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

¶Fiue thynges to be conside∣red in an Oratour.

ANy one that will largely handle any matter, muste fasten his mynde, first of all vpon these fiue especial poynctes that folowe, and learne theim euery one.* 1.1

• j. Inuencion of matter.
• ij. Disposicion of thesame.
• iij. Elocucion.
• iiij. Memorie.
• v. Utteraunce.

THe findyng out of apte matter, called otherwise Inuencion,* 1.2 is a searchyng out of thynges true, or thynges likely, the whiche maie reasonably sette furth a matter, and make it appere probable. The places of Logique, geue good occasion to finde out plenti∣tifull matter. And therefore thei that will proue any cause and seke onely to teache thereby the truthe, muste searche out the places of Logique, and no doubte thei shall finde muche plentie. But what auaileth muche treasure and apt matter, if man cānot apply it to his purpose. Therefore in the seconde place is mencioned, the settelyng or orderyng of thynges inuented for this purpose, called in Latine, Dispositio,* 1.3 the whiche is nothyng els, but an apt bestow∣yng, and orderly placyng of thynges, declaryng where eue∣ry argument shalbe sette, and in what maner euery reason shalbe applied, for confirmacion of the purpose.

But yet what helpeth it though we can finde good rea∣sons, and knowe howe to place theim, if we haue not apte wordes, and picked sentences, to commēde the whole mat∣ter.

Therefore this poynct must nedes folowe, to beautifie the cause, the whiche beyng called Elocucion,* 1.4 is an appli∣yng of apte wordes and sentēces to the matter, founde out to confirme the cause. When all these are had together, it auaileth litle, if manne haue no Memorie to contein theim. The Memorie therefore must be cherished,* 1.5 the whiche is a fast holdyng, bothe of matter and woordes couched toge∣ther, to confirme any cause.

Be it now that one haue all these .iiij, yet if he want the fift, all the other dooe litle profite. For though a manne can finde out good matter, and good woordes, though he canne handsomely set them together, and cary them very well a∣waie in his mynde, yet it is to no purpose, if he haue no vt∣teraunce, when he should speake his minde, and shewe men what he hath to saie. Utteraunce therefore is a framyng of the voyce, countenaūce, and gesture, after a comely maner.* 1.6

Thus we se that euery one of these must go together, to make a perfecte Oratoure, and that the lacke of one, is an hynderaunce of the whole, and that aswell all maie be wā∣tyng, as one, if we loke to haue an absolute Oratour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Orators must haue fiue thin∣ges to make them perfect.
• * 1.2

  Inuencion, what it is.
• * 1.3

  Disposicion, what it is.
• * 1.4

  Elocucion, what it is.
• * 1.5

  Memorie, what it is.
• * 1.6

  Pronunciatiō what it is.