as to saie: |I fell, I confesse, but as a young man, I went astray,
but as one willing to be reclaimed: I forsooke my friend indeede, but
constrained by the lawes, I was a companion in their badnesse, but
forced by threatning.|=
=_Orismus_, _definitio_, or _finitio_, wherein we brieflie laie forth
the true properties of euerie thing, by impugning the contrarie, as
thus: |Men cannot be said in vertue to exceed, for in vertue there
is euer an excellency, but neuer an excesse, sith the excesse is
onely appropriate vnto vices. This cannot be said to be care but
couetousnesse, for care hath onely respect to necessary vses, but in
couetousnes, there is neuer any reasonable suffizance.=
=_Hypotyposis_, when any thing is described in particular, or made
knowne to the viewe, as thus: |Shall I tell you what maner a one you
haue preferred vnto mee, for his stature, a Dwarfe: for his person,
a trunke: for his qualities a dog: for his countenance, a foxe: in
behauiour a swine: in condition, an Ape: in sense, an Asse, and in
vsage, a beast.|=
=_Merismus_ or _Distributio_, when that as maie bee generallie spoken
we distribute for amplification into parts: as if in generalitie we
said: |He hath consumed all his substance in riot:| By distribution wee
might amplifie thus: |Whatsoeuer patrimony hee had from his father,
what priuate inrichment by his deceased mother, what large assistance
by friends, whereat the worlde neuer barked, what dowry soeuer by
his wife, which no doubt was very great, all this hath he consumed
by a most dissolute and wanton liuing: mony, plate, lands, wealth,
possessions and all, are gone to the deuil, his cattel consumed, his
houshold stuffe solde, his apparell spent, and the poore miser at this
instant hath not left him a farthing.|=
=_Dialisis_, a separation of one thing from another, both being
absolued by a seuerall reason, in the nature of a |Dilemma|, as thus:
|When I haue preached vnto you all I may, if you bee well giuen it
auaileth, if graceles, forth you wil not be moued|. Or thus. |What
should I further set forth vnto you my good will, if you remember it, I
haue said inough, if not, my words wil not prouoke you.|=
=_Dialogismus_ or _Sermocinatio_, an imaginatiue speach, agréeing
to the quality of the person it is framed of. Whether he be valiant
cruell, young, old, or of what other condition, as if we shoulde saie
of the times present. |Were the ancient Apostles and olde Fathers of
religion nowe liuing, which with great innocencie of life, and true
pietie, shined in their seasons, and should but beholde the most
corrupt and abhominable estate of our times, subiect as they bee to all
kinde of euils, would they not thinke, you straight proclaime against
vs the vniust name of Christians, and challenge vs for the great want
we haue of the true profession thereof? Would they not rather cry out
of vs that deluding ourselues onely with a vaine title or name of
Christians, we do not so much as seeke in the meane time to followe any
part thereof?|=
=_Epiphonema_, or conclusion to a matter before shewed, as thus: |Of so
woonderfull force was his wisdome, which was able to compasse that in
short time, which a number haue diuerslie sought for, and could neuer
hetherto obtaine|. Or thus: |Such is the force of Nature which seldome
wee doe see is euer chaunged by anie colours. Much haue they forsaken
that haue cast all from themselues|. It is commonlie the conclusion or
making vp of a discourse or sentence by some pithie manner of speaking.
As if a man shoulde inueigh against drunkennesse, hee might thus
conclude, |Hee nowe that thinketh it parcell of humanity, by thrusting
on of many cuppes to driue his friend into drunkennesse, let him also
thinke it kindnes, by a venemous confection giuen, to driue him into
madnesse.|=
=_Expeditio_, or _enumeratio_, when many reasons of auerment being
numbred togethers, we make a confutation of them, each one in
particular, as thus: |The goods in question beeing alleadged to bee
mine, it is requisite you prooue, either that you had them by chance,
that you haue long held or enioied them, that you bought them with your
money, or otherwise that by some gift you came to them, or lastly, in
succession that you haue obtained them. That you had them by chance it
cannot be, for they were not lost from my keeping. Long haue you not
held them, for they were alwaies till this in mine owne possession. It
is plaine you neuer bought them, for you paide mee no mony for them.
By gift you could not haue them, for the right was in me to giue them.
The succession must be void, for my selfe am yet liuing. It remaineth
then if you keep them, that liuing you doe cast me out of mine own
possession|. This chiefly appertaineth to the Iudiciall Epistles in the
state |Coniecturall|.=
=_Cōmoratio_, when matters diuerslie enlarged, are yet staid vpon, and
lastlie brought into one short conclusion, wherby the reasons are
made more weightie, and of the greater efficacie, as thus. |What will
you make of this man, whom ye seeke in this maner to set free, you see
he is a man prodigall of his owne fame, & a lier in waite for others
credits, one full of guile, intemperate, railing, proude and ambitious,
to his parents most wicked, ingratefull to his friends, hated of his
owne kinsemen, stubborne to his superiours, insolent with his equals,
to his inferiours cruell, and finallie to all persons whatsoeuer a
creature most intolerable.|=
=_Sententia_, A recitall of some graue matter by waie of a notable
saying or sentence, either by common custome admitted, or by some
authour deliuered, examples whereof are plentifullie to bee seene in my
Epistles.=
=_Exuscitatio_, A prouocation or stirring vp of others to the praise
or mislike of a thing, as thus: |What one is hee of so slender or
contemptible a spirit amongst vs, or who of all our Nation woulde bee
counted so enuious, as vpon so great and large a desert had by a man
so woorthie, woulde not willinglie render vnto him all honour and
due commendation?| Likewise of the contrarie for dispraise. |Doth it
not abhorre you to heare and vnderstand of a rabble of so great and
vnaccustomed lewdnesse, a man euerie way so vile, to goe thus freelie
vnpunished? Surelie I doe thinke no honest minde but would be of this
opinion, that of all creatures liuing hee were most worthie to be
extirped.|=
=_Omiosis_, The figure of resemblance or similitude, whereby wee
resemble one thing to another, as thus: |Like as they greatlie do
offend, who going to a publike well, whence all a whole citie hath
their water, do infect the same with a most deadly poison: Euen so do
they most wickedly merit of the common weale, who deprauing the mind
of a Prince, doe lade and frequent the same with most mischieuous
counsels|. Or thus: |Is it seene that men at the blast or byting of a
Viper, do shrinke, and forthwith do run for a medicine? How much more
ought they thē, for the auoiding of a most horrible shame, yᵉ infamous
sting wherof is far worse then all other poisons, to run to a remedie?|=
=_Icon_, An image or artificiall description of that we meane to
deliuer, as if in setting forth our most gratious Soueraigne, we
shoulde saie, |That Goddesse like adorned with high aspectes, or
statelie grace and maiestie diuine. In Chariot deckt with Princelie
ornaments shee issued foorth, &c.| Or thus, laying out the dreadfulnes
of warre, |Fierce and vntamed warre with eyes sparkling as the flaming
fire, whose face caried in it selfe a terrour to the lookers on, and
his coūtenance was as it were a present death. His gesture was as
the furious assault of a Lion, and his mouth as a deuouring pitte to
swallow the bloud of multitudes. Armed hee was with fire, with famine,
and with sword, crying reuengement on the world, and persecuting all
nations with a ceaslesse dread.|=
=_Paradigma_, a maner of exhorting or withdrawing by example, as to
saie, |the Elephants engender not, but in places most remote, and any
that by chance do see them in that time they kill. How much more then
behooueth that betweene those of reason, a shamefastnes be included
in executing that action|. Or thus. |The nature of the Dolphin is not
to suffer the yong ones of her kinde to straggle vndefenced, such
care haue they of their frie: How much more beseeming is it, that our
procreation which are men, should not be suffred to runne at random
without either guide or controlment.|=
=_Pareonasis_, or _Digressio_, a spéech beside the matter in present
spoken on, as to saie, |But heere let mee remember vnto you something
of the deserts and eternized memorie of your worthie and most vertuous
Parents|. Or thus: |giue me leaue a little to digresse from this
purpose, to the ende that by laying out of something yet vnspoken of, I
may the better wade into the rest.|=
FINIS.
Of the partes, place and Office
_of a Secretorie_.
=Considering howe many woorthie and excellent men, not onely in our
present age, but in manie yeares before vs haue liued, none of all
which (though questionlesse furnished with verie great abilitie) haue
to my certaine knowledge, euer written ought in our English tongue,
touching this title: It maie seeme questionable, how I the most
disfurnished of manie others, and subiect thereby to the insight and
correction of all others, durst take vppon mee to discourse thereupon,
weighing with my selfe the subiect I take in hand, to be of speciall
qualitie, and to none so much fitting as to those that bee greatest
learned, best aduised, discreetest gouerned, and worthiest ruled,
to treate vpon. Nor doe my selfe by such presumption of mine, déem
the same to be of lesse moment then it is. Howbeit, as one tied by a
former promise, in that my first edition of this present Methode of
|Epistles|, haue nowe taken vpon me (as you see) to write thereupon.=
=Truth is, that as I am none of those that maie vaunt my selfe of any
furniture sufficient to so speciall an end & purpose, yet haue I not
bin in some time of the yeares I haue spent, altogither excluded from
any fauour or tast therof at all. Neither haue I whollie spent the
seasons I haue caried, so vainely, but that at one time or other I haue
(not without some considerate aduerting) eyed the demeanours, issues,
and dispositions of sundrie humors, by insight whereinto, and some
proofe made of that which my selfe haue practised in place of seruice,
I am bold in this onelie discourse, to aduenture the performance of
that I haue promised.=
=In the discouerie whereof, my minde is not, nor shall be to prescribe
vnto any one, but to deliuer what in mine owne opinion, I haue
coniectured to be meetest in such a person. Wel regarding the number
of those who enabled by farre better skill, or guided by experience,
and their owne proper vertue, can both search and wade further therein,
then my poore abilitie may anie waies looke into. For which my purpose
is, and shall be in this present discourse, onlie to set forth vnto
such, whose vnripened yeers, or want of decernment, haue not yet made
them apt vnto so speciall a beeing, and qualitie: what in my plaine
conceit, vnto the place and office of such a one, meete and fit to be
a |Secretorie|, maie be thought most consonant and worthie.=
=To the accomplishment whereof, as the best and méetest induction to
such a matter, it shall not bee to slender purpose, to speake first
of the name thereof, and to sift out by what meane the partie seruing
in such a place, had the originall title to be called a |Secretorie|.
You shall then vnderstande, that as me séemeth, by speciall reason and
iudgement, this name |Secretorie|, importing therein as it doth action
of great consequence, doth beare in it matter of more circumstance,
then by euerie one is considered, and by howe much the more honourable
the place of attendance is, where such a one doth serue, by so much the
more beseemeth the partie called vnto such seruice, be a man choice
and of worthie estimate, habilitie and iudgement. So then am I not
of opinion of the multitude, who holde that the praiseable endeuour
or abilitie of well writing or ordering the pen, is the matter that
maketh the |Secretorie|, (albeit the vse heereof is not the least part
of manie other things incident to the same |office=) but that carying
with it selfe a purpose of much weightier effect, the person therunto
named was as a deriuatiue from that which containeth the chiefest title
of credite, and place of greatest assurance that may be reposed, in
respect of the affinitie they both haue of trust and |fidelitie|, each
with the other, by great conceyte and discretion, tearmed to bee a=
Secretorie.
=And albeit there happily maie be opinions some waies contrarying vnto
this my present deliuerie, touching the |originall| of this title: yet
standing directly assured that they all being laid togithers, must
of necessitie conclude on the verie |Secrecie, trust| and |regarde|,
speciallie imposed on him who beareth the same title: I will boldlie
for this cause define, that in respect of such |Secrecie, trust| and
|assuraunce| required at the handes of him who serueth in such place,
the name was first giuen to be called a |Secretorie|, and that by the
|etymologie| of the verie word it selfe, sounding in true coniecture,
_quasicustos_, or _conseruator secreti sibi commissi_, a keeper or
conseruer of the secret vnto him committed.=
=By this reason, we do call the most secrete place in the house,
appropriate vnto our owne priuate studies, and wherein wee repose and
deliberate by deepe consideration of all our waightiest affaires, a
|Closet|, in true intendment and meaning, a place where our dealings
of importance are shut vp, a roome proper and peculiar to our selues.
And whereas into each other place of the house, it is ordinarie for
euery néere attendant about vs to haue accesse: in this place we doe
solitarie and alone shut vp our selues, of this we keepe the key our
selues, and the vse thereof alone doe onelie appropriate vnto our
selues.=
=And if we should run but into the nature of things secret, and
consider by the name, what to such a matter is required, we shall find
that of it owne selfe it chalengeth so much, wherby with three things
most speciallie it is saide to be fortified, |viz.| with |couertnes|,
that it be closelie kept from the eyes, eares or vnderstanding of
others: |Safetie|, that securelie it be retained, and laid vp, both
with choice respect and tendering: |Assurance|, that by no mistake,
negligence, or defect of the partie hauing charge of such a secrete, it
may turne to a preiudice.=
=Thus then by the concurrence of these, it appeareth that vnto euerie
|secrete| there is required a |Closet|, and the proper vse of that
|Closet|, is onelie for the |couertnesse, saftie| and |assurance| of
the |secrete|: all which considered, let vs nowe see, if you will, what
|analogie| or proportion they haue with our |Secretorie|.=
=It hath beene alreadie before alledged, that by the verie |etimologie|
of the worde it selfe, both |Name| and |Office| in one, doe conclude
vppon |secrecie|: If so, then in respect of the |couertnes, safetie|
and |assurance| in him reposed, and not otherwise, the partie seruing
in such place may be called a |Secretorie|. The |Closet| in euerie
house, as it is a reposement of |secrets|, so is it onelie (as I saide
before) at the owners, and no others commaundement: The |Secretorie|,
as hee is a |keeper and conseruer of secrets|, so is hee by his
Lorde or Maister, and by none other to bee directed. To a |Closet|,
there belongeth properlie, a |doore|, a |locke|, and a |key|: to a
|Secretorie|, there appertaineth incidentlie, |Honestie, Care|, and
|Fidelitie|.=
=And forasmuch as by the concurrence of these twaine, both |Name| and
|Office| doe seeme in vsage and account to be of so great waightinesse,
and that our |Secretorie|, as wel in title, as place standeth by such
declaration, ioyntlie tied vnto so district an obseruance: let vs now
a little further enter into the function and place he beareth in such
kinde of seruice, and consider that being in one condition a |seruant|,
he is at the pleasure and appointment of another to be commanded:
and being in a second respect as a |Friend|, he is charilie to haue
in estimate, the state, honor, reputation and being of him whom he
serueth.=
=Touching the first of these, in that he is (I meane) a |Seruant|, it
is to be intended, that thereunto belongeth a |Superiour|, by whose
absolute direction, his actions of seruice, are to bee ordered and
commaunded. And notwithstanding the reputation, credite, and estate of
beeing, to him giuen and allowed by his |Lorde| or |Maister|, hee is
yet to consider, that the weight and summe thereof acrueth from his
onelie fauor, countenance, and good opinion, and that by howe much the
more, hee liberallie and of an honourable minde affoordeth vnto him
the respectes thereof: by so much the more seriouslie ought hee by all
possible endeuours of seruice and industrie, as farre forth as in him
is, to studie to conserue and vpholde the same.=
=And herein seemeth it not fruitlesse to oppose vnto such a ones
remembrance, some part of the considerations pertinent and annexed
to the state of a seruant, and what dependancie in common reckoning
resteth betwéene him, who beareth in his sway the authoritie and rule
of a Maister, and the other, who in account that he is to be commanded,
carieth a maner of subiection to that partie, who for the time of such
seruice, is at his hands to bee reuerenced and obeyed.=
=In regard of which, wee are to see, that by the title and prerogatiue
which euerie |maister| hath generallie ouer his |seruant|, there is a
certaine linke of dutie, wherewith each one that serueth is strained
to his obeysance. There is also by that very name of |seruant| a kind
of fidelitie and trust required, more speciall then that betwéene the
|sonne| and the |father|, and that of so great efficacy, as whereon
(peraduenture) may rest not alonely this disposition of the goods,
estate, & principall affairs, but also oftentimes yᵉ life, hazard or
vndoing of the person of his said |maister|.=
=A |Son| cannot be saide to owe fidelitie to his |parents|, for which
cause there is also no breach of trust on him to be imposed. If he
deale contrarie to the condition of a |son|, the bond by which he is
strained proceedeth of nature, and so are his actions accordinglie held
for vnkind, or vnnaturall. But the |seruant| not linked by nature, is
tied in trust, and by contrarying of such trust, or not performing
thereof, is held treacherous or vnfaithfull. Besides, so great a
|predomination| hath this name of |fidelitie| in the harts of a number,
that many haue refused to commit themselues in times of hazard to
their |Children|, but rather haue relied themselues wholie on the
assurance of their seruants.=
=And howbeit, most certaine it is, that |Nature| woonderfullie swaieth
manie times in her proper features, yet in this case hath she commonly
lesse efficacie then in any others. For as a currant of water loseth
his power in being turned backwarde, from his straightened course, but
hath forcible passage in the waie that it holdeth: so is |Nature| in
this action of |parentes| and |children|, which running forwards from
issue to issue, hath mighty operation, but when it should be returned
backwarde, hath seldome anie power at all.=
=Contrariwise, whether it be the |honestie| of the name that leadeth
it, or the |common reputation| that each faithfull vsage carieth in
the eares of good men, or a |feruencie of affection|, linked properlie
to the place where anie trust is reposed, I will not now dispute vpon,
but questionlesse, of so charie regarde hath |fidelitie| alwaies beene
accounted, as immediatlie vpon the name of a |seruant| taken, it
seemeth not alone to be vnto the selfe title appropriate, but it is in
a manner by the proper allowance thereunto giuen, seuerelie exacted.=
=Now, albeit this kind of exaction and charge, seemeth in the deliuerie
thereof to bee indéed verie great, yet when hee that serueth hath
performed all that in such case is to be required: he cannot for this
or that alledge, that hee hath effected anie more then whereunto by
the verie loyalty of a |seruant| he was enioyned, nor can hee rightlie
or properlie affirme, that by an extraordinarie respect more then he
ought, he hath accomplished the same. For that in things whereunto a
man is bounde, there can be no gratuitie opposed: but where a man
aboue that hee is charged hath further endeuoured, or more worthilie
attained, therein of troth, and not otherwise, shineth the greatest
praise and glorie vnto him that maie be.=
=For this cause then doe I saie of our |Secretorie|, that as hee is
in one degree in place of a |seruant|, so is he in another degrée in
place of a |friend|. A |seruant| meanlie trained in some |Mechanicall|
Science, sheweth fidelitie to his Maister, in an vpright dealing and
disposition of his wares or goodes. Another in like sort hauing the
receyte of his Maisters reuenewes, becommeth a faithfull dispenser in
his accountes and reckonings. Some on the other side haue asmuch or
the like |fidelitie| in keeping of counsels. Others againe by a termed
zeale vnto their masters, haue in recognizing their |fidelitie| died
willinglie for their fauours.=
=Of all these sortes of |Fidelitie|, the last as I am sure it hath
lesse seeming of credence or supposition of troth in common beléeuing
then anie of the others, so is it (you will grant mee,) the most
assured and most moouing pittie, prayse and commendation, in all
reckoning aboue anie of the others. And that such are and haue beene, I
could recite vnto you sundrie remembrances, and one but of late yeares,
that in verie sufficient knowledge fell out to be effected, and thus
was the circumstance, as my vnderstanding could beare it.=
=When sir |Iohn| of Desmond in Ireland, some number of years
passed, of a rebellious and cruell minde to the state there being,
and principallie to her Maiesty, had solemnly conspired, and most
tyrannously sworne the death and destruction of all English men in
his Countrey, there happened one |Henrie Dauill| an English Gentleman
to lie, at that verie bloudie pretended season, in the house of the
saide Knight, and for two causes of him was thought entirelie to bee
fauoured, the one in respect that hee was his Christian Gossip, as they
there terme it (a linke strong inough to haue purchased fauour in that
Countrey, had it not beene with a most bloudie tyrant) the other, in
that hee was a Gentleman both courteous, bountifull and valiant.=
=This Maister |Dauill| had at that time onelie an Irish boy attendant
vpon him, the time conspired for this murder was at midnight, when
all men careleslie were sleeping. About the watch whereof, sir |Iohn|
and his companie entring the Chamber of maister |Dauill|, wakened him
from sléepe, opened the conspiracie, and willed him to prepare him
to his lot, assuring him that were it not he had without exception
vowed in his heart, and sworn the death of all English men, he could
desirouslie, aswell for that he was his Christian Gossip, as for other
loue he ought him, haue suffered his life, but all being appointed to
die, he must go with the rest.=
=The boy hauing receiued into his eares the sound of his masters death,
and therewith sundrie menacing strokes seeing readie to bee proffered,
stirred (no question) by a most zealous |Fidelitie|, clasped on his
masters breast, and with such slender resistance as hee coulde, did
beare off the blowes, receyued vppon his owne bodie diuers and sundrie
wounds, and doe what they could, no one could pull or remooue him from
thence, till fretting rage kindeled in these mercilesse creatures, made
them kill the Boy vppon his maister, and his Maister vnder the Boy,
both at one instant togithers.=