[Parable.] Parable, which some call similitude, some cõparacion, is a comparyng of a thyng yt hath no life, or no bodye to our cause and purpose, for some thyng that is lyke or vnlyke.
And as example is taken of ye dede of a man, and the person of an hystorye, or that is fabulous and fayned, so is comparison taken of thinges that be done, or that be ioyned to them by nature, or by chaunce. ¶ As Attilius retournyng agayne to hys enemies is an example of kepynge faythe and promise: But a shyp in the whych the sayles be hoysed vp, or takẽ down after the blowyng of the winde, is a parable whiche teacheth a wyse man to geue place to tyme, and applye hymselfe to the world that is presente. And lyke fashion is of dilatyng a parable, as we haue shewed in example.
For sometime it is noted in a word as: Doest thou not vnderstand that the sayles muste be turned? Sometyme it is more largelye declared, as in the oracion for Murena. And if vnto menne that sayle out of the hauen. &c. [Analogie].
[Icon], called of the latines [Imago], an Image in Englyshe, is muche lyke to a similitude, and if you declare it is a similitude: as if you saye: As an Asse wyll not be driuen from her meat, no not with a club, vntyl she be full: no more wil a warriour reste from murther vntyll he hath fylled his mynd with it. This is a similitude: but if you saye that a man flewe vpon his enemies like a dragon, or lyke a lyon, it is an Image. Howbeit an Image serueth rather to euidence or grauitie, or iocunditie, then to a profe. There is also a general comparacion, speciallye in the kynde demonstratiue, person wyth person, and one thing with an other, for praise or dispraise
[Indicacio.] Indicacio, or authoritie, is the cõparing of an other mans saying or sentence vnto our cause: of the whiche ther be seuen principal kyndes.
The fyrst a comon [morall sentence], as a common principle perteyning to maners: as continuall laboure ouercommeth all thynges, and as be the sentences of Salomon and Cato: and all morall philosophy is ful of suche sentences. The seconde are [common rules], whych be called dignities in euery science. The .iii. a [prouerb]. The fourth called [Chria], which is a very short exposicion of any dede or worde wyth the name of the author recited. The fyfte an [Enthimeme], whyche is a sentence of contraries: as if it be a great praise to please good men, surely to please euyl men it is a greate shame. The syxte called [AEnos], that is a saying or a sentence, taken out of a tale, as be the interpretacions of fables, and theyr allegories. The seuen is any answere takẽ out of the [mouth of God], or taken out of the cõmaundement of God.
[Exergasia.] [Expolicion] is, when we tarye in one thynge, speakynge the same in diuerse wordes and fashions, as though it were not one matter but diuerse. A goodlye example of the moste largest expolicion is rehearsed in Erasmus, whych, because it is very profitable, I wyll wholye rehearse it. A wyse man for the cõmon wealth sake shall eschue no peryll: euen for thys cause that it happeneth oftẽ, that wher he wold not dye for the common wealth, he perysheth yet of necessitie wyth the cõmon wealth. And because all the commodities we haue be taken of our contrey, ther ought no incõmoditie to be counted paynfull, taken for our contrey. They therfore that flye that peryll which must be takẽ for the cõmon wealth, do folyshely: for neither can they auoyde it, and they be found vngrate to the citie.
But they that by their owne peril put away the perils of their cõtrei, they are to be counted wyse, seyng that bothe they geue to the cõmon wealth that honour yt they shulde geue, and had rather dye for many, thẽ wt many. For it is much against reason that receiuing thy naturall lyfe by thy contrey, to deliuer it agayne to nature when she compelleth the, and not to geue it to thy cõtrey when she desyreth the. And where yu mayst wyth hye valiauntnes & honour die for thy contrei, to haue rather lyke a cowarde to liue in shame. And for thy fryndes and parentes, and other acquayntance to put thy selfe in peryll: for the cõmon wealth in the whyche both it & that most reuerende name of the contrey is conteyned, not to be willynge to come in ieopardye. Wherfore as he is to be dyspised whyche being vpon the sea had rather haue hym selfe safe, then the ship: so is he to be rebuked, whych in ieopardye of the commen wealthe, prouideth more for his own then for ye cõmon wealthe. When the shyppe hathe ben broken, many haue ben saued: But after the shypwrake of the cõtrey no man can escape. Whyche thynge me thynketh Decius dyd wel perceiue, whych reported wholy to haue bestowed hym selfe, and for the sauegard of his men of war to haue run amonge the myddest of hys enemyes. Wherfore he loste not hys lyfe, but let it go: for he redemed for a thynge of verye small pryce, a ryght dere thyng. He gaue his life, but he receiued his contrei.
He loste his life, but he inioyed glorye, whyche written to his greate prayse, shyneth euerye daye more and more. Wherefore if we haue proued both by reason & by exãple, that we be bounde to put oure selfe in peryll for the common wealthe, they are to be counted wyse men, whych for the sauegarde of the contrey auoyde no peryll. It wolde be meete to exercyse chyldren in suche themes, wherby shal be gottẽ bothe wysedome and eloquence. And here me thynketh I maye ryghte well ende these Rethoricall preceptes, although I be not ignoraunt that much helpeth bothe to persuasions and copye, the proper handlyng of tales taken oute of the nature of beastes, dreames, fayned narracions, sumwhat lyke vnto the truth, wt allegories much vsed of diuines.
But because they requyre a longer treatie, for this tyme I leaue them of, addynge vnto these before written rules of oratory, a declamacion