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: made by Richard Rainolde Maister of Arte, of the Uniuersitie of Cambridge. 1563.

¶ The praise of the aucthour.

THe posteritee of tymes and ages, muste needes praise the wisedome and industrie, of all soche as haue lefte in monumentes of writyng, thynges worthie fame, * 1.1 what can bee more excellently set foorthe: or what deserueth chiefer fame and glorie, then the knowledge of artes and sci∣ences, inuented by our learned, wise, and graue aūcestours: and so moche the more thei deserue honour, and perpetuall commendacions, because thei haue been the firste aucthours, and beginners to soche excellencies. The posteritée praiseth and setteth forth the wittie and ingenious workes of Apelles, Parthesius, and Polucletus, and all soche as haue artificial∣ly * 1.2 setforth their excellent giftes of nature. But if their praise for fame florishe perpetuallie, and increaseth for the wor∣thines of theim, yet these thynges though moste excellent, are inferiour to vertue: for the ende of artes and sciences, is ver∣tue * 1.3 and godlines. Neither yet these thynges dissonaunt from vertue, and not associate, are commendable onely for vertues sake: and to the ende of vertue, the wittes of our auncestours were incensed to inuent these thynges. But herein Polude∣tus, Apelles, and Parthesius maie giue place, when greater vertues come in place, then this my aucthour Esope, for his * 1.4 godly preceptes, wise counsaill and admonicion, is chiefly to

bée praised: For, our life maie learne all goodnes, all vertue, of his preceptes. The Philosophers did neuer lo liuely sette * 1.5 forthe and teache in their scholes and audience, what vertue and godlie life were, as Esope did in his Fables, Citees, and common wealthes, maie learne out of his fables, godlie con∣corde * 1.6 and vnitee, by the whiche meanes, common wealthes florisheth, and kingdoms are saued. Herein ample matter ri∣seth to Princes, and gouernours, to rule their subiectes in all godlie lawes, in faithfull obedience: the subiectes also to loue * 1.7 and scrue their prince, in al his affaires and busines. The fa∣ther maie learne to bring vp, and instructe his childe thereby. The child also to loue and obeie his parentes. The huge and monsterous vices, are by his vertuous doctrine defaced and extirpated: his Fables in effcet contain the mightic volumes and bookes of all Philosophers, in morall preceptes, & the in∣finite monumētes of lawes stablished. If I should not speake * 1.8 of his commendacion, the fruictes of his vertue would shewe his commendacions: but that praise surmounteth all fame of glory, that commendeth by fame it self, the fruictes of fame * 1.9 in this one Fable, riseth to my aucthour, whiche he wrote of the Shepeherd, and the Wolues.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Inuentours of al excellent artes and sci∣ences, com∣mended to the posteritee.
• * 1.2

  Apelles. Parthesius. Polucletus.
• * 1.3

  The ende of all artes, is to godlie life.
• * 1.4

  Esope wor∣thie moche commendaciō
• * 1.5

  Philophie in fables.
• * 1.6

  Realmes maie learne concorde out of Esopes fables.
• * 1.7

  Preceptes to Kynges and Subiectes. Preceptes to parentes and children.
• * 1.8

  The content of al Lawes.
• * 1.9

  I true praise commēded by fame it self.