The Scholemaster Part 4

small authoritie in aige: Reuerence is neglected: dewties be confounded: and to be shorte, disobedience doth ouerflowe the bankes of good order, almoste in euerie place, almoste in euerie degree of man.

Meane men haue eies to see, and cause to lament, and occasion to complaine of thies miseries: but other haue authoritie to remedie them, and will do so to, whan G.o.d shall think time fitte. For, all thies misorders, be G.o.ddes iuste plages, by his sufferance, brought iustelie vpon vs, for our sinnes, which be infinite in nomber, and horrible in deede, but namelie, for the greate abhominable sin of vn- // Contempt kindnesse: but what vnkindnesse? euen such // of G.o.ds vnkindnesse as was in the Iewes, in contemninge // trewe Re- G.o.ddes voice, in shrinking from his woorde, in // ligion.

wishing backe againe for _aegypt_, in committing aduoultrie and hordom, not with the women, but with the doctrine of Babylon, did bring all the plages, destructions, and Captiuities, that fell so ofte and horriblie, vpon Israell.

We haue cause also in England to beware of vnkindnesse, who haue had, in so fewe yeares, the Candel of G.o.ddes worde, so oft lightned, so oft put out, and yet // _Doctrina_ will venture by our vnthankfulnesse in doctrine // _Mores._ and sinfull life, to leese againe, lighte, Candle, Candlesticke and all.

G.o.d kepe vs in his feare, G.o.d grafte in vs the trewe knowledge of his woorde, with a forward will to folowe it, and so to bring forth the sweete fruites of it, & then shall he preserue vs by his Grace, from all maner of terrible dayes.

The remedie of this, doth not stand onelie, // _Publicae_ in making good common lawes for the hole // _Leges._ Realme, but also, (and perchance cheiflie) // _Domestica_ in obseruing priuate discipline euerie man care- // _disciplina._ fullie in his own house: and namelie, if speciall // _Cognitio_ regard be had to yougth: and that, not so moch, // _boni._

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in teaching them what is good, as in keping them from that, that is ill.

Therefore, if wise fathers, be not as well waare in weeding _Ignoratio_ // from their Children ill thinges, and ill companie, _mali._ // as they were before, in graftinge in them learninge, and prouiding for them good schole- masters, what frute, they shall reape of all their coste & care, common experience doth tell.

Here is the place, in yougthe is the time whan som Some // ignorance is as necessarie, as moch knowledge, ignorance, // and not in matters of our dewtie towardes G.o.d, as good as // as som wilful wittes willinglie against their owne knowledge. // knowledge, perniciouslie againste their owne conscience, haue of late openlie taught. In deede _S. Chryso-_ _Chrisost. de_ // _stome_, that n.o.ble and eloquent Doctor, in a _Fato._ // sermon _contra fatum_, and the curious serchinge of natiuities, doth wiselie saie, that ignorance therein, is better than knowledge: But to wring this sentence, to wreste thereby out of mens handes, the knowledge of G.o.ddes doctrine, is without all reason, against common sence, contrarie to the iudgement also of them, which be the discretest men, and _Iulia. Apo-_ // best learned, on their own side. I know, _Iulia.n.u.s_ _stat._ // _Apostata_ did so, but I neuer hard or red, that any auncyent father of the primitiue chirch, either thought or wrote so.

But this ignorance in yougthe, which I spake on, or rather Innocency // this simplicitie, or most trewlie, this innocencie, in youth. // is that, which the n.o.ble _Persians_, as wise _Xenophon_ doth testifie, were so carefull, to breede vp their yougth in. But Christian fathers commonlie do not so. And I will tell you a tale, as moch to be misliked, as the _Persians_ example is to be folowed.

This last somer, I was in a Ientlemans house: where A childe ill // a yong childe, somewhat past fower yeare olde, brought // cold in no wise frame his tongue, to saie, a litle vp. // shorte grace: and yet he could roundlie rap out, so manie vgle othes, and those of the newest facion, as som good man of fourescore yeare olde hath neuer hard named Ill Pa- // before: and that which was most detestable of rentes. // all, his father and mother wold laughe at it. I

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moche doubte, what comforte, an other daie, this childe shall bring vnto them. This Childe vsing moche the companie of seruinge men, and geuing good eare to their taulke, did easelie learne, which he shall hardlie forget, all daies of his life here- after: So likewise, in the Courte, if a yong Ientleman will ventur him self into the companie of Ruffians, it is ouer greate a ieopardie, lest, their facions, maners, thoughtes, taulke, and deedes, will verie sone, be euer like. The confounding of companies, breedeth confusion of good maners // Ill compa- both in the Courte, and euerie where else. // nie.

And it maie be a great wonder, but a greater shame, to vs Christian men, to vnderstand, what a heithen writer, _Isocrates_, doth leaue in memorie of writing, concerning the // _Isocrates._ care, that the n.o.ble Citie of _Athens_ had, to bring vp their yougthe, in honest companie, and vertuous discipline, whose taulke in Greke, is, to this effect, in Englishe.

"The Citie, was not more carefull, to see their Children "well taughte, than to see their yong men well // In Orat.

"gouerned: which they brought to pa.s.se, not so // Ariopag.

"much by common lawe, as by priuate discipline.

"For, they had more regard, that their yougthe, by good order "shold not offend, than how, by lawe, they might be punished: "And if offense were committed, there was, neither waie to "hide it, neither hope of pardon for it. Good natures, were "not so moche openlie praised as they were secretlie marked, "and watchfullie regarded, lest they should lease the goodnes "they had. Therefore in scholes of singing and dauncing, and "other honest exercises, gouernours were appointed, more "diligent to ouersee their good maners, than their masters were, "to teach them anie learning. It was som shame to a yong "man, to be seene in the open market: and if for businesse, he "pa.s.sed throughe it, he did it, with a meruelous modestie, and "bashefull facion. To eate, or drinke in a Tauerne, was not "onelie a shame, but also punishable, in a yong man. To "contrarie, or to stand in termes with an old man, was more "heinous, than in som place, to rebuke and scolde with his "owne father: with manie other mo good orders, and faire disciplines, which I referre to their reading, that haue l.u.s.t to looke vpon the description of such a worthie common welthe.

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And to know, what worthie frute, did spring of soch Good sede, // worthie seade, I will tell yow the most meruell worthie // of all, and yet soch a trothe, as no man shall frute. // denie it, except such as be ignorant in knowledge of the best stories.

_Athens_, by this discipline and good ordering of yougthe, did _Athenes._ // breede vp, within the circute of that one Citie, within the compas of one hondred yeare, within the memorie of one mans life, so manie notable Capitaines in warre, for worthinesse, wisdome and learning, as be sca.r.s.e Roma. // matchable no not in the state of Rome, in the compas of those seauen hondred yeares, whan it florished moste.

And bicause, I will not onelie saie it, but also proue it, the The n.o.ble // names of them be these. _Miltiades, Themistocles_, Capitaines // _Xantippus, Pericles, Cymon, Alcybiades, Thrasybulus_, of Athens. // _Conon, Iphicrates, Xenophon, Timotheus, Theopompus_, _Demetrius_, and diuers other mo: of which euerie one, maie iustelie be spoken that worthie praise, which was geuen to _Scipio Africa.n.u.s_, who, _Cicero_ douteth, whether he were, more n.o.ble Capitaine in warre, or more eloquent and wise councelor _aemil._ // in peace. And if ye beleue not me, read dili- _Probus._ // gentlie, _aemilius Probus_ in Latin, and _Plutarche_ _Plutarchus._ // in Greke, which two, had no cause either to flatter or lie vpon anie of those which I haue recited.

And beside n.o.bilitie in warre, for excellent and matchles The lear- // masters in all maner of learninge, in that one ned of A- // Citie, in memorie of one aige, were mo learned thenes. // men, and that in a maner altogether, than all tyme doth remember, than all place doth affourde, than all other tonges do conteine. And I do not meene of those Authors, which, by iniurie of tyme, by negligence of men, by crueltie of fier and sworde, be lost, but euen of those, which by G.o.ddes grace, are left yet vnto us: of which I thank G.o.d, euen my poore studie lacketh not one. As, in Philosophie, _Plato, Aris- totle, Xenophon, Euclide_ and _Theophrast_: In eloquens and Ciuill lawe, _Demosthenes, aeschines, Lycurgus, Dinarchus, Demades, Isocrates, Isaeus, Lysias, Antisthenes, Andocides_: In histories, _He- rodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon_: and which we lacke, to our

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great losse, _Theopompus_ and _Eph[orus]_: In Poetrie _aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes_, and somwhat of _Menander, Demosthenes_ sister sonne.

Now, let Italian, and Latin it self, Spanishe, French, Douch, and Englishe bring forth their lerning, // Learnyng, and recite their Authors, _Cicero_ onelie excepted, // chiefly con- and one or two moe in Latin, they be all patched // teined in cloutes and ragges, in comparison of faire wouen // the Greke, broade clothes. And trewelie, if there be any // and in no o- good in them, it is either lerned, borowed, or // ther tong.

stolne, from some one of those worthie wittes of _Athens_.

The remembrance of soch a common welthe, vsing soch discipline and order for yougthe, and thereby bringing forth to their praise, and leauing to vs for our example, such Capitaines for warre, soch Councelors for peace, and matcheles masters, for all kinde of learninge, is pleasant for me to recite, and not irksum, I trust, for other to heare, except it be soch, as make neither counte of vertue nor learninge.

And whether, there be anie soch or no, I can not well tell: yet I hear saie, some yong Ientlemen of oures, // Contem- count it their shame to be counted learned: and // ners of perchance, they count it their shame, to be // learnyng.

counted honest also, for I heare saie, they medle as litle with the one, as with the other. A meruelous case, that Ientlemen shold so be ashamed of good learning, and neuer a whit ashamed of ill maners: soch do saie for them, that the Ientlemen of France do so: which is a lie, as // Ientlemen G.o.d will haue it. _Langaeus_, and _Bellaeus_ that be // of France.

dead, & the n.o.ble _Vidam_ of Chartres, that is aliue, and infinite mo in France, which I heare tell of, proue this to be most false.

And though som, in France, which will nedes be Ientlemen, whether men will or no, and haue more ientleshipe in their hat, than in their hed, be at deedlie feude, with both learning and honestie, yet I beleue, if that n.o.ble Prince, king _Francis_ the first were aliue, they shold haue, neither place in // Franciscus his Courte, nor pension in his warres, if he had // I. n.o.bilis.

knowledge of them. This opinion is not French, // Francorum but plaine Turckishe: from whens, some Frenche // Rex.

fetche moe faultes, than this: which, I praie G.o.d, kepe out of

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England, and send also those of oures better mindes, which bend them selues againste vertue and learninge, to the con- tempte of G.o.d, dishonor of their contrie to the hurt of manie others, and at length, to the greatest harme, and vtter destruction of themselues.

Som other, hauing better nature, but lesse witte, (for ill commonlie, haue ouer moch witte) do not vtterlie dispraise Experience // learning, but they saie, that without learning, without // common experience, knowledge of all facions, and learnyng. // haunting all companies, shall worke in yougthe, both wisdome, and habilitie, to execute anie weightie affaire.

Surelie long experience doth proffet moch, but moste, and almost onelie to him (if we meene honest affaires) that is dili- gentlie before instructed with preceptes of well doinge. For good precepts of learning, be the eyes of the minde, to looke wiselie before a man, which waie to go right, and which not.

Learning teacheth more in one yeare than experience in Learnyng. // twentie: And learning teacheth safelie. when experience maketh mo miserable then wise. He Experience. // hasardeth sore, that waxeth wise by experience.

An vnhappie Master he is, that is made cunning by manie shippewrakes: A miserable merchant, that is neither riche or wise, but after som bankroutes. It is costlie wisdom, that is bought by experience. We know by experience it selfe, that it is a meruelous paine, to finde oute but a short waie, by long wandering. And surelie, he that wold proue wise by experience, he maie be wittie in deede, but euen like a swift runner, that runneth fast out of his waie, and vpon the night, he knoweth not whither. And verilie they be fewest of number, that be happie or wise by vnlearned experience. And looke well vpon the former life of those fewe, whether your example be old or yonge, who without learning haue gathered, by long experience, a litle wisdom, and som happines: and whan you do consider, what mischiefe they haue committed, what dangers they haue escaped (and yet xx. for one, do perishe in the aduenture) than thinke well with your selfe, whether ye wold, that your owne son, should c.u.m to wisdom and happines, by the waie of soch experience or no.

It is a notable tale, that old Syr _Roger Chamloe_, somtime

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cheife Iustice, wold tell of him selfe. When he was Auncient in Inne of Courte, Certaine yong Ientlemen // Syr _Roger_ were brought before him, to be corrected for _Chamloe._ certaine misorders: And one of the l.u.s.tiest saide: Syr, we be yong ientlemen, and wis.e.m.e.n before vs, haue proued all facions, and yet those haue done full well: this they said, because it was well knowen, that Syr _Roger_ had bene a good feloe in his yougth. But he aunswered them verie wiselie.

In deede saith he, in yougthe, I was, as you ar now: and I had twelue feloes like vnto my self, but not one of them came to a good ende. And therfore, folow not my example in yougth, but folow my councell in aige, if euer ye thinke to c.u.m to this place, or to thies yeares, that I am c.u.m vnto, lesse ye meete either with pouertie or Tiburn in the way.

Thus, experience of all facions in yougthe, beinge, in profe, alwaise daungerous, in isshue, seldom lucklie, is // Experience.

a waie, in deede, to ouermoch knowledge, yet vsed commonlie of soch men, which be either caried by som curious affection of mynde, or driuen by som hard necessitie of life, to hasard the triall of ouer manie perilous aduentures.

_Erasmus_ the honor of learning of all oure time, saide wiselie that experience is the common schole- // _Erasmus._ house of foles, and ill men: Men, of witte and // Experience, honestie, be otherwise instructed. For there be, // the schole- that kepe them out of fier, and yet was neuer // house of burned: That beware of water, and yet was neuer // Foles, and nie drowninge: That hate harlottes, and was // ill men.

neuer at the stewes: That abhorre falshode, and neuer brake promis themselues.

But will ye see, a fit Similitude of this aduentured experience.

A Father, that doth let louse his son, to all experiences, is most like a fond Hunter, that letteth slippe a whelpe to the hole herde. Twentie to one, he shall fall vpon a rascall, and let go the faire game. Men that hunt so, be either ignorant persones, preuie stealers, or night walkers.

Learning therefore, ye wise fathers, and good bringing vp, and not blinde & dangerous experience, is the next and readiest waie, that must leede your Children, first, to wisdom, and than to worthinesse, if euer ye purpose they shall c.u.m there.

And to saie all in shorte, though I lacke Authoritie to giue

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counsell, yet I lacke not good will to wisshe, that the yougthe How expe- // in England, speciallie Ientlemen, and namelie no- rience may // bilitie, shold be by good bringing vp, so grounded proffet. // in iudgement of learninge, so founded in loue of honestie, as, whan they shold be called forthe to the execution of great affaires, in seruice of their Prince and contrie, they might be hable, to vse and to order, all experiences, were they good were they bad, and that, according to the square, rule, and line, of wisdom learning and vertue.

And, I do not meene, by all this my taulke, that yong Diligent // Ientlemen, should alwaies be poring on a booke, learninge // and by vsing good studies, shold lease honest ought to be // pleasure, and haunt no good pastime, I meene ioyned with // nothing lesse: For it is well knowne, that I both pleasant // like and loue, and haue alwaies, and do yet still pastimes, // vse, all exercises and pastimes, that be fitte for my namelie in a // nature and habilitie. And beside naturall dispo- ientleman. // sition, in iudgement also, I was neuer, either Stoick in doctrine, or Anabaptist in Religion, to mislike a merie, pleasant, and plaifull nature, if no outrage be committed, against lawe, mesure, and good order.

Therefore, I wold wishe, that, beside some good time, fitlie appointed, and constantlie kepte, to encrease by readinge, the knowledge of the tonges and learning, yong ientlemen shold Learnyng // vse, and delite in all Courtelie exercises, and ioyned with // Ientlemanlike pastimes. And good cause whie: pastimes. // For the self same n.o.ble Citie of Athenes, iustlie commended of me before, did wiselie and vpon great considera- tion, appoint, the Muses, _Apollo_, and _Pallas_, to be patrones of _Musae._ // learninge to their yougthe. For the Muses, besides learning, were also Ladies of dauncinge, _Apollo._ // mirthe and ministrelsie: _Apollo_, was G.o.d of shooting, and Author of cunning playing vpon Instrumentes: _Pallas._ // _Pallas_ also was Laidie mistres in warres. Wher- bie was nothing else ment, but that learninge shold be alwaise mingled, with honest mirthe, and c.u.mlie exercises: and that warre also shold be gouerned by learning, and moderated by wisdom, as did well appeare in those Capitaines of _Athenes_ named by me before, and also in _Scipio_ & _Caesar_, the two Diamondes of Rome.

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And _Pallas_, was no more feared, in weering _aegida_, than she was praised, for chosing _Oliva_: whereby shineth // Learning the glory of learning, which thus, was Gouernour // rewleth & Mistres, in the n.o.ble Citie of _Athenes_, both of // both warre warre and peace. // and peace.

Therefore, to ride c.u.mlie: to run faire at the tilte or ring: to plaie at all weapones: to shote faire in bow, or surelie in gon: to vaut l.u.s.tely: to runne: to leape: to wrestle: // The pas- to swimme: To daunce c.u.mlie: to sing, and playe // times that of instrumentes cunnyngly: to Hawke: to hunte: // be fitte for to playe at tennes, & all pastimes generally, which // Courtlie be ioyned with labor, vsed in open place, and on // Ientlemen.

the day light, conteining either some fitte exercise for warre, or some pleasant pastime for peace, be not onelie c.u.mlie and decent, but also verie necessarie, for a Courtlie Ientleman to vse.

But, of all kinde of pastimes, fitte for a Ientleman, I will, G.o.dwilling, in fitter place, more at large, declare fullie, in my booke of the c.o.c.kpitte: which I do write, to // The c.o.k- satisfie som, I trust, with som reason, that be // pitte.

more curious, in marking other mens doinges, than carefull in mendying their owne faultes. And som also will nedes busie them selues in merueling, and adding thereunto vnfrendlie taulke, why I, a man of good yeares, and of no ill place, I thanke G.o.d and my Prince, do make choise to spend soch tyme in writyng of trifles, as the schole of shoting, the c.o.c.kpitte, and this booke of the first Principles of Grammer, rather, than to take some weightie matter in hand, either of Religion, or Ciuill discipline.

Wise men I know, will well allow of my choise herein: and as for such, who haue not witte of them selues, but must learne of others, to iudge right of mens doynges, let them // A booke of read that wise Poet _Horace_ in his _Arte Poetica_, // a lofty t.i.tle, who willeth wis.e.m.e.n to beware, of hie and loftie // beareth the t.i.tles. For, great shippes, require costlie tack- // brag of o- ling, and also afterward dangerous gouernment: // uergreat a Small boates, be neither verie chargeable in // promise.

makyng, nor verie oft in great ieoperdie: and yet they cary many tymes, as good and costlie ware, as greater vessels do.

A meane Argument, may easelie beare, the light burden of a small faute, and haue alwaise at hand, a ready excuse for

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ill handling: And, some praise it is, if it so chaunce, to be The right // better in deede, than a man dare venture to choise, to // seeme. A hye t.i.tle, doth charge a man, with chose a fitte // the heauie burden, of to great a promise: and Argument // therefore sayth _Horace_ verie wittelie, that, that to write // Poete was a verie foole, that began hys booke, vpon. // with a goodlie verse in deede, but ouer proude _Hor. in_ // a promise.

_Arte Poet._ //

_Fortunam Priami cantabo & n.o.bile bellum,_

And after, as wiselie.