Cap. XII. of Pronunciation, the IV. Part of Rethorike

Whan the matter is founde by invencyon, Be it mery or yet of grete sadnes, Sette in a place by the disposycyon, And by elocucyons famous clerenes Exornate well and redy to expres, Then pronouncyacyon, wyth chere and countenance, Convenyently must make the utteraunce.

Wyth humble voyce and also moderate, Accordynge as by hym is audyence, And if there be a ryght hye estate, Then under honour and obedyence Reasonably done unto his excellence, Pronouncyng his matter so facundious, In all due maner to be centencyous.

For though a matter be never so good, Yf it be tolde wyth tongue of barbary, In rude maner wythout the discrete mode, It is distourbance to a hole company For to se them so rude and boystously Demeane them selfe, utterynge the sentence Wythout good maner or yet intellygence.

It is a thinge ryght greatly convenable To pronounce the matter as it is convenient, And to the herers ryght delectable, Whan the utterer, wythout impediment, Wyth ryght good maner, countenaunce, and entent Dothe his tale unto them tretably, Kepynge his maner and voyce full moderately.

This is the costome that the poetes use, To tel theyr tale with al due circumstance, The vylayne courage they do much refuse That is boystous and rude of governaunce, And evermore they do to them avaunce Nurture, maner, and al gentylnes. In their behavyng wyth all semelynes.

And thus the gentyl rethoricyan, Through the labour of his ryal clergy, The famous nurture originally began Oppressynge our rudenes and our foly, And for to governe us ryght prudently, The good maner encreaseth dignitie, And the rudenes also iniquitie.

The famous poete who so lyst to here, To tell this tale it is solacyous, Beholdyng hys maners and also hys chere After the maner be it sad or joyous. Yf it be sad, his chere is dolorus, As in bewaylyng a woful tragedy That worthy is to be in memory.

And if the matter be joyfull and glad, Lyke countenaunce outwardly they make; But moderacyon in theyr myndes is had, So that outrage may them not overtake. I can not wryte to muche for theyr sake, Them to laude, for my tyme is shorte And the matter longe which I must reporte.