The Scholemaster Part 1

The Schoolmaster.

by Roger Ascham.

Preface.

_be receiued vnder your name, and that the world should owe thanke therof to you, to whom my husband the authour of it was for good receyued of you, most dutiefully bounden. And so besechyng you, to take on you the defense of this booke, to auaunce the good that may come of it by your allowance and furtherance to publike vse and benefite, and to accept the thankefull recognition of me and my poore children, trustyng of the continuance of your good me- morie of_ M. Ascham _and his, and dayly commen- dyng the prosperous estate of you and yours to G.o.d whom you serue and whoes you are, I rest to trouble you._ Your humble Margaret Ascham.

_A Praeface to the Reader._

WHen the great plage was at London, the yeare 1563.

the Quenes Maiestie Queene _Elizabeth_, lay at her Castle of Windsore: Where, vpon the 10. day of December, it fortuned, that in Sir _William Cicells_ chamber, hir Highnesse Princ.i.p.all Secretarie, there dined togither these personages, M. Secretarie him selfe, Syr _William Peter_, Syr _J. Mason_, D. _Wotton_, Syr _Richard Sackuille_ Treasurer of the Exchecker, Syr _Walter Mildmaye_ Chauncellor of the Exchecker, M.

_Haddon_ Master of Requestes, M. _John Astely_ Master of the Iewell house, M. _Bernard Hampton_, M. _Nicasius_, and _J_.

Of which number, the most part were of hir Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell, and the reast seruing hir in verie good place. I was glad than, and do reioice yet to remember, that my chance was so happie, to be there that day, in the companie of so manie wise & good men togither, as hardly than could haue beene piked out againe, out of all England beside.

M. Secretarie hath this accustomed maner, though his head be neuer so full of most weightie affaires of the Realme, yet, at diner time he doth seeme to lay them alwaies aside: and findeth euer fitte occasion to taulke pleasantlie of other matters, but most gladlie of some matter of learning: wherein, he will curteslie heare the minde of the meanest at his Table.

Not long after our sitting doune, I haue strange newes brought me, sayth M. Secretarie, this morning, that diuerse Scholers of Eaton, be runne awaie from the Schole, for feare of beating. Whereupon, M. //M. _Secreta-_ Secretarie tooke occasion, to wishe, that some //_rie._

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more discretion were in many Scholemasters, in vsing correction, than commonlie there is. Who many times, punishe rather, the weakenes of nature, than the fault of the Scholer. Whereby, many Scholers, that might else proue well, be driuen to hate learning, before they knowe, what learning meaneth: and so, are made willing to forsake their booke, and be glad to be put to any other kinde of liuing.

M. _Peter_, as one somewhat seuere of nature, said plainlie, M. _Peter._ // that the Rodde onelie, was the sworde, that must keepe, the Schole in obedience, and the Scholer M. _Wotton._ // in good order. M. _Wotton_, a man milde of nature, with soft voice, and fewe wordes, inclined to M. Secretaries iudgement, and said, in mine opinion, the Schole- Ludus li- // house should be in deede, as it is called by name, terarum. // the house of playe and pleasure, and not of feare _Plato_ de // and bondage: and as I do remember, so saith Rep. 7. // _Socrates_ in one place of _Plato_. And therefore, if a Rodde carie the feare of a Sworde, it is no maruell, if those that be fearefull of nature, chose rather to forsake the Plaie, than to stand alwaies within the feare of a Sworde in a fonde mans handling. M. _Mason_, after his maner, was M. _Mason._ // verie merie with both parties, pleasantlie playing, both, with the shrewde touches of many courste boyes, and with the small discretion of many leude Scholemasters. M. _Haddon_ was fullie of M. _Peters_ opinion, and said, that M. _Haddon._ // the best scholemaster of our time, was the greatest beater, and named the Person. Though, quoth I, it was his good fortune, to send from his Schole, The Author of // vnto the Vniuersitie, one of the best Scholers in this booke. // deede of all our time, yet wise men do thinke, that that came so to pa.s.se, rather, by the great towardnes of the Scholer, than by the great beating of the Master: and whether this be true or no, you your selfe are best witnes. I said somewhat farder in the matter, how, and whie, yong children, were soner allured by loue, than driuen by beating, to atteyne good learning: wherein I was the bolder to say my minde, bicause M. Secretarie curteslie prouoked me thereunto: or else, in such a companie, and namelie in his praesence, my wonte is, to be more willing, to vse mine eares, than to occupie my tonge.

_A Praeface to the Reader._ 177

Syr _Walter Mildmaye_, M. _Astley_, and the rest, said verie litle: onelie Syr _Rich. Sackuill_, said nothing at all. After dinner I went vp to read with the Queenes Maiestie. We red than togither in the Greke tongue, as I well remember. // Demost.

that n.o.ble Oration of _Demosthenes_ against _aeschines_, // peri pa- for his false dealing in his Amba.s.sage to king // rapresb.

_Philip_ of Macedonie. Syr _Rich. Sackuile_ came vp sone after: and finding me in hir Maiesties priuie chamber, he // Syr _R._ tooke me by the hand, & carying me to a // _Sackuiles_ windoe, said, M. _Ascham_, I would not for a good // communi- deale of monie, haue bene, this daie, absent from // cation with diner. Where, though I said nothing, yet I gaue // the Author as good eare, and do consider as well the taulke, // of this that pa.s.sed, as any one did there. M. Secretarie said very // booke.

wisely, and most truely, that many yong wittes be driuen to hate learninge, before they know what learninge is. I can be good witnes to this my selfe: For a fond Scholemaster, before I was fullie fourtene yeare olde, draue me so, with feare of beating, from all loue of learninge, as nowe, when I know, what difference it is, to haue learninge, and to haue litle, or none at all, I feele it my greatest greife, and finde it my greatest hurte, that euer came to me, that it was my so ill chance, to light vpon so lewde a Scholemaster. But seing it is but in vain, to lament thinges paste, and also wisdome to looke to thinges to c.u.m, surely, G.o.d willinge, if G.o.d lend me life, I will make this my mishap, some occasion of good hap, to litle _Robert Sackuile_ my sonnes sonne. For whose bringinge vp, I would gladlie, if it so please you, vse speciallie your good aduice. I heare saie, you haue a sonne, moch of his age: we wil deale thus togither. Point you out a Scholemaster, who by your order, shall teache my sonne and yours, and for all the rest, I will prouide, yea though they three do cost me a couple of hundred poundes by yeare: and beside, you shall finde me as fast a Frend to you and yours, as perchance any you haue. Which promise, the worthie Ientleman surelie kept with me, vntill his dying daye.

We had than farther taulke togither, of bringing vp of children: of the nature, of quicke, and hard wittes: // The cheife of the right choice of a good witte: of Feare, and // pointes of loue in teachinge children. We pa.s.sed from // this booke.

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children and came to yonge men, namely, Ientlemen: we taulked of their to moch libertie, to liue as they l.u.s.t: of their letting louse to sone, to ouer moch experience of ill, contrarie to the good order of many good olde common welthes of the Persians and Grekes: of witte gathered, and good fortune gotten, by some, onely by experience, without learning. And lastlie, he required of me verie earnestlie, to shewe, what I thought of the common goinge of Englishe men into Italie.

But, sayth he, bicause this place, and this tyme, will not suffer so long taulke, as these good matters require, therefore I pray you, at my request, and at your leysure, put in some order of writing, the cheife pointes of this our taulke, concerning the right order of teachinge, and honestie of liuing, for the good bringing vp of children & yong men. And surelie, beside contentinge me, you shall both please and profit verie many others. I made some excuse by lacke of habilitie, and weakenes of bodie: well, sayth he, I am not now to learne, what you can do. Our deare frende, good M. _Goodricke_, whose iudgement I could well beleue, did once for all, satisfye me fullie therein.

Againe, I heard you say, not long agoe, that you may thanke Syr _John Cheke_, for all the learninge you haue: And I know verie well my selfe, that you did teach the Quene. And therefore seing G.o.d did so blesse you, to make you the Scholer of the best Master, and also the Scholemaster of the best Scholer, that euer were in our tyme, surelie, you should please G.o.d, benefite your countrie, & honest your owne name, if you would take the paines, to impart to others, what you learned of soch a Master, and how ye taught such a scholer. And, in vttering the stuffe ye receiued of the one, in declaring the order ye tooke with the other, ye shall neuer lacke, neither matter, nor maner, what to write, nor how to write in this kinde of Argument.

I beginning some farther excuse, sodeinlie was called to c.u.m to the Queene. The night following, I slept litle, my head was so full of this our former taulke, and I so mindefull, somewhat to satisfie the honest request of so deare a frend, I thought to praepare some litle treatise for a New yeares gift that Christmas. But, as it chanceth to busie builders, so, in building thys my poore Scholehouse (the rather bicause the forme of it is somewhat new, and differing from others) the worke

_A Praef ace to the Reader._ 179

rose dailie higher and wider, than I thought it would at the beginninge.

And though it appeare now, and be in verie deede, but a small cotage, poore for the stuffe, and rude for the workemanship, yet in going forward, I found the site so good, as I was lothe to giue it ouer, but the making so costlie, outreaching my habilitie, as many tymes I wished, that some one of those three, my deare frendes, with full pursses, Syr _Tho. Smithe_, M. // {_Smith._ _Haddon_, or M. _Watson_, had had the doing of it. // M. {_Haddon._ Yet, neuerthelesse, I my selfe, spending gladlie // {_Watson._ that litle, that I gatte at home by good Syr _Iohn_ // Syr_ I._ _Cheke_, and that that I borrowed abroad of my // _Cheke._ frend _Sturmius_, beside somewhat that was left me // _I. Sturmius._ in Reuersion by my olde Masters, _Plato, Aristotle_, // _Plato._ and _Cicero_, I haue at last patched it vp, as I could, // _Aristotle._ and as you see. If the matter be meane, and meanly handled, // _Cicero._ I pray you beare, both with me, and it: for neuer worke went vp in worse wether, with mo lettes and stoppes, than this poore Scholehouse of mine. Westminster Hall can beare some witnesse, beside moch weakenes of bodie, but more trouble of minde, by some such sores, as greue me to toche them my selfe, and therefore I purpose not to open them to others.

And, in middes of outward iniuries, and inward cares, to encrease them withall, good Syr _Rich. Sackuile_ dieth, that worthie Ientleman: That earnest // Syr _R._ fauorer and furtherer of G.o.ds true Religion: // _Sackuill._ That faithfull Seruitor to his Prince and Countrie: A louer of learning, & all learned men: Wise in all doinges: Curtesse to all persons: shewing spite to none: doing good to many: and as I well found, to me so fast a frend, as I neuer lost the like before. Whan he was gone, my hart was dead. There was not one, that woare a blacke gowne for him, who caried a heuier hart for him, than I. Whan he was gone, I cast this booke awaie: I could not looke vpon it, but with weping eyes, in remembring him, who was the onelie setter on, to do it, and would haue bene, not onelie a glad commender of it, but also a sure and certaine comfort, to me and mine, for it. Almost two yeares togither, this booke lay scattered, and neglected, and had bene quite giuen ouer of me, if the goodnesse of one had not giuen me some life and spirite againe. G.o.d, the

180 _A Praeface to the Reader._

mouer of goodnesse, prosper alwaies him & his, as he hath many times comforted me and mine, and, I trust to G.o.d, shall comfort more and more. Of whom, most iustlie I may saie, and verie oft, and alwaies gladlie, I am wont to say, that sweete verse of _Sophocles_, spoken by _Oedipus_ to worthie _Theseus_.

Soph. in // echo [gar] acho dia se, kouk allon broton.

Oed. Col. //

Thys hope hath helped me to end this booke: which, if he allowe, I shall thinke my labours well imployed, and shall not moch aesteme the misliking of any others. And I trust, he shall thinke the better of it, bicause he shall finde the best part thereof, to c.u.m out of his Schole, whom he, of all men loued and liked best.

Yet some men, frendly enough of nature, but of small iudgement in learninge, do thinke, I take to moch paines, and _Plato_ in // spend to moch time, in settinge forth these initio // childrens affaires. But those good men were Theagis. // neuer brought vp in _Socrates_ Schole, who saith ou gar esti // plainlie, that no man goeth about a more G.o.dlie peri otou // purpose, than he that is mindfull of the good theioterou // bringing vp, both of hys owne, and other mens anthropos // children.

an bouleu- // saito, e // Therfore, I trust, good and wise men, will peri pai- // thinke well of this my doing. And of other, that deias, kai // thinke otherwise, I will thinke my selfe, they are ton auton, // but men, to be pardoned for their follie, and kai ton // pitied for their ignoraunce.

oikeion. // In writing this booke, I haue had earnest respecte to three speciall pointes, trothe of Religion, honestie in liuing, right order in learning. In which three waies, I praie G.o.d, my poore children may diligently waulke: for whose sake, as nature moued, and reason required, and necessitie also somewhat compelled, I was the willinger to take these paines.

For, seing at my death, I am not like to leaue them any great store of liuing, therefore in my life time, I thought good to bequeath vnto them, in this litle booke, as in my Will and Testament, the right waie to good learning: which if they followe, with the feare of G.o.d, they shall verie well c.u.m to sufficiencie of liuinge.

I wishe also, with all my hart, that yong M. _Rob. Sackuille_,

_A Praeface to the Reader._ 181

may take that fructe of this labor, that his worthie Grauntfather purposed he should haue done: And if any other do take, either proffet, or pleasure hereby, they haue cause to thanke M.

_Robert Sackuille_, for whom speciallie this my Scholemaster was prouided.

And one thing I would haue the Reader consider in readinge this booke, that bicause, no Scholemaster hath charge of any childe, before he enter into hys Schole, therefore I leauing all former care, of their good bringing vp, to wise and good Parentes, as a matter not belonging to the Scholemaster, I do appoynt thys my Scholemaster, than, and there to begin, where his office and charge beginneth. Which charge lasteth not long, but vntill the Scholer be made hable to go to the Vniuersitie, to procede in Logike, Rhetoricke, and other kindes of learning.

Yet if my Scholemaster, for loue he beareth to hys Scholer, shall teach hym somewhat for hys furtherance, and better iudgement in learning, that may serue him seuen yeare after in the Vniuersitie, he doth hys Scholer no more wrong, nor de- serueth no worse name therby, than he doth in London, who sellinge silke or cloth vnto his frend, doth giue hym better measure, than either hys pro- mise or bargaine was.

_Farewell in Christ._

_The first booke for the youth._

AFter the childe hath learned perfitlie the eight partes of speach, let him then learne the right ioyning togither of substantiues with adiectiues, the nowne with the verbe, the relatiue with the antecedent. And in learninge farther hys Syntaxis, by mine aduice, he shall not vse the common order in common scholes, for making of latines: wherby, the childe _Cic._ de // commonlie learneth, first, an euill choice of wordes, Cla. or. // (and right choice of wordes, saith _Caesar_, is the foundation of eloquence) than, a wrong placing of wordes: and lastlie, an ill framing of the sentence, with a peruerse iudgement, both of wordes and sentences. These Making of // faultes, taking once roote in yougthe, be neuer, or Lattines // hardlie, pluckt away in age. Moreouer, there is marreth // no one thing, that hath more, either dulled the Children. // wittes, or taken awaye the will of children from learning, then the care they haue, to satisfie their masters, in making of latines.

For, the scholer, is commonlie beat for the making, when the master were more worthie to be beat for the mending, or rather, marring of the same: The master many times, being as ignorant as the childe, what to saie properlie and fitlie to the matter.

Two scholemasters haue set forth in print, either of them _Horman._ // a booke, of soch kinde of latines, _Horman_ and _Whitting-_ // _Whittington_.

_ton._ // A childe shall learne of the better of them, that, which an other daie, if he be wise, and c.u.m to iudgement, he must be faine to vnlearne againe.

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There is a waie, touched in the first booke of _Cicero De Oratore_, which, wiselie brought into scholes, // 1. _De Or._ truely taught, and constantly vsed, would not onely take wholly away this butcherlie feare in making of latines, but would also, with ease and pleasure, and in short time, as I know by good experience, worke a true choice and placing of wordes, a right ordering of sentences, an easie vnderstandyng of the tonge, a readines to speake, a facultie to write, a true iudgement, both of his owne, and other mens doinges, what tonge so euer he doth vse.

The waie is this. After the three Concordances learned, as I touched before, let the master read vnto hym the Epistles of _Cicero_, gathered togither and chosen out by _Sturmius_, for the capacitie of children.

First, let him teach the childe, cherefullie and plainlie, the cause, and matter of the letter: then, let him construe it into Englishe, so oft, as the childe may // The order easilie carie awaie the vnderstanding of it: // of teaching.

Lastlie, pa.r.s.e it ouer perfitlie. This done thus, let the childe, by and by, both construe and pa.r.s.e it ouer againe: so, that it may appeare, that the childe douteth in nothing, that his master taught him before. After this, the childe must take a paper booke, and sitting in some place, where no man shall prompe him, by him self, let him translate into Englishe his former lesson. Then shewing it to his master, let the master take from him his latin booke, and // Two pa- pausing an houre, at the least, than let the childe // per bokes.

translate his owne Englishe into latin againe, in an other paper booke. When the childe bringeth it, turned into latin, the master must compare it with _Tullies_ booke, and laie them both togither: and where the childe doth well, either in chosing, or true placing of _Tullies_ wordes, let the master // Children praise him, and saie here ye do well. For I // learne by a.s.sure you, there is no such whetstone, to // prayse.

sharpen a good witte and encourage a will to learninge, as is praise.

But if the childe misse, either in forgetting a worde, or in chaunging a good with a worse, or misordering the sentence, I would not haue the master, either froune, or chide with him, if the childe haue done his diligence, and vsed no trewandship

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therein. For I know by good experience, that a childe shall Ientlenes // take more profit of two fautes, ientlie warned of, in teaching. // then of foure thinges, rightly hitt. For than, the master shall haue good occasion to saie vnto him.

_N. Tullie_ would haue vsed such a worde, not this: _Tullie_ would haue placed this word here, not there: would haue vsed this case, this number, this person, this degree, this gender: he would haue vsed this moode, this tens, this simple, rather than this compound: this aduerbe here, not there: he would haue ended the sentence with this verbe, not with that nowne or participle, etc.

In these fewe lines, I haue wrapped vp, the most tedious part of Grammer: and also the ground of almost all the Rewles, that are so busilie taught by the Master, and so hardlie learned by the Scholer, in all common Scholes: which after this sort, the master shall teach without all error, and the scholer shall learne without great paine: the master being led by so sure a guide, and the scholer being brought into so plaine and easie a waie. And therefore, we do not contemne Rewles, but we gladlie teach Rewles: and teach them, more plainlie, sensiblie, and orderlie, than they be commonlie taught in common Scholes. For whan the Master shall compare _Tullies_ booke with his Scholers translation, let the Master, at the first, lead and teach his Scholer, to ioyne the Rewles of his Grammer booke, with the examples of his present lesson, vntill the Scholer, by him selfe, be hable to fetch out of his Grammer, euerie Rewle, for euerie Example: So, as the Grammer booke be euer in the Scholers hand, and also vsed of him, as a Dictionarie, for euerie present vse. This is a liuely and perfite waie of teaching of Rewles: where the common waie, vsed in common Scholes, to read the Grammer alone by it selfe, is tedious for the Master, hard for the Scholer, colde and vn- c.u.mfortable for them bothe.

Let your Scholer be neuer afraide, to aske you any dout, but vse discretlie the best allurements ye can, to encorage him to the same: lest, his ouermoch fearinge of you, driue him to seeke some misorderlie shifte: as, to seeke to be helped by some other booke, or to be prompted by some other Scholer, and so goe aboute to begile you moch, and him selfe more.