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

¶Of the foundacion, or rather principall paincte in euery de∣bated matter, called of the Rhe••oricians the State, or constitucion of the Cause.

NOT onely is it nedefull in causes of iudgement to considre the scope whereunto wee must leauell our reasons, & directe our inuencion: but also we ought in euery cause to haue a respect vnto some one espe∣cial poincte, and chief article: that the rather the whole drift of our doynges may seeme to agree with our firste deuised purpose. For, by this meanes our iudgement shalbe framed to speake with discretion, and the ignoraunt shall learne to perceiue with profite, whatsoeuer is said for his enstructiō. But they that take vpon theim to talke in open audience, & make not their accompte before, what thei wil speake after: shal neither be well liked for their inuenciō, nor allowed for their witte, nor estemed for their learnyng. For, what other thyng do they, that boult out their wordes in suche sorte, & without al aduisement vtter out matter: but showe them∣selues to plaie as young boyes, or scarre crowes do, whiche showte in the open and plaine feldes at all auentures hittie missie.* 1.1 The learned therfore and suche as loue to beco••mp∣ted Clerkes of vnderstandyng, and men of good circumspe∣ction and iudgement: doe warely scanne what they chefely mynd to speake, and by definition seke what that is where∣unto they purpose to directe their whole doynges. For, by suche aduised warenesse, and good iye castyng: they shall al∣waies be able both to knowe what to say, & to speake what they ought. As for example if I shal haue occasion to speake in open audience of the obediēce due to our souereigne kyng I ought first to learne what is obedience, and after knowe∣lege attained, to direct my reasons to the onely proue of this purpose, and wholly to seke confirmacion of the same, & not turne my tale to talke of Robbyn Hoode, & to showe what a goodly archer was he, or to speake wounders of the man in the Mone,* 1.2 suche as are most nedelesse & farthest from the purpose. For then, the hearer lookyng to be taught his obe∣dience, & hearing in the meane season mad tales of archerie, and great meruailes of the man in the Mone: beyng half a∣stonied

at his so great straing wil perha••pes say to himself: Now, whether the deuill wilt thou, come in man againe for very shame, & tel me no bytailes, suche as are to no purpose but show me that whiche thou diddest promise both to t••a∣che & perswade at thy first entrie. Assuredly suche fonde fe∣lowes there haue been, yea euē emong Preachers, that tal∣king of faith, thei haue fetcht their ful race from the .xij. sig∣nes in the Zodiake. An other talking of the general resurre∣ction hath made a large matter of our blessed Lady, praisyng her to be so ientle, so courtise, & so kynd, that it were better a thousandfould to make sute to her alone thē to Christ her sonne. And what needed (I pray you) any suche rehersal be∣yng both vngodly, & nothyng at al to the purpose? for, what maketh the praise of our lady to the confirmaciō of the gene¦ral dowme? Would not a man thinke him mad that hauyng an earnest errand from London to Douer, would take it the next way to ride first into Northfolke, next into Essex, & last into Kent? And yet assuredly many an vnlearned & witte∣lesse mā hath straied in his talke much farther a great deale, yea truely as farre, as hence to Rome gates. Therfore wise are thei that folow Plinies aduise,* 1.3 who would that al men both in writing & speakyng at large vpon any matter, should euer haue an iye to the chief title & principal ground of their whole entent, neuer swaruing frō their purpose, but rather bringyng al thinges together to cōfirme their cause so much as they can possible. Yea, the wise & experte men wil aske of thēselfes, how hangeth this to the purpose? to what end do I speake it? what maketh this for cōfirmacion of my cause? & so by oft questionyng either chide their owne fol••e, if they speake amisse▪ or els be assured thei speake to good purpose.

A State therfore generally is the chief grounde of a mat∣ter,* 1.4 and the pryncipal poincte whereunto both he that spea∣keth shoulde referre his whole wit, & thei that heare should chefely marke. A Preacher taketh in hande to showe what praier is, and how nedeful for man, to cal vpon God: Now, he shoulde euer remembre this his matter, applieng his rea∣sons wholy and fully to this end that the hearers may both knowe the nature of praier, and the nedefulnesse of praier.

The whiche when he hath doen, his promise is fulfilled, his time wel bestowed, and the hearers wel iustructed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Definition of a thyng must first be knowē ere we speake o•••• mynd at large.
• * 1.2

  Rouyng with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reason.
• * 1.3

  Plinies coun∣sel for hande∣ling of caus••••.
• * 1.4

  A State gene∣rally what it is.