And your decencies are of sundrie sorts, according to the many circumstances accompanying our writing, speech or behauiour, so as in the very sound or voice of him that speaketh, there is a decencie that becommeth, and an vndecencie that misbecommeth vs, which th'Emperor _Anthonine_ marked well in the Orator _Philisetes_, who spake before him with so small and shrill a voice as the Emperor was greatly annoyed therewith, and to make him shorten his tale, said, by thy beard thou shouldst be a man, but by thy voice a woman. _Phanorinus_ the Philosopher was counted very wise and well learned, but a little too talkatiue and full of words: for the which _Timocrates_ reprooued him in the hearing of one _Polemon_. That is no wonder quoth _Polemon_, for so be all women. And besides, _Phanorinus_ being knowen for an Eunuke or gelded man, came by the same nippe to be noted as an effeminate and degenerate person. And there is a measure to be vsed in a mans speech or tale, so as it be neither for shortnesse too darke, nor for length too tedious. Which made _Cleomenes_ king of the Lacedemonians geue this vnpleasant answere to the Ambassadors or the Samiens, who had tolde him a long message from their Citie, and desired to know his pleasure in it. My masters (saith he) the first part of your tale was so long, that I remember it not, which made that the second I vnderstoode not, and as for the third part I doe nothing well allow of. Great princes and graue counsellors who haue little spare leisure to hearken, would haue speeches vsed to them such as be short and sweete. And if they be spoken by a man of account, or one who for his yeares, profession or dignitie should be thought wise & reuerend, his speeches & words should also be graue, pithie & sententious, which was well noted by king _Antiochus_, who likened _Hermogenes_ the famous Orator of Greece, vnto these fowles in their moulting time, when their feathers be sick, and be so loase in the flesh that at any little rowse they can easilie shake them off: so saith he, can _Hermogenes_ of all the men that euer I knew, as easilie deliuer from him his vaine and impertinent speeches and words.