Read Ebook: A booke called the Foundacion of Rhetorike because all other partes of Rhetorike are grounded thereupon euery parte sette forthe in an Oracion vpon questions verie profitable to bee knowen and redde by Rainolde Richard

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 260 lines and 22558 words, and 6 pages

In the fifte place vse a comparison, wherein that whiche you praise, maie be aduaunced to the vttermoste.

? The example of the Oracion.

? The praise of Epaminundas.

Of his countrie.

EPaminundas was borne in Thebe a famous citie in Beotia, the which Cadmus the sone of Agenor buil- ded, whiche Amphion did close & enuiron with wal- les, in the whiche the mightie and valiaunt Hercules was borne, & manie noble Princes helde therin scepter, the which Citie is tituled famous to the posterity by the noble gouern- ment of Epaminundas.

? Of his auncetours.

EPaminundas came not of anie highe nobilitie or blood, but his parentes were honeste and verteous who as it semed were verie well affected to vertue, instructyng their soonne in all singulare and good qualities, for by good and vertuous life and famous enter- prises from a meane state, manie haue bene extolled to beare scepter, or to attaine greate honour, for as there is a begyn- nyng of nobilitie, so there is an ende, by vertue and famous actes towarde the common wealthe, nobilite first rose. The stock of Cesar and Cesars was exalted from a meaner state, by vertue onelie to nobilitie. Scipios stocke was not alwais noble, but his vertues graffed nobilitie to the posteritie of his line and ofspryng followynge. And euen so as their fa- mous enterprices excelled, nobilite in theim also increased. Catilina wicked, was of a noble house, but he degenerated from the nobilitie of his auncestours, the vertues that graf- fed nobilitie in his auncestors, were first extinguished in Ca- iline. Marcus Antonius was a noble Emperour, a Prince indued with all wisedome and Godlie gouernmet, who was of a noble paretage, it what a wicked sonne succeded him, the father was not so godlie, wise, and vertuous, as Commo- dus was wickedlie disposed and pestiferous. There was no vertue or excellence, m?ete for suche a personage, but that Marcus attained to. Who for wisedome was called Marcus Philosophus, in his sonne what vice was the that he practi- sed not, belie chier, druncknes and harlottes, was his delite, his crueltie and bluddie life was suche that he murthered all the godlie and wise Senatours, had in price with Marcus his father. Seuerus in like maner, was a noble and famous Emperor, in the Senate moste graue, politike, and in his warres moste fortunate, but in his sonne Marcus Antoni- nus Caracalla, what wickednes wanted, whose beastlie life is rather to be put in silence, then spoken of. In the assemble of the Grecians, gathered to consulte vpon the contencion of Achilles armour, Aiax gloriouslie aduaunceth hymself of his auncestrie, from many kinges descended, whom Ulisses his aduersarie aunswered: makyng a long and eloquente Ora- cion, before the noble p?eres of Grece, concernyng Aiax his auncetours. These are his woordes.

As for our parentage, and line of auncetours, long before vs, and noble actes of theirs: as we our selues haue not doen the like, how can we call, and title their actes to be ours. Let them therefore, whiche haue descended from noble blood, and famous auncetours: bee like affected to all nobilit?e of their auncetours, what can thei glory in the nobilit?e of their aun- cetours. Well, their auncetours haue laied the foundacion, and renoume of nobilitee to their ofspryng. What nobilitee is founde in them, when thei builde nothyng, to their aunce- tours woorke of nobilit?e. Euen as their auncetours, noblie endeuoured them selues, to purchase and obtain, by famous actes their nobilit?e) for, nobilit?e and vertue, descendeth al- waies to the like) so thei contrary retire and giue backe, fro all the nobili?e of their auncestours, where as thei ought, with like nobilit?e to imitate them. Many haue been, whiche through their wisedome, and famous enterprises, in the af- faires of their Prince, worthelie to honour haue been extol- led and aduaunced: who also were the firste aucthours and founders of nobili?e, to their name and ofspring. Whose of- spring indued with like nobilit?e of vertues, and noble actes haue increased their auncestors glorie: the childre or ofspring lineally descendyng, hauyng no part of the auncestours glo- rie, how can thei vaunte them selues of nobili?e, whiche thei lacke, and dooe nothyng possesse thereof, Euen from lowe birthe and degr?e. Galerius Armentarius was aduaunced, euen from a Shepherdes sonne, to sit in the Imperiall seat of Roome. Galerius Maximinus whom all the Easte obaied, his vertues and noble acts huffed hym to beare scepter in the Empire of Roome. Probus a Gardiners soonne, to the like throne and glorie asceded, so God disposeth the state of euery man, placyng and bestowing dignit?e, where it pleaseth him as he setteth vp, so he pulleth doune, his prouidence & might is bounde to no state, stocke, or kindred.

? Of his educacion.

EPaminudas beyng borne of soche parentes, was brought vp in all excellente learnyng, for, vnder hym Philippe the kyng of the Macedonians, the soonne of Amintas, was brought vp. This Epa- minundas, the Histories note hym to be a chief Philosopher, and a capitaine moste valiaunte. In Musike, in plaiyng, and singyng finelie to his Instrumente, notable and famous, no kinde of learnyng, arte, or science, wanted in his breaste: So greate and aboundante were his vertues, that aboue all go- uernours, whiche haue been in Thebe, his name and fame is chieflie aduaunced.

? The praise of his actes.

? The comparison.

? The conclusion.

OF many thynges, these fewe are recited, but if his whole life and vertues, wer worthely handeled: fewe would beleue, soche a rare gouernour, so vertuous a Prince, so hardie and valiaunte a capitaine, to haue remai- ned in no age.

? The parte of Rhetorike, called dispraise.

In praise, we extoll the persone: First by his countr?e.

Then by his auncestours and parentes.

In the third place, by his educacion and institucion.

Then in the fowerth place, of his actes in life.

In the fifte place vse a comparison, comparyng the per- sone with other, whiche are more inferiour.

Then the conclusion.

Now in dispraise, contrarily we doe procede.

Firste, in the dispraise of his countr?e.

Of his auncetours and parentes.

His educacion is dispraised.

Then his actes and deedes of life.

Also in your comparison with other, dispraise hym.

Then in the laste place, adde the conclusion.

All thynges that maie be praised, maie be dispraised.

? The dispraise of Nero.

AS vertue meriteth commendacion and immor- tall renoume, for the nobilit?e and excellencie reposed in it: so ougle vices for the deformit?e of them, are in mynd to be abhorred and detested, and with all diligence, counsaile, and wisedome auoided. As pestiferous poison extinguisheth with his cor- rupcion and nautinesse, the good and absolute nature of all thinges: so vice for his pestiferous nature putteth out vertue and rooteth out with his force all singularit?e. For, vice and vertue are so of nature contrary, as fire and water, the vio- lence of the one expelleth the other: for, in the mansion of ver- tue, vice at one tyme harboreth not, neither vertue with vice can be consociate or vnited, for, vertue is a singuler meane, or Mediocrite in any good enterprise or facte, with order and reason finished. Whose acte in life, doeth repugne order and reason, disseuered from all Mediocrite, soche do leaue iustice, equit?e, wisedome, temperaunce, fortitude, magnanimit?e, and al other vertues, bothe of minde and body: onely by ver- tues life men shewe theim selues, as chief creatures of God, with reason, as a moste principall gifte, beautified and deco- rated: In other giftes, man is farre inferiour to beastes, both in strength of bodie, in celerit?e and swiftnesse of foote, in la- bour, in industrie, in sense, nothyng to bee compared to bea- stes, with beastes as a peculier and proper thyng, wee haue our bodie of the yearth: but our minde, whiche for his diuini- t?e, passeth all thynges immortall, maketh vs as gods emog other creatures. The bodie therefore, as a aliaunt and forain enemie, beyng made of a moste base, moste vile and corrup- tible nature, repugneth the mynde. This is the cause, that wickednesse taketh soche a hedde, and that the horrible facte and enterprise of the wicked burste out, in that, reason exiled and remoued from the minde, the ougle perturbacions of the minde, haue their regiment, power, and dominio: and where soche state of gouernemente is in any one bodie, in priuate and domesticalle causes, in forraine and publike affaires, in kyngdome and comon wealthe. Uertue fadeth and decaieth, and vice onely beareth the swaie. Lawe is ordered by luste, and their order is will, soche was the tyme and gouernment of this wicked Nero.

? Of his countree.

? Of his anncestours.

DOmitianus Nero, the sonne of Domitius Enobar- bus, Agrippina was his mothers name: this Agrip- pina, was Empresse of Rome, wife to Claudius Ti- berius, the daughter of his brother Germanicus. This A- grippina, the Chronicle noteth her, to be indued with al mis- chief and cruelt?e: For, Tiberius her housbande, hauyng by his firste wife children, thei were murthered by her, because she might, thei beyng murthered, with more facilit?e, fur- ther the Empire, to her soonnes handes, many treasons con- spired against them oftentimes, Agrippina poisoned her hus- bande, then Nero succeded.

? Of his educacion.

SEneca the famous Poete & Philosopher, was schole- maister to Nero, who brought hym vp in all nobili- tie of learnyng, mete for his state: though that Nero was wickedlie of nature disposed, as his beastlie gouerne- ment sheweth, yet wickednes in him, was by the seueritie of Seneca, and his castigacion depressed: for Traianus Empe- rour of Rome, would saie, as concernyng Nero, for the space of fiue yeres, no Prince was like to hym, for good gouerne- ment, after fiue yeres, losely and dissolutly he gouerned.

? Of his actes.

? A comparison.

? The conclusion.

MOche more the life and gouernement of wicked Ne- ro, might be intreated of, but this shall be sufficient: to shewe how tyrannically and beastly, he gouerned vnmete of that throne.

? A comparison.

A Comparison, is a certain Oracion, shewyng by a collacion the worthines, or excellecie of any thing: or the naughtines of thesame, compared with any other thyng or thynges, either equalle, or more in- feriour.

In a comparison good thynges, are compared with good as one vertue with an other: as wisedome & strength, whiche of them moste auaileth in peace and warre.

Euill thynges maie bee compared with good, as Iustice, with iniustice, wisedome with foolishnes.

Euill thynges maie be compared, with euill thynges, as wicked Nero, compared to Domitianus, or Caligula to Co- modus, theft to homicide, drunkenes with adulterie.

Small thynges maie be compared with greate: the king with his subiect, the Elephant or Camell to the Flie, a Cro- codile to the Scarabe.

In a comparison, where argumente is supputated on bothe the sides, worthelie to praise, or dispraise.

Where a comparison is made, betwene a thyng excel- lente, and a thyng more inferiour: the comparison shall pro- cede with like facilitee.

All thynges that maie bee celebrated with praise, or that meriteth dispraise: al soche thynges maie be in a comparison.

The persone, as Cato being a wise man, maie be compa- red with Nestor, the sage p?ere of Grece: Pompei with Ce- sar, as Lucane compareth them, and so of all other men.

Thynges maie bee compared, as golde with siluer: one mettall with an other.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet