The education of children in learning declared by the dignitie, vtilitie, and method thereof. Meete to be knowne, and practised aswell of parents as schoolmaisters.

The education of children in learning declared by the dignitie, vtilitie, and method thereof. Meete to be knowne, and practised aswell of parents as schoolmaisters.

Table of contents

Title page

To the right Worſhipfull Maiſter VVilliam Hawkins Eſquier, Maior of the Towne of Plimmouth, and to the worſhip full companie his Brethren the Maisters of the Towne. W. K. wiſheth proſperitie in this life, and euerlaſting ioy in the life to come.

¶ To the Gentle Reader.

§

¶ Io. Sw. In Authorem •ogdoaſtichon.

Abrahami Wiſlaki de libri argumento Epigramma.

Hen. Whit. in operis & Authoris laudem.

§

❧ The Vtilitie of Schooling.

❧ The Method of Schooling.

§

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THE Education of children in learning: Declared by the Dignitie, Vtilitie, and Method thereof.

Meete to be knowne, and practi ſed aſwell of Parents as Schoolemaiſters.

Teach a childe in the trade of his way, and when he is old he ſhall not depart from it.

Prou. 22 6.

Fathers prouoke not your children to wrath, but bring them vp in learning and information of the Lord.

Epheſ. 6. 4.

The rod and correction giue wiſedome, but a child set at libertie maketh his mother aſhamed.

Prou▪ 29. 15.

Fooliſhnes is tied in the heart of a child, but the rod of diſcipline ſhall driue it away.

Prou. 22. 15.

Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin, for Iohn Porter and Thomas Gubbin. 1588.

To the right Worſhipfull Maiſter VVilliam Hawkins Eſquier, Maior of the Towne of Plimmouth, and to the worſhip full companie his Brethren the Maisters of the Towne. W. K. wiſheth proſperitie in this life, and euerlaſting ioy in the life to come.

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ALthough it bee a matter of it ſelfe moſt euident, that the diſcipline and vertuous bringing vp of children in good learning is the very foundation and groundworke of all good in euery estate aſwell priuate as publike: yet ſuch is the corruption and iniquitie of our time, that moſt men are found very careleſſe and ſlacke to do their duetie therein; yea there want not thoſe that in flat termes affirme it to bee ſuperfluous, inſomuch that they can do well enough (in their owne iudgement) without it. For what parents in theſe daies haue not more care to prouide wealth for their children, than wiſedome? More care to leaue thē lands and liuings in this world, [Page] than to bequeath them that knowledge whereby they may enioy the right vſe and fruites of theſe temporall bleſsings, & be directed the right way to that glorious inheritance layd vp for Gods children in heauen? The common practiſe of many parents proueth this complaynt to bee true, and the priuate talke of ſome defendeth this practiſe to be good. VVherefore hauing regard of my duetie in this behalfe, and being aſſured of your VVorſhips courteſie in accepting my good will, to withdraw my neighbours and countrie men from this prophane opinion and pernicious cuſtome, and to allure them vnto a better and more godly conſideration, I haue thought good in your VVorſhips name to ſet before them, firſt (as it were) in a Preface the excellent dignitie of this Diſcipline, then the vtilitie, and afterwards in the reſt of the booke a Treatiſe of the eaſieſt and playneſt way to be vſed therein.

Your Worſhips euer to commaund in the Lord, W.K.

¶ To the Gentle Reader.

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I Haue ſent you, deere friend, a little pamphlet, of the education of Children in learning, which is no phantaſticall nor idle toy, but a verie profitable matter, and moſt neceſſarie to be vrged in this ſecure and licentious generation. Wherein I confeſſe, that many learned men haue alreadie beſtowed verie exquiſit and commendable labours: yet for that we haue endeuoured not only to fill vp the emptie roome with ſuch members as wanted, and to ſepatate that which ſeemed ſuperfluous; but alſo to new caſt the whole in another mould, and to bring it to another forme, breefe, and eaſie: I ſuppoſe that it will ſeeme altogether a ſtrange and a new Booke. Furthermore, where as the charge of teaching apperteineth but onely to a fewe of the learneder ſort, namely, to Scholemayſters, we to make the argument more popular, haue prefixed a neceſſarie exhortation for all other ſort of people, ſetting foorth the dignitie and vtilitie of the matter, with ſuch holie and ancient Hiſtories, with ſuch plaine and ſenſible reaſons, as may teach the vnlearned with ſome delight, and not be tedious to thoſe that are learned. Agayne, to ſatisfye in ſome part the expectation of the learned, we haue handled the method more methodically, and adorned the whole worke with ſome [Page] wittie, Greeke, and Latin ſentences, engliſhing the ſame neuertheles in the Margent for the behoofe of the vnlearned. And as generally both ſorts may peraduenture thinke that the reading of it will be worth the labour, ſo almoſt euery one of each ſort in particular, may finde ſomewhat for his purpoſe. For who is it of what ſtate or degree ſoeuer, vpon whom God hath not caſt the care and charge, either of teaching, or of learning, or elſe of cauſing others to be taught and learned?

Farewell, VV. K.

§

¶ Io. Sw. In Authorem [...]ogdoaſtichon.

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STurmius, & Ramus, Freigius, Manutius, Aſcham,

Quicquid ad hoc ſpectans explicuere genus:

Kempus id omne tenet, bene collocat, edocet Anglos,

Sedulitate ſimul, cum pietate pari.

Lectio, ſedulitas, labor, hac placuere peritis,

Nec dabit inuidia tam pia cura locum.

Sin tamen immerito Theonino dente petare,

Perfer, ab hijs melius te meruiſſe memor.

Abrahami Wiſlaki de libri argumento Epigramma.

QVantus honos, Parnaſſe, tuus, reuerentia quanta,

Quos, Helicon, fructus, praemia quanta feras,

Fronte canit prima modulato pectine muſa,

Doctiſoni reſerans limina trina fori.

Tùm quid amor patrius peragat doctuſ (que) magiſter

Depingit, Satyros & procul eſſe iubet.

Quo mandat puer ore cibos, quae manſa remandat,

Quas tenero primas deligat vngue roſas:

Et quî firmato procurrat poplite tandem,

Perfacili rectum tramite, pandit, iter.

Vel tibi, Therſites mordax, quod carpere poſſis,

Hîc nihileſt, nihileſt hic tibi liuor iners.

Semper enim Charites ſequitur (licet obſtrepat vſque

Stentorio Momus gutture) verus honos.

§

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VLtimus & victor, telum contorſit Aceſtes,

Vltimaque & victrix, veſtra Thalia canit.

Namque exſors tibi reſtat honos: rex magno Olympi

Sic vult, inuidit nec bonus Eurytion.

Hen. Whit. in operis & Authoris laudem.

QVe ſpinoſa diu & rigidis fuit horrida ſaxis,

Plana fit ad muſas, te duce, Kempe, Via.

AA

❧ The Dignitie of Schooling.

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IT is common with heathen men, when they will commend their Nobilitie, to deriue their pedegree from their Gods, giuing vs to vnderſtand thereby, that if there were any excellencie in them, it came not of themſelues, but God was the author thereof. Therefore O moſt noble diſcipline, from whence doeſt thou fetch thy pedegree▪ What parentage haſt thou▪ Who is the author of thine excellencie▪ Who ſhould it be els but the father of lights, euenIam. 1. 17. the author of euery good and perfect gift▪ He at the beginning created man in perfect righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, & beautified him with all ſingular knowledge. He alſo after the fall of man gaue his only Sonne to reſtore him agayne, and ordayned meanes and wayes, by the which not onely his ſeruants might be made partakers of this reſtauration, but generally all men might leade an honeſt and ciuill life here in this preſent world; the doore and enterance wherevnto is this diſcipline and ſchooling which I ſpeake of. But what are the men vpon whom this gift was firſt beſtowed▪ Who entertayned it▪ Who hath been a practiſer and furtherer thereof▪ Surely if wee ſearch the Schooles of all ages and all places, we ſhall finde that from time to time they were men of great renowne, great honour and vertue. Therefore, that we may the more orderly view their traces throughout theſe ſchooles, firſt let vs enter into the olde ſchoole of Gods people, which3. Schooles. we will call the ſchoole of the Hebrewes: ſecondly, let vs ſtep aſide into the ſchoole of the Gentiles, which wee may call the [Page] ſchoole of humanitie: thirdly, we will come néere to our owne ſchoole, comprehending in it the ſchoole of Chriſtianitie.

In the firſt ſchoole therefore, though Adam be conteyned,1 The ſchoole of the Hebrewes. who no doubt did his duetie in teaching his children: yet for that we finde no euidence thereof in writing, wee will paſſe by him and come to his ſonne Seth, a very godly and learned ſchoolemaiſter, as I may terme him. For beſides that it is recorded, that in his daies men began to worſhip God, and toGen. 4. 26. Lib. 1. cap. 3. call vpon his name, Ioſephus witneſſeth that he was a ſingular man, giuen to the ſtudie of wiſedome, and taught the same to his Nephewes, and they agayne to their poſteritie, in ye which was Enoch that walked with God, prophecying and teaching the old world, as appeareth by the teſtimonie of Iude, and at length was taken vp into heauen aliue. Moreouer,Iude. verſ. 14. the ſame Ioſephus writeth, that when they vnderſtoode that the world ſhould bee twice deſtroyed, once with water, and agayne with fire, they engraued their learning in two pillers; the one of bricke, the other of ſtone, that if the bricke piller ſhould be daſht in peeces with the flood, the ſtone piller might remayne; and if the ſtone piller ſhould bee conſumed with the fire, the bricke piller might remayne to teach men this ancient knowledge. Then both before and likewiſe after the flood, Noe is chronicled for a famous Doctor of righteouſneſſe1. Pet. 4. 19. 20 2. Pet. 2. 5. and godly knowledge, not only by the holy Ghoſt, but alſo by prophane men. For whereas Socrates affirmeth,Plato in Philebo. that learning being the gift of the Gods, was by Prometheus the repayrer of mankind after the flood fet out of heauen and brought vnto men, in very trueth it muſt bee vnderſtood of Noe, who was the author of this reparation. AnotherGen. 18. 19. moſt reuerend teacher in this ſchoole was Abraham, of whom GOD himſelfe teſtifieth, that he taught his children and familie the way of the Lord. Who alſo, is both for learning and teaching commended by Ioſephus and Beroſus. Lib. 1. 8. The like is to be vnderſtood of Abrahams poſteritie, as Iſaack, Iacob, and the reſt, which wee will paſſe ouer together with Melchiſedec that auncient Prieſt, ſeeing there is no [Page] mention made of their teaching. Thus wee haue in this ſchoole, Seth, Enoch, Noe, and Abraham, foure moſt auncient Patriarkes of bleſſed memorie, celebrated by name to be Doctors and maiſters, beſides many others vnnamed.

But what? Some will ſay, touching their bookes wee heare yet nothing, nothing of writing, nothing of reading. No doubt theſe ages were adorned with ſuch heroicall ſpirits and golden wittes, that they did conceiue and keepe in minde without the helpe of letters a great deale better than the ages following could do: ſo that their letterleſſe and vnwritten doctrine did bring that fruite and commoditie, which ours doth now being written. Howbeit, by Ioſephus report, we ſee that they had the vſe of letters euen before the flood, wherewith theſe two pillers were engrauen, as two famous bookes ſet forth to all the world. But behold, the next renowmed Doctor in this ſchoole commeth forth with his pen and inke, and writeth the lawes and precepts of the liuing God, with diuers hiſtories full of noble examples, conteyning the doctrine of all diuine and humane matters. I meane Moſes, who alſo propounded and interpreted this doctrine to a great multitude of people, and by the commaundement of God ordeyned a continuall order of Prieſtes, and promiſed a ſucceſſion of Prophets that ſhould bee teachers and expounders of the ſame, charging withall, all parents and houſholdersDeut. 67. to do the like to their children and houſholders, as (we ſee) the Patriarkes before time had done. This Doctor being brought vp in the King of Egypts Court was euen fromAct. 7. 22. the cradle inſtructed in learning and wiſedome, as alſo by al likelihood was Aaron the eloquent Prieſt, his ſonnes andExod. 4. 16. & 7. 1. others of the Iſraelites, though not brought vp in the Court, yet inſtructed in learning: for that if they had been vnlettered, they could not haue ſerued in that calling, neither had it been to any purpoſe to write theſe lawes vnto them.

Next was Ioſua, an actiue Captaine, and a teacher of the people, who made vnto them many pithie Orations, and diuided to euery man the portion of his inheritance: which [Page] thing alſo required knowledge in the Mathematicall Artes. After him ſuccéeded many Judges and Prophets beautified with learning, as appeareth otherwiſe, and alſo by the learned and Poeticall Song of Debora in the time of the Judges.Iud. 5. Furthermore we reade, that the holie woman Anna hauing dedicated her child Samuel to the ſeruice of the Lord,1. Sam. 1. 24. & 2. 18. & 3. 1 ſo ſoone as he was wained, committed him to Elie the Judge and Preeſt to be trained vp in learning: wherefore let Elie be added to the former maiſters of teaching. Hitherto we haue had worthy examples of Patriarks, Prophets, Préeſts, and Judges, that taught Children priuatly at home, and all ſorts of perſons publikely in the congregation. Now Scholers increaſe, and Parents being either otherwiſe buſied, or elſe not ſufficiently for this purpoſe furniſhed, ſend their Children to the common Schoole, which, as we reade, was1. Sam. 19. 18. 19. 20. firſt inſtituted in Naioth, whereof Samuel the Lords Judge and Prophet was moderator and Maiſter. Such an honorable man was the firſt publike Schoolemaiſter in this Schoole, whoſe Schollers then, as the Schollers a long time after him were called the Sonnes of the Prophets, becauſe the benefit of their good inſtruction, which they receiued of the Prophet their Maiſter, was eſtéemed at no leſſe price, then the benefit of their begetting and birth which they had of their Parents. Immediatly heerevpon learning began to flouriſh, by reaſon that there were ſtore of Prophets and Preeſts to teach the ſame. Of the Prophets two were famous Kings, Dauid, and Salomon, two Diamonds of art and gratious eloquence, which they haue plentifully expreſſed in the Pſalmes, Prouerbs, Eccleſiaſtes, and other their workes, but becauſe their hands were occupied with the royall Scepter, they could not alſo be publike Schoolemaiſters to youth: howbeit, they inſtructed not onely their houſholds priuatly, as Salomon ſayth, that he was taughtProu. 4. 1. 2. 3. of his Father, but alſo the aſſembly publikely, and therefore Salomon calleth himſelfe the Preacher. The other ProphetsEccle. 12. 9. in thoſe dayes were Gad, Nathan, Heman, Elcana, [Page] Ahias, and Iedo: after in the dayes of Roboam, Abias,1. Chr. 29. 29. 1. Chro. 15. 5. 2. Chr. 9. 29. & 13. 22. & 15. 1. 1. King. 16. 1.Aſa, and Iehoſaphat Kings of Iuda, were Semias, Iddo, Azarias, and Iehu: all the which, beſides that they were Maiſters of the Schooles and Colledges, wrote alſo ſeuerall Bookes (excepting one or two) as is mentioned in the Scripture. Next vnto theſe followed Elias and Eliſeus Prophets, Iehoiada the Préeſt, and his Sonne Zacharias a Prophet.Iam. 5. 17. Elias was ſubiect to ſuch worldly affections as we are, yet by the ſpirit of God he ſo ſubdued them, that he triumphed ouer them in a glorious Chariot aſcending, like Enoch, to heauen aliue: but knowing thereof before, he went from place to place with his ſucceſſor Eliſeus, and viſited the2. King. 2. 1. 2. 3. &c. Schooles of Gilgal, Bethel, Iericho, and another place beyond Iordan, of the which place, there are fiftie Schollers mentioned. And concerning Eliſeus, there is mention2. King. 4. 38. &c. made of an hundred Schollers that were vnder him in Gilgal, and of the poore diet wherewith they were ſuſteined. Further, how ſtudious he himſelfe was, we may perceiue, in that the Sunamit built a chamber, and furniſhed it with neceſſaries of purpoſe for the Prophet, that he might lodge2. King. 4. 10. &c. and ſtudie there when he trauailed that way, ſo that he did not intermit his ſtudie, no not in his iourney. Iehoiada beſides other Schollers, taught alſo verie diligently Ioaſh the2. Chr. 22. 11. 12. & 23. 1. King, euen from his infancie, and holp him to his kingdome. Which King notwithſtanding after the death of Iehoiada, fell to Idolatrie ſo diueliſhly, that for the defenſe thereof, he murthered Zacharias the Prophet, being the2. Chr. 24. 18. ſonne of his great friend and godly Schoolemaſſter Iehoiada. Which I note by the way, partly that parents may ſee, how good Schoolemaiſters haue now and then lewde and vnthriftie Schollers, and partly that Schoolemaiſters meditating aforehand with what vnthankefulnes, yea with what malitious crueltie their diligence and good will ſhall be ſometime requited, may the more ſtrongly arme themſelues with patience to indure it. From the dayes of this Zacharias, vnto Malachi, we haue ſixteene Prophets, verie famous [Page] for their paines in teaching all ſorts of people, both yong and old, by their liuely voyce, whileſt they liued, and alſo by their writing continually, ſithence their death, of whome nine, to wit, Ionas, Oſee, Eſaias, Obadias, Amos, Micheas, Naum, Ioel, and Habacuck, were before the Babylonicall captiuitie: foure, Ieremias, Zophanias, Ezechiel, and Daniel, in and about the captiuitie. This captiuitie laſted ſeauentie yeeres, in the which, as vpon the ouerthrowe of the eſtates both eccleſtaſticall and ciuill, of neceſſitie followed the ruine of the Schooles and Colledges: ſo doubtleſſe the Schooles were repaired againe together with the repairing of the policie and Prieſthood. In which renewed eſtate, God ſtirred vp the three other Prophets, Haggeus, Zacharias the latter, and Malachi, to occupie the Doctors chaire in ye congregation, and alſo in the Schooles. To theſe adde Ezra, beth a Prieſt, and an excellent Doctor of the Lawe, that obteined great fauour for his nation ofEzra. 7. 1. 2. &c. Nehem. 8. 2. 3. Artaxerxes the King, and by whoſe induſtrie the old Teſtament was worthely augmented and preſerued in writing for all nations: in his time alſo was Nehemias, a noble Courtier, of great learning and holynes, and a paſſing good member in furthering the ſeruice of God, and the welfare of his Countrey.

And thus the race of the Prophets is come to an ende, which thing brought an end alſo to the goodlieſt beawtie of this Hebrewe Schoole. For the Prieſts and Leuites, neyther in this point, nor in doing their duetie otherwiſe, were ſo diligent, but that they are reprehended by the Prophets many times for their ſlack and corrupt behauiour. Neither were the Schollers euer called the children of the Prieſts, but the children of the Prophets, becauſe the Prophets were their beſt maiſters: and yet in thoſe dayes God ſent ſome other good maiſters that were Prieſts and learned men, as Ioachim the Prieſt, who, as Philo ſaith, wrote the hiſtories of Iudith and Heſter: and the ſeauentie learned Doctors, whome Eleazar the Prieſt ſent to Ptolome Philadelphus [Page] King of Egypt, to tranſlate the Hebrewe Bible into the Greeke tongue, by which meanes the word of God came into the Kings Librarie at Alexandria, and ſo was ſet open to the Gentiles alſo. With theſe may Ieſus the ſome of Syrach be ſorted, and his grandfather likewiſe, men of great reading and learning, as their doctrine in the booke called Eccleſiaſticus doth witneſſe.

All this while, the Judges and Captaines, by whom the Iewes were gouerned after their captiuitie, were of the ſtock of Dauid, in which order Ianna Hyrcanus was the laſt. In whoſe dayes the itch of ambition and couetouſneſſe had ſo infected the Prieſthood, that whereas it ſhould go by ſucceſſion to the poſteritie of Eleazar the ſonne of Aaron, now it was, who might buy it for money of the Kings of Syria, which then held them in miſerable ſubiection. Iaſon was the firſt that attempted this way to get the Prieſthood; who to ſhoulder out his brother Onias, gaue for it to Antiochus 2. Macha. 4. King of Syria three hundred and ſixtie talents, and a rent of eightie talents: moreouer he gaue an hundred and fiftie talents for libertie to erect a Colledge, wherein he might exerciſe the ſchollers after the prophane faſhion of the Gentiles. Thus the ciuill pollicie being ſore defaced, and the Prieſthood wholly corrupted, the Schooles likewiſe degenerated from their ancient integritie, bringing forth not the true children of the Prophets, but the baſtards of very wicked and heatheniſh Sophiſters. Hereof it came to paſſe, that within fortie yeeres there ſprang vp the ſects of the Phariſies, of the Eſſenes, and of the Saduces; which corrupted the ſinceritie of Gods word, and broched very deteſtable and wicked opinions. Notwithſtanding, they had their Sinagogues and Colledges abroad in diuers cities and townes, but chiefly in Ieruſalem. And of the Phariſies was one Gamaliel Act. 6. 9. Act. 5. 34. a Doctor of great eſtimation, at whoſe feete and in whoſe diſcipline was nouriſhed vp the Apoſtle Saint Paule, afterwardsAct. 22. 3. a ſingular inſtrument in the Church of God. But to redreſſe the foreſayd corruption, was ſent the holy man of [Page] God Iohn Baptiſt, repleniſht with the ſpirit of Elias, who taught publikely both the congregation, and alſo many Schollers that continually attended vpon him. Let vs acknowledge therefore this man to be a viſiter and a reformer of the Colledges, and alſo the laſt Doctor in this Schoole of the Hebrewes. So now for the dignitie of Schooling in this firſt Schoole we haue verie worthie examples of teachers, firſt the Patriarks that taught their houſholds, then the Prophets and Prieſts that taught not only their houſholds priuatly, but alſo the congregation of the people, and companies of Schollers publikly: and for amplifying the honor and eſtimation of theſe offices, it pleaſed God that ſometimes Kings and Princes ſhould partly ſerue the turne therein.

But héere ſome will obiect, that all this teaching was for2. The Schoole of the Gentiles. Diuinitie, and therefore neceſſarie but for a few now, ſéeing that moſt men neither will nor may make their children Diuines. Were none then trained vp in learning, but ſuch as were Prophets or Prieſts▪ none but eccleſiaſticall perſons▪ yes, no doubt, Kings, Judges, Captaines, and all Magiſtrates, haue néede of the ſame education. Yea, though all men can not be learned Doctors, yet learning is neceſſarie for all ſorts and all degrées of men, whether they be high or lowe, rich or poore, rulers or ſubiects, eccleſiaſticall or ciuill. For what haue others done héerein which knewe not this diuinitie▪ which rightly embraced but humanitie▪ haue they had no teachers▪ no Schoole at all▪ yes verely, and that of great antiquitie: for as we haue ſhewed afore, Socrates. vttering the opinion of the Gentiles, affirmeth that Prometheus fet learning▪ out of heauen, and brought it vnto men. And the Egyptians, ere they had the vſe of letters, expreſſing their ſentences with the images of beaſts and figures of other things, did vſe ye figure of a deawing heauen, to ſignifie diſcipline and learning: ſo that aſwell the Panims as the Hebrewes did acknowledge God to be the author of learning, and that it was the deaw of heauen: but this dewe among [Page] the Gentiles did fall in diuers Countrey [...] and vppon diuers people, which we will recite in order one after another.

Beroſus writeth, that about the time of the death of Noe, King Sarron amongſt the Frenchmen ordeined publike Schooles of learning, to repreſit the outragious behauiour of naughtie men: and that King Ingenon for the like cauſe did the like among the Thuyſcones, a people of Germany. Of which thing alſo Cornelius Tacitus maketh mention in his booke of the Germane manners. Although we haue heere no Scholemaiſters named, yet let vs place in theſe examples a noble foundation of the Schoole of humanitie, ſéeing we haue two vetie auntient Kings, that erected Schooles for the expelling of barbaritie and intollerable manners. Alſo the ſame Beroſus recordeth, that in the daies of Abrahams pilgrimage, there reigned amongſt the Frenchmen one Druyus, a man of great knowledge and learning, of whome the Philoſophers of Fraunce, and the Countreys thereabout taking their learning, were a long time afterward called Druides, according to the name ofCeſar. 6. Tacit. 14▪ Plini. their patrone and firſt maiſter: theſe were men of great eſtimation and authoritie, for they did determine all cauſes and controuerſies, and as it were excommunicate him that would not [...] and to their determination: they were free from warres, from paying of cuſtomes, or any other dueues: which preferments and rewards brought them a great number of Schollers, which they reteined twentie yeares in the Schoole of their Philoſophie, which was chiefely of the power of the Gods, of the immortalitie of the Soule, of the courſe of nature, as the Starres and their mouing, the bignes of the world and the earth. Iulius Caeſar addeth, that this diſcipline came out of England into Fraunce, and thoſe which would learne the ſame more exactly, came hither for it: which argueth, that either the firſt founder Druyus himſelfe was a Doctor heere in England, or elſe ſome of his ſucceſſors within a whiles brought hither their diſcipline, [Page] where it was ſo well entertained, that the fountaine thereof was eſteemed to be heere.

But in Egypt were noble Students of Philoſophy and wiſedome neere about the ſame time, with whome, as writethBooke. 1. 9. Gen. 47. Ioſephus, Abraham diſputed, and in many things inſtructed them better. Theſe are they that were mainteined by the Kings of Egypt, ſo that in the dayes of Amaſis the King, when all other people were through penurie enforced to ſell their lands to Ioſeph to the Kings vſe, they liuing by the Kings ordinarie, kept their lands for themſelues and their heires. Of the three other Kings, two, namely Sarron and Ing [...]on, cauſed their ſubiects to exerciſe themſelues in learning▪ the third was a teacher and patron thereof▪ but what liberalitie any of them exhibited towards Students, we knowe not: wherefore let this Pharao Amaſis be regiſtred for the firſt benefactor in this Schoole towards learning, whonie his ſuco [...]ſſors did diligently imitate therein, whereby it came to paſſe that Egypt was a nourſerie of learning for other Countreys▪ for out of this Schoole came Atlas the learned Aſtronomer, that inhabited in Mauritania. Out of this Schoole came Oſiris, who when he had trauailed about all the world▪ ſet vp a piller engraued. with the experiments of his iourney▪ Out of the same Schoole came Moſes, as I haue ſhewed afore, a faithfull Prophet, valiant Captaine, and prudent Judge of the Lords people. And about his time there floriſhed in this Schoole Mercurie Triſmegiſt, the wonder of Philoſophie, whoſe writings yet in ſome part remaining, declare the ſame, Heerehence came Cecrops King of the Athenians, who was ſkilfull in the toongs. Heere flouriſhed King Protheus with his diuine and Propheticall learning. Nouit tam (que) omnia vates, Virg. geor. 4. For, things paſt, preſent, and to come, this Prophet knowes them all. Quae ſint, quae fuerint, qu [...] mox ventura trahantur, Phoenix and Cadmus from hence caried the vſe of letters into Phoenice, and thence Cadmus carted the ſame to Thebes in Greece, which Citie he builded and ruled as King. His letters were but ſixteene, to the which Palamedes in the warre [Page] of Troy added foure: to wit, [...], [...], [...], [...]. Finally, many famous learned men of Greece and other Countries from time to time afterward, for the bettering of their learning, reſorted into Egypt, as to the head and ſpring thereof. In which nomber are Thales, Pythagoras, and Plato: of whom wee ſhall ſpeake anone.

Now, when learning had taken a little roote in Greece, it ſpred foorth with farre and wide very wonderfully. Here then a litle before the time of Debora, Phemonoe commonly called Sybilla, inuented the arte of Poetrie, and wrote her Oracles in hexameter verſe; whereof ſome peeces remayne to this day. Then floriſhed Orpheus the Thracian, and Linus a Thebane, two Poets, that for their arte and paſſing wit, were reputed to be the iſſue of the Gods: which Virgils Virg. Eclo. 4. words do import, making a ſuppoſed compariſon of himſelfe with thē, as with the greateſt that he could finde.Orpheus no [...] Line ſhall me ſurpaſſe in making verſe aright, Non me carminibꝰ vincet, nec Thracius Orpheus, Though parents to thē both diuine lend all their helpe and might, Nec Linus: huic mater quamuis, at (que) huic pater adſit: To Orpheus muſe, Calliope: to Line Apollo bright. Orphei Calliopea Lino formoſus Apollo. Orpheus with his cunning harmonie, as Poets fayne, ta [...]ed wilde beaſtes, and made ſtones to moue at his pleaſure: that is in very déede, with his ſwéet eloquence and wiſedome, he molliſted the fierce manners of vnreaſonable men, and mooued their ſtonie hearts to embrace vertue. Whoſe ſcholler Muſeus was, a princely Poet alſo,For he incloſed is in throng with numbers great and tall, And they their heads incline to him. breſt high aboue them all. Medium nam plurima turba, Hunc habet atque humeris extantem ſuſcipit altis. Linus wrote much of naturall Philoſophie, aſwell touching celeſtiall as terreſtriall creatures, and had two noble Schollers, Thamaras that wrote three thouſand verſes of their Diuinitie; and Hercules, who enterpriſed and atchiued ſuch incomparable exploytes for the common profite of mankinde, that he was taken for a God on earth. After all theſe, in the dayes of Elie, Homer the prince of all Poets wrote his excellent workes, by the which all good Schooles haue been much furthered euen vnto this day. For all thoſe that excelled in learning, all thoſe that were ſage Lawmakers, diſcreet rulers, either at home or abroad, either [Page] in pe [...]e or in warre, fet their precepts and examples of inſtruction out of Homers workes. His workes therefore made Lycurgus and Solon good Lawmakers: the one to the Athenians, the other to the Lacedemonians. His works made Heſiodus, Cynethon, Cumelus, Archimus, Archilocus, Sappho, Alceus, Tyrteus and Theſpis, cunning Poets. To the which adde Steſichorus, that found great liberalitie at the hand of Phalaris the tyrant, and Epimenides, out of whom Sain [...]t Paule alleageth this verſe, [...].Tit. 1. 12. To lye, to hurt as tigers wilde, to ſlouth and bellie eaſe, The men of Cree [...]are alwaies bent, ſuch vices do them pleaſe. His workes made Thales Mileſius, Anaximander his ſcholler, Pherecides, Simonides and Pythagoras, wiſe Philoſophers. Thales was the father of the Mathematicall artes in this ſchoole: for ſome inuentions wherof he ſo reioyced and was ſo thankfull, that he offered an Oxe to the Gods. Simonides inuented foure letters more, namely, [...], ſo that now we haue the foure and twentie Greeke letters with their authors, Pythagoras was the ſcholler of Pherecides, and liued about the ende of the Babylonicall captiuitie: who for ſingular learning, order of ſtudie, and dexteritie in teaching, was ſuch a primroſe of all Schoolemaiſters, that a long time after there were many famous ſchollers of his ſect called Pythagoreans, yea almoſt all ſtudents would be called Philoſophers, becauſe Pythagoras firſt fant [...]fied that title: who alſo for ſome ſingular inuentions in the Mathematicals, offered to the Muſes an Oxe, like as Thales had done. Then there followed a plentifull harueſt of learned men, and teachers of ſchooles: as Hellanicus, Democritus, Anaxagoras, Ariſtagoras, Philoſophers: Pindarus, Eſthylus, Sophocles, and Euripides Poets. Democritus, to vnwrappe himſelfe of all occaſions that might hinder his ſtudie, gaue his ample poſſeſſions and riches to the common weale, and laughed to ſcorne the fooliſh toyling of his Citizens, that beſtowed both wet and drie to purchaſe wealth and promotion: the continuance whereof was vncerteyne, and vnable to make them one iot the better. Towards Euripides was [Page] Archilaus the King of Macedonia very bountifull, and ſo was Artaxerxes the King of Perſia towards Hippocrates the father of Phiſitions. In the dayes of Nehemias, Socrates (the ornament of ſchooling) kept a great ſchoole of Phiſoſophers; for order and diſcipline very excellent, and a moſt perfect looking glaſſe, wherein wee may beholde the imageXeno. booke. 1. of Socra. and ſtate of a good ſchoole. For firſt he taught how neceſſarie learning was for all ſorts of people: then who was fit to learne, and what things were to be learned. Further, he openedPlato in Phaedro. the method and way of bringing the precepts into the forme of arte, for the more eaſie teaching and learning of the ſame. Finally, though he admitted into his ſchoole all thoſe that were willing, yet of none did he exact wages for teaching, the people neuertheleſſe contending of their owne accord who ſhould beſtowe greateſt giftes vpon him, [...], inſomuch that he reckoned it for a great wonder, if any ſcholler ſhould bee found not to exceede in thankfulneſſe. Do ye marueile how this came to paſſe? Surely for that in old time, as Plutarch recordeth, men taught either their kinſfolke, as children, nephewes and brethren, or their deere friends: which without conſtraint of promiſe were ſufficiently bound by naturall affection and the bands of friendſhip, with all the dueties of thankfulneſſe to recompence their teacher. Howbeit, there were ſome nigardly and vnthankfull perſons in thoſe dayes, as there are now, which refuſing this way of recompenſing freely, commended by Socrates, would needes haue hired teachers for wages; which teachers very aptly he termeth [...], ſellers of themſelues for ſaues: and in deede they were not eſteemed better, but rather worſe then ſlaues of thoſe that hired them. For when one of theſe money minded parents came to Ariſtippus, aſking him what he ſhould giue to haue his ſonne taught: and Ariſtippus had anſwered a thouſand drachmes: he replyed that it was too much, ſeeing17. Pounde 10. ſhillings. he might buy a ſlaue with that money. Yea, quoth Ariſtippus, ſo thou mayſt, and if thou like better of ſlaues then of [Page] learning, by that meanes thou ſhalt haue two ſlaues, both him that thou buyeſt and alſo thy ſonne. This ſo ſlauiſh aPlutar. educat. of child. minde of parents cauſed Crates to go vp into the higheſt place of the citie, and crye out: O ye citizens, what meane ye to beſtowe all your care for the getting of riches, and almoſt no care on your children, to whom ye muſt leaue theſe riches: But at length, whether it were through this ſlauiſh couetouſneſſe of parents, or els through the enuious ſtomackes of vile perſons, this good man Socrates was put to death by the ſentence of the Judges pronounced vpon the falſe teſtimonie of ſuborned accuſers. Notwithſtanding, this ranckled enemie did not ſo preuayle agaynſt the innocencie and good deedes of the man, but that the authors of his death ſhortly after came to a ſhamefull ende, and the fruit of his doctrine brought him perpetuall honor and renowne. For out of his Schoole proceeded many noble Philoſophers and learned men, whoſe authoritie among their ſchollers while they lu [...]ed was great, but farre greater among all ſtudents euer ſince their death, of whome, the diuine Philoſopher Plato being chiefe, kept a Schoole in Academia, a place by his meanes ſo famous, that thereof not onely the Students a long time after were called Academikes, but alſo our Univerſities at this day are called Academiae. Dionyſius, otherwiſe a cruell and wicked King, hauing heard of the fame of this Plato, conceiued ſuch a reuerent eſtimation of him, that with many gifts and promotions he inuited him to come into his kingdome of Sicilie, and cauſed fires and ſacrifices to be made throughout his Realme at his comming therein, as if ſome God had entered: which King moreouer leauing his kingdome and kingly dignitie, honored learning ſo farre, that he refuſed not in his owne perſon to execute the office of a Schoolemaiſter in the Citie of Corinth.

Next to Plato was Ariſtotle, a man ſurpaſſing no leſſe in eloquence, and all the liberall Artes, then in multitude of Schollers, among whome, was Alexander the Great, a King that for magnanimitie and amplitude of dominions, [Page] had neuer his peere, for ardent affection towards learning made his Bookes his pillow to ſleepe on, and for loue to his maiſter Ariſtotle, reſtored his Countrey Stagira, which he had waſted: imitating in theſe things his Father King Phillip, another mightie piller of learning alſo. Many other notable Schollers had Socrates, as Xenocrates, Xenophon, Eudoxus, Euclide, and Iſocrates. Euclide being a Citizen of Megara, vpon paine of death might not come to Athens to heare Socrates, by reaſon of publike hoſtilitie betweene the two Cities, yet he longed ſo greedely for learning, that to attaine it, he hazarded his life, comming and going to his maiſter in diſguiſed apparell, Iſocrates was moderator of a Rhetorike Schoole, from whence iſſued foorth troupes of noble Schollers, which for the moſt part were not onely eloquent Orators, but alſo wiſe Counſellers, valiant Captaines, yea famous Kings and Princes. This Maiſter, to animate his Schollers, and giue them a ſharper edge to learning, wrate ouer his Schoolehouſe dore this ſentence in golden letters, [...], If thou loue learning, thou ſhalt attaine to much learning: which counſell, his Scholler Demoſthenes embraced ſo earneſtly, that he ſhaued the one ſide of his head, to impoſe vpon himſelfe a neceſſitie of ſtaying within dores, and ſo ſpent more Oyle in ſtudying by candle light, then wine in drinking: by which diligence, it came to paſſe that the cunning of his mind did ſurmount the mightie armour of King Phillip of Macedonia: wherefore the Athenians gaue him this Epigramme, agreeing with the word ofEccle 7. 21. & 9. God, [...].

Robora ſimenti Demoſthenis aequa fuiſſent,

Non Macedûm Graias Mars populâſſet opes.

If ſtrength equall to will and wit D [...]moſthenes had had,

The Macedonian Mars with ſpoiles of Greeks had not bin clad.

After theſe and a great many other renowined Orators not farre differing in time, was Menander the Poet, whome [Page] the Kings of Egypt held in ſo high eſtimation, that they ſent vnto him Ambaſſadours with many giftes, inuiting him to come vnto them, and whom S. Paule reuerenced ſo farre,1. Cor. 15. 33. that he hath regiſtred in the holy Bible that verſe of his: [...]. Many other famousStaynde and deſtroyd are maners good by naughtie fooliſh talke. Doctors were there, ſome Philoſophers: as Spe [...]ſippus, Theophraſtus, Theodorus, Demetrius, Zeno, Cleanthes, and Eratoſthenes. Zeno for his paſſing learning was adōrned by the Athenians with a Crowne of gold. Agayn, ſome Poets, as Metaſthenes, Eraſiſtratus, and Aratus, whoſe ſentence [...], is ſanctified alſo by SaintAct. 17. 2. 8. For we Gods race and iſſue are. Paule: which diligence of the Apoſtle in reading theſe authors, wee haue noted now three times. In thoſe daies, being about three hundred yeres before the birth of Chriſt, reigned P [...]olomie Philadelphus King of Egypt; who with great coſt procured a Librarie in Alexandria to bee furniſhed with all ſtots of bookes, gathered out of all Countries, in the which he had, as wee haue ſhewed afore, the holy Bible, that this ſchoole of humanitie might bee amended by the former ſchoole of Diuinitie. Beſides that, this King mainteyned a great many learned men very liberally, and tooke great pleaſure and delight in their learning. Now, as this ſchoole of humanitie was well frequented in Egypt and Greece, ſo in the meane time was it not neglected in Chaldea. For in that Countrie long agoe liued Beroſus a ſkilfull Aſtronomer and a diligent Hiſtoriographer, of whoſe workes ſome part is yet to be ſeene. Yea in Chaldea, Daniel and his thrée fellowes were by the Kings ſtipend and prouiſion mainteyned at ſchoole, to learne both the language and Philoſophie of the Chaldeans. And to be breefe, theſe learned men which trauayled into Egypt for the bettering of their learning, did for the ſame cauſe trauayle into Chaldea alſo, becauſe there was another great welſpring of learning. But as the ſchoole of humanitie was brought out of Egypt into Greece, ſo at length ſome braunches thereof were tranſported ouer into Italie, and there huſbanded and trimmed with all diligence [Page] and induſtrie. For to ouerpaſſe Pythagoras, who hauing left Greeoe▪ taughe in Italie a ſchoole of ſixe hundred ſchollers, and by whoſe precepts Numa the ſecond King of the Romanes, Ouid Met. 15. being inſtructed, ſet the common wealth in good order; there floriſhed firſt. Liuius Andronicus: then Ennius and Plautus, old Latin Poets, neere about two hundred and ſixtie yeeres before the comming of Chriſt. Plautus, being a ſeruant, was ſo conetous of learning, that he attended vpon his maiſters buſineſſe by day, and wrote his cloquent Comedies by night. Next were Neuius, Statius, Pacuuius, Accius, and diuers others, among whom was Terence, by whoſe Comedies the learned men then, and our Schooles now haue great helpe for puritie and elegancie of the Latine tongue. Then there began a ſchoole of Rhetorike in Rome, which was firſt taught by Plotius Gallus. At length there were aboue twentie Schooles at once, ſo that learning abounded plentifully, and that chiefly in the Nobilitie. Of the which Maiſter Varro, a noble Prince of his Countrie, wrateAcadem. Quaeſt. & Phillip. 2. moſt exquiſitly of all parts of Philoſophie, of the myſteries of religion, of the common wealth, of the lawes and diſcipline both for warres and peace, of the arte of Grammar, and certeyne hiſtories. Iulius Caeſar the firſt and greateſt Emperour that euer liued, with a moſt pure ſtile ſet foorth the hiſtories of his times, and certeyne bookes of Grammar, and ſuch like doctrine. Pompey a grand ſeniour and actiue Captaine, after he had ſubdued many Kingdomes and Countries, both in the Eaſt, and in the Weſt, when he came to the houſe of Poſidonius a ſchoolemaiſter, cauſed the maieſticall Mace, borne before him, to bee layd downe at the doore, and ſo humbled that authoritie to the learning of this ſchoolemaiſter, to the which authoritie almoſt all the world Eaſt and Weſt had ſubmitted it ſelfe. What great Magiſtrates in the common wealth were Cato, Marcus Antonius, and Brutus? Yet from them flowed the examples and rules of eloquence. But of all other, for [...]arietie in learning and paynfulneſſe to ſet it foorth in writing, Marcus Cicero a worthie [Page] Prince alſo hat̄h deſerued moſt prayſe. Whoſe bookes, as alſo the hiſtories of Iulius Caeſar, Terences Comedies, together with the bookes of the three Poets Virgil, Ouid and Horace, and alſo of Quintilian the Rhetorician, and the only Latin ſchoolemaiſters to all good ſtudents euen at this day. Of Virgil it is reported, that when he did reade ſome part of his booke in the aſſemblie, the people did no leſſe reuerence vnto him, then if it had been to the Emperour himſelfe. And that for the making of ſixe and twentie verſes he was rewarded by Octauia the Emperours ſiſter with no leſſe than 1137. pound, to wit, aboue thrée and fortie poundsTen Seſtertia for euery verſe. for euery verſe. Both he and Horace for their learning and paſſing wit were the only darlings to Auguſtus the Emperour, and to Mecenas a noble man, two mightie ſupporters of learned men, but eſpecially the latter, inſomuch that all mainteyners of learning are called by his name Mecenates. Ouids learning, like Orpheus muſicke, perſwaded euen the Getes, a wilde and barbarous people, to vſe great humanitie towards him while he liued, and afterwards to burie him with great pompe. Quintilian was the firſt that receiued the honor of a publike ſtipend for teaching of a publike ſchoole in Rome. To theſe may be added Callidius, Caluus, Cornificius, Saluſt, Sceneca, T. Liuius, Perſius, Lucan, and many more worthie to be named: which if I ſhould do, Icaria I ſhould but ſtriue Sea drops to tell. numerum dicere coner aquae. Generally therefore let vs remember how this ſecond Schoole hath béene erected and mainteyned by the liberalitie of Kings, Princes, grand captaines, and other noble men; and then frequented and exerciſed by men of great eſtimation and wiſedome, in France, in England, in Germanie, in Egypt, in Chaldea, in all the Countries of Greece, and laſt of all in Italie.

But what? Muſt we fetch examples of ſchooling either of3 The ſchoole of the Chriſtians. the Hebrewes, that liued ſo long ago, or els of the Heathen, which beſides that they liue [...] long ago, were alſo of a contrarie religion? Are there no examples thereof to be found in theſe latter ages, and in our owne religion? Yes verely, ſuch [Page] examples, as one of them is enough to counterp [...]iſe, yea, to weigh downe the heauieſt examples of the two former, though he lay them all together.

For in the former Schooles God was acknowledged to be the author of diſcipline and learning, but man was the inſtrument and meſſenger, by whoſe ſeruice God did put it in practiſe: but this latter Schoole was not onely inſtituted by the authoritie of our gratious God, but alſo the firſt Doctor therein was his only déere Sonne our Sauiour Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore of him is called the Schoole of Chriſtianitie. He, as the Prophets had done before, taught publikely both the people in the congregation, and alſo was alwayes furniſhing of his Diſciples and Schollers with ſtore of treaſure, that out of the ſame afterwards they might be able, like good houſholders, to bring foorth vnto their audienceMath. 13. 52. things both new and old. The noble actes and practiſes of which Schollers, are in the new Teſtament ſet foorth to the viewe of all men, ſo that it is néedleſſe to ſay any thing thereof: only I note briefely that they forſooke all their wealth and worldly promotions, that they bare many times much trouble and bitter affliction, to the end that they might become good Schollers in this Schoole. Theſe Schollers at length being Doctors, to wit, Apoſtles, Euangeliſts, Prophets, and Miniſters, walked in the ſteps of Chriſt their maiſter, and of the old Prophets their predeceſſors, not only teaching the multitude in the congregation, but alſo making their Schollers learned, and fit for ſome function in preaching the Goſpell. As to paſſe by all the reſt, S. Paule inſtructed Timothy, Titus, Eraſtus, Archippus, Epaphroditus, Denis, Stephana, and Tychicus, with others. At Epheſus he taught dayly for the ſpace of two yeares in the Schoole of one Tyrannus. And what a diligentActs. 9. 19. Student he was himſelfe, it may appeare, in that he ſent from Rome to Troas aboue a thouſand miles, for his papers2. Tim. 4. 13. and bookes, the inſtruments of ſtudie.

After the Apoſtles time, was a famous Schoole of Diuinitie [Page] institut [...] at Alexandria in Aegypt, in the which, Pante [...]us was the firſt teacher▪ then Clemens, then Origen, a Doctor of no leſſe learning then fame. And about this time flouriſhed Cyprian the Biſhop of Carthage. Now the Emperout Conſtantine the Great, being the ſonne of Helene, a woman borne and brought vp in this land, in all the countries and prouinces of his large Empire, ſet vp Schooles of all good Artes, but eſpecially of Diuinitie, not only with liberall ſtipends mainteining them, but alſo with honorable priuiledges and exemptions defending them. So ther [...] began to ariſe the great ſtarres of Chriſtianitie, as Athanaſius Biſhop of Alexandria, Gregorie Nazianzene, Chryſoſtome Biſhop of Conſtantinople, Baſile the great, Biſhop of Ceſarea, whome his Father inſtructed multá (que) inſignem And albedeckt with noble artes. reddidit arte, S. Hierome the eloquent Doctor, Ambroſe Biſhop of Milan, and Auſtin his Scholler Biſhop of Hippo, with many others, of the which, ſome were brought vp in the Schoole of humanitie, and afterwards conuerted to Chriſtianitie, and ſome from their infancie were trained vp in the Schoole of Chriſt. But what ſhould I ſta [...] in rehearſing the names of a few men, of a two or three Countries, when as in euery pariſh of innumerable Countries and Kingdomes throughout all the world, not only learned men are ordeined to preach the Goſpell, and haue ſeuerall ſtipends publikly allowed for their maintenance: but alſo Schooles, Colledges, Uniuerſities, and other places of ſtudie, are euery where erected for the increaſing and nouriſhing of learned men to furniſh theſe vocations: as to name ſome, the Colledges and Uniuerſities at Paris, in the dayes of Charles [...]he Great, at Bononia, and Pauie in Italy, at Br [...]ges, by Charles King of Bohemia, at Craconia, Colen, Erford in Thuringia, at Lipſia, at Vienna in Austria, at Friburge, Baſile, Ingolstade, Tubinga, Wittemberge, Francford, Marpurge, S. Andrewes in Scotland, and at Maguntia by Ditherus the Biſhop, where the Arte of Printing, the preſerger of all Artes, was inuented, in the yeare of our [Page] Lord 1466. But if any man will be rather moued with home examples of his Anceſters, then with forraine examples of Strangers, this our Countrey of England, aſwell for embracing Chriſtianitie and all godly learning, as alſo for liberalitie emploied to mainteine the ſame,

Tantum alias inter caput extulit vrbes,

Quantum lenta ſolent inter viburna cupreſſi.

Virg. Eclo. 1. Her head ſo high doth mount aboue all other kingdomes wide▪ As doth the cypres long and tall aboue the ſhrubs excide.

For as the Schoole of humanitie was heere planted when it was yet tender and young, ſo was the Schoole of Chriſtianitie, inſomuch that our Countreyman Gyldas writeth, that the Goſpell was receiued heere euen from the comming of Chriſt, in the dayes of Tiberius, by the preaching of Ioſeph of Arimathea (as others declare) whome Phillip the Apoſtle ſent hither out of Fraunce. Then in the time of the valiant King Arthur, the exerciſe and ſtudie of learning was diligently applied in Southwales. The like is recorded to be done an hundred and twenty yeares after in the dayes of Sigebert King of the Eaſtangles, who ſet vp Schooles of the Gréeke and Latin toong. And Egbert King of Kent fortie yeares after followed the ſame ſteps of his predeceſſors. King Ethelſtane was not only a founder of Schooles for learning, but alſo a profound learned Aſtronomer himſelfe. Yet of all our auncient Kings, none may be preferred, no nor compared to that moſt vertuous King Alfred, either for knowledge in the Artes and all good letters, or for loue and diligence to aduance the ſame. For beſides that he tranſlated diuers bookes into the vulgar toong, and wrote many new of his owne, he alſo inſtructed all his Children, Sonnes, and Daughters, in the liberall Artes, and did ſhut the dore of climing to any dignitie in the Court againſt ſuch as wanted the furniture of learning. Furthermore, he procured with great charges learned men, ſome to be his Counſellers, as the godly Diuine Iohn Scot, afterwards martired by his Schollers at Malmesburie, ſome to teach the Schooles and Colledges, whereof he ordeined diuers in Oxford. Therefore now we haue the bleſſed founder of that famous [Page] Uniuerſitie of Oxford, founded aboue ſeauen hundred yeres agone, whether before or after the founding of the Uniuerſitie of Cambridge it is not materiall, but in either of them at this day are ſixteene goodly Colledges: and moreouer in Oxford eight Haules builded by Kings, Queens, Princes, Biſhops, and other good men, and enriched with lands, reuenewes, ſtipends, as alſo eſtabliſhed and fortified with lawes, ample priuiledges, and immunities for the maintenance and commoditie of Students and learned men. Theſe are two bright fountaines of learning, whoſe wholeſome ſtreames runne plentifully abroade, watering not only this Realme, but alſo forraine Countries, to the great benefit of the Church of God. Alſo by the like good Authors, after the ſame manner, and for the ſame cauſe, were inſtituted many other houſes of learning, Colledges, and free Schooles, as partly we ſee in this Towne, and more amply may knowe and ſee in the Cities, Townes and Uillages throughout the Realme, which I will ſurceaſe to purſue any farther in perticular for that it would be an endleſſe labour. Now then we haue verie haſtely in reſpect of ſo copious a matter, trauailed through theſe three Schooles of the Hebrewes, of the Gentiles, and of the Chriſtians, wherein traching the dignitie of learning and Schooling, whether ye conſider the ſetters foorth and ſupporters thereof, or the teachers, or elſe the Schollers, we haue noted out vnto you of all three ſorts, beſides God the principall Author, Kings, Princes, wiſe Counſellers, men of great eſtimation, vertue, & godlynes, generally in all theſe Schooles, and perticularly alſo we haue obſerued how euery one doth excell in his peculiar prayſe, namely, the Schoole of the Hebrewes hath the chiefe praiſe of moſt auncient and true godlines: the Schoole of the Gentiles, of framing an artificiall way and method to attaine learning by: the Schoole of the Chriſtians, of manifeſting the true practiſe of all learning, referring it to the right end.

Now if by any meanes all theſe ſo honorable and godly perſonages [Page] ſhould riſe out of their graues, and with their maieſticall preſence appeare vnto vs that liue in this age, and in this Countrey, and with their ſage and eloquent toongs declare vnto vs, ſome, what paines and charges they haue employed: ſomewhat diligence and ſtudie they haue vſed in planting and watering, in nouriſhing and cheriſhing of knowledge and learning, I ſuppoſe that many parents would hang downe their heads for ſhame of their negligence, and many children and youth would lament their miſerable eſtate and condition for want of good education.

❧ The Vtilitie of Schooling.

BUT peraduenture at length ſome Father here among the reſt will rubbe his forehead and bee ſo hardie as to aſke thoſe godly men, why they would ſpend their goodes and poſſeſſions about that which cannot feede the belly, nor clothe the backe, nor yet helpe a man in time of aduerſitie. If Dauid, Salomon, Paule, or any other of theſe good men ſhould anſwer thee, he would ſay that the riches, which thou beſtoweſt to get learning, is but droſſe and dung, in compariſon of the pure gold and precious pearle that is attayned by learning, and ſo would decipher the ſinguler vſe and fruites of learning, with ſuch forcible and ſound reaſons, with ſuch gracious and heauenly eloquence, that it would paſſe the ſkill of any man now aliue to expreſſe it. Wherefore let vs requeſt ſome other to take this part in hand: and among all, now I ſuppoſe may pleaſe our phantaſie more, than bleſſed Alfred, who was out countrie man, our King, and a principall patrone of learning in our countrie. And albeit he can handle the cauſe nothing ſo well as any of the other, which were Prophets and Apoſtles: yet ſurely he will do it ſufficiently for thine inſtruction, and therefore hearken what he ſayth.

[Page]Knoweſt thou not what profite and commoditie learning bringeth to the children of Adam? Looke vpon the barbarous nations, which are without it: compare their eſtate with ours, and thou ſhalt ſee what it is to be learned, and what to be vnlearned. They for want of learning can haue no lawes, no ciuill pollicie, no honeſt meanes to liue by, no knowledge of Gods mercie and fauour, and conſequently no ſaluation nor hope of comfort. Wee by the meanes of learning haue and may haue all theſe things. Therefore in that thou doeſt enioy thy lands and liuings, in that thou mayſt procure ſuch things as thou wanteſt, it is the benefite of learning. In that thou ſleepeſt quietly in thy bed, in that thou trauayleſt ſafely on the way, in that theeues and enemies do not ſpoyle thine houſe and houſhold, kill thy children, take away thy life; it is the benefite of learning. Nay, go further. In that thou thy ſelfe runneſt not to the like exceſſe of iniquitie; art no theefe, no murderer, no adulterer; it is the benefite of learning. Doeſt thou not ſee here what a plentifull harueſt of all good fruites learning bringeth forth? Yet what is all this in reſpect of the fauour and loue of God, in reſpect of eternall ſaluation, which is offered vnto thee, and which thou receiueſt by the hand of learning? To haue peace and attonement with God, to be aſſured that he will protect and defend thee againſt all thine aduerſaries, to be aſſured that he will deliuer thee out of all dangers and troubles, that he will preſerue and keepe thee both in proſperitie and aduerſitie, is a moſt excellent and comfortable benefit, it is the benefit of learning, to be deliuered from death and damnation, from euerlaſting puniſhment of hell fire, to be an heire of the glorious kingdome of heauen, and to heare this good tidings reported by faithfull meſſengers, is ſo happie, ſo bleſſed and ſo excellent a benefite, as no tongue can vtter, nor heart conceiue; yet learning is the inſtrument whereby thou doeſt atteyne it. Wherefore did the Patriarkes, Prophetes, Kings, Judges, Apoſtles, and all the men of God ſweat ſo much after learning, vnleſſe it were that they themſelues and others [Page] alſo might enioy all theſe great bleſſings? But to this peraduenture thou wile obiect, that thy childe hath a good naturall wit, whereby he knoweth how to ſerue GOD and his Prince, & to get his liuing, ſo that he may be bleſſed though be be vnlearned, eſpecially conſidering that we haue alreadie learned men enough otherwiſe. But the great multitudes that are blind and ignorant, ſhewe what want there is yet of learned men to be teachers; and the naturall wit of thy child will be confirmed and bettered a great deale by learning. For [...], Learning doublethMenand.the quicknes of the ſight: to wit, the ſight of theOuid Met. 15. minde, as the Poet ſayth of Pythagoras: And though his perſon were from Skye farre wide, yet Gods in mind Iſ (que) licèt caeli regione remotus, He toucht, and by the ſight of heart did ſeeke and out did find, Mente deos adijt, & quae natura negabat, Thoſe things wherein our fleſhly eyes are ſtarke by nature blind. Uiſibus humanis, oculis ea pectoris hauſit. Beſides this, what can the childe do with his vnlettered wit, be it neuer ſo paſſing? Can he aſpire to heauenly bleſſings therwith? No, they are fet out of Gods worde, and that onely by learning. Can he then winne worldly felicitie with it? Nay, Socrates will tell thee, that as a good and a couragious Colt, if he bee broken while he is young, will be tractable and fit to do good ſeruice, but being set runne till he be old, will be fierce and vnprofitable: euen ſo a boy endued with the gifts of nature, if he bee well inſtructed by diſcipline, will proue a good man: but if he bee not inſtructed in his youth with good precepts, will waxe very intollerable. Who was armed with better naturall qualities than Catiline? Yet for that he wanted good education, and was pampered vp in the vicious ſchoole of his lewd maiſter Scylla, he became a moſt pernicious and wicked member in the common weale, abuſing this armour to the deſtruction thereof. Contrarywiſe, Socrates was a man of ſingular and rare vertues: yet he confeſſed of himſelfe that he ſhould haue been ſo bad as any other, if he had not been a learned Philoſopher. This cauſed Solon and Lycurgus, auncient Lawinakers: this cauſed Plato and Ariſtotle, noble Philoſophers, to lay the foundation of their common wealthes in the good education of youth. Yea this, and all the [Page] former conſiderations made me to ſeeke for learning more earneſtly than euer treaſure was ſought for, to ſtudie both night and day, by reading, writing and tranſlating, to inſtruct thoſe that apperteyne vnto me: to fee learned men, and to inſtitute Schooles for the inſtruction of my people and ſubiects, that ſo learning being deliuered from hand to hand many hundred yeeres after my death in the dayes of my ſucceſſors, the people of this land might knowe how to worſhip God aright, how to auoyde the peſtilent errors ariſing out of the puddle of ignorance, how to obey their Prince, to walk honeſtly in this preſent life, and by laying ſure handfaſt on the mercies of GOD, at length to inherit life euerlaſting. Wherefore if thou looke for any fauour or preferment in our Court, [...]ay if thou looke for any ſeate or reſting place in the Court of heauen, ſeeke for it by learning; loue them that profeſſe it; helpe and further it to the beſt of thy power. Let thy children be nourtured vp in all good knowledge, according to their capacitie. Thou ſeeſt that the Schoole doores are open, teachers giue attēdance, that there want no bookes, nor any other commoditie neceſſarie to make a good ſcholler, neither canſt thou leaue thy children any poſſeſſion or patrimonie, either for value, or for certeyntie, comparable vnto learning: Omit not therefore the good oportunitie that God offereth thee. So ſhalt thou thy ſelfe, which doeſt helpe forward learning, with thy children and all thoſe that ſhall be learned by thy meanes, bee enriched with many bleſſings in this world, and moſt bleſſed with all riches in the world to come. Thus would that Kingly patrone of learning ſay to him that ſeeth not how neceſſarie learning is. Dauid, Salomon, Paule, and all the Colledge of thoſe godly men would verifie the ſame; and reproue moſt ſharply that prophane perſon which maketh ſo ſmall account of inſtructing his children: yea Solon would make a lawe agaynſt him, which ſhould forbid euen thoſe his owne children to giue him any releefe in his old age. But what need haue we to fetch them out of their graues, whoſe bodies are layd vp in peace, and [Page] whoſe ſoules enioy a bleſſed reſt▪ Do not wee ſee their preſence moſt liuely, and beare their voyce moſt plainly in their examples, in their ſayings and doings, which are left vnto vs as noble monuments for our inſtruction▪ Let vs therefore diligently looke vpon their deedes, and hearken vnto their words, expreſſing withall the ſame in our liues and conuerſation, ſeeing we can followe no examples that may aduance vs to ſo great honor, or bring vnto vs ſo great profite.

And concerning your ſelues in particular, right worſhipfull, when your godly wiſedome doth conſider how many and how great bleſſings our gracious God hath beſtowed vpon your Towne and the Inhabitants thereof, commodities by ſea, commodities by land, great wealth, plentie of all neceſſaries, no want of Dainties. Agayne, ſchooling for your youth, the exerciſe of religion, and continual preaching of the Goſpell, the grace to receiue it, and the prayſe of forwardnes therein, euen from the dayes of the laſt King Henry: when you do call to minde, I ſay, that our bountifull father hath in all theſe things opened his hand of liberalitie wider to you than to other countries, yea than to many townes of our own countrie; how can you but be feruently moued with heart and will and all the veynes of your bodie, to ſhewe your ſelues thankfull to the giuer of theſe ſo vnſpeakable benefites, both in vſing them according to his holy will and commaundement, and alſo in prayſing and magnifying his glorious name for them. Now, to vſe them aright, is not to ſtay in conſuming them priuatly vpon our owne bodies, but to employ them to the profite of the Common wealth, and to the furtherance of our owne ſaluation, that God thereby may be glorified. And foraſmuch as your children that proue ſkilfull Marchants, expert Mariners, and Maiſters in the arte of Nauigation, would in like manner (a great many of them) be diſcreet, and wiſe Councellers, yea, Judges, Juſtices and Rulers in the Common wealth, and (that which moſt is) learned and eloquent Preachers in the Church of Chriſt, if they were brought vp in the diſcipline and ſciences of theſe [Page] functions: the more of them you ſo bring vp, the more heauenly fruites will your labours bring foorth, and the more perſons ſhall be partakers of the ſame. For then do Common wealthes flouriſh moſt, and are moſt happie when they are gouerned and ordered by learned and vertuous men, ſayth Plato. What, only Plato the Philoſopher? Nay, Salomon Eccle. 10. 17. Pſal. 2. 10. our diuine Plato ſayth aſmuch, and that more ſpiritually. O therefore that this Towne might now bring foorth ſome young impes and buds of learning, whoſe fruite would bee ſweeter than all banquetting diſhes to feede the Common wealth and Church of God, both here and in other places. For what great good would it do, not onely to your ſelues and to this Weſterne part of our countrie, but alſo to ſtrangers of other Nations, which reſort hither for earthly gayne, when by this meanes they ſhall carie away heauenly treasures▪ When they ſhall finde, euen in Marchants ſhops, learning more plentiful than wares, ſufficient to refute their errors, and to inſtruct them in the trueth and way to ſaluation▪ How would the glorie of God heereby ſpreade it ſelfe and ſhine euery where▪ What a perpetuitie or perpetuall ſtay of the manifold bleſſings of God would this holy and right vſing of them bring vnto vs▪ In what eſtimation therefore ye hold the glorie of God, what account ye make of the ſaluation of your ſoules, of the felicitie of your Countrey, at that price muſt ye eſtéeme the planting of learning, and ſo great care muſt you haue of the good education of your children.

Wherefore it remaineth, that conſidering how much I am in debt to God, to my Countrey, and namely, to this Towne, for the diſcharge of my conſcience towards God, and the teſtifying of my thankefull mind towards you, I do moſt earneſtly exhort you, and pray you, firſt, that you will fill your hearts and mouths with the praiſes of our louing God, and ſongs of thankſgiuing to his holy name, aſwell for all theſe benefits, as alſo for giuing vnto vs ſo gracious [...] Prince, our Souereigne Lady Elizabeth, in whoſe ſafetie [Page] is folded vp our ſafetie, and by whoſe happy gouernment, we enioy all theſe ſo many commodities: next, that you would bow the knées of your hearts, and become faithfull ſuters to the throane of grace, both for her Maieſties preſeruation and deliuerance from all conſpiracies and miſchiefes intended againſt her, that ſhe may long reigne a bleſſed Mother in Iſrael: alſo for your owne direction and aſſiſtance by the Spirit of God, that with theſe talents which he hath lent you, to wit, with your fauour, authoritie, induſtrie and wealth, you may promote and further all good learning and knowledge, whereby God may be glorified, ſinne and idolatrie ouerthrowne, the truth aduanced, the Church of God beawtified, and the ſtate of your Countrey with all good bleſſings amplifyed: ſo peace and mercie be vpon you, and vpon the Iſrael that is of God.

❧ The Method of Schooling.

IN that which is gone before, we haue declared what a worthy worke it is to bring vp Children vertuouſly in good learning, and what ſingular fruit it bringeth to all kind of people, to all eſtates and degrées: whereby we would prouoke all thoſe that haue intereſt therein, be they Parents, Gouernours or Maiſters, to do the beſt they can for the accompliſhing of this ſo excellent a worke. Now becauſe our life heere is but a ſhort floriſhing floure, and our vnderſtanding in our Childhood verie ſlender and feeble, ſuch as ſhall be perſwaded to follow this counſell, would knowe alſo the bréefeſt and eaſieſt way to be vſed in this diſcipline, which by the helpe of God we will indeuour to ſearch out, if firſt we conſider what children are fit for the ſame. For as in tillage there is required not only a ſkilfull huſbandman, and good ſéede, but alſo a good ſoile to ſowe it in: ſo in teaching, [Page] ching, there is required not only a learned Maiſter and good doctrine, but alſo a Scholler both apt and willing to receiue the ſeede of this good doctrine.

Socrates, as Xenophon writeth, would haue his SchollersXen. booke. 1. of Socrat. to be quick of vnderſtanding, ſure of memorie, and deſirous of good learning, ſo that albeit, he was a Prince of Schoolemaiſters, yet would he not vndertake to make a good Scholer of a dulhead, nor of a foole, nor yet of an vnwilling mind. Unreaſonable therefore is the requeſt of many parents in theſe dayes, which when as their children haue one of theſe three faults, and ſometimes all, do looke neuertheleſſe that their Maiſter ſhould make them profound clarks: but yet, as negligence and rudeneſſe doth marre the gifts of nature, ſo learning doth amend the imperfections of the ſame, if the partie will at any hand admit it, as Horace Epiſt. 1. 1. There is no man ſo wild nor fierce, but that he may be tamd. If patiently he will abide with precepts to be framd. Odyſs. 8. Like gifts to all the Gods giue not. teacheth, Nemo adeò ferus eſt vt non miteſcere poſſit, Si modo culturae patientem commodet aurem. Now, foraſmuch as God beſtoweth not on all like gifts (ſayth Homers Vlyſſes) [...], neither do al excel in quicknes, or in dulnes of wit, but the moſt part are of a meane condition, we will frame our diſcipline to a meane nature, and diſtinguiſh it according to the increaſe of yeares in a meane Scholler, which the varietie of all circumſtances being obſerued, may be with little alteration applied to a better or a worſe alſo.

Children therefore are vertuouſly trained vp in good learning, partly by the helpe of the Parents, and partly by the diligence of the teacher. The Parents firſt care is, aſſoone as his child beginneth to ſpeake, to prouide that he vſe none other companie, then ſuch as are both honeſt and ciuill, aſwell in behauiour, as in language. He ſhall therefore ſeclude from his Child barbarous nurſſes, clowniſh playing mates, and all ruſticall perſons: neither ſhall he himſelfe ſpeake in the hearing of his Child either wantonly, or otherwiſe, any rude or barbarous ſpeach, much leſſe ſhall he teach him any leawde or vnhoneſt talke, as many do, or ſuffer him to be in [Page] the companie of vnthriftie and vnhoneſt perſons. For a Child like an emptie new veſſell being voide of all learning, is moſt apt to receiue that which is firſt taught, and that which is firſt taught, ſticketh déepeſt in memorie, whether it be good or bad. Timothy was nouriſhed vp in Godlines by2. Tim. 1. 5. & 3. 15. his Mother and Grandmother, godly nurſſes, therefore he followed the doctrine of godlines continually. Againe, as1. Tim. 4. 6. Cornelia the mother and nurſſe of Tiberius and Caius Gracchus, was an eloquent woman, ſo none in Rome were more eloquent then they. So Hortenſia excéeded other women in eloquence, for that from her infancie ſhe was accuſtomed to heare her Father Hortenſius, a moſt excellent Orator. And to leaue other particular examples vntouched, there liue héere amongſt vs ſundrie men borne in ſundrie Countreys, ſome in Fraunce, ſome in Spayne, ſome in Italy, ſome in Germany, and ſome in Ireland, and euery of theſe euen againſt his will retaineth partly the pronounciation, and partly the phraſe proper to the language that he firſt learned, and contrarie to the propertie of the language that he now vſeth. Nay, the ſmall diuerſitie of ſpeach euen in one and the ſame countrey being admitted at the firſt, will hardly afterwards euer waxe out of vſe. Whereof it commeth to paſſe, that together in one towne, yea, in one houſe, we heare one ſpeake Northernly, another Weſternly, another Kentiſhly, Adeò a teneris conſueſcere multum eſt. FinallyAn vſe in tender yeeres began and kept hath ſo great force. we ſee, that ſoft Waxe will receiue any print, that young plants may be bowed any way, that the bodies of infants may be faſhioned as ye liſt: but neither the Waxe being hardned, nor the plant being waxt a tree, nor the infant being growne vp, can eaſily change the faſhion which it firſt receiued. Seeing therefore that vertue and vice, eloquence andPhocylides. In young and tender yeeres betime thy child good things muſt learne. barbarouſnes haue moſt eaſie entrance, and vnremoueable continuance, if they come firſt, [...], verely it behoueth fathers, that would haue vertuous and learned Children, to enter them firſt of all in honeſt actions and ciuill language, which care [Page] muſt not be omitted at any time afterward. And as it muſt be had generally concerning all the companie that the child vſeth at the firſt, ſo eſpecially concerning his firſt Schoolemaiſter. Therefore when the child is about fiue yeares old, the Father for the cauſes before alleadged, ſhall commit him to ſome Phoenix [...],Hom. Iliad. 9. that can teach him all things, framing him to eloquence in talke, and vert [...]e in deedes. Our Teacher then muſt be both learned and diſcréet, conſidering that the foundation of the learning following which the firſt Teacher layeth, requireth an artificer as prudent and as cunning in that behalfe, as doth any of the reſt require. Thoſe Fathers then do vnaduiſedly, which care not to what Teacher they commit the prime of their Children, ſo that he be better learned than the Children, although he be not his crafts maiſter, nor haue any iudgement nor dexteritie in teaching, whereby it happeneth now and then, that the firſt maiſter being miſliked, another is ſought for, then the third, and likewiſe the fourth, and perhaps the fifth, ſixth, or more, which change and diuerſitie of Maiſters muſt néedes be troubleſome to the Scholler, and a great hinderance to his learning. Some heere do counſell the Father to ſeeke out a priuat Schoolemaiſter for his child, and we ſee that thoſe which would be moſt exquiſit heerein, do follow their counſell, becauſe a priuate teacher hath leiſure to vſe more diligence, and the learner vnder him is ſafer from taking hurt by infection of bad companie: but foraſmuch as the correcting of a fault in one is the commending of vertue in another, the praiſe of vertue in one, is the reproouing of vice in another, and both correction and commendation are profitable examples to all ſorts, we haue greater cauſe to preferre a publike Schoolemaiſter, then others had to preferre a priuat, eſpecially ſeeing that the more perſons he hath in charge, and the more fruit he ſeeth to come of his labours, the more diligence and better courage will be vſe in perfourming the ſame. That I ſpeake nothing what helpe [Page] commeth to the Schollers by teaching one another, what by emulation and ſtriuing who may do beſt: for, Tum bene Then ſtately ſteed doth courſe it braue when ſome to leaue behind, Or ſome before to purſue hard in race he may ſtill find. fortis equus reſerato carcere currit, Cùm quos praetereat, quóſue ſequatur habet. And this is the Fathers firſt care, that his Child take the beginning of his behauiour and ſpeach of honeſt and ciuill parents, nurſſes, playing fellowes, and other companie: likewiſe, the beginning of his learning, of an honeſt and learned Teacher, and the ſame publike, rather then priuat.

His ſecond care is to keepe his Child being now a Scholler, in good order at home, and there to exerciſe him in ſuch things as he learneth, or hath learned in the Schoole. Neither may he neglect the ordering of his child, becauſe he hath put him in the hands of a Maiſter, for Schollers are many houres, and ſome whole dayes out of their Maiſters ſight, whereas they haue alwayes néede of the preſence of a Gouernour, Ineuntis enim [...]tatis inſcitia ſenum constituenda & Cic. Off. 1. regenda prudentia eſt, For the vnskilfulnes and folly of youth muſt be ordered and guided by the wiſedome of old men, becauſe youth is forgetfull, not greatly moued with regard of things paſt, or things to come, but wholy caried away with that which is before their face. Semper enim Hom. Ili. 3. For alwayes youth inconſtancie doth toſſe now here now there. iuuenes leuis inconstantia verſat. The Father therefore muſt kéepe his fatherly authoritie ouer his Child, and ioyntly with the Maiſter preſcribe vnto him a good order for manners and behauiour, for repairing home, for attendance, for diet, for apparell, for exerciſe in learning, that his behauiour be godly and honeſt, in ſeruing God, in keeping his Church, in hu [...]itie towards his ſuperiors, in humanitie towards all men: that he repaire home aſwell from Schoole as from play in time conuenient: that he giue attendance to do ſeruice either at the Table, or any other way: that he be ſober and temperate in his diet, well mannered in taking the ſame: that he be cleanly and frugall in his apparell: that he employ the vacant time in reading, in writing, in all good exerciſes for the gaine of learning. Theſe and ſuch like conditions [Page] all Parents will require in their children: but yet many giuing their Children the bridle to runne whether they liſt, thinke it ſufficient when they offend, to ſay vnto them, Your Maiſter ſhall heare of it. But what Parents are thoſe that will haue their children to ſtand more in awe of their maiſter being abſent, then of themſelues being preſent▪ Uerely, the ſcholler that is thus threatned, may ſuppoſe that either his father ſhall want oportunitie to complayne to his maiſter, or els that his minde will chaunge when his anger is cooled, or els that he may altogether forget it, or at leaſtwiſe that he himſelfe by ſome colourable excuſe, may perſwade his maiſter, who knoweth not certainly all circumſtances of the matter. And finding it to prooue ſo diuers times, at length will make ſmall account of theſe peeuiſh and inconſtant threates. Wherevpon the father moſt commonly conceiueth an ill opinion of the maiſter, imagining that he cauſeth not his ſchollers to obſerue any good order, or that he is too remiſſe and full of lenitie. But inaſmuch as it is the propertie of youth to be moued more with one ſtripe giuen, then with ten promiſed, and to feare more the preſence of a father, than the remembrance of a maiſter, With ſharp rebuke ſometime him chide, ſometime the rod let walke. Corripe nunc verbis duris, nunc vtere virga. The fathers diſcipline, I ſay, here ioyned with the maiſters, will be a ſingular helpe to the good education of the ſcholler, and at once redreſſe and cure the foreſayd maladie. And thus I conclude the duetie of the father, which is not only to prouide by good companie, good teachers, and good examples of himſelfe, that his child be firſt exerciſed in ſuch things as ſauour of vertue and learning; but alſo to keepe him continually in this good order euen when he is vnder a Schoolemaiſter. But that which is here ſpoken of parents, muſt after a ſort bee extended to euery one that hath the like charge or oportunitie, be he tutor, gouernour, ſchoolemaiſter or hoſt, though they cannot, eſpecially the laſt cannot do aſmuch herein as the father may.

Now followeth the duetie of the Schoolemaiſter, which [Page] is to vſe the beſt way and order both in teaching and alſo in gouerning. Touching the former, all knowledge is taught generally both by precepts of arte, and alſo by practiſe of the ſame precepts. They are practiſed partly by obſeruing examples of them in other mens workes, and partly by making ſomewhat of our owne; and that firſt-by imitation, and at length without imitation. So that the perfection of the arte is not gotten at the firſt, but Per numeros veniunt ist a Theſe things come in but one by one in order and degree. graduſque ſuos. Wherefore firſt the ſcholler ſhall learne the precepts: ſecondly, he ſhall learne to note the examples of the precepts in vnfoulding other mens workes: thirdly, to imitate the examples in ſome worke of his owne: fourthly and laſtly, to make ſomewhat alone without an example. Now, all theſe kindes of teaching are ſeene in euery ſpeciall ſort of the things taught, be it Grammar, Logike, Rhetorike, Arithmetike, Geometrie, or any other Arte. The Grammar which handleth diuers languages, as Engliſh, Latine, Greeke, Hebrewe, and ſuch others: needeth not to be wholly taught in our owne language. For by a naturall vſe we learne the inflexion of words together, with the varietie of their accidentall ſignifications: as father, fathers, fatherhod, fatherles, fatherly, fatherlines. So likewiſe by the ſame vſe is learned the framing of words together in ſpeach, as he is a father, they are fathers. But yet by this vſe wee haue not the perefect ſkill neither to make, nor to vnmake a word by his parts and parcels. Which facultie is called Proſodia, in pronouncing of letters, ſyllables, and words with the mouth: and Orthographia in writing of them with the hand, wherein I place the firſt degree of teaching. Therefore the artificiall precepts in this facultie, are the fower and twenty letters, and the table of the ſyllables. Theſe the ſcholler ſhall learne perfectly, namely, to knowe the letters by their figures, to ſound them aright by their proper names, and to ioyne them together, the vowels with vowels in diphthongs, & the conſonants with vowels in other ſyllables. Next he ſhall proceede to practiſe the ſame in ſpelling [Page] and reading other mens workes, as the Catechiſme and Primer. Wherein let him not learne by rote, ſpelling one ſillable of a worde, and ſhufling vp the reſt without diſtinct ſpelling. As if he had to learne this word mercifulnes, ſuffer him not, as ſome would, to go on thus: m-e-r, mer, c-i-f-u-l-n-e-s, mercifulnes. But according to the letters and ſyllables, which are as precepts in this behalfe, let him learne it by reaſon thus: m-e-r, mer: c-i, ci, merci: f-u-l, f [...], merciful: n-e-s, nes, mercifulnes. For if he repeate the former ſyllables with euery other added vnto them, he ſhall haue all in perfect memorie when he commeth to the ende: whereas otherwiſe he may erre or forget. But becauſe in the table of ſyllables commonly there are ſet forth no ſyllables that haue aboue two letters a peece, whereas they may haue three, fower, fiue, ſixe, ſeauen, or eight a peece: if he knowe not the force of many letters in a ſyllable, he ſhal firſt learne the force of two alone, whereof one muſt be a vowell, then of the ſame two and the third added to them, and ſo the fourth: as in thē foreſayd word, the firſt ſyllable is of three letters m, e, r▪ if he know not what m-e-r maketh, aſke him firſt for m-e, he will anſwere me, as his table teacheth him: then for m-e-r, no doubt he will anſwere mer. The like is to be done in the two laſt ſyllables ful and nes. So ſtrength a ſillable of eight letters, being too hard for a childe to learne all at once, he may learne letter by letter thus: r-e, re; t-r-e, tre; s-t-r-e, ſtre; s-t-r-e-n, ſtren; s-t-r-e-n-g-t-h, ſtrength. The like practiſe is it, when the maiſter nameth the letters and the ſcholler giueth their ſignification. And this is the readieſt way to induce the true meaning of the letters and ſyllables, and conſequently the pronouncing of euery word into the phantaſie of the childe. For as Cato euen in his tender yeeres by ſearching the reaſon of thoſe things that were taught him, did profite wonderfully aboue his fellowes: ſo ſurely one word by reaſon thus exactly learned, will bring more fruit then twentie words rawlie paſſed ouer.

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[...]

Heſiod. For though thou adde but grayne to grayne, yet ſhalt thou quickly make A heape full big, if oftentimes to adde regard thou take.

[...]

But here the ſcholler ſhall finde one hinderance and ſtumbling blocke, in that the practiſe both not alwaies agree with the precepts. For whereas he learned in his table t-i, ti, g-i, gi; he ſhall ſometime in practiſe ſay t-i, [...]i, g-i, ghi. As in theſe words ſaluation, giuen. And ſo in diuers other ſyllables, the letters haue otherwhiles a variable ſound: otherwhiles no ſound at all. Which difficultie, ſeeing it is not reformed by them that are learned, the childe muſt ouercome by continuall obſeruation and cuſtome. Yet the Printers might eaſely redreſſe that barbarous kind of printing ye for the, yt for that, &c. Where y very abſurdly doth repreſent th, and tha, when as it farre differeth from the force and faſhion of any of theſe letters. And therefore the childe in learning will eftſoone repugne agaynſt this barbariſme, and ſay: yt, ye: yt, yt. Theſe and ſuch like difficulties are as rough ground in the way of the learner: which he cannot ouerſtride, vnleſſe the Maiſter do leade him as it were by the hand, ſupporting him agayne and agayne leaſt he fall: which muſt needes bee tedious to them both for a while. Now, the ſcholler in learning euery word ſhall pronounce him with his true accent: as he may not ſay maiéſtie but máieſtie. Alſo after that he hath ſpelled his leſſon, he ſhall reade the ſame, obſeruing therein the poynts and diſtinctions of the ſentence.

Now followeth the like practiſe in making words, firſt by imitation: as the ſcholler hauing learned that band is ſpelled with b-a-n-d, ſo he ſhall imitate to ſpell bond with b-o-n-d: as bold with b-o-l-d, ſo told with t-o-l-d: as ſeem with ſ-e-e-m, ſo ſeen with ſ-e-e-n. Laſtly without imitation: as if ye aſke him how he will ſpell this word or that word. Thus if he bee exerciſed in ſpelling and reading his leſſons, and in ſpelling other words propounded vnto him, ſometime by his teacher, ſometime by his fellowes, when he ſhall haue ended his firſt booke the Catechiſme, he wil be able to paſſe through the Primer commendably without ſpelling; ſome harde [Page] words here and there excepted.

About the end of this Booke, for the better confirming of all theſe things in memorie by Orthographie, let him learne to write. For Orthographie, which teacheth with what letters euery ſyllable and word muſt be written, and with what points the ſentence and parts thereof muſt be diſtinguiſhed, is a practiſe of the ſame knowledge, but expreſſed by the hand, as the former is by the toong. Which expreſſing and ſkill of the hand, belongeth properly to the Arte of Painting, and not vnto Grammar, ſo that the beſt Grammarian is not alwayes the faireſt penman. Neuertheleſſe, ſéeing it hath ſingular vſe and commoditie in the exerciſe of Grammar, the Maiſter ſhall teach his Schollar to write by precepts of holding the Pen, of forming the letters in due proportion, of ioyning them aptly togethers: by practiſe, of drawing the Pen vpon the figures of ſhadowed letters, then of writing without ſhadowed letters by imitating a Copie, laſtly, of writing without a Copie. In this exerciſe of writing, the Schollar ſhall ſpend but two or three houres in a day at the moſt, employing the reſt of the time in reading, vntill he be about ſeauen yeares old. At which time, he ſhall procéede to the ſecond degree of Schooling, which conſiſteth in learning the Grammar, and knowledge of other languages, and in this degrée are certaine fourmes, euery one whereof may occupie a yéere.

The firſt fourme therefore, ſhall begin to learne the Grammar in the Latin toong. As for reading, though the Schollar haue it alreadie, yet for that there is ſome difference betwéene the reading of Engliſh and Latin, firſt let him reade ouer the rudiments of the Latin toong, and then learne by hart the parts of ſpeach with their properties, as the deri [...]tion and compoſition of words: the forming of Nombers, Caſes, and Genders, in euery declenſion of Nounes: the forming of diminitiues in Subſtantiues, of compariſons in Adiectiues: ſo the forming of Nombers, Perſons, Tenſes and Moobes, in euery Co [...]iugation of all [Page] ſorts of Uerbes: whereof he ſhall rehearſe afterwards ſome part ordinarily euery day, illuſtrating the ſame with examples of diuers Nounes and Uerbes. And ſo hauing learned the concordances of ſpeach, made plaine vnto him by the examples there added, and being about eight yeeres old, let him moue foorth into the ſecond fourme, to practiſe the precepts of Grammar, in expounding and vnfolding the works of Latin Authors: whereof the eaſieſt ſhall be choſen firſt, the middle ſort next, and the hardeſt laſt. Now, becauſe Children learne firſt to talke familiarly with their fellowes or others, Dialogs are moſt eaſie for their capacitie, as are the Dialogs of Corderius and Caſtalion. The Maiſter ſhall firſt reade ſenſibly a competent Lecture, then declare the argument and ſcope of the Author, afterward engliſh it either word for word, or phraſe for phraſe, as the propertie of both languages will permit. Laſt of all teach, or cauſe another to teach the diuers ſorts of the words, their properties and ſyntaxes of ſpeach. And about three or foure houres after, the Schollar ſhall be diligently in euery point examined, and tryed how he can referre the examples of his Lecture to the rules of Art. This exerciſe of the artificiall expounding of other mens works, I neede not to ſet foorth by examples, for that it is common and manifeſt, as is alſo the laſt exerciſe of making ſomewhat without imitation: only imitation therefore remaineth to be declared by examples. For the which in this place the Maiſter ſhall propound a like ſentence in Engliſh, which the Schollar ſhall expreſſe by like phraſe in Latin. As if the Schollar haue learned and rendered this ſhort Lecture, Pater bonus diligit filium probum, A good father loueth an honeſt ſonne, the Maiſter may propound the like ſentence with diuerſitie, firſt of Nombers, then of Genders, thirdly of Perſons, fourthly of Tenſes, fifthly of the forme of the Uerbe, and laſtly of the words. For the variation of nombers, he may vſe this Engliſh, Good fathers loue honeſt ſonnes, which peraduenture may be hard for a beginner to make in Latin all at once: but [Page] liue fit quod bene fortur onu [...]. Wherefore as in reading heGood skill in bearing is the thing that makes the burden light. learned letter by letter, ſyllable by ſyllable, ſo héere let him learne word by word, phraſe by phraſe, vntill he haue all the partes, which are equall to the whole, as may be expreſſed in this manner of talke betwéene the Maiſter and the Schollar▪ Ma▪ a father. Sch▪ pater. M. fathers. S. patres. M. a good father. S. pater bonus. M. good fathers. S. patres boni M. a good father loueth. S. pater bonus diligit. M. good fathers loue. S. patres boni diligunt. M. a good father loueth a ſonne. S. pater bonus diligit filium. M. good fathers loue ſonnes. S. patres boni diligunt filios. M. a good father loueth an honeſt ſonne. S. pater bonus diligit filium probum. M. good fathers loue honeſt ſonnes. S. patres boni diligunt filios probos▪ thus the teacher, as a painefull nurſſe, omnia minima manſa infantibus pucris in os inſerit, Cice. 2. Ora. cheweth it all to ſmall peeces, and thruſteth it into the childs mouth, wherein peraduenture he may ſpend more words, and repeate more often not only the Engliſh, but ſometime the Latin alſo of all that went before. Secondly, followeth the variation of Genders, as, a good mother loueth an honeſt daughter. Mater bona diligit filiam probam. And againe, good mothers loue honeſt daughters, matres bonae diligunt filias probas. Thirdly of Perſons, thou loueſt an honeſt child, in diligis filium probum. Fourthly of Tenſes, he hath loued an honeſt child, ille dilexit filium probum. Fifthly of the forme of a Uerbe, an honeſt child is loued of a good father, filius probus a patre bono diligitur. Sixtly of the words, a skilfull Maiſter teacheth a diligent Schollar, praeceptor peritus docet diſcipulum sedulum. Beſides this, euery one of the foure former sorts of varieties, may receiue alſo all the three other varieties, and the fift againe is capable of all the varieties going before, and the ſixth likewiſe of all the reſt, ſo that many wayes may the imitation of this one ſentence be faſhioned and expreſſed. Now after that the Schollar hath bin a fewe dayes enured to this imitation, he ſhall three or foure times [Page] euery wéeke, meditate alone to make the like in writing alſo. This kind of exerciſe will both leade him to vnderſtand the congruitie and ſyntaxes of ſpeach, and alſo make him expert in forming of Nounes and Uerbes. And ſo hauing ended his yeare, let him march forward into the third fourme, the which beſides the harder Dialogs, ſhall reade alſo Tullyes Epiſtles collected by Sturmius, learning them in ſuch manner as is ſhewed afore, and noting moreouer the principall phraſes in a note booke. And heere the exerciſe of writing Latin by imitation, ſhall be a tranſlating of the ſame ſpeach into another like ſentence, but altered with many varieties at o [...]ce, and chiefely with the laſt varietie of the words, as if the schollar haue this firſt Epiſtle of the firſt booke for his leſſon.

Marcus Tullius Cicero Terentiae Vxori ſalutem.

SI vales bene eſt, ego vales. Nos quotidie tabellarios vestros expectamus, qui ſi venerint, fortaſſe erimus certiores quid nobis facierdum ſit, faciemſ (que) te ſtatim certiorem. Valetudinem tuam cura diligenter.

Vale.

Calendis Septembris.

When he hath learned this leſſon, let him haue an Epiſtle in Engliſh of the like ſentence, which he ſhall expreſſe in Latin with Ciceroes phraſe. To make the ſentence like the matter muſt be followed with like reaſons: Cicero writeth to his wife, let vs imagin the Father to write to his Sonnes: he writeth of her meſſengers, of certaintie what to do, of care for her health: let the father write of their letters, of certaintie what to looke for, of care for their learning, in this wiſe:

Peter Cole to Iohn and Charles his ſonnes, ſendeth greeting.

IF ye be in good health, it is well. I my ſelfe am in good health. Oftentimes I finde lack of your letters, the which being brought, verely I ſhall be more certayne what I am to looke for, and will certifie you thereof foorthwith. Apply your Studye diligently.

Farewell.

The Ides of December.

The Schollar may eaſily by imitating his Author, tranſlate it after this faſhion.

§

Petrus Colus Ioanni & Carolo filijs ſalutem.

Si valetis bene eſt, ego valeo. Ego ſaepe literas vestras deſidero, quae ſi allatae erunt, [Page] profectò ero certior, quid mihi expectandum ſit, faciam (que) vos ſtatim certiores, ſtudia vestra colite diligenter.

Valete.

Idibus Decembris.

Now the Schollar by theſe meanes hauing gotten ſome footing in the Latin toong, ſhall begin to practiſe without an example of imitation, both in ſpeaking, and alſo in writing. His exerciſe of ſpeaking Latin ſhall be firſt in common and eaſie matters, as of his leſſon, of orders in the Schoole, of dinner and ſupper &c. Afterwards in all matters, heed being taken that he be reformed when he vſeth barbarous words, or trippeth in his ſpeach, his exerciſe of writing without imitation ſhall be a tranſlating of the ſame ſentence into another ſpeach, of latin into engliſh, and of engliſh into latin. For the turning of engliſh into latin, ſome would haue the Maiſter to tranſlate into engliſh the ſentence out of ſome place of Tully vnknowne to the Schollar, and then giue him the engliſh to tranſlate againe into latin, which being done, to ſhewe him Tullyes latin, wherewith he ſhall conferre his owne, and correct it: this counſell is good, and may be vſed when opportunitie and leiſure will ſerue.

And this is the method and exerciſe of teaching and learning fit for the third fourme, which muſt be continued alſo in the other fourmes following, but with ſome augmentation of length, and hardnes of the ſame, according to the abilitie of the learner. Yea, the ſame bookes of Dialogs and Epiſtles may ſerue for the fourth fourme alſo, ſo that the hardeſt of both ſorts be choſen.

Then to the fifth fourme ſhall be read Terences Comedies, Tullyes treatiſes of friendſhip and of old age, which are a more artificiall and harder kind of Dialogs, wherevnto, let Ouid de Triſtibus, or ſome ſuch within a while be added for Poetrie. Now for writing heere by imitation, let vs take this example, being the words of Laelius, as Cicero bringeth him in ſpeaking. Haecigitur prima lex in amicitia ſanciatur, vt ne (que) rogemus res turpes, nec faciamus rogati. Turpis enim excuſatio eſt & minimè accipienda, cùm in cateris [Page] peccatis, tum ſiquit contra rempub. ſe amici eauſa feciſſe fateatur. Etenim eo loco, Fanni & Scaeuola, locati ſumus, vt nos longè prospicere oporteat futuros caſus reipub. deflexir enim iam aliquantum de ſpacio curriculo (que) conſuetudo maiorum. Tiberius Gracchus regnum occupare conatus eſt; vel regnauit is quidem paucos menſes. Nunquid ſimile populus Romanus audierat aut viderat? hunc etiam poſt mortem ſecuti amici & propinqui quid in Publium Scipionem Naſicam effecerint, ſine lachrymis non queo dicere. Nam Carbonem quo (que) quem modò poſuimus, propter recentem poenam Tib. Gracchi ſustinuimus. De C. Gracchi tribunatu, quid expectem non libet augurari. Laelius heere ſpeaketh concerning friendſhip, let vs ſpeake concerning religion, and proſecute our matter with the ſame arguments diſpoſed after the ſame faſhion, that the ſame ſyntaxes may ſerue to expreſſe them.

This law in religion ought firſt to be eſtabliſhed, that thou intice no man to falſe doctrine, nor embrace it when thou art inticed of other. For the excuſe is ſhamefull and in no wiſe to be allowed, neither in other faults, nor in this, if we confeſſe that we haue vſed any doctrine agaynſt the Church of God, for mans authoritie ſake. For thou art placed, deare brother, in that place, that thou oughteſt to ſee long before, the chaunces that may befall the Church of God. For the cuſtome of the Patriarkes, Prophets, Apoſtles, and godly men is alreadie farre declined from his trade and courſe. The Biſhop of Rome hath gone about to occupie the throne of Chriſt, or rather he hath occupied it now many yeeres. Did the people of God euer heare or ſee the like before? Yea the Kings and Princes following his counſell, what they haue done agaynſt the profeſſors of the trueth, I cannot think without great griefe. For the true Chriſtians haue ſuſteyned moſt bitter torments for the teſtifying of a good conſcience. And touching the iſſue of theſe preſent troubles, I liſt not to diuine what is to bee looked for. Which words, a ſcholler of this fourme by imitation, [Page] thus turned into Latine. H [...]c prima lex in religione ſanci [...] tur, vt neminem ſolicites ad falſam doctrinam, nec amplectaris ſolicitatus. Turpis enim excuſatio eſt & minimè accipienda cùm in caeteris peccatis, tùm ſi contra eccleſiam dei humanae authoritatis cauſa nos vlla doctrina vſ [...]s eſſe fateamur. Etenim eo loco, chare frater, locatus es, vt te longè proſpicere oporteat futuros caſus eccleſiae dei. Deflexit enim iam multum de ſpacio curriculóqùe conſuetudo Patriarcharum, Prophetarum, Apoſtolorum, & piorum hominum. Pontifex Romanus Christi thronum occupare conatus eſt, vel occupauit is quidem multos iam annos. Num quid ſimile populus dei audierat aut viderat? Eius etiam conſilium ſecuti reges & principes quid in profeſſores veritatis effecerunt, ſine magno dolore non queo cogitare. Nam veri Christiani acerbiſſimos cruciatus propter bonae conſcientiae testificationem ſustinuerunt. De praeſentium vero malorum exitu quid expectem, non libet augurari. Herewithall ſhall be vſed now and then the other tranſlating, without imitating an example, as before. But if the ſcholler ſhall be a Graecian, let him learne the Greeke Grammar while he is yet in this fourme, and proceede therein after the ſame order that he did in the Latine, beſtowing that way the fourth part of his time; and like wiſe another fourth part in the Hebrewe, if he will be an Hebrician. And ſo I conclude the ſecond degree of ſchooling with the ende both of this fifth fourme, and the twelfth yeere of the ſchollers age.

Then ſhall followe the third degree for Logike and Rhetorike, and the more perfect vnderſtanding of the Grammar and knowledge of the tongues. Firſt the ſcholler ſhal learne the precepts concerning the diuers ſorts of arguments in the firſt part of Logike, (for that without them Rhetorike cannot be well vnderſtood) then ſhall followe the tropes and figures in the firſt part of Rhetorike, wherein he ſhall employ the ſixth part of his ſtudie, and all the reſt in learning and handling good authors: as are Tullies Offices, his Orations, Caeſars Commentaries, Virgils Aeneis, Ouids Metamorphoſis, and Horace. In whom for his firſt exerciſe of vnfolding [Page] the Arte, he ſhall obſerue the examples of the hardeſt poynts in Grammar, of the arguments in Logike, of the tropes and figures in Rhetorike, referring euery example to his proper rule, as before. Then he ſhall learne the two latter parts alſo both of Logike and Rhetorike▪ And as of his Grammar rules he rehearſed ſ [...]me part euery day; ſo let him now do the like in Logike, afterwards in Rhetorike, and then in Grammar agayne, that he forget not the precepts of arte, before continual vſe haue ripened his vnderſtanding in them. And by this time he muſt obſerue in authors all the vſe [...]f the Artes, as not only the words and phraſes, not only the examples of the arguments; but alſo the axi [...]me, wherein euery argument is diſpoſed; the ſyllogiſme; whereby it is concluded; the method of the whole treatiſe, and the paſſages, wherby the parts are ioyned together. Agayne, he ſhall obſerue not only euery trope, euery figure, aſwell of words as of ſentences; but alſo the Rhetoricall pronounciation and geſtur [...] fit for euery word, ſentence▪ and affection.

And ſo let him take in hand the exerciſe of all theſe three Artes at once in making ſomewhat of his owne, firſt by imitation; as when he hath conſidered the propertie of ſpeach in the Grammaticall etymologie and ſyntaxis: the [...]eneſſe of ſpeach in the Rhetoricall ornaments▪ as comely tropes, pleaſant figures, fit pronounciation and geſture: the reaſon and pith of the matter in the Logicall wright of arguments, in the certeyntie of the axiomes, in the due fourme of ſyllogiſmes, and in the eaſie and playne method: then let him haue a like theam [...] to proſecute with the ſame artificiall inſtruments, that he findeth in his author. As admit that he hath learned and noted all the arte of this ſhort example in Cicero agaynſt ambition.

In ambitionem.

Miſerrima eſt omnino ambitio, honorum (que) contentio, de qua praeclarè eſt apud eundē Platonem, ſimiliter facere eos, qui inter ſe contenderent vter potius rempub. administraret, vt ſi [Page] nauta certarent quis eorum potiſſimùm gubernaret. Idemque praecepit, vt eos aduerſarios existimemus, qui arma contràferant, non eos qui ſuo iudicio tueri remp. velint. Qualis fuit inter P. Africanum & Q. Metellum ſine acerbitate diſſenſio.

Now let the ſcholler haue a theame againſt ſome like vice, as agaynſt couetouſneſſe, and proſecute it ſtep by ſtep, like vnto this agaynſt ambition.

In auaritiam.

Teterrima eſt omnino auaritia diuitiarum (que) cupiditas. De qua praeclarè eſt apud Ciceronem, ſimiliter facere eos, qui multis incommodis conflictarentur propter pecuniam adipiſcendam, vt ſi qui liberi homines certarent propter eum dominum, qui eorum etiam mentes teneret obstrictas, eáſque nullo tempore respirare permitteret. Idemque praecepit vt eos auaros existimemus, qui ea qua habent tùm perpetua libidine augendi crucientur sunt pari amittendi metu; non eos qui honesta ratione rem familiarem amplificent, atque ad largiendum ſint pro modo facultatum parati. Qualis fuit in maioribus nostris ſine auiditate frugalitas & diligentia.

Here though in ſome place we haue ſwarued a little from our example, as neede requireth, yet for the moſt part wee haue expreſſed phraſe for phraſe, trope for trope, figure for figure, argument for argument, and ſo of thereſt. But let vs adde a more copious example of the ſame exerciſe.

Magnanimi eſt rebus ſecundis non inſoleſcere.

At (que) etiam in rebus proſperis & ad voluntatem noſtram fluentibus, ſuperbiam, fastidium, arrogantiam magnopere fugiamus. Nam vt aduerſas res, ſic ſecundas immoderatè ferre leuitatis eſt: praeclará (que) eſt aequalitas in omni vita, & idem ſemper vultus eadém (que) frons, vt de Socrate, item de C. Laelio accepimus. Philippum quidem Macedonum regem rebus gestis & gloria ſuperatum à filio, facilitate verò & humanitate video ſuperiorem fuiſſe. Itaque alter ſemper magnus, alter ſaepe turpissimus fuit. Vt rectè praecipere videantur, qui monent, vt quantò ſuperiores ſimus, tantò nos ſummiſſius geramus. Panaetius [Page] quidem auditorem Africanum & familiarem ſuum ſolitum ait dicere, ſicut equos propter crebras contentiones praeliorum ferocitate exultantes, domitoribus tradere ſoleant, vt his facilioribus poſſint vti; ſic homines ſecundis rebus effrenatos ſibique praefidentes tanquam in gyrum rationis & doctrin [...] duci oportere, vt perſpicerent rerum humanarum imbecillitatem varietatem (que) fortunae. Atque etiam in ſecundiſſimis rebus maximè eſt vtendum conſilio amicorum, hiſ (que) maior etiam quàm antè tribuenda eſt authoritas: ijſdem (que) temporibus cauendum eſt, ne aſſentatoribus patefaciamus aures, nec adulari nos ſinamus, in quo falli facile eſt. Tales enim nos eſſe putamus vt iure laudemur, ex quo naſcuntur innumerabilia peccata, cùm homines inflati opinionibus turpiter irridentur, & in maximis verſantur erroribus. ſed haec quidem hactenus.

Frugi eſt bona non effundere.

In rerum copia, diuitiarum (que) abundatia, luxuriam, effuſionem, inconſultam (que) largitionem magnopere fugiamus. Nam vt tenaciter & ſordidè, ſic luxuriosè & prodigè viuere turpe eſt. Praeclará (que) eſt mediocritas in omni vita, & temperatus ſemper victus cultúſ (que), temperata item largitio, vt de Lacedaemonijs, item de priſcis Romanis accepimus. Cn. quidem Octauium opibus & diuitijs ſuperatum a filio, parſimonia verò & moderatione videmus ſuperiorem fuiſſe: ita (que) alter in ſuam domum conſulatum primus intulit, alter clariſſimi viri filius in domum multiplicatam retulit ignominiam & calamitatem: vt rectè praecipere videantur qui monent, vt quantò ampliores fortunas habeamus, tantò maiorem diligentiam in illis adminiſtrandis adhibeamus. Cleopen enim Aegypti regem inſano ſumptu eò redactum inopiae legimus, vt etiam filiam ad meretricium quaeſtum exponeret venalem. Quare, ſicut vitem luxuriantem (quod inquit Cato) & multiplici lapſu errantem, ferro amputans coercet ars agricolarum, ne nimia fuſa ſylueſcat, fiat (que) ſterilis: ſic homines omnibus copijs circumfluentes, multa (que) luxuria diffluentes, tanquam ferro rationis & doctrin [...] amputantis coerceri oportet, vt fer [...]nt vitae fructus parcè, continenter [Page] & prudenter actae. Atque etiam in ampliſſimis fortunis maxime eſt vtendum conſilio ſacrarum literaru [...], hiſque plus etiam quàm aliâs temporis impertiendum. Ijſdém (que) temporibus cauēdum eſt ne appetitibus proprijs aſſenſum praebeamus, nec noſtris deſiderijs nimis indulgeamus; in quo falli facile eſt. Id enim rectū eſſe putamus, quicquid ad libidinem noſtram fingimus. Ex quo naſcuntur innumerabilia peccata, cùm homines prauis▪ opinionibus caecati iurpiter ſe gerunt, & in maximis verſantur erroribus.

Dixi.

By the way, the ſcholler muſt in imitation obſerue foure things. Firſt, that if the author whom he imitateth, haue generall ſentences, ſometime he may reteyue the very ſame: as becauſe there enſueth much miſchiefe aſwell of other errors, as of hearkening vnto flatterers, therefore that ſentence Ex quo naſcuntur, &.c. is common and may bee applyed to our cauſe. Secondly, that he may leaue out the imitation of ſome ſentences or arguments. As Tullie ſetteth forth the ſimilitude by the authoritie of African, and the relation of Panaetius: whereas only the protaſis or firſt part of our ſimilitude is attributed but to Cato, for want of a like ſimilitude garniſhed with like authoritie. Thirdly, he may adde more than his author hath: as here the example of Cleope is added to recompence that which wanteth in the ſimilitude. Fourthly, he may in ſome part alter the method, forme of ſyllogtimes, axiomes, arguments, figures, tropes, phraſes and words. All which muſt bee done wiſely and to good purpoſe, according to the circumſtances of the matter.

Moreouer, touching matter and method, this imitation may bee exerciſed in verſe likewiſe: but the forme of argumentation or ſyllogiſines; the words and phraſes, the verſe will not ſuffer to be imitated, ſaue only in ſome places. As we ſee Virgil to haue imitated Homer in method: to wit, in beginning with the middeſt of the matter, in reciting of things paſt by occaſion, and in concluding with a notable iſſue, euen as Homer had diſpoſed his Ilias: then in generall matter, namely, in ſetting forth Aeneas like to Vlyſſes, and [Page] ſometime like Achilles: in particular matter & arguments, as the comming of Aeneas to Carthage and Dido, like to the comming of Vlyſſes to Alcinous and Calypſo, Aeneas going to hell, like to Vlyſſes going to hell, Aeneas games of rowing, running, whorlebatting, ſhooting, and ſkirmiſhing on horſebacke at the graue of Anchiſes his father, like to Achilles games of riding, whorlebatting, running, ſword playing, hurling the ſtone, ſhooting and caſting the darte at the Tombe of Patroclus his deare friend: the harneſſe of Aeneas, made by Vulcan, like to the harneſſe of Achilles made by him alſo. And in diuers places, but not euery where, he doth imitate Homers deſcriptions, ſimilitudes, phraſes and words, as Manutius, and other learned men haue both noted and quoted.

Now, when the Scholler hath been a while exerciſed in this kinde of imitation, ſometime in proſe, ſometime in verſe, let him aſſay otherwhiles, without an example of imitation, what he can do alone by his owne ſkill alreadie gotten by the precepts and the two former ſorts of practiſe.

After a three yeeres exerciſe in this degree of ſtudie, he may a [...]tend to the fourth degree, of Arithmetike and Geometrie. And according to the ſame manner, eaſely paſſe through theſe Artes in halfe a yeere, and ſo before the full age of ſixteene yeeres be made fit to wade without a ſchoolemaiſter, through deeper myſteries of learning, to ſet forth the glorie of God, and to benefite his Countrie. And thus the maiſters duetie of orderly teaching by precepts and by practiſe of them, not only in vnfolding other mens workes, but alſo in making ſomewhat of a mans owne, and that either by imitation of examples, or without imitation wee haue breefly declared.

His duetie of gouerning, is to preſcribe a good order both for manners and learning, and to cauſe the ſame to bee kept. Theſe good orders therefore ſpoken of in the fathers duetie, aſwell concerning godlineſſe, as of daylie praying, of reſorting to the Church, of reuerent attentiuenes there, of learning the doctrine of Chriſtian religion: as alſo concerning [Page] Chriſtian honeſtie, that is, of obedience to parents and gouernours, reuerence to ſuperiours, courteous manners towards all men, ciuill behauiour in all words and deedes, the maiſter ſhall ef [...]ſoone repeate vnto his ſchollers, ſowing in their tender mindes the ſeedes of Chriſtian holineſſe. Further, he ſhall appoynt vnto them the time of comming to ſchoole and going thence: how and wherein they ſhall ſpend euery houre there, when they ſhall repeate precepts of Arte, when they ſhall meditate and learne their leſſon, and renter an account thereof to their maiſter, when they ſhall exerciſe themſelues in tranſlating, writing of theames, verſes, and ſuch like ſtudies.

Theſe and all other good orders that may further vertue & learning, the Maiſter ſhall plainly declare, & ſtraitly enioine vnto his Schollers, cauſing them with all carefulnes to obſerue the ſame, by encouraging the good, and reforming the bad: for conſidering that the hope of honour and the feare of puniſhment are elementa virtutis, wiſely did Solon place theThe principles of vertue. preſeruation of the common wealth, and conſequently of the Schoole in pr [...]mio & poena. In reward and puniſhment.

The good then he ſhall encourage, firſt with words, praiſing them for their well doing, declaring what great commoditie enſueth thereof, and exhorting them to go forward. This praiſe of it ſelfe alone is ſuch a bait to drawe men to vertue, that the Apoſtles Peter and Paule toke it generally for all1. Pet. 2. 14. Rom. 13. 3. rewards of well doing: and Simonides ſaith, that for the deſire of glorie, men will take any paine. Then he ſhall encourageVirg. AE [...]e. 5. them with rewards, for a good Schoolemaiſter is like a good Captaine With gifts ſlack mindes prouoketh, and ſets before them priſes meet. Inuitat pratijs animos & praemia ponit, as ſometimes to giue trifles and gay things to ſuch as ſhewe any token of forwardnes, diligence, and wittines, and to ſuch as are victors in vertue, according to Horaces ſaying, Cakebread and figs on schollers yong the maiſter doth beſtowe, Pueris dant crustula blandi Doctores, elementa velint vt diſcere Ser. 1. Sat. 1. prima, ſometime to reward their painefull ſtudie with libertie to recreate thēſelues by reſt, honeſt diſport, and walking abroade: for otherwiſe, as a bowe alwayes bent, at length will loſe his ſtrength, ſo the mind alwaies occupied in [Page] ſtudie, will waxe dull, and not be able to endure. WhereforeThat they their leſsons perfectly to learne should not be ſlowe. What ſo hath not his reſt by turne, it can no while endure, Reſt ſtrength renues, rest wearied lims with pleaſant eaſe doth cure. AEne. 5. Quod caret alterna requie durabile non eſt, Haec reparat. vires, feſſa (que) membra iuuat. Lo héere ſuch praiſes, ſuch rewards are propounded vnto thée, if thou be a good Schollar, conſider them well, So goodly gifts with triall none to looſe is it no griefe? Tantáne tam patiens nullo certamine Dona ſines? Shall they not encourage thée▪ Shall they not make thee willing and diligent▪ at leaſtwiſe, though thou be ſo retchles, that thou careſt not for theſe rewards, yet bluſh at that which followeth, No man is ſo barbarous, but that though he regard not honeſtie for it ſelfe, yet reproach and ſhame will enforce him vnto it. Nemo eſt tam agrestis, quem ſi non ipſa honestas, contumelia tamen & dedecus magnopere moueat. Let the vnthriftie then, and thoſe that do amiſſe, be reformed and corrected by admonition, rebuking and puniſhing, acording to ye qualitie of the fault, for One medicine is good for one diſeaſe and another for another. [...]. Firſt therefore let him be admoniſhed, then rebuked: herein the cauſe ſhall be throughly ſifted, paciently heard, by equitie iudged, and laſt of all ſoundly reproued, that the conſcience of the offender may be touched for the fault: if this will not ſerue, for One ancker cannot faſt alone the fleeting veſſell hold. Non ſatis vna tenet ceratas anchor a puppes, a [...] alſo puniſhment, ſometime with the rod, which according to Salomons ſaying, driueth away fooliſhnes, that is tied to the childs hart, and maketh him wiſe and learned: ſometime puniſhment, by reſtraining that libertie of recreation, which otherwiſe ſhould haue bin graunted, and ſometime by ſeruice of drudgerie, as may be the ſwéeping of the Schoole, &c. Generally of all theſe corrections, none may be differred when it is fit time, nor executed before due time, As [...] the time ſo phiſick workes, wine dr [...]nke in time doth eaſe: Agayne wine vſed out of time, doth hurt much and diſpleaſe. Hom. Ili. 1. 4. Temporibus medicina valet, data tēpora proſunt, Et data non apto tempore vina nocent. But if the Maiſter at any time for ſome iuſt cauſe do omit the deſerued correction, he ſhall threaten a greater, and perfourme it alſo, when the next fault ſhall require ye ſame, His lingering blow muſt pay ſu [...]e home. Ouid Met. 1. Et ſemper lentū penſabit acerbo. Theſe are the meanes to allure Schollars to vertue, and to driue them from vice, which, as Plutarch counſelleth, muſt be vſed by turne, ſometime the one, and ſometime the other, after the faſhion of a louing nurſſe, who when ſhe hath made her child weepe for his fault, giueth him the teat to ſtill* Pro [...]. 22. 15. & 29. 15. him againe: which reſembleth alſo the diſcretion of the cunning [Page] Phyſician, that tempereth his bitter medicines with ſweete and pleaſant drinke. But if any be ſo incorrigible, that neither the ſweete rewards of vertue can leade him, nor the bitter correction of vice draw him to amend, let him be cut off from the Schoole,Leaſt that he ſhould infect the ſound. Ne pars ſyncera tra [...]atur, for he that dwelleth with a Creple, will learne to halt, and doubtleſſe, many haue periſhed with this poiſon.

Now we ſee all the parts & properties of this moſt noble and profitable diſcipline as it were portraied out before our face, which to ſome peraduenture may yet ſéeme too hard, for that it is ſo manifold, the parts ſo diuers, & reſpect ſo diuers perſons. But what then? ſhould this make vs ſhrinke at the matter? what good thing can be obteined without painefulnes & great diligēce:For labour, God ſelleth vs euery good thing. Dij nobis laboribus omnia vendūt bona, For as Heſiodus ſaith of food, [...], and as Virgill ſaith of tillage, Pater ipſe colendi haud facilē eſſe viam voluit: ſo againe doth Heſiodus ſay of vertue, [...], yea euen ſo Salomon ſaith of knowledge, that God had(m) Mans food the gods away haue hid. Before thou mayſt vertue attaine▪ giuen to the childrē of Adam great trauaile in ſearching out wiſedome, to humble their vaine minds, and to exerciſe them, Curis acuēs mortalia corda, Nec torpere graui paſſus ſua regna veterno, and yet in ſeeking for food & bodely reliefe, the manifold labours & toiles do not daunt our courage, but rather(n) God wils thy browes to drop againe. Eccl. 1. 13. & 3. 10. ſharpen our minds, & make vs more earneſt & ſkilfull: and will not this varietie of labour emploied about learning and vertue bring forth the ſame, or rather more godly & plentifull fruit? To keep the mind therefore from ſluggiſhnes the mother(o) Sifting mēs wits with labours great, & heapes of griping cares, No [...] ſuffering ſoyle through drouſie ſlouth to bring forth noyſome [...]ares. of all vice, to make it expert in wiſedome & vertue by cō tinuall exerciſe, to beate downe the pride thereof in manifeſting by experience that it is not able to attaine to the full perfection of knowledge, God hath ordeined for man ſuch a paradiſe of labours, which as they be many and diuers, ſo will they be pleaſant and fruitfull, if they be aptly diſpoſed, and wiſely ſuſteined.

Laus Deo.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

The education of children in learning declared by the dignitie, vtilitie, and method thereof. Meete to be knowne, and practised aswell of parents as schoolmaisters.

Kempe, William.

Edition statement

1588

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A68296

ID [STC]

STC 14926

ID [STC]

ESTC S109252

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99844902

ID [PROQUEST]

99844902

ID [VID]

9756

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A68296)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9756)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 385:21, 802:16)

Source

— The education of children in learning declared by the dignitie, vtilitie, and method thereof. Meete to be knowne, and practised aswell of parents as schoolmaisters., Kempe, William..

Extent

[60] p.

By Thomas Orwin, for Iohn Porter and Thomas Gubbin,. Imprinted at London :: 1588.. (The author's name, William Kempe, appears in Latin verse on A4r and A4v.) (Signatures: A-G⁴ H² .) (Identified as STC 24926 on UMI microfilm reel 385.) (Reproductions of a photostat of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery and of the original in the British Library.) (Appears at reel 385 (Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery copy) and at reel 802 (British Library copy).)

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