place [Sidenote: Themi- stocles.] Themistocles, fauoryng their part, although Xerxes thought otherwise of Themistocles, then Themistocles perswaded Xerxes to assaie the Grecians. Artemisia the Quene of Hali- carnasis aided Xerxes in his battaile: Artemisia fought man[-] fullie, Xerxes cowardly shronke, so that vnnaturally there was in the one a manlie stomacke, in the other a cowardlie harte. The men of Ionia, that fought vnder Xerxes banner, by the treason of Themistocles, shra[n]ke from Xerxes, he was not so greate a terrour or dreade, by his maine hoste, as now smally regarded & least feared. What is power, men, or mo- ney, when God chaungeth and pulleth doune, bothe the suc- cesse, and kyngdome of a Prince. He was in all his glorie, a vnmanlie, and a cowardly prince, yet for a time happie state fell on his side, now his might and power is not feared. He flieth awaie in a Fisher boate, whom all the worlde dreaded and obaied, whom all Grece was not able to receiue, a small boate lodgeth and harboureth. His owne people contemned hym at home, his glorie fell, and life ingloriously ended, who[m] [Fol. liij.r] whom God setteth vp, neither treason nor malice, power nor money can pull doune. Worthelie it is to be pondered of all Princes, the saiyng of Uespasianus Emperour of Rome, at a certain time a treason wrought and conspired against him, the conspiratours taken, Uespasianus satte doune betwene [Sidenote: The saiyng of Uespasi- anus.] theim, commaunded a sworde to be giuen to either of theim, and saied to them: _Nonne videtis fato potestatem dari._ Dooe you not see? Power, aucthoritée, and regimente, by the ordi- [Sidenote: A sentence comfortable to al princes.] naunce of God, is lefte and giuen to princes: A singuler sen- tence, to comforte all good Princes in their gouernemente, not to feare the poisoned hartes of men, or the traiterous har- tes of pestiferous men. No man can pull doune, where God exalteth, neither power can set vp and extoll, where God dis- plaseth or putteth doune: Soche is the state of Princes, and their kyngdomes.

¶ _Thesis._

_THesis_, is a certain question in consultacion had, to bée declaimed vpon vncertaine, notyng no certaine per- sone or thyng.

As for example.

Whether are riches chieflie to be sought for, in this life, as of all good thynges, the chief good.

Whether is vertue the moste excellente good thynge in this life.

Whether dooe the giftes of the mynde, passe and excelle the giftes and vertues of Fortune, and the bodie.

Whether doeth pollicie more auaile in war, then stre[n]gth of menne.

Who so will reason of any question of these, he hath nede with reason, and wittie consultacion to discourse, and to de- claime vpon thesame.

The Greke Oratours doe call this exercise _Thesis_, that is to saie, a proposicion in question, a question vncertain, in- cluded with no certaintée, to any perticuler thyng.

[Fol. liij.v]

The Latine men doeth call it a question infinite, or vni- uersall: Tullie in his booke of places called Topickes, doeth call _Thesis_, _Propositum_, that is to saie, a question, in deter- minacion. Priscianus calleth it _positionem_, a proposicion in question on ether parte to be disputed vpon.

As for example.

Whether is it best to marie a wife?

Whether is frendship aboue all thynges to be regarded.

Is warre to be moued vpon a iuste cause?

Is the Greke tongue mete, and necessarie to be learned?

There is an other kinde of question called _hypothesis_, _hy[-] pothesis_ is called _questio finita_, that is to saie, a question cer- taine notyng a certaine persone, or thyng, a certaine place, tyme, and so forthe.

As for example.

Is it mete for Cesar to moue warre against Pompei?

Is not there a certain persone?

Is the Greke tongue to be learned of a Diuine?

Is the Greke tongue meete for a Phisicion?

In this kinde of exercises, famous men of auncient time did exercise youth, to attain bothe wisedome and Eloquence therby, to make a discourse vpo[n] any matter, by art of lerning[.]

Aristotle the famous Philosopher, did traine vp youthe, to be perfite in the arte of eloquence, that thei might with all copiousnes and ingenious inuencion handle any cause.

Nothing doeth so moche sharpe and acuate the witte and capacitée of any one, as this kinde of exercise.

It is a goodly vertue in any one man, at a sodain, to vtter wittely and ingeniouslie, the secrete and hid wisedome of his mynde: it is a greate maime to a profounde learned man, to wante abilitée, to vtter his exquisite and profounde knowe- ledge of his mynde.

¶ _Thesis._

THis question _Thesis_, which is a question, noting no cer- taine persone or thyng: is moche like to that Oracion, [Fol. liiij.r] intreated of before, called a Common place.

¶ A Common place.

BUt a Common place, is a certaine exaggeracion of matter, induced against any persone, conuicted of a- ny crime, or worthie defence.

¶ _Thesis._

_Thesis_ is a reasonyng by question, vpon a matter vncer- taine.

_Thesis_, that is to saie, a questio[n] generall is in two sortes.

{ Ciuill. A question { { Contemplatiue.

QUestions Ciuill are those, that dooe pertaine to the state of a common wealth: and are daily practised in the common wealthe.

As for example.

Is it good to marie a wife.

Is Usurie lefull in a citee, or common wealthe.

Is a Monarchie the beste state of gouernement.

Is good educacion the grounde and roote, of a florishyng common wealthe.

¶ A contemplatiue question.

THe other _Thesis_ is a question contemplatiue, which the Grekes dooe call _Theoricas_, because the matter of them is comprehended in the minde, and in the in[-] telligence of man.

The example.

Is the soule immortall?

Had the worlde a beginnyng?

Is the heauen greater then the yearth?

{ Simple. A question is either { { Compounde.

Is it good for a man to exercise hymself in wrastlyng, or [Fol. liiij.v]

Is it profitable to declaime.

[¶] A compounde.

Is vertue of more value then gold, to the coueitous man[?]

Doeth wisedome more auaile, then strength in battaile?

Doe olde men or young men, better gouerne a common wealthe?

Is Phisicke more honourable then the Lawe?

A Oracion made vpon _Thesis_, is after this sorte made.

Use a _exordium_, or beginnyng.

Unto the whiche you maie adde a Narracion, whiche is a exposicion of the thyng doen.

Then shewe it lawfull.

Iuste.

Profitable.

And possible.

Then the conclucion.

To this in some parte of the Oracion, you maie putte in certaine obieccions, as thus.

Upon this question: Is it good to marie a wife?

In Mariage is greate care, and pensiuenesse of minde, by losse of children, or wife, whom thou loueste. There is also trouble of dissolute seruauntes. There is also greate sorowe if thy children proue wicked and dissolute.

The aunswere to this obiection, will minister matter to declaime vpon.

¶ Is it good to Marie.

SInce the tyme of all ages, and the creacio[n] of the worlde, GOD hath so blessed his creacion, and meruailous workemanship in manne: as in all his other creatures, that not onelie his omnipo- teucie, is therby set forthe. But also from tyme to tyme, the posteritee of men, in their ofspring and procrea- [Sidenote: Kyngdomes continue by mariage and co[m]mon welth[.]] cion, doe aboundantlie commonstrate thesame. The state of all kyngdomes and common wealthes: by procreacion deri- ued, haue onelie continued on the face of the yearth, thereby [Fol. lv.r] many hundred yeres. How sone would the whole worlde be dissolued, and in perpetuall ruine, if that God from tymes and ages, had not by godlie procreacion, blessed this infinite [Sidenote: The dignitee of man, she- weth the worthines of mariage.] issue of mankinde. The dignitée of man in his creacion, she- weth the worthie succession, maintained by procreation. In vaine were the creacion of the worlde, if there were not as manne so excellente a creature, to beholde the creatour, and his meruailous creacion. To what vse were the Elementes and Heauens, the Starres and Planettes, all Beastes and Foules, Fisshe, Plantes, Herbes and trees, if men wer not, for mannes vse and necessitée, all thinges in the yearth were made and procreated. Wherein the Stoike Philosophers do note the excellencie of man to be greate: for saie thei, _Que in terris gignuntur omnia ad vsum hominum creari_. To what vse then were all thynges, if man were not, for whose cause, vse, & necessitée these thynges were made. If a continuaunce of Gods procreacion were not, immediatlie a ruine and ende would ensue of thinges. What age remaineth aboue a hun- dred yeres? If after a hu[n]dred yeres, no issue wer to be, on the [Sidenote: Godlie pro- creacion.] face of the yearth, how sone wer kyngdoms dissolued, where as procreacion rooteth, a newe generacion, issue and ofspring, and as it were a newe soule and bodie. A continuaunce of la- wes, a permanente state of common wealthe dooeth ensue. Though the life of manne be fraile, and sone cutte of, yet by Mariage, man by his ofspryng, is as it were newe framed, his bodie by death dissolued, yet by issue reuiued. Euen as Plantes, by the bitter season of Winter, from their flowers fadyng and witheryng: yet the seede of them and roote, vegi- table and liuyng, dooe roote yerelie a newe ofspryng or flo- [Sidenote: A similitude.] wer in them. So Mariage by godlie procreacion blessed, doth perpetually increase a newe bodie, and therby a vaste world, and infinite nacions or people. Xerxes the mightie kyng of Persia, vewing and beholding his maine and infinite hoste, wéeped: who beyng demaunded, why he so did. _Doleo inquit post centum annos, neminem ex hijs superesse._ It is a pitée- [Fol. lv.v] fulle and dolefull case, that after a hundred yeres, not one of these noble capitaines, and valiant soldiers to be left.

¶ The obieccion.

But you will saie parauenture, mariage is a greate bon- dage, alwaies to liue with one.

¶ The solucion.

To followe pleasure, and the beastlie mocions of the mynde: what libertée call you that, to liue in a godly, meane, [Sidenote: The libertie in mariage.] and Mediocritée of life, with thy spoused wife. There is no greater ioye, libertée, or felicitée, who so practiseth a dissolute life: whose loue and luste is kindeled, and sette on fire with a [Sidenote: A brutishe societie with harlottes.] harlotte, he followeth a brutishe societée. What difference is there, betwene them and beastes? The beaste as nature lea- deth, he obaieth nature. Reason wanteth in beastes, manne then indued with reason, whiche is a guide to all excellencie how is it that he is not ruled by reason. Whom GOD hath clothed and beautified, with all vertue and all singularitée: If a godly conuersacion of life, moueth thée to passe thy daies without mariage, then must the mocions of thy minde, be ta- [Sidenote: Chastitee in mariage.] med and kepte vnder. Other wise, execrable is thy purpose, and determinacio[n] of the life. If thou hopest of loue of a harlot though thou enioye her otherwise, thou art deceiued. Bac- chis the harlot, whom Terence maketh mencion of, in the persone of her self, sheweth the maners of all harlots to An- tiphila, saiyng.

_Quippe forma impulsi nostra nos amatores colunt: Hec vbi immutata est, illi suum animum alio conferunt. Nisi prospectu[m] est interea aliquid nobis, deserte viuimus._

For saieth she, the louer anamoured with our loue, and sette on fire therewith, it is for our beautie and fauour: but when beautie is ones faded, he conuerteth his loue to an o- ther, whom he better liketh. But that we prouide for our sel- ues in the meane season, wée should in the ende liue vtterlie forsaked. But your loue incensed with one, whose maners and life contenteth you: so you bothe are linked together, [Fol. lvj.r] [Sidenote: The loue of a harlotte.] that no calamitée can separate you: who so hopeth loue of a harlotte, or profite, he maie hope as for the fructe of a withe- red tree, gaine is all their loue, vice their ioye and delite. In vertue is libertée, in vertue is felicitee, the state of mariage is vertuous, there can be no greater bo[n]dage, then to obaie ma- ny beastly affections, to the whiche whoredome forceth hym vnto, Loue is fained, cloked amitée, a harte dissembled, ma- ny a mightie person and wise, hath been ouerthrowen by the deceiptes of harlottes: many a Citee plagued, many a region ouerthrowen for that mischief, to obaie many affections is a greate bondage. Who so serueth the beastlie affections of his [Sidenote: Hercules. Omphala.] mynde to that purpose, he must also as Hercules to Ompha- la bee slaue, not onely to his owne will and affection: but to the maners, will, and exspectacion of the harlotte. So serued Thraso, and Phedria Thais, that Gorgious harlot, Antony and Iulius Cesar, Cleopatra, this is a bondage, to liue slaue from reason and all all integritee, to a monsterous rableme[n]t [Sidenote: The harlot- tes lesson, to her louers.] of vices, who so serueth a harlot, thei must learne this lesson. _Da mihi & affer_, giue and bryng.