The Art of Rhetoric, Book 2 · Part 1 · Section 3 – Section 4
¶Of Diuision.
AFter our tale is told, and the hearers hauehave wel learned what wee meane, the nexte is to reporte wherein the aduersarie and wee, cannot agree, and what it is wherin we do agree. And then to part out suche principall poinctes whereof we purpose fully to debate, and laie theim out to be knowen: that the hearers may plainely see, what we wil say, and perceiue at a worde, the substaunce of our meanyng. Now Tullie would not hauehave a deuision to be made, of, or aboue thre partes at the most, nor yet lesse than thre neither, if nede so require. for if we hauehave thre chief groū des wherupon to rest,Diuision of thre partes at the most. appliyng al our argumentes therūto we shal bothe hauehave matter enough to speake of, the hearers shal with ease vnderstād our meanyng, & the whole Oratiō shal sone be it at an end. Notwithstandyng this lesson must not so curiouslie be kepte, as though it were synne to make the diuision of fower, or fyue partes, but it was spoken for this ende that the diuision shoulde be made of as fewe as may be possible, that menne may the better carie it away and the reporter with more ease maie remember what he hath to saie. Nowe in praisyng, or dispraisyng, in perswadyng, or disswadyng, diuisions muste also be vsed. As if one woulde enueighe against those women that will not geue their owne chidren sucke, he might vse this deuision. Where as women commonly put their children furthe to nursyng, I will first proue that it is bothe against the lawe of nature and also against Goddes holie wil:…vomen rebuked that nurse not their owne children. Againe I wil showe that it is harmefull bothe for the childes bodie, and also for his witte, lastly, I wil proue that the mother selfe falleth into muche sickenesse thereby.
First, nature geueth milke to the woman for none other ende, but that she shoulde bestowe it vponupon her childe. And we see beastes feede there youngones, and why shoulde not women? GOD also commaundeth all women to bryng vp their children.
Againe, the childrens bodies shalbe so affected, as the milke is whiche they receyue. Nowe, if the Nurse be of an euil complexion, or hauehave some hidde disease, the childe suckyng of her brest muste needes take parte with her. And if that be true whiche the learned doe saie, that the temperature of the mynde folowes the constitucion of the bodie, needes must it be that if the Nurse be of a naughtie nature, the childe muste take thereafter. But be it, the Nurse be of a good complexion, of an honest behauiour (whereas contrary wyse Maydens that hauehave made a scape are commonly called to bee Nurses) yet can it not bee but that the mothers mylke shoulde be muche more naturall for the childe, than the mylke of a straunger.
As by experience, let a man be long vsed to one kynde of drynke, if the same man chaunge his ayre, and his drynke, he is lyke to mislyke it. Lastely for the mothers, howe are they troubled with sore brestes besydes other diseases that happen throughe plentie of mylke▪ the whiche Phisicians can tell, and women full ofte hauehave felte. Lykewyse in speakyng of fastyng, I might vse this diuision. Firste, … godly to fast, because the spirite is more free and ap…er for any good worke. Again it is wholesome, because thereby euill humours are waisted, and many diseases either clerely put awaie, or muche abated of their tira…nie. Lastly it is profitable, because men spende lesse money, the lesse bankequetyng that thei vse. Therfore, if men louelove either to be wise, godly, healthfull, or wealthy, let thē vse fastyng, & forbeare excesse.
Now vponupon a diuision, there might also be made a subdiuision, as where I saie, it is godly to fast, I might diuide go… linesse, into the hearyng of Goddes worde, into pra…yng … uoutly, and charitable dealyng with all the worlde.
Again, speakyng of healthe, I mighte saie that the whole body, is not onelyonly more Iustie with moderate fastyng, but al so more apte for al assaies. The learned man studieth better when he fasteth, then when he is full. The coūsailor heareth causes with lesse pain beyng emptie, then he shalbe able after a full gorge.
Again, whereas the fiue senses, bryng vsus to the knowleg… of many thynges: the more apte that eueryevery one is, the mo…e pleasure thei bryng euer with thē. The iyes se more clerely, the eares heare more quickely, the tōgue rouleth more roūdly, and tasteth thinges better, and the nose smelleth euill sauours the soner.
Philosophie is diuided into the knowlege of thynges naturall,… thynges morall, and into that arte, whiche by reason findeth out the truthe, commonly called Logique. Nowe of these three partes of Philosophie, I might make other thre subdiuisions, and largely set them out. But these maie suffice for this tyme.
¶Of Proposicions.
QUintilian willeth, that streight and immediatly after the Narracion, there should also be vsed suche sentences, as might bee full of pithe, and contein … thē the substance of muche matter, the rather that the hearers maie be stirred vpō the only report, of some sentencious saiyng, or weightie text in the law. As in speakyng largely against extorciō, one might after his reasons applied to the purpose, bryng in a pithie and sentencious proposicion as thus. Those handes are euill that scratche out the iyes: and what other dooe thei, that by force robbe their Christian brethrē? Wo be to that realme, where might outgoeth right Or thus, whē rage doth rule, and reason doeth waite, what good mā can hope to liue long in rest. Also an act of a realme maie wel serue to make a proposicion. As thus. The lawe is plain: that man shall dye as an offendour, whatsoeuer he bee thatbreaketh vp another mannes house, and seketh by spoyle to vndo his neighbour. Now here is no man… that doubteth, but that thou hast doen this deede, therfore, what nedes any more, but that thou muste suffer, accordyng to the lawe? In diuidyng a matter, proposiciōs are vsed, and orderly applied for the better setting furth of the cause. As if I should speke of thankfulnesse, I might first shewe, what is thankfulnesse,Thankfulnes, what it is. next how nedefull it is, and last, how commendable and profitable it is vniuersally? Thankfulnesse is a kynde of remē bryng good will shewed, and an earnest desire to requi…e the same. Without thankfulnesse, no man would do for another. The brute beastes hauehave these properties, and therefore man cannot want thē, without his greate rebuke. Some proposicions are plain spoken, without any cause, or reason added therunto. As thus. I hauehave charged this man with felony, as you hauehave hard, but he denieth it: therfore iudge you it, I pray you Sometymes a cause is added, after the allegyng of a proposiciō. As thus, I hauehave accused this man of felonie, because he tooke my pursse by the high waie side, and therfore I call for iustice.… Thus proposicions might bee gathered, nexte and immediately after the rehersall of any cause, and beautifie muche the matter, beyng either alleged with the cause annexed, or els beyng plainly spoken, without geuyng any reason to it at all.