Then put there to that, whiche is the chief grounde of al
praise: his actes doen, whiche doe procede out of the giftes,
and excellencies of the minde, as the fortitude of the mynde,
wisedome, and magnanimitée.
Of the bodie, as a beautifull face, amiable countenaunce[,]
swiftnesse, the might and strength of thesame.
The excellencies of fortune, as his dignitée, power, au-
cthoritee, riches, substaunce, frendes.
In the fifte place vse a comparison, wherein that whiche
you praise, maie be aduaunced to the vttermoste.
Laste of all, vse the Epilogus, or conclusion.
¶ The example of the Oracion.
¶ The praise of Epaminundas.
N whom nature hath powred singuler giftes,
in whom vertue, & singularitée, in famous en-
terprises aboundeth: whose glorie & renoume,
rooteth to the posteritée, immortall commen-
dacion. In the graue, their vertues and godlie
Obliuion. life, tasteth not of Obliuion, whiche at the length ouerthro-
weth all creatures, Citées, and regions. Thei liue onelie in
all ages, whose vertues spreadeth fame and noble enterpri-
Who liue in
all ages. ses, by vertue rooteth immortalitée. Who so liueth, as that
his good fame after death ceaseth not, nor death with the bo-
die cutteth of their memorie of life: Soche not onely in life,
but also in death are moste fortunate. In death all honor, di-
Good fame
chieflie rou-
teth after
death. gnitée, glorie, wealthe, riches, are taken from vs: The fame
and glorie of singulare life is then, chieflie takyng his holde
and roote, wise men and godlie, in life, knowen famous, af-
ter death, remain moste worthie & glorious. Who knoweth
Tullie.
Demosthe-
nes.
Iulius Ce-
sar.
Octauius
Augustus.
Uespasianus[.]
Theodosius.
[Traianns].
Adrianus. not of Tullie, the famous Oratour of Rome. Doeth De-
mosthenes lieth hidden, that noble Oratour of Athenes. Is
not ye fame of Iulius Cesar, Octauius Augustus remainyng
of Uespasianus: of Theodosius, of Traianus, of Adrianus,
who by praise minded, be left to the ende of al ages. Soche a
one was this Epaminundas, the famous Duke of Thebe,
whose vertues gaue hym honour in life, and famous enter-
prises, immortalitée of fame after death. What can bee saied
more, in the praise and commendacion, of any peere of estate,
then was saied in the praise of Epaminundas, for his ver-
tues were so singulare, that it was doubted, he beyng so good
a manne, and so good a Magistrate, whether he were better
manne, or better Magistrate: whose vertues were so vnited,
that vertue alwaies tempered his enterprises, his loftie state
as fortune oftentymes blindeth, did not make hym vnmind-
full of his state. No doubt, but that in all common wealthes,
famous gouernours haue been, but in all those, the moste
parte haue not been soche, that all so good men, and so good
magistrates: that it is doubted, whether thei were better mē,
Good man,
good magi-
strate, boothe
a good man
and a good
magistrate. or better magistrates. It is a rare thyng to be a good manne,
but a more difficult matter, to bee a good Magistrate: and
moste of all, to be bothe a good man, and a good Magistrate.
Honour and preeminent state, doeth sometyme induce obli-
uion, whereupon thei ought the more vigilantlie to wade:
in all causes, and with all moderacion, to temper their pree-
The saiynge
of the Philo-
sophers. minent state. The Philosophers ponderyng the brickle and
slippere state of fortune, did pronounce this sentence: Diffici-
lius est res aduersas pati, quam fortunam eflantem ferre, it is
more easie to beare sharpe and extreme pouertie, then to rule
and moderate fortune, because that the wisest menne of all
Obliuion. haue as Chronicles doe shewe, felte this obliuion, that their
maners haue been so chaunged, as that natures molde in thē
had ben altered or nuelie framed, in the life of Epaminūdas
moderacion and vertue, so gouerned his state, that he was a
honor and renowne to his state, nothing can be more ample
in his praise, then that which is lefte Chronicled of him.
[¶] Of his countrie.
