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

¶There are .vii. partes in euery Oracion.* 1.1

• j. The enteraunce or beginnyng.
• ij. The Narracion.
• iij. The Proposicion.
• iiij. The diuisiō or seuerall partyng of thynges
• v. The Confirmacion.
• vi. The Confutacion.
• vii. The Conclusion.

THe Enteraunce or beginnyng,* 1.2 is the former part of the Oracion, whereby the will of the standers by, or of the Iudge is sought for, and required to heare the matter.

The Narraciō,* 1.3 is a plain and manifest poynctyng of the matter, and an euident settyng furthe of all thynges, that belong vnto thesame, with a brief rehersall, grounded vpon some reason.

The Proposicion* 1.4 is a pithie sentence, comprehendyng in a smale roume, the some of the whole matter.

The diuision* 1.5 is an openyng of thynges, wherin we agree and rest vpon, and wherein we sticke, and stande in trauerse shewyng what we haue to saie, in our awne behalfe.

The Confirmacion,* 1.6 is a declaraciō of our awne reasons with assured and constaunt profes.

The Confutacion,* 1.7 is a dissoluyng or wipyng awaie, of all suche reasons as make against vs.

The Conclusion* 1.8 is a clarkely gatheryng of the matter, spoken before, and a lappyng vp of it altogether.

Now because in euery one of these, greate hede ought to be had, and muche arte must be vsed, to content and like all parties: I purpose in the second boke to set furthe at large euery one of these, that bothe we maie knowe in all partes, what to folowe, and what to eschewe. And first when tyme shalbe to talke of any matter, I would aduise euery man, to consider the nature of the cause self, that the rather he might frame his whole Oracion thereafter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Oracions in generall, con∣sist vpon seuen partes.
• * 1.2

  Enteraunce, what it is.
• * 1.3

  Narration.
• * 1.4

  Proposicion.
• * 1.5

  Diuision.
• * 1.6

  Confirmacion.
• * 1.7

  Confutacion.
• * 1.8

  Conclusion.