Part 27
=_Auxesis_ or _Incrementum_, where by degrees we not onlie rise to the summe of euerie thing, but also sometimes go beyond, as to say, |Hee first set vpon him with reproachfull wordes, after assayled him with his weapons, then wounded him, and lastlie did moste miserablie murther him|. Here by degrees is passed to the last exigent. Now to the second. |It is euill to reproch, wicked to slaunder, villanous vnwarilie to strike, detestable to murther. What shall I say to betray a man to all these|. Here is now _vltra summum_, beyond all that was spoken to the vttermost. The excellencie of this Figure is so much the more, by howe much euerie degrée is still inforced one aboue another, and goeth beyonde in comparison, as to say: |golde, riches, honour, estate, treasure, kingdomes, life, and all he helde of no moment|. Another kinde of recitall pertaineth also to this figure short in repetition, but for vehemencie wonderfull, as to say: |Thou hast conspired the death of thy Prince, and in her the subuersion of a whole kingdome, what should I say thou hast conspired the death of thy Prince|. As who would enforce that no one thing then that could be greater: Finallie, for inforcement of a thing, to say in reprehension of follies. |If thou hadst done or spoken this in a priuate audience, among men of the ruder and meaner sort, among such as are lesse capable of skill then a great many others, thy fault could not haue beene hid: but to doe it before thy betters, in the presence of such as are adiudged both honorable and wise, in the hearing of those of great account of such as haue power to checke, and authoritie to compell thee, it was too peeuish.|=
=_Sinathrismus_, a heaping of words diuersly signifying togithers, as to say, |Hee was a man wholie malicious, exceedinglie proude, vtterlie arrogant, altogither subtill, by nature cruell, and in speeches contentious|. Or otherwise thus: |What should I tell thee further of his partes, how wise, how sober, how honest, howe courteous, howe friendly, how choicelie he liued.|=
=_Brachiologa_, when in single wordes without anie coupling togethers, we procéed in a broken kind of deliuerie, and yet hasten forward as in the other: As to saie, |loue, hate, Ielousie, frensie, furie|, drew him from |pitty|.=
=_Antithesis_, or |Contentio|, when we amplifie by contraries, as to say, |Being in my power to vse as I listed, I cared for thee, and did not destroy thee. Thou wast charie vnto me whē no man regarded thee, and when my selfe also might haue despised thee|. Or otherwise: |If you doe that is good, you haue the rewarde of praise, if you prosecute badnesse, your merite is euill|. Or thus: |To thy enimyes and those that maligne thee, thou art placable: to thy friendes, inexorable. In coole matters thou art hotte: in the hottest causes, colde: Art thou called? Thou art gone. Thy absence required? we cannot be rid of thee.|=
=_Epanodis_, carrieng a reference to the matter preceding, much like to the figure _Prolepsis_, but that yᵉ figure _Prolepsis_, hath relation onelie to the matter, this to the matter and tearmes therein vsed, the difference whereof you maie see in some of mine epistles as the same is quoted in the margent where the figure is vsed.=
=_Comparatio_, which taketh his increase of smaller matters, which if they may séeme great in all opinions, then that which we séeke to amplifie must of necessitie séeme greater, sometimes also by diminution of things great, to make the residue the greater, example of the first may bee that saying of |Cicero| of |Catiline|, in these wordes, |Did the famous Scipio for a little ill gouernment of the common weale, cause Tiberius Gracchus priuatelie to bee made awaie: and shall wee preferre Catiline that goeth about to fill the whole worlde with his slaughters?| Here is |Catiline| compared to |Gracchus|, the state of a common wealth to the whole worlde, a small sliding to an insufferable wasting, and a priuate man to the whole Senate. Or otherwise thus: |Tell mee I praie thee, if one had giuen thee but a small summe of money to comfort thy neede withall, were it not humanitie to thanke him: If hee had giuen thee possessions to liue vppon, were it not honestie to requite him: If of a slaue hee made thee rich, shouldest thou not bee bounden vnto him? Howe much more then to him that hath not alonelie done all these, but farre more then these vnto thee, oughtest thou in the verie bondes of nature and courtesie to bee both thankefull and louing?| Example of the seconde sort for diminution might bee this: |What is it that you propose vnto mee these small matters of vnkindnesse, as that the man is ingratefull, that hee hath no good remembraunce of courtesies, that there is in him not so much as an acknowledgement, which is a thing farre from requitall, these I must confesse are iniuries to some, but vnto mee they are trifles, matters of no moment, things not to bee reckoned of: what say you to him that betrayeth his friend, seeketh his death that hath sought his life, worketh by all possible meanes his ouerthrow, his destruction and vndoing?| And in this exaggeration of |vices|, so also might there bee the like of |Vertues|, as if one should exhort a man to |Pietie|, after hee had set foorth all the commodities thereof, as |the tranquilitie of minde, peace of conscience, libertie of spirit, the communion with Saints, from a bonslaue of the diuell to become the childe of God, the comfort of the holie Ghost which the Prophet denieth may be by man conceyued:| he might lastlie adde, |what thinges then these in all the worlde could be greater, what more singular, what more happie, and yet if they be conferred vnto that blessed heritage of immortalitie, if to the life and ioyes to come, if to that heauenlie Ierusalem, which certainlie remaineth for all such as are endued with such a spirit: they are toies and things of no excellencie or moment.|=
=_Metonoia_, when by a sudden restraint of spéech, wee giue grace or mislike to a person, or thing, as to saie, |worthilie atchieued? nay rather honourablie attained, a man notable|, we maie rather saie, |singular: Ah cruell man|, and no man neither, but a |beast: Oh rare clemencie|, or rather |most admirable patience. Hee is no thiefe, but a rauener: no murtherer, but a tyrant.|=
=_Aphorismus_, a |Scheme|, like vnto the other, but differing by a maner of reprehension, as to saie, |What lawes bee these, if at least wise they may be termed lawes, which beare in them so vile customs, and not rather firebrands of the citie, and the plague of the whole common weale|. Or otherwise: |your counsellers, if such may be called counsellers, as draw vnto mischiefe, are vtterlie vnmeete to such kinde of assemblies.|=
=_Diminutio_, when we goe about to extenuate things difficult, to make them lesse in seeming, as to one that would shun learning, for the tediousnesse thereof in studie: We might shew, |that besides the great necessitie thereof in the life of man, wee shall in attaining thereof, take no other nor more laboursome course, then others before vs haue done: that the way thereunto is verie plaine and easie, the labour (if anie be) sweet and pleasant. And whereas in all our ordinarie exercises of vanitie, there redoundeth for the most part in the ende but meere trauaile, and vnprofitable charge: in this the commoditie is as great as the delight, the gaine as ordinarie as the practise, wherein the studie is but the least part of a mans life, but the pleasure and commodity infinite|. And like as in this, so in all other things, conducing to good and laudable exercises, the labour is still diminished, by proposing the worthines, pleasure, honour, profit, and so of euils commonlie, by mitigation of the fault.=
=_Climax_, or |Gradatio|, when each member in a sentence ariseth from the other afore going, beginning with that which endeth the former, as to say, |His industrie bred him vertue: his vertue, praise: his praise, renowne: his renowne, glorie: and his glorie enuie|. Or thus: |What hope haue we of good, if what men list, they may; and what they may they do, and what they doe they dare, and what they dare they prosecute, and what they prosecute, they are neuer ashamed of.|=
=_Antimetauole_ or _Commutatio_, when a sentence by charge is inuerted to the contrarie, as thus, |We must eat to liue, and not liue to eat: Not man for the Sabboth, but the Sabboth for man was ordained. They are happy whose wisdome is answerable to their fortune, and whose fortune answereth their wit.|=
=_Sinæciosis_, when one contrary is attributed to another, or when two diuerse things are in one put together, as thus. |The prodigal and couetous doe offende alike, for neither doe liue as they ought. Pleasure it selfe is sometimes a labour, and labour also is often a pleasure. To a couetous man is wanting as well that he hath, as that hee hath not.|=
=_Etiologia_, a figure like vnto the other beforegoing, and much resembling to _Orismus_, which defineth a matter by sorting the same into a distinguishment: but this nowe telleth the cause or reason of that which is before auerred, and is as a confirmation thereunto giuen for the concluding of the same, you maie sée the examples as the figure is quoted in my Epistles.=
=_Paralepsis_, or _Occupatio_, when in seeming to ouerpasse, omit, or let slip a thing, we then chiefly speake thereof, as thus: |I will not here rehearse vnto you how slippery and transitorie this life is, howe much laden with cares, exposed to daungers, and attended with miseries, for we knowe it and feele it: But I will come to speake of the perdurable ioies of the other, &c.| Or thus, |for my part I haue no pleasure to laie open other mens errors, it is inough vnto me, that by themselues they are made apparant, and that the whole worlde may see them. I omit to report vnto you these and such like ordinary matters, which in comparison of that I will shew you are but trifles. I tell you not, or I talke not now of times past. It is not the matter wherein I am now occupied. His theft, his rapine, his spoile, and all his whole disorderlie course of life in those daies perpetrated, I nowe omit, and onely doe come to the times present. His counselling (I had almost said concealing) of good when time was, if it bee well noted, was it that procured our mischiefes, &c.|=
=_Procatalepsis_ or _Præoccupatio_, when we doe anticipate vnto our selues that we know wil be obiected, as thus, |what do you obiect vnto me the times passed, those seasons & ours are vtterly vnlike. But peraduenture you will say that these things are for children fit to bee considered, nay rather meetest of old men to be followed. You will happely say vnto me herein, that I am too light of credit: but I can tel you the proofe is extant, and fit to be beleeued.=
=_Metastasis_ or _Transitio_, when in briefe wordes we passe from one thing to another, as thus, |You haue hearde by this what you ought to consider, heare now I pray you what you are bounde to remember. These things you will say are pleasant, but the rest yet vntold are far more delightfull. This already shewed vnto you seemeth to be tolerable, that which followes is no waies to be suffered. I haue now told you what was done in priuate, I will next shewe you what was handled in publike: these things he did at home, that which followeth was abroade in the fielde: whilst hee was a young man, hee did this I told you, but the vertues of his age were far more different. You haue vnderstood of maners, I will now speake vnto you of learning: I will not trouble you with many things further, only this one thing will I rehearse vnto you. But of these enough, we will now go to the rest. I haue somthing beene caried away with these motions, but we wil now go to the substance. But why stay we so long in trifles? I wil go to the head of the matter: what he promised I haue deliuered, what he performed you shall vnderstande: I haue thus shewed you how much he was charged vnto me, you shal now heare againe how gently he requited me.|=
=_Paramologia_, where we graunt one or moe thinges meete to be marked or alleadged, and forthwith doe infer thereupon sufficient whereby to ouerthrow it, as thus: |I deny not but I haue heretofore vsed you in causes secret, in matters weighty and of counsell, that I haue found you friendly, faithfull and ready: but what is all that to the purpose, when in a thing so important, and matter neerly concerning me, as whereon dependeth the safegard of my whole house and familie, I haue founde you in both negligent and vntrustie|. Or otherwise thus: |Be it, or suppose you haue omitted nothing in your owne person, of a friende to be performed, that you were no partaker with him of those euill counsels: that you abstained to accompany him in the execution of his mischiefes, yet are you not therfore cleared. For it is not sufficient for a man not to doe euill of himselfe, but that by to too much lenity he become not occasion of an others mischiefe.|=
=_Dichologia_, when by a colour of mitigation wee defende our cause, as to saie: |I fell, I confesse, but as a young man, I went astray, but as one willing to be reclaimed: I forsooke my friend indeede, but constrained by the lawes, I was a companion in their badnesse, but forced by threatning.|=
=_Orismus_, _definitio_, or _finitio_, wherein we brieflie laie forth the true properties of euerie thing, by impugning the contrarie, as thus: |Men cannot be said in vertue to exceed, for in vertue there is euer an excellency, but neuer an excesse, sith the excesse is onely appropriate vnto vices. This cannot be said to be care but couetousnesse, for care hath onely respect to necessary vses, but in couetousnes, there is neuer any reasonable suffizance.=
=_Hypotyposis_, when any thing is described in particular, or made knowne to the viewe, as thus: |Shall I tell you what maner a one you haue preferred vnto mee, for his stature, a Dwarfe: for his person, a trunke: for his qualities a dog: for his countenance, a foxe: in behauiour a swine: in condition, an Ape: in sense, an Asse, and in vsage, a beast.|=
=_Merismus_ or _Distributio_, when that as maie bee generallie spoken we distribute for amplification into parts: as if in generalitie we said: |He hath consumed all his substance in riot:| By distribution wee might amplifie thus: |Whatsoeuer patrimony hee had from his father, what priuate inrichment by his deceased mother, what large assistance by friends, whereat the worlde neuer barked, what dowry soeuer by his wife, which no doubt was very great, all this hath he consumed by a most dissolute and wanton liuing: mony, plate, lands, wealth, possessions and all, are gone to the deuil, his cattel consumed, his houshold stuffe solde, his apparell spent, and the poore miser at this instant hath not left him a farthing.|=
=_Dialisis_, a separation of one thing from another, both being absolued by a seuerall reason, in the nature of a |Dilemma|, as thus: |When I haue preached vnto you all I may, if you bee well giuen it auaileth, if graceles, forth you wil not be moued|. Or thus. |What should I further set forth vnto you my good will, if you remember it, I haue said inough, if not, my words wil not prouoke you.|=
=_Dialogismus_ or _Sermocinatio_, an imaginatiue speach, agréeing to the quality of the person it is framed of. Whether he be valiant cruell, young, old, or of what other condition, as if we shoulde saie of the times present. |Were the ancient Apostles and olde Fathers of religion nowe liuing, which with great innocencie of life, and true pietie, shined in their seasons, and should but beholde the most corrupt and abhominable estate of our times, subiect as they bee to all kinde of euils, would they not thinke, you straight proclaime against vs the vniust name of Christians, and challenge vs for the great want we haue of the true profession thereof? Would they not rather cry out of vs that deluding ourselues onely with a vaine title or name of Christians, we do not so much as seeke in the meane time to followe any part thereof?|=
=_Epiphonema_, or conclusion to a matter before shewed, as thus: |Of so woonderfull force was his wisdome, which was able to compasse that in short time, which a number haue diuerslie sought for, and could neuer hetherto obtaine|. Or thus: |Such is the force of Nature which seldome wee doe see is euer chaunged by anie colours. Much haue they forsaken that haue cast all from themselues|. It is commonlie the conclusion or making vp of a discourse or sentence by some pithie manner of speaking. As if a man shoulde inueigh against drunkennesse, hee might thus conclude, |Hee nowe that thinketh it parcell of humanity, by thrusting on of many cuppes to driue his friend into drunkennesse, let him also thinke it kindnes, by a venemous confection giuen, to driue him into madnesse.|=
=_Expeditio_, or _enumeratio_, when many reasons of auerment being numbred togethers, we make a confutation of them, each one in particular, as thus: |The goods in question beeing alleadged to bee mine, it is requisite you prooue, either that you had them by chance, that you haue long held or enioied them, that you bought them with your money, or otherwise that by some gift you came to them, or lastly, in succession that you haue obtained them. That you had them by chance it cannot be, for they were not lost from my keeping. Long haue you not held them, for they were alwaies till this in mine owne possession. It is plaine you neuer bought them, for you paide mee no mony for them. By gift you could not haue them, for the right was in me to giue them. The succession must be void, for my selfe am yet liuing. It remaineth then if you keep them, that liuing you doe cast me out of mine own possession|. This chiefly appertaineth to the Iudiciall Epistles in the state |Coniecturall|.=
=_Cōmoratio_, when matters diuerslie enlarged, are yet staid vpon, and lastlie brought into one short conclusion, wherby the reasons are made more weightie, and of the greater efficacie, as thus. |What will you make of this man, whom ye seeke in this maner to set free, you see he is a man prodigall of his owne fame, & a lier in waite for others credits, one full of guile, intemperate, railing, proude and ambitious, to his parents most wicked, ingratefull to his friends, hated of his owne kinsemen, stubborne to his superiours, insolent with his equals, to his inferiours cruell, and finallie to all persons whatsoeuer a creature most intolerable.|=
=_Sententia_, A recitall of some graue matter by waie of a notable saying or sentence, either by common custome admitted, or by some authour deliuered, examples whereof are plentifullie to bee seene in my Epistles.=
=_Exuscitatio_, A prouocation or stirring vp of others to the praise or mislike of a thing, as thus: |What one is hee of so slender or contemptible a spirit amongst vs, or who of all our Nation woulde bee counted so enuious, as vpon so great and large a desert had by a man so woorthie, woulde not willinglie render vnto him all honour and due commendation?| Likewise of the contrarie for dispraise. |Doth it not abhorre you to heare and vnderstand of a rabble of so great and vnaccustomed lewdnesse, a man euerie way so vile, to goe thus freelie vnpunished? Surelie I doe thinke no honest minde but would be of this opinion, that of all creatures liuing hee were most worthie to be extirped.|=
=_Omiosis_, The figure of resemblance or similitude, whereby wee resemble one thing to another, as thus: |Like as they greatlie do offend, who going to a publike well, whence all a whole citie hath their water, do infect the same with a most deadly poison: Euen so do they most wickedly merit of the common weale, who deprauing the mind of a Prince, doe lade and frequent the same with most mischieuous counsels|. Or thus: |Is it seene that men at the blast or byting of a Viper, do shrinke, and forthwith do run for a medicine? How much more ought they thē, for the auoiding of a most horrible shame, yᵉ infamous sting wherof is far worse then all other poisons, to run to a remedie?|=
=_Icon_, An image or artificiall description of that we meane to deliuer, as if in setting forth our most gratious Soueraigne, we shoulde saie, |That Goddesse like adorned with high aspectes, or statelie grace and maiestie diuine. In Chariot deckt with Princelie ornaments shee issued foorth, &c.| Or thus, laying out the dreadfulnes of warre, |Fierce and vntamed warre with eyes sparkling as the flaming fire, whose face caried in it selfe a terrour to the lookers on, and his coūtenance was as it were a present death. His gesture was as the furious assault of a Lion, and his mouth as a deuouring pitte to swallow the bloud of multitudes. Armed hee was with fire, with famine, and with sword, crying reuengement on the world, and persecuting all nations with a ceaslesse dread.|=
=_Paradigma_, a maner of exhorting or withdrawing by example, as to saie, |the Elephants engender not, but in places most remote, and any that by chance do see them in that time they kill. How much more then behooueth that betweene those of reason, a shamefastnes be included in executing that action|. Or thus. |The nature of the Dolphin is not to suffer the yong ones of her kinde to straggle vndefenced, such care haue they of their frie: How much more beseeming is it, that our procreation which are men, should not be suffred to runne at random without either guide or controlment.|=
=_Pareonasis_, or _Digressio_, a spéech beside the matter in present spoken on, as to saie, |But heere let mee remember vnto you something of the deserts and eternized memorie of your worthie and most vertuous Parents|. Or thus: |giue me leaue a little to digresse from this purpose, to the ende that by laying out of something yet vnspoken of, I may the better wade into the rest.|=
FINIS.
Of the partes, place and Office _of a Secretorie_.
=Considering howe many woorthie and excellent men, not onely in our present age, but in manie yeares before vs haue liued, none of all which (though questionlesse furnished with verie great abilitie) haue to my certaine knowledge, euer written ought in our English tongue, touching this title: It maie seeme questionable, how I the most disfurnished of manie others, and subiect thereby to the insight and correction of all others, durst take vppon mee to discourse thereupon, weighing with my selfe the subiect I take in hand, to be of speciall qualitie, and to none so much fitting as to those that bee greatest learned, best aduised, discreetest gouerned, and worthiest ruled, to treate vpon. Nor doe my selfe by such presumption of mine, déem the same to be of lesse moment then it is. Howbeit, as one tied by a former promise, in that my first edition of this present Methode of |Epistles|, haue nowe taken vpon me (as you see) to write thereupon.=
=Truth is, that as I am none of those that maie vaunt my selfe of any furniture sufficient to so speciall an end & purpose, yet haue I not bin in some time of the yeares I haue spent, altogither excluded from any fauour or tast therof at all. Neither haue I whollie spent the seasons I haue caried, so vainely, but that at one time or other I haue (not without some considerate aduerting) eyed the demeanours, issues, and dispositions of sundrie humors, by insight whereinto, and some proofe made of that which my selfe haue practised in place of seruice, I am bold in this onelie discourse, to aduenture the performance of that I haue promised.=