The arte of rhetorique for the vse of all suche as are studious of eloquence, sette forth in English, by Thomas Wilson.

¶The kynde Demonstratiue, where∣in chiefly it is occupied.

THere are diuerse thynges, whiche are praised, and dispraised, as menne, Countreis, Citees, Places, Beastes, Hilles, Riuers, Houses, Castles, dedes doen by worthy menne, and pollicies inuented by greate warriers, but moste commonly me•• are praised, for diuerse respectes, before any of the other thynges are ta∣ken in hande.

Nowe in praisyng a noble personage,* 1.1 and in settyng furthe at large his worthinesse, Quintilian geueth war∣nyng, to vse this threfolded order.

To obserue thynges.

• Before his life.
• In his life.
• After his death.

Before a mannes life, are considered these places.

• The Realme.
• The Shire.
• The Toune.
• The Pareutes.
• The Auncestours.

IN a mannes life, praise muste be parted threfolde. That is to saie, into the giftes of good thynges of the mynde, the body, and of fortune. Now the gif∣tes of the body, and of fortune, are not praise wor∣thy,

of their awne nature: but euen as thei are vsed, either to, or fro, so thei are either praised, or dispraised. Giftes of the mynde, deserue the whole trumpe and sound commen∣dacion aboue all other, wherein wee maie vse the rehersall of vertues, as thei are in order, and beginnyng at his infā∣cie, tell all his doynges, till his last age.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Noble perso∣nages, howe thei should be praised.