Chapter 9

All thynges that maie be seen, with the iye of man, tou- ched, or with any other sence apprehended: that maie be prai- sed, or dispraised.

{ Manne. Citees. } { Fisshe. Floodes. } { Foule. Castles. } { Beaste. Toures. } As { Orchardes. Gardeins. } { Stones. Stones. } { Trees. Artes. } { Plantes. Sciences. } { Mettals. }

Any vertue maie be praised, as wisedome, rightuousnes[,] fortitude, magnanimitée, temperaunce, liberalitée, with all other.

These are to be celebrated with praise.

The persone, as Iulius Cesar, Octauius Augustus, Hieremie, Tullie, Cato, Demosthenes.

Thynges, as rightuousnes, temperaunce.

Tymes, as the Spryng tyme of the yere, Sommer, Har- uest, Winter.

Places, as Hauens, Orchardes, Gardeins, Toures, Castles, Temples, Islandes.

Beastes wantyng reason, as Horse, Shepe, Oxen[,] Pla[n]- ntes, as Uines, Oliues.

In the praise of vertue, this maie be saied.

THe excellencies of it, the antiquitee and originalle be- ginnyng thereof, the profite that riseth to any region by it, as no kyngdome can consiste without vertue, [Fol. xxxix.v] and to extoll the same, in makyng a comparison, with other giftes of nature, or with other giftes of fortune, more infe- riour or base.

[Sidenote: Wherein the praise of a ci- tie consisteth[.]] Upon a citée, praise maie be recited, consideryng the good- lie situacion of it, as of Paris, Uenice, London, Yorke: con- sideryng the fertilitie of the lande, the wealthe and aboun- daunce, the noble and famous goueruours, whiche haue go- uerned thesame. The first aucthors and builders of thesame, the politike lawes, and godlie statutes therein mainteined: The felicitée of the people, their maners, their valeaunt pro- wes and hardines. The buildyng and ornatures of thesame, with Castles, Toures, Hauens, Floodes, Temples: as if a manne would celebrate with praise. The olde, famous, and [Sidenote: The praise of London. Brutus buil[-] ded Londo[n] in the .x. yeare of his raine.] aunciente Citée of London, shewyng the auncient buildyng of thesame: the commyng of Brutus, who was the firste au- cthor and erector of thesame. As Romulus was of the migh- tie Citée Rome, what kyngs haue fro[m] tyme to tyme, lineal- ly descended, and succeded, bearing croune and scepter there- in: the valiauntnes of the people, what terror thei haue been to all forraine nacions. What victories thei haue in battaile obteined, how diuers nacions haue sought their amitée and [Sidenote: Fraunce and Scotlande vpholded by y^e gouernors of this lande.] league. The false Scottes, and Frenche menne truce brea- kers: many and sonderie tymes, losyng their honour in the field, and yet thei, through the puissaunt harte of the kynges of this lande, vpholdyd and saued, from the mighte and force [Sidenote: Cambridge. Oxforde.] of other enemies inuadyng theim. The twoo famous Uni- uersitées of this lande, from the whiche, no small nomber of greate learned men and famous, haue in the co[m]mon wealthe sprong, with all other thynges to it.

The praise of a Kyng, Prince, Duke, Erle, Lorde, Ba- ron, Squire, or of any other man be maie declaimed of obser[-] uing the order of this parte of _Rhetorike_.

This parte of _Rhetorike_ called praise, is either a particu- ler praise of one, as of kyng Henry the fifte, Plato, Tullie, Demosthenes, Cyrus, Darius, Alexander the greate.

[Fol. xl.r]

Or a generalle and vniuersalle praise, as the praise of all the Britaines: or of all the citezeins of London.

¶ The order to make this Oracion, is thus declared.

Firste, for the enteryng of the matter, you shall place a _exordium_, or beginnyng.

The seconde place, you shall bryng to his praise, _Genus eius_, that is to saie: Of what kinde he came of, whiche dooeth consiste in fower poinctes.

{ Of what nacion. } { Of what countrée. } { Of what auncetours. } { Of what parentes. }

After that you shall declare, his educacion: the educacion is conteined in thrée poinctes.

{ Institucion. } In { Arte. } { Lawes. }

Then put there to that, whiche is the chief grounde of al praise: his actes doen, whiche doe procede out of the giftes, and excellencies of the minde, as the fortitude of the mynde, wisedome, and magnanimitée.

Of the bodie, as a beautifull face, amiable countenaunce[,] swiftnesse, the might and strength of thesame.

The excellencies of fortune, as his dignitée, power, au- cthoritee, riches, substaunce, frendes.

In the fifte place vse a comparison, wherein that whiche you praise, maie be aduaunced to the vttermoste.

Laste of all, vse the _Epilogus_, or conclusion.

¶ The example of the Oracion.

¶ The praise of Epaminundas.

IN whom nature hath powred singuler giftes, in whom vertue, & singularitée, in famous en- terprises aboundeth: whose glorie & renoume, rooteth to the posteritée, immortall commen- dacion. In the graue, their vertues and godlie [Fol. xl.v] [Sidenote: Obliuion.] life, tasteth not of Obliuion, whiche at the length ouerthro- weth all creatures, Citées, and regions. Thei liue onelie in all ages, whose vertues spreadeth fame and noble enterpri- [Sidenote: Who liue in all ages.] ses, by vertue rooteth immortalitée. Who so liueth, as that his good fame after death ceaseth not, nor death with the bo- die cutteth of their memorie of life: Soche not onely in life, but also in death are moste fortunate. In death all honor, di- [Sidenote: Good fame chieflie rou- teth after death.] gnitée, glorie, wealthe, riches, are taken from vs: The fame and glorie of singulare life is then, chieflie takyng his holde and roote, wise men and godlie, in life, knowen famous, af- ter death, remain moste worthie & glorious. Who knoweth [Sidenote: Tullie. Demosthe- nes. Iulius Ce- sar. Octauius Augustus. Uespasianus[.] Theodosius. Traianns. Adrianus.] not of Tullie, the famous Oratour of Rome. Doeth De- mosthenes lieth hidden, that noble Oratour of Athenes. Is not y^e fame of Iulius Cesar, Octauius Augustus remainyng of Uespasianus: of Theodosius, of Traianus, of Adrianus, who by praise minded, be left to the ende of al ages. Soche a one was this Epaminundas, the famous Duke of Thebe, whose vertues gaue hym honour in life, and famous enter- prises, immortalitée of fame after death. What can bee saied more, in the praise and commendacion, of any peere of estate, then was saied in the praise of Epaminundas, for his ver- tues were so singulare, that it was doubted, he beyng so good a manne, and so good a Magistrate, whether he were better manne, or better Magistrate: whose vertues were so vnited, that vertue alwaies tempered his enterprises, his loftie state as fortune oftentymes blindeth, did not make hym vnmind- full of his state. No doubt, but that in all common wealthes, famous gouernours haue been, but in all those, the moste parte haue not been soche, that all so good men, and so good magistrates: that it is doubted, whether thei were better me[n], [Sidenote: Good man, good magi- strate, boothe a good man and a good magistrate.] or better magistrates. It is a rare thyng to be a good manne, but a more difficult matter, to bee a good Magistrate: and moste of all, to be bothe a good man, and a good Magistrate. Honour and preeminent state, doeth sometyme induce obli- uion, whereupon thei ought the more vigilantlie to wade: [Fol. xlj.r] in all causes, and with all moderacion, to temper their pree- [Sidenote: The saiynge of the Philo- sophers.] minent state. The Philosophers ponderyng the brickle and slippere state of fortune, did pronounce this sentence: _Diffici- lius est res aduersas pati, quam fortunam eflantem ferre_, it is more easie to beare sharpe and extreme pouertie, then to rule and moderate fortune, because that the wisest menne of all [Sidenote: Obliuion.] haue as Chronicles doe shewe, felte this obliuion, that their maners haue been so chaunged, as that natures molde in the[m] had ben altered or nuelie framed, in the life of Epaminu[n]das moderacion and vertue, so gouerned his state, that he was a honor and renowne to his state, nothing can be more ample in his praise, then that which is lefte Chronicled of him.

[¶] Of his countrie.

EPaminundas was borne in Thebe a famous citie in [Sidenote: Cadmus. Amphion. Hercules.] Beotia, the which Cadmus the sone of Agenor buil- ded, whiche Amphion did close & enuiron with wal- les, in the whiche the mightie and valiaunt Hercules was borne, & manie noble Princes helde therin scepter, the which Citie is tituled famous to the posterity by the noble gouern- ment of Epaminundas.

¶ Of his auncetours.

EPaminundas came not of anie highe nobilitie or blood, but his parentes were honeste and verteous who as it semed were verie well affected to vertue, instructyng their soonne in all singulare and good qualities, for by good and vertuous life and famous enter- prises from a meane state, manie haue bene extolled to beare scepter, or to attaine greate honour, for as there is a begyn- [Sidenote: Nobility rose by vertue.] nyng of nobilitie, so there is an ende, by vertue and famous actes towarde the common wealthe, nobilite first rose. The [Sidenote: Cesar. Scipio.] stock of Cesar and Cesars was exalted from a meaner state, by vertue onelie to nobilitie. Scipios stocke was not alwais noble, but his vertues graffed nobilitie to the posteritie of his line and ofspryng followynge. And euen so as their fa- [Fol. xlj.v] mous enterprices excelled, nobilite in theim also increased. [Sidenote: Catilina.] Catilina wicked, was of a noble house, but he degenerated from the nobilitie of his auncestours, the vertues that graf- fed nobilitie in his auncestors, were first extinguished in Ca- [Sidenote: Marcus Antonius.] iline. Marcus Antonius was a noble Emperour, a Prince indued with all wisedome and Godlie gouernme[n]t, who was of a noble pare[n]tage, it what a wicked sonne succeded him, the [Sidenote: Commodus.] father was not so godlie, wise, and vertuous, as Commo- dus was wickedlie disposed and pestiferous. There was no vertue or excellence, méete for suche a personage, but that Marcus attained to. Who for wisedome was called Marcus Philosophus, in his sonne what vice was the[m] that he practi- sed not, belie chier, druncknes and harlottes, was his delite, his crueltie and bluddie life was suche that he murthered all the godlie and wise Senatours, had in price with Marcus [Sidenote: Seuerus.] his father. Seuerus in like maner, was a noble and famous Emperor, in the Senate moste graue, politike, and in his [Sidenote: Marcus Antonius Caracalla.] warres moste fortunate, but in his sonne Marcus Antoni- nus Caracalla, what wickednes wanted, whose beastlie life is rather to be put in silence, then spoken of. In the assemble of the Grecians, gathered to consulte vpon the contencion of [Sidenote: Aiax. Ulisses.] Achilles armour, Aiax gloriouslie aduaunceth hymself of his auncestrie, from many kinges descended, whom Ulisses his aduersarie aunswered: makyng a long and eloquente Ora- cion, before the noble péeres of Grece, concernyng Aiax his auncetours. These are his woordes.

_Nam genus et proauos et que non fecimus ipsi, Vix ea nostra voco, sed enim quia retulit Aiax, esse Iouis pronepos._

As for our parentage, and line of auncetours, long before vs, and noble actes of theirs: as we our selues haue not doen the like, how can we call, and title their actes to be ours. Let them therefore, whiche haue descended from noble blood, and famous auncetours: bee like affected to all nobilitée of their auncetours, what can thei glory in the nobilitée of their aun- [Fol. xlij.r] cetours. Well, their auncetours haue laied the foundacion, [Sidenote: Nobilitee.] and renoume of nobilitee to their ofspryng. What nobilitee is founde in them, when thei builde nothyng, to their aunce- tours woorke of nobilitée. Euen as their auncetours, noblie endeuoured them selues, to purchase and obtain, by famous actes their nobilitée) for, nobilitée and vertue, descendeth al- waies to the like) so thei contrary retire and giue backe, fro[m] all the nobiliée of their auncestours, where as thei ought, [Sidenote: A beginnyng of nobilitee.] with like nobilitée to imitate them. Many haue been, whiche through their wisedome, and famous enterprises, in the af- faires of their Prince, worthelie to honour haue been extol- led and aduaunced: who also were the firste aucthours and founders of nobiliée, to their name and ofspring. Whose of- spring indued with like nobilitée of vertues, and noble actes haue increased their auncestors glorie: the childre[n] or ofspring lineally descendyng, hauyng no part of the auncestours glo- rie, how can thei vaunte them selues of nobiliée, whiche thei lacke, and dooe nothyng possesse thereof, Euen from lowe [Sidenote: Galerius a Shepherds sonne Empe- ror of Rome. Probus a Gardeiners sonne, Em- perour.] birthe and degrée. Galerius Armentarius was aduaunced, euen from a Shepherdes sonne, to sit in the Imperiall seat of Roome. Galerius Maximinus whom all the Easte obaied, his vertues and noble acts huffed hym to beare scepter in the Empire of Roome. Probus a Gardiners soonne, to the like throne and glorie asce[n]ded, so God disposeth the state of euery man, placyng and bestowing dignitée, where it pleaseth him as he setteth vp, so he pulleth doune, his prouidence & might is bounde to no state, stocke, or kindred.

¶ Of his educacion.

EPaminu[n]das beyng borne of soche parentes, was brought vp in all excellente learnyng, for, vnder hym Philippe the kyng of the Macedonians, the soonne of Amintas, was brought vp. This Epa- minundas, the Histories note hym to be a chief Philosopher, and a capitaine moste valiaunte. In Musike, in plaiyng, and [Fol. xlij.v] singyng finelie to his Instrumente, notable and famous, no kinde of learnyng, arte, or science, wanted in his breaste: So greate and aboundante were his vertues, that aboue all go- uernours, whiche haue been in Thebe, his name and fame is chieflie aduaunced.

¶ The praise of his actes.

[Sidenote: The dutie of good gouer- nors.] EPaminundas beyng moste valiaunte and no- ble, leauing all priuate commoditée, glory, and riches a side: sought the renoume of his coun- tree, as all rulers and gouernours ought to do. [Sidenote: Howe a king[-] dome riseth to all felicitie.] For, a kyngdome or common wealth, can not rise to any high nobilitée or Roialnesse, where gouernours, rulers, and magistrates, neclecting the vniuersall, and whole body of the common wealthe, doe cogitate and vigilantly en- deuour them selues, to stablish to them and theirs, a priuate, peculiar, and domesticall profite, glorie, or renoume. Couei- teousnes, whiche is in all ambicious Magistrates the poison, plague, destruccion, and ruine of the beste and florishing co[m]- mon wealthes, of al wickednes and mischief the roote: a vice, [Sidenote: Couetousnes a great euill.] whereupon all vice is grounded, from whom all mischiefe floweth, all execrable purposes issueth. That wanted in Epaminundas, for in the ende of his life, his coffers were so thin and poore, that euen to his Funerall, money wanted to solempnise thesame. Priuate glorie nor excesse, was hunted after of hym, yet his vertues were of soche excellencie, that honour, dignitée, and preeminent state, was offered and gi- uen to hym vnwillinglie. This Epaminundas was in go- uernement so famous, and so vertuouslie and politikelie ru- led thesame, that he was a glorie, renoume, honour, and fe- licitée to his kingdome, by his state. Before the time of Epa- [Sidenote: Beotia. Thebes.] minundas, the countree of Beotia was nothyng so famous in their enterprises: neither the citee of Thebe so roiall, puis- saunt or noble, the antiquitee of that tyme sheweth, that E- paminundas wantyng the power of Thebes, their glorie, strength, and felicitee fell and decaied. The learning of Epa- [Fol. xliij.r] minundas and knowlege, was so aboundant and profounde bothe in Philosophie, and in all other artes and sciences, that it was wounderfull. In chiualrie and in feates of warre, no péere was more couragious and bolde, or hardie, neither in that, whiche he enterprised, any could be of greater counsaile in hedde more pollitike, of minde more sage and wittie: his gouernement so good, that beyng so good a Magistrate, it is doubted, whether he be better man, or better Magistrate, E- paminundas died in the defence of his countrée. The Athe- nians were enemies to the Thebanes, and many greate bat- tailes were assaied of theim and foughten: and often tymes the Athenians felt many bitter stormes, and fortune loured of them, he beyng so valiaunt a capitain. Epaminundas be- yng dedde, the Athenians ceased to practise, any one parte of chiualrie, their prowesse and dexteritée decaied: thei hauyng no aliaunte, and forraine enemie to moleste theim, or whom [Sidenote: A valiant ca- pitain, to his countrie a pil[-] lar[,] to his ene[-] mie, a occasio[n] to dexteritie.] thei feared. So that a famous, wise, pollitike, and valiaunte capitaine, is not onely a staie, a pillar and strong bulwarke to his countrée. But also forraine nacions, hauyng one, who[m] for his valiauntnes thei dreade, doe practise and inure them selues, to all dexteritee, counsaile, wisedome, and pollicie: soche a one was Epaminundas, to his enemies and cou[n]trée.

¶ The comparison.

[Sidenote: Hector. Achilles. Numa Pom[-] peius. Adrianus.] NEither Hector of Troie, nor Achilles of Grece, might bee compared with Epaminundas, Numa Pompili- us was not more godlie, Adriane the Emperour of Roome, no better learned, nor Galba the Emperour more valiaunte, Nerua no more temperate, nor Traianus more noble, neither Cocles nor Decius, Scipio nor Marcus Regu[-] lus, did more valianntly in the defence of their countrie, soche a one was this Epaminundas.

¶ The conclusion.

OF many thynges, these fewe are recited, but if his whole life and vertues, wer worthely handeled: fewe would beleue, soche a rare gouernour, so vertuous a [Fol. xliij.v] Prince, so hardie and valiaunte a capitaine, to haue remai- ned in no age.

¶ The parte of Rhetorike, called dispraise.

THis parte of _Rhetorike_, which is called dispraise, is a in- uectiue Oracion, made againste the life of any man.

This part of _Rhetorike_, is contrary to that, whiche is be- fore set, called _laus_, that is to saie, praise: and by contrary no- tes procedeth, for the Oratour or declaimer to entreate vpo[n].

This parte of _Rhetorike_, is called of the Grekes _Psogos_.

In praise, we extoll the persone: First by his countrée.

Then by his auncestours and parentes.

In the third place, by his educacion and institucion.

Then in the fowerth place, of his actes in life.

In the fifte place vse a comparison, comparyng the per- sone with other, whiche are more inferiour.

Then the conclusion.

Now in dispraise, contrarily we doe procede.

Firste, in the dispraise of his countrée.

Of his auncetours and parentes.

His educacion is dispraised.

Then his actes and deedes of life.

Also in your comparison with other, dispraise hym.

Then in the laste place, adde the conclusion.

All thynges that maie be praised, maie be dispraised.

¶ The dispraise of Nero.

[Sidenote: Uertue.] AS vertue meriteth commendacion and immor- tall renoume, for the nobilitée and excellencie reposed in it: so ougle vices for the deformitée of them, are in mynd to be abhorred and detested, and with all diligence, counsaile, and wisedome [Sidenote: Uice.] auoided. As pestiferous poison extinguisheth with his cor- rupcion and nautinesse, the good and absolute nature of all thinges: so vice for his pestiferous nature putteth out vertue and rooteth out with his force all singularitée. For, vice and [Fol. xliiij.r] vertue are so of nature contrary, as fire and water, the vio- lence of the one expelleth the other: for, in the mansion of ver- tue, vice at one tyme harboreth not, neither vertue with vice [Sidenote: What is ver- tue.] can be consociate or vnited, for, vertue is a singuler meane, or Mediocrite in any good enterprise or facte, with order and reason finished. Whose acte in life, doeth repugne order and reason, disseuered from all Mediocrite, soche do leaue iustice, equitée, wisedome, temperaunce, fortitude, magnanimitée, and al other vertues, bothe of minde and body: onely by ver- tues life men shewe theim selues, as chief creatures of God, with reason, as a moste principall gifte, beautified and deco- rated: In other giftes, man is farre inferiour to beastes, both in strength of bodie, in celeritée and swiftnesse of foote, in la- bour, in industrie, in sense, nothyng to bee compared to bea- stes, with beastes as a peculier and proper thyng, wee haue our bodie of the yearth: but our minde, whiche for his diuini- tée, passeth all thynges immortall, maketh vs as gods emo[n]g other creatures. The bodie therefore, as a aliaunt and forain enemie, beyng made of a moste base, moste vile and corrup- tible nature, repugneth the mynde. This is the cause, that wickednesse taketh soche a hedde, and that the horrible facte and enterprise of the wicked burste out, in that, reason exiled and remoued from the minde, the ougle perturbacions of the minde, haue their regiment, power, and dominio[n]: and where soche state of gouernemente is in any one bodie, in priuate and domesticalle causes, in forraine and publike affaires, in kyngdome and co[m]mon wealthe. Uertue fadeth and decaieth, and vice onely beareth the swaie. Lawe is ordered by luste, and their order is will, soche was the tyme and gouernment of this wicked Nero.

¶ Of his countree.

NEro was a Romaine borne, though in gouerne- ment he was wicked, yet his cou[n]trée was famous, and noble: for, the Romaines wer lordes and hed- des ouer all the worlde. The vttermoste Indians, [Fol. xliiij.v] the Ethiopes, the Persians, feared the maiestie and auctho- [Sidenote: Rome.] ritée of the Romaines. From Romulus, who was the firste founder, and builder of that Citee: the Romaines bothe had their name of hym, and grew afterward to marueilous pui- saunt roialnes. There was no nacion vnder the Sunne, but it dreaded their Maiestie, or felte their inuincible handes: there hath been many mightie kyngdomes, on the face of the yearth, but no kyngdome was able, with like successe and fe- licitée in their enterprise, or for like famous gouernors, and continuance of their state, to compare with them. This was, and is, the laste mightée Monarchie in the worlde. Roome a olde aunciente citée, inhabited firste of the Aborigines, which [Sidenote: Carthage.] came from Troie. The prouidence of God, so disposeth the tymes and ages of the world, the state of kyngdomes, by the fall of mightier kyngdomes, meaner grewe to power and glorie. The Carthagineans, contended by prowes, and ma- gnanimitee, to be lordes ouer the Romaines. Carthage was a greate, mightie, olde, auncient & famous citée, in the whiche valiaunte, wise, and pollitike gouernours, helde therein re- giment, long warres was susteined betwene the Romaines and Carthagineans, emong whom infinite people, and ma- ny noble péeres fell in the duste. Fortune and happie successe fell to the Romaines: the people of Carthage va[n]quished, and prostrate to the grounde. Scipio the noble Consull, beyng at the destruccion of it, seeyng with his iye, Carthage by fire brunte to ashes, saied: _Talis exitus aliquando erit Rome_: eue[n] [Sidenote: Destruction of Rome to ashes in time.] as of Carthage, like shall the destruccion of Rome bee, as for continuaunce of the Romaine state, of their glorie, power, and worthie successe, no nacion vnder the Sunne, can com- pare with theim: soche was the state of Rome, wherein wic- ked Nero raigned.

¶ Of his anncestours.