_ I haue come to the
Lord Keeper Sir _Nicholas Bacon_, & found him sitting in his gallery alone
with the works of _Quintilian_ before him, in deede he was a most eloquent
man, and of rare learning and wisedome, as euer I knew England to breed,
and one that ioyed as much in learned men and men of good witts. A Knight
of the Queenes priuie chamber, once intreated a noble woman of the Court,
being in great fauour about her Maiestie (to th'intent to remoue her from
a certaine displeasure, which by sinister opinion she had conceiued
against a gentleman his friend) that it would please her to heare him
speake in his own cause & not to condemne him vpon his aduersaries report:
God forbid said she, he is to wise for me to talke with, let him goe and
satisfie such a man naming him: why quoth the Knight againe, had your
Ladyship rather heare a man talke like a foole or like a wise man? This
was because the Lady was a litle peruerse, and not disposed to reforme her
selfe by hearing reason, which none other can so well beate into the
ignorant head, as the well spoken and eloquent man. And because I am so
farre waded into this discourse of eloquence and figuratiue speaches, I
will tell you what hapned on a time my selfe being present whene certaine
Doctours of the ciuil law were heard in a litigious cause betwixt a man
and his wife: before a great Magistrat who (as they can tell that knew
him) was a man very well learned and graue, but somewhat sowre, and of no
plausible vtterance: the gentlemans chaunce, was to say: my Lord the
simple woman is not so much to blame as her lewde abbettours, who by
violent perswasions haue lead her into this wilfulnesse.
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