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

¶The places whereof, are these.

The birthe, and infancie.	Whether the person be a man, or a womā
The childhode.	The bryngyng vp, ye nurturyng, and the behauour of his life.
The stripelyng age, or spryng tide	To what study he ta¦keth hymself vnto, what company he v∣seth, how he liueth.
The mānes state.	Wherunto are referred these.	Prowesses doen, either abrode, or at home.
The olde age.	His pollicies & wit∣tie deuises in behoue of the publique wele
The tyme of his departure, or deth	Thynges that haue happened aboute his death.

NOw to open al these places more largely, aswell those that are before a mannes life, as suche as are in his life, and after his death, that the reader maie further se the profite, I will do the best I cā

The house wherof a noble personage came,* 1.1 declares the state and nature of his auncesters, his alliaunce, and his kynsfolke. So that suche worthy feactes, as thei haue here∣tofore doen, and al suche honors as thei haue had, for suche their good seruice, redowndes wholy to the encrease and

amplifiyng of his honour, that is now liuyng.

The Realme,* 1.2 declares the nature of the people. So that some Countrey brengeth more honor with it, then another doth. To be a Frenche manne, descendyng there of a noble house, is more honor then to be an Irishe manne: to bee an Englishe manne borne, is muche more honour, then to be a Scotte, because that by these men, worthy prowesses haue been dooen, and greater affaires by theim attempted, then haue been doen by any other.

The Shire or Toune* 1.3 helpeth somewhat, towardes the encrease of honour: As it is muche better, to bee borne in Paris, then in Picardie, in Lōdon, then in Lincolne. For that bothe the aire is better, the people more ciuill, and the wealth muche greater, and the menne for the moste parte more wise.

To bee borne a manchilde, declares a courage, grauitie, and constancie. To be borne a woman, declares weakenes of spirite, neshenes of body, and fikilnesse of mynde.* 1.4

Now for the bringing vp of a noble personage,* 1.5 his nurse must be considered, his plaie felowes obserued, his teacher and other his seruauntes, called in remembraunce. Howe euery one of these liued then, with whom thei haue liued afterwardes, and how thei liue now.

By knowyng what he taketh hymself vnto, and wherin he moste deliteth, I maie commende hym for his learnyng, for his skill in the Frenche, or in the Italian, for his know∣lege in Cosmographie: for his skill in the lawes, in the hi∣stories of all countreis, and for his gift of endityng.* 1.6 Again, I maie cōmende hym for plaiyng at weapons, for runnyng vpon a greate horse, for chargyng his staffe at the Tilte, for vautyng, for plaiyng vpon instrumentes, yea, and for pain∣tyng, or drawyng of a platte, as in old tyme noble princes, muche delited therein.

Prowesse doen, declare his seruice to the Kyng, and his countrey, either in withstandyng the outwarde e••emie, or els in aswagyng the rage of his awne coūtreymē at home.* 1.7

His wise counsaill, and good aduise geuen, settes furthe the goodnesse of his witte.* 1.8

At the tyme of his departyng,* 1.9 his sufferaunce of all sick∣nesse, may muche commende his worthinesse. As his strong harte, and cherefull pacience euen to the ende, cannot wāt greate praise. The loue of all men towardes hym, and the lamentyng generally for his lacke, helpe well moste highly to set furthe his honour.

After a mannes death,* 1.10 are considered his tombe, his cote armour set vp, and all suche honours, as are vsed in fune∣ralles. If any one liste to put these preceptes in practise, he maie doo, as hym liketh best. And surely I do thynke, that nothyng so muche furthereth knowlege, as daiely exercise, and enuryng our selfes to do that in dede, whiche we know in woorde. And because examples geue greate lighte, after these preceptes are set furthe, I will commende two noble gentlemen, Henry Duke of Suffolk, and his brother lorde Charles Duke* 1.11 with hym.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The house o•• aūcestrie wher¦of a noble per∣sonage cometh.
• * 1.2

  ii. The realme.
• * 1.3

  iii. The Shire or Toune.
• * 1.4

  iiii. The se••e or kynde.
• * 1.5

  v. Educac••on.
• * 1.6

  vi. Inclinaciō of nature.
• * 1.7

  vii Attemptes worthy.
• * 1.8

  viii.
• * 1.9

  Tyme of it. departing this worlde.
• * 1.10

  After depar∣ture.
• * 1.11

  Duke of Suf∣folke, and lord Charles.