Chapter VI: Part 6

furnish vp fullie, all the fetures of the whole body, of a man,
woman and child: and with all is able to, by good skill, to giue
to euerie one of these three, in their proper kinde, the right
forme, the trew figure, the naturall color, that is fit and dew,
to the dignitie of a man, to the bewtie of a woman, to the
sweetnes of a yong babe: euen likewise, do we seeke soch one
in our schole to folow, who is able alwayes, in all matters, to
teach plainlie, to delite pleasantlie, and to cary away by force of
wise talke, all that shall heare or read him: and is so excellent
in deed, as witte is able, or wishe can hope, to attaine vnto:
And this not onelie to serue in the _Latin_ or _Greke_ tong, but
also in our own English language. But yet, bicause the prouid-
ence of God hath left vnto vs in no other tong, saue onelie in
the _Greke_ and _Latin_ tong, the trew preceptes, and perfite
examples of eloquence, therefore must we seeke in the Authors
onelie of those two tonges, the trewe Paterne of Eloquence, if
in any other mother tongue we looke to attaine, either to perfit
vtterance of it our selues, or skilfull iudgement of it in others.
And now to know, what Author doth medle onelie with
some one peece and member of eloquence, and who doth
perfitelie make vp the whole bodie, I will declare, as I can call
to remembrance the goodlie talke, that I haue had oftentymes,
of the trew difference of Authors, with that Ientleman of
worthie memorie, my dearest frend, and teacher of all the litle
poore learning I haue, Syr _Iohn Cheke_.
The trew difference of Authors is best knowne, _per diuersa
genera dicendi_, that euerie one vsed. And therfore here I will
deuide _genus dicendi_, not into these three, _Tenuè, mediocrè, &
grande_, but as the matter of euerie Author requireth, as

{_Poeticum._
{_Historicum._
_in Genus_{_Philosophicum._
{_Oratorium._

These differre one from an other, in choice of wordes, in
framyng of Sentences, in handling of Argumentes, and vse of
right forme, figure, and number, proper and fitte for euerie
matter, and euerie one of these is diuerse also in it selfe, as the
first.

284 _The second booke teachyng_

{_Comicum._
{_Tragicum._
_Poeticum, in_ {_Epicum._
{_Melicum._

And here, who soeuer hath bene diligent to read aduisedlie
ouer, _Terence, Seneca, Virgil, Horace_, or els _Aristophanes, Sophocles,
Homer_, and _Pindar_, and shall diligently marke the difference
they vse, in proprietie of wordes, in forme of sentence, in
handlyng of their matter, he shall easelie perceiue, what is fitte
and _decorum_ in euerie one, to the trew vse of perfite Imitation.
Whan _M. Watson_ in S. Iohns College at Cambrige wrote his
excellent Tragedie of _Absalon, M. Cheke_, he and I, for that part
of trew Imitation, had many pleasant talkes togither, in com-
paring the preceptes of _Aristotle_ and _Horace de Arte Poetica_,
with the examples of _Euripides, Sophocles_, and _Seneca_. Few
men, in writyng of Tragedies in our dayes, haue shot at this
marke. Some in _England_, moe in _France, Germanie_, and _Italie_,
also haue written Tragedies in our tyme: of the which, not
one I am sure is able to abyde the trew touch of _Aristotles_
preceptes, and _Euripides_ examples, saue only two, that euer I
saw, _M. Watsons Absalon_, and _Georgius Buckananus Iephthe_.
One man in Cambrige, well liked of many, but best liked of
him selfe, was many tymes bold and busie, to bryng matters
vpon stages, which he called Tragedies. In one, wherby he
looked to wynne his spurres, and whereat many ignorant felowes
fast clapped their handes, he began the _Protasis_ with _Trochæijs
Octonarijs_: which kinde of verse, as it is but seldome and rare
in Tragedies, so is it neuer vsed, saue onelie in _Epitasi_: whan
the Tragedie is hiest and hotest, and full of greatest troubles.
I remember ful well what _M. Watson_ merelie sayd vnto me of
his blindnesse and boldnes in that behalfe although otherwise,
there passed much frendship betwene them. _M. Watson_ had an
other maner care of perfection, with a feare and reuerence of
the iudgement of the best learned: Who to this day would
neuer suffer, yet his _Absalon_ to go abroad, and that onelie,
bicause, in _locis paribus, Anapestus_ is twise or thrise vsed in stede
of _Iambus_. A smal faulte, and such one, as perchance would
neuer be marked, no neither in _Italie_ nor _France_. This I write,
not so much, to note the first, or praise the last, as to leaue in

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 285

memorie of writing, for good example to posteritie, what
perfection, in any tyme, was, most diligentlie sought for in like
maner, in all kinde of learnyng, in that most worthie College
of S. Iohns in Cambrige.

{_Diaria._
{_Annales._
_Historicum in_ {_Commentarios._
{_Iustam Historiam._

For what proprietie in wordes, simplicitie in sentences,
plainnesse and light, is cumelie for these kindes, _Cæsar_ and
_Liuie_, for the two last, are perfite examples of Imitation: And
for the two first, the old paternes be lost, and as for some that
be present and of late tyme, they be fitter to be read once for
some pleasure, than oft to be perused, for any good Imitation of
them.

_Philosophicum in_ {_Sermonem_, as _officia Cic. et Eth. Arist._
{_Contentionem._

As, the Dialoges of _Plato, Xenophon_, and _Cicero_: of which
kinde of learnyng, and right Imitation therof, _Carolus Sigonius_
hath written of late, both learnedlie and eloquentlie: but best
of all my frende _Ioan. Sturmius_ in hys Commentaries vpon
_Gorgias Platonis_, which booke I haue in writyng, and is not yet
set out in Print.

{_Humile._
_Oratorium in_ {_Mediocre._
{_Sublime._

Examples of these three, in the _Greke_ tong, be plentifull &
perfite, as _Lycias, Isocrates_, and _Demosthenes_: and // _Lisias._
all three, in onelie _Demosthenes_, in diuerse orations // _Isocrates._
as _contra Olimpiodorum, in leptinem, & pro Ctesi-_ // _Demost._
_phonte_. And trew it is, that _Hermogines_ writeth
of _Demosthenes_, that all formes of Eloquence be perfite in him.
In _Ciceroes_ Orations, _Medium & sublime_ be most // _Cicero._
excellentlie handled, but _Humile_ in his Orations,
is seldome sene: yet neuerthelesse in other bookes, as in some
part of his offices, & specially _in Partitionibus_, he is comparable
_in hoc humili & disciplinabili genere_, euen with the best that euer

286 _The second booke teachyng_

wrote in _Greke_. But of _Cicero_ more fullie in fitter place. And
thus, the trew difference of stiles, in euerie Author, and euerie
kinde of learnyng may easelie be knowne by this diuision.

{_Poeticum._
{_Historicum._
_in Genus_ {_Philosophicum._
{_Oratorium._

Which I thought in this place to touch onelie, not to
prosecute at large, bicause, God willyng, in the _Latin_ tong,
I will fullie handle it, in my booke _de Imitatione_.
Now, to touch more particularlie, which of those Authors,
that be now most commonlie in mens handes, will sone affourd
you some peece of Eloquence, and what maner a peece of
eloquence, and what is to be liked and folowed, and what to
be misliked and eschewed in them: and how some agayne will
furnish you fully withall, rightly, and wisely considered, som-
what I will write as I haue heard Syr _Ihon Cheke_ many tymes
say.
The Latin tong, concerning any part of purenesse of it,
from the spring, to the decay of the same, did not endure moch
longer, than is the life of a well aged man, scarse one hundred
yeares from the tyme of the last _Scipio Africanus_ and _Lælius_, to
the Empire of _Augustus_. And it is notable, that _Velleius Pater-
culus_ writeth of _Tullie_, how that the perfection of eloquence did
so remayne onelie in him and in his time, as before him, were
few, which might moch delight a man, or after him any, worthy
admiration, but soch as _Tullie_ might haue seene, and such as
might haue seene _Tullie_. And good cause why: for no perfec-
tion is durable. Encrease hath a time, & decay likewise, but
all perfit ripenesse remaineth but a moment: as is plainly seen
in fruits, plummes and cherries: but more sensibly in flowers,
as Roses & such like, and yet as trewlie in all greater matters.
For what naturallie, can go no hier, must naturallie yeld &
stoup againe.
Of this short tyme of any purenesse of the Latin tong, for
the first fortie yeare of it, and all the tyme before, we haue no
peece of learning left, saue _Plautus_ and _Terence_, with a litle
rude vnperfit pamflet of the elder _Cato_. And as for _Plautus_,
except the scholemaster be able to make wise and ware choice,

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 287

first in proprietie of wordes, than in framing of Phrases and
sentences, and chieflie in choice of honestie of matter, your
scholer were better to play, then learne all that is in him. But
surelie, if iudgement for the tong, and direction for the maners,
be wisely ioyned with the diligent reading of _Plautus_, than
trewlie _Plautus_, for that purenesse of the Latin tong in Rome,
whan Rome did most florish in wel doing, and so thereby, in
well speaking also, is soch a plentifull storehouse, for common
eloquence, in meane matters, and all priuate mens affaires, as
the Latin tong, for that respect, hath not the like agayne.
Whan I remember the worthy tyme of Rome, wherein _Plautus_
did liue, I must nedes honor the talke of that tyme, which we
see _Plautus_ doth vse.
_Terence_ is also a storehouse of the same tong, for an other
tyme, following soone after, & although he be not so full &
plentiful as _Plautus_ is, for multitude of matters, & diuersitie of
wordes, yet his wordes, be chosen so purelie, placed so orderly,
and all his stuffe so neetlie packed vp, and wittely compassed in
euerie place, as, by all wise mens iudgement, he is counted the
cunninger workeman, and to haue his shop, for the rowme that
is in it, more finely appointed, and trimlier ordered, than
_Plautus_ is.
Three thinges chiefly, both in _Plautus_ and _Terence_, are to
be specially considered. The matter, the vtterance, the words,
the meter. The matter in both, is altogether within the
compasse of the meanest mens maners, and doth not stretch
to any thing of any great weight at all, but standeth chiefly in
vtteryng the thoughtes and conditions of hard fathers, foolish
mothers, vnthrifty yong men, craftie seruantes, sotle bawdes,
and wilie harlots, and so, is moch spent, in finding out fine
fetches, and packing vp pelting matters, soch as in London
commonlie cum to the hearing of the Masters of Bridewell.
Here is base stuffe for that scholer, that should becum hereafter,
either a good minister in Religion, or a Ciuill Ientleman in
seruice of his Prince and contrie: except the preacher do know
soch matters to confute them, whan ignorance surelie in all soch
thinges were better for a Ciuill Ientleman, than knowledge.
And thus, for matter, both _Plautus_ and _Terence_, be like meane
painters, that worke by halfes, and be cunning onelie, in making
the worst part of the picture, as if one were skilfull in painting

288 _The second booke teachyng_

the bodie of a naked person, from the nauell downward, but
nothing else.
For word and speach, _Plautus_ is more plentifull, and _Terence_
more pure and proper: And for one respect, _Terence_ is to be
embraced aboue all that euer wrote in hys kinde of argument:
Bicause it is well known, by good recorde of learning, and that
by _Ciceroes_ owne witnes that some Comedies bearyng _Terence_
name, were written by worthy _Scipio_, and wise _Lælius_, and
namely _Heauton_: and _Adelphi_. And therefore as oft as I reade
those Comedies, so oft doth sound in myne eare, the pure fine
talke of Rome, which was vsed by the floure of the worthiest
nobilitie that euer Rome bred. Let the wisest man, and best
learned that liueth, read aduisedlie ouer, the first scene of
_Heauton_, and the first scene of _Adelphi_, and let him consideratlie
iudge, whether it is the talke of a seruile stranger borne, or
rather euen that milde eloquent wise speach, which _Cicero_ in
_Brutus_ doth so liuely expresse in _Lælius_. And yet neuerthelesse,
in all this good proprietie of wordes, and purenesse of phrases
which be in _Terence_, ye must not follow him alwayes in placing
of them, bicause for the meter sake, some wordes in him,
somtyme, be driuen awrie, which require a straighter placing in
plaine prose, if ye will forme, as I would ye should do, your
speach and writing, to that excellent perfitnesse, which was
onely in _Tullie_, or onelie in _Tullies_ tyme.
The meter and verse of _Plautus_ and _Terence_ be verie meane,
_Meter in_ // and not to be followed: which is not their reproch,
_Plautus &_ // but the fault of the tyme, wherein they wrote, whan
_Terence._ // no kinde of Poetrie, in the Latin tong, was brought
to perfection, as doth well appeare in the fragmentes
of _Ennius, Cæcilius_, and others, and euidentlie in _Plautus_ &
_Terence_, if thies in Latin be compared with right skil, with _Homer_,
_Euripides, Aristophanes_, and other in Greeke of like sort. _Cicero_
him selfe doth complaine of this vnperfitnes, but more plainly
_Quintilian_, saying, _in Comœdia maximè claudicamus, et vix leuem
consequimur vmbram_: and most earnestly of all _Horace in Arte
Poetica_, which he doth namely _propter carmen Iambicum_, and
referreth all good studentes herein to the Imitation of the Greeke
tong, saying.
_Exemplaria Græca
nocturna versate manu, versate diurna._

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 289

This matter maketh me gladly remember, my sweete tyme
spent at Cambrige, and the pleasant talke which I had oft with
_M. Cheke_, and _M. Watson_, of this fault, not onely in the olde
Latin Poets, but also in our new English Rymers at this day.
They wished as _Virgil_ and _Horace_ were not wedded to follow
the faultes of former fathers (a shrewd mariage in greater
matters) but by right _Imitation_ of the perfit Grecians, had
brought Poetrie to perfitnesse also in the Latin tong, that we
Englishmen likewise would acknowledge and vnderstand right-
fully our rude beggerly ryming, brought first into Italie by
_Gothes_ and _Hunnes_, whan all good verses and all good learning
to, were destroyd by them: and after caryed into France and
Germanie: and at last, receyued into England by men of
excellent wit in deede, but of small learning, and lesse iudge-
ment in that behalfe.
But now, when men know the difference, and haue the
examples, both of the best, and of the worst, surelie, to follow
rather the _Gothes_ in Ryming, than the Greekes in trew versifiyng,
were euen to eate ackornes with swyne, when we may freely
eate wheate bread emonges men. In deede, _Chauser, Th.
Norton_, of Bristow, my L. of Surrey, _M. Wiat, Th. Phaer_,
and other Ientlemen, in translating _Ouide, Palingenius_, and
_Seneca_, haue gonne as farre to their great praise, as the copie
they followed could cary them, but, if soch good wittes, and
forward diligence, had bene directed to follow the best examples,
and not haue bene caryed by tyme and custome, to content
themselues with that barbarous and rude Ryming, emonges
their other worthy praises, which they haue iustly deserued,
this had not bene the least, to be counted emonges men of
learning and skill, more like vnto the Grecians, than vnto the
Gothians, in handling of their verse.
In deed, our English tong, hauing in vse chiefly, wordes of
one syllable which commonly be long, doth not well receiue the
nature of _Carmen Heroicum_, bicause _dactylus_, the aptest foote
for that verse, conteining one long & two short, is seldom there-
fore found in English: and doth also rather stumble than stand
vpon _Monosyllabis. Quintilian_ in hys learned Chapiter // hand.gif
_de Compositione_, geueth this lesson _de Monosyllabis_,
before me: and in the same place doth iustlie inuey against all
Ryming, that if there be any, who be angrie with me, for

290 _The second booke teachyng_

misliking of Ryming, may be angry for company to, with
_Quintilian_ also, for the same thing: And yet _Quintilian_ had
not so iust cause to mislike of it than, as men haue at this day.
And although _Carmen Exametrum_ doth rather trotte and
hoble, than runne smothly in our English tong, yet I am sure,
our English tong will receiue _carmen Iambicum_ as naturallie, as
either _Greke_ or _Latin_. But for ignorance, men can not like, &
for idlenes, men will not labor, to cum to any perfitenes at all.
For, as the worthie Poetes in _Athens_ and _Rome_, were more
carefull to satisfie the iudgement of one learned, than rashe in
pleasing the humor of a rude multitude, euen so if men in
England now, had the like reuerend regard to learning skill and
iudgement, and durst not presume to write, except they came
with the like learnyng, and also did vse like diligence, in
searchyng out, not onelie iust measure in euerie meter, as euerie
ignorant person may easely do, but also trew quantitie in euery
foote and sillable, as onelie the learned shalbe able to do, and as
the _Grekes_ and _Romanes_ were wont to do, surelie than rash
ignorant heads, which now can easely recken vp fourten sillables,
and easelie stumble on euery Ryme, either durst not, for lacke
of such learnyng: or els would not, in auoyding such labor, be
hand.gif // so busie, as euerie where they be: and shoppes in
London should not be so full of lewd and rude
rymes, as commonlie they are. But now, the ripest of tong,
be readiest to write: And many dayly in setting out bookes and
balettes make great shew of blossomes and buddes, in whom is
neither, roote of learning, nor frute of wisedome at all. Some that
make _Chaucer_ in English and _Petrarch_ in _Italian_, their Gods in
verses, and yet be not able to make trew difference, what is
a fault, and what is a iust prayse, in those two worthie wittes,
will moch mislike this my writyng. But such men be euen
like followers of _Chaucer_ and _Petrarke_, as one here in England
did folow Syr _Tho. More_: who, being most vnlike vnto him, in
wit and learnyng, neuertheles in wearing his gowne awrye vpon
the one shoulder, as Syr _Tho. More_ was wont to do, would
nedes be counted lyke vnto him.
This mislikyng of Ryming, beginneth not now of any
newfangle singularitie, but hath bene long misliked of many,
and that of men, of greatest learnyng, and deepest iudgement.
And soch, that defend it, do so, either for lacke of knowledge

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 291

what is best, or els of verie enuie, that any should performe that
in learnyng, whereunto they, as I sayd before, either for
ignorance, can not, or for idlenes will not, labor to attaine vnto.
And you that prayse this Ryming, bicause ye neither haue
reason, why to like it, nor can shew learning to defend it, yet I
will helpe you, with the authoritie of the oldest and learnedst
tyme. In _Grece_, whan Poetrie was euen at the hiest pitch of per-
fitnes, one _Simmias Rhodius_ of a certaine singularitie wrote a
booke in ryming _Greke_ verses, naming it oon, conteyning the
fable, how _Iupiter_ in likenes of a swan, gat that egge vpon _Leda_,
whereof came _Castor, Pollux_ and faire _Elena_. This booke was
so liked, that it had few to read it, but none to folow it:
But was presentlie contemned: and sone after, both Author and
booke, so forgotten by men, and consumed by tyme, as scarse
the name of either is kept in memorie of learnyng: And the like
folie was neuer folowed of any, many hondred yeares after
vntill y^e _Hunnes_ and _Gothians_, and other barbarous nations, of
ignorance and rude singularitie, did reuiue the same folie agayne.
The noble Lord _Th._ Earle of Surrey, first of all English
men, in translating the fourth booke of _Virgill_: // The Earle of
and _Gonsaluo Periz_ that excellent learned man, // Surrey.
and Secretarie to kyng _Philip_ of _Spaine_, in // _Gonsaluo_
translating the _Vlisses of Homer_ out of _Greke_ into // _Periz._
_Spanish_, haue both, by good iudgement, auoyded the fault of
Ryming, yet neither of them hath fullie hite perfite and trew
versifiyng. In deede, they obserue iust number, and euen feete:
but here is the fault, that their feete: be feete without ioyntes,
that is to say, not distinct by trew quantitie of sillables: And so,
soch feete, be but numme feete: and be, euen as vnfitte for
a verse to turne and runne roundly withall, as feete of brasse or
wood be vnweeldie to go well withall. And as a foote of wood,
is a plaine shew of a manifest maime, euen so feete, in our
English versifiing, without quantitie and ioyntes, be sure signes,
that the verse is either, borne deformed, vnnaturall and lame,
and so verie vnseemlie to looke vpon, except to men that be
gogle eyed them selues.
The spying of this fault now is not the curiositie of English
eyes, but euen the good iudgement also of the best // _Senese_
that write in these dayes in _Italie_: and namelie of // _Felice_
that worthie _Senese Felice Figliucci_, who, writyng // _Figliucci._

292 _The second booke teachyng_

vpon _Aristotles Ethickes_ so excellentlie in _Italian_, as neuer did yet
any one in myne opinion either in _Greke_ or _Latin_, amongest
other thynges doth most earnestlie inuey agaynst the rude
ryming of verses in that tong: And whan soeuer he expresseth
_Aristotles_ preceptes, with any example, out of _Homer_ or
_Euripides_, he translateth them, not after the Rymes of _Petrarke_,
but into soch kinde of perfite verse, with like feete and quantitie
of sillables, as he found them before in the _Greke_ tonge: ex-
hortyng earnestlie all the _Italian_ nation, to leaue of their rude
barbariousnesse in ryming, and folow diligently the excellent
_Greke_ and _Latin_ examples, in trew versifiyng.
And you, that be able to vnderstand no more, then ye finde
in the _Italian_ tong: and neuer went farder than the schole of
_Petrarke_ and _Ariostus_ abroad, or els of _Chaucer_ at home though
you haue pleasure to wander blindlie still in your foule wrong
way, enuie not others, that seeke, as wise men haue done before
them, the fairest and rightest way: or els, beside the iust
reproch of malice, wisemen shall trewlie iudge, that you do so,
as I haue sayd and say yet agayne vnto you, bicause, either, for
idlenes ye will not, or for ignorance ye can not, cum by no
better your selfe.
And therfore euen as _Virgill_ and _Horace_ deserue most
worthie prayse, that they spying the vnperfitnes in _Ennius_ and
_Plautus_, by trew Imitation of _Homer_ and _Euripides_, brought
Poetrie to the same perfitnes in _Latin_, as it was in _Greke_, euen
so those, that by the same way would benefite their tong
and contrey, deserue rather thankes than disprayse in that
behalfe.
And I rejoyce, that euen poore England preuented _Italie_,
first in spying out, than in seekyng to amend this fault in
learnyng.
And here, for my pleasure I purpose a litle, by the way, to
play and sporte with my Master _Tully_: from whom commonlie
I am neuer wont to dissent. He him selfe, for this point of
learnyng, in his verses doth halt a litle by his leaue. He could
not denie it, if he were aliue, nor those defend hym now that
Tullies // loue him best. This fault I lay to his charge:
saying a- // bicause once it pleased him, though somwhat
gainst Eng- // merelie, yet oueruncurteslie, to rayle vpon poore
land. // England, obiecting both, extreme beggerie, and

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 293

mere barbariousnes vnto it, writyng thus vnto his frend _Atticus_:
There is not one scruple of siluer in that whole // Ad Att.
Isle, or any one that knoweth either learnyng or // Lib. iv. Ep.
letter. // 16.
But now master _Cicero_, blessed be God, and his sonne Iesu
Christ, whom you neuer knew, except it were as it pleased him
to lighten you by some shadow, as couertlie in one place ye
confesse saying: _Veritatis tantum vmbram consectamur_, // Offic.
as your Master _Plato_ did before you: blessed be
God, I say, that sixten hundred yeare after you were dead and
gone, it may trewly be sayd, that for siluer, there is more
cumlie plate, in one Citie of England, than is in foure of the
proudest Cities in all _Italie_, and take _Rome_ for one of them.
And for learnyng, beside the knowledge of all learned tongs and
liberall sciences, euen your owne bookes _Cicero_, be as well read,
and your excellent eloquence is as well liked and loued, and as
trewlie folowed in England at this day, as it is now, or euer
was, sence your owne tyme, in any place of _Italie_, either at
_Arpinum_, where ye were borne, or els at _Rome_ where ye were
brought vp. And a litle to brag with you _Cicero_, where you
your selfe, by your leaue, halted in some point of learnyng in
your owne tong, many in England at this day go streight vp,
both in trewe skill, and right doing therein.
This I write, not to reprehend _Tullie_, whom, aboue all
other, I like and loue best, but to excuse _Terence_, because in his
tyme, and a good while after, Poetrie was neuer perfited in
_Latin_ vntill by trew _Imitation_ of the Grecians, it was at length
brought to perfection: And also thereby to exhorte the goodlie
wittes of England, which apte by nature, & willing by desire,
geue them selues to Poetrie, that they, rightly vnderstanding the
barbarous bringing in of Rymes, would labor, as _Virgil_ and
_Horace_ did in Latin, to make perfit also this point of learning,
in our English tong.
And thus much for _Plautus_ and _Terence_, for matter, tong, and
meter, what is to be followed, and what to be exchewed in them.
After _Plautus_ and _Terence_, no writing remayneth vntill
_Tullies_ tyme, except a fewe short fragmentes of _L. Crassus_
excellent wit, here and there recited of _Cicero_ for example sake,
whereby the louers of learnyng may the more lament the losse
of soch a worthie witte.

294 _The second booke teachyng_

And although the Latin tong did faire blome and blossome
in _L. Crassus_, and _M. Antonius_, yet in _Tullies_ tyme onely, and
in Tullie himselfe chieflie, was the Latin tong fullie ripe, and
growne to the hiest pitch of all perfection.
And yet in the same tyme, it began to fade and stoupe, as
_Tullie_ him selfe, in _Brutus de Claris Oratoribus_, with weeping
wordes doth witnesse.
And bicause, emongs them of that tyme, there was some
difference, good reason is, that of them of that tyme, should be
made right choice also. And yet let the best _Ciceronian_ in
Italie read _Tullies_ familiar epistles aduisedly ouer, and I beleue
he shall finde small difference, for the Latin tong, either in
propriety of wordes or framing of the stile, betwixt _Tullie_, and
those that write vnto him. As _ser. Sulpitius, A. Cecinna,
M. Cælius, M. et D. Bruti, A. Pollio, L. Plancus_, and diuerse
Epi. Planci // other: read the epistles of _L. Plancus_ in _x. Lib._
x. lib. Epist. // and for an assay, that Epistle namely to the _Coss._
8. // and whole _Senate_, the eight Epistle in number,
and what could be, eyther more eloquentlie, or more wiselie
written, yea by _Tullie_ himselfe, a man may iustly doubt. Thies
men and _Tullie_, liued all in one tyme, were like in authoritie,
not vnlike in learning and studie, which might be iust causes of
this their equalitie in writing: And yet surely, they neyther
were in deed, nor yet were counted in mens opinions, equall
with _Tullie_ in that facultie. And how is the difference hid in
his Epistles? verelie, as the cunning of an expert Sea man, in
a faire calme fresh Ryuer, doth litle differ from the doing of
a meaner workman therein, euen so, in the short cut of a
priuate letter, where, matter is common, wordes easie, and
order not moch diuerse, small shew of difference can appeare.
But where _Tullie_ doth set vp his saile of eloquence, in some
broad deep Argument, caried with full tyde and winde, of his
witte and learnyng, all other may rather stand and looke after
him, than hope to ouertake him, what course so euer he hold,
either in faire or foule. Foure men onely whan the Latin tong
was full ripe, be left vnto vs, who in that tyme did florish, and
did leaue to posteritie, the fruite of their witte and learning:
_Varro, Salust, Cæsar_, and _Cicero_. Whan I say, these foure
onely, I am not ignorant, that euen in the same tyme, most
excellent Poetes, deseruing well of the Latin tong, as _Lucretius_,

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 295

_Cattullus, Virgill_ and _Horace_, did write: But, bicause, in this
litle booke, I purpose to teach a yong scholer, to go, not to
daunce: to speake, not to sing, whan Poetes in deed, namelie
_Epici_ and _Lyrici_, as these be, are fine dauncers, and trime
singers, but _Oratores_ and _Historici_ be those cumlie goers, and
faire and wise speakers, of whom I wishe my scholer to wayte
vpon first, and after in good order, & dew tyme, to be brought
forth, to the singing and dauncing schole: And for this consi-
deration, do I name these foure, to be the onelie writers of that
tyme.

¶ _Varro._

_Varro_, in his bookes _de lingua Latina, et Analogia_ as these be
left mangled and patched vnto vs, doth not enter // _Varro._
there in to any great depth of eloquence, but as
one caried in a small low vessell him selfe verie nie the common
shore, not much vnlike the fisher men of Rye, and Hering men
of Yarmouth. Who deserue by common mens opinion, small
commendacion, for any cunning saling at all, yet neuertheles
in those bookes of _Varro_ good and necessarie stuffe, for that
meane kinde of Argument, be verie well and learnedlie gathered
togither.
His bookes of Husbandrie, are moch to be regarded, and
diligentlie to be read, not onelie for the proprietie, // De Rep.
but also for the plentie of good wordes, in all // Rustica.
contrey and husbandmens affaires: which can not
be had, by so good authoritie, out of any other Author, either
of so good a tyme, or of so great learnyng, as out of _Varro_.
And yet bicause, he was fourescore yeare old, whan he wrote
those bookes, the forme of his style there compared with _Tullies_
writyng, is but euen the talke of a spent old man: whose
wordes commonlie fall out of his mouth, though verie wiselie,
yet hardly and coldie, and more heauelie also, than some eares
can well beare, except onelie for age, and authorities sake. And
perchance, in a rude contrey argument, of purpose and iudge-
ment, he rather vsed, the speach of the contrey, than talke of
the Citie.
And so, for matter sake, his wordes sometyme, be somewhat
rude: and by the imitation of the elder _Cato_, old and out of vse:

296 _The second booke teachyng_

And beyng depe stept in age, by negligence some wordes do so
scape & fall from him in those bookes, as be not worth the
Lib. 3. // taking vp, by him, that is carefull to speake or
Cap. 1. // write trew Latin, as that sentence in him, _Romani,
in pace à rusticis alebantur, et in bello ab his tuebantur_.
A good student must be therfore carefull and diligent, to read
with iudgement ouer euen those Authors, which did write in the
most perfite tyme: and let him not be affrayd to trie them,
both in proprietie of wordes, and forme of style, by the touch
stone of _Cæsar_ and _Cicero_, whose puritie was neuer soiled, no
not by the sentence of those, that loued them worst.
All louers of learnyng may sore lament the losse of those
The loue // bookes of _Varro_, which he wrote in his yong and
of Var- // lustie yeares, with good leysure, and great learnyng
roes // of all partes of Philosophie: of the goodliest argu-
bookes. // mentes, perteyning both to the common wealth,
and priuate life of man, as, _de Ratione studij, et educandis liberis_,
which booke, is oft recited, and moch praysed, in the fragmentes
of _Nonius_, euen for authoritie sake. He wrote most diligentlie
and largelie, also the whole historie of the state of _Rome_: the
mysteries of their whole Religion: their lawes, customes, and
gouernement in peace: their maners, and whole discipline in
warre: And this is not my gessing, as one in deed that neuer
saw those bookes, but euen, the verie iudgement, & playne
testimonie of _Tullie_ him selfe, who knew & read those bookes,
in these wordes: _Tu ætatem Patriæ: Tu descriptiones temporum:_
In Acad. // _Tu sacrorum, tu sacerdotum Iura: Tu domesticam,
Quest. // _tu bellicam disciplinam: Tu sedem Regionum, locorum,_
_tu omnium diuinarum humanarumque rerum nomina,
genera, officia, causas aperuisti. &c._
But this great losse of _Varro_, is a litle recompensed by the
happy comming of _Dionysius Halicarnassæus_ to _Rome_ in
_Augustus_ dayes: who getting the possession of _Varros_ librarie,
out of that treasure house of learning, did leaue vnto vs some
frute of _Varros_ witte and diligence, I meane, his goodlie bookes
_de Antiquitatibus Romanorum. Varro_ was so estemed for his
excellent learnyng, as _Tullie_ him selfe had a reuerence to his
Cic. ad // iudgement in all doutes of learnyng. And
Att. // _Antonius Triumuir_, his enemie, and of a contrarie
faction, who had power to kill and bannish whom

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 297

he listed, whan _Varros_ name amongest others was brought in a
schedule vnto him, to be noted to death, he tooke his penne and
wrote his warrant of sauegard with these most goodlie wordes,
_Viuat Varro vir doctissimus_. In later tyme, no man knew better,
nor liked and loued more _Varros_ learnyng, than did _S. Augustine_,
as they do well vnderstand, that haue diligentlie read ouer his
learned bookes _de Ciuitate Dei_: Where he hath this most
notable sentence: Whan I see, how much _Varro_ wrote, I
meruell much, that euer he had any leasure to read: and whan
I perceiue how many thinges he read, I meruell more, that euer
he had any leasure to write. &c.
And surelie, if _Varros_ bookes had remained to posteritie, as
by Gods prouidence, the most part of _Tullies_ did, than trewlie
the _Latin_ tong might haue made good comparison with the
_Greke_.

_Saluste._

_Salust_, is a wise and worthy writer: but he requireth
a learned Reader, and a right considerer of him. // _Salust._
My dearest frend, and best master that euer I had // Syr Iohn
or heard in learning, Syr _I. Cheke_, soch a man, as // Chekes
if I should liue to see England breed the like // iudgement
againe, I feare, I should liue ouer long, did once // and coun-
giue me a lesson for _Salust_, which, as I shall neuer // sell for rea-
forget my selfe, so is it worthy to be remembred // dyng of
of all those, that would cum to perfite iudgement // _Saluste._
of the Latin tong. He said, that _Salust_ was not verie fitte for
yong men, to learne out of him, the puritie of the Latin tong:
because, he was not the purest in proprietie of wordes, nor
choisest in aptnes of phrases, nor the best in framing of
sentences: and therefore is his writing, sayd he neyther plaine
for the matter, nor sensible for mens vnderstanding. And what
is the cause thereof, Syr, quoth I. Verilie said he, bicause in
_Salust_ writing, is more Arte than nature, and more labor than
Arte: and in his labor also, to moch toyle, as it were, with an
vncontented care to write better than he could, a fault common
to very many men. And therefore he doth not expresse the
matter liuely and naturally with common speach as ye see
_Xenophon_ doth in Greeke, but it is caried and driuen forth

298 _The second booke teachyng_

artificiallie, after to learned a sorte, as _Thucydides_ doth in his
orations. And how cummeth it to passe, sayd I, that _Cæsar_
and _Ciceroes_ talke, is so naturall & plaine, and _Salust_ writing so
artificiall and darke, whan all they three liued in one tyme?
I will freelie tell you my fansie herein, said he: surely, _Cæsar_
and _Cicero_, beside a singular prerogatiue of naturall eloquence
geuen vnto them by God, both two, by vse of life, were daylie
orators emonges the common people, and greatest councellers in
the Senate house: and therefore gaue themselues to vse soch
speach as the meanest should well vnderstand, and the wisest
best allow: folowing carefullie that good councell of _Aristotle_,
_loquendum vt multi, sapiendum vt pauci_. _Salust_ was no soch man,
neyther for will to goodnes, nor skill by learning: but ill geuen
by nature, and made worse by bringing vp, spent the most part
of his yougth very misorderly in ryot and lechery. In the
company of soch, who, neuer geuing theyr mynde to honest
doyng, could neuer inure their tong to wise speaking. But at
last cummyng to better yeares, and bying witte at the dearest
hand, that is, by long experience of the hurt and shame that
commeth of mischeif, moued, by the councell of them that
were wise, and caried by the example of soch as were good,
first fell to honestie of life, and after to the loue of studie and
learning: and so became so new a man, that _Cæsar_ being
dictator, made him Pretor in _Numidia_ where he absent from his
contrie, and not inured with the common talke of Rome, but
shut vp in his studie, and bent wholy to reading, did write the
storie of the Romanes. And for the better accomplishing of
the same, he red _Cato_ and _Piso_ in Latin for gathering of matter
and troth: and _Thucydides_ in Greeke for the order of his storie,
and furnishing of his style. _Cato_ (as his tyme required) had
more troth for the matter, than eloquence for the style. And
so _Salust_, by gathering troth out of _Cato_, smelleth moch of the
roughnes of his style: euen as a man that eateth garlike for
helth, shall cary away with him the sauor of it also, whether he
will or not. And yet the vse of old wordes is not the greatest
cause of _Salustes_ roughnes and darknesse: There be in _Salust_
Lib. 8. // some old wordes in deed as _patrare bellum, ductare_
Cap. 3. // _exercitum_, well noted by _Quintilian_, and verie
De Orna- // much misliked of him: and _supplicium_ for _suppli-_
tu. // _catio_, a word smellyng of an older store than the

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 299

other two so misliked by _Quint_: And yet is that word also in
_Varro_, speaking of Oxen thus, _boues ad victimas faciunt, atque ad
Deorum supplicia_: and a few old wordes mo. Read _Saluste_ and
_Tullie_ aduisedly together: and in wordes ye shall finde small
difference: yea _Salust_ is more geuen to new wordes, than to
olde, though som olde writers say the contrarie: as _Claritudo_
for _Gloria_: _exactè_ for _perfectè_: _Facundia_ for
_eloquentia_. Thies
two last wordes _exactè_ and _facundia_ now in euery mans mouth,
be neuer (as I do remember) vsed of _Tullie_, and therefore
I thinke they be not good: For surely _Tullie_ speaking euery
where so moch of the matter of eloquence, would not so
precisely haue absteyned from the word _Facundia_, if it had
bene good: that is proper for the tong, & common for mens
vse. I could be long, in reciting many soch like, both olde &
new wordes in _Salust_: but in very dede neyther oldnes nor
newnesse of wordes maketh the greatest difference // The cause why
betwixt _Salust_ and _Tullie_, but first strange phrases // Salust is not
made of good Latin wordes, but framed after the // like Tully.
Greeke tonge, which be neyther choisly borowed of them, nor
properly vsed by him: than, a hard composition and crooked
framing of his wordes and sentences, as a man would say,
English talke placed and framed outlandish like. As for
example first in phrases, _nimius et animus_ be two vsed wordes,
yet _homo nimius animi_, is an vnused phrase. _Vulgus, et amat, et
fieri_, be as common and well known wordes, as may be in the
Latin tong, yet _id quod vulgò amat fieri_, for _solet fieri_, is but
a strange and grekish kind of writing. _Ingens et vires_ be
proper wordes, yet _vir ingens virium_ is an vnproper kinde of
speaking and so be likewise,

{_æger consilij._
{_promptissimus belli._
{_territus animi._

and many soch like phrases in _Salust_, borowed as I sayd not
choisly out of Greeke, and vsed therefore vnproperlie in Latin.
Againe, in whole sentences, where the matter is good, the
wordes proper and plaine, yet the sense is hard and darke, and
namely in his prefaces and orations, wherein he vsed most
labor, which fault is likewise in _Thucydides_ in Greeke, of whom
_Salust_ hath taken the greatest part of his darkenesse. For

300 _The second booke teachyng_

_Thucydides_ likewise wrote his storie, not at home in Grece, but
abrode in Italie, and therefore smelleth of a certaine outlandish
kinde of talke, strange to them of _Athens_, and diuerse from their
writing, that liued in Athens and Grece, and wrote the same
tyme that _Thucydides_ did, as _Lysias, Xenophon, Plato_, and
_Isocrates_, the purest and playnest writers, that euer wrote in any
tong, and best examples for any man to follow whether he
write, Latin, Italian, French, or English. _Thucydides_ also
semeth in his writing, not so much benefited by nature, as
holpen by Arte, and caried forth by desire, studie, labor, toyle,
and ouer great curiositie: who spent xxvii. yeares in writing his
eight bookes of his history. _Salust_ likewise wrote out of his
Dionys. // contrie, and followed the faultes of _Thuc._ to
Halycar. // moch: and boroweth of him som kinde of writing,
ad Q. / which the Latin tong can not well beare, as _Casus_
Tub. de // _nominatiuus_ in diuerse places _absolutè positus_, as in
Hist. Thuc. // that place of _Iugurth_, speaking _de leptitanis, itaque ab
imperatore facilè quæ petebant adepti, missæ sunt eò cohortes
ligurum
quatuor_. This thing in participles, vsed so oft in _Thucyd._ and other
Greeke authors to, may better be borne with all, but _Salust_ vseth
the same more strangelie and boldlie, as in thies wordes, _Multis
sibi quisque imperium petentibus_. I beleue, the best Grammarien in
England can scarse giue a good reule, why _quisque_ the nominatiue
case, without any verbe, is so thrust vp amongest so many
oblique cases. Some man perchance will smile, and laugh to
scorne this my writyng, and call it idle curiositie, thus to busie
my selfe in pickling about these small pointes of Grammer, not
fitte for my age, place and calling, to trifle in: I trust that man,
be he neuer so great in authoritie, neuer so wise and learned,
either, by other mens iudgement, or his owne opinion, will yet
thinke, that he is not greater in England, than _Tullie_ was at
_Rome_, not yet wiser, nor better learned than _Tullie_ was him
selfe, who, at the pitch of three score yeares, in the middes of
the broyle betwixt _Cæsar_ and _Pompeie_, whan he knew not,
whether to send wife & children, which way to go, where to
hide him selfe, yet, in an earnest letter, amongest his earnest
Ad Att. // councelles for those heuie tymes concerning both
Lib. 7. Epi- // the common state of his contrey, and his owne
stola. 3. // priuate great affaires he was neither vnmyndfull
nor ashamed to reason at large, and learne gladlie of _Atticus_,

_the ready way to the Latin tong._ 301

a lesse point of Grammer than these be, noted of me in _Salust_,
as, whether he should write, _ad Piræea, in Piræea_, or _in
Piræeum_, or _Piræeum sine præpositione:_ And in those heuie
tymes, he was so carefull to know this small point of Grammer,
that he addeth these wordes _Si hoc mihi zetema persolueris,
magna me molestia liberaris_. If _Tullie_, at that age, in that
authoritie, in that care for his contrey, in that ieoperdie for him
selfe, and extreme necessitie of hys dearest frendes, beyng also
the Prince of Eloquence hym selfe, was not ashamed to descend
to these low pointes of Grammer, in his owne naturall tong,
what should scholers do, yea what should any man do, if he do
thinke well doyng, better than ill doyng: And had rather be,
perfite than meane, sure than doutefull, to be what he should
be, in deed, not seeme what he is not, in opinion. He that
maketh perfitnes in the _Latin_ tong his marke, must cume to it
by choice & certaine knowledge, not stumble vpon it by chance
and doubtfull ignorance: And the right steppes to reach vnto it,
be these, linked thus orderlie together, aptnes of nature, loue of
learnyng, diligence in right order, constancie with pleasant
moderation, and alwayes to learne of them that be best, and so
shall you iudge as they that be wisest. And these be those
reules, which worthie Master _Cheke_ dyd impart vnto me con-
cernyng _Salust_, and the right iudgement of the _Latin_ tong.

¶ _Cæsar._

_Cæsar_ for that litle of him, that is left vnto vs, is like the
halfe face of a _Venus_, the other part of the head beyng hidden,
the bodie and the rest of the members vnbegon, yet so
excellentlie done by _Apelles_, as all men may stand still to mase
and muse vpon it, and no man step forth with any hope to
performe the like.
His seuen bookes _de bello Gallico_, and three _de bello Ciuili_, be
written, so wiselie for the matter, so eloquentlie for the tong,
that neither his greatest enemies could euer finde the least note
of parcialitie in him (a meruelous wisdome of a man, namely
writyng of his owne doynges) nor yet the best iudegers of the
_Latin_ tong, nor the most enuious lookers vpon other mens
writynges, can say any other, but all things be most perfitelie
done by him.

302 _The ready way to the Latin tong._

_Brutus, Caluus_, and _Calidius_, who found fault with _Tullies_
fulnes in woordes and matter, and that rightlie, for _Tullie_ did
both, confesse it, and mend it, yet in _Cæsar_, they neither did,
nor could finde the like, or any other fault.
And therfore thus iustlie I may conclude of _Cæsar_, that
where, in all other, the best that euer wrote, in any tyme, or in
any tong, in _Greke_ or _Latin_, I except neither _Plato, Demosthenes_,
nor _Tullie_, some fault is iustlie noted, in _Cæsar_ onelie, could
neuer yet fault be found.
Yet neuertheles, for all this perfite excellencie in
him, yet it is but in one member of eloquence, and
that but of one side neither, whan we must
looke for that example to folow, which hath
a perfite head, a whole bodie, forward
and backward, armes and
legges and all.

_FINIS._