A Treatise of Schemes and Tropes

Richard Sherry’s work opens a window onto sixteenth‑century English rhetoric, presenting a tightly organized handbook of figures of speech that scholars of the era called “schemes” and “tropes.” Written in the spirit of a Renaissance school‑text, it treats style as the chief aim of eloquence, offering concise definitions and single illustrative examples for each classical device. The introductory notes guide listeners through the historical shift from medieval ornamentation to a more systematic, rule‑based approach to composition, while also explaining the peculiar quirks of the text’s modern edition, such as its careful handling of Unicode characters and transcription marks.

Listeners will discover how the treatise reflects a time when teachers believed that mastering a catalogue of rhetorical tools could unlock both secular argument and spiritual discourse. Though the work omits much of the broader five‑part classical framework, its focus on stylistic precision makes it a valuable glimpse into the pedagogical mindset of early modern England, revealing the enduring tension between invention, arrangement, and the art of polished expression.