Chapter 12

more but common porters, caryers, and bringers of matter and stuffe togither. They order nothing: They lay before you, what is done: they do not teach you, how it is done: They busie not them selues with forme of buildyng: They do not declare, this stuffe is thus framed by _Demosthenes_, and thus and thus by _Tullie_, and so likewise in _Xenophon, Plato_ and _Isocrates_ and _Aristotle_. For ioyning _Virgil_ with _Homer_ I haue suf- ficientlie declared before. The like diligence I would wish to be taken in _Pindar_ and _Pindarus._ // _Horace_ an equall match for all respectes. _Horatius._ // In Tragedies, (the goodliest Argument of all, and for the vse, either of a learned preacher, or a Ciuill Ientleman, more profitable than _Homer, Pindar, Virgill_, and _Horace_: yea comparable in myne opinion, with the doctrine _Sophocles._ // of _Aristotle, Plato_, and _Xenophon_,) the _Grecians_, _Euripides._ // _Sophocles_ and _Euripides_ far ouer match our _Seneca_, _Seneca._ // in _Latin_, namely in oikonomia _et Decoro_, although _Senacaes_ elocution and verse be verie commendable for his tyme. And for the matters of _Hercules, Thebes, Hippolytus_, and _Troie_, his Imitation is to be gathered into the same booke, and to be tryed by the same touchstone, as is spoken before. In histories, and namelie in _Liuie_, the like diligence of Imitation, could bring excellent learning, and breede stayde iudgement, in taking any like matter in hand. Onely _Liuie_ were a sufficient taske for one mans studie, _Tit. Liuius._ // to compare him, first with his fellow for all re- _Dion. Hali-_ // spectes, _Dion. Halicarnassæus_: who both, liued in _carn._ // one tyme: tooke both one historie in hande to write: deserued both like prayse of learnyng and eloquence. _Polibius._ // Than with _Polybius_ that wise writer, whom _Liuie_ professeth to follow: & if he would denie it, yet it is plaine, that the best part of the thyrd _Decade_ in _Liuie_, is in _Thucidides._ // a maner translated out of the thyrd and rest of _Polibius_: Lastlie with _Thucydides_, to whose Imita- tion _Liuie_ is curiouslie bent, as may well appeare by that one 1 _Decad._ // Oration of those of _Campania_, asking aide of the _Lib._ 7. // _Romanes_ agaynst the _Samnites_, which is wholie taken, Sentence, Reason, Argument, and order, _Thucid._ 1. // out of the Oration of _Corcyra_, asking like aide of the _Athenienses_ against them of _Corinth_. If some

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diligent student would take paynes to compare them togither, he should easelie perceiue, that I do say trew. A booke, thus wholie filled with examples of Imitation, first out of _Tullie_, compared with _Plato, Xenophon, Isocrates, Demosthenes_ and _Aristotle_: than out of _Virgil_ and _Horace_, with _Homer_ and _Pindar_: next out of _Seneca_ with _Sophocles_ and _Euripides_: Lastlie out of _Liuie_, with _Thucydides, Polibius_ and _Halicarnassæus_, gathered with good diligence, and compared with right order, as I haue expressed before, were an other maner of worke for all kinde of learning, & namely for eloquence, than be those cold gatheringes of _Macrobius, Hessus, Perionius, Stephanus_, and _Victorius_, which may be vsed, as I sayd before, in this case, as porters and caryers, deseruing like prayse, as soch men do wages; but onely _Sturmius_ is he, out of whom, the trew suruey and whole workemanship is speciallie to be learned. I trust, this my writyng shall giue some good student occasion, to take some peece in hand of this worke of Imitation. And as I had rather haue any do it, than my // Opus de selfe, yet surelie my selfe rather than none at all. // recta imi- And by Gods grace, if God do lend me life, with // tandi ratione. health, free laysure and libertie, with good likyng and a merie heart, I will turne the best part of my studie and tyme, to toyle in one or other peece of this worke of Imitation. This diligence to gather examples, to giue light and vnder- standyng to good preceptes, is no new inuention, but speciallie vsed of the best Authors and oldest writers. For _Aristotle_ // _Aristoteles._ him selfe, (as _Diog. Laertius_ declareth) when he had written that goodlie booke of the _Topickes_, did gather out of stories and Orators, so many examples as filled xv. bookes, onelie to expresse the rules of his _Topickes_. These were the Commentaries, that _Aristotle_ thought fit for hys // Commen- _Topickes_: And therfore to speake as I thinke, I // tarij Græ- neuer saw yet any Commentarie vpon _Aristotles_ // ci et Lati- Logicke, either in _Greke_ or _Latin_, that euer I // ni in Dia- lyked, bicause they be rather spent in declaryng // lect. Ari- scholepoynt rules, than in gathering fit examples // stotelis. for vse and vtterance, either by pen or talke. For preceptes in all Authors, and namelie in _Aristotle_, without applying vnto them, the Imitation of examples, be hard, drie, and cold, and therfore barrayn, vnfruitfull and vnpleasant. But _Aristotle_,

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namelie in his _Topicks_ and _Elenches_, should be, not onelie fruitfull, but also pleasant to, if examples out of _Plato_, and other good Authors, were diligentlie gathered, and aptlie Precepta // applied vnto his most perfit preceptes there. in Aristot. // And it is notable, that my frende _Sturmius_ writeth Exempla // herein, that there is no precept in _Aristotles_ in _Platone._ // _Topickes_ wherof plentie of examples be not manifest in _Platos_ workes. And I heare say, that an excellent learned man, _Tomitanus_ in _Italie_, hath expressed euerie fallacion in _Aristotle_, with diuerse examples out of _Plato_. Would to God, I might once see, some worthie student of _Aristotle_ and _Plato_ in Cambrige, that would ioyne in one booke the preceptes of the one, with the examples of the other. For such a labor, were one speciall peece of that worke of Imitation, which I do wishe were gathered together in one Volume. Cambrige, at my first comming thither, but not at my going away, committed this fault in reading the preceptes of _Aristotle_ without the examples of other Authors: But herein, in my time thies men of worthie memorie, _M. Redman_, _M. Cheke, M. Smith, M. Haddon, M. Watson_, put so to their helping handes, as that vniuersitie, and all studentes there, as long as learning shall last, shall be bounde vnto them, if that trade in studie be trewlie folowed, which those men left behinde them there. By this small mention of Cambridge, I am caryed into three imaginations: first, into a sweete remembrance of my tyme spent there: than, into som carefull thoughts, for the greuous alteration that folowed sone after: lastlie, into much ioy to heare tell, of the good recouerie and earnest forwardnes in all good learning there agayne. To vtter theis my thoughts somwhat more largelie, were somwhat beside my matter, yet not very farre out of the way, bycause it shall wholy tend to the good encoragement and right consideration of learning, which is my full purpose in writing this litle booke: whereby also shall well appeare this sentence to be most trewe, that onely good men, by their gouernment & example, make happie times, in euery degree and state. Doctor _Nico. Medcalfe_, that honorable father, was Master _D. Nic._ // of _S. Iohnes_ Colledge, when I came thether: A _Medcalf._ // man meanelie learned himselfe, but not meanely

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affectioned to set forward learning in others. He found that Colledge spending scarse two hundred markes by yeare: he left it spending a thousand markes and more. Which he procured, not with his mony, but by his wisdome; not chargeablie bought by him, but liberallie geuen by others by his meane, for the zeale & honor they bare to learning. And that which is worthy of memorie, all thies giuers were almost Northenmen: who being liberallie rewarded in the seruice of their Prince, bestowed it as liberallie for the good of their Contrie. Som men thought therefore, that _D. Medcalfe_ was parciall to Northrenmen, but sure I am of this, that North- renmen were parciall, in doing more good, and geuing more landes to y^e forderance of learning, than any other // The parci- contrie men, in those dayes, did: which deede // alitie of should haue bene, rather an example of goodnes, // Northren for other to folowe, than matter of malice, for any // men in to enuie, as some there were that did. Trewly, // _S. Iohnes_ _D. Medcalfe_ was parciall to none: but indifferent // College. to all: a master for the whole, a father to euery one, in that Colledge. There was none so poore, if he had, either wil to goodnes, or wit to learning, that could lacke being there, or should depart from thence for any need. I am witnes my selfe, that mony many times was brought into yong mens studies by strangers whom they knew not. In which doing, this worthy _Nicolaus_ folowed the steppes of good olde _S. Nicolaus_, that learned Bishop. He was a Papist in deede, but would to God, amonges all vs Protestants I might once see but one, that would winne like praise, in doing like good, for the aduauncement of learning and vertue. And yet, though he were a Papist, if any yong man, geuen to new learning (as they termed it) went beyond his fellowes, in witte, labor, and towardnes, euen the same, neyther lacked, open praise to encorage him, nor priuate exhibition to mainteyne hym, as worthy Syr _I. Cheke_, if he were aliue would beare good witnes and so can many mo. I my selfe one of the meanest of a great number, in that Colledge, because there appeared in me som small shew of towardnes and diligence, lacked not his fauor to forder me in learning. And being a boy, new Bacheler of arte, I chanced amonges my companions to speake against the Pope: which matter was

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than in euery mans mouth, bycause _D. Haines_ and _D. Skippe_ were cum from the Court, to debate the same matter, by preaching and disputation in the vniuersitie. This hapned the same tyme, when I stoode to be felow there: my taulke came to _D. Medcalfes_ eare: I was called before him and the Seniores: and after greuous rebuke, and some punishment, open warning was geuen to all the felowes, none to be so hardie to geue me his voice at that election. And yet for all those open threates, the good father himselfe priuilie procured, that I should euen than be chosen felow. But, the election being done, he made countinance of great discontentation thereat. This good mans goodnes, and fatherlie discretion, vsed towardes me that one day, shall neuer out of my remembrance all the dayes of my life. And for the same cause, haue I put it here, in this small record of learning. For next Gods prouidence, surely that day, was by that good fathers meanes, _Dies natalis_, to me, for the whole foundation of the poore learning I haue, and of all the furderance, that hetherto else where I haue obteyned. This his goodnes stood not still in one or two, but flowed aboundantlie ouer all that Colledge, and brake out also to norishe good wittes in euery part of that vniuersitie: whereby, at this departing thence, he left soch a companie of fellowes and scholers in _S. Iohnes_ Colledge, as can scarse be found now in some whole vniuersitie: which, either for diuinitie, on the one side or other, or for Ciuill seruice to their Prince and contrie, haue bene, and are yet to this day, notable ornaments to this whole Realme: Yea _S. Iohnes_ did then so florish, as Trinitie college, that Princely house now, at the first erection, was but _Colonia deducta_ out of _S. Iohnes_, not onelie for their Master, fellowes, and scholers, but also, which is more, for their whole, both order of learning, and discipline of maners: & yet to this day, it neuer tooke Master but such as was bred vp before in _S. Iohnes_: doing the dewtie of a good _Colonia_ to her _Metropolis_, as the auncient Cities in Greice and some yet in Italie, at this day, are accustomed to do. _S. Iohnes_ stoode in this state, vntill those heuie tymes, and that greuous change that chanced. An. 1553. whan mo perfite scholers were dispersed from thence in one moneth, than many Psal. 80. // yeares can reare vp againe. For, whan _Aper de Sylua_ had passed the seas, and fastned his foote

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againe in England, not onely the two faire groues of learning in England were eyther cut vp, by the roote, or troden downe to the ground and wholie went to wracke, but the yong spring there, and euerie where else, was pitifullie nipt and ouertroden by very beastes, and also the fairest standers of all, were rooted vp, and cast into the fire, to the great weakning euen at this day of Christes Chirch in England, both for Religion and learning. And what good could chance than to the vniuersities, whan som of the greatest, though not of the wisest nor best learned, nor best men neither of that side, did labor to perswade, that ignorance was better than knowledge, which they ment, not for the laitie onelie, but also for the greatest rable of their spiritu- altie, what other pretense openlie so euer they made: and therefore did som of them at Cambrige (whom I will not name openlie,) cause hedge priestes fette oute of the contrie, to be made fellowes in the vniuersitie: saying, in their talke priuilie, and declaring by their deedes openlie, that he was, felow good enough for their tyme, if he could were a gowne and a tipet cumlie, and haue hys crowne shorne faire and roundlie, and could turne his Portesse and pie readilie: whiche I speake not to reproue any order either of apparell, or other dewtie, that may be well and indifferentlie vsed, but to note the miserie of that time, whan the benefites prouided for learning were so fowlie misused. And what was the frute of this seade? Verely, iudgement in doctrine was wholy altered: order in discipline very sore changed: the loue of good learning, began sodenly to wax cold: the knowledge of the tonges (in spite of some that therein had florished) was manifestly contemned: and so, y^e way of right studie purposely peruerted: the choice of good authors of mallice confownded. Olde sophistrie (I say not well) not olde, but that new rotten sophistrie began to beard and sholder logicke in her owne tong: yea, I know, that heades were cast together, and counsell deuised, that _Duns_, with all the rable of barbarous questionistes, should haue dispossessed of their place and rowmes, _Aristotle, Plato, Tullie_, // _Aristoteles._ and _Demosthenes_, when good _M. Redman_, and // _Plato._ those two worthy starres of that vniuersitie, // _Cicero._ _M. Cheke_, and _M. Smith_, with their scholers, had // _Demost._ brought to florishe as notable in Cambrige, as

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euer they did in Grece and in Italie: and for the doctrine of those fowre, the fowre pillers of learning, Cambrige than geuing place to no vniuersitie, neither in France, Spaine, Germanie, nor Italie. Also in outward behauiour, than began simplicitie in apparell, to be layd aside: Courtlie galantnes to be taken vp: frugalitie in diet was priuately misliked: Towne going to good Shoting. // cheare openly vsed: honest pastimes, ioyned with labor, left of in the fieldes: vnthrifty and idle games, haunted corners, and occupied the nightes: contention in youth, no where for learning: factions in the elders euery where for trifles. All which miseries at length, by Gods prouidence, had their end 16. _Nouemb._ 1558. Since which tyme, the yong spring hath shot vp so faire, as now there be in Cambrige againe, many goodly plantes (as did well appeare at the Queenes Maiesties late being there) which are like to grow to mightie great timber, to the honor of learning, and great good of their contrie, if they may stand their tyme, as the best plantes there were wont to do: and if som old dotterell trees, with standing ouer nie them, and dropping vpon them, do not either hinder, or crooke their growing, wherein my feare is y^e lesse, seing so worthie a Iustice of an Oyre hath the present ouersight of that whole chace, who was himselfe somtym, in the fairest spring that euer was there of learning, one of the forwardest yong plantes, in all that worthy College of _S. Iohnes_: who now by grace is growne to soch greatnesse, as, in the temperate and quiet shade of his wisdome, next the prouidence of God, and goodnes of one, in theis our daies, _Religio_ for sinceritie, _literæ_ for order and aduauncement, _Respub._ for happie and quiet gouernment, haue to great rejoysing of all good men, speciallie reposed them selues. Now to returne to that Question, whether one, a few, many or all, are to be folowed, my aunswere shalbe short: All, for him that is desirous to know all: yea, the worst of all, as Questionistes, and all the barbarous nation of scholemen, helpe for one or other consideration: But in euerie separate kinde of learning and studie, by it selfe, ye must follow, choiselie a few, and chieflie some one, and that namelie in our schole of eloquence, either for penne or talke. And as in portraicture and paintyng wise men chose not that workman, that can onelie make a faire hand, or a well facioned legge but soch one, as can

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furnish vp fullie, all the fetures of the whole body, of a man, woman and child: and with all is able to, by good skill, to giue to euerie one of these three, in their proper kinde, the right forme, the trew figure, the naturall color, that is fit and dew, to the dignitie of a man, to the bewtie of a woman, to the sweetnes of a yong babe: euen likewise, do we seeke soch one in our schole to folow, who is able alwayes, in all matters, to teach plainlie, to delite pleasantlie, and to cary away by force of wise talke, all that shall heare or read him: and is so excellent in deed, as witte is able, or wishe can hope, to attaine vnto: And this not onelie to serue in the _Latin_ or _Greke_ tong, but also in our own English language. But yet, bicause the prouid- ence of God hath left vnto vs in no other tong, saue onelie in the _Greke_ and _Latin_ tong, the trew preceptes, and perfite examples of eloquence, therefore must we seeke in the Authors onelie of those two tonges, the trewe Paterne of Eloquence, if in any other mother tongue we looke to attaine, either to perfit vtterance of it our selues, or skilfull iudgement of it in others. And now to know, what Author doth medle onelie with some one peece and member of eloquence, and who doth perfitelie make vp the whole bodie, I will declare, as I can call to remembrance the goodlie talke, that I haue had oftentymes, of the trew difference of Authors, with that Ientleman of worthie memorie, my dearest frend, and teacher of all the litle poore learning I haue, Syr _Iohn Cheke_. The trew difference of Authors is best knowne, _per diuersa genera dicendi_, that euerie one vsed. And therfore here I will deuide _genus dicendi_, not into these three, _Tenuè, mediocrè, & grande_, but as the matter of euerie Author requireth, as

{_Poeticum._ {_Historicum._ _in Genus_{_Philosophicum._ {_Oratorium._

These differre one from an other, in choice of wordes, in framyng of Sentences, in handling of Argumentes, and vse of right forme, figure, and number, proper and fitte for euerie matter, and euerie one of these is diuerse also in it selfe, as the first.

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{_Comicum._ {_Tragicum._ _Poeticum, in_ {_Epicum._ {_Melicum._

And here, who soeuer hath bene diligent to read aduisedlie ouer, _Terence, Seneca, Virgil, Horace_, or els _Aristophanes, Sophocles, Homer_, and _Pindar_, and shall diligently marke the difference they vse, in proprietie of wordes, in forme of sentence, in handlyng of their matter, he shall easelie perceiue, what is fitte and _decorum_ in euerie one, to the trew vse of perfite Imitation. Whan _M. Watson_ in S. Iohns College at Cambrige wrote his excellent Tragedie of _Absalon, M. Cheke_, he and I, for that part of trew Imitation, had many pleasant talkes togither, in com- paring the preceptes of _Aristotle_ and _Horace de Arte Poetica_, with the examples of _Euripides, Sophocles_, and _Seneca_. Few men, in writyng of Tragedies in our dayes, haue shot at this marke. Some in _England_, moe in _France, Germanie_, and _Italie_, also haue written Tragedies in our tyme: of the which, not one I am sure is able to abyde the trew touch of _Aristotles_ preceptes, and _Euripides_ examples, saue only two, that euer I saw, _M. Watsons Absalon_, and _Georgius Buckananus Iephthe_. One man in Cambrige, well liked of many, but best liked of him selfe, was many tymes bold and busie, to bryng matters vpon stages, which he called Tragedies. In one, wherby he looked to wynne his spurres, and whereat many ignorant felowes fast clapped their handes, he began the _Protasis_ with _Trochæijs Octonarijs_: which kinde of verse, as it is but seldome and rare in Tragedies, so is it neuer vsed, saue onelie in _Epitasi_: whan the Tragedie is hiest and hotest, and full of greatest troubles. I remember ful well what _M. Watson_ merelie sayd vnto me of his blindnesse and boldnes in that behalfe although otherwise, there passed much frendship betwene them. _M. Watson_ had an other maner care of perfection, with a feare and reuerence of the iudgement of the best learned: Who to this day would neuer suffer, yet his _Absalon_ to go abroad, and that onelie, bicause, in _locis paribus, Anapestus_ is twise or thrise vsed in stede of _Iambus_. A smal faulte, and such one, as perchance would neuer be marked, no neither in _Italie_ nor _France_. This I write, not so much, to note the first, or praise the last, as to leaue in

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memorie of writing, for good example to posteritie, what perfection, in any tyme, was, most diligentlie sought for in like maner, in all kinde of learnyng, in that most worthie College of S. Iohns in Cambrige.

{_Diaria._ {_Annales._ _Historicum in_ {_Commentarios._ {_Iustam Historiam._