The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

Of speech and speaking. Chap. 12.

AMANA.

HAuing spent all this day in discoursing of prudence, and of those vices that are contrary vnto it, I thinke that to finish this daies worke, wee shall doe well to take in hand againe, and to follow that which was too briefely hand∣led concerning the commendable effects of this vertue of prudence in the soule of a wise man. This appeareth no lesse in speech than in any other action thereof, forasmuch as of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. But it is a great vertue to speake little and well. The discourse of this matter I leaue to you my companions.

ASER.

Surely the speech of man is a diuine worke, and of great admiration. And therfore wee ought to account it sacriledge to pollute and defile so holy a thing with filthy and vile talke. A good man alwaies draweth good things out of the treasure of his heart, and a * 1.1 wicked man euill things. Therefore I greatly commend that saying of Plutarke: That speech is as it were the nourishment of the soule, which is corrupted, and becommeth odious through the wicked∣nesse of men.

ACHITOB.

Hee that hath knowledge (saith the wise man) spareth his words: euen * 1.2 a foole, when hee holdeth his peace is counted wise, and hee that stoppeth his lippes pru∣dent. If any man long after life, and to see good daies, let him refraine his tongue from * 1.3 euill, and his lips that they speake no guile. For euery one shall eate of the fruite of his mouth to saluation, or to condemnation. But wee will heare ASER discoursing more at large vpon this matter.

ASER.

In the writings of the learned we finde mention made of a double speech or rea∣son: * 1.4 the one internall, or of the minde, called the diuine guide: the other vttered in speech, which is the messenger of the conceites and thoughts of man. The end of the first is friend∣ship towards a mans selfe. For respecting onely the marke of vertue, through the instructions of philosophie, it maketh a man to agree alwaies with himselfe, it causeth him to complaine neuer, to repent him of nothing, it maketh him full of peace, full of loue and and of conten∣tation in his owne vertue, it healeth him of euery rebellious passion that disobei••th reason, of all contention betweene will and will, and of the contrariety of discourses. O rare excel∣lencie, which floweth from wisedome into the soules of blessed men! The end of the other reason, or vttered speech, is friendship towards others, which causeth vs to speake and teach whatsoeuer is fruitefull and profitable for euery one, and carrieth with it great force to per∣swade. Of this speech we purpose heere to intreate, as of that which occupieth no small place, but euen very great amongst the secrets of nature, and which ought to rauish vs into an ad∣miration of his workes who is author thereof. The Philosophers, diligent searchers out the reason of all things, say that speech is made by aire beaten and framed with articulate and di∣stinct sound. But howsoeuer it is framed, the reason thereof is harde to bee comprehended of * 1.5 humane sence. And wee ought to bee so much the more desirous to know for what cause it was giuen vs, and to feare least wee make it vnprofitable or wickedly imploy so great, won∣derfull, and diuine a thing. Democritus saide that words were the shadow of workes. Themisto∣cles * 1.6 compared speech to a rich cloth of tapestrie, figured and setfoorth with stories, because that both in the one and the other those things that are fashioned and represented, are then seene when they are opened and displaied, and are not subiect to sight, neither bring any delight or contentation, when they are folded vp and hidden. When a wise man openeth his lips (saith Socrates) we behold as it werein a temple, the goodly similitudes and images of the soule. Vertue (saith Plutarke) hath no instrument so gracious or familiar as speech, which being followed of workes, is of great efficacie and force, and wonderfully pricketh forward those that heare vs, causing them to giue credite to oursayings, and working in them a desire to resemble vs. Aschines said very well, that it is not so necessarie, that the Orator and the Law should agree in one and the same thing, as it is requisite, that the life of a Philosopher should be conformable and agreeable with his doctrine and speech. Moreouer, a wise man ought to take euery word he speaketh for a voluntary and particular law, laide vpon himselfe, seeing that Philosophie is a profession of serious, graue, and weighty matters, and not a play or prittle prattle, vnconstantly vttered to obtaine honor onely. Whereby we see that all talke ought to haue reason for a foundation, and the loue of our neighbour for a marke to aime at. This is that which Agabetus would teach vs, when he saith, That the tongue is a slipperieinstru∣ment, * 1.7 and bringeth great danger to those that neglect it: but if we direct it with a religious vnder∣standing,

it will sing vs a song tuned with all the concords of a true harmonie of vertue. Plutarke saith, that speech ought to bee like gold, which is then of greatest price of value, when it hath least drosse in it: so a few words ought to comprehend great store of substan∣tiall matter and instruction. Such was the speech of the auncient Graecians, as the senten∣ces vttered by them doe testifie: namely, Know thy selfe, Nothing too much, Nothing more than enough, and other short speeches full of great and profitable doctrine. Whereupon * 1.8 this prouerbe arose, Laconicall sayings, that is, short and sententious, which resemble streames running through a narrow straight, where the water is so pressed together, that one cannot see through it. And so truely it was very harde without skill and great labour to comprehend the depth of the sence and vnderstanding of their wordes, which were full of sententious grauity. And when they were to answer any thing propounded on a suddaine, auoiding all superfluous speech, their answers were very witty and well contriued, their wordes very significant and short, hauing in them both grace and grauity ioyned together. As when Philip king of Macedonia wrote vnto them, that if hee entred within Laconia, hee would ouerthrow them topsie turuie: they wrote backe vnto him onely this word, If. And another time, as Demetrius one of his successors, beeing angry with the am∣bassadour which they sent vnto him, asked if hee came alone from the Lacedaemonians to him, the ambassadour made this onely answer, One to one. Pittacus vsed to say, that a drye and * 1.9 thirstie eare must bee washed with a sentence that is good to drinke, and that speech groun∣ded vpon reason onely, is able to content and satisfie the hearing. Notwithstanding that we may the rather and the more profite others, wee are not to neglect, if it may be, the ioyning of graue doctrine with sweete gracious and eloquent speech, mingled with some pleasure, grace, and delight, but voide of all dissolutenesse. For (as Euripides saith) that is the goodliest assemblie in the world, where the Graces and Muses meete together. Right and reason are * 1.10 inuincible, beeing well vttered, because the soule is therby induced easily to beleeue the good reasons shee heareth, through the delight that is ioyned with them. Examples also being vt∣tered fitlie, and with a good grace, profite no lesse than the other, because with the force of perswading, which is in the nature of the example, there is ioyned the vertue of delighting. But we must carefullie auoyde all subtiltie of speech, all proude, superfluous, and vnprofitable talke, lest that bee iustly obiected vnto vs, which Phocion replyed to Leosthenes who labou∣red to perswade the Athenians to warre by an eloquent and verie loftie oration. Thy words, (quoth hee to him) young man and my friend, may fitly bee compared to Cyprestrees. For they are great and tall, but beare no fruit worth any thing. Or else that may be obiected vn∣to vs which Aristotle answered to a great pleader of causes, who at euery sentence he rehear∣sed, asked him, if that were not a strange thing. Not that, (replyed he) but this is a greater * 1.11 maruaile, that any man hauing two legges can abide thy babling. And to another, who af∣ter a long discourse said vnto him, I haue troubled thy head Philosopher: Not a whit (an∣swered he) for I thought not vpon it. Such bablers, whom Plato verie aptlie calleth theeues of time, are compared by Plutarke to emptie vessels, which giue a greater sound thā they that are full. So hee that is poore in respect of the goods of the soule, hath alwayes some fonde speech in his mouth. But wee must aboue all things shunne this vice of intemperancie of the tongue, which Bias calleth the best and worst thing that was. It serueth vs to profit & * 1.12 instruct others, and by the same also wee hurt and corrupt others. And as a little fire consu∣meth a great wood, so this little member, which is a fire, yea, a world of iniquitie, defileth al the bodie, and setteth on a flaming fire the whole world, if it bee not extinguished and re∣pressed. It seemeth that nature would teach vs by fortifying the tongue better than any o∣ther part of the bodie, and by setting before it the bulwarke of the teeth, that if it will not obey reason, which being within ought to serue in stead of a bridle, to stay it from preuen∣ting the thought, we might restraine, and chastice the impudencie thereof with bloudie bi∣ting. And because we haue two eares and two eyes, it ought to serue vs for instruction, that wee must heare and see much more than wee speake. Doe we not also see, that sight & hea∣ring goe before speaking, and that of necessitie, an infant must first vnderstand before hee can be able to speake? Isocrates appointed onely two times to speake in: the one, when the matter is necessarie: and the other, when a man speaketh that which he knoweth. And this * 1.13 we may put in practise without blame in this maner. As touching the first point, it is lawfull and seemelie for vs to speake, when we stand in need of anything; secondly, when our speech shal profit any; also to delight & recreate one another with pleasant deuises, void of dissolute∣nesse, to mollifie and to ease the trauell of our affaires, or else to relish our rest the better,

and to induce vs thereby to giue glory to God. All speech not grounded vpon one of these three causes were better restrained than vttered, Moreouer wee ought to obserue inviolably the second point of not speaking that which we know not, except it be in seeking and as∣king after instruction: remembring that which Apelles once spake to Megabyses a great Per∣sian * 1.14 Lord, who comming into his shoppe to see him, intermingled some talke of the art of painting, So long (quoth Apelles to him (as thou were silent, thou seemedst to be some man of great account-by reason of thy chaines, car quenets of gold and purple gowne: but now there is not the least of these boies that grindeoker, who doth not mocke thee, hearing thee speake that which thou knowest not. By which saying wee may note, that great men ought to weigh well, and to consider of that which they speake in publike places, and to vse graue * 1.15 and sententious words of another phrase than that of the vulgar sort, or else to holde their peace if they haue not this gift of speaking: Or at the least they are ro speake but little, seeing the very words, gesture and countenance of a prince, are oftentimes taken for Lawes, Ora∣cles, and decrees. Tyberius also brought vp this custome of speaking to the Prince by writing, and of his answer by the same, to the end that nothing should escape his mouth that was not well considered of before. But to continue our matter, as the aboue named painter had set foorth atableo his owne for all men to behold, & had hid himselfe behind it, that he might heare what could be reprehended, a shoemaker espied a fault in the fashion of the latchet, which Apelles afterward corrected. And hauing the next morning hung it out againe to bee viewed, this shoemaker passing by, and seeing that his opinion was followed, entred further to speake against other lineaments. But the painter not able to beare his boldnes came from behinde his table, and stopped his mouth with this saying. That a shoemaker ought not to iudge of * 1.16 greater matters than of the shoe. This is the meaning of that common prouerbe, to goe about to teach Minerua: which is so into lerable a thing in men of honour, and so pernitious in the sim¦pler sort that are light of beliefe, that for this cause Alexander the Great gaue money to Che∣r••llus an ignorant poet, to hold this peace and to leaue writing. And seeing we are en∣tred * 1.17 into this matter, we must know that wee ought to bee much more staied and aduised in writing any thing, than in bare speaking: because a rash and and inconsiderate word may be corrected presently, and that which is once set downe in writing can no more be denied, or amended but with infamy. As therefore a man had neede of a ready and quicke wit to bee a∣ble * 1.18 to speake well: so great wisedome is very necessary to write well, yea the same rules and precepts that belong to speaking, agree also to writing. Besides, writing is called of many, a dumbe speech, which ought to be short and full of instruction. Caesar in a letter which he sent to Rome from the Persian battaile, wrote but these three words, Veni, vidi, vici, that is to say, I came, sawe, and ouer came. Octauian writing to his nephew Caius Drusus, said thus: For as much as * 1.19 thou art now in Illiria remember that thou descendest of Caesars, that the Senate hath sent thee, that thou art yong, my nephew, and a Citizen of Rome. Plato writing to Dyonisius the younger, vsed these words onely. To kill thy brother, to double thy tributes, to force the peo∣ple, to forget thy friends, to take good men for thine enemies, are the works of a tyrant. Pom∣pey writing to the Senate from the east parts: saide thus: Fathers of the Senate, Damascus is taken. Pentapolis is subdued, Syria, Ascalonia and Arabia are confederates, and Palestina is vanquished. Wee see then the manner of writing vsed by the auncients, for which breuity they were as much esteemed, as the great discoursers of these times after iust occasion of cor∣rection. But to returne againe into the path way of speaking, we haue in Cicero a notable in∣struction for this matter. Let our speech (saith he) be sweete and pleasant, not head-strong: * 1.20 and when wee discourse, let vs not be so long that wee hinder others from speaking. For speech of all other things ought to be mutuall and equall. Moreouer we must haue respect to that thing whereof we speake. If a man discourse of graue matters, he must adde a certaine se∣verity, but if he speake of delectable things, a pleasant and gracious behauiour. Aboue all things we must take heede, that our speech discouer not some vice to be in our maners, which commonly falleth out when wee speake euill of a man in his absence, either to mooue laugh∣ter, or to his shame and reproach. We must also remember, if our speech vpon some occasion coming between intermit the first discourse, that it return again in coueniēt time. But that is as things fal out. For al take not pleasure in the same things, nor at all times, & as we haue be∣gun vpo some occasiō, so we must end by some means. Now because in euery actiō of our life the perturbatiō of the soule are to be eschewed, we must be careful that our speech bee voide thereof: namely, that it bee without choler, without extreame affections, also without care∣lesnesse, and other such like imperfection. Especially we must striue to make it knowne, that

we loue and reuerence those with whom we speake. Further, we must know that silence in due time and place, is profound wisedome, a sober and modest thing, and full of deepe se∣crets. * 1.21 This caused Archidamus, when hee saw that Hecatus the Orator was blamed for not speaking one word at a bauquet, to answere for him, that they which know how to speake well, know also the time of silence. Hyperides likewise beeing at a feast amongst a great as∣sembly, very full of noyse and pleasure, and being asked why hee spake nothing, answe∣red * 1.22 thus: It is no time now to discourse of those thinges for which I am fitte: and as for those thins, which the time now requireth, I am vnfitte. Bias being mocked of a bab∣ler, because hee spake nothing all a Supper while, answered him thus: How is it possible that a foole should hold his peace at the table? The Ambassadours of the King of Persia being at a feast with a citizen of Athens, and seeing Zeno the great Philosopher say nothing; they be∣gan to flatter him, and to drinke to him, saying; What shall wee tell the King our master concerning you, Master Zeno? Nothing else (quoth he) but that you saw an olde man, who knew well how to hold his peace at the table. And truely no speech vttered did euer so much good, as many kept in, haue profited: and that which is restrained may be spoken at any time; but a word giuen out can no more bee called backe againe. For wordes (as the Poet sayth) haue wings, and are presently dispersed euery where: and many repent that they haue spo∣ken, but neuer that they held their peace. How many examples do histories set before our eies of men, who through the intemperancie of their tongues, haue throwne themselues head∣long into infinit calamities, and of mightie Cities and great Estates destroyed & ouerthrown * 1.23 through the disclosing of some secret? The City of Athens was taken and destroyed by Syl∣la the Romane dictatour, who by his spies was admonished of the pratling of certaine olde men in a Barbers shop, where they talked of a certaine place of the towne that was weakest, and worst defended. The ouermuch talke of one only man was the cause that Rome was not deliuered from the tyranny of Nero. For seeing one of the prisoners that was taken by the tyrant to be dismayed because hee should be put to death, he willed him to pray to God that he might escape but vntil the morrow onely, and then he should haue cause of reioycing. Whereupon the Prisoner thinking with himselfe, that it were better for him to choose a cer∣tainety than to expect an vncertainetie, and to prefer a safe way to saue his life, before a iust, disclosed this speech to Nero, who knew well how to remedie the conspiracie. The Gentle∣man of Normandie who in his confession, told a Franciscan Fryer, that he was once minded to haue killed Francis the first, may well be placed amongst these ouermuch speakers. For the King being aduertised hereof by the Franciscan Frier, sent the poor penitentiarie to the court of Parliament, where he receiued sentence of death. Those that are noblie & royally brought vp (sayth Plutarke) learne first to hold their peace, and then to speake. Therefore Antigo∣nus the Great being demaunded by his sonne, at what houre the Campe should dislodge: Art thou afraid (quoth he to him) that thou alone shalt not heare the trumpet? He trusted not him with a secret matter, to whom the succession of the Empire was to come: teaching him thereby to bee more close and secret in such matters. Euerie particular man likewise ought to be no lesse aduised in vsing great discretion, when the question is of vttering any thing which a man would haue concealed. For hee (saith Plato) to whom one discloseth a secret, getteth the others libertie. Now in this laudable silence which we commend here, we haue * 1.24 this to marke well, that when the question is of speaking a truth, or of profiting another, we ought not to doubt in anie case, what pretence soeuer there be, to speake, vtter, maintain, & freelie to giue counsel in that thing, which concerneth the duty of a good man, or the charge whereunto we are called. The Sages and vertuous men heretofore haue alwayes shewed themselues to be such in their free counsels and wise declarations, as hereafter we may handle more largely. In the meane time wee may haue here Demaratus for an example of this com∣mendable * 1.25 liberty of speech, who comming from Corinth into Macedonia, when Philip was at variance with his wife and with his sonne, was demaunded by the King, whether the Graecians did agree well among themselues: Truely sir, (quoth he to him) it becommeth you well to enquire after the concord of the Athenians and Peloponesians, and in the meane while to suffer your owne house to be full of diuision and domesticall discord. Diogenes also being gone to the Campe of the same Philip, at the same time that hee returned from making warre against the Graecians, and being led before him, the King asked him if he were not a Spie. Yes truely, answered the Philosopher, I am a Spie, and come hither to espie thy im∣pudencie and folly, who not constrained by any, doest set downe as it were on a dycing boord in the hazard of one houre, both thy kingdom and life. Demosthenes being demanded

of the tyrant Epemetes, why hee wept so bitterlie for the death of a Philosopher, a compani∣on of his, seeing it was a strange matter to see wise men weepe, yea altogether vnbeseeming their profession. Know (said he to him) that I weepe not for the death of this Philosopher, but because thou art a liue. For I tell thee that in the Academies we are more sorrowfull for the life of the wicked, than for the death of good men. Let vs learne then by our present discourse, that talk being the messenger of thought discloseth our maners a great deale more than the lines and draughts of our face doe. And as that tree whose roote is drie can haue no greene leaues: so from a vitious and corrupted soule, nothing but vile and filthie spee∣ches can proceede, which a wise man ought wholie to shunne, because to make small ac∣count of euill words, leadeth a man by little and little to dishonest deeds. Let all vain speech also bee banished from vs, and let vs take great heed, that we neuer speake, either in sport or earnest any one word that is not true, knowing that to be true in word, is the beginning & foundation of a notable vertue. Moreouer, let vs know, that truth is not onely betrayed of those that speake falsely, and maintaine a lye, but also of those that dare not confesse and defend it publikely. Let vs know that aboue all things we must dedicate our voice & speech to sing the prayses of God, remembring the saying of that holy man Gordius, who, as he was * 1.26 led to the place of punishment was exhorted by some to leaue his opinion, and to saue his life. To whom he answered, That the tongue ought to vtter nothing that is iniurious to the Creator thereof. Lastly, let vs know that we must referre euery word to the glory of his name, and the profite of our neighbours.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math. 12. 35.
• * 1.2

  Prou. 17. 27, 28.
• * 1.3

  1. P••t. 3. 10.
• * 1.4

  A double rea∣son of speech.
• * 1.5

  How speech is framed.
• * 1.6

  Words are the shadow of works.
• * 1.7

  The founda∣tion and ••••ope of all speech.
• * 1.8

  Of Laconical speech.
• * 1.9

  A pretie say∣ing of Pitta∣cus.
• * 1.10

  Of graue and eloquent speech.
• * 1.11

  Against pra∣ting pleaders.
• * 1.12

  The tongue is the best and worst thing that i••.
• * 1.13

  Isocrates ap∣pointed two times of spea∣king.
• * 1.14

  Appelles 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to a persian lord.
• * 1.15

  How great me•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to speak••••
• * 1.16

  Apelles spech to a shoe∣maker.
• * 1.17

  Alexander gaue••••on•• to a poet to hold his peace.
• * 1.18

  Nothing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to bee 〈…〉〈…〉 o••.
• * 1.19

  Notable and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 letters of an•• en•• men.
• * 1.20

  A good pre∣cept for spea¦king.
• * 1.21

  The prayse of silence.
• * 1.22

  Hyperides.
• * 1.23

  Examples of mischiefes caused by the intemperancy of the tongue.
• * 1.24

  Of concea∣ling a secrer.
• * 1.25

  Examples of the commen∣dable freedom of speech.
• * 1.26

  The constan∣cie of Gordi∣us.