¶ _To the right honorable and my singuler good Lorde,_
my Lorde Robert Dudley, Maister of the
Queenes Maiesties horse, one of her highes pri-
uie Counsaile, and knight of the moste honou-
rable order of the Garter: Richard Rai-
nolde wisheth longe life, with
increase of honour.
_ARISTOTLE the famous Phi-
losopher, writing a boke to king
Alexa[n]der, the great and migh-
tie conquerour, began the Epi-
stle of his Booke in these woor-
des. Twoo thynges moued me
chieflie, O King, to betake to thy Maiesties handes,
this worke of my trauile and labour, thy nobilitie and
vertue, of the whiche thy nobilitie encouraged me, thy
greate and singuler vertue, indued with all humanitie,
forced and draue me thereto. The same twoo in your
good Lordshippe, Nobilitie and Vertue, as twoo migh-
tie Pillers staied me, in this bolde enterprise, to make
your good Lordshippe, beyng a Pere of honour, indued
with all nobilitie and vertue: a patrone and possessoure
of this my booke. In the whiche although copious and
aboundaunte eloquence wanteth, to adorne and beau-
tifie thesame, yet I doubte not for the profite, that is in
this my trauaile conteined, your honour indued with
all singuler humanitie, will vouchsaufe to accepte my
willyng harte, my profitable purpose herein. Many fa-
mous menne and greate learned, haue in the Greke
tongue and otherwise trauailed, to profite all tymes
their countrie and common wealthe. This also was my
ende and purpose, to plante a worke profitable to all ty-
mes, my countrie and common wealthe._
_And because your Lordshippe studieth all singula-
ritie to vertue, and wholie is incensed thereto: I haue
compiled this woorke, and dedicated it to your Lorde-
shippe, as vnto who[m] moste noble and vertuous. Wher-
in are set forthe soche Oracions, as are right profitable
to bee redde, for knowledge also necessarie. The duetie
of a subiecte, the worthie state of nobilitie, the prehe-
minent dignitie and Maiestie of a Prince, the office of
counsailours, worthie chiefe veneracion, the office of a
Iudge or Magestrate are here set foorthe. In moste for-
tunate state is the kyngdome and Common wealthe,
where the Nobles and Peres, not onelie daiely doe stu-
die to vertue, for that is the wisedome, that all the
graue and wise Philophers searched to attaine to. For
the ende of all artes and sciences, and of all noble actes
and enterprises is vertue, but also to fauour and vphold
the studentes of learnyng, whiche also is a greate ver-
tue. Whoso is adorned with nobilitie and vertue, of
necessitie nobilitie and vertue, will moue and allure the[m]
to fauour and support vertue in any other, yea, as Tul-
lie the moste famous Oratour dooeth saie, euen to loue
those who[m] we neuer sawe, but by good fame and brute
beutified to vs. For the encrease of vertue, God
dooeth nobilitate with honour worthie
menne, to be aboue other in dignitie
and state, thereupon vertue
doeth encrease your
Lordshipps
honor,
beyng a louer of vertue
and worthie no-
bilitie._
Your lordshippes humble ser-
uaunt Richard Rainolde.
_To the Reader._
APHTHONIVS a famous man, wrote
in Greke of soche declamacions, to en-
structe the studentes thereof, with all fa-
cilitée to grounde in them, a moste plenti-
ous and riche vein of eloquence. No man
is able to inuente a more profitable waie
and order, to instructe any one in the ex-
quisite and absolute perfeccion, of wisedome and eloquence,
then _Aphthonius Quintilianus_ and _Hermogenes_. Tullie al-
so as a moste excellente Orator, in the like sorte trauailed,
whose Eloquence and vertue all tymes extolled, and the of-
spryng of all ages worthilie aduaunceth. And because as yet
the verie grounde of Rhetorike, is not heretofore intreated
of, as concernyng these exercises, though in fewe yeres past,
a learned woorke of Rhetorike is compiled and made in the
Englishe toungue, of one, who floweth in all excellencie of
arte, who in iudgement is profounde, in wisedome and elo-
quence moste famous. In these therefore my diligence is em-
ploied, to profite many, although not with like Eloquence,
beutified and adorned, as the matter requireth. I haue cho-
sen out in these Oracions soche questions, as are right ne-
cessarie to be knowen and redde of all those, whose cogitacio[n]
pondereth vertue and Godlines. I doubte not, but seyng my
trauaile toucheth vertuous preceptes, and vttereth to light,
many famous Histories, the order of arte obserued also, but
that herein the matter it self, shall defende my purpose aga-
inste the enuious, whiche seketh to depraue any good enter-
prise, begon of any one persone. The enuious manne
though learned, readeth to depraue that, which he
readeth, the ignoraunt is no worthie Iudge,
the learned and godlie pondereth vp-
rightly & sincerely, that which
he iudgeth, the order of
these Oracions
followeth afterward, and
the names of the[m].
¶ _The contentes of_
this Booke.
AN Oracion made, vpon the Fable of the Shepher-
des and the Wolues, the Wolues requestyng the
Bandogges: wherein is set forthe the state of eue-
ry subiecte, the dignitie of a Prince, the honoura-
ble office of counsailours.
An Oracion vpon the Fable of the Ante and the Gres-
hopper, teachyng prouidence.
An Oracion Historicall, howe Semiramis came to bee
Quéene of Babilon.
An Oracion Historicall, vpon Kyng Richard the thirde
sometyme Duke of Glocester.
An Oracion Historicall, of the commyng of Iulius Ce-
ser into Englande.
An Oracion Ciuill or Iudiciall, vpon Themistocles, of
the walle buildyng at Athenes.
An Oracion Poeticall vpon a redde Rose.
A profitable Oracion, shewyng the decaie of kingdomes
and nobilitie.
An Oracion vpon a Sentence, preferryng a Monarchie,
conteinyng all other states of common wealthe.
The confutacion of the battaile of Troie.
A confirmacion of the noble facte of Zopyrus.
An Oracion called a Common place against Theues.
The praise of Epaminundas Duke of Thebes, wherein
the grounde of nobilitée is placed.
The dispraise of Domicius Nero Emperour of Roome.
A comparison betwene Demosthenes and Tullie.
A lamentable Oracion of Hecuba Queene of Troie.
A descripcion vpon Xerxes kyng of Persia.
An Oracion called _Thesis_, as concerning the goodly state
of Mariage.
An Oracion confutyng a certaine lawe of Solon.
[Fol. j.r]
_The foundacion of_
Rhetorike.
NAture hath indued euery man, with
a certain eloquence, and also subtili-
[Sidenote: Rhetorike
and Logike
giuen of na-
ture.]
tée to reason and discusse, of any que-
stion or proposicion propounded, as
_Aristotle_ the Philosopher, in his
Booke of _Rhetorike_ dooeth shewe.
These giftes of nature, singuler doe
flowe and abounde in vs, accordyng
to the greate and ample indumente
and plentuousnes of witte and wisedome, lodged in vs, there-
fore Nature it self beyng well framed, and afterward by arte
[Sidenote: Arte furthe-
reth nature.]
and order of science, instructed and adorned, must be singular-
lie furthered, helped, and aided to all excellencie, to exquisite
[Sidenote: Logike.]
inuencion, and profounde knowledge, bothe in _Logike_ and
[Sidenote: Rhetorike.]
_Rhetorike_. In the one, as a Oratour to pleate with all facili-
tee, and copiouslie to dilate any matter or sentence: in the other
to grounde profunde and subtill argument, to fortifie & make
stronge our assercion or sentence, to proue and defende, by the
[Sidenote: Logike.]
force and power of arte, thinges passyng the compasse & reach
of our capacitée and witte. Nothyng can bee more excellently
[Sidenote: Eloquence.]
giuen of nature then Eloquence, by the which the florishyng
state of commonweales doe consiste: kyngdomes vniuersally
are gouerned, the state of euery one priuatelie is maintained.
The commonwealth also should be maimed, and debilitated,
[Sidenote: Zeno.]
except the other parte be associate to it. _Zeno_ the Philosopher
comparing _Rhetorike_ and _Logike_, doeth assimilate and liken
[Sidenote: Logike.]
them to the hand of man. _Logike_ is like faith he to the fiste, for
euen as the fiste closeth and shutteth into one, the iointes and
partes of the hande, & with mightie force and strength, wrap-
[Sidenote: Similitude[.]
Logike.]
peth and closeth in thynges apprehended: So _Logike_ for the
deepe and profounde knowlege, that is reposed and buried in
it, in soche sort of municion and strength fortified, in few wor-
des taketh soche force and might by argumente, that excepte
[Fol. j.v]
like equalitée in like art and knowledge doe mate it, in vain
the disputacion shalbe, and the repulse of thaduersarie readie.
[Sidenote: Rhetorike
like to the
hande.]
_Rhetorike_ is like to the hand set at large, wherein euery part
and ioint is manifeste, and euery vaine as braunches of trées
[Sidenote: Rhetorike.]
sette at scope and libertee. So of like sorte, _Rhetorike_ in moste
ample and large maner, dilateth and setteth out small thyn-
ges or woordes, in soche sorte, with soche aboundaunce and
plentuousnes, bothe of woordes and wittie inuencion, with
soche goodlie disposicion, in soche a infinite sorte, with soche
pleasauntnes of Oracion, that the moste stonie and hard har-
tes, can not but bee incensed, inflamed, and moued thereto.
[Sidenote: Logike and
Rhetorike
absolute in
fewe.]
These twoo singuler giftes of nature, are absolute and perfect
in fewe: for many therebe, whiche are exquisite and profound
in argument, by art to reason and discusse, of any question or
proposicion propounded, who by nature are disabled, & smal-
lie adorned to speake eloquently, in whom neuertheles more
aboundaunt knowlege doeth somtymes remaine then in the
other, if the cause shalbe in controuersie ioined, and examined
to trie a manifeste truthe. But to whom nature hath giuen
soche abilitée, and absolute excellencie, as that thei can bothe
[Sidenote: The vertue
of eloquence.]
copiouslie dilate any matter or sentence, by pleasauntnes and
swetenes of their wittie and ingenious oracion, to drawe vn-
to theim the hartes of a multitude, to plucke doune and extir-
pate affeccio[n]s and perturbacions of people, to moue pitee and
compassion, to speake before Princes and rulers, and to per-
swade theim in good causes and enterprises, to animate and
incense them, to godlie affaires and busines, to alter the cou[n]-
saill of kynges, by their wisedome and eloquence, to a better
state, and also to be exquisite in thother, is a thing of all most
[Sidenote: Demosthe-
nes.
Tisias.
Gorgias.
Eschines[.]
Tullie.
Cato.]
noble and excellent. The eloquence of Demosthenes, Isocra-
tes, Tisias, Gorgias, Eschines, were a great bulwarke and
staie to Athens and all Grece, Rome also by the like vertue
of Eloquence, in famous and wise orators vpholded: the wise
and eloquente Oracions of Tullie againste Catiline. The
graue and sentencious oracions of Cato in the Senate, haue
[Fol. ij.r]
[Sidenote: The Empe-
rors of Rome
famous in
Eloquence.]
been onelie the meane to vpholde the mightie state of Rome,
in his strength and auncient fame and glorie. Also the Chro-
nicles of auncient time doe shewe vnto vs, the state of Rome
could by no meanes haue growen so meruailous mightie,
but that God had indued the whole line of Cesars, with sin-
guler vertues, with aboundaunt knowlege & singuler Elo-
quence. Thusidides the famous Historiographer sheweth,
[Sidenote: Thusidides.]
how moche Eloquence auailed the citees of Grece, fallyng to
[Sidenote: Corcurians.]
dissencio[n]. How did the Corcurians saue them selues from the
[Sidenote: Pelopone-
sians.]
inuasio[n] and might, of the Poloponesians, their cause pleated
before the Athenians, so moche their eloquence in a truthe
[Sidenote: Corinthians[.]]
preuailed. The Ambassadours of Corinth, wanted not their
copious, wittie, and ingenious Oracions, but thei pleated
before mightie, wise, and graue Senators, whose cause, ac-
cordyng to iudgeme[n]t, truthe, and integritée was ended. The
[Sidenote: Lacedemo-
nians.
Vitulenia[n]s.
Athenians.]
eloque[n]t Embassages of the Corinthia[n]s, the Lacedemonia[n]s,
& the Vituleneans, the Athenians, who so readeth, shall sone
sée that of necessitee, a common wealth or kyngdome must be
fortefied, with famous, graue, and wise counsailours. How
[Sidenote: Demosthe-
nes.]
often did Demosthenes saue the co[m]mon wealthes of Athens,
how moche also did that large dominion prospere and florish
[Sidenote: Socrates.
Cato.
Crassus.
Antonius.
Catulus.
Cesar.]
by Isocrates. Tullie also by his Eloque[n]t please, Cato, Cras-
sus, Antonius, Catulus Cesar, with many other, did support
and vphold the state of that mightie kyngdo[m]. No doubte, but
that Demosthenes made a wittie, copious, and ingenious o-
racions, when the Athenians were minded to giue and be-
[Sidenote: Philippe the
kyng of the
Macidonia[n]s[.]]
take to the handes of Philip kyng of the Macedonians, their
pestiferous enemie moste vile and subtell, the Orators of A-
thens. This Philip forseyng the discorde of Grece, as he by
subtill meanes compassed his enterprices, promised by the
faithe of a Prince, to be at league with the Athenians, if so be
thei would betake to his handes, the eloquente Oratours of
[Sidenote: The saiyng
of Philippe.]
Athens, for as long saith he, as your Oratours are with you
declaryng, so longe your heddes and counsaill are moued to
variaunce and dissencion, this voice ones seased emong you,
[Fol. ij.v]
[Sidenote: Demosthe-
nes.]
in tranquilitée you shalbee gouerned. Demosthenes beyng
eloquente and wise, foresawe the daungers and the mischie-
uous intent of him, wherevpon he framed a goodly Oracion
vpon a Fable, whereby he altered their counsaile, and repul-
sed the enemie. This fable is afterward set forth in an Ora-
cion, after the order of these exercises, profitable to _Rhetorike_.
¶ A Fable.
[Sidenote: The ground
of al learning[.]]
FIrste it is good that the learner doe vnderstand
what is a fable, for in all matters of learnyng,
it is the firste grounde, as Tullie doeth saie, to
knowe what the thing is, that we may the bet-
[Sidenote: What is a
fable.]
ter perceiue whervpo[n] we doe intreate. A fable
is a forged tale, co[n]taining in it by the colour of a lie, a matter
[Sidenote: Morall.]
of truthe. The moralle is called that, out of the whiche some
godlie precepte, or admonicion to vertue is giuen, to frame
and instruct our maners. Now that we knowe what a fable
is, it is good to learne also, how manifolde or diuers thei be,
[Sidenote: Three sortes
of fables.
i. A fable of
reason.]
I doe finde three maner of fables to be. The first of theim is,
wherein a man being a creature of God indued with reason,
is onely intreated of, as the Fable of the father and his chil-
dren, he willing the[m] to concorde, and this is called _Rationalis
fabula_, whiche is asmoche to saie, as a Fable of men indued
[Sidenote: ii. Morall.]
with reason, or women. The second is called a morall fable,
but I sée no cause whie it is so called, but rather as the other
is called a fable of reasonable creatures, so this is contrarilie
named a fable of beastes, or of other thinges wanting reason
or life, wanting reason as of the Ante and the Greshopper, or
of this the beame caste doun, and the Frogges chosyng their
[Sidenote: iii. Mixt.]
king. The thirde is a mixt Fable so called, bicause in it bothe
man hauyng reason, and a beaste wantyng reason, or any o-
ther thing wanting life, is ioyned with it, as for the example,
of the fable of the woodes and the housebandman, of whom
[Sidenote: Poetes in-
uentours of
fables.]
he desired a helue for his hatchet. Aucthours doe write, that
Poetes firste inuented fables, the whiche Oratours also doe
[Fol. iij.r]
vse in their perswasions, and not without greate cause, both
[Sidenote: Oratours
vse fables.]
Poetes and Oratours doe applie theim to their vse. For, fa-
[Sidenote: Good doctrin
in fables.]
bles dooe conteine goodlie admonicion, vertuous preceptes
[Sidenote: Hesiodus.]
of life. Hesiodus the Poete, intreatyng of the iniurious dea-
lyng of Princes and gouernours, against their subiectes, ad-
monished them by the fable of the Goshauke, and the Nigh-
[Sidenote: Ouide.]
tyngale in his clause. Ouid also the Poete intreated of di-
uers fables, wherein he giueth admonicion, and godly coun-
[Sidenote: Demosthe-
nes vsed fa-
bles.]
saile. Demosthenes the famous Oratour of Athens, vsed
the fable of the Shepeherdes, and Wolues: how the Wol-
ues on a tyme, instauntlie required of the Shepeherdes their
bande dogges, and then thei would haue peace and concorde
with theim, the Shepeherdes gaue ouer their Dogges, their
Dogges deliuered and murdered, the shepe were immediat-
ly deuoured: So saieth he, if ye shall ones deliuer to Philip,
the king of the Macedonians your Oratours, by whose lear-
nyng, knowlege and wisedome, the whole bodie of your do-
minions is saued, for thei as Bandogges, doe repell all mis-
cheuous enterprises and chaunses, no doubte, but that raue-
nyng Wolfe Philip, will eate and consume your people, by
this Fable he made an Oracion, he altered their counsailes
and heddes of the Athenians, from so foolishe an enterprise.
Also thesame Demosthenes, seyng the people careles, sloth-
full, and lothsome to heare the Oratours, and all for the flo-
rishing state of the kingdome: he ascended to the place or pul-
pet, where the Oracions were made, and began with this fa-
[Sidenote: The fable of
Demosthe-
nes, of the
Asse and the
shadowe.]
ble. Ye men of Athens, saied he, it happened on a tyme, that
a certaine man hired an Asse, and did take his iourney from
Athens to Megara, as we would saie, fro[m] London to Yorke,
the owner also of the Asse, did associate hymself in his iour-
ney, to brynge backe the Asse againe, in the voyage the
weather was extreame burning hotte, and the waie tedious
the place also for barenes and sterilitée of trees, wanted sha-
dowe in this long broyle of heate: he that satte one the Asse,
lighted and tooke shadowe vnder the bellie of the Asse, and
[Fol. iij.v]
because the shadowe would not suffice bothe, the Asse beyng
small, the owner saied, he muste haue the shadowe, because
the Asse was his, I deny that saieth the other, the shadowe is
myne, because I hired the Asse, thus thei were at greate con-
tencion, the fable beyng recited, Demosthenes descended fro[m]
his place, the whole multitude were inquisitiue, to knowe
[Sidenote: The conten-
cion vpon the
shadowe and
the Asse.]
the ende about the shadowe, Demosthenes notyng their fol-
lie, ascended to his place, and saied, O ye foolishe Athenians,
whiles I and other, gaue to you counsaill and admonicio[n], of
graue and profitable matters, your eares wer deafe, and your
mindes slombred, but now I tell of a small trifeling matter,
you throng to heare the reste of me. By this Fable he nipped
their follie, and trapped them manifestlie, in their owne dol-
tishenes. Herevpon I doe somwhat long, make copie of wor-
[Sidenote: Fables well
applied bee
singuler.]
des, to shewe the singularitee of fables well applied. In the
tyme of Kyng Richard the thirde, Doctour Mourton, beyng
Bishop of Elie, and prisoner in the Duke of Buckynghams
house in Wales, was often tymes moued of the Duke, to
speake his minde frelie, if king Richard wer lawfully king,
and said to him of his fidelitée, to kepe close and secret his sen-
tence: but the Bishop beyng a godlie man, and no lesse wise,
waied the greate frendship, whiche was sometyme betwene
the Duke & King Richard, aunswered in effect nothyng, but
beyng daily troubled with his mocions & instigacions, spake
a fable of Esope: My lorde saied he, I will aunswere you, by
[Sidenote: The fable of
the Bisshop
of Elie, to the
duke of Buc-
kyngham.]
a Fable of Esope. The Lion on a tyme gaue a commaunde-
ment, that all horned beastes should flie from the woode, and
none to remain there but vnhorned beastes. The Hare hea-
ring of this commaundement, departed with the horned bea-
stes from the woodde: The wilie Foxe metyng the Hare, de-
maunded the cause of his haste, forthwith the Hare aunswe-
red, a commaundemente is come from the Lion, that all hor-
ned beastes should bee exiled, vpon paine of death, from the
woode: why saied the Foxe, this commaundement toucheth
not any sorte of beast as ye are, for thou haste no hornes but
[Fol. iiij.r]
knubbes: yea, but said the Hare, what, if thei saie I haue hor-
nes, that is an other matter, my lorde I saie no more: what he
ment, is euident to all men.
In the time of king He[n]ry theight (a prince of famous me-
morie) at what time as the small houses of religio[n], wer giuen
ouer to the kinges hand, by the Parliament house: the bishop
of Rochester, Doctour Fisher by name stepped forthe, beyng
greued with the graunt, recited before them, a fable of Esope
to shewe what discommoditee would followe in the Clergie.
[Sidenote: The fable of
the Bisshop
of Rochester,
againste the
graunt of the
Chauntries.]
My lordes and maisters saieth he, Esope recited a fable: how
that on a tyme, a housebande manne desired of the woodes, a
small helue for his hatchet, all the woodes consented thereto
waiyng the graunt to be small, and the thyng lesse, therevpo[n]
the woodes consented, in fine the housbande man cut doune
a small peece of woodde to make a helue, he framyng a helue
to the hatchette, without leaue and graunt, he cut doune the
mightie Okes and Cedars, and destroyed the whole woodd,
then the woodes repented them to late. So saith he, the gift of
these small houses, ar but a small graunt into the kinges ha[n]-
des: but this small graunt, will bee a waie and meane to pull
doune the greate mightie fatte Abbees, & so it happened. But
there is repentau[n]ce to late: & no profite ensued of the graunte.
¶ An Oracion made by a fable, to the first exer-
cise to declame by, the other, bee these,
{ A Fable, a Narracion. _Chria_, }
{ Sentence. Confutacion, }
An Oracion { Confirmacion. Common place. }
made by a { The praise. The dispraise. }
{ The Comparison, _Ethopeia_. }
{ A Discripcion. _Thesis, Legislatio_ }
OF euery one of these, a goodlie Oracio[n] maie be made
these excercises are called of the Grekes _Progimnas-
mata_, of the Latines, profitable introduccions, or fore
exercises, to attain greater arte and knowlege in _Rhetorike_,
[Fol. iiij.v]
and bicause, for the easie capacitée and facilitée of the learner,
to attain greater knowledge in _Rhetorike_, thei are right pro-
fitable and necessarie: Therefore I title this booke, to bee the
foundacio[n] of _Rhetorike_, the exercises being _Progimnasmata_.
I haue chosen out the fable of the Shepeherdes, and the
Wolues, vpon the whiche fable, Demosthenes made an elo-
quente, copious, and wittie Oracion before the Athenians,
whiche fable was so well applied, that the citée and common
wealth of Athens was saued.
[Sidenote: The firste
exercise.]
¶ A fable.
These notes must be obserued, to make an Oracion by a
Fable.
¶ Praise.