Now it our presupposall be true, that the Poet is of all other the most auncient Orator, as he that by good & pleasant perswasions first reduced the wilde and beastly people into publicke societies and ciuilitie of life, insinuating vnto them vnder fictions with sweete and coloured speeches, many wholesome lessons and doctrines, then no doubt there is nothing so fitte for him, as to be furnished with all the figures that be Rhetoricall, and such as do most beautifie language with eloquence & sententiousnes. Therfore since we haue already allowed to our maker his auricular figures, and also his sensable, by which all the words and clauses of his meeters are made as well tunable to the eare, as stirring to the minde, we are now by order to bestow vpon him those other figures which may execute both offices, and all at once to beautifie and geue sence and sententiousnes to the whole language at large. So as if we should intreate our maker to play also the Orator, and

   And your figures rhetoricall, besides their remembred ordinarie vertues, that is, sententiousnes, & copious amplification, or enlargement of language, doe also conteine a certaine sweet and melodious manner of speech, in which respect, they may, after a sort, be said auricular: because the eare is no lesse rauished with their currant tune, than the mind is with their sententiousnes. For the eare is properly but an instrument of conueyance for the minde, to apprehend the sence by the sound. And our speech is made melodious or harmonicall, not onely by strayned tunes, as those of Musick, but also by choise of smoothe words: and thus, or thus, marshalling them in their comeliest construction and order, and aswell by sometimes sparing, sometimes spending them more or less liberally, and carrying or transporting them farther off or neerer, setting them with sundry relations, and variable formes, in the ministery and vse of words, doe breede no little alteration in man. For to say truely, what els is man but his minde? which, whosoeuer haue skil to compasse, and make yeelding and flexible, what may not he commaund the body to perfourme? He therefore that hath vanquished the minde of man, hath made the greatest and most glorious conquest. But the minde is not assailable vnlesse it be by sensible approches, whereof the audible is of greatest force for instruction or discipline: the visible, for apprehension of exterior knowledges as the Philosopher saith. Therefore the well tuning of your words and clauses to the delight of the eare, maketh your information no lesse plausible to the minde than to the eare: no though you filled them with neuer so much sence and sententiousnes. Then also must the whole tale (if it tende to perswasion) beare his iust and reasonable measure, being rather with the largest, than with the scarcest. For like as one or two drops of water perce not the flint stone, but many and often droppings doo: so cannot a few words (be they neuer so pithie or sententious) in all cases and to all manner of mindes, make so deepe an impression, as a more multitude of words to the purpose discreetely, and without superfluitie vttered: the minde being no lesse vanquished

   And first of all others your figure that worketh by iteration or repetition of one word or clause doth much alter and affect the eare and also the mynde of the hearer, and therefore is counted a very braue figure both with the Poets and rhetoriciens, and this repetition may be in seuen sortes.

   Repetition in the first degree we call the figure of Report according to the Greeke originall, and is when we make one word begin, and as they are wont to say, lead the daunce to many verses in sute, as thus.

   And this written by Sir Walter Raleigh of his greatest mistresse in most excellent verses.

   Or as the buffon in our enterlude called Lustie London said very knauishly and like himselfe.

   Ye haue another sort of repetition quite contrary to the former when ye make one word finish many verses in sute, and that which is harder, to finish many clauses in the middest of your verses or dittie (for to make them finish the verse in our vulgar it should hinder the rime) and because I do finde few of our English makers vse this figure, I haue set you down to two litle ditties which our selues in our yonger yeares played vpon the Antistrophe, for so

   The second vpon the merites of Christes passion toward mankind, thus,

   The Greekes call this figure Antistrophe, the Latines, conuersio, I following the originall call him the counterturne, because he turnes counter in the middest of euery meetre.

   Take me the two former figures and put them into one, and it is that which the Greekes call symploche, the Latines complexio, or conduplicatio, and is a maner of repetition, when one and the selfe word doth begin and end many verses in sute & so wrappes vp both the former figures in one, as he that sportingly complained of his vntrustie mistresse, thus.

   The Greekes name this figure Symploche, the Latins Complexio, perchaunce for that he seemes to hold in and to wrap vp the verses by reduplication, so as nothing can fall out. I had rather call him the figure of replie.

   Ye haue another sort of repetition when with the worde by which you finish your verse, ye beginne the next verse with the same, as thus:

   Or thus:

   The Greeks call this figure Anadiplosis, I call him the Redoubleas the originall beares.

   Ye haue an other sorte of repetition, when ye make one worde both beginne and end your verse, which therefore I call the slow retourne, otherwise the Eccho, sound, as thus:

   Vnlesse I called him the eccho sound, I could not tell what name to giue him, vnlesse it were the slow returne.

   Ye haue another sort of repetition when in one verse or clause of a verse, ye iterate one word without any intermission, as thus:

   And this bemoaning the departure of a deere friend.

   And that of Sir Walter Raleighs very sweet.

   The Greeks call him Epizeuxis, the Latines Subiunctio, we may call him the underlay, me thinks if we regard his manner of iteration, & would depart from the originall, we might very properly,

   Ye haue one sorte of repetition, which we call the doubler, and is as the next before, a speedie iteration of one word, but with some little intermission by inserting one or two words betweene, as in a most excellent dittie written by Sir Walter Raleigh these two closing verses:

   And this spoken in common Prouerbe.

   Or as we once sported vpon a fellowes name who was called Woodcock, and for an ill part he had plaid entreated fauour by his friend.

   Now also be there many other sortes of repetition if a man would vse them, but are nothing commendable, and therefore are not obserued in good poesie, as a vulgar rimer who doubled one word in the end of euery verse, thus:

   And an other that did the like in the beginning of his verse, thus:

   These repetitions be not figuratiue but phantastical, for a figure is euer vsed to a purpose, either of beautie or of efficacie: and these last recited be to no purpose, for neither can ye say that it vrges affection, nor that it beautifieth or enforceth the sence, nor hath any other subtiltie in it, and therfore is a very foolish impertinency of speech, and not a figure.

   Ye haue a figure by which ye play with a couple of words or names much resembling, and because the one seemes to answere

   And we in our Enterlude called the woer, plaid with these two words, lubber and louer, thus, the countrey clowne came & woed a young maide of the Citie, and being agreeued to come so oft, and not to haue his answere, said to the old nurse very impatiently.

   Quoth the nurse.

   Or as one replyed to his mistresse charging him with some disloyaltie towards her.

   Here the words proue and reproue, excuse and accuse, do pleasantly

   Then haue ye a figure which the Latines call Traductio, and I the tranlacer: which is when ye turne and tranlace a word into many sundry shapes as the Tailor doth his garment, & after that sort do play with him in your dittie: as thus,

   Or as one who much gloried in his owne wit, whom Persius taxes in a verse very pithily and pleasantly, thus.

   Which I haue turned into English, not so briefly, but more at large of purpose the better to declare the nature of the figure: as thus,

   Here ye see how in the former rime this word life is tranlaced into liue, liuing, liuely, liuelode: & in the latter time this word wit is translated into weete, weene, wotte, witlesse, witty & wise: which come all from one originall.

   Ye haue a figuratiue speach which the Greeks cal Antipophora, I name him the Responce, and is when we will seeme to aske a question to th'intent w will aunswere it our selues, and is a figure of argument and also of amplification. Of argument, because proponing such matter as our aduersarie might obiect and then to answere it our selues, we do vnfurnish and preuent him of such helpe as he would otherwise haue vsed for himselfe: then because such obiection and answere spend much language it serues as well to amplifie and enlarge our tale. Thus for example.

   We read that Crates the Philosopher Cinicke in respect of the manifold discommodities of mans life, held opinion that is was best for man neuer to haue bene borne or soone after to dye, [Optimum non nasci vel cito mori] of whom certaine verses are left written in Greeke which I haue Englished thus.

   Metrodorus the Philosopher Stoick was of a contrary opinion reuersing all the former suppositions against Crates, thus.

   Edward Earle of Oxford a most noble & learned Gentleman made in this figure of responce an emble of desire otherwise called Cupidewhich for his excellencie and wit, I set downe some part of the verses, for example.

   Ye haue another figure which me thinkes may well be called (not much sweruing from his originall in sence) the Crosse-couple, because it takes me two contrary words, and tieth them as it were in a paire of couples, and so makes them agree like good fellowes, as I saw once in Fraunce a wolfe coupled with a mastiffe, and a foxe with a hounde. Thus it is.

   Or thus.

   In this figure of the Crosse-couple we wrate for a forlorne loure complaining of his mistresse crueltie these verses among other.

Thus for your sake I dayly dye,

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And do but seeme to liue in deede:
Thus is my blisse but miserie,
My lucre losse without your meede.

   Ye haue another figure which by his nature we may call the Rebound, alluding to the tennis ball which being smitten with the racket reboundes backe againe, and where the last figure before played with two wordes somewhat like, this playeth with one word written all alike but carrying diuers sences as thus.

   Or thus better because married & marred be different in one letter.

   Or as we once sported vpon a countrey fellow who came to runne for the best game, and was by his occupation a dyer and had very bigge swelling legges.

   Where ye see this word course and dye, vsed in diuers sences, one giuing the Rebounde vpon th'other.

   Ye haue a figure which as well by his Greeke and Latine originals, & also by allusion to the maner of a mans gate or going may be called the marching figure, for after the first steppe all the rest proceede by double the space, and so in our speach one word proceedes double to the first that was spoken, and goeth as it were by strides or paces: it may aswell be called the clyming figure, for Climax is as much to say as a ladder, as in one of our Epitaphes shewing how a very meane man by his wisedome and good fortune came to great estate and dignitie.

   Or as Ihean de Mehune the French Poet.

   Ye haue a figure which takes a couple of words to play with in a verse, and by making them to chaunge and shift one into others place they do very pretily exchange and shift the sence, as thus.

   Meaning that we dwell not here to build, but we build to dwel, as we liue not to eate, but eate to liue, or thus:

   Or thus.

   Or as the Philosopher Musonius wrote.

   A wittie fellow in Rome wrate vnder the Image of Caesar the Dictator these two verses in Latine, which because they are spoken by this figure of Counterchaunge I haue turned into a couple of English verses very well keeping the grace of the figure.

   Cato of any Senatour not onely the grauest but also the promptest an wittiest in any euill scoffe, misliking greatly the engrossing of offices in Rome that one man should haue many at once, and a great number goe without that were as able men, said thus by Counterchaunge.

   Againe:

   Ye haue another figure much like to the Sarcasmus, or bitter taunt wee spake of before: and is when with proud and insolent words, we do vpbraid a man, or ride him as we terme it: for which cause the Latines also call it Insultatio, I choose to name him the Reprochfull or scorner, as when Queene Dido saw, that for all her great loue an entertainements bestowed vpon Aeneas, he would needs depart, and follow the Oracle of his destines, she brake out in a great rage and said very disdainefully.

   Or as the poet Iuenall reproched the couetous Merchant, who for lucres sake passed on no perill either by land or sea, thus:

   Ye haue another figure very pleasant and fit for amplification, which to answer the Greeke terme, we may call the encounter, but following the Latine name by reason of his contentious nature, we may call him the Quarreller, for so be al such persons as delight in taking the contrary part of whatsoeuer shalbe spoken: when I was a scholler in Oxford they called euery such one Iohannes ad oppositum.

   Or as it is in these verses where one speaking of Cupids bowe, deciphered, thereby the nature of sensual loue, whose beginning is more pleasant than the end, thus allegorically and by antitheton.

   Maister Diar in this quarrelling figure.

   Isocrates the Greek Oratour was a litle too full of this figure, & so was the Spaniard that wrote the life of Marcus Aurelius, & many of our moderne writers in vulgar, vse it in excesse & incurre the vice of fond affectation: otherwise the figure is very commendable.

   In this quarrelling figure we once plaid this merry Epigrame of an importune and shrewd wife, thus:

   There is a kinde of figuratiue speach when we aske many questions and looke for none answere, speaking indeed by interrogation, which we might as well say by affirmation. This figure I call the Questioner or inquisitiue, as whan Medea excusing her great crueltie vsed in the murder of her owne children which she had by Iason, sais:

   Or as another wrote very commendably.

   Cato vnderstanding that the Senate had appointed three citizens of Rome for embassadours to the king of Bithinia, whereof one had the Gowte, another the Meigrim, the third very little courage or discretion to be employed in any such businesse, said by way of skoffe in this figure.

   And as a great Princesse aunswered her seruitour, who distrusting in her fauours toward him, praised his owne constancie in these verses.

   To whome she in this figure repeting his words:

   The figure of exclamation, I call him [the outcrie] because it vtters our minde by all such words as do shew any extreme passion, whether it be by way of exclamation or crying out, admiration or wondering, imprecation or cursing, obtestation or taking God and the world to witnes, or any such like as declare an impotent affection, as Chaucer of the Lady Cresseida by exclamation.

   Or as Gascoine wrote very passionatly and well to purpose.

   Petrarche in a sonet which Sir Thomas Wiat Englished excellently well, said in this figure by way of imprecation and obtestation: thus,

   And so forth, &c.

   We vse sometimes to proceede all by single words, without any close or coupling sauing that a little pause or comma is geuen to euery word. This figure for pleasure may be called in our vulgar the cutted comma, for that there cannot be a shorter diuision then at euery words end. The Greekes in their language call it short language, as thus.

   If this loose language be vsed, not in single words, but in long clauses, it is called Asindeton, and in both cases we vtter in that fashion, when either we be earnest, or would seeme to make hast.

   Ye haue another figure which we may call the figure of euen, because it goeth by clauses of egall quantitie, and not very long, but yet not so short as the cutted comma: and they geue good grace to a dittie, but specially to a prose. In this figure we once wrote in a melancholike humor these verses.

   In a prose there should not be vsed at once of such euen clauses past three or foure at the most.

   When so euer we multiply our speech by many words or clauses of one sence, the Greekes call it Sinonimia, as who would say, like or consenting names: the Latines hauing no fitte terme to giue him, called it by a name of euent, for (said they) many words of one nature and sence, one of them doth expound another. And therefore they called this figure the [Interpreter] I for my part had rather call him the figure of [store] because plenty of one manner of thing in our vulgar we call so. Aeneas asking whether his Captaine Orontes were dead or aliue, vsed this store of speeches all to one purpose.

   Or if it be in single words, then thus.

   Ye see that all these words, face, lookes, fauour, features, visage, countenance, are in sence but all one. Which store, neuerthelesse, doeth much beautifie and inlarge the matter. So said another.

   Here faith, hope and trust be words of one effect, allowed to vs by this figure of store.

   Otherwhiles we speak and be sorry for it, as if we had not wel spoken, so that we seeme to call in our word againe, and to pur in another fitter for the purpose: for which respects the Greekes called this manner of speech the figure of repentance: then for that vpon repentance commonly followes amendment, the Latins called it the figure of correction, in that the speaker seemeth to reforme that which was said amisse. I following the Greeke originall, choose to call him the penitent, or repentant: and singing in honor of the mayden Queen, meaning to praise her for her greatnesse of courage, ouershooting my selfe, called it first by the name

   And in another Parthemiade thus insinuating her Maiesties great constancy in refusall of all marriages offred her, thus:

   By which is intended, that it proceeded of a cold and chast complexion not easily allured to loue.

   We haue another manner of speech much like to the repentant, but doth not as the same recant or vnsay a word that hath bene said before, putting another fitter in his place, but hauing spoken any thing to depraue the matter or partie, he denieth it not, but as it were helpeth it againe by another more fauourable speach: and so seemeth to make amends, for which cause it is called by the originall name in both languages, the Recompencer, as he that was merily asked the question, whether his wife were not a shrewe as well as others of his neighbours wiues, answered in this figure as pleasantly, for he could not well denie it.

   another in his first preposition giuing a very faine commendation to the Courtiers life, weaning to make him amends, made it worse by a second proposition, thus:

   And an other speaking to the incoragement of youth in studie and to be come excellent in letters and armes, said thus:

   Our poet in his short ditties, but specially playing the Epigrammatist will vse to conclude and shut vp his Epigram with a verse or two, spoken in such sort, as it may seeme a manner of allowance to all the premisses, and that with a ioyfull approbation, which the Latines call Acclamatio, we therefore call this figure the surcloze or consenting close, as Virgill when he had largely spoken of Prince Eneas his successe and fortunes concluded with this close.

   In English thus:

   Sir Philip Sidney very pretily closed vp a dittie in this sort.

   And we in a Partheniade written of her Maiestie, declaring to what perils vertue is generally subiect, and applying that fortune to her selfe, closed it vp with this Epiphoneme.

   As who would say her owne ouermuch lenitie and goodnesse, made her ill willers the more bold and presumptuous.

   Lucretius Carus the philosopher and poet inueighing sore against the abuses of the superstitious religion of the Gentils, and recompting the wicked fact of king Agamemnon in sacrificing his only daughter Iphigenia, being a yoong damsell of excellent bewtie, to th'intent to please the wrathfull gods, hinderers of his nauigation, after he had said all, closed it vp in this one verse, spoken in Epiphonema.

   In English thus:

   It happens many times that to vrge and enforce the matter we speake of, we go still mounting by degrees and encreasing our speech with wordes or with sentences of more waight one then another, & is a figure of great both efficacie & ornament, as he that declaring the great calamitie of an infortunate prince, said thus:

   By which it appeareth that to any noble Prince the losse of his estate ought not to be so greeuous, as of his honour, nor any of them both like to the lacke of his libertie, but that life is the dearest detriment of any other. We call this figure by the Greeke originall the Auancer or figure of encrease because euery word that is spoken is one of more weight then another.

   And as we lamented the crueltie of an inexorable and vnfaithfull mistresse.

   Where ye see how she is charged first with a fault, then with a secret sinne, afterward with a foule forfet, last of all with a most cruell & bloudy deede. And thus againe in a certaine louers complaint made to the like-effect.

   In these verses you see how one crueltie surmounts another by degrees till it come to very slaughter and beyond, for it is thought a despite done to a dead carkas to be an euidence of greater crueltie then to haue killed him.

   After the auancer followeth the abbaser working by wordes and sentences of extenuation or diminution. Whereupon we call him the Disabler of 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.

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

   The subtiltie of the scoffe lieth in these Latine wordes [eminui & cominus pugnare.] Also we vse this king of Extenuation when we take in hand to comfort or cheare any perillous enterprise, making a great matter seeme small, and of litel 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 that might be a discouragement to the attempt, as Hanniball did in his Oration to his souldiers, when they should come to passe the Alpes to enter

   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 lustie 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 a Courtly maner of speach with our egalls or inferiours, as to call a young Gentlewoman Mall for Mary, Nell for Elmer: 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.

   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 Contadilo: the Italian calleth the poore man, by contempt pouerachio, or pouerino, the little beast animalculo or animaluchio, and such like diminutiues apperteining to this figure, the [Disabler] more ordinary in other languages than in our vulgar.

   This figure of retire holds part with the propounder of which we spake before (prolepsis) because of this resumption of a former proposition vttered 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 repetition, and in that respect may be called by his originall