euer they did in Grece and in Italie: and for the doctrine of
those fowre, the fowre pillers of learning, Cambrige than geuing
place to no vniuersitie, neither in France, Spaine, Germanie,
nor Italie. Also in outward behauiour, than began simplicitie
in apparell, to be layd aside: Courtlie galantnes to be taken vp:
frugalitie in diet was priuately misliked: Towne going to good
Shoting. // cheare openly vsed: honest pastimes, ioyned with
labor, left of in the fieldes: vnthrifty and idle
games, haunted corners, and occupied the nightes: contention
in youth, no where for learning: factions in the elders euery
where for trifles. All which miseries at length, by Gods
prouidence, had their end 16. _Nouemb._ 1558. Since which
tyme, the yong spring hath shot vp so faire, as now there be in
Cambrige againe, many goodly plantes (as did well appeare at
the Queenes Maiesties late being there) which are like to grow
to mightie great timber, to the honor of learning, and great good
of their contrie, if they may stand their tyme, as the best
plantes there were wont to do: and if som old dotterell trees,
with standing ouer nie them, and dropping vpon them, do not
either hinder, or crooke their growing, wherein my feare is y^e
lesse, seing so worthie a Iustice of an Oyre hath the present
ouersight of that whole chace, who was himselfe somtym, in
the fairest spring that euer was there of learning, one of the
forwardest yong plantes, in all that worthy College of _S. Iohnes_:
who now by grace is growne to soch greatnesse, as, in the
temperate and quiet shade of his wisdome, next the prouidence
of God, and goodnes of one, in theis our daies, _Religio_ for
sinceritie, _literæ_ for order and aduauncement, _Respub._ for happie
and quiet gouernment, haue to great rejoysing of all good men,
speciallie reposed them selues.
Now to returne to that Question, whether one, a few, many
or all, are to be folowed, my aunswere shalbe short: All, for
him that is desirous to know all: yea, the worst of all, as
Questionistes, and all the barbarous nation of scholemen, helpe
for one or other consideration: But in euerie separate kinde of
learning and studie, by it selfe, ye must follow, choiselie a few,
and chieflie some one, and that namelie in our schole of
eloquence, either for penne or talke. And as in portraicture
and paintyng wise men chose not that workman, that can onelie
make a faire hand, or a well facioned legge but soch one, as can
_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 283
furnish vp fullie, all the fetures of the whole body, of a man,
woman and child: and with all is able to, by good skill, to giue
to euerie one of these three, in their proper kinde, the right
forme, the trew figure, the naturall color, that is fit and dew,
to the dignitie of a man, to the bewtie of a woman, to the
sweetnes of a yong babe: euen likewise, do we seeke soch one
in our schole to folow, who is able alwayes, in all matters, to
teach plainlie, to delite pleasantlie, and to cary away by force of
wise talke, all that shall heare or read him: and is so excellent
in deed, as witte is able, or wishe can hope, to attaine vnto:
And this not onelie to serue in the _Latin_ or _Greke_ tong, but
also in our own English language. But yet, bicause the prouid-
ence of God hath left vnto vs in no other tong, saue onelie in
the _Greke_ and _Latin_ tong, the trew preceptes, and perfite
examples of eloquence, therefore must we seeke in the Authors
onelie of those two tonges, the trewe Paterne of Eloquence, if
in any other mother tongue we looke to attaine, either to perfit
vtterance of it our selues, or skilfull iudgement of it in others.
And now to know, what Author doth medle onelie with
some one peece and member of eloquence, and who doth
perfitelie make vp the whole bodie, I will declare, as I can call
to remembrance the goodlie talke, that I haue had oftentymes,
of the trew difference of Authors, with that Ientleman of
worthie memorie, my dearest frend, and teacher of all the litle
poore learning I haue, Syr _Iohn Cheke_.
The trew difference of Authors is best knowne, _per diuersa
genera dicendi_, that euerie one vsed. And therfore here I will
deuide _genus dicendi_, not into these three, _Tenuè, mediocrè, &
grande_, but as the matter of euerie Author requireth, as
{_Poeticum._
{_Historicum._
_in Genus_{_Philosophicum._
{_Oratorium._
These differre one from an other, in choice of wordes, in
framyng of Sentences, in handling of Argumentes, and vse of
right forme, figure, and number, proper and fitte for euerie
matter, and euerie one of these is diuerse also in it selfe, as the
first.