This figure of retire holds part with the propounder of which we spake
before(_prolepsis_) because of the resumption of a former proposition
vuttered in generalitie to explane the same better by a particular
diuision. But their difference is, in that the propounder resumes but the
matter only. This [_retire_] resumes both the matter and the termes, and
is therefore accompted one of the figures of repetition, and in that
respect may be called by his originall Greeke name the [_Resounde_] or the
[_retire_] for this word [Greek: illegible] serues both sences resound and
retire. The vse of this figure, is seen in this dittie following,
_Loue hope and death, do stirre in me much strife,
As neuer man but I lead such a life:
For burning loue doth wound my heart to death:
And when death comes at call of inward grief,
Cold lingring hope doth feede my fainting breath:
Against my will, and yeelds my wound relief,
So that I liue, but yet my life is such:
As neuer death could greeue me halfe so much._
[Sidenote: _Dialisis_, or the Dismembrer.]
Then haue ye a maner speach, not so figuratiue as fit for argumentation,
and worketh not vnlike the _dilemma_ of the Logicians, because he propones
two or moe matters entierly, and doth as it were set downe the whole tale
or rekoning of an argument and then cleare euery part by it selfe, as
thus.
_It can not be but nigarsdship or neede,
Made him attempt this foule and wicked deede:
Nigardship not, for alwayes he was free,
Nor neede, for who doth not his richesse see?_
Or as one than entreated for a faire young maide who was taken by the
watch in London and carried to Bridewell to be punished.
_Now gentill Sirs let this young maide alone,
For either she hath grace or els she hath none:
If she haue grace, she may in time repent,
If she haue none what bootes her punishment._
Or as another pleaded his deserts with his mistresse.
_Were it for grace, or els in hope of gaine,
To say of my deserts, it is but vaine:
For well in minde, in case ye do them beare,
To tell them oft, it should but irke your eare:
Be they forgot: as likely should I faile,
To winne with wordes, where deedes can not preuaile._
[Sidenote: _Merismus_, or the Distributer.]
Then haue ye a figure very meete for Orators or eloquent perswaders such
as our maker or Poet must in some cases shew him selfe to be, and is when
we may coueniently vtter a matter in one entier speach or proportion and
will rather do it peecemeale and by distrbution of euery part for
amplification sake, as for example he that might say, a house was
outragiously plucked downe: will not be satisfied so to say, but rather
will speake it in this sort: they first vndermined the groundsills, they
beate downe the walles, they vnfloored the loftes, they vntiled it and
pulled downe the roofe. For so in deede is a house pulled downe by
circumstances, which this figure of distribution doth set forth euery one
apart, and therefore I name him the _distributor_ according to his
originall, as wrate the _Tuscane_ Poet in a Sonet which Sir _Thomas Wyat_
translated with very good grace, thus.
_Set me whereas the sunne doth parch the greene,
Or where his beames do not dissolue the yce:
In temperate heate where he is felt and seene,
In presence prest of people mad or wise:
Set me in hye or yet in low degree,
In longest night or in the shortest day:
In clearest skie, or where clouds thickest bee,
In lustie youth or when my heares are gray:
Set me in heauen, in earth or els in hell,
In hill or dale or in the foaming flood:
Thrall or at large, aliue where so I dwell,
Sicke or in health, in euill fame or good:
Hers will I be, and onely with this thought,
Content my selfe, although my chaunce be naught._
All which might haue been said in these two verses.
_Set me wherefoeuer ye will
I am and wilbe yours still._
The zealous Poet writing in prayse of the maiden Queene would not seeme to
wrap vp all her most excellent parts in a few words them entierly
comprehending, but did it by a distributor or _merismus_ in the negatiue
for the better grace, thus.
_Not your bewtie, most gracious soueraine,
Nor maidenly lookes, mainteind with maiestie:
Your stately port, which doth not match but staine,
For your presence, your pallace and your traine,
All Princes Courts, mine eye could euer see:
Not of your quicke wits, your sober gouernaunce:
Your cleare forsight, your faithfull memorie,
So sweete features, in so staid countenaunce:
Nor languages, with plentuous utterance,
So able to discourse, and entertaine:
Not noble race, farre beyond Caesars raigne,
Runne in right line, and bloud of nointed kings:
Not large empire, armies, treasurs, domaine,
Lustie liueries, of fortunes dearst darlings:
Not all the skilles, fit for a Princely dame,
Your learned Muse, with vse and studie brings.
Not true honour, ne that immortall fame
Of mayden raigne, your only owne renowne
And no Queenes els, yet such as yeeldes your name
Greater glory than doeth your treble crowne._
And then concludes thus.
_Not any one of all these honord parts
Your Princely happes, and habites that do moue,
And, as it were, ensorcell all the hearts
Of Christen kings to quarrell for your loue,
But to possesse, at once and all the good
Arte and engine, and euery starre aboue
Fortune or kinde, could farce in flesh and bloud,
Was force inough to make so many striue
For your person, which in our world stoode
By all consents the minionst mayde to wiue._
Where ye see that all the parts of her commendation which were
particularly remembred in twenty verses before, are wrapt vp in the two
verses of this last part, videl.
_Not any one of all your honord parts,
Those Princely haps and habites, &c._
This figure serues for amplification, and also for ornament, and to
enforce perswasion mightely. Sir _Geffrey Chaucer_, father of our English
Poets, hath these verses following in the distributor.
_When faith failes in Priestes sawes,
And Lords hestes are holden for lawes,
And robberie is tane for purchase,
And lechery for solace
Then shall the Realme of Albion
Be brought to great confusion._
Where he might haue said as much in these words: when vice abounds, and
vertue decayeth in Albion, then &c. And as another said,
_When Prince for his people is wakefull and wise,
Peeres ayding with armes, Counsellors with aduise,
Magistrate sincerely vsing his charge,
People prest to obey, nor let to runne at large,
Prelate of holy life, and with deuotion
Preferring pietie before promotion,
Priest still preaching, and praying for our heale:
Then blessed is the state of a common-weale._
All which might haue bene said in these few words, when euery man in
charge and authoritie doeth his duety, & executeth his function well, then
is the common-wealth happy.
[Sidenote: _Epimone_, or the Loue burden.]
The Greeke Poets who made musicall ditties to be song to the lute or
harpe, did vse to linke their staues together with one verse running
throughout the whole song by equall distance, and was, for the most part,
the first verse of the staffe, which kept so good sence and conformitie
with the whole, as his often repetition did geue it greater grace. They
called such linking verse _Epimone_, the Latines _versus intercalaris_,
and we may terme him the Loue-burden, following the originall, or if it
please you, the long repeate: in one respect because that one verse alone
beareth the whole burden of the song according to the originall: in
another respect, for that it comes by large distances to be often
repeated, as in this ditty made by the noble knight Sir _Philip Sidney_,
_My true loue hath my heart and I haue his,
By iust exchange one for another geuen:
I holde his deare, and mine he cannot misse,
There neuer was a better bargaine driuen.
My true loue hath my heart and I haue his.
My heart in me keepes him and me in one,
My heart in him his thoughts and sences guides:
He loues my heart, for once it was his owne,
I cherish his because in me it bides.
My true loue hath my heart, and I haue his._
[Sidenote: _Paradoxon_, or the Wondrer.]
Many times our Poet is caried by some occasion to report of a thing that
is maruelous, and then he will seeme not to speake it simply but with some
signe of admiration, as in our enterlude called the _Woer_.
_I woonder much to see so many husbands thriue,
That haue but little wit, before they come to wiue:
For one would easily weene who so hath little wit,
His wife to teach it him, were a thing much unfit._
Or as _Cato_ the Romane Senatour said one day merily to his companion that
walked with him, pointing his finger to a yong vnthrift in the streete who
lately before had sold his patrimonie, of a goodly quantitie of salt
marshes, lying neere vnto _Capua_ shore.
_Now is it not, a wonder to behold,
Yonder gallant skarce twenty winter old,
By might (marke ye) able to do more
Than the mayne sea that batters on his shore?
For what the waues could neuer wash away,
This proper youth hath wasted in a day._
[Sidenote: _Aporia_, or the Doubtfull.]
Not much vnlike the _wondrer_ haue ye another figure called the
_doubtfull_, because oftentimes we will seeme to cast perils, and make
doubt or things when by a plaine manner of speech wee might affirme or
deny him, as thus of a cruell mother who murdred her owne child.
_Whether the cruell mother were more to blame,
Or the shrewd childe come of so curst a dame:
Or whether some smatch of the fathers blood,
Whose kinne were neuer kinde, nor neuer good.
Mooued her thereto &c._
[Sidenote: _Epitropis_, or the Figure of Reference.]
This manner of speech is vsed when we will not seeme, either for manner
sake or to auoid tediousnesse, to trouble the iudge or hearer with all
that we could say, but hauing said inough already, we referre the rest to
their consideration, as he that said thus:
_Me thinkes that I haue said, what may well suffise,
Referring all the rest, to your better aduise._
[Sidenote: _Parisia_, or the Licentious.]
The fine and subtill perswader when his intent is to sting his aduersary,
or els to declare his mind in broad and liberal speeches, which might
breede offence or scandall, he will seeme to bespeake pardon before hand,
whereby his licentiousnes may be the better borne withall, as he that
said:
_If my speech hap t'offend you any way,
Thinke it their fault, that force me so to say._
[Sidenote: _Anachinosis_, or the Impartener.]
Not much vnlike to the figure of _reference_, is there another with some
little diuersitie which we call the _impartener_, because many times in
pleading and perswading, we thinke it a very good policie to acquaint our
iudge or hearer or very aduersarie with some part of our Counsell and
aduice, and to aske their opinion, as who would say they could not
otherwise thinke of the matter then we do. As he that had tolde a long
tale before certaine noblewomen of a matter somewhat in honour touching
the Sex:
_Tell me faire Ladies, if the case were your owne,
So foule a fault would you haue it be knowen?_
Maister _Gorge_ in this figure, said very sweetly,
_All you who read these lines and skanne of my desart,
Iudge whether was more good, my hap or els my hart._
[Sidenote: _Paramologia_, or the figure of Admittance.]
The good Orator vseth a manner of speach in his perswasion and is when all
that should seeme to make against him being spoken by th'other side, he
will first admit it, and in th'end auoid all for his better aduantage, and
this figure is much vsed by our English pleaders in the Starchamber and
Chancery, which they call to confesse and auoid, if it be in case of crime
or iniury, and is a very good way. For when the matter is so plaine that
it cannot be denied or trauersed, it is good that it be iustified by
confessall and auoidance. I call it the figure of _admittance._ As we once
wrate to the reproofe of a Ladies faire but crueltie.
_I know your witte, I know your pleasant tongue,
Your some sweet smiles, your some, but louely lowrs:
A beautie to enamour olde and yong.
Those chast desires, that noble minde of yours,
And that chiefe part whence all your honor springs,
A grace to entertaine the greatest kings.
All this I know: but sinne it is to see,
So faire partes spilt by too much crueltie._
[Sidenote: _Etiologia_, or the Reason rent, or the Tellcause.]
In many cases we are driuen for better perswasion to tell the cause that
mooues vs to say thus or thus: or els when we would fortifie our
allegations by rendring reasons to euery one, this assignation of cause
the Greekes called _Etiologia_, which if we might without scorne of a new
inuented terme call [_Tellcause_] it were right according to the Greeke
originall: & I pray you why should we not? and with as good authoritie as
the Greekes? Sir _Thomas Smith_, her Maiesties principall Secretary, and a
man of great learning and grauitie, seeking to geue an English word to
this Greeke word [Greek: illegible] called it Spitewed or wedspite. Master
Secretary _Wilson_ gueing an English name to his arte of Logicke, called
it _Witcraft_, me thinke I may be bolde with like liberty to call the
figure _Etiologia_ [_Tellcause_.] And this manner of speech is always
contemned, with these words, for, because, and such other confirmatiues.
The Latines hauing no fitte name to geue it in one single word, gaue it no
name at all, but by circumlocution. We also call him the reason-rendrer,
and leaue the right English word [_Telcause_] much better answering the
Greeke originall. _Aristotle_ was most excellent in vse of this figure,
for he neuer propones any allegation, or makes any surmise, but he yeelds
a reason or cause to fortifie and proue it, which geues it great credit.
For example ye may take these verses, first pointing, than confirming by
similitudes.
_When fortune shall haue spat out all her gall,
I trust good luck shall be to me allowde,
For I haue seene a shippe in hauen fall,
After the storme had broke both maste and shrowde._
And this.
_Good is the thing that moues vs to desire,
That is to say the beauty we behold:
Els were we louers as in an endlesse fire,
Alwaies burning and euer chill a colde._
And in these verses.
_Accused though I be without desart,
Sith none can proue beleeue it not for true:
For neuer yet since first ye had my hart,
Entended I to false or be untrue._
And in this Disticque.
_And for her beauties praise, no right that with her warres:
For where she comes she shewes her selfe like sun among the stars._
And in this other dittie of ours where the louer complaines of his Ladies
crueltie, rendring for euery surmise a reason, and by telling the cause,
seeketh (as it were) to get credit, thus.
_Cruel you be who can say nay,
Since ye delight in others wo:
Vnwise am I, ye may well say,
For that I haue, honourd you so.
But blamelesse I, who could not chuse
To be enchaunted by your eye:
But ye to blame, thus to refuse
My seruice, and to let me die._
[Sidenote: _Dichologia_, or the Figure of excuse.]
Sometimes our error is so manifest, or we be so hardly prest with our
aduersaries, as we cannot deny the fault layd vnto our charge: in which
case it is good pollicie to excuse it by some allowable pretext, as did
one whom his mistresse burdened with some vnkindne speeches which he had
past of her, thus.
_I said it: but by lapse of lying tongue,
When furie and iust griefe my heart opprest:
I sayd it: as ye see, both fraile and young,
When your rigor had ranckled in my brest.
The cruell wound that smarted me so sore,
Pardon therefore (sweete sorrow) or at least
Beare with mine youth that neuer fell before,
Least your offence encrease my griefe the more._
And againe in these,
_I spake amysse I cannot it deny.
But caused by your great discourtesie:
And if I said that which I now repent,
And said it not, but by misgouernment
Of youthfull yeres, your selfe that are so young
Pardon for once this error of my tongue,
And thinke amends can neuer come to late:
Loue may be curst, but loue can neuer hate._
[Sidenote: _Noema_, or the Figure of close conceit.]
Speaking before of the figure [_Synechdoche_] wee called him [_Quicke
conceit_] because he inured in a single word onely by way of intendment or
large meaning, but such as was speedily discouered by euery quicke wit, as
by the halfe to vnderstand the whole, and many other waies appearing by
the examples. But by this figure [_Noema_] the obscurity of the sence
lieth not in a single word, but in an entier speech, whereof we do not so
easily conceiue the meaning, but as it were by coniecture, because it is
wittie and subtile or darke, which makes me therefore call him in our
vulgar the [_Close conceit_] as he that said by himselfe and his wife, I
thanke God in fortie winters that we haue liued together, neuer any of our
neighbours set vs at one, meaning that they neuer fell out in all that
space, which had bene the directer speech and more apert, and yet by
intendment amounts all to one, being neuerthelesse dissemblable and in
effect contrary. _Pawlet_ Lord Treasorer of England, and first Marques of
Winchester, with the like subtill speech gaue a quippe to Sir _William
Gifford_, who had married the Marques sister, and all her life time cound
neuer loue her nor like of her company, but when she was dead made the
greatest moane for her in the world, and with teares and much lamentation
vttered his griefe to the L. Treasorer, o good brother, quoth the Marques,
I am right sory to see you now loue my sister so well, meaning that he
shewed his loue too late, and should haue done it while she was aliue.
A great counsellour somewhat forgetting his modestie, vsed these words:
Gods lady I reckon my selfe as good a man as he you talke of, and yet I am
not able to do so. Yea sir quoth the party, your L. is too good to be a
man, I would ye were a Saint, meaning he would he were dead, for none are
shrined for Saints before they be dead.
[Sidenote: _Orismus_, or the Definer of difference.]
The Logician vseth a definition to expresse the truth or nature of euery
thing by his true kinde and difference, as to say wisedome is a prudent
and wittie foresight and consideration of humane or worldly actions with
their euentes. This definition is Logicall. The Oratour vseth another
maner of definition, thus: Is this wisedome? no it is a certaine subtill
knauish craftie wit, it is no industrie as ye call it, but a certaine
busie brainsicknesse, for industrie is a liuely and vnweried search and
occupation in honest things, egernesse is an appetite in base and small
matters.
[Sidenote: _Procatalepsis_, or the presumptuous,
otherwise the figure of Presupposall.]
It serueth many times to great purpose to preuent our aduersaries
arguments, and take vpon vs to know before what our iudge or aduersary or
hearer thinketh, and that we will seeme to vtter it before it be spoken or
alleaged by them, in respect of which boldnesse to enter so deepely into
another mans conceit or conscience, and to be so priuie of another mans
mynde, gaue cause that this figure was called the [_presumptuous_] I will
also call him the figure of _presupposall_ or the _preuenter_, for by
reason we suppose before what may be said, or perchaunce would be said by
our aduersary or any other, we do preuent them of their aduantage, and do
catch the ball (as they are wont to say) before it come to the ground.
[Sidenote: _Paralepsis_, or the Passager.]
It is also very many times vsed for a good pollicie in pleading
or perswasion to make wise as if we set but light of the matter, and
that therefore we do passe it ouer lightly when in deede we do
then intend most effectually and despightfully if it be inuectiue to
remember it: it is also when we will not seeme to know a thing,
and yet we know it well inough, and may be likened to the maner
of women, who as the common saying is, will say nay and take it.
_I hold my peace and will not say for shame,
The much vntruth of that vnciuill dame:
For if I should her coullours kindly blaze,
It would so make the chast eares amaze, &c._
[Sidenote: _Commoratio_, or the figure of abode.]
It is said by maner of a prouerbiall speach that he who findes himselfe
well should not wagge, euen so the perswader finding a substantiall point
in his matter to serue his purpose, should dwell upon that point longer
then vpon any other lesse assured, and vse all endeuour to maintaine that
one, & as it were to make his chief aboad thereupon, for which cause I
name him the figure of aboad, according to the Latine name: Some take it
not but for a course of argument & therefore hardly may one giue any
examples thereof.
[Sidenote: _Metastasis_, or the Flitting figure, or the Remoue.]
Now as arte and good pollicy in perswasion bids vs to abide & not to
stirre from the point of our most aduantage, but the same to enforce and
tarry vpon with all possible argument, so doth discretion will vs
sometimes to flit from one matter to another, as a thing meete to be
forsaken, and another entred vpon, I call him therefore the _flitting_
figure, or figure of _remoue_, like as the other before was called the
figure of _aboade_.
[Sidenote: _Parecuasis, or the Stragler.]
Euen so againe, as it is wisdome for a perswader to tarrie and make his
aboad as long as he may conueniently without tediousness to the hearer,
vpon his chiefe proofes or points of the cause tending to his aduantage,
and likewise to depart againe when time serues, and goe to a new matter
seruing the purpose aswell. So is it requisite many times for him to talke
farre from the principall matter, and as it were to range aside, to
th'intent by such extraordinary meane to induce or inferre other matter,
aswell or better seruing the principal purpose, and neuertheles in season
to returne home where he first strayed out. This maner of speech is termed
the figure of digression by the Latines, following the Greeke originall,
we also call him the _straggler_ by allusion to the souldier that marches
out of his array, or by those that keepe no order in their marche, as the
battailes well ranged do: of this figure there need be geuen no example.
[Sidenote: _Expeditio_, or the speedie dispatcher.]
Occasion offers many times that our maker as an oratour, or perswader, or
pleader should go roundly to worke, and by a quick and swift argument
dispatch his perswasion, & as they are woont to say not stand all day
trifling to no purpose, but to rid it out of the way quickly. This is done
by a manner of speech, both figuratiue and argumentatiue, when we do
briefly set down all our best reasons seruing the purpose and reiect all
of them sauing one, which we accept to satisfie the cause: as he that in a
litigious case for land would prooue it not the aduersaries, but his
clients.
_No man can say its his by heritage,
Nor by Legacie, or Testatours deuice:
Nor that it came by purchase or engage,
Nor from his Prince for any good seruice.
Then needs must it be his by very wrong,
Which he hath offred this poore plaintife so long._
Though we might call this figure very well and properly the [_Paragon_]
yet dare I not so to doe for feare of the Courtiers enuy, who will haue no
man vse that terme but after a courtly manner, that is, in praysing of
horses, haukes, hounds, pearles, diamonds, rubies, emerodes, and other
precious stones: specially of faire women whose excellencie is discouered
by paragonizing or setting one to another, which moued the zealous Poet,
speaking of the mayden Queene, to call her the paragon of Queenes. This
considered, I will let our figure enioy his best beknowen name, and call
him stil in all ordinarie cases the figure of comparison: as when a man
wil seeme to make things appeare good or bad, or better or worse, or more
or lesse excellent, either vpon spite or for pleasure, or any other good
affection, then he sets the lesse by the greater, or the greater to the
lesse, the equall to his equall, and by such confronting of them together,
driues out the true ods that is betwixt them, and makes it better appeare,
as when we sang of our Soueraigne Lady thus, in the twentieth Partheniade.
_As falcon fares to bussards flight,
As egles eyes to owlates sight,
As fierce saker to coward kite,
As brightest noone to darkest night:
As summer sunne exceedeth farre,
The moone and euery other starre:
So farre my Princesse praise doeth passe,
The famoust Queene that euer was._
And in the eighteene Partheniade thus.
_Set rich rubie to red esmayle,
The rauens plume to peacocks tayle,
Lay me the larkes to lizards eyes,
The duskie cloude to azure skie,
Set shallow brookes to surging seas,
An orient pearle to a white pease._
&c. Concluding.
_There shall no lesse an ods be seene
In mine from euery other Queene._