Then compare them of their countrée.
Of their parentes.
Of their auncestours.
Of their educacion.
Of their actes.
Of their death.
Then adde the conclusion.
¶ A comparison betwene De-
mosthenes and Tullie.
TO speake moche in the praise of famous men,
no argument can wante, nor plentie of matter
to make of them, a copious and excellent Ora-
cion. Their actes in life through nobilitée,
will craue worthelie more, then the witte and
penne of the learned, can by Eloquence expresse. Who can
worthelie expresse and sette foorthe, the noble Philosopher
[Fol. xlvij.r]
[Sidenote: Plato.
Aristotle.]
Plato, or Aristotle, as matter worthelie forceth to commend,
when as of them, all learnyng, and singularitée of artes hath
flowen. All ages hath by their monuments of learning, par-
ticipated of their wisedome. Grece hath fostered many noble
wittes, from whom all light of knowlege, hath been deriued
by whose excellencie Rome in tyme florishyng, did seeke by
nobilitée of learnyng, to mate the noble Grecians. So moche
Italie was adorned, and beautified with the cunnyng of the
Grecians. Emong the Romaines many famous Oratours
and other noble men hath spronge vp, who for their worthi-
nesse, might haue contended with any nacion: either for their
[Sidenote: Tullie.]
glorie of learnyng, or noble regiment. Emong whom Tul-
lie by learning, aboue the rest, rose to high fame, that he was
a renoume to his countree: to learnyng a light, of all singuler
Eloquence a fountaine. Whom Demosthenes the famous
Oratour of Athenes, as a worthie mate is compared with,
whom not onely the nobilitée, and renoume of their Coun-
trée shall decorate, but the[m] selues their owne worthines & no-
bilitée of fame. No age hath had twoo more famous for lear-
nyng, no common wealthe hath tasted, twoo more profitable
to their countrée, and common wealthe: for grauitée and cou[n]-
saile, nor the posteritée of ages, twoo more worthie celebra-
[Sidenote: Thusidides.]
cion. Thusidides speakyng, in the commendacion of famous
men sheweth: as concernyng the fame of noble men, whose
[Sidenote: The enuious
manne.]
vertue farre surmounteth the[m], and passeth al other. Thenui-
ous man seketh to depraue, the worthinesse of fame in other,
[Sidenote: The igno-
raunte.]
his bragging nature with fame of praise, not decorated. The
ignoraunte and simple nature, accordyng to his knowlege,
iudgeth all singularitée, and tempereth by his owne actes the
praise of other. But the fame of these twoo Oratours, nei-
ther the enuious nature can diminishe their praise, nor the
ignoraunt be of them a arbitrator or iudge, so worthely hath
all ages raised fame, and commendacion of their vertues.
¶ Of their countree.
[Fol. xlvij.v]
IN Grece Demosthenes, the famous Oratour of A-
thenes was borne, whose Countrée or Citee, lacketh
no co[m]mendacion: either for the nobilitée of the lande,
or glorie of the people. What nacion vnder the Sunne, hath
not heard of that mightie Monarchie of Grece: of their migh-
tie citees, and pollitike gouernaunce. What famous Poetes
how many noble Philosophers and Oratours, hath Grece
brede. What science and arte, hath not flowne from Grece,
so that for the worthinesse of it, it maie bee called the mother
of all learnyng. Roome also, in whom Tullie was brought
vp, maie contende in all nobilitée, whose power and puisant
glorie, by nobilitée of actes, rose to that mightie hed. In bothe
soche excellencie is founde, as that no nacion might better
contende, of their singularitée and honour of countrée, then
Grece and Rome: yet first from the Grekes, the light of Phi-
losophie, and the aboundant knowledge of all artes, sprange
to the Romaines, from the Grecians. The Godlie Lawes,
wherewith the Romaine Empire was decorated and gouer-
ned, was brought from the Grecians. If the citee maie bee a
honour and glorie, to these twoo Oratours, or their Citees a
singuler commendacion, there wanteth in bothe, neither ho-
nour, or nobilitée.
¶ Of their auncestours, and parentes.
BOthe Demosthenes and Tullie were borne, of ve-
rie meane parentes and auncestours: yet thei tho-
rowe their learnyng and vertues, became famous,
ascendyng to all nobilitée. Of their vertues and
learnyng, not of their auncestours, nobilitée rose to them.
¶ Of the educacion.
THE singuler vertues of theim bothe, appered euen
in their tender youth: wherupon thei being brought
vp, in all godlie learnyng and noble Sciences, thei
became moste noble Oratours, and by their copious Elo-
quence, counsaile, and wisedom, aspired to nobilitée & honor.
¶ Of their scholyng.
[Fol. xlviij.r]
BOthe were taught of the mouthe of the best learned,
Demosthenes of Iseus, a man moste Eloquent: Ci-
cero of Philo and Milo, famous in wisedome and
Eloquence.
¶ Of their exercise.
CIcero did exercise hymself verie moche, to declaime,
bothe in Greke and Latine, with Marcus Piso, and
with Quintus Pampeius. Demosthenes wanted
not industrie and labour, to attain to that singularitée, whi-
che he had, bothe in Eloquence, and pronounciacion.
¶ Of the giftes of their minde.
IN bothe, integritee, humanitee, magnanimitee,
and all vertue flowed: at what time as Demosthe-
nes was commaunded of the Athenians, to frame
a accusacion, againste a certaine man, Demosthe-
nes refused the acte. But when the people, and the whole
multitude, were wrothe with hym, and made a exclamacion
against hym, as their maner was. Then Demosthenes rose,
and saied: O ye men of Athenes, againste my will, you haue
me a counsailer, or pleater of causes before you: but as for a
accuser, & calumniator, no, not although ye would. Of this
sorte Tullie was affected, excepte it were onely in the saue-
gard of his conutrée: as against Catiline, bothe were of god-
lie, and of vpright conuersacion, altogether in Mediocrite,
and a newe leadyng their life.
¶ Of their actes.
DEmosthenes and Tullie bothe, gaue them selues
to trauail, in the causes and affaires of their com-
mon wealthe, to the preseruacion of it. How ve-
hemently did Demosthenes pleate, and ingeni-
ouslie handle the cause of all his countrée, against Philip, for
the defence of their libertee: whereupon he gatte fame, and
greate glory. Whereby not onely, he was coumpted a great
wise counsailour: but one of a valiaunte stomacke, at whose
[Fol. xlviij.v]
[Sidenote: Darius.
Philip.
Demosthe-
nes.]
wisedome, all Grece stode in admiracion. The kyng of Per-
sia, laboured to enter fauour with him. Philip the king of the
Macedonians, would saie often tymes, he had to doe against
a famous man, notyng Demosthenes. Tullie also by his E-
loquence and wisedome, saued Roome and all partes of that
dominion, from greate daungers.
¶ Of their aucthoritee.
THeir aucthoritee and dignitee was equalle, in the
common wealthe: For, at their twoo mouthes,
Roome and Athenes was vpholed. Demosthenes
was chief in fauour with Caretes, Diophetes, Le[-]
ostines, Cicero with Pompei: Iulius Cesar, ascending to the
chief seate and dignitée of the Consulship.
¶ Of a like fall that happened to
them, before their death.
YOu can not finde soche twoo Orators, who borne
of meane & poore parentes, that attained so greate
honour, who also did obiecte themselues to tyran-
tes a like, thei had losse of their children a like,
bothe were out of their countree banished men, their returne
was with honour, bothe also fliyng, happened into the han-
des of their enemies.
¶ Of their death.
[Sidenote: Antipater.
Demosthe-
nes.
Archias.
Marcus
Antonius.
Tullie.]
BOthe a like, Demosthenes and Tully wer put to
death, Demosthenes died, Antipater gouernyng
by the handes of Archias. Cicero died by the com-
maundement of Marcus Antonius: by Herenius
his hedde was cutte of, and sette in Marcus Antonius halle.
His handes also were cutte of, with the whiche he wrote the
vehement Oracions against Marcus Antonius.
¶ The conclusion.
TO speake as moche as maie bee saied, in the praise of
theim: their praise would rise to a mightie volume,
but this is sufficiente.
[Fol. xlix.r]
¶ _Ethopoeia._
_Ethopoeia_ is a certaine Oracion made by voice, and la-
mentable imitacion, vpon the state of any one.
This imitacion is in { _Eidolopoeia._ }
iij. sortes, either it is. { _Prosopopoeia._ }
{ _Ethopoeia._ }
That parte, whiche is called _Ethopoeia_ is that, whiche
hath the persone knowne: but onely it doeth faigne the ma-
ners of thesame, and imitate in a Oracion thesame.
_Ethopoeia_ is called of Priscianus, a certaine talkyng to
of any one, or a imitacio[n] of talke referred to the maners, apt-
ly of any certaine knowen persone.
Quintilianus saieth, that _Ethopoeia_ is a imitacion of o-
ther meane maners: whom the Grekes dooe calle, not onelie
_Ethopoeia_, but _mimesis_, & this is in the maners, and the fact.
This parte is as it were, a liuely expression of the maner
and affeccion of any thyng, whereupon it hath his name.
The _Ethopoeia_ is in three sortes.
The firste, a imitacion passiue, whiche expresseth the af-
fection, to whom it parteineth: whiche altogether expresseth
the mocion of the mynde, as what patheticall and dolefull o-
racion, Hecuba the quene made, the citee of Troie destroied,
her housbande, her children slaine.
The second is called a morall imitacio[n], the whiche doeth
set forthe onely, the maners of any one.
The thirde is a mixt, the whiche setteth forthe, bothe the
maners and the affection, as how, and after what sorte, A-
chilles spake vpon Patroclus, he beyng dedde, when for his
sake, he determined to fight: the determinacion of hym she-
weth the maner. The frende slaine, the affection.
In the makyng of _Ethopoeia_, lette it be plaine, and with-
out any large circumstaunce.
[Fol. xlix.v]
In the makyng of it, ye shall diuide it thus, to make the
Oracion more plaine, into three tymes.
{ A presente tyme. }
{ A tyme paste. }
{ A tyme to come. }
_Eidolopoeia_ is that part of this Oracion, whiche maketh
a persone knowne though dedde, and not able to speake.
[Sidenote: _Eidolopoeia_[.]]
_Eidolopoeia_ is called of Priscianus, a imitacion of talke
of any one, vpon a dedde manne, it is then called _Eidolopoeia_,
when a dedde man talketh, or communicacion made vpon a
dedde manne.
_Eidolopoeia_, when a dedde manne talketh, is set forthe of
Euripides, vpon the persone of Polidorus dedde, whose spi-
rite entereth at the Prologue of the tragedie.
Hector slain, speaketh to Eneas in _Eidolopoeia_. O Eneas
thou goddes sonne, flie and saue thy self, from this ruine and
fire: the enemies hath taken the walles, and loftie Troie is
prostrate to the grounde. I would haue thought, I had died
valiantlie inough to my countrée, and my father Priamus,
if with this my right hande, Troie had bee defended.
Polidorus beyng dedde, in _Eidolopoeia_ talketh to Eneas
whiche Uirgil sheweth in his thirde booke of Eneados.
Iulia the wife of Pompei beyng dedde, spake to Pompe,
preparyng his arme against Cesar, _Eidolopoeia_. Reade Lu-
cane, in the beginnyng of his thirde booke.
Tullie vseth _Eidolopoeia_, when he maketh talke vpon
Hiero beyng dedde.
If that kyng Hiero were reduced fro[m] his death, who was
a aduauncer of the Romaine Empire, with what counte-
naunce, either Siracusa or Rome, might be shewed to hym,
whom he maie beholde with his iyes. His countree brought
to ruin, & spoiled, if that kyng Hiero should but enter Rome,
euen in the firste entryng, he should beholde the spoile of his
countree.
Tullie also vseth the like _Eidolopoeia_, as thus, vpon Lu-
[Fol. l.r]
cius Brutus dedde.
[Sidenote: Lucius
Brutus.]
If it so wer, that Lucius Brutus, that noble and famous
manne were on liue, and before your presence: would he not
vse this oracion: I Brutus, somtyme did banishe and cast out
for crueltee, the state and office of kinges, by the horrible fact
of Tarquinius, againste Lucretia, and all that name bani-
shed, but you haue brought in tyrauntes. I Brutus did re-
duce the Romain Empire, to a fredome and libertée: but you
foolishly can not vphold and maintein, thesame giuen to you.
I Brutus, with the daunger of my life, haue saued my coun[-]
tree of Roome, but you without all daunger, lose it.
¶ _Prosopopoeia._
AS co[n]cerning _Prosopopoeia_, it is as Pristianus saith,
when to any one againste nature, speache is feigned
to bee giuen.
Tullie vseth for a like example this, when he maketh
Roome to talke againste Cateline.
¶ _Prosopopoeia_ of Roome.
[Sidenote: Catiline.]
NO mischief hath been perpetrated, this many yeres,
but by thee Catiline, no pestiferous acte enterprised,
without thee: thou a lone, for thy horrible murther
perpetrated vpon the citee of Rome, for the spoile and robbe-
ries of their gooddes art vnpunished. Thou onelie haste been
of that force and power, to caste doune all lawes and aucthori-
tee. Although these thinges were not to be borne, yet I haue
borne them: but now thy horrible factes are come to soche an
issue, that I feare thy mischiues. Wherfore leaue of Cateline
and deminishe this feare from me, that I maie be in securitée[.]
Lucane the Poete, intreating of mightie and fearce war-
res, againste Pompei and Cesar, maketh Roome to vse this
_Prosopopoeia_ againste Cesar.
_Quo tenditis vltra quo fertis mea signa viri,
Si iure venitis si aues hucusq[ue] licet._
_Prosopopoeia_ is properlie, when all thinges are faigned
bothe the maners, the persone, as of Roome in this place.
[Fol. l.v]
¶ What lamentable Oracion Hecuba Quene of
Troie might make, Troie being destroied.
[Sidenote: Kyngdomes.]
WHat kyngdome can alwaies assure his state, or
glory? What strength can alwaies last? What
[Sidenote: Okes.
Cedars.]
power maie alwaies stande? The mightie O-
kes are somtyme caste from roote, the Ceadars
high by tempestes falle, so bitter stormes dooe
force their strength. Soft waters pearseth Rockes, and ruste
the massie Iron doeth bryng to naught. So nothyng can by
stre[n]gth so stande, but strength maie ones decaie: yea, mightie
kingdoms in time decaie haue felt. Kingdomes weake haue
rose to might, and mightie kyngdomes fallen, no counsaile
can preuaile, no power, no strength, or might in lande. God
disposeth Princes seates, their kyngdome there with stan-
des. I knewe before the brickell state, how kyngdomes ruine
caught, my iye the chaunge of fortune sawe, as Priamus did
aduaunce his throne, by fauour Fortune gat, on other For-
tune then did froune, whose kingdom did decaie. Well, now
[Sidenote: Fortune
hath no staie.]
I knowe the brickle state, that fortune hath no staie, all rashe
her giftes, Fortune blind doeth kepe no state, her stone doth
roule, as floodes now flowe, floodes also ebbe. So glory doth
remaine, sometyme my state on high, was sette in Princelie
throne, my porte and traine ful roiall was, a kyng my father
also was, my housband scepter held. Troie and Phrigia ser-
ued his becke, many kynges his power did dreade, his wille
their power did serue. The fame of Troie and Brute, his
glorie and renoume, what landes knoweth not? But now
his falle, all toungues can speake, so greate as glorie was,
though kyngdomes stronge was sette, loftie Troie in duste
prostrate doeth lye, in blood their glorie, people, kyng are fal-
len, no Quene more dolefull cause hath felte. The sorowes
depe doe passe my ioyes, as Phebus light with stormes caste
[Sidenote: Hector.]
doune. Hectors death did wounde my hart, by Hectors might
Troie stiffe did stande, my comforte Hector was, Priamus
ioye, of Troie all the[m] life, the strength, and power, his death
[Fol. lj.r]
did wound me for to die, but alas my dolefull and cruell fate
to greater woe reserueth my life, loftie Troie before me
felle, sworde, and fire hath seate and throne doune caste. The
dedde on heapes doeth lye, the tender babes as Lions praies
[Sidenote: Priamus.]
are caught in bloode, before my sight, Priamus deare mur-
dered was, my children also slain, who roiall were, and prin-
ces mates. No Queene more ioye hath tasted, yet woe my io-
yes hath quite defaced. My state alwaie in bondage thrall, to
serue my enemies wille, as enemie wille, I liue or dye. No
cruell force will ridde my life, onely in graue the yearth shal
close my woes, the wormes shall gnawe my dolefull hart in
graue. My hedde shall ponder nought, when death hath sence
doune caste, in life I sought no ioye, as death I craue, no
glorie was so wished as death I seeke, with death no sence.
In prison depe who dolefull lieth, whom Fetters sore dooeth
greue. Their dolefull state moste wisheth death, in dongion
deepe of care my harte moste pensiue is, vnhappie state that
wisheth death, with ioye long life, eche wight doeth craue, in
life who wanteth smart? Who doeth not féele, or beare som-
time, a bitter storme, to doleful tune, mirth full oft chaunged
is, the meaner state, more quiet rest, on high, who climes more
deper care, more dolefull harte doeth presse, moste tempestes
hie trees, hilles, & moutaines beare, valleis lowe rough stor-
mes doeth passe, the bendyng trees doeth giue place to might
by force of might, Okes mightie fall, and Ceders high ar re[n]t
from the roote. The state full meane in hauen hath Ancre
caste, in surgyng seas, full ofte in vaine to saue the maste, the
shippe Ancre casteth.
¶ The descripcion.
THis exercise profitable to _Rhetorike_, is an Ora-
cio[n] that collecteth and representeth to the iye, that
which he sheweth, so Priscianus defineth it: some
are of that opinion, that descripcion is not to bee
placed emo[n]g these exercises, profitable to _Rhetorike_. Because
[Fol. lj.v]
that bothe in euery Oracion, made vpon a Fable, all thyn-
ges therein conteined, are liuely described. And also in euery
Narracion, the cause, the place, the persone, the time, the fact,
the maner how, ar therin liuely described. But most famous
and Eloquente men, doe place descripcion, in the nomber of
these exercises. Descripcio[n] serueth to these things, the person,
as the Poete Lucane describeth Pompei & Cesar: the person
is described, thynges or actes, tymes, places, brute beastes.
_Nec coiere pares, alter vergentibus annis
In senium longo que toge, tranquilior vsu.
Dedidicit. &c._
Homer describeth the persone of Thersites, in the second
booke of his Ilias.
Homer setteth out Helena, describing the persone of Me-
nalaus and Ulisses, in the fowerth booke of Ilias.
Thynges are described, as the warres attempted by sea
and lande, of Xerxes.