¶ A narracion historicall vpon kyng Ri-chard the third, the cruell tiraunt[.]The persone[.]RIchard duke of Glocester, after the death of Ed-ward the fowerth his brother king of England,vsurped the croune, moste traiterouslie and wic-kedlie: this kyng Richard was small of stature,deformed, and ill shaped, his shoulders bearednot equalitee, a pulyng face, yet of countenaunce and lookecruell, malicious, deceiptfull, bityng and chawing his netherlippe: of minde vnquiet, pregnaunt of witte, quicke and liue-ly, a worde and a blowe, wilie, deceiptfull, proude, arrogantThe tyme.The place.in life and cogitacion bloodie. The fowerth daie of Iulie, heentered the tower of London, with Anne his wife, doughterto Richard Erle of Warwick: and there in created Edwardhis onely soonne, a child of ten yeres of age, Prince of Wa-les. At thesame tyme, in thesame place, he created many no-ble peres, to high prefermente of honour and estate, and im-mediatly with feare and faint harte, bothe in himself, and hisThe horriblemurther ofking Richard[.]nobles and commons, was created king, alwaies a vnfortu-nate and vnluckie creacion, the harts of the nobles and com-mons thereto lackyng or faintyng, and no maruaile, he wasa cruell murtherer, a wretched caitiffe, a moste tragicall ty-raunt, and blood succour, bothe of his nephewes, and brotherGeorge Duke of Clarence, whom he caused to bee drounedin a Butte of Malmsie, the staires sodainlie remoued, wher-The facte.on he stepped, the death of the lorde Riuers, with many othernobles, compassed and wrought at the young Princes com-myng out of Wales, the .xix. daie of Iuly, in the yere of ourlorde .1483. openly he toke vpon him to be king, who sekynghastely to clime, fell according to his desart, sodainly and in-gloriously, whose Embassage for peace, Lewes the Frencheking, for his mischeuous & bloodie slaughter, so moche abhor-red, that he would neither sée the Embassador, nor heare theEmbassage: for he murthered his .ij. nephues, by the handesThe tyme.The manerhow.of one Iames Tirrell, & .ij. vilaines more associate with himthe Lieutenaunt refusyng so horrible a fact. This was doenhe takyng his waie & progresse to Glocester, whereof he wasbefore tymes Duke: the murther perpetrated, he doubed thegood squire knight. Yet to kepe close this horrible murther,he caused a fame and rumour to be spread abrode, in all par-tes of the realme, that these twoo childrē died sodainly, there-The cause.by thinkyng the hartes of all people, to bee quietlie setteled,no heire male lefte a liue of kyng Edwardes children. Hismischief was soche, that God shortened his vsurped raigne:he was al together in feare and dread, for he being feared anddreaded of other, did also feare & dread, neuer quiete of mindefaint harted, his bloodie conscience by outward signes, condē-pned hym: his iyes in euery place whirlyng and caste about,The state ofa wicked mā.his hand moche on his Dagger, the infernall furies tormen-ted him by night, visions and horrible dreames, drawed himfrom his bedde, his vnquiet life shewed the state of his consci-ence, his close murther was vttered, frō the hartes of the sub-iectes: thei called hym openlie, with horrible titles and na-mes, a horrible murtherer, and excecrable tiraunt. The peo-A dolefullstate of aquene.ple sorowed the death of these twoo babes, the Queene, kyngEdwardes wife, beeyng in Sanctuarie, was bestraught ofwitte and sences, sounyng and falling doune to the groundeas dedde, the Quéene after reuiued, knéeled doune, and cal-led on God, to take vengaunce on this murtherer. The con-science of the people was so wounded, of the tolleracion of theThe wickedfacte of kyngRichard, ahorror anddread to thecommons.facte, that when any blustryng winde, or perilous thonder, ordreadfull tempest happened: with one voice thei cried out andquaked, least God would takevengauceof them, for it is al-waies séen the horrible life of wicked gouernors, bringeth toruin their kyngdom and people, & also wicked people, the likedaungers to the kyngdome and Prince: well he and his sup-porters with the Duke of Buckyngham, died shamefullie.God permitmeanes, topull dounetyrauntes.The knotte of mariage promised, betwene Henrie Erle ofRichemonde, and Elizabeth doughter to kyng Edward thefowerth: caused diuerse nobles to aide and associate this erle,fledde out of this lande with all power, to the attainmente ofthe kyngdome by his wife. At Nottyngham newes came tokyng Richard, that the Erle of Richmonde, with a small cō-paignie of nobles and other, was arriued in Wales, forthe-with exploratours and spies were sent, who shewed the ErleLichefelde.Leicester.to be encamped, at the toune of Litchfield, forthwith all pre-paracion of warre, was set forthe to Leicester on euery side,the Nobles and commons shranke from kyng Richarde, hisBosworthe[.]power more and more weakened. By a village called Bos-worthe, in a greate plaine, méete for twoo battailes: by Lei-cester this field was pitched, wherin king Richard manfullyfightyng hande to hande, with the Erle of Richmonde, wasKyng Ri-chard killedin Bosworthfielde.slaine, his bodie caried shamefullie, to the toune of Leicesternaked, without honor, as he deserued, trussed on a horse, be-hinde a Purseuaunte of Armes, like a hogge or a Calfe, hishedde and his armes hangyng on the one side, and his leggeson the other side: caried through mire and durte, to the graieFriers churche, to all men a spectacle, and oprobrie of tiran-nie this was the cruell tirauntes ende.¶ A narracion historicall, of the commyngof Iulius Cesar into Britaine.The tyme.The persone.WHen Iulius Cesar had ended his mightie and hugebattailes, about the flood Rhene, he marched into theregiō of Fraunce: at thesame time repairing with afreshe multitude, his Legiōs, but the chief cause of his warrein Fraunce was, that of long time, he was moued in minde,The cause.The fameand glorie ofBritaine.to see this noble Islande of Britain, whose fame for nobilitéewas knowen and bruted, not onelie in Rome, but also in thevttermoste lādes. Iulius Cesar was wroth with thē, becausein his warre sturred in Fraunce, the fearce Britaines aidedtheFenchemen, and did mightilie encounter battaill withthe Romaines: whose prowes and valiaunt fight, slaked theproude and loftie stomackes of the Romaines, and droue thēThe prowesof IuliusCesar.to diuerse hasardes of battaill. But Cesar as a noble warrierpreferryng nobilitee, and worthinesse of fame, before moneyor cowardly quietnes: ceased not to enter on yefearce Britai-nes, and thereto prepared his Shippes, the Winter tyme fo-lowyng, that assone as oportunitee of the yere serued, to passeThe manerhow.Cesars com-municacionwith the mar[-]chauntes, asconcernyngthe lande ofBritaine.with all power against them. In the meane tyme, Cesar in-quired of the Marchauntes, who with marchaundise had ac-cesse to the Islande: as concernyng the quātitée and bignes ofit, the fashion and maner of the people, their lawes, their or-der, and kinde of gouernmente. As these thynges were in allpoinctes, vnknowen to Cesar, so also the Marchaūtes kneweThe ware &politike go-uernement ofyeBritaines.Aliaunce intyme traite-rous.no more thā the places bordring on the sea side. For, the Bri-taines fearing the traiterous and dissembled hartes of aliaū-ces, politikelie repelled them: for, no straunger was sufferedto enter from his Shippe, on the lande, but their marchaun-dice were sold at the sea side. All nacions sought to this land,the felicitee of it was so greate, whereupon the Grekes kno-wyng and tastyng the commoditée of this Islande, called it byBritain som-tyme called ofthe GrekesOlbion, notAlbion.a Greke nameOlbion, whiche signifieth a happie and fortu-nate countrie, though of some calledAlbion, tyme chaungedthe firste letter, as at this daie, London is called for the touneof kyng Lud. Cesar thereupon before he would marche withCaius Uo-lusenus, Em[-]bassadour toBritaine.his armie, to the people of Britain, he sent Caius Uolusenusa noble man of Rome, a valiaunte and hardie Capitaine, asEmbassadour to the Britaines, who as he thoughte by hisEmbassage, should knowe the fashion of the Island, the ma-ner of the people, their gouernemente. But as it seemeth, theEmbassadour was not welcome. For, he durste not enter frōhis Ship, to dooe his maisters Embassage, Cesar knewe no-Comas A-trebas, secōdeEmbassadorfrom Cesar.thing by him. Yet Cesar was not so contented, but sent an o-ther Embassadour, a man of more power, stomack, and morehardie, Comas Atrebas by name, who would enter as anEmbassadour, to accomplish the will & expectacion of Cesar,Comas Atrebas was so welcome, that the Britains cast himin prison: Embassages was not common emong theim, northe curteous vsage of Embassadours knowen. Al these thin-Cassibelaneking of Lon-don, at the a-riue of Cesar[.]Cassibelanea worthiePrince.ges, made Cesar more wrothe, to assaie the vncourtousBris[-]taines. In those daies Cassibelan was kyng of London, thisCassibelan was a prince of high wisedom, of manly stomackeand valiaunt in fight: and for power and valiauntnesse, waschosen of the Britaines, chief gouernour and kyng. Dissen-cion and cruell warre was emong thē, through the diuersitieof diuers kinges in the lande. The Troinouaūtes enuied theImanuēcius[.]state of Cassibelan, bicause Immanuencius, who was kyngof London, before Cassibelan, was put to death, by the coun-sail of Cassibelan. The sonne of Immanuencius, hearing ofthe commyng of Cesar, did flie traiterouslie to Cesar: TheTroinouauntes fauoured Immanuēcius part, & thereuponThe Troy-nouauntes bytreason let inCesar.promised, as moste vile traitours to their countrie, an ente-ryng to Cesar, seruice and homage, who through a self will,and priuate fauour of one, sought the ruine of their countrie,and in the ende, their own destruccion. But Cassibelan gauemany ouerthrowes to Cesar, and so mightelie encountredwith hym, so inuincible was the parte of Cassibelane: but bytreason of the Troinouauntes, not by manhod of Cesars po-wer, enteryng was giuen. What house can stande, where-Treason aconfusion tothe mightiestdominions.in discord broile? What small power, is not able to enter themightiest dominions or regions: to ouercome the strongestefortresse, treason open the gate, treason giuyng passage. Al-though Cesar by treason entered, so Cesar writeth. Yet thefame of Cesar was more commended, for his enterprise intoBritain, and victorie: then of all his Conquest, either againstA sentēce gra[-]uen of Bri-taine, in thecommendaci-on of Cesar.Pompey, or with any other nacion. For in a Piller at Romethis sentence was engrauen: Of all the dominions, Citees,and Regions, subdued by Cesar, his warre attēpted againstthe fearce Britaines, passeth all other. After this sort Cesarentred our Islande of Britaine by treason.¶ A narracion iudiciall, out of Theusidides,vpon the facte of Themistocles.THe Athenians brought vnder the thraldome ofthe Lacedemonians, soughte meanes to growemightie, and to pull them from the yoke, vnderthe Lacedemonians. Lacedemonia was a citeeenuironed with walles. Athenes at thesametyme without walles: whereby their state was more feeble,and power weakened. Themistocles a noble Sage, and aworthie pere of Athens: gaue the Atheniās counsaile to walltheir citée strōgly, and so forthwith to be lordes and rulers bythem selues, after their owne facion gouerning. In finishingthis enterprise, in all poinctes, policie, and wittie conuei-aunce wanted not. The Lacedemonians harde of the pur-pose of the Athenians, & sent Embassadours, to knowe theirdoynges, and so to hinder them. Themistocles gaue counsaillto the Athenians, to kepe in safe custodie, the Embassadoursof Lacedemonia, vntill soche tyme, as he from the Embas-sage was retourned frō Lacedemonia. The Lacedemonianshearyng of the commyng of Themistocles, thought little ofthe walle buildyng at Athens. Themistocles was long loo-ked for of thē, because Themistocles lingered in his Embas-sage, that or the matter were throughly knowen: the walleof Athens should be builded. The slowe commyng of The-mistocles, was blamed of the Lacedemonians: but Themi-stocles excused hymself, partly infirmitie of bodie, lettynghis commyng, and the expectacion of other, accompaigniedwith hym in this Embassage. The walle ended, necessitienot artificiall workemanship finishing it, with al hast it wasended: then Themistocles entered the Senate of Lacedemo-nia, and saied: the walle whom ye sought to let, is builded atAthens, ye Lacedemonians, that wee maie be more strong.Then the Lacedemonians could saie nothyng to it, thoughthei enuied the Athenians state, the walle was builded, andleste thei should shewe violence or crueltie on Themistocles,their Embassabours were at Athens in custodie, wherebyThemistocles came safe from his Embassage, and the Athe-nians made strong by their walle: this was politikely dooenof Themistocles.¶ A narracion Poeticall vpon a Rose.WHo so doeth maruaile at the beautée and good-ly colour of the redde Rose, he must consider theblood, that came out of Uenus the Goddes foot.The Goddes Uenus, as foolishe Poetes dooefeigne, beyng the aucthour of Loue: loued Ado-nis the soonne of Cynara kyng of Cypres. But Mars calledthe God of battaile, loued Uenus, beyng nothyng loued ofUenus: but Mars loued Uenus as feruently, as Uenus lo-ued Adonis. Mars beyng a God, loued Uenus a goddes, butUenus onely was inflamed with the loue of Adonis, a mor-tall man. Their loue was feruent, and exremely set on firein bothe, but their kinde and nature were contrary, wherev-pon Mars beyng in gelousie, sought meanes to destroie, faireamiable, and beautifull Adonis, thinkyng by his death, theloue of Uenus to be slaked: Adonis and Mars fell to fightingUenus as a louer, ranne to helpe Adonis her louer, and bychaunce she fell into a Rose bushe, and pricked with it herfoote, the blood then ran out of her tender foote, did colour theRose redde: wherevpon the Rose beyng white before, is v-pon that cause chaunged into redde.[¶]Chria.CHria, this profitable exercise ofRhetorike, is for theporfiteof it so called: it is a rehersall in fewe wordes,of any ones fact, or of the saiyng of any man, vpō thewhiche an oracion maie be made. As for example, Isocratesdid say, that the roote oflearnngwas bitter, but the fruictespleasaunt: and vpon this one sentence, you maie dilate a am-ple and great oracion, obseruyng these notes folowyng. Thesaiyng dooeth containe so greate matter, and minister socheplentie of argumente.Aucthors intreatyng of this exercise, doe note three sortesto bee of theim, one of theim aChria verball, that is to saie, aprofitable exercise, vpon the saiyng of any man, onely con-teinyng the wordes of the aucthour, as the sentence before.The seconde is, conteinyng the facte or deede of the per-sone: As Diogines beyng asked of Alexander the Greate, ifhe lacked any thyng, that he was able to giue hym, thinkynghis demaūde vnder his power, for Diogenes was at thesametyme warmyng hymself in the beames of the Sunne: Dio-genes aunswered, ye take awaie that, that ye are not able togiue, meanyng that Alexander by his bodie, shadowed hym,and tooke awaie that, whiche was not in his power to giue,Alexander tourned hymself to his men, and saied, if I werenot Alexander, I would be Diogenes.The thirde is aChriamixt, botheverballand notyng thefacte, as Diogenes seyng a boie wanton & dissolute, did strikehis teacher with a staffe, vtteryng these woordes: why dooestthou teache thy scholer so dissolutlie.You shall learne to make this exercise, obseruyng thesenotes.Firste, you shall praise the aucthour, who wrote the sen-tence, waighing his life, if his life be vnknowen, and not easieto finde his sentence or sentences: for godlie preceptes willminister matter of praise, as if these saiynges bee recited, theiare sufficient of them selues, to praise the aucthour.Then in the seconde place, expounde the meanyng of theaucthour in that saiyng.Then shewe the cause, why he spake this sentence.Then compare the matter, by a contrary.Then frame a similitude of thesame.Shewe the like example of some, that spake the like, ordid the like.Then gather the testimonies of more writers of thesame[.]Then knit the conclusion.¶ An Oracion.ISocrates did saie, that the roote of learnyngiswas bit-ter, but the fruictes were pleasaunt.¶ The praise.THis Oratour Isocrates, was an Athenian borne,Lusimachus[.]who florished in the time of Lusimachus the chiefgouernor of Athens: this Isocrates was broughtvp in all excellēcie of learning, with the moste fa-Prodicus.Gorgias Le-ontinus.mous and excellent Oratour Prodicus, Gorgias Leontinusindued him with all singularitie of learnyng and eloquence.The eloquēce of Isocrates was so famous, that Aristotle theDemosthe-nes learnedeloquence ofIsocrates.chiefPholosopher, enuied his vertue & praise therin: Demo-sthenes also, who emong the Grecians chieflie excelled, lear-ned his eloquence, of the Oracions whiche Isocrates wrote,to many mightie and puisaunt princes and kinges, do shewehis wisedome, & copious eloquēce, as to Demonicus the kingto Nicocles, Euagoras, against Philip the king of the Mace-doniās, by his wisedome and counsaill, the Senate and vni-uersal state of Athens was ruled, & the commons and multi-tude thereby in euery part florished: chieflie what counsaill,what wisedome, what learnyng might bee required, in anyman of high fame and excellencie: that fame was aboundant[-]ly in Isocrates, as in all his Oratiōs he is to be praised, so inthis sentence, his fame importeth like commendacion.¶ The exposicion.IN that he saieth, the roote of learnyng is bitter, andthe fruictes pleasaunt: he signifieth no excellent qua-All excellen-cie with laboris attained.litie or gift, vertue, arte or science can bee attained,except paine, labour, diligence, doe plant and sette thesame:but when that noble gift, either learnyng, or any excellentequalitee, is lodged and reposed in vs, then we gather by pain-full labours, greate profite, comforte, delectable pleasures,wealth, glorie, riches, whiche be the fruictes of it.¶ The cause.AND seyng that of our owne nature, all men are en-clined from their tender yeres and infancie, to the ex-tirpacion of vertue, folowyng with all earnest studieand gréedie, the free passage to vice, and specially children,whose iudgementes and reason, are not of that strengthe, torule their weake mindes and bodies, therefore, in them chief-lie, the roote of learning is bitter, because not onely many ye-res thei runne their race, in studie of arte and science. Withcare and paine also, with greuous chastisment and correcciō,thei are compelled by their teachers and Maisters, to appre-hende thesame: the parentes no lesse dreaded, in the educaciōof their children, in chastisement and correction, so that by allThe roote oflearnyng bit-ter.meanes, the foundacion and roote of all learnyng, in whatsort so euer it is, is at the firste vnpleasaunte, sower, and vn-sauerie. To folowe the times and seasons, appoincted for thesame, is moste painfull, and in these painfull yeres: othergreate pleasures, as the frailtie of youth, and the imbecilitieof nature iudgeth, dooeth passe by, but in miserable state isWho is a vn-fortunatechilde.that childe, and vnfortunate, that passeth the flower of hisyouth and tender yeres, instructed with no arte or Science,whiche in tyme to come, shalbe the onelie staie, helpe, the pil-ler to beare of the sore brent, necessitie, and calamities of life.Good educa-cion the foun-dacion of theRomaineEmpire.Herein the noble Romaines, laied the sure foundacion oftheir mightie dominion, in the descrite prouidente, and poli-tike educacion of children: to whom the Grecians gaue, thatnecessarie bulwarke andfaundacion, to set vp all vertue, allarte and science. In Grece no man was knowen, to liue inthat common wealth, but that his arte and science, gaue ma-nifest probacion and testimonie, how and after what sorte heliued. The Romaines in like sorte, the sworde and aucthori-tie of the Magistrate, executyng thesame, did put forthe, anddraw to the attainment of learnyng, art or science, all youthhauyng maturitie and ripenesse to it, and why, because thatin a common wealth, where the parentes are vndescrete andfoolishe, as in all common wealthes, there are not a fewe,but many, thei not ponderyng the state of the tyme to come,bringing vp their children without all ciuilitie, vnframed tovertue, ignoraunt of all arte and science: the children of theirowne nature, vnbrideled, vntaught, wilfull, and heddie, doerun with free passage to all wickednes, thei fall into al kindeof follie, oppressed with all kinde of calamitie, miserie, andEuill educa-cion bringethto ruine migh[-]tie kingdoms[.]vnfortunate chaunces, whiche happen in this life. Nothyngdoeth soner pulle doune a kyngdome, or common wealthe,then the euill and leude educacion of youth, to whom neithersubstaunce, wealth, riches, nor possessions doe descende, fromtheir auncestours and parentes, who also of them selues wātall art, science and meanes, to maintain them to liue, who ofthem selues are not able to get relief, for onely by this mea-nes, life is maintained, wealth and riches ar possessed to ma-ny greate siegniories, landes, and ample possessions, left bytheir parentes, and line of auncetours, haue by lacke of ver-tuous educacion, been brought to naught, thei fell into ex-treme miserie, pouertie, and wantyng learnyng, or wealth,to maintaine their state and delicate life, thei haue robbed,spoiled, murthered, to liue at their owne will. But then asrotten, dedde, and putride members frō the common wealththei are cutte of by the sworde, and aucthoritie of the Magi-strate. What kyngdome was more mightie and strong, thenLydia.the kyngdome of Lidia, whiche by no other meanes wasbrought to ruine and destruccion, but by idlenes: in that theiwere kepte from all vertuous exercise, from the studie of ar-tes and sciences, so longe as thei meditated and liued in theschoole of vertuous life: no nacion was hable to ouerthrowethem, of them selues thei were prone and readie, to practise allCyrus.excellencie. But Cyrus the kyng of Persians, by no othermeanes was able to bring them weaker. He toke from thē alfurtherance to artes, destroied all occupaciōs of vertue wher-vpon by commaundemētaudterrour, wer driuen to practiseThe decay ofa kyngdome.the vaine and pestiferous practise, of Cardes and Dice. Har-lottes then schooled them, and all vnhoneste pastyme nurte-red them, Tauernes an quaffyng houses, was their accusto-med and moste frequented vse of occupacion: by this meanestheir nobilitie and strengthe was decaied, and kyngdomemade thrall. Ill educacion or idlenes, is no small vice or euillwhen so mightie a prince, hauyng so large dominions, whōall the Easte serued and obaied. Whose regimente and go-uernemente was so infinite, that as Zenophon saieth, tymeThe mightiedominions ofCyrus.would rather want, then matter to speake of his mightie andlarge gouernement, how many nacions, how diuerse peopleand valiaunte nacions were in subieccion to hym. If thismightie Prince, with all his power and populous nacions,was not hable to giue the ouerthrowe, to the kyngdome ofEuill educa-cion.Lidia, but by ill educacion, not by marciall attēptes, swordeor battaill: but by giuyng them scope and libertie, to dooe ashe would. No doubt but that Cyrus sawe, by the like exam-ple of other kyngdomes, this onelie pollicie to bee a ruinePithagoras.of that kyngdome. Pythagoras the famous and godlie Phi-losopher, saued the kyngdome and people of Crotona, theileauyng all studie of arte, vertue and science. This people ofCatona.Crotona, was ouercome of the people of Locrus, thei left allexercise of vertue, neclectyng the feates of chiualrie, whervpōPythagoras hauyng the profitable and godlie lawes of Ly-curgus, which he brought from Lacedemonia: and the lawesof Minos kyng of Creta, came to the people of Crotona, andby his godlie teachyng and Philosophie, reuoked & broughtbacke the people, giuen ouer to the neglectyng of all vertue,declaryng to them the nobilitie and excellencie thereof, he li-uely set foorthe the beastlinesse of vice. Pithagoras recited tothem, the fall and ruine of many regions, and mightie king-domes, whiche tooke after those vices. Idlenes beyng forsa-ken, vertue embrased, and good occupacions practised, thekyngdome and people grewe mightie.Lycurgus.Emong the godlie lawes of Lycurgus, Lycurgus omit-ted not to ordaine Lawes, for the educacion of youthe: in thewhiche he cutte of all pamperyng of them, because in tenderyeres, in whose bodies pleasure harboreth, their vertue, sci-ence, cunnyng rooteth not: labour, diligence, and industrieUertue.Uice.onelie rooteth vertue, and excellencie. Uices as vnprofitableweedes, without labour, diligence and industrie growe vp,and thereby infecteth the minde and bodie, poisoneth all themocions, incensed to vertue and singularitie. Who euer at-tained cunnyng, in any excellent arte or science, where idle-nes or pleasure helde the swaie. Philosophie sheweth, plea-Pleasure.Idlenes.Ignoraunce.sure to bée vnmete for any man of singularitie, for pleasure,idlenes, and ignoraunce, are so linked together, that the pos-session of the one, induceth the other. So many godlie monu-mētes of learning, had not remained to this posteritie of oursand of all ages: if famous men in those ages and tymes, hadhūted after immoderate pleasure. Thindustrie of soche, wholeft to the posteritie of all ages, the knowlege of Astronomieis knowen: the monumentes of all learnyng of lawes, andof all other woorkes of antiquitie, by vertue, noble, by indu-strie, labour, and moderacion of life in studie, not by plea-sure and wantones, wascelebraiedto all ages. The migh-tie volumes of Philosophers, bothe in morall preceptes, andin naturall causes, knewe not the delicate and dissolute lifeof these our daies. Palingenius enueighyng against the pā-pered, and lasciuious life of man, vttereth a singulare sentēceQui facere et qui nosce, cupit quam plurima et altum,In terris virtute aliqua sibi querere nomen:Hunc vigilare opus est, nam non preclara geruntur,Stertendo, et molles detrectat gloria plumas.Who so coueteth to purchase fame by actes, or whoseminde hunteth for aboundaunte knowledge, or by vertue inthis life, to purchause good fame. He had not nede to sluggeand slepe in his doynges: for good fame is not vpholded bygaie Pecockes feathers. Of this, Demosthenes the famousOratour of Athens, vttereth a worthie saiyng to the Athe-nians in his Epistle: if any will iudge Alexander the greate,to be famous and happie, in that he had successe in all his do-Alexanderthe great, cō-mended fordiligence.ynges, let this be his cogitacion, that Alexander the greate,alwaies did inure hymself to doe thynges, and manfullie toassaie that he enterprised. The felicitie of his successe cameto hym not slepyng, or not cogitatyng thereof: Alexander thegreate now dedde, Fortune seketh with whom she maie ac-companie, and associate her self.Thusidides comparyng the Lacedemonians, and the A-thenians together, shewed a rare moderacion, and tempera-ture of life, to be in the Athenians: wherupon thei are mostecommended, and celebrated to the posteritie.¶ The contrarie.EUen as idlenes and a sluggishe life, is moste pleasantto all soche, as neglecte vertuous exercises, and god-lie life. So paine, labour, and studie, bestowed andemploied, in the sekyng out of vertue, arte, or science is mostepleasaunt to well affected mindes: for no godlie thyng can beattained to, without diligence and labour.¶ The similitude.EUen as housbandmen, with labour and trauaile,dooe labour in plantyng and tillyng the grounde,before thei receiue any fruicte of thesame. Euen sono vertue, arte, or science, or any other thyng of ex-cellencie is attained, without diligence and labour bestowedthereto.¶ The example.LEt Demosthenes, the famous Oratour of Athenes,bee an example of diligence to vs, who to auoide alllet from studie, vsed a meanes to kepe hymself ther-to: preuentyng also the industrie of artificers. Thesame De-mosthenes, wrote seuen tymes out the storie of Thusidides,to learne thereby his eloquence and wisedome.¶ The testimonie.PLinie, Plato, and Aristotle, with many other mo, arelike examples for diligence to vs: who wrote vponvertue and learnyng like sentences.¶ The conclusion.THerefore, Isocrates dooeth pronounce worthelie, theroote of learning and vertue to be bitter, and the fru-tes pleasaunte.¶ A Sentence.THe Oracion, whiche must be made by a sentēceis in al partes like toChria, the profitable exer-cise, onelie that the Oracion made vpon a sen-tence, as aucthours do saie: hath not alwaie thename of the aucthour prefixed in the praise, asmall matter of difference, who so can make the one, is ex-pert and exquisite in the other, aucthours doe define a sentēcein this maner. A sentence is an Oracion, in fewe woordes,shewyng a godlie precept of life, exhorting or diswadyng: theGnome.Grekes dooe call godly preceptes, by the name ofGnome, orGnomon, whiche is asmoche to saie, a rule or square, to directany thyng by, for by them, the life of manne is framed to allsingularitie. Thei are diuers sortes of sentences, one exhor-teth, an other diswadeth, some onely sheweth: there is a sen-tence simple, compounde, profitable, true, & soche like. Frameyour Oracion vpon a sentence, as in the Oracion before.{ 1. The praise of the aucthour.{ 2. The exposicion of the sentence.{ 3. A confirmacion in the strength of the cause.{ 4. A conference, of the contrarie.{ 5. A similitude.{ 6. The example.{ 7. The testimonie of aucthors, shewing yelike.{ 8. Then adde the conclusion.¶ An Oracion vpon a sentence.¶ The sentence.In a common wealthe or kyngdome, many kynges tobeare rule, is verie euill, let there be but one kyng.¶ The praise of the aucthour.HOmere, who of all the Poetes chiefly excelled, spakethis sentence in the persone of Ulisses, vpon the kingAgamemnon, kyng of Grece. This Homere intrea-ting of all princely affaires, and greate enterprices of theGrecians: and of the mightie warre againste the Troians,emong whom soche discorde rose, that not onely the warre,for lacke of vnitie and concorde, continued the space of tenneyeres. But also moche blood shed, hauocke, and destruccion,came vpon the Grecians, vttered this sentēce. This Homerefor his learnyng and wisedome remaineth,intteledin manymonumentes of learnyng: with greate fame and commen-The praise ofHomere.dacion to all ages. What Region, Isle, or nacion is not, byhis inuencion set foorthe: who although he were blinde, hisminde sawe all wisedome, the states of all good kyngdomesThe contentof Homersbookes.and common wealthes. The verie liuely Image of a Princeor gouernour, the faithfull and humble obediēce of a subiect,toward the prince, the state of a capitaine, the vertue and no-ble qualities, that are requisite, in soche a personage, be thereset forthe. The perfite state of a wiseman, and politike, is in-treated of by hym. The Iustice, and equitie of a Prince, thestrength of the bodie, all heroicall vertues: also are set forthehis eloquence and verse, floweth in soche sorte, with sochepleasauntnes: so copious, so aboundaunt, so graue and sen-tencious, that his singularitie therein excelleth, and passeth.Alexander.The mightie prince Alexander, in all his marciall enter-prices, and great conquestes, did continually night by night,The Iliasof Homere,mete for prin-ces to lookevpon.reade somewhat of the Ilias of the Poete Homere, before heslepte, and askyng for the booke, saied: giue me my pillowe.Alexander as it semeth, learned many heroical vertues, poli-cie, wisedome, & counsaill thereof, els he occupied in so migh-tie and greate warres, would not emploied studie therein.Iulius Cesar the Emperour, commendeth this Poete,for his singularitie, his commendacion giueth, ample argu-ment, in this singulare sentence, whiche preferreth a Monar-chie aboue all states of common wealthes or kyngdome.¶ The exposicion.HOmere the Poete, signified by this one sentence, nokyngdome or common wealthe can prospere, or flo-rishe to continue, where many holde gouernementas kynges. For, the mindes of many rulers and princes, doemoste affecte a priuate wealthe, commoditie and glorie: andwhere, many doe beare soche swaie and dominion, the com-mon wealth can not be good. For, thei priuatly to theim sel-ues, doe beare that regiment, and alwaie with the slaughterof many, do seke to attain and clime, to the wholegouermēt[.]¶ The cause.The state ofmany kingesin one lande.MAny occasions dooe rise, whereby many princes, andgouernours in a common wealth, be diuerslie affec-ted, so that the gouernmēt of many, can not prosper.For, bothe in quiete state, their counsailes must bee diuerse,and vncertaine: and where thei so differ, the kyngdome stan-deth in great ieopardy and daunger. Isocrates intreatyng ofAthenes.a Monarchie, sheweth that the common wealth of Athenes,whiche detested and refused, that forme and state, after theruine and fall of their citee: beyng vnder the thraldome of theLacedemoniās, bothe in their externall chiualrie and feates,bothe by sea and by lande, and also in regimente otherwise,their citee grewe mightie, and state stedfast.Carthage ina monarchie.The Carthagineans also, gouerned by one, had their go-uernment stedfaste, and kyngdome roiall: who in puisaunteactes, might compare with the noble Romaines. As the obe-dience to one ruler and chief gouernour, sekyng a commonwealth, is in the hartes of the subiectes: feruent and maruei-lous with loue embraced, so the Maiestie of hym is dreade,with loue serued, and with sincere harte, and fidelitie obeied,The state ofmany kingesin one lande.his maners folowed, his lawes imitated. Many gouernoursbearyng regiment, as their maners be diuers, and fashion oflife: euen so the people bee like affected, to the diuersitie of di-uers princes. And if we weigh the reuolucion of the heauensand the marueiles of God therein, the maker of thesame, whoA monarchiein heauen.beyng one God, ruleth heauen and yearth, and all thyngescōtained in thesame. The heauen also adorned with many aOne Sunne[.]starre, and cleare light, haue but one Sunne to gouerne thē:who being of a singulare vertue aboue the rest, by his vertueand power, giueth vertue to the reste. Also in small thyngesThe Ante.The Bee.the Ante and the Bee, who for prouidence and wisedome, armoche commended: haue as it were a common wealth, and aking to gouerne thē, so in all thinges as a confusion, the stateof many kings is abhorred in gouernmēt. After the death ofConstancius[.]Licinius[.]Marabodius[.]Constantinus the greate, Constancius his sonne was madeEmperour, and Licinius with him, partaker in felowship ofthe Empire. But forthwith, what blood was shed in Italie,with all crueltie, vntill Constancius had slaine Licinius,partaker of the Empire, and Marabodius was slaine also,whom Licinius did associate with hym in the gouernment.So moche princes and chief gouernours, doe hate equalitie,Pompey.Cesar.Marius.Silla.or felowship in kingdomes. After thesame sort, in this migh-tie Monarchie of Rome, diuerse haue attempted at one andsondrie tymes, to beare the scepter and regiment therein, butthat mightie Monarchie, could not suffer but one gouernor.The kyngdome of Thebes, was in miserable state, the twoosonnes of Oedipus, Eteocles, and Polunices: striuing botheAssiria thefirst monar-chie.to be Monarche, and onely kyng. The kyngdome of Assiria,whiche was the golden kyngdome, and the first Monarchie:hauyng .36. kynges by succession, continued .1239. yeres, thiskyngdome for all nobilitie and roialnes excelled, and all ina Monarchie. The kyngdome of the Medes, in a Monarchieflorished in wealthe and glorie and all felicitie: who in domi-nion had gouernmente .300. lackyng .8. yeres. After that, theThe monar-chie of theMedes.The Persiā.Macedonia.monarchie of the Medes ceased, the Persiā people rose migh-tie, bothe in people and Princes, and continued in that state236 and 7 monethes. Macedonia rose from a base and meanepeople, to beare the whole regiment, and power ouer all king[-]domes. So God disposeth the state and seate of princes, ouer-throwyng often tymes mightier kyngdomes at his will: thecontinuaunce of this Monarchie was .157. and eight mone-Asia[.]Siria[.]thes, ten kynges linealie descendyng. Asia and Siria, wasgouerned by one succedyng in a sole gouernement. Nicanorgouerned Siria .32. yeres. In the other Antigonus raigned,Demetrius Poliorchetes one yere, Antiochus Soter also, thescepter of gouernment, left to the succession of an other, thenAntiochus Soter, ruled all Asia and Siria, hauyng .16. kin-Egipte in aMonarchie[.]ges whiche in a monarchie, cōtinued 189 yeres. The Egipci-ans, had famous, wise, and noble princes, whose kyngdomeand large dominion, in all felicitée prospered: whiche was inthe tyme of Ninus, the first king of the Assiriās, who hauing10. princes, one by one succedyng, Cleopatra their Quéene,gouerning, stoode in a monarchie .288. This one thyng she-weth, that kinde of gouernmente to bee roiall, and moste fa-mous, not onely for the felicitée and glory therof: but also forthe permanent and stedfast state thereof. Aristotle and Platosetteth forthe, thother formes of gouernmēt. But in all those,no long cōtinuaunce of felicitee, nor of happy state can appereTirannis[.]Nero[.]Domicianus[.]Caligula.in them, as for the contrarie to a Monarchie, is tirannis, pe-stiferous, and to be detested, where one man gouerneth to hispriuate gaine, pillyng and polyng his subiectes, murderyngwith all crueltie, neither Lawe nor reason, leadyng thereto:but will bearyng regiment ouer lawe, Iustice and equitee,whiche princes often tymes see not. How the wilfull rashe-nes, or tirannicall minde doeth abase them, and make them,though in vtter porte thesame princes, yet in verie déede, theiWhat doethbeautifie thethrone of aPrince[.]bee thrall and slaue to beastlie affeccion. Nothyng dooeth somoche adorne and beautifie, the seate and throne of a prince,as not onely to beare dominion, ouer mightie people and re-Aristocratia.gions, then to be lorde ouer hymself. The state of a fewe pée-res or nobles, to holde the chief and whole gouernment, whobothe in vertue, learnyng, and experience dooe excelle, is agoodlie state of common wealth. But the profe of that com-mon wealthe and ende sheweth, and the maner of Princes:who, although thei be, of life godlie, wise, graue, expert andpolitike. For, these vertues or ornamentes, ought to be repo-sed in soche noble personages, thei doe marueilously chaungeand alter: So honour and preeminente state, puffeth theimvp, and blindeth theim, that euery one in the ende, seeketh toclimbe ouer all, as hed and gouernour. Shewe me one kindeof this state, and forme of gouernmente, whiche either longeprospered, or without bloodshed, and destruccion of the rest ofthe nobles and peres, haue not caught the whole regimente.Seyng that in all common wealthes and kingdomes, equa-litée or felowshippe, will not be suffred in gouernmente: for,it can not bee, that this forme of common wealthe maie béeThe ende ofAristocratia.good, as Aristotle and Plato sheweth: The ende of this go-uernemente, fell euer to one, with a ruine of the kingdomePolitcia.and people. The multitude to beare dominion, and though apublike wealth bée sought for a tyme, moche lesse thei conti-nue in any good state: for in the ende, their rule and gouerne-ment, will be without rule, order, reason, modestie, and theirlawe must bee will. The other three states, are the refuse ofgood common wealthes, not to bée tollerated in any region.Tirannis.The one of them is a tyraunte, to bée gouernour onely to hisowne glorie, with crueltie tormented his subiectes, onelie toOligarthia.haue his will and lust, ouer all lawe, order, and reason. Thenobilitée rulyng to them selues, euery one for his owne time[.]Democratia.The third, the base and rude multitude, euery one for hym-self, and at his will. This troublous state, all Regions andcommon wealthes, haue felte in open sedicions and tumul-tes, raised by theim, it is a plagued and pestiferous kinde ofgouernemente. The example of a good Monarchie, is ofgreate force, to confounde the state of al other common weal-thes, and formes of Regimente.A monarchiepreferred ofthe Persians[.]The nobilitée of Persia hauyng no kyng, linially des-cendyng, to rule that mightie dominion of Persia, Cambisesbeyng dedde, the vsurper murthered, thei tooke counsaill intheir assemble, what state of gouernment was beste, thei ha-uyng the profe of a Monarchie: in their longe counsaill, theiknewe the felicitie of that state, thei knewe as it seemed, theperilous state of the other gouernmentes. If these noble andperes had been ambicious, and that eche of them would hauehad felowshippe, or participacion in kyngdomes: thei wouldnot haue preferred a Monarchie aboue the reste. The anti-quitie of that tyme sheweth, their personages, wisedome,grauitie, and maiestie was soche, that eche one of theim wasmete for his vertues, to haue a whole kyngdome. If Aristo-cratia would haue contented them, then was tyme and occa-sion offered, no kyng remainyng to haue preferred that state.The duetie ofal noble peres[.]But thei as vpright nobles, sincere and faithfull, hauyng al-together respecte to a publique wealthe: to a permanent stateand felicitie of kingdome, sought no participacion by priuatewealthe, to dissolue this Monarchie. But thei beyng mostegodlie, eche were content to proue, whose chaunce might be,to set vp againe that Monarchie. The kyngdome at the lasteDarius.came to the handes of Darius, who was after kyng of thePersians. This is a goodly example, to shewe the worthinesof a Monarchie, the Persian kingdome after many yeres de-clinyng, from his power and state, not for any faulte of go-Kyngdomesrise and fall.uernment, but God as he seeth tyme, raiseth vp kyngdomesand plucketh them doune. Afterward Darius the kyng, notable to make his parte good with Alexander the Greate: of-fered to hym the greatest parte of his kyngdome, euen to theflood of Euphrates, and offred his daughter to wife: Alexan-der was content to take the offer of Darius, so that he wouldbee seconde to hym, and not equall with hym in kyngdome.The answerof Alexanderto Darius,as cōcernynga monarchie.For, Alexander saied, that as the worlde can not bee gouer-ned with twoo Sunnes, neither the worlde can suffer twoomightie kingdomes: wherupon it is manifest, that no king-dome will suffer equalitie or felowship, but that if the will &minde of Princes might brust out, the state of all the worlde,would bee in one mightie gouernours handes. For, alwaiesAlexāder thegreat prefar-red a Mo-narchie.Princes dooe seke to a sole regimente. Alexander the greatecōquerour also, preferring for worthines a Monarchie, at thetyme of his death, demaunded whō he would haue to succedehim in his mightie dominiōs, he by one signifiyng a Monar-chie, saiyng:Dignissimus, that is to saie, the worthiest. AfterAlexandersmonarchie felby many kin-ges.Antipater.Crates.Meliagrus.Perdiccas.Ptolomeus.Learcus.Cassander.Menander.Leonatus.Lusimacus.Eumenes[.]Seleucus.the death of Alexander, Antipater caught the gouernmenteof Macedonia and Grece, and Crates was Treasurer. Me-leagrus and Perdiccas caught other of his dominions, thenPtolemeus possessed Egipte, Africa and a parte of Arabia,Learcus, Cassander, Menāder, Leonatus, Lusimachus, Eu-menes, Seleucus and manie other, who were for their wor-thines in honor and estimacion with Alexander, caught in-to their handes other partes of his dominions, euerie one se-kyng for his time, his owne priuate glorie, dignitie, and ad-uauncemente, but not a publike wealthe, and so in fine, am-bicion broiled in their loftie stomackes, eche to attaine to o-thers honor. Whereupon bloodshed, destruction of the peo-ple and countries, the fall of these Princes ensued. So mochekingdomes hate equalitie or felowship: let vs laie before ourFraunce.Spaine.Germanie.Britaine.iyes, the kyngdomes nere at hand. Fraunce, from the tymesof Faramundus vntill this daie haue stoode, and did florishein a Monarchie. The state of Spaine, from the tyme of thefirste kyng, vntill this daie, hath florished continually in aMonarchie. The great seigniories of Germanie, by one suc-cedyng in gouernment, haue been permanent in that good-lie state. Our noble Isle of Britain from Brutus, hath stoodeby a Monarchie: onely in those daies, the state of gouernmētchaunged, at the commyng of Iulius Cesar, Emperour ofRome. The lande beyng at diuision, and discorde, throughthe diuersitie of diuerse kynges: so moche the state of diuersekynges in one lande, is to be expelled, or the gouernment ofthe base multitude, to haue vniuersally power of dominion,or the state of peres, to bee chief in regiment, no kyng lefte tocommaunde ouer the people, and nobles, or els there can notbe but discorde in thende, whiche pulleth doune moste migh-tie Regions and dominions, so that the beste state, the mostestedfaste and fortunate, is in all tymes, in all ages, in all la-wes, and common wealthes, where one king sekyng the ad-uauncement, wealthe, glorie, of hym and his people.¶ The contrarie.THat housholde or familie, can not be well gouerned,where many and diuerse beareth gouernment, nec-lectyng the state prosperous vniuersallie: for whereobedience is drawen to diuers and many, there can not beegood gouernment, nor faithfull obedience. And so in a king-dome where one chiefly gouerneth, and to a common wealththere the hartes of the subiectes, be moste knitte to obaie.¶ The similitude.EUen as thei, whiche serue one maister, shall sonestewith labour please, and with fidelitie, accomplishehis will and pleasure. For, the maners of many mēbe diuerse, and variable, so in a Monarchie, the state of one issone obaied, the minde and lawe of one Prince sone folowed,his Maiestie dreaded and loued.¶ The example.LET the fower chief Monarchies of the Assirian, thePersian, Grecian, and the Romaine, whiche hauecontinued from the beginnyng mightie, moste hap-pie, bee an example herein. If that state of gouernement, hadnot been chiefe of all other, those mightie kyngdomes wouldnot haue preferred, that kinde of gouernment.¶ The testimonie of auncient writers.THerefore, Aristotle, Plato, and all the chief Philoso-phers, intreatyng of the administracion of a commonwealthe: doe preferre before all states of gouernmenta Monarchie, bothe for the felicitie of it, and stedfaste state.¶ The conclusion.HOmere therefore deserueth greate commendacion,for this one sentence, whiche preferreth a Monarchiebefore all states.¶ The destruccion.THis exercise ofRhetotike, is called destruccion, orsubuersion, because it is in a oracion, a certain re-prehension of any thyng declaimed, or dilated, inthe whiche by order of art, the declaimer shall pro-cede to caste doune by force, and strengthe of reason, the con-trarie induced.In this exercise ofRhetorike, those proposicions are to besubuerted, whiche are not manifeste true, neither it so repu-gnaunt from reason, as that there can appere no holde, to in-duce a probable reason to confounde thesame. But soche pro-posicions are meete for this parte, as are probable in both si-des, to induce probabilitie of argument, to reason therupon.1.It shall behoue you firste, for the entryng of this matter,to adde a reprehension there against those, whiche haue con-firmed as a truthe, that, whiche you will confute.2.In thesame place, adde theexposion, and meanyng of hissentence.3.Thirdly, shew the matter to be obsure, that is vncertain[.]4.Incrediblie.5.Impossible.6.Not agreyng to any likelihode of truthe.7.Uncomlie to be talked of.8.Unprofitable.This exercise ofRhetorikedoeth contain in it al strengthof arte, as who should saie, all partes ofRhetorike, maie co-piouslie be handled in this parte, called confutacion, so am-ple a matter Tullie doeth note this parte to be.¶ The theme or proposicion of this Oracion.It is not like to be true, that is said of the battaill of Troie.¶ The reprehension of the auc-thor, and of all Poetes.NOt without a cause, the vanities of Poetes areto bee reproued, and their forged inuencions tobee reiected: in whose writynges, so manifestlieare set forthe as a truthe, and Chronicled to theposteritie of ages and times, soche forged mat-The vanitiesof Poetes.ters of their Poeticall and vain wittes. Who hath not heardof their monsterous lies against God, thei inuentyng a gene-alogie of many Goddes procreated, where as there is butone God. This vanitie also thei haue set forthe, in their mo-numentes and woorkes. How a conspiracie was sometymeemong the Goddes and Goddes, to binde the great God Iu-piter. How impudentlie doe thei set forthe the Goddes, to beelouers of women, and their adulterous luste: and how theihaue transformed theim selues, into diuers shapes of beastesand foules, to followe after beastly luste. The malice and en-uie of the Goddes, one to an other:Thefeigne also the heauēto haue one God, the sea an other, helle an other, whiche aremere vanities, and false imaginaciōs of their Poeticall wit-tes. The like forged inuencion haue thei wrote, of the migh-The battaillof Troie .x.yeres for aherlotte.tie and terrible battaill bruted of Troie, for a beautifull har-lot susteined ten yeres. In the whiche, not onely men and no-ble péeres, gaue the combate of battaile, but the Goddes tokepartes against Goddes, and men wounded Goddes: as theirThe vain in-uention ofPoetes.lies exceade all nomber, because thei bee infinite, so also theipasse all truthe, reason, and iudgemente. These fewe exam-ples of their vanities and lies, doe shewe the feigned groundand aucthoritie of the reste. Accordyng to the folie and super-sticiousnes of those tymes, thei inuented and forged folie vp-pon folie, lye vpon lye, as in the battaill of Troie, thei aggra-uate the dolour of the battaill, by pitifull and lamentable in-Plato reie-cteth Poetesfrom the com[-]mon wealth.uencion. As for the Poetes them selues, Plato in his booke,made vpon the administracion of a common wealth, makeththeim in the nomber of those, whiche are to bee banished outof all common wealthes.¶ The exposicion.HOmere dooeth saie, and many other Poetes, thatthe warres of the Grecians against the Troians,was for beautifull Helena, and continued tenneyeres. The Goddes and Goddis toke partes, andall the people of Grece, aided Menelaus, and the kyng Aga-memnon, to bryng home again Helena, neclecting their owncountrie, their wife and chidrē, for one womā. The Grekesinuentyng a huge and mightie horse made of Firre trée, andcouered with brasse, as huge as a moūtain, out of the whichethe Grecians by treason issuyng, brought Troie to ruine.¶ The obscuritie of the matter.IT semeth a matter of folie, that so many people, somightie nacions should bee bewitched, to raise somightie a armie, hassardyng their liues, leauyngtheir countrie, their wiues, their children, for oneHelena.woman: Be it so, that Helena passed all creatures, and thatNature with beautie had indued her with all vertue, and sin-gularitie: yet the Grecians would not be so foolishe, that vni-uersallie thei would seke to caste doune their owne wealthe,and moche more the common wealthe of Grece, and kyng-dome to stande in perill. Neither is it to be thought, the Gre-cians, sekyng to aduaūce the beautie of Helena: would leaueThe cause ofthe forged in-uencion.their owne state. But it is like, the wittes of Poetes did im-magine so forged a Chronicle, that the posteritie of ages fol-lowyng, should rather wounder at their forged inuencion,then to beleue any soche warre truly mencioned. There wasno soche cause, seyng that the kyngdome of Grece, fell by notitle of succession to Helena, for them to moue warre, for, thebringyng backe of that beutifull harlotte Helena. Neither inHelena was there vertue, or honestie of life, to moue and ex-asperate the Grecians, to spende so greate treasures, to raiseNo commen-dacion in vp-holdyng andmaintainyngof harlottes.so mightie an armie on euery side. What commēdacion hadthe Troians to aduaunce Helena, and with all roialnesse toentreate her, she beyng a harlotte: the folie of the Greciansand the Troians, is so on euery side so greate, that it can notbe thought, soche a warre truely chronicled. If violence andpower, had taken Helena from her housebande, and not herHelena follo-wed Paris.owne will and luste, caught with the adulterous loue of Pa-ris, beyng a straunger. If her moderacion of life had been sorare, as that the like facte for her chastitie, had not been in a-ny age or common wealthe, her vertues would haue giuenoccasion: The Princes and nobles of Grece to stomacke thematter. The example of the facte, would with all praise andUertuouslife, worthiecommendaci-on in al ages.Lucrecia.Tarquiniusthe kyng ba-nished for ra-uishyng Lu-crecia, and allof his namebanished.commendacion be mencioned, and celebrated to al ages. Lu-cretia for her chastite, is perpetuallie to be aduanunced, wher-vpon the Romaines banished Tarquinius their kyng, hisstocke and name from Rome. The rare chastite of Penelope,is remainyng as a example herein: So many snares laied tocaste doune her vertuous loue towarde her housebande U-lisses. But Ulisses made hauocke by murder, on these gaieand gallante Ruffins, who in his absence sought to alienateand withdrawe, the chaste harte of Penelope, consumyngPenelopeschastitie.his substance. A greater example remaineth in no age, of thelike chastite. As for the battaile of Troie, raised for Helena,could wise men, and the moste famous nobles of Grece: Sooccupie their heddes, and in thesame, bothe to hasarde theirliues for a beautifull strumpet or harlot. The sage and wiseNestor.Ulisses.Nestor, whom Agamemnon for wisedome preferred, beforethe moste of the péeres of Grece, neither it Ulisses wanted atthesame tyme, hauyng a politike and subtill hedde, to with-drawe theim from so leude and foolishe a enterprise. GreceGrece thelande of fairewomen.wanted not beautifull creatures, Nature in other had besto-wed amiable faces, personage, and comelie behauiour. For,at those daies, Grece thei calledAchaida calligunaica, that is,Grece the lande of faire women. The dolorous lamentacionof the Ladies and Matrons in Grece, would haue hinderedsoche a foolishe enterprise, seyng their owne beautie neclec-ted, their honestie of life caste vp to perilles, one harlot of in-Uncomelie.numerable people followed and hunted after, in whom neitherhonestie, vertue, nor chastite was harbored.¶ Uncredible.ALthough the folie of men is greate, and the will ofprinces and gouernours beastlie and rashe, yet byno meanes it can be so many yeres, so greate folieto take roote in their hartes, and that the wisedomBeautiewithout ver-tue, nothyngof valour.of the Greciās, should not rather caste of as naught, the beau-tie of Helena: rather then the whole multitude, the state ofthe Prince, the welfare of the subiecte, to stande in perill forBeautie apoison, in aadulterousmynde.the beautie of one. What is beautie, when a beastlie and ad-ulterous minde is possessed: Beautie without chastitie, har-boreth a monsterous rabelmente of vices, a snare and baite,Beautie sonefadeth.to poison other. Beautie in fewe yeres, is not onely blemi-shed, but decaied, and wholie extinguished: it is vncredible,that the Grecians would seeke to bryng home Helena, whohad loste the chaste loue toward her housband, beyng caughtParis Hele-nas louer.Phrigia.with the adulterous loue of Paris, soonne to Priamus kyngof Troie. The lande of Phrigia was a mightie Region, thepeople noble, puissaunte in warre: the kyng for nobilitie ofactes famous. The Citee of Troie, wherein the kyng heldehis Scepter of gouernement, was riche, mightie, and popu-lous: ruled and gouerned, by the wisedome and policie of fa-mous counsailours, so that by all meanes it is vncredible,Uncomelie.without any possibilitie. Thei neclectyng their owne stateand kyngdō, so to preferre the beautie of one, that the wholemultitude of Grece thereby to perishe. It is a matter vncre-Grece thefountain of allearnyng.dible in all Grece, whiche for the fame of wisedome, is mostecelebrated emong all nacions, not one wiseman at thesametyme to be therein: whose coūsaile and politike heddes, mightponder a better purpose. Grece, whiche was the mother andfountaine of all artes and sciences, all Eloquence, Philoso-phie, wisedome flowyng from theim, and yet wisedome towant in their breastes. Reason can not make any perswasionthat any probabilitie can rise, of any soche matter enterpri-sed, what could the intent be of the Grecians, as concerningMenelaushousbande toHelena.Menelaus. In Menelaus there was no wisedom, to seke andhunte after Helena, or by any meanes to possesse her, she be-yng a harlotte, her loue alienated, her hart possessed with theloue of an other manne: foolishlie he hopeth to possesse loue,Harlottesloue dissem-bled.that seeketh to enioye the cloked, poisoned, and dissembledharte of a harlotte, Grece was well ridde of a harlotte, TroieTroians.harbouryng Helena. In the Troians it is not to be thought,that either the kyng, or nobles, for a harlotte, would see thethepeople murthered, their owne state, the king to be in dan-Grecians.ger of ruine. In the Grecians there was neither wisedome,neither commendacion, to pursue with a maine hoste, with agreate Nauie of Shippes, to bryng backe againe a harlotte,whose enterprise rather might better bee borne, to banishe &exile soche a beastlie disposed persone. The Troians mighteAbsurditie.well scorne the Grecians, if that the possession of a beautifullmoste amiable, and minsyng harlotte, was of soche valour,estimacion, and price with theim, not onely the beautie of allother to bee reiected. But moste of all the vertuous life, andchastitie of all their matrons and honourable Ladies, to beecaste of as naught. Grece that had the name of all wisedome,The defenceof Helena.of all learnyng and singularitie, might rather worthelie beecalled, a harbouryng place of harlottes: a Stewe and vphol-der of whoredome, and all vncleanes. Wherefore, these ab-surdities ought to bee remoued, from the minde and cogita-cion of all menne, that should worthelie ponder the state ofTroie a king[-]dome of whor[-]dome.Grece. Troie of like sorte to bee a kyngdome and commonwealthe of all vice: whoredome in soche price with the kyng,and people, that moste fortunate should the harlotte bee, andthe adulterour in soche a common wealthe, that for adulte-rous loue, putteth rather all their state to hasarde and perill,for the maintenaunce of beastlie loue, brutishe societie mostein price with soche a nacion, chastitie, andmoderaciouof life,abandoned and caste of.
¶ A narracion historicall vpon kyng Ri-chard the third, the cruell tiraunt[.]
The persone[.]RIchard duke of Glocester, after the death of Ed-ward the fowerth his brother king of England,vsurped the croune, moste traiterouslie and wic-kedlie: this kyng Richard was small of stature,deformed, and ill shaped, his shoulders bearednot equalitee, a pulyng face, yet of countenaunce and lookecruell, malicious, deceiptfull, bityng and chawing his netherlippe: of minde vnquiet, pregnaunt of witte, quicke and liue-ly, a worde and a blowe, wilie, deceiptfull, proude, arrogantThe tyme.The place.in life and cogitacion bloodie. The fowerth daie of Iulie, heentered the tower of London, with Anne his wife, doughterto Richard Erle of Warwick: and there in created Edwardhis onely soonne, a child of ten yeres of age, Prince of Wa-les. At thesame tyme, in thesame place, he created many no-ble peres, to high prefermente of honour and estate, and im-mediatly with feare and faint harte, bothe in himself, and hisThe horriblemurther ofking Richard[.]nobles and commons, was created king, alwaies a vnfortu-nate and vnluckie creacion, the harts of the nobles and com-mons thereto lackyng or faintyng, and no maruaile, he wasa cruell murtherer, a wretched caitiffe, a moste tragicall ty-raunt, and blood succour, bothe of his nephewes, and brotherGeorge Duke of Clarence, whom he caused to bee drounedin a Butte of Malmsie, the staires sodainlie remoued, wher-The facte.on he stepped, the death of the lorde Riuers, with many othernobles, compassed and wrought at the young Princes com-myng out of Wales, the .xix. daie of Iuly, in the yere of ourlorde .1483. openly he toke vpon him to be king, who sekynghastely to clime, fell according to his desart, sodainly and in-gloriously, whose Embassage for peace, Lewes the Frencheking, for his mischeuous & bloodie slaughter, so moche abhor-red, that he would neither sée the Embassador, nor heare theEmbassage: for he murthered his .ij. nephues, by the handesThe tyme.The manerhow.of one Iames Tirrell, & .ij. vilaines more associate with himthe Lieutenaunt refusyng so horrible a fact. This was doenhe takyng his waie & progresse to Glocester, whereof he wasbefore tymes Duke: the murther perpetrated, he doubed thegood squire knight. Yet to kepe close this horrible murther,he caused a fame and rumour to be spread abrode, in all par-tes of the realme, that these twoo childrē died sodainly, there-The cause.by thinkyng the hartes of all people, to bee quietlie setteled,no heire male lefte a liue of kyng Edwardes children. Hismischief was soche, that God shortened his vsurped raigne:he was al together in feare and dread, for he being feared anddreaded of other, did also feare & dread, neuer quiete of mindefaint harted, his bloodie conscience by outward signes, condē-pned hym: his iyes in euery place whirlyng and caste about,The state ofa wicked mā.his hand moche on his Dagger, the infernall furies tormen-ted him by night, visions and horrible dreames, drawed himfrom his bedde, his vnquiet life shewed the state of his consci-ence, his close murther was vttered, frō the hartes of the sub-iectes: thei called hym openlie, with horrible titles and na-mes, a horrible murtherer, and excecrable tiraunt. The peo-A dolefullstate of aquene.ple sorowed the death of these twoo babes, the Queene, kyngEdwardes wife, beeyng in Sanctuarie, was bestraught ofwitte and sences, sounyng and falling doune to the groundeas dedde, the Quéene after reuiued, knéeled doune, and cal-led on God, to take vengaunce on this murtherer. The con-science of the people was so wounded, of the tolleracion of theThe wickedfacte of kyngRichard, ahorror anddread to thecommons.facte, that when any blustryng winde, or perilous thonder, ordreadfull tempest happened: with one voice thei cried out andquaked, least God would takevengauceof them, for it is al-waies séen the horrible life of wicked gouernors, bringeth toruin their kyngdom and people, & also wicked people, the likedaungers to the kyngdome and Prince: well he and his sup-porters with the Duke of Buckyngham, died shamefullie.God permitmeanes, topull dounetyrauntes.The knotte of mariage promised, betwene Henrie Erle ofRichemonde, and Elizabeth doughter to kyng Edward thefowerth: caused diuerse nobles to aide and associate this erle,fledde out of this lande with all power, to the attainmente ofthe kyngdome by his wife. At Nottyngham newes came tokyng Richard, that the Erle of Richmonde, with a small cō-paignie of nobles and other, was arriued in Wales, forthe-with exploratours and spies were sent, who shewed the ErleLichefelde.Leicester.to be encamped, at the toune of Litchfield, forthwith all pre-paracion of warre, was set forthe to Leicester on euery side,the Nobles and commons shranke from kyng Richarde, hisBosworthe[.]power more and more weakened. By a village called Bos-worthe, in a greate plaine, méete for twoo battailes: by Lei-cester this field was pitched, wherin king Richard manfullyfightyng hande to hande, with the Erle of Richmonde, wasKyng Ri-chard killedin Bosworthfielde.slaine, his bodie caried shamefullie, to the toune of Leicesternaked, without honor, as he deserued, trussed on a horse, be-hinde a Purseuaunte of Armes, like a hogge or a Calfe, hishedde and his armes hangyng on the one side, and his leggeson the other side: caried through mire and durte, to the graieFriers churche, to all men a spectacle, and oprobrie of tiran-nie this was the cruell tirauntes ende.
¶ A narracion historicall, of the commyngof Iulius Cesar into Britaine.
The tyme.The persone.WHen Iulius Cesar had ended his mightie and hugebattailes, about the flood Rhene, he marched into theregiō of Fraunce: at thesame time repairing with afreshe multitude, his Legiōs, but the chief cause of his warrein Fraunce was, that of long time, he was moued in minde,The cause.The fameand glorie ofBritaine.to see this noble Islande of Britain, whose fame for nobilitéewas knowen and bruted, not onelie in Rome, but also in thevttermoste lādes. Iulius Cesar was wroth with thē, becausein his warre sturred in Fraunce, the fearce Britaines aidedtheFenchemen, and did mightilie encounter battaill withthe Romaines: whose prowes and valiaunt fight, slaked theproude and loftie stomackes of the Romaines, and droue thēThe prowesof IuliusCesar.to diuerse hasardes of battaill. But Cesar as a noble warrierpreferryng nobilitee, and worthinesse of fame, before moneyor cowardly quietnes: ceased not to enter on yefearce Britai-nes, and thereto prepared his Shippes, the Winter tyme fo-lowyng, that assone as oportunitee of the yere serued, to passeThe manerhow.Cesars com-municacionwith the mar[-]chauntes, asconcernyngthe lande ofBritaine.with all power against them. In the meane tyme, Cesar in-quired of the Marchauntes, who with marchaundise had ac-cesse to the Islande: as concernyng the quātitée and bignes ofit, the fashion and maner of the people, their lawes, their or-der, and kinde of gouernmente. As these thynges were in allpoinctes, vnknowen to Cesar, so also the Marchaūtes kneweThe ware &politike go-uernement ofyeBritaines.Aliaunce intyme traite-rous.no more thā the places bordring on the sea side. For, the Bri-taines fearing the traiterous and dissembled hartes of aliaū-ces, politikelie repelled them: for, no straunger was sufferedto enter from his Shippe, on the lande, but their marchaun-dice were sold at the sea side. All nacions sought to this land,the felicitee of it was so greate, whereupon the Grekes kno-wyng and tastyng the commoditée of this Islande, called it byBritain som-tyme called ofthe GrekesOlbion, notAlbion.a Greke nameOlbion, whiche signifieth a happie and fortu-nate countrie, though of some calledAlbion, tyme chaungedthe firste letter, as at this daie, London is called for the touneof kyng Lud. Cesar thereupon before he would marche withCaius Uo-lusenus, Em[-]bassadour toBritaine.his armie, to the people of Britain, he sent Caius Uolusenusa noble man of Rome, a valiaunte and hardie Capitaine, asEmbassadour to the Britaines, who as he thoughte by hisEmbassage, should knowe the fashion of the Island, the ma-ner of the people, their gouernemente. But as it seemeth, theEmbassadour was not welcome. For, he durste not enter frōhis Ship, to dooe his maisters Embassage, Cesar knewe no-Comas A-trebas, secōdeEmbassadorfrom Cesar.thing by him. Yet Cesar was not so contented, but sent an o-ther Embassadour, a man of more power, stomack, and morehardie, Comas Atrebas by name, who would enter as anEmbassadour, to accomplish the will & expectacion of Cesar,Comas Atrebas was so welcome, that the Britains cast himin prison: Embassages was not common emong theim, northe curteous vsage of Embassadours knowen. Al these thin-Cassibelaneking of Lon-don, at the a-riue of Cesar[.]Cassibelanea worthiePrince.ges, made Cesar more wrothe, to assaie the vncourtousBris[-]taines. In those daies Cassibelan was kyng of London, thisCassibelan was a prince of high wisedom, of manly stomackeand valiaunt in fight: and for power and valiauntnesse, waschosen of the Britaines, chief gouernour and kyng. Dissen-cion and cruell warre was emong thē, through the diuersitieof diuers kinges in the lande. The Troinouaūtes enuied theImanuēcius[.]state of Cassibelan, bicause Immanuencius, who was kyngof London, before Cassibelan, was put to death, by the coun-sail of Cassibelan. The sonne of Immanuencius, hearing ofthe commyng of Cesar, did flie traiterouslie to Cesar: TheTroinouauntes fauoured Immanuēcius part, & thereuponThe Troy-nouauntes bytreason let inCesar.promised, as moste vile traitours to their countrie, an ente-ryng to Cesar, seruice and homage, who through a self will,and priuate fauour of one, sought the ruine of their countrie,and in the ende, their own destruccion. But Cassibelan gauemany ouerthrowes to Cesar, and so mightelie encountredwith hym, so inuincible was the parte of Cassibelane: but bytreason of the Troinouauntes, not by manhod of Cesars po-wer, enteryng was giuen. What house can stande, where-Treason aconfusion tothe mightiestdominions.in discord broile? What small power, is not able to enter themightiest dominions or regions: to ouercome the strongestefortresse, treason open the gate, treason giuyng passage. Al-though Cesar by treason entered, so Cesar writeth. Yet thefame of Cesar was more commended, for his enterprise intoBritain, and victorie: then of all his Conquest, either againstA sentēce gra[-]uen of Bri-taine, in thecommendaci-on of Cesar.Pompey, or with any other nacion. For in a Piller at Romethis sentence was engrauen: Of all the dominions, Citees,and Regions, subdued by Cesar, his warre attēpted againstthe fearce Britaines, passeth all other. After this sort Cesarentred our Islande of Britaine by treason.
¶ A narracion iudiciall, out of Theusidides,vpon the facte of Themistocles.
THe Athenians brought vnder the thraldome ofthe Lacedemonians, soughte meanes to growemightie, and to pull them from the yoke, vnderthe Lacedemonians. Lacedemonia was a citeeenuironed with walles. Athenes at thesametyme without walles: whereby their state was more feeble,and power weakened. Themistocles a noble Sage, and aworthie pere of Athens: gaue the Atheniās counsaile to walltheir citée strōgly, and so forthwith to be lordes and rulers bythem selues, after their owne facion gouerning. In finishingthis enterprise, in all poinctes, policie, and wittie conuei-aunce wanted not. The Lacedemonians harde of the pur-pose of the Athenians, & sent Embassadours, to knowe theirdoynges, and so to hinder them. Themistocles gaue counsaillto the Athenians, to kepe in safe custodie, the Embassadoursof Lacedemonia, vntill soche tyme, as he from the Embas-sage was retourned frō Lacedemonia. The Lacedemonianshearyng of the commyng of Themistocles, thought little ofthe walle buildyng at Athens. Themistocles was long loo-ked for of thē, because Themistocles lingered in his Embas-sage, that or the matter were throughly knowen: the walleof Athens should be builded. The slowe commyng of The-mistocles, was blamed of the Lacedemonians: but Themi-stocles excused hymself, partly infirmitie of bodie, lettynghis commyng, and the expectacion of other, accompaigniedwith hym in this Embassage. The walle ended, necessitienot artificiall workemanship finishing it, with al hast it wasended: then Themistocles entered the Senate of Lacedemo-nia, and saied: the walle whom ye sought to let, is builded atAthens, ye Lacedemonians, that wee maie be more strong.Then the Lacedemonians could saie nothyng to it, thoughthei enuied the Athenians state, the walle was builded, andleste thei should shewe violence or crueltie on Themistocles,their Embassabours were at Athens in custodie, wherebyThemistocles came safe from his Embassage, and the Athe-nians made strong by their walle: this was politikely dooenof Themistocles.
¶ A narracion Poeticall vpon a Rose.
WHo so doeth maruaile at the beautée and good-ly colour of the redde Rose, he must consider theblood, that came out of Uenus the Goddes foot.The Goddes Uenus, as foolishe Poetes dooefeigne, beyng the aucthour of Loue: loued Ado-nis the soonne of Cynara kyng of Cypres. But Mars calledthe God of battaile, loued Uenus, beyng nothyng loued ofUenus: but Mars loued Uenus as feruently, as Uenus lo-ued Adonis. Mars beyng a God, loued Uenus a goddes, butUenus onely was inflamed with the loue of Adonis, a mor-tall man. Their loue was feruent, and exremely set on firein bothe, but their kinde and nature were contrary, wherev-pon Mars beyng in gelousie, sought meanes to destroie, faireamiable, and beautifull Adonis, thinkyng by his death, theloue of Uenus to be slaked: Adonis and Mars fell to fightingUenus as a louer, ranne to helpe Adonis her louer, and bychaunce she fell into a Rose bushe, and pricked with it herfoote, the blood then ran out of her tender foote, did colour theRose redde: wherevpon the Rose beyng white before, is v-pon that cause chaunged into redde.
[¶]Chria.
CHria, this profitable exercise ofRhetorike, is for theporfiteof it so called: it is a rehersall in fewe wordes,of any ones fact, or of the saiyng of any man, vpō thewhiche an oracion maie be made. As for example, Isocratesdid say, that the roote oflearnngwas bitter, but the fruictespleasaunt: and vpon this one sentence, you maie dilate a am-ple and great oracion, obseruyng these notes folowyng. Thesaiyng dooeth containe so greate matter, and minister socheplentie of argumente.
Aucthors intreatyng of this exercise, doe note three sortesto bee of theim, one of theim aChria verball, that is to saie, aprofitable exercise, vpon the saiyng of any man, onely con-teinyng the wordes of the aucthour, as the sentence before.
The seconde is, conteinyng the facte or deede of the per-sone: As Diogines beyng asked of Alexander the Greate, ifhe lacked any thyng, that he was able to giue hym, thinkynghis demaūde vnder his power, for Diogenes was at thesametyme warmyng hymself in the beames of the Sunne: Dio-genes aunswered, ye take awaie that, that ye are not able togiue, meanyng that Alexander by his bodie, shadowed hym,and tooke awaie that, whiche was not in his power to giue,Alexander tourned hymself to his men, and saied, if I werenot Alexander, I would be Diogenes.
The thirde is aChriamixt, botheverballand notyng thefacte, as Diogenes seyng a boie wanton & dissolute, did strikehis teacher with a staffe, vtteryng these woordes: why dooestthou teache thy scholer so dissolutlie.
You shall learne to make this exercise, obseruyng thesenotes.
Firste, you shall praise the aucthour, who wrote the sen-tence, waighing his life, if his life be vnknowen, and not easieto finde his sentence or sentences: for godlie preceptes willminister matter of praise, as if these saiynges bee recited, theiare sufficient of them selues, to praise the aucthour.
Then in the seconde place, expounde the meanyng of theaucthour in that saiyng.
Then shewe the cause, why he spake this sentence.
Then compare the matter, by a contrary.
Then frame a similitude of thesame.
Shewe the like example of some, that spake the like, ordid the like.
Then gather the testimonies of more writers of thesame[.]
Then knit the conclusion.
¶ An Oracion.
ISocrates did saie, that the roote of learnyngiswas bit-ter, but the fruictes were pleasaunt.
¶ The praise.
THis Oratour Isocrates, was an Athenian borne,Lusimachus[.]who florished in the time of Lusimachus the chiefgouernor of Athens: this Isocrates was broughtvp in all excellēcie of learning, with the moste fa-Prodicus.Gorgias Le-ontinus.mous and excellent Oratour Prodicus, Gorgias Leontinusindued him with all singularitie of learnyng and eloquence.The eloquēce of Isocrates was so famous, that Aristotle theDemosthe-nes learnedeloquence ofIsocrates.chiefPholosopher, enuied his vertue & praise therin: Demo-sthenes also, who emong the Grecians chieflie excelled, lear-ned his eloquence, of the Oracions whiche Isocrates wrote,to many mightie and puisaunt princes and kinges, do shewehis wisedome, & copious eloquēce, as to Demonicus the kingto Nicocles, Euagoras, against Philip the king of the Mace-doniās, by his wisedome and counsaill, the Senate and vni-uersal state of Athens was ruled, & the commons and multi-tude thereby in euery part florished: chieflie what counsaill,what wisedome, what learnyng might bee required, in anyman of high fame and excellencie: that fame was aboundant[-]ly in Isocrates, as in all his Oratiōs he is to be praised, so inthis sentence, his fame importeth like commendacion.
¶ The exposicion.
IN that he saieth, the roote of learnyng is bitter, andthe fruictes pleasaunt: he signifieth no excellent qua-All excellen-cie with laboris attained.litie or gift, vertue, arte or science can bee attained,except paine, labour, diligence, doe plant and sette thesame:but when that noble gift, either learnyng, or any excellentequalitee, is lodged and reposed in vs, then we gather by pain-full labours, greate profite, comforte, delectable pleasures,wealth, glorie, riches, whiche be the fruictes of it.
¶ The cause.
AND seyng that of our owne nature, all men are en-clined from their tender yeres and infancie, to the ex-tirpacion of vertue, folowyng with all earnest studieand gréedie, the free passage to vice, and specially children,whose iudgementes and reason, are not of that strengthe, torule their weake mindes and bodies, therefore, in them chief-lie, the roote of learning is bitter, because not onely many ye-res thei runne their race, in studie of arte and science. Withcare and paine also, with greuous chastisment and correcciō,thei are compelled by their teachers and Maisters, to appre-hende thesame: the parentes no lesse dreaded, in the educaciōof their children, in chastisement and correction, so that by allThe roote oflearnyng bit-ter.meanes, the foundacion and roote of all learnyng, in whatsort so euer it is, is at the firste vnpleasaunte, sower, and vn-sauerie. To folowe the times and seasons, appoincted for thesame, is moste painfull, and in these painfull yeres: othergreate pleasures, as the frailtie of youth, and the imbecilitieof nature iudgeth, dooeth passe by, but in miserable state isWho is a vn-fortunatechilde.that childe, and vnfortunate, that passeth the flower of hisyouth and tender yeres, instructed with no arte or Science,whiche in tyme to come, shalbe the onelie staie, helpe, the pil-ler to beare of the sore brent, necessitie, and calamities of life.Good educa-cion the foun-dacion of theRomaineEmpire.Herein the noble Romaines, laied the sure foundacion oftheir mightie dominion, in the descrite prouidente, and poli-tike educacion of children: to whom the Grecians gaue, thatnecessarie bulwarke andfaundacion, to set vp all vertue, allarte and science. In Grece no man was knowen, to liue inthat common wealth, but that his arte and science, gaue ma-nifest probacion and testimonie, how and after what sorte heliued. The Romaines in like sorte, the sworde and aucthori-tie of the Magistrate, executyng thesame, did put forthe, anddraw to the attainment of learnyng, art or science, all youthhauyng maturitie and ripenesse to it, and why, because thatin a common wealth, where the parentes are vndescrete andfoolishe, as in all common wealthes, there are not a fewe,but many, thei not ponderyng the state of the tyme to come,bringing vp their children without all ciuilitie, vnframed tovertue, ignoraunt of all arte and science: the children of theirowne nature, vnbrideled, vntaught, wilfull, and heddie, doerun with free passage to all wickednes, thei fall into al kindeof follie, oppressed with all kinde of calamitie, miserie, andEuill educa-cion bringethto ruine migh[-]tie kingdoms[.]vnfortunate chaunces, whiche happen in this life. Nothyngdoeth soner pulle doune a kyngdome, or common wealthe,then the euill and leude educacion of youth, to whom neithersubstaunce, wealth, riches, nor possessions doe descende, fromtheir auncestours and parentes, who also of them selues wātall art, science and meanes, to maintain them to liue, who ofthem selues are not able to get relief, for onely by this mea-nes, life is maintained, wealth and riches ar possessed to ma-ny greate siegniories, landes, and ample possessions, left bytheir parentes, and line of auncetours, haue by lacke of ver-tuous educacion, been brought to naught, thei fell into ex-treme miserie, pouertie, and wantyng learnyng, or wealth,to maintaine their state and delicate life, thei haue robbed,spoiled, murthered, to liue at their owne will. But then asrotten, dedde, and putride members frō the common wealththei are cutte of by the sworde, and aucthoritie of the Magi-strate. What kyngdome was more mightie and strong, thenLydia.the kyngdome of Lidia, whiche by no other meanes wasbrought to ruine and destruccion, but by idlenes: in that theiwere kepte from all vertuous exercise, from the studie of ar-tes and sciences, so longe as thei meditated and liued in theschoole of vertuous life: no nacion was hable to ouerthrowethem, of them selues thei were prone and readie, to practise allCyrus.excellencie. But Cyrus the kyng of Persians, by no othermeanes was able to bring them weaker. He toke from thē alfurtherance to artes, destroied all occupaciōs of vertue wher-vpon by commaundemētaudterrour, wer driuen to practiseThe decay ofa kyngdome.the vaine and pestiferous practise, of Cardes and Dice. Har-lottes then schooled them, and all vnhoneste pastyme nurte-red them, Tauernes an quaffyng houses, was their accusto-med and moste frequented vse of occupacion: by this meanestheir nobilitie and strengthe was decaied, and kyngdomemade thrall. Ill educacion or idlenes, is no small vice or euillwhen so mightie a prince, hauyng so large dominions, whōall the Easte serued and obaied. Whose regimente and go-uernemente was so infinite, that as Zenophon saieth, tymeThe mightiedominions ofCyrus.would rather want, then matter to speake of his mightie andlarge gouernement, how many nacions, how diuerse peopleand valiaunte nacions were in subieccion to hym. If thismightie Prince, with all his power and populous nacions,was not hable to giue the ouerthrowe, to the kyngdome ofEuill educa-cion.Lidia, but by ill educacion, not by marciall attēptes, swordeor battaill: but by giuyng them scope and libertie, to dooe ashe would. No doubt but that Cyrus sawe, by the like exam-ple of other kyngdomes, this onelie pollicie to bee a ruinePithagoras.of that kyngdome. Pythagoras the famous and godlie Phi-losopher, saued the kyngdome and people of Crotona, theileauyng all studie of arte, vertue and science. This people ofCatona.Crotona, was ouercome of the people of Locrus, thei left allexercise of vertue, neclectyng the feates of chiualrie, whervpōPythagoras hauyng the profitable and godlie lawes of Ly-curgus, which he brought from Lacedemonia: and the lawesof Minos kyng of Creta, came to the people of Crotona, andby his godlie teachyng and Philosophie, reuoked & broughtbacke the people, giuen ouer to the neglectyng of all vertue,declaryng to them the nobilitie and excellencie thereof, he li-uely set foorthe the beastlinesse of vice. Pithagoras recited tothem, the fall and ruine of many regions, and mightie king-domes, whiche tooke after those vices. Idlenes beyng forsa-ken, vertue embrased, and good occupacions practised, thekyngdome and people grewe mightie.
Lycurgus.Emong the godlie lawes of Lycurgus, Lycurgus omit-ted not to ordaine Lawes, for the educacion of youthe: in thewhiche he cutte of all pamperyng of them, because in tenderyeres, in whose bodies pleasure harboreth, their vertue, sci-ence, cunnyng rooteth not: labour, diligence, and industrieUertue.Uice.onelie rooteth vertue, and excellencie. Uices as vnprofitableweedes, without labour, diligence and industrie growe vp,and thereby infecteth the minde and bodie, poisoneth all themocions, incensed to vertue and singularitie. Who euer at-tained cunnyng, in any excellent arte or science, where idle-nes or pleasure helde the swaie. Philosophie sheweth, plea-Pleasure.Idlenes.Ignoraunce.sure to bée vnmete for any man of singularitie, for pleasure,idlenes, and ignoraunce, are so linked together, that the pos-session of the one, induceth the other. So many godlie monu-mētes of learning, had not remained to this posteritie of oursand of all ages: if famous men in those ages and tymes, hadhūted after immoderate pleasure. Thindustrie of soche, wholeft to the posteritie of all ages, the knowlege of Astronomieis knowen: the monumentes of all learnyng of lawes, andof all other woorkes of antiquitie, by vertue, noble, by indu-strie, labour, and moderacion of life in studie, not by plea-sure and wantones, wascelebraiedto all ages. The migh-tie volumes of Philosophers, bothe in morall preceptes, andin naturall causes, knewe not the delicate and dissolute lifeof these our daies. Palingenius enueighyng against the pā-pered, and lasciuious life of man, vttereth a singulare sentēce
Qui facere et qui nosce, cupit quam plurima et altum,In terris virtute aliqua sibi querere nomen:Hunc vigilare opus est, nam non preclara geruntur,Stertendo, et molles detrectat gloria plumas.
Who so coueteth to purchase fame by actes, or whoseminde hunteth for aboundaunte knowledge, or by vertue inthis life, to purchause good fame. He had not nede to sluggeand slepe in his doynges: for good fame is not vpholded bygaie Pecockes feathers. Of this, Demosthenes the famousOratour of Athens, vttereth a worthie saiyng to the Athe-nians in his Epistle: if any will iudge Alexander the greate,to be famous and happie, in that he had successe in all his do-Alexanderthe great, cō-mended fordiligence.ynges, let this be his cogitacion, that Alexander the greate,alwaies did inure hymself to doe thynges, and manfullie toassaie that he enterprised. The felicitie of his successe cameto hym not slepyng, or not cogitatyng thereof: Alexander thegreate now dedde, Fortune seketh with whom she maie ac-companie, and associate her self.
Thusidides comparyng the Lacedemonians, and the A-thenians together, shewed a rare moderacion, and tempera-ture of life, to be in the Athenians: wherupon thei are mostecommended, and celebrated to the posteritie.
¶ The contrarie.
EUen as idlenes and a sluggishe life, is moste pleasantto all soche, as neglecte vertuous exercises, and god-lie life. So paine, labour, and studie, bestowed andemploied, in the sekyng out of vertue, arte, or science is mostepleasaunt to well affected mindes: for no godlie thyng can beattained to, without diligence and labour.
¶ The similitude.
EUen as housbandmen, with labour and trauaile,dooe labour in plantyng and tillyng the grounde,before thei receiue any fruicte of thesame. Euen sono vertue, arte, or science, or any other thyng of ex-cellencie is attained, without diligence and labour bestowedthereto.
¶ The example.
LEt Demosthenes, the famous Oratour of Athenes,bee an example of diligence to vs, who to auoide alllet from studie, vsed a meanes to kepe hymself ther-to: preuentyng also the industrie of artificers. Thesame De-mosthenes, wrote seuen tymes out the storie of Thusidides,to learne thereby his eloquence and wisedome.
¶ The testimonie.
PLinie, Plato, and Aristotle, with many other mo, arelike examples for diligence to vs: who wrote vponvertue and learnyng like sentences.
¶ The conclusion.
THerefore, Isocrates dooeth pronounce worthelie, theroote of learning and vertue to be bitter, and the fru-tes pleasaunte.
¶ A Sentence.
THe Oracion, whiche must be made by a sentēceis in al partes like toChria, the profitable exer-cise, onelie that the Oracion made vpon a sen-tence, as aucthours do saie: hath not alwaie thename of the aucthour prefixed in the praise, asmall matter of difference, who so can make the one, is ex-pert and exquisite in the other, aucthours doe define a sentēcein this maner. A sentence is an Oracion, in fewe woordes,shewyng a godlie precept of life, exhorting or diswadyng: theGnome.Grekes dooe call godly preceptes, by the name ofGnome, orGnomon, whiche is asmoche to saie, a rule or square, to directany thyng by, for by them, the life of manne is framed to allsingularitie. Thei are diuers sortes of sentences, one exhor-teth, an other diswadeth, some onely sheweth: there is a sen-tence simple, compounde, profitable, true, & soche like. Frameyour Oracion vpon a sentence, as in the Oracion before.
{ 1. The praise of the aucthour.{ 2. The exposicion of the sentence.{ 3. A confirmacion in the strength of the cause.{ 4. A conference, of the contrarie.{ 5. A similitude.{ 6. The example.{ 7. The testimonie of aucthors, shewing yelike.{ 8. Then adde the conclusion.
¶ An Oracion vpon a sentence.¶ The sentence.
In a common wealthe or kyngdome, many kynges tobeare rule, is verie euill, let there be but one kyng.
¶ The praise of the aucthour.
HOmere, who of all the Poetes chiefly excelled, spakethis sentence in the persone of Ulisses, vpon the kingAgamemnon, kyng of Grece. This Homere intrea-ting of all princely affaires, and greate enterprices of theGrecians: and of the mightie warre againste the Troians,emong whom soche discorde rose, that not onely the warre,for lacke of vnitie and concorde, continued the space of tenneyeres. But also moche blood shed, hauocke, and destruccion,came vpon the Grecians, vttered this sentēce. This Homerefor his learnyng and wisedome remaineth,intteledin manymonumentes of learnyng: with greate fame and commen-The praise ofHomere.dacion to all ages. What Region, Isle, or nacion is not, byhis inuencion set foorthe: who although he were blinde, hisminde sawe all wisedome, the states of all good kyngdomesThe contentof Homersbookes.and common wealthes. The verie liuely Image of a Princeor gouernour, the faithfull and humble obediēce of a subiect,toward the prince, the state of a capitaine, the vertue and no-ble qualities, that are requisite, in soche a personage, be thereset forthe. The perfite state of a wiseman, and politike, is in-treated of by hym. The Iustice, and equitie of a Prince, thestrength of the bodie, all heroicall vertues: also are set forthehis eloquence and verse, floweth in soche sorte, with sochepleasauntnes: so copious, so aboundaunt, so graue and sen-tencious, that his singularitie therein excelleth, and passeth.
Alexander.The mightie prince Alexander, in all his marciall enter-prices, and great conquestes, did continually night by night,The Iliasof Homere,mete for prin-ces to lookevpon.reade somewhat of the Ilias of the Poete Homere, before heslepte, and askyng for the booke, saied: giue me my pillowe.Alexander as it semeth, learned many heroical vertues, poli-cie, wisedome, & counsaill thereof, els he occupied in so migh-tie and greate warres, would not emploied studie therein.
Iulius Cesar the Emperour, commendeth this Poete,for his singularitie, his commendacion giueth, ample argu-ment, in this singulare sentence, whiche preferreth a Monar-chie aboue all states of common wealthes or kyngdome.
¶ The exposicion.
HOmere the Poete, signified by this one sentence, nokyngdome or common wealthe can prospere, or flo-rishe to continue, where many holde gouernementas kynges. For, the mindes of many rulers and princes, doemoste affecte a priuate wealthe, commoditie and glorie: andwhere, many doe beare soche swaie and dominion, the com-mon wealth can not be good. For, thei priuatly to theim sel-ues, doe beare that regiment, and alwaie with the slaughterof many, do seke to attain and clime, to the wholegouermēt[.]
¶ The cause.
The state ofmany kingesin one lande.MAny occasions dooe rise, whereby many princes, andgouernours in a common wealth, be diuerslie affec-ted, so that the gouernmēt of many, can not prosper.For, bothe in quiete state, their counsailes must bee diuerse,and vncertaine: and where thei so differ, the kyngdome stan-deth in great ieopardy and daunger. Isocrates intreatyng ofAthenes.a Monarchie, sheweth that the common wealth of Athenes,whiche detested and refused, that forme and state, after theruine and fall of their citee: beyng vnder the thraldome of theLacedemoniās, bothe in their externall chiualrie and feates,bothe by sea and by lande, and also in regimente otherwise,their citee grewe mightie, and state stedfast.
Carthage ina monarchie.The Carthagineans also, gouerned by one, had their go-uernment stedfaste, and kyngdome roiall: who in puisaunteactes, might compare with the noble Romaines. As the obe-dience to one ruler and chief gouernour, sekyng a commonwealth, is in the hartes of the subiectes: feruent and maruei-lous with loue embraced, so the Maiestie of hym is dreade,with loue serued, and with sincere harte, and fidelitie obeied,The state ofmany kingesin one lande.his maners folowed, his lawes imitated. Many gouernoursbearyng regiment, as their maners be diuers, and fashion oflife: euen so the people bee like affected, to the diuersitie of di-uers princes. And if we weigh the reuolucion of the heauensand the marueiles of God therein, the maker of thesame, whoA monarchiein heauen.beyng one God, ruleth heauen and yearth, and all thyngescōtained in thesame. The heauen also adorned with many aOne Sunne[.]starre, and cleare light, haue but one Sunne to gouerne thē:who being of a singulare vertue aboue the rest, by his vertueand power, giueth vertue to the reste. Also in small thyngesThe Ante.The Bee.the Ante and the Bee, who for prouidence and wisedome, armoche commended: haue as it were a common wealth, and aking to gouerne thē, so in all thinges as a confusion, the stateof many kings is abhorred in gouernmēt. After the death ofConstancius[.]Licinius[.]Marabodius[.]Constantinus the greate, Constancius his sonne was madeEmperour, and Licinius with him, partaker in felowship ofthe Empire. But forthwith, what blood was shed in Italie,with all crueltie, vntill Constancius had slaine Licinius,partaker of the Empire, and Marabodius was slaine also,whom Licinius did associate with hym in the gouernment.So moche princes and chief gouernours, doe hate equalitie,Pompey.Cesar.Marius.Silla.or felowship in kingdomes. After thesame sort, in this migh-tie Monarchie of Rome, diuerse haue attempted at one andsondrie tymes, to beare the scepter and regiment therein, butthat mightie Monarchie, could not suffer but one gouernor.The kyngdome of Thebes, was in miserable state, the twoosonnes of Oedipus, Eteocles, and Polunices: striuing botheAssiria thefirst monar-chie.to be Monarche, and onely kyng. The kyngdome of Assiria,whiche was the golden kyngdome, and the first Monarchie:hauyng .36. kynges by succession, continued .1239. yeres, thiskyngdome for all nobilitie and roialnes excelled, and all ina Monarchie. The kyngdome of the Medes, in a Monarchieflorished in wealthe and glorie and all felicitie: who in domi-nion had gouernmente .300. lackyng .8. yeres. After that, theThe monar-chie of theMedes.The Persiā.Macedonia.monarchie of the Medes ceased, the Persiā people rose migh-tie, bothe in people and Princes, and continued in that state236 and 7 monethes. Macedonia rose from a base and meanepeople, to beare the whole regiment, and power ouer all king[-]domes. So God disposeth the state and seate of princes, ouer-throwyng often tymes mightier kyngdomes at his will: thecontinuaunce of this Monarchie was .157. and eight mone-Asia[.]Siria[.]thes, ten kynges linealie descendyng. Asia and Siria, wasgouerned by one succedyng in a sole gouernement. Nicanorgouerned Siria .32. yeres. In the other Antigonus raigned,Demetrius Poliorchetes one yere, Antiochus Soter also, thescepter of gouernment, left to the succession of an other, thenAntiochus Soter, ruled all Asia and Siria, hauyng .16. kin-Egipte in aMonarchie[.]ges whiche in a monarchie, cōtinued 189 yeres. The Egipci-ans, had famous, wise, and noble princes, whose kyngdomeand large dominion, in all felicitée prospered: whiche was inthe tyme of Ninus, the first king of the Assiriās, who hauing10. princes, one by one succedyng, Cleopatra their Quéene,gouerning, stoode in a monarchie .288. This one thyng she-weth, that kinde of gouernmente to bee roiall, and moste fa-mous, not onely for the felicitée and glory therof: but also forthe permanent and stedfast state thereof. Aristotle and Platosetteth forthe, thother formes of gouernmēt. But in all those,no long cōtinuaunce of felicitee, nor of happy state can appereTirannis[.]Nero[.]Domicianus[.]Caligula.in them, as for the contrarie to a Monarchie, is tirannis, pe-stiferous, and to be detested, where one man gouerneth to hispriuate gaine, pillyng and polyng his subiectes, murderyngwith all crueltie, neither Lawe nor reason, leadyng thereto:but will bearyng regiment ouer lawe, Iustice and equitee,whiche princes often tymes see not. How the wilfull rashe-nes, or tirannicall minde doeth abase them, and make them,though in vtter porte thesame princes, yet in verie déede, theiWhat doethbeautifie thethrone of aPrince[.]bee thrall and slaue to beastlie affeccion. Nothyng dooeth somoche adorne and beautifie, the seate and throne of a prince,as not onely to beare dominion, ouer mightie people and re-Aristocratia.gions, then to be lorde ouer hymself. The state of a fewe pée-res or nobles, to holde the chief and whole gouernment, whobothe in vertue, learnyng, and experience dooe excelle, is agoodlie state of common wealth. But the profe of that com-mon wealthe and ende sheweth, and the maner of Princes:who, although thei be, of life godlie, wise, graue, expert andpolitike. For, these vertues or ornamentes, ought to be repo-sed in soche noble personages, thei doe marueilously chaungeand alter: So honour and preeminente state, puffeth theimvp, and blindeth theim, that euery one in the ende, seeketh toclimbe ouer all, as hed and gouernour. Shewe me one kindeof this state, and forme of gouernmente, whiche either longeprospered, or without bloodshed, and destruccion of the rest ofthe nobles and peres, haue not caught the whole regimente.Seyng that in all common wealthes and kingdomes, equa-litée or felowshippe, will not be suffred in gouernmente: for,it can not bee, that this forme of common wealthe maie béeThe ende ofAristocratia.good, as Aristotle and Plato sheweth: The ende of this go-uernemente, fell euer to one, with a ruine of the kingdomePolitcia.and people. The multitude to beare dominion, and though apublike wealth bée sought for a tyme, moche lesse thei conti-nue in any good state: for in the ende, their rule and gouerne-ment, will be without rule, order, reason, modestie, and theirlawe must bee will. The other three states, are the refuse ofgood common wealthes, not to bée tollerated in any region.Tirannis.The one of them is a tyraunte, to bée gouernour onely to hisowne glorie, with crueltie tormented his subiectes, onelie toOligarthia.haue his will and lust, ouer all lawe, order, and reason. Thenobilitée rulyng to them selues, euery one for his owne time[.]Democratia.The third, the base and rude multitude, euery one for hym-self, and at his will. This troublous state, all Regions andcommon wealthes, haue felte in open sedicions and tumul-tes, raised by theim, it is a plagued and pestiferous kinde ofgouernemente. The example of a good Monarchie, is ofgreate force, to confounde the state of al other common weal-thes, and formes of Regimente.
A monarchiepreferred ofthe Persians[.]The nobilitée of Persia hauyng no kyng, linially des-cendyng, to rule that mightie dominion of Persia, Cambisesbeyng dedde, the vsurper murthered, thei tooke counsaill intheir assemble, what state of gouernment was beste, thei ha-uyng the profe of a Monarchie: in their longe counsaill, theiknewe the felicitie of that state, thei knewe as it seemed, theperilous state of the other gouernmentes. If these noble andperes had been ambicious, and that eche of them would hauehad felowshippe, or participacion in kyngdomes: thei wouldnot haue preferred a Monarchie aboue the reste. The anti-quitie of that tyme sheweth, their personages, wisedome,grauitie, and maiestie was soche, that eche one of theim wasmete for his vertues, to haue a whole kyngdome. If Aristo-cratia would haue contented them, then was tyme and occa-sion offered, no kyng remainyng to haue preferred that state.The duetie ofal noble peres[.]But thei as vpright nobles, sincere and faithfull, hauyng al-together respecte to a publique wealthe: to a permanent stateand felicitie of kingdome, sought no participacion by priuatewealthe, to dissolue this Monarchie. But thei beyng mostegodlie, eche were content to proue, whose chaunce might be,to set vp againe that Monarchie. The kyngdome at the lasteDarius.came to the handes of Darius, who was after kyng of thePersians. This is a goodly example, to shewe the worthinesof a Monarchie, the Persian kingdome after many yeres de-clinyng, from his power and state, not for any faulte of go-Kyngdomesrise and fall.uernment, but God as he seeth tyme, raiseth vp kyngdomesand plucketh them doune. Afterward Darius the kyng, notable to make his parte good with Alexander the Greate: of-fered to hym the greatest parte of his kyngdome, euen to theflood of Euphrates, and offred his daughter to wife: Alexan-der was content to take the offer of Darius, so that he wouldbee seconde to hym, and not equall with hym in kyngdome.The answerof Alexanderto Darius,as cōcernynga monarchie.For, Alexander saied, that as the worlde can not bee gouer-ned with twoo Sunnes, neither the worlde can suffer twoomightie kingdomes: wherupon it is manifest, that no king-dome will suffer equalitie or felowship, but that if the will &minde of Princes might brust out, the state of all the worlde,would bee in one mightie gouernours handes. For, alwaiesAlexāder thegreat prefar-red a Mo-narchie.Princes dooe seke to a sole regimente. Alexander the greatecōquerour also, preferring for worthines a Monarchie, at thetyme of his death, demaunded whō he would haue to succedehim in his mightie dominiōs, he by one signifiyng a Monar-chie, saiyng:Dignissimus, that is to saie, the worthiest. AfterAlexandersmonarchie felby many kin-ges.Antipater.Crates.Meliagrus.Perdiccas.Ptolomeus.Learcus.Cassander.Menander.Leonatus.Lusimacus.Eumenes[.]Seleucus.the death of Alexander, Antipater caught the gouernmenteof Macedonia and Grece, and Crates was Treasurer. Me-leagrus and Perdiccas caught other of his dominions, thenPtolemeus possessed Egipte, Africa and a parte of Arabia,Learcus, Cassander, Menāder, Leonatus, Lusimachus, Eu-menes, Seleucus and manie other, who were for their wor-thines in honor and estimacion with Alexander, caught in-to their handes other partes of his dominions, euerie one se-kyng for his time, his owne priuate glorie, dignitie, and ad-uauncemente, but not a publike wealthe, and so in fine, am-bicion broiled in their loftie stomackes, eche to attaine to o-thers honor. Whereupon bloodshed, destruction of the peo-ple and countries, the fall of these Princes ensued. So mochekingdomes hate equalitie or felowship: let vs laie before ourFraunce.Spaine.Germanie.Britaine.iyes, the kyngdomes nere at hand. Fraunce, from the tymesof Faramundus vntill this daie haue stoode, and did florishein a Monarchie. The state of Spaine, from the tyme of thefirste kyng, vntill this daie, hath florished continually in aMonarchie. The great seigniories of Germanie, by one suc-cedyng in gouernment, haue been permanent in that good-lie state. Our noble Isle of Britain from Brutus, hath stoodeby a Monarchie: onely in those daies, the state of gouernmētchaunged, at the commyng of Iulius Cesar, Emperour ofRome. The lande beyng at diuision, and discorde, throughthe diuersitie of diuerse kynges: so moche the state of diuersekynges in one lande, is to be expelled, or the gouernment ofthe base multitude, to haue vniuersally power of dominion,or the state of peres, to bee chief in regiment, no kyng lefte tocommaunde ouer the people, and nobles, or els there can notbe but discorde in thende, whiche pulleth doune moste migh-tie Regions and dominions, so that the beste state, the mostestedfaste and fortunate, is in all tymes, in all ages, in all la-wes, and common wealthes, where one king sekyng the ad-uauncement, wealthe, glorie, of hym and his people.
¶ The contrarie.
THat housholde or familie, can not be well gouerned,where many and diuerse beareth gouernment, nec-lectyng the state prosperous vniuersallie: for whereobedience is drawen to diuers and many, there can not beegood gouernment, nor faithfull obedience. And so in a king-dome where one chiefly gouerneth, and to a common wealththere the hartes of the subiectes, be moste knitte to obaie.
¶ The similitude.
EUen as thei, whiche serue one maister, shall sonestewith labour please, and with fidelitie, accomplishehis will and pleasure. For, the maners of many mēbe diuerse, and variable, so in a Monarchie, the state of one issone obaied, the minde and lawe of one Prince sone folowed,his Maiestie dreaded and loued.
¶ The example.
LET the fower chief Monarchies of the Assirian, thePersian, Grecian, and the Romaine, whiche hauecontinued from the beginnyng mightie, moste hap-pie, bee an example herein. If that state of gouernement, hadnot been chiefe of all other, those mightie kyngdomes wouldnot haue preferred, that kinde of gouernment.
¶ The testimonie of auncient writers.
THerefore, Aristotle, Plato, and all the chief Philoso-phers, intreatyng of the administracion of a commonwealthe: doe preferre before all states of gouernmenta Monarchie, bothe for the felicitie of it, and stedfaste state.
¶ The conclusion.
HOmere therefore deserueth greate commendacion,for this one sentence, whiche preferreth a Monarchiebefore all states.
¶ The destruccion.
THis exercise ofRhetotike, is called destruccion, orsubuersion, because it is in a oracion, a certain re-prehension of any thyng declaimed, or dilated, inthe whiche by order of art, the declaimer shall pro-cede to caste doune by force, and strengthe of reason, the con-trarie induced.
In this exercise ofRhetorike, those proposicions are to besubuerted, whiche are not manifeste true, neither it so repu-gnaunt from reason, as that there can appere no holde, to in-duce a probable reason to confounde thesame. But soche pro-posicions are meete for this parte, as are probable in both si-des, to induce probabilitie of argument, to reason therupon.
1.It shall behoue you firste, for the entryng of this matter,to adde a reprehension there against those, whiche haue con-firmed as a truthe, that, whiche you will confute.
2.In thesame place, adde theexposion, and meanyng of hissentence.
3.Thirdly, shew the matter to be obsure, that is vncertain[.]
4.Incrediblie.
5.Impossible.
6.Not agreyng to any likelihode of truthe.
7.Uncomlie to be talked of.
8.Unprofitable.
This exercise ofRhetorikedoeth contain in it al strengthof arte, as who should saie, all partes ofRhetorike, maie co-piouslie be handled in this parte, called confutacion, so am-ple a matter Tullie doeth note this parte to be.
¶ The theme or proposicion of this Oracion.
It is not like to be true, that is said of the battaill of Troie.
¶ The reprehension of the auc-thor, and of all Poetes.
NOt without a cause, the vanities of Poetes areto bee reproued, and their forged inuencions tobee reiected: in whose writynges, so manifestlieare set forthe as a truthe, and Chronicled to theposteritie of ages and times, soche forged mat-The vanitiesof Poetes.ters of their Poeticall and vain wittes. Who hath not heardof their monsterous lies against God, thei inuentyng a gene-alogie of many Goddes procreated, where as there is butone God. This vanitie also thei haue set forthe, in their mo-numentes and woorkes. How a conspiracie was sometymeemong the Goddes and Goddes, to binde the great God Iu-piter. How impudentlie doe thei set forthe the Goddes, to beelouers of women, and their adulterous luste: and how theihaue transformed theim selues, into diuers shapes of beastesand foules, to followe after beastly luste. The malice and en-uie of the Goddes, one to an other:Thefeigne also the heauēto haue one God, the sea an other, helle an other, whiche aremere vanities, and false imaginaciōs of their Poeticall wit-tes. The like forged inuencion haue thei wrote, of the migh-The battaillof Troie .x.yeres for aherlotte.tie and terrible battaill bruted of Troie, for a beautifull har-lot susteined ten yeres. In the whiche, not onely men and no-ble péeres, gaue the combate of battaile, but the Goddes tokepartes against Goddes, and men wounded Goddes: as theirThe vain in-uention ofPoetes.lies exceade all nomber, because thei bee infinite, so also theipasse all truthe, reason, and iudgemente. These fewe exam-ples of their vanities and lies, doe shewe the feigned groundand aucthoritie of the reste. Accordyng to the folie and super-sticiousnes of those tymes, thei inuented and forged folie vp-pon folie, lye vpon lye, as in the battaill of Troie, thei aggra-uate the dolour of the battaill, by pitifull and lamentable in-Plato reie-cteth Poetesfrom the com[-]mon wealth.uencion. As for the Poetes them selues, Plato in his booke,made vpon the administracion of a common wealth, makeththeim in the nomber of those, whiche are to bee banished outof all common wealthes.
¶ The exposicion.
HOmere dooeth saie, and many other Poetes, thatthe warres of the Grecians against the Troians,was for beautifull Helena, and continued tenneyeres. The Goddes and Goddis toke partes, andall the people of Grece, aided Menelaus, and the kyng Aga-memnon, to bryng home again Helena, neclecting their owncountrie, their wife and chidrē, for one womā. The Grekesinuentyng a huge and mightie horse made of Firre trée, andcouered with brasse, as huge as a moūtain, out of the whichethe Grecians by treason issuyng, brought Troie to ruine.
¶ The obscuritie of the matter.
IT semeth a matter of folie, that so many people, somightie nacions should bee bewitched, to raise somightie a armie, hassardyng their liues, leauyngtheir countrie, their wiues, their children, for oneHelena.woman: Be it so, that Helena passed all creatures, and thatNature with beautie had indued her with all vertue, and sin-gularitie: yet the Grecians would not be so foolishe, that vni-uersallie thei would seke to caste doune their owne wealthe,and moche more the common wealthe of Grece, and kyng-dome to stande in perill. Neither is it to be thought, the Gre-cians, sekyng to aduaūce the beautie of Helena: would leaueThe cause ofthe forged in-uencion.their owne state. But it is like, the wittes of Poetes did im-magine so forged a Chronicle, that the posteritie of ages fol-lowyng, should rather wounder at their forged inuencion,then to beleue any soche warre truly mencioned. There wasno soche cause, seyng that the kyngdome of Grece, fell by notitle of succession to Helena, for them to moue warre, for, thebringyng backe of that beutifull harlotte Helena. Neither inHelena was there vertue, or honestie of life, to moue and ex-asperate the Grecians, to spende so greate treasures, to raiseNo commen-dacion in vp-holdyng andmaintainyngof harlottes.so mightie an armie on euery side. What commēdacion hadthe Troians to aduaunce Helena, and with all roialnesse toentreate her, she beyng a harlotte: the folie of the Greciansand the Troians, is so on euery side so greate, that it can notbe thought, soche a warre truely chronicled. If violence andpower, had taken Helena from her housebande, and not herHelena follo-wed Paris.owne will and luste, caught with the adulterous loue of Pa-ris, beyng a straunger. If her moderacion of life had been sorare, as that the like facte for her chastitie, had not been in a-ny age or common wealthe, her vertues would haue giuenoccasion: The Princes and nobles of Grece to stomacke thematter. The example of the facte, would with all praise andUertuouslife, worthiecommendaci-on in al ages.Lucrecia.Tarquiniusthe kyng ba-nished for ra-uishyng Lu-crecia, and allof his namebanished.commendacion be mencioned, and celebrated to al ages. Lu-cretia for her chastite, is perpetuallie to be aduanunced, wher-vpon the Romaines banished Tarquinius their kyng, hisstocke and name from Rome. The rare chastite of Penelope,is remainyng as a example herein: So many snares laied tocaste doune her vertuous loue towarde her housebande U-lisses. But Ulisses made hauocke by murder, on these gaieand gallante Ruffins, who in his absence sought to alienateand withdrawe, the chaste harte of Penelope, consumyngPenelopeschastitie.his substance. A greater example remaineth in no age, of thelike chastite. As for the battaile of Troie, raised for Helena,could wise men, and the moste famous nobles of Grece: Sooccupie their heddes, and in thesame, bothe to hasarde theirliues for a beautifull strumpet or harlot. The sage and wiseNestor.Ulisses.Nestor, whom Agamemnon for wisedome preferred, beforethe moste of the péeres of Grece, neither it Ulisses wanted atthesame tyme, hauyng a politike and subtill hedde, to with-drawe theim from so leude and foolishe a enterprise. GreceGrece thelande of fairewomen.wanted not beautifull creatures, Nature in other had besto-wed amiable faces, personage, and comelie behauiour. For,at those daies, Grece thei calledAchaida calligunaica, that is,Grece the lande of faire women. The dolorous lamentacionof the Ladies and Matrons in Grece, would haue hinderedsoche a foolishe enterprise, seyng their owne beautie neclec-ted, their honestie of life caste vp to perilles, one harlot of in-Uncomelie.numerable people followed and hunted after, in whom neitherhonestie, vertue, nor chastite was harbored.
¶ Uncredible.
ALthough the folie of men is greate, and the will ofprinces and gouernours beastlie and rashe, yet byno meanes it can be so many yeres, so greate folieto take roote in their hartes, and that the wisedomBeautiewithout ver-tue, nothyngof valour.of the Greciās, should not rather caste of as naught, the beau-tie of Helena: rather then the whole multitude, the state ofthe Prince, the welfare of the subiecte, to stande in perill forBeautie apoison, in aadulterousmynde.the beautie of one. What is beautie, when a beastlie and ad-ulterous minde is possessed: Beautie without chastitie, har-boreth a monsterous rabelmente of vices, a snare and baite,Beautie sonefadeth.to poison other. Beautie in fewe yeres, is not onely blemi-shed, but decaied, and wholie extinguished: it is vncredible,that the Grecians would seeke to bryng home Helena, whohad loste the chaste loue toward her housband, beyng caughtParis Hele-nas louer.Phrigia.with the adulterous loue of Paris, soonne to Priamus kyngof Troie. The lande of Phrigia was a mightie Region, thepeople noble, puissaunte in warre: the kyng for nobilitie ofactes famous. The Citee of Troie, wherein the kyng heldehis Scepter of gouernement, was riche, mightie, and popu-lous: ruled and gouerned, by the wisedome and policie of fa-mous counsailours, so that by all meanes it is vncredible,Uncomelie.without any possibilitie. Thei neclectyng their owne stateand kyngdō, so to preferre the beautie of one, that the wholemultitude of Grece thereby to perishe. It is a matter vncre-Grece thefountain of allearnyng.dible in all Grece, whiche for the fame of wisedome, is mostecelebrated emong all nacions, not one wiseman at thesametyme to be therein: whose coūsaile and politike heddes, mightponder a better purpose. Grece, whiche was the mother andfountaine of all artes and sciences, all Eloquence, Philoso-phie, wisedome flowyng from theim, and yet wisedome towant in their breastes. Reason can not make any perswasionthat any probabilitie can rise, of any soche matter enterpri-sed, what could the intent be of the Grecians, as concerningMenelaushousbande toHelena.Menelaus. In Menelaus there was no wisedom, to seke andhunte after Helena, or by any meanes to possesse her, she be-yng a harlotte, her loue alienated, her hart possessed with theloue of an other manne: foolishlie he hopeth to possesse loue,Harlottesloue dissem-bled.that seeketh to enioye the cloked, poisoned, and dissembledharte of a harlotte, Grece was well ridde of a harlotte, TroieTroians.harbouryng Helena. In the Troians it is not to be thought,that either the kyng, or nobles, for a harlotte, would see thethepeople murthered, their owne state, the king to be in dan-Grecians.ger of ruine. In the Grecians there was neither wisedome,neither commendacion, to pursue with a maine hoste, with agreate Nauie of Shippes, to bryng backe againe a harlotte,whose enterprise rather might better bee borne, to banishe &exile soche a beastlie disposed persone. The Troians mighteAbsurditie.well scorne the Grecians, if that the possession of a beautifullmoste amiable, and minsyng harlotte, was of soche valour,estimacion, and price with theim, not onely the beautie of allother to bee reiected. But moste of all the vertuous life, andchastitie of all their matrons and honourable Ladies, to beecaste of as naught. Grece that had the name of all wisedome,The defenceof Helena.of all learnyng and singularitie, might rather worthelie beecalled, a harbouryng place of harlottes: a Stewe and vphol-der of whoredome, and all vncleanes. Wherefore, these ab-surdities ought to bee remoued, from the minde and cogita-cion of all menne, that should worthelie ponder the state ofTroie a king[-]dome of whor[-]dome.Grece. Troie of like sorte to bee a kyngdome and commonwealthe of all vice: whoredome in soche price with the kyng,and people, that moste fortunate should the harlotte bee, andthe adulterour in soche a common wealthe, that for adulte-rous loue, putteth rather all their state to hasarde and perill,for the maintenaunce of beastlie loue, brutishe societie mostein price with soche a nacion, chastitie, andmoderaciouof life,abandoned and caste of.