Of Epistles Deliberatiue — Chap. 10
The next vnto these laste of this Demonstratiue kinds are nowe the Deliberatiue, the first titles whereof in order suted forth, appeare to bee Hortatorie, Dehortatorie, Swasorie, and Disswasorie. These beeing as I saide before, neerlie affined together (sauing onelie that the Hortatorie and Dehortatorie are a little more vehement, stirring and pricking then the others, yet both consisting in well aduising and counselling, the one by necessitie, the other as an inducement to thinges laudable and worthie) neede therefore in all seeming but one maner of direction in them to be followed. You shall then vnderstand that the seuerall partes in either of these Hortatorie or Swasorie, to be considered, doe principally stand vppon a diuersitie of affections, which nature as it seemeth, hath from the beginning ordained, to bee as it were stirrings or prouocations within vs, thereby to propose a direct and most readie waie vnto Vertue, or to terrifie by like degrees, or withdrawe vs from the pursuing of vices.
The motions or effects herein frequented, may bee said to bee either of praise or mislike, of hope or reward, or feare of euill to folow, of loue to well doing, or of hate vnto badnes, of emulation of others praise, glory, or reputation, of expectation thereon depending, of examples or of intreatie. By laying out of all or either of these, as occasion shall serue, consisteth the efficacie of all exhortation or aduising, pulling backe or disswading. Now how the qualities of these, or any other in generall touching the propertie they haue with Vertue or Vice, may for any turne be allotted: I must as well for this Deliberatiue kind ensuing, as for all other titles whatsoeuer, the same hereafter requiring, wholy referre the learner to the places in the chapter preceeding the Epistles Laudatorie and Vituperatorie in all things to be directed.
As touching these particularities, which wee haue tearmed Motions and affects, let vs consider if you will in seuerall, and see what efficacie by distinguishment of all their properties & partes they may beare in this writing. Praise (no doubt) in matter of exhortation or stirring vp to well doing is of most singular force, and so questionlesse is Mislike, when generallie it may bee drawne from a regarded conceite of the greatest and woorthiest, to the withdrawing from euill. For if we shall but enter into, or consider of our owne common passages: what is it I pray you that preferreth or disalloweth, giueth grace or disableth the actions and endeuours of men, but the speciall allowance or mislike that is euery where had of them? Is it not account alone that giueth encouragement vnto Vertue? Is Vertue so fullie aduaunced in anie thing as in the estimate prayse and reputation, that is attributed vnto her? No surelie. And this by insight had into the verie woorst and lowest sort of men shall you find, that there is hardlie anie lyuing of so base and contemptible a spirite, but that by Prayse and commendation, hee may bee drawne vppe to some liking of well dooing. And howebeit the issues of mens actions doe at anie time seeme to bee spotted with euill, yet desire they at the least wise for their reckoning sake, that they might bee esteemed as good.
By this appeareth the singularitie of thinges excellent, in so much as nothing is, or séemeth rightlie prayse-woorthie, but what is accounted good, so little reputation haue the perpetratours of euilles, as that of necessitie they are compelled to seeke credite, by falselie attributing vnto themselues the name of good. Howe much more then true Prayse and Mislike of thinges woorthie, or to bee despysed, may by all lykelihoode bee auailable with those of good spirite, to drawe them to Vertues.
To applie nowe this prayse in exhorting or counsailing anie one, it behooueth wee first conceyue what disposition, habiliments, or other matter of value are in him whome wee haue to deale with, furthering or conuenient to such a purpose, whereunto wee woulde exhort or perswade him, and the likelihoode of the same, greatlie to put foorth or commende: or if before time he haue behaued himselfe anie wayes well, we shall incourage him in praysing of that alreadie done; and in shewing that the more excellent the thing is, the more difficult it is to bee attained, for Difficilia quæ pulchra, and yet the difficultie not so great as the prayse, glorie and recordation thereof, shall thereby afterwards be returned honourable.
Likewise, if the state of the partie doe serue thereunto, it shall not bee amisse to put him in minde of his parentage, or that fayling, of his Fortune, Vertue, Nobilitie of minde, Wit, towardnesse, his great expectation, abilitie, age, and Discretion, all of them no lesse requiring, but this with great modeste to be deliuered, least in séeming to preferre the certaintie of those vertues which are of good account to be in him, we doe not palpably gloze with the partie, and as it were seeke to drawe from his person, or account, the things that neuer came neare him.
Now as Prayse, and the laudable estimate of euerie good action, together with the iust mislike of thinges euill, spurreth and eggeth forward to great purposes, so verie much thereunto preuaileth this other of Hope, not that which of a seruile and base humour or condition ensueth, which expecteth nothing that is frustrate of gain, and performeth all endeuours by expectation of reward, but that vertuous kinde of Hope, which enableth to the perfection and absolute summe of all worthinesse, and whose limit is honour, reputation, estimate and account: A like Companion whereunto is Loue, beeing a zealous affectation of thinges singular, which Loue produceth likewise in it selfe, not a mislike onelie, but a burning Hateof things vile, contemptible, and vnbeseeming.
As these in themselues doe each particularlie thrust forwards to goodnes, so many times Feare, or doubt of inconuenience that may ensue, terrifieth or disswadeth from euils. Commiseration of the lamentable estate of any one, prouoketh also sometimes to pittie, and disturneth in like sort manie times from reuenge. Expectatiō, as wel of Loue as of Hate, of good opinion as mislike in compassing of any thing is not the least. Shame & ignomie of the action also, the dependance whereof is oftentimes occasion sufficient of well doing, and hindrance alike, and withdrawing from euill purposes. But aboue all is the spur of Emulation, whose force gathered by a certaine kind of Enuie, of others proceedings kindleth flames of regarde to aspire vnto the like, but not that sluggish and execrable enuie bred of most wicked and detestable malice, which when it selfe cannot, nor is able to doe any thing worthie, snatcheth and continuallie gnaweth on the deserts of others, but that generous and noble kind of enuie which discreete Nature and vertue haue insinuated in our mindes, emulating by a feruent desire to compasse, or possibly to go beyond what mightily by others hath béene performed.
The authoritie of Example is also very weightie, giuing warrant to any vertuous imitation that may be prescribed, and lastly requests and intreatie which euer more preuaileth according to the writers credit or grauity. These being sufficently considered, we will nowe according to such like directions, endeuour to suite foorth vnto you some particular examples.
An Example of an Epistle Exhortatorie for the Attaining of Vertue
Exordium.
Prosonomasia.
Insinuatiō.
Auxesis.
Meiosis.
Synonymia.
Hypotyposis.
Antipophora.
Epiphonema. Praise of the person.
Paræmia.
Exhortatiō.
Confirmatiō.
Antipophora.
Ab æquo.
praise of his ancestors.
A necessitate.
Of expectation.
Of loue and hate.
Hyberbole.
Epilogus.
entreatie.
I Haue manie times desired with my selfe (good Cosin) to obtaine some necessarie meanes, whereby to manyfest the greate good will I doe owe vnto you, and in some sorte or other to giue you to vnderstande, howe much and howe greatly I haue tendred those good partes, that manie times I haue seene and prooued to bee in you. And for as much as Fortune hath denied vnto mee the estate, reputation and wealth, that manie haue gained, and the most doe couet, whereby I cannot if I woulde, bestowe vppon you such riches and treasures as might breede content vnto others: I am determmined to imparte vnto you, that, which vnto your present condition seemeth most requisite, and wherewith vse and common experience hath heretofore inured mee, in steede of wealth to giue you wordes, in steede of golde, good, for riches, reason, and in lue of liuing, to affoord you a louing and constant hearte. And whereas I am enfourmed, that contrarie to the expectation of some (who ouer peremptorily haue heretofore deemed of these your young yeares to be laden with loosenesse, and led forwarde by libertie) you haue of your selfe, and of your owne motion and free will, obtained license and allowance of your father to go to Cambridge, in minde to giue your selfe whollie to studie, and the sole fruition of learning, I mused with my selfe whether I might more commende the motion, or attende your perseuerance in the action that thereby you haue taken in hande, in so much as the memorie of the one cannot bee for the worthinesse more permanent, thē the glorie of the other, to your euerlasting commendation, will appeare to be most excellent. It is reported of the mightie Alexander of Macedon, that he was a King, that he was puissant, that he was warlike, that hee was famous, that he was a Conqueror, and that hee subdued the whole worlde: but when he came to himselfe, to the conuincing of his owne appetite, to rule reason by the square of right he became a meacocke, a childe, an infant, what should I say? he was no bodie. Howe much greater then hee was, hadde the woorthie Prince appeared, if as in the conquest of sundrie mightie kinges, regions and prouinces, so in all other thinges tending to the suppression of his owne peculiar affectes, he had bene no lesse or fullie so much as Alexander. Scipio, the most renowned amongst the Romanes, and for his sundrie great exploites in Affrica, surnamed Affricanus, we doe reade, atchieued many valiant and incomparable victories, and were it but that sole battell which hee fought (when Rome was nowe at wracke, her Nobilitie spoyled, and her glorie trode vnder foote, readie almost vppon any reasonable condition to bee deliuered into the handes of the enemie) in which hee then freed his citie, repulsed Haniball by a mightie ouerthrowe, and thereby daunted so farre foorth his pride for euer, as expelled from him all hope thence forwarde, at anie time else to become a Conquerour: It coulde not otherwise bee saide without question, but herein, yea in this onelie action, hee deserued eternall memorie: But was hee herein, thinke you, and for this onely matter throughout all the prouinces recounted so famous? No assuredlie. It was also his rare and most singular vertues otherwise, that fullie perfected and polished the glorie thereof. It was his rare Temperance, Modestie, Continencie, and Sobrietie, wherein with woonderfull admiration hee exceedinglie flourished, and became extolled aboue all others. This was it, wherein more then Alexander hee became regarded and famous. The conquestes that by this meanes hee daylie made of himselfe, returned more glorie to Rome, more firme faith and reuerence, then the forcible progression of all other his fattall ouerthrowes and victories: of so greate and woonderfull reputation is Vertue to all her followers. This beeing so, how can I then say, but in this your action, you haue of your selfe right wel begun, how can I think, but aboue many others you haue therein verie well deserued? Wherein shoulde I augmente your praise if not in that which you haue heereby so well performed, the force, operation, and effect of all which, hath onely consisted in subduing your owne appetite? Great commendation haue you won I must needes confesse, and more then with common worthines haue you in this thinge demeaned your selfe, but (my good Cosen) it is not ynough to haue well begun in a matter, without also therein you doe vse perseuerance. Hanniball knew well how to subdue, but he knew not howe to entertaine his victories. As you haue alreadie in this your resolution gotten great good liking, so behooueth both for the preseruation of what alreadie woone, and to induce a perpetuall increase to the same, that you doe euermore frequente and by earnest and zealous prosecution seeke still to entertaine the fruits thereof. Proceede then a Gods name, and goe on with good lucke in your enterprise, the more harder and greater you finde the difficulty in attaining to vertue, the more vehemente shall bee your glorie, and the more honourable the reputation that thereby is pursued. For, what hath a man of all that may be left vnto him in this worlde, whereof to vaunt himselfe, but the memorie of that wherein he hath most worthily trauailed. The rich reape possessions, which when themselues are once passed away, are immediately distributed to others. The pleasures of the worlde are momentarie, and after wee are once deade wee perceiue them no more. Worship, honour and dignitie, perisheth euen in the verie selfe remembrance. The reuenues of the mightie, when life is once fled, are no more to be tendred. Shall wee then for a number of fruitelesse vanities, (the regarde whereof doeth neuer last longer, then whilest wee are in present vse of them) neglect the search of that which is of all others most permanent? No surely. So behooueth not such as your selfe, that of your auncestours haue had so many good encouragements, beseemeth not the remembrance of their excellencies in you alone to bee perished. Tis vertue, beleeue me, that procureth Fame, and soly Fame that makes men immortall. All other meanes are feeble as the originall from whence they are deriued is vncertaine. At leaste wise, it shall many other waies stande you greatly vppon, to continue this course, in so much as by the æmulation of the vertues of others, you shall thereunto be constrained, besides the loue and regarde that all men haue borne, and euer doe beare to the remembrance of vertue, the expectation of your entirely fauouring and carefull louing friendes, who with greate longing doe attende the prosequution of your woorthinesse, the ill conceite, malice and spite that some haue hadde towardes you, whereby to ouerthrowe the good opinion of your father, who with greater greedinesse than Woolues themselues, with more enuie than the Crocodile, and farre more poyson than the serpent, doe lie in waite but onely to hearken after the newes of your declination, and the dissolued purpose of your good intention. Finally, my dearest and best fauoured kinsman, I doe adiure you, pray you, and as earnestly as I can beeseech you, by the verie pure and entire loue of vertue, whereof you nowe shall become partaker, by the immortall fame thereunto onely awarded, by the care you are bounde and ought to haue of your selfe, by all the kindred that hath tied vs in affinitie together, by all the loues and possible entreatie that I can, you doe persist, continue and remaine firme in this your intended purpose. In pursuite whereof you shall minister vnto your friendes ioy and comforte, to your enemies shame and reproch, to your selfe praise and eternall regarde, and to all sortes of your acquaintance occasion to admire you. Preferring many times my care and earnest affection towards you, with my manifolde greetings vnto your good selfe. I doe bid you farewell. &c.