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 repetition, 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 nigarsdship or neede,
Made him attempt this foule and wicked deede:
Nigardship 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
circumstances, 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 lustie youth or when my heares are gray:
Set me in heauen, in earth or els in hell,
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 noble race, farre beyond Caesars raigne,
Runne in right line, and bloud of nointed kings:
Not large empire, armies, treasurs, domaine,
Lustie 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.