The Arte of English Poesie Part 18

[Sidenote: _Meiosis_, or the Disabler.]

After the Auancer followeth the abbaser working by wordes and sentences of extenuation or diminution. Whereupon we call him the _Disabler_ or figure of _Extenuation_: and this extenuation is vsed to diuers purposes, sometimes for modesties sake, and to auoide the opinion of arrogancie, speaking of our selues or of ours, as he that disabled himselfe to his mistresse thus.

_Not all the skill I haue to speake or do, Which litle is G.o.d wot (set loue apart:) Liueload nor life, and put them both thereto, Can counterpeise the due of your desart._

It may be also be done for despite to bring our aduersaries in contempt, as he that sayd by one (commended for a very braue souldier) disabling him scornefully, thus.

_A iollie man (forsooth) and fit for the warre, Good at hand grippes, better to fight a farre: Whom bright weapon in shew as is said, Yea his owne shade; hath often made afraide._

The subtilitie of the scoffe lieth in these Latin wordes [_eminus & cominus pugnare_.] Also we vse this kind of Extenuation when we take in hand to comfort or cheare any perillous enterprise, making a great matter seeme small, and of litle difficultie, & is much vsed by captaines in the warre, when they (to giue courage to their souldiers) will seeme to disable the persons of their enemies, and abase their forces, and make light of euery thing than might be a discouragement to the attempt, as _Hanniball_ did in his Oration to his souldiers, when they should come to pa.s.se the Alpes to enter Italie, and for sharpnesse of the weather, and steepnesse of the mountaines their hearts began to faile them.

We vse it againe to excuse a fault, & to make an offence seeme lesse then it is, by giuing a terme more fauorable and of lesse vehemencie then the troth requires, as to say of a great robbery, that it was but a pilfry matter: of an arrant ruffian that he is a tall fellow of his hands: of a prodigall foole, that he is a kind hearted man: of a notorious vnthrift, a l.u.s.tie youth, and such like phrases of extenuation, which fall more aptly to the office of the figure _Curry fauell_ before remembred.

And we vse the like termes by way of pleasant familiaritie, and as it were for Courtly maner of speach with our egalls or inferiours, as to call a young Gentlewoman _Mall_ for _Mary_, _Nell_ for _Elner_: _Iack_ for Iohn_, _Robin_ for _Robert_: or any other like affected termes spoken of pleasure, as in our triumphals calling familiarly vpon our _Muse_, I called her _Moppe_.

_But will you weet, My litle muse, nay prettie moppe: If we shall algates change our stoppe, Chose me a sweet._

Vnderstanding by this word (_Moppe_) a litle prety Lady, or tender young thing. For so we call litle fishes, that be not come to their full growth (_moppes_), as whiting moppes, gurnard moppes.

Also such termes are vsed to be giuen in derision and for a kind of contempt, as when we say Lording for Lord, & as the Spaniard that calleth an Earle of small reuenue _Contadilio_: the Italian calleth the poore man by contempt _pouerachio_ or _pouerino_, the little beast _animalculo_ or _animaluchio_, and such like _diminutiues_ appertaining to this figure, the (_Disabler_) more ordinary in other languages than our vulgar.

[Sidenote: _Epanodis_, or the figure of Retire]

This figure of retire holds part with the propounder of which we spake before(_prolepsis_) because of the resumption of a former proposition vuttered in generalitie to explane the same better by a particular diuision. But their difference is, in that the propounder resumes but the matter only. This [_retire_] resumes both the matter and the termes, and is therefore accompted one of the figures of repet.i.tion, and in that respect may be called by his originall Greeke name the [_Resounde_] or the [_retire_] for this word [Greek: illegible] serues both sences resound and retire. The vse of this figure, is seen in this dittie following, _Loue hope and death, do stirre in me much strife, As neuer man but I lead such a life: For burning loue doth wound my heart to death: And when death comes at call of inward grief, Cold lingring hope doth feede my fainting breath: Against my will, and yeelds my wound relief, So that I liue, but yet my life is such: As neuer death could greeue me halfe so much._

[Sidenote: _Dialisis_, or the Dismembrer.]

Then haue ye a maner speach, not so figuratiue as fit for argumentation, and worketh not vnlike the _dilemma_ of the Logicians, because he propones two or moe matters entierly, and doth as it were set downe the whole tale or rekoning of an argument and then cleare euery part by it selfe, as thus.

_It can not be but nigarsds.h.i.+p or neede, Made him attempt this foule and wicked deede: Nigards.h.i.+p not, for alwayes he was free, Nor neede, for who doth not his richesse see?_

Or as one than entreated for a faire young maide who was taken by the watch in London and carried to Bridewell to be punished.

_Now gentill Sirs let this young maide alone, For either she hath grace or els she hath none: If she haue grace, she may in time repent, If she haue none what bootes her punishment._

Or as another pleaded his deserts with his mistresse.

_Were it for grace, or els in hope of gaine, To say of my deserts, it is but vaine: For well in minde, in case ye do them beare, To tell them oft, it should but irke your eare: Be they forgot: as likely should I faile, To winne with wordes, where deedes can not preuaile._

[Sidenote: _Merismus_, or the Distributer.]

Then haue ye a figure very meete for Orators or eloquent perswaders such as our maker or Poet must in some cases shew him selfe to be, and is when we may coueniently vtter a matter in one entier speach or proportion and will rather do it peecemeale and by distrbution of euery part for amplification sake, as for example he that might say, a house was outragiously plucked downe: will not be satisfied so to say, but rather will speake it in this sort: they first vndermined the groundsills, they beate downe the walles, they vnfloored the loftes, they vntiled it and pulled downe the roofe. For so in deede is a house pulled downe by circ.u.mstances, which this figure of distribution doth set forth euery one apart, and therefore I name him the _distributor_ according to his originall, as wrate the _Tuscane_ Poet in a Sonet which Sir _Thomas Wyat_ translated with very good grace, thus.

_Set me whereas the sunne doth parch the greene, Or where his beames do not dissolue the yce: In temperate heate where he is felt and seene, In presence prest of people mad or wise: Set me in hye or yet in low degree, In longest night or in the shortest day: In clearest skie, or where clouds thickest bee, In l.u.s.tie youth or when my heares are gray: Set me in heauen, in earth or els in h.e.l.l, In hill or dale or in the foaming flood: Thrall or at large, aliue where so I dwell, Sicke or in health, in euill fame or good: Hers will I be, and onely with this thought, Content my selfe, although my chaunce be naught._

All which might haue been said in these two verses.

_Set me wherefoeuer ye will I am and wilbe yours still._

The zealous Poet writing in prayse of the maiden Queene would not seeme to wrap vp all her most excellent parts in a few words them entierly comprehending, but did it by a distributor or _merismus_ in the negatiue for the better grace, thus.

_Not your bewtie, most gracious soueraine, Nor maidenly lookes, mainteind with maiestie: Your stately port, which doth not match but staine, For your presence, your pallace and your traine, All Princes Courts, mine eye could euer see: Not of your quicke wits, your sober gouernaunce: Your cleare forsight, your faithfull memorie, So sweete features, in so staid countenaunce: Nor languages, with plentuous utterance, So able to discourse, and entertaine: Not n.o.ble race, farre beyond Caesars raigne, Runne in right line, and bloud of nointed kings: Not large empire, armies, treasurs, domaine, l.u.s.tie liueries, of fortunes dearst darlings: Not all the skilles, fit for a Princely dame, Your learned Muse, with vse and studie brings.

Not true honour, ne that immortall fame Of mayden raigne, your only owne renowne And no Queenes els, yet such as yeeldes your name Greater glory than doeth your treble crowne._

And then concludes thus.

_Not any one of all these honord parts Your Princely happes, and habites that do moue, And, as it were, ensorcell all the hearts Of Christen kings to quarrell for your loue, But to possesse, at once and all the good Arte and engine, and euery starre aboue Fortune or kinde, could farce in flesh and bloud, Was force inough to make so many striue For your person, which in our world stoode By all consents the minionst mayde to wiue._

Where ye see that all the parts of her commendation which were particularly remembred in twenty verses before, are wrapt vp in the two verses of this last part, videl.

_Not any one of all your honord parts, Those Princely haps and habites, &c._

This figure serues for amplification, and also for ornament, and to enforce perswasion mightely. Sir _Geffrey Chaucer_, father of our English Poets, hath these verses following in the distributor.

_When faith failes in Priestes sawes, And Lords hestes are holden for lawes, And robberie is tane for purchase, And lechery for solace Then shall the Realme of Albion Be brought to great confusion._

Where he might haue said as much in these words: when vice abounds, and vertue decayeth in Albion, then &c. And as another said, _When Prince for his people is wakefull and wise, Peeres ayding with armes, Counsellors with aduise, Magistrate sincerely vsing his charge, People prest to obey, nor let to runne at large, Prelate of holy life, and with deuotion Preferring pietie before promotion, Priest still preaching, and praying for our heale: Then blessed is the state of a common-weale._

All which might haue bene said in these few words, when euery man in charge and authoritie doeth his duety, & executeth his function well, then is the common-wealth happy.

[Sidenote: _Epimone_, or the Loue burden.]

The Greeke Poets who made musicall ditties to be song to the lute or harpe, did vse to linke their staues together with one verse running throughout the whole song by equall distance, and was, for the most part, the first verse of the staffe, which kept so good sence and conformitie with the whole, as his often repet.i.tion did geue it greater grace. They called such linking verse _Epimone_, the Latines _versus intercalaris_, and we may terme him the Loue-burden, following the originall, or if it please you, the long repeate: in one respect because that one verse alone beareth the whole burden of the song according to the originall: in another respect, for that it comes by large distances to be often repeated, as in this ditty made by the n.o.ble knight Sir _Philip Sidney_, _My true loue hath my heart and I haue his, By iust exchange one for another geuen: I holde his deare, and mine he cannot misse, There neuer was a better bargaine driuen.

My true loue hath my heart and I haue his.

My heart in me keepes him and me in one, My heart in him his thoughts and sences guides: He loues my heart, for once it was his owne, I cherish his because in me it bides.

My true loue hath my heart, and I haue his._

[Sidenote: _Paradoxon_, or the Wondrer.]

Many times our Poet is caried by some occasion to report of a thing that is maruelous, and then he will seeme not to speake it simply but with some signe of admiration, as in our enterlude called the _Woer_.

_I woonder much to see so many husbands thriue, That haue but little wit, before they come to wiue: For one would easily weene who so hath little wit, His wife to teach it him, were a thing much unfit._

Or as _Cato_ the Romane Senatour said one day merily to his companion that walked with him, pointing his finger to a yong vnthrift in the streete who lately before had sold his patrimonie, of a goodly quant.i.tie of salt marshes, lying neere vnto _Capua_ sh.o.r.e.

_Now is it not, a wonder to behold, Yonder gallant skarce twenty winter old, By might (marke ye) able to do more Than the mayne sea that batters on his sh.o.r.e?

For what the waues could neuer wash away, This proper youth hath wasted in a day._

[Sidenote: _Aporia_, or the Doubtfull.]

Not much vnlike the _wondrer_ haue ye another figure called the _doubtfull_, because oftentimes we will seeme to cast perils, and make doubt or things when by a plaine manner of speech wee might affirme or deny him, as thus of a cruell mother who murdred her owne child.

_Whether the cruell mother were more to blame, Or the shrewd childe come of so curst a dame: Or whether some smatch of the fathers blood, Whose kinne were neuer kinde, nor neuer good.

Mooued her thereto &c._

[Sidenote: _Epitropis_, or the Figure of Reference.]

This manner of speech is vsed when we will not seeme, either for manner sake or to auoid tediousnesse, to trouble the iudge or hearer with all that we could say, but hauing said inough already, we referre the rest to their consideration, as he that said thus: _Me thinkes that I haue said, what may well suffise, Referring all the rest, to your better aduise._

[Sidenote: _Parisia_, or the Licentious.]

The fine and subtill perswader when his intent is to sting his aduersary, or els to declare his mind in broad and liberal speeches, which might breede offence or scandall, he will seeme to bespeake pardon before hand, whereby his licentiousnes may be the better borne withall, as he that said: _If my speech hap t'offend you any way, Thinke it their fault, that force me so to say._

[Sidenote: _Anachinosis_, or the Impartener.]

Not much vnlike to the figure of _reference_, is there another with some little diuersitie which we call the _impartener_, because many times in pleading and perswading, we thinke it a very good policie to acquaint our iudge or hearer or very aduersarie with some part of our Counsell and aduice, and to aske their opinion, as who would say they could not otherwise thinke of the matter then we do. As he that had tolde a long tale before certaine n.o.blewomen of a matter somewhat in honour touching the s.e.x: _Tell me faire Ladies, if the case were your owne, So foule a fault would you haue it be knowen?_

Maister _Gorge_ in this figure, said very sweetly, _All you who read these lines and skanne of my desart, Iudge whether was more good, my hap or els my hart._

[Sidenote: _Paramologia_, or the figure of Admittance.]

The good Orator vseth a manner of speach in his perswasion and is when all that should seeme to make against him being spoken by th'other side, he will first admit it, and in th'end auoid all for his better aduantage, and this figure is much vsed by our English pleaders in the Starchamber and Chancery, which they call to confesse and auoid, if it be in case of crime or iniury, and is a very good way. For when the matter is so plaine that it cannot be denied or trauersed, it is good that it be iustified by confessall and auoidance. I call it the figure of _admittance._ As we once wrate to the reproofe of a Ladies faire but crueltie.

_I know your witte, I know your pleasant tongue, Your some sweet smiles, your some, but louely lowrs: A beautie to enamour olde and yong.

Those chast desires, that n.o.ble minde of yours, And that chiefe part whence all your honor springs, A grace to entertaine the greatest kings.

All this I know: but sinne it is to see, So faire partes spilt by too much crueltie._

[Sidenote: _Etiologia_, or the Reason rent, or the Tellcause.]

In many cases we are driuen for better perswasion to tell the cause that mooues vs to say thus or thus: or els when we would fortifie our allegations by rendring reasons to euery one, this a.s.signation of cause the Greekes called _Etiologia_, which if we might without scorne of a new inuented terme call [_Tellcause_] it were right according to the Greeke originall: & I pray you why should we not? and with as good authoritie as the Greekes? Sir _Thomas Smith_, her Maiesties princ.i.p.all Secretary, and a man of great learning and grauitie, seeking to geue an English word to this Greeke word [Greek: illegible] called it Spitewed or wedspite. Master Secretary _Wilson_ gueing an English name to his arte of Logicke, called it _Witcraft_, me thinke I may be bolde with like liberty to call the figure _Etiologia_ [_Tellcause_.] And this manner of speech is always contemned, with these words, for, because, and such other confirmatiues.

The Latines hauing no fitte name to geue it in one single word, gaue it no name at all, but by circ.u.mlocution. We also call him the reason-rendrer, and leaue the right English word [_Telcause_] much better answering the Greeke originall. _Aristotle_ was most excellent in vse of this figure, for he neuer propones any allegation, or makes any surmise, but he yeelds a reason or cause to fortifie and proue it, which geues it great credit.

For example ye may take these verses, first pointing, than confirming by similitudes.

_When fortune shall haue spat out all her gall, I trust good luck shall be to me allowde, For I haue seene a s.h.i.+ppe in hauen fall, After the storme had broke both maste and shrowde._

And this.

_Good is the thing that moues vs to desire, That is to say the beauty we behold: Els were we louers as in an endlesse fire, Alwaies burning and euer chill a colde._